My GAS Attack!!! A Family Portrait

G.A.S.
Guitar Acquisition Syndrome.

I think I am undoubtedly but only mildly afflicted by it...and I probably have it...denying it doesn't do any good... I think it's cool to a certain degree...but who knows what I will do If I have the money for it?...well anyway....here is a family portrait...My oldest guitar...not necessarily my first one...I acquired sometime in 1990... It's been almost 20 years with me...I had it when I was still a bachelor and I could remember lugging this guitar with me when I was crooning some lady, jamming with my band, or just out in the corner hanging out and drinking with friends....Its an O.G. (Opon Guitar - not Ovation Guitar)...Opon guitars are one of the best made guitars in Cebu where I come from...in the Philippines...its in the Island of Mactan...I had an office mate who belongs to the Pangatungan Clan who are makers of Opon guitars...hey do have a guitar factory and I had this axe made to order with my specs...its a cut-away, acoustic steel stringed guitar...with jet-black glaze finish...the neck and body is made out of "Kamagong" as describe by my local Luthier "Eddie Pangatungan" . Since then on I always buy my guitars from Opon Guitars...'til this day... I have already re-painted this Old Guitar three times since I have had it o maintain the glossy look...and its moving from my hands now into my daughter's hands...this guitar also has a twin...I have it made and gave it away to my brother as a gift of music..."Kamagong" or ebony is a tree found only in the Philippines, the wood of which is extremely dense and hard, and famous for its dark color. It belongs to the ebony family like many other very hard woods is sometimes called "Ironwood " so called because its wood is iron-like and nearly unbreakable.


The next guitar that I got from Opon Guitars is a classical nylon beauty...its got the NT (natural) look and finish and the soundboard is made from Palo Tsina or "Spruce" wood...the finger board is made of "Kamagong" its got its own built in electronics...with an under saddle mounted pick-up ...I thought of buying this because I wanted it as a gift for my daughter when I wanted her to take up guitar which is why I went for the nylon strings because it would be easier to the touch and gentle on the fingers and the wide fingerboard is good for hand stretches and finger exercise...I also had another one made for another brother in Hong Kong...last I heard it was damaged but still could be repaired....but the irony of it all is that my daughter loved instead to play my old acoustic steel stringed guitar more than this nylon beauty...then one day...my daughter broke my old guitar's head stock which made me obviously angry...of how careless she is with instruments...I had to bring my old guitar to my luthier to have it fixed and repainted but during this visit....I bought my daughter her own acoustic steel stringed guitar to keep her away from my old guitar...I saw this charvel copy in his shop...its got an ovation head stock...quite a unique guitar in itself...it sounded good but it had some fret buzz which I later had it fixed...because of the lighter guage of strings used by the guitar...its got the chocolate and shiny glaze finish...but alas...the last I heard is that my daughter busted this one...but could still be repaired...when I go back in country I would bring this baby to my luthier and have it fix in no time...I wanted to teach my daughter the value of taking care of your instruments...How many times I have told her...playing your instruments doesn't end there ...after using them you have to clean them and wipe them...with care...these instruments gives us pleasure when we make music with them...you need maintenance care...because they will sound better for you if you take care of them just like your own family...and I reminded her that since you don't have any brothers or sisters please treat your musical instruments as your sibings....and that they are not mere toys

The next guitar I acquired is an electric guitar I bought from a japanese used "Ukay-ukay" store...where I found this beauty...its a Fernandes Japanese MIJ (Made in Japan) TEJ -(Telecaster-Japan Model)...It was on a display window with other discarded electronics from Japan...in this used japan gear shop near my home... Black satin finish Tele style body (alder/basswood?) with ivory coloured binding, all hardware is silver plated, 22 frets, solid top, volume, tone, 3-way selector (LP style switch), bridge and neck single coil passive pickups (FGI), standard tele fixed tailpiece, Gotoh tuners, Fender-style neck with Rosewood fingerboard and angled Fernandes style headstock. This guitar is pretty much the twang-fender sound of a telecaster...after I bought it I immediately worked on it and cleaned it and checked the electronics....although...being second hand it has its scratches and dings but the sound of the guitar is still great...its no ordinary guitar by itself and made in Japan an speak for itself...always has the quality that you can find with an instrument that goes with he electronics...To make the gear a little more girl-friendly for my daughter...I had added the Hello kitty stuff stickers in them....

I was originally a bass player in my first band...and once my special girl friend gave me this as a gift ...someime in 1983 ...I had a Gibson EB3 That was borrowed by my eldest brother but was never returned...I was told that a nephew of mine was playing it...I have lost track of his one and when I asked my brother...He told me its not there anymore or whatever...its gone now...
....I also had a Gibson SG way back then...but I also gave it to a budding player...the son of a fraternity brod of mine who was always borrowing this SG of mine until it was never returned...and I did not bother to look for it anymore as I feel that It has found a new owner and a legacy of music goes with this gift... It is even equipped with a bigsby tremolo bridge similar to this pictured here


I bought another cheap (MIC) made in China Bass guitar....its not really much of a bass guitar but it does what it is suppose to do and functions quite well...playing bass was always my rue love...I've always felt that a bass player is the coolest guy in the band...its a four stringed bass guitar set in a PJ configuration of its pick-ups and is quite fender like as you might say...I plan to modify this baby with EMG active pick-ups when I could...that cost would be around $200 but I haven't gone to this point yet as these pick-ups are available only in the US...wala pa akong budget...but this bass guitar is good and I have already gigged with it...I normally would use my DOD 250 overdrive as an effect to give this bass guitar more punch...and this sounds quite good with it...I have had this DOD with me since 1983...and its still does what it does best...rocks...that really gives a tube like sound...that over driven sound....

The next guitar I bought is again another electric on the behest of my daughter who really wants to get a hold of a Les Paul Copy and I relented to her request...and bought this premier Les Paul designed copy...(MIC-Made in China)...Its quite hard to get your hand on a real Les Paul in Cebu not unless you buy it from abroad...such as UK or US...but this copy is also a beauty in itself...quite obviously some modification of the pick-ups will really make it sound more better...fatter...this guitar has a fuller sound because of its humbuckers...doesn't sound like the twangy fenders which gives it a different tonality...Dimarzio humbuckers would really make this guitar rock...but until that day comes...this stock model will have to do...its finish is also quite elegant...as clearly shown by is bright and candy like finish...I left all my guitars to my daughter's care as I ended up with my Job Here in Qatar...bu the G.A.S. attack has not ended for me here in DOHA...

I bought myself this beauty...a Yamaha FX370 acoustic-electric guitar at Modern Home....its sleek and black as most of my guitars are...and I have also gigged with this guitar here in Qatar with some of my friends....I normally keep this in standard tuning for most of the time and I have also tested its electronics and it also has done quite well...is under saddle pick-up system gives it an electric sound more than acoustic ....this guitar keeps me company in most of my solitary days inside my room...during my spare moments this guitar also gives me the pleasure of experiencing the music that I have grown to love and cherish...being a music man is also one of the great ways of honing your musical skills, composing music, trying o play covers, learning and breaking down songs into parts and learning how it was made and the many different ways a song can be played in the guitar...which led me to study and learn open tunings and if you are into these stuff you'll need more than one guitar as I have experienced...for that led me to acquire this Yamaha F370 acoustic guitar which I bought second hand from a foreigner (Peruvian owner)...and I ordered a sound hole magnetic pick-up from the Philippines and attached it to this guitar and I have also gigged with this one...this is my alternative tuning guitar which I normally tune to open D and DADGAD, ...I'm also learning new songs that are played in this type of tuning...expanding my knowledge and skills as well as a skilled guitar player and my most recent acquisition is this Guitar... its an Ibanez SA120EX-BK Electric Guitar - mahogany body, 3-piece maple SA neck, 22 medium frets, rosewood fretboard, dot inlays, SAT Pro II bridge, Cosmo black hardware, AH5 humbucker (neck) & AH6 humbucker (bridge) pickups, Colour: Black...Thats G.A.S. for me...the rocker's guitar ... these instruments never cease to amaze me all the time...and I love the pursuit of improving your musical skills and guitar playing when ever you have the chance of doing so...but to learn guitar of any instrument for that matter ...you need to buy one and not only that you need to take good care of it while it is in your possession...these guitars serves no purpose without any body playing them...its like a discarded toy who loses its existence or purpose in life once nobody plays with it...it has a life once you play it...it has purpose once you strum it...pick it...play chords....sing with it...only then will it have a life of its own and you must protect and take care of them...an instrument of joy... the gift of music for your heart of Gold...