My First Guitar

[LychkovIA]

It is so good to hear you telling about your past.

[kidderminsterbro]

@LychkovIA hi ivan

yes back in 1964 it was a very different time.

i miss the simpler times but we have to adapt

to these modern times.

peace,rich

[buniluvr]

Sweet! What a great story! Thanks for sharing!

YouTube made some "changes" and it's giving me a headache!

cheers,

julie

[kidderminsterbro]

@buniluvr thanks julie

glad you got to hear some of my past.

the sixties seem so far ago and yet

sometimes feel just like yesterday.

time just stands still at times.

peace,rich

[ravenshield56]

Ralph Harris?

[kidderminsterbro]

@ravenshield56 hey rs

all i need is a pipe in my mouth

loose about a hundred pounds of my girth

and of course if i had his financial abilities

i would not be a broke poor musician.

but i am still alive, somewhat.

peace,rich

[ravenshield56]

@kidderminsterbro :D

[LychkovIA]

Thank you. I just have to save this video to my disc to watch it sometimes, because I like it very much.

So this is where "Never Give It Up" sounded on YouTube for the first time!

[gamewizard]

I have what is probably the sole surviving Jackson-Guldan guitar of it's kind. It's an electrified flattop made of birch dating from the 1930's. The pickup and bridge are a single unit with a ridge across the top with notches for the strings. The tuners are open backs and the gears don't mesh perfectly but once it is tuned it stays in tune like it has lockers because the rusty old gears don't back off easily under tension.The pickup doesn't work, unfortunately. it probably needs to be rewound.

[kidderminsterbro]

@gamewizard hey gw

if you google kokomo music guldan you will find a 1930's

guitar similar to the one you describe

let me know if it is any where near to it

peace,rich

ps very historical guitar

[gamewizard]

@kidderminsterbro

That's the one I own. It was put up on ebay a few years ago along with the Kamico guitar that is on that site, which I also bought. Funny enough, it was the Kamico I really wanted and I only bid on the Guldan because it was running out of time with zero bids and I thought I could pick it up cheap. The Guldan turned out to be the one I play the most even though the pickup doesn't work. I play it as an acoustic.

[kidderminsterbro]

@gamewizard it's a small guldan world

[gamewizard]

@kidderminsterbro

Yes, unfortunately I missed out on a Guldan amplifier that was on ebay last year. Guldan also made lap steels which are much more common than than the electric guitar, but still not easy to find, so I would imagine there were a few lap steel owners competing with me for that one.

[PsychoSchuyler]

I <3 ur beard

[kidderminsterbro]

@PsychoSchuyler hey ps

thanks for your comment

peace,rich

[steveoh2395]

Good song at the end

[CallumMylott]

whats that song you play please reply

[kidderminsterbro]

@CallumMylott hey CM

this is an original song by me called "never give it up"

[CallumMylott]

@kidderminsterbro thanks for the reply its very catchy and i like it

[bloc22]

Such a heartwarming video. I'm 21 and bought my first guitar when I was 16. I plan on keeping it 'til I die. I count my guitars as my friend.

[kidderminsterbro]

@bloc22 thanks b22

i think that's a very good way of looking at your guitar as a friend.

at times the guitar can really bring you out of a bad feeling just

like a good friend would.

peace,rich

ps keep the guitars out of the case or they won't be played

[bloc22]

@kidderminsterbro will do. will do.

[misterstewball]

Hello

Richard...

Aren't Grandmother's the best? (this Italian-American kid knows this from experience). I find it ironic that I am absorbing every moment of this wonderful and sentimental show n' tell exactly one year after you've filmed it. The true value of that guitar on a personal level is priceless for sure. I know the feeling that you've expressed here. What a pleasant way to introduce yourself by way of your sweet story concerning that beautiful specimen of a musical instrument.

~Max

[kidderminsterbro]

@misterstewball thanks sir max

i'm so glad to share some of my history

with a true musical historian as you

one of these day's i'll have to make a video

of my second guitar which my mom,

God bless her soul, gifted me with.

that one was caught in the 1968

chicago democratic convention riots.

peace,rich

[dalton35100]

5 bucks was alot of money back then

[kidderminsterbro]

@dalton35100 it certainly was

10 dollars was our grocery bill for a week to feed 3 adults and 3 kids

my parents would give my granny $10 a month allowance

we had no allowance for us kids

peace,rich

[dexydonovanroger]

where in england are you from............

