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Hoffmann

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 12, 2011
Messages
73
Location
Germany
Ehhhm, I believe I am a kind of a special case... :) Long story...

Actually I am a piano and organ player and try to make a living from that.. But since about five years I have been the biggest Albert Lee fan imaginable and listened to him every day and hours of hours. My brother wanted to play the solo of "Marie Marie" (Shakin Stevens). Although it sounded typical for a rock'n'roll guitar solo, he found that there is something more going on. He did some research on the guitar player and discovered Albert. First I was primarily only a big fan of the music (country, rock'n'roll, rockabilly, soul) and more interested in the piano parts, as I have always been a rock'n'roll and boogie piano fan. But over the years I fell in love with his playing, his tone, his abilities and his musicality in general. Being such a fan of Albert I started to concentrate on what makes his playing and his tone so special. Although I had never played the guitar his tone was THE THING for me and I always knew that I would try to sound like him if I should ever be born again and start a life as a guitar player.

On day during a gig I put on the guitar and "played" it during a song (volume knob to zero...). I was drunk and laughed at it but later on someone came to me and said that a guitar suits me very well. The very next day I took my fathers guitar, he showed me three harmonies and I took it home. That was in October 2010. I have played everyday since then and I still have the feeling that I improve with every day that I play. Sounds stupid, but I really believe that playing the piano helps me a lot. Basically my aim right from the start was to play the country / rockabilly guitar like Albert Lee - of course at a simpler level. ;)

So I bought an amp and a Squier Strat for about 150 $. Since I improved faster than I thought, I changed it for another Squier Strat (cedar body). Well, and then I changed over to the AL :) It had been a dream to have the guitar that Albert plays himself and I knew one day I will have it. Well, I didn't know that it would come true so fast!! Playing the guitar is such a big fun for me since there are so many differences and similarities to the piano at the same time and it is like a crossword to search for the coherences between the two. Well, right now I am learning country licks (Troy Dexter). Learning a new instrument is such a big fun! And interestingly, I have the feeling that it also inspires me for the piano playing, although I spend less time it than all the years before. :)

So my high demands and standards regarding the guitar were not because I had already played brilliant guitars before, but because of the high difference that I expected between the cheap axes I played before and a high quality instrument that my all time favourite player uses!!!

Hmm, long and boring story, but that's how the story goes :)

Marian
 

paranoid70

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 9, 2007
Messages
2,647
Location
Long Beach, CA
Great story! I love to hear when people express their love of music and playing an instrument that way. Welcome to the forum Marian.

You sure picked a nice looking Albert Lee. I love that color. I must confess that the neck pickup on the AL (Single coil) is probably the best I have ever played.
 

smd24fan

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 2, 2009
Messages
442
Location
Syracuse, NY
Beautiful AL! Such great guitars, mine STILL blows my mind when I play it. Congrats to you and welcome to the ALOC!
 
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