Amish Guitar

I bought a new guitar last week. It isn't anything special. Really. An Oscar Schmidt folk guitar for well under $200. I'm learning that in the guitar world, the cost of the item can be a real indicator of the quality of the instrument. The cheaper the cost, the lower quality woods and workmanship. However, that isn't a hard and fast rule. This folk guitar, for example, is OK for the money I spent. The action is good, the tone and projection are ok, but nothing like my A&L Cherry Folk. It isn't a guitar I'd play at Carnegie Hall. It's just an ok guitar. But it serves the purpose for which I needed it.

I bought it for my office at the library. Believe it or not, but working at a library can get quite stressful. I found myself wishing I had an instrument at work that I could pull out during mealtimes, breaks or whenever the stress got high enough I just needed to unload into some chords. I also thought that, in time, I might occasionally play for my children's librarian's programs. Anyway, what I needed is a cheap guitar that played easily and didn't sound absolutely horrid. And this Oscar Schmidt exceeds these requirements remarkably well.

So, now I am a two guitar man. I would have laughed at anyone who told me a year ago I would have one instrument, never mind two. I think it does say something about how important playing has become in my life. I've written before about why I've taken up the instrument: for the challenge, for the therapy, for the need for music back in my life. I can't believe how far I've come as a player in the last year. And I can't imagine giving up playing.