[kidderminsterbro]

@dexydonovanroger my first eight years of life where spent in kidderminster

about 35 miles southwest of birmingham

thanks for watching

peace,rich

[dexydonovanroger]

@kidderminsterbro ...should realy have got that from your you tube name......soz....

[FrozenSparky]

wow guitar for 5 bucks :D nice

[smbros711]

its bad ass that is so cool.....

[madisonmadie232]

five bucks omg

[whitestripebuzz]

You own Martin's and J-45's but it is this guitar you cherish the most. Wonderful heart warming story. My sister sat and listened too and she wants to say she loves you!

[kidderminsterbro]

@whitestripebuzz thanks man for your kind commernts.

i remember your lovely performance of "pal of mine"

every guitar that has come my way found special places

in my life but this one started it all and always reminds

me of my granny and mom

thanks to your sister for her kind words

peace to the both of you,

rich

[TheExplodingPumpkin]

Can you still play on it

[kidderminsterbro]

@TheExplodingPumpkin it is still playable but i have it hanging on my wall in loving memory of all those good times spent on it in my first years on the guitar.

good luck with your guitar playing EXP

peace,

rich

[jks2]

i think it's a Watkins guitar.

[gamewizard]

Just one more thing I wanted to add. People disparage plywood construction today, but back when laminates (they called plywood laminate way back when) were first used, they were intended to add strength because the plys were layered in different directions it was stronger than a solid piece of wood with the grain running in just one direction. It was considered high tech construction in the 30's and 40's which is why so many guitars of that era still survive.

[gamewizard]

That's a very nice guitar with a nice story behind it. You already know quite a bit about Jackson-Guldan. They primarily made violins, violas and cellos and only occasionally dabbled in guitars. The guitars they made weren't high end, either. They would probably be comparable to the entry level Kay's and Harmony's of the time. I have a growing collection of guitars myself, but rarely have time to learn to play them. I appreciate them more from an artistic or historic perspective.

[johnp352]

For those of you viewing this from outside the US..Rich is a part of what the REAL Chicago is about. NOT the tourist version, not the KKKorporate/McDonalds version as espoused to the world, but the real, neighborhood version. Chicago is a huge city state, and the core, Chicago proper, is made up from neighborhoods..each with their own way of looking at the big picture. This is a a wonderful heartfelt statement from a truly soulful musician.

I wanna tell you a story..all about my town.

[mccrackin1000]

Great story, thanks for sharing your history. Most of all, thanks for your friendship.

[CSBluesman]

you got some good stories and great gear. Keep on posting videos, its great.

[Jahnli]

There's a thread about First Guitars going on at The Gear Page forums right now, this is a great clip about that very subject!

[joeburton77]

thanks for sending me this video, i enjoyed your story and that guitar's got a sweet old sound!! all the best

joe

[cadence440]

Great story...5 bucks for a guitar, man, good investment on getting into music.

-Paul

[ck1791]

Thanks for sharing the memories, you have a very interesting acoustic.

[fendermac]

Completely charming.

[Rockavillian]

Great Video. Let's here more of that song, its beautiful!

[DinahmiteBoz]

Heartfelt story of your musician beginning. I am your neighbor and fan of your band The Business . I love it.

[KCCraineMusic]

Rich,

Thanks for sharing your story and your "baby." I love your playing as well. What an inspirational and heart warming video.

All the best to you brother....

[tonedr]

Rich, this is such a warm and wonderful video.....i've never seen one like it and i LOVED it! Hearing your story is just terrific and i suspect many pickers like me will, thanks to you, go back to the 1st guitar we called our own! This is was a real treat as was your performance my friend!!

dale

[kidderminsterbro]

Thanks Dale I'm so happy I finally can share some of my history with you.

peace,

rich

[stratassassin]

Great story, good memories. im officially subscribed, haha when i saw the bridge i was like "nice" then you said it wasnt original haha.i like your glasses too.

Great voice, you should definetly consider making a cd, i would buy. I know what you mean, although im only 15, my first guitar was at age 8. i have a job and buy my own gear. That first guitar, was a classical style by formosa, and reminds me of my dead grandmother.