Hoping to join the family today....

[ducatisteve]

Hoping to join the family today....(aka, how I got my first Ball)

Hey guys, first post.

I remember the first time I put my hands on a Music Man. It was the spring of 2003, and I was visiting a friend in Orlando, FL. We were walking around GC, and I saw a JP6 sitting on a stand way in a back corner. Being a long time fan of DT, I was excited to pick it up, but totally unaware of what playing a MM would be like. From the moment the neck hit my hand, it was all over, I had to have one. Everything about it felt right....the body contours, neck profile, fingerboard radius, and it was effortless to pull a wide variety of tones out of it. The hours flew by, every moment remembered, yet a blur.

But, alas, I was a poor jobless college freshman, and it was not the time. Since that day, almost 5 years ago, every guitar that I've purchased, or built, has just been a compromise....dozens of shallow attempts at recreating the guitar I played that April day.

But it is now 5 years later. I have a good job, and hopefully today is the day it all comes full circle. I am driving across the state, from my parent's house in Melbourne to my house in Sarasota, and I am on a mission to find my JP6. Does anyone in the Central Florida area have any tips? I'm going to be hitting up the Orlando, Lakeland, and Tampa GC's. Wish me luck, I hope to be posting pics tonight!!

~Steve

 

[mark_tampa]

Bass Central in Orlando (Bass Central) has about the best selection of EBMM anywhere around, according to their website, they have 26 PET's instock (8 seven string and 18 six stringers). I doubt that you could find a better selection anywhere in the country.

Express Music in Largo (Express Music Inc. - Home Page) usually has one or two PET's instock as well.

I was in Tampa GC (Hillsbourgh store) last week looking for a Roland GR-20 synth, the only EBMM guitar they had was a "used" silo (it still had the EBMM bar code on the back, looked like brand new to me). They didn't have the GR-20 instock, but the Lakeland store did. Drove to the Lakeland GC and looked around, they had NO EBMM guitars instock, but did get the GR-20 while I was there.

Good luck in you search!

 

[ducatisteve]

Holy smokes, they do have a lot of MM's! I will be there today for sure.

Fantastic!!

 

[NorM]

That is exciting news! I hope you find something fantastic and make it yours! Great luck to you!!!!
Please try to share some pictures with us as soon as you can.

 

[Colin]

great story can't wait to see what you get

 

[RobW]

jeez, even I'm a little giddy about it!

 

[dunkonu23]

I got my JP6 BFR from Bass Central. Great guys to work with!

Scott

 

[ducatisteve]

Long Post!

Wow, thank you very much for your advice, stories, and warm reception!

So I hopped by Bass Central today. It actually worked out pretty well, because it's very close to where my old college roommate lives, so I got to visit with him as well (and, well....ahem, jam ).

But before I get too far ahead of myself....the guys at Bass Central are more than fantastic in every way. The three guys there were all with customers already, but I was acknowledged the second I walked in, assured that the first person available will be at my veritable beck and call.

So I walk around and my eyes are popping out of my head just looking at some of the wild basses they have on the sales floor. I should have looked down from the wall for a second because I almost tripped over 2 EBMM hard cases, each containing the object of my lust. At my feet were two fully loaded JP6's, one in blue and one in gold (sorry, I don't know the actual color names yet!!). I asked a gentleman setting up a Bongo if it was alright if I noodled around with one of them, unplugged, since I was interested in purchasing a JP. He handed me the gold one, as the blue was already sold to a group of 3 guys at the register (who also bought the aforementioned Bongo).

Side story: the 3 guys were actually very cool visitors from Venezuela. They came to the States on vacation, primarily to buy gear! They said their government only allowed them to spend $5000 a year outside of their country. I did not know that! Anyway, back on topic....

The guy at the register finished up with our South American guests and asked me how I liked the guitar. I gave him a quick rundown about my long term obsession with the guitar. He seemed pretty tickled when I said that I drove all the way there by recommendation of this forum. He asked about the specifics I was looking for. I let him know that I didn't have a real need for piezo, and would love a dark red guitar. He checked the computer and found that he had a standard JP6 in Pearl Red Burst in the back. After a couple minutes he reemerged with a shipping box and pulls the hard case out. The latches flipped, the case opened, and there in all its glory was my guitar. I didn't even need to unwrap it from the plastic to know that I was taking it home.....but that didn't stop me from jamming out in the shop for a little while. My new Venezuelan buddies stuck around a little and were talking me into buying it, as if it weren't going to happen anyway.

Long story.....well, long.....he gave me a great deal on it, and I could not be more excited. It is a gorgeous guitar that has already pulled complements from guests that visited tonight. I love how it's not as widely known as a PRS or Gibson (am I allowed to say that?), but is by far the best player I've ever laid hands on. Thank you BP and JP for bringing something like this onto the market, having this guitar has refueled my love for the instrument, the art, and music in general. And thank you guys for bearing with me while I typed out a novel about my new guitar. I know the standard JP6 is pretty low on the EBMM totem pole, but I know that this is the first of what will be many Balls to come.

Sorry for the bad pics, I got back at nighttime, so it's all artificial lights. I'll post better pics sans lengthy diatribe tomorrow!

 

[roburado]

Nice! Let's just say I have an affinity for the bare bones PRB JP6.

 

[mark_tampa]

Sweet guitar! Really dig the color, I know it will serve you well.

I trust you had no problem finding the place, Orlando is somewhat of a pain to get around. If you are ever around the Tampa area and have a EBMM jam session, let me know..

 

[Phazer]

really beautiful!!!
can we see the birdseye on the neck?

 

[dstockden]

cool guitar man!
that aint a low model man! no such thing! Some prefer the JP without the piezo etc as they feel they get a fuller tone with the more wood. how many guitars haver you played before with a piezo? id wager not many! so being without one aint putting you aside!

im sure you are gonna love that guitar,

david

 

[colinboy]

congats brother.nice guitar!

 

[fogman]

beautiful!!!
congrats

 

[Jonny Dubai]

Congrats on a great guitsr and fab story....lovin it all.



J

 

[Headstock]

Congrats on the new guitar ! What a great story.

 

[NorM]

He seemed pretty tickled when I said that I drove all the way there by recommendation of this forum. He asked about the specifics I was looking for. I let him know that I didn't have a real need for piezo, and would love a dark red guitar. He checked the computer and found that he had a standard JP6 in Pearl Red Burst in the back. After a couple minutes he reemerged with a shipping box and pulls the hard case out. The latches flipped, the case opened, and there in all its glory was my guitar. I didn't even need to unwrap it from the plastic to know that I was taking it home.....

^^^My favorite part of a well written story


When you get exactly what you want you should never be disappointed. That's one very cool guitar.

 

[mb99zz]

Great story....that's a sweet looking guitar. Nice color too.

 

[73h Nils]

That's an ace guitar and an ace story. Welcome aboard!

 

[RobW]

killer