Butch Snyder
Well-known member
Since 1987, I have been dreaming about owning an actual EBMM Steve Morse model guitar. I thought, "This is the "be all, end all" of all guitars." Now I actually own one. Let me digress a bit though.
I have always been a fan of Steve Morse; the music, the talent, the person. His affinity for being able to successfully mix all genres of music into an eclectic style that actually is his individuality, is astounding.
Years and years past and I finally told my wife that I have had enough Telecasters in my life. I'm ready to make a bold move. For my b-day (this was a few years ago), I would like the guitar that I have always secretly dreamed about. I told her about the Morse model. I caught her looking at some on-line stores and she kept looking at the Y2Ds. I remember seeing the Y2D when they first came out. I have to be honest. I was a little disappointed. What happened to the slanted pickup? Other player friends told me to stop living in the past and start embracing the future.
That's a difficult task for me. Change doesn't come easy. I still miss the 80's. Perhaps because it was more care-free high school and the only responsibility I had was my own hairstyle; which I still think is cool.
Anyway, I found my wife had ordered a Y2D in Purple Sunset. I received the guitar via FedEx and my whole family just ooh'd and awed over its beautiful finish. Me? Well, I admit, I still missed the slanted pickup. I spoke to my wife about it. I don't return or trade gifts of that nature; but this time, I had grace to do that. Thank goodness for Pete DuBaldo. Pete stepped in and said he would trade me my Y2D for a new Standard Morse in the finish I had always wanted; Morse Blueburst.
I got the guitar and started trying to bond right away. From the start, I saw it as a huge improvement for me over the Y2D. Not a quality thing, just a personal thing.
Then it started - the honeymoon was over. I went through all kinds of feelings, good, bad, ugly, and all kinds of in-between feelings. Y'all have read my posts. Well, in the past few months, I have been trying to gain my own individuality as a player; not necessarily in style, but more in gear. Though I love my Morse, I have always felt a little like my own individuality was compromised due to Steve's name being on the headstock. I finally decided that it was the humbuckers that I really couldn't bond with. I removed the Morse humbuckers and installed a DiMarzio Air Norton in the neck and an Air Zone in the bridge. I replaced the 250k pots with 500k and I heard something different from this guitar. No, it never sounded like Steve Morse. I'm not him nor do I have anywhere near the talent he does. After changing out some electronics, I felt the guitar take a little closer step to actually becoming "mine" and not just another signature model (albeit, a fantastic one). Going on, my wife has always started that I am a Tele guy. That's just what she has always seen me with. Again, in the past few months, I have really been trying hard to have my Tele be my #1. I'll play it for hours. Then when I'm about ready to pack it up for the night, I'll strap on the Morse. It's like coming out of your Sunday School suit, shoes and all and stepping into your favorite blue jeans and tennis shoes (