# Road trip and NGD



## bluzfish (Mar 12, 2011)

Around 1967 I bought an original 1964 Epiphone Texan which I dragged with me through rain, snow and blazing sun while hitch-hiking around the country singing for my supper. I had to sell it in 1979 to pay the rent so my wife and I would be spared life on the street. We divorced amicably in 1988 and I hadn't seen or spoken to her since then.

At the beginning of October, my old friend, a mean harp player/lead singer/guitar player grabbed his guitar and drove from White Rock, BC to Edmonton to take me back on a road trip through my beloved BC mountains to his place for a thanksgiving dinner for 28, many of them there simply because of my presence - I was overwhelmed.

I won't go into the great time we had on that road trip. Just a couple of goofs with guitars who get each others' stupid sense of humour, staying in a chalet with gourmet meals in Jasper and lunch at the infamous Old Log Inn in Avola ("how far IS the old log in?").

Anyway, my ex-wife was at the thanksgiving dinner and we had as good a talk as two people can have at such a large gathering. She knew about my cancer battle and when I got home and unpacked, she had gotten my friend to slip some money in my bag to help with my expenses. I told her that I am financially stable for the time being and asked if it would be ok to spend the money on a guitar to replace my old Texan. She thought that was a great idea so I went on the lookout for a new acoustic.

L&M sucks for getting things if they are not already in their system. I had been wanting a Texan for years but they never had one in so I bought a different guitar. That guitar had some issues so I brought it back. I was plunking around in the acoustic room and low and behold, across the room hanging on the wall was a 1964 Texan reproduction. It was an order that was never picked up and they had just hung it for sale an hour before I got there. Serendipidy? I quickly made the arrangements to buy it and now it's mine.

Now, the guitar...

It was made in Indonesia so I wonder how it compares with earlier models made in different factories, but it seems to be very solidly built with no flaws in the finishing. An interesting thing is that the neck is one solid piece of mahogany like a regular Gibson without a glued on headstock or heel. Previously I had resigned myself to saving my purchase for a J45, even if I do find them a bit bassy sounding for my style and taste, but this Texan is more "mid-rangey" with excellent attack and definition of the notes.

The neck is fairly wide and chunky enough for my chunky preference. The tuning seems to be quite stable and the 12-53 DAddario strings I use are a good match for this guitar. The original Texans had a terrible adjustable bridge which has now been replaced with a more conventional one (which I had done on my old one as well).

All in all. it was setup nicely and is a very nice guitar to play right out of the box. I've ordered a Gator deluxe wood case for it (the guitar needs an extra long case to accommodate the giant Epi headstock) but who knows when that will show up at L&M so I'll just have to be patient.

The only mod I have made so far is to replace the Shadow under-saddle pickup and preamp for an L R Baggs sound-hole pickup which I personally prefer. I also purchased an L R Baggs Para Acoustic DI for tone control. In future, I will be replacing the nut and saddle with bone or tusq and perhaps the tuning pegs if the existing ones don't please me.


SPECIFICATIONS 
Top MaterialSolid SpruceBack MaterialSolid mahoganySide MaterialmahoganyNeck MaterialmahoganyNeck Shape1960's SlimTaper™Fingerboard Radius14"Frets 20mediumNeck JointGlued-InTruss RodAdjustableScale Length25.5"Fingerboardrosewood with pearloid Parallelogram inlaysBridge PickupShadow NanoFlex™ low-impedanceElectronicsShadow Sonic sound-hole mounted system Controls Master Volume, High EQ, Low EQ, Phase Switch, Low Battery indicatorPowerTwo #2032 lithium batteries (3V)BindingBody - 5 ply (W/B/W/B/W); top and backBridgerosewood; Reverse BellyNut Width1.68"HardwareNickelMachine HeadsVintage-style, 14:1 ratio with small cream buttons

*Inspired by 1964 Texan*

Since it's introduction in 1958, the Epiphone Texan has been the choice of countless musicians including Paul McCartney, Peter Frampton and Noel Gallagher. In fact, McCartney wrote and recorded "Yesterday," one of the most recorded and popular songs ever, on his 1964 Texan and still uses it on stage today. Now, Epiphone brings back the Texan combining all the great features of the original with modern updates for today's musician.


I haven't found the energy for real pix yet, so here are some stock ones for now.


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## ElectricMojo (May 19, 2011)

Nice, congrats.


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## Shark (Jun 10, 2010)

Cool story, man. Enjoy playing your new-old guitar. :smile-new:


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## urko99 (Mar 30, 2009)

I enjoy reading your story and congratulations on your nostalgic find! I love a story that closes with a long lost circle completed.


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## fredyfreeloader (Dec 11, 2010)

You are indeed fortunate to have a friend like that it sounds like you had a great trip and now a guitar that you like. congrats.


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

Cool...
Enjoy!


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## sulphur (Jun 2, 2011)

Congrats bluzfish!

That's a really great story to go along with the guitar.
Pretty wild that it happened to turn up at the right time...fate?

Enjoy!


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## GUInessTARS (Dec 28, 2007)

I also enjoyed the story Mr. B.
Just this past summer I was looking at the Texan reissue at a local dealer.
It compared quite favourably with several more expensive guitars they had on the wall.
I didn't have the cash at the time or it would have come home with me.
Enjoy!


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## Ship of fools (Nov 17, 2007)

Finally some good stories in the acoustic section I have pretty well given up looking through here with so many people posting songs that they recorded and decided to share with us. And now we have something to sink out acoustic teeth into that is a great story Bluzfish and glad you found a replacement for your old Texan and the road trip sounded like it was a ton of fun. So cool to have it all come around again for you.ship


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## brimc76 (Feb 14, 2008)

A great story of friends and guitars. Enjoy your new replacement Texan.


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## bluzfish (Mar 12, 2011)

Thanks, guys. It was a fun road trip and a fine new guitar to inspire me like the good old days. Life is good!


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