The Guitar and how it started form me - 2010

Teri and Gary on s/v ISHI.

About three years ago I decide to take some guitar lessons. I had no musical experience at all.

 We had taken some dance lessons once at a community center. I could not nor could I ever keep a beat. I could never even find the beat in the song. For various reasons like the bands played late we never did much dancing out.
 So the reason for the guitar lessons were two-fold.
 First my wife Debbie plays the flute. She works at San Diego State University School of Music and Dance. She gets me inexpensive music lessons. So each Tuesday my boss OK’d me go to SDSU and take my lesson and have lunch with my wife. So that is the first reason, we get to pal out and we now share something in common, music.
The second reason is cruising. We had met a couple that were cruising through a teacher Debbie works with. They are Teri and Gary on s/v ISHI. A 34 foot sloop made in Canada. We got to emailing and it turns out Gary is a real good guitar player.

 I asked him if it helps to play the guitar while cruising and here is his response.
“I've also been playing for almost fifty years, and should know a lot more than I do after all that time. I've performed in many cantinas and cruiser hangouts while cruising and usually managed to get free drinks, sometimes meals, and even paid a couple of times. Personally, I much prefer Bossa Nova and jazz, but my repertoire consists mainly of "oldies but goodies," which the cruising crowd loves best. I even have a CD I produced after several months of being recorded by Philo at Philo's Bar & Restaurant in La Cruz, Banderas Bay, a few years ago. If you're interested, I'll send you a copy“
 He did send me a copy and he is real good. He also sings some songs. He plays the nylon string guitar. I play the steel string guitar.
 So I think it is going to be a great asset to play the guitar while cruising and also a great way to entertain myself. Also Debbie likes it. It is all win!
 The first guitar I bought was a Taylor 110 Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar and it was real hard for me to play. It was a dreadnaught and the strings were heavy and the action was high.

I sold it.
I tried the baby Taylor but did not like it, sold it.

Got a Yamaha APX500 and like it lots. It has great action.

 It is affordable at about $350.00 at MusiciansFriend.com where I bought two. A brown one and a red one. They are the sunburst kind in color cutaway electric. They also have an onboard tuner which is handy.
Musiciansfriend
My final guitar is a RainSong guitar.

My final guitar is a RainSong guitar.

OM1000 6-string orchestra model cutaway acoustic electric
This is a carbon fiber guitar. It has great action and is a little on the bright side which I like. It has an onboard tuner which I like also. As you can tell it does not break easily nor does it go out of tune much.  It is a smaller-bodied guitar perfect for the boat!

om1000 RainSong Guitar
Ok now I really like\love my RainSong Guitar and think it is a great choice for any boater. Of course you gotta like the sound and feel.

This guy has me beat in the "guitar love" area though!

 So now I have a Yamaha APX500 at work where I get a lot of practice in and bring it to my lessons.
I have a Yamaha APX500 on the boat for fun and practice. The boat is still under construction so the RainSong stays home.
I have the RainSong at home because that is where I get the second-most practice time.
 For an amp I got a PyP-Bomb PB-1A Portable Amplifier w/auxiliary input channel.
 Very simple amp and will not get soggy because it is made of PVC not cardboard.
pyp-bomb

Note: 

 These amps are no longer made.

Some songs I can sing and play:
 Debbie also sings the chorus on at least one song with me now!
Dust In The Wind
Blowing in the Wind
12 bar blues
Blues Solo
Sail Away ladies
Boogie Pattern
Wipeout
Needle Damage done
Hey Jude
Peaceful Easy Feeling
Magaritaville
Heart Of gold
Sunshine of your love
Ring of fire
Take it Easy
The Anchoring Song
Running Down the Road

Note:

 I could take just one guitar with us when we started cruising so I took the RainSong guitar. I still love many years later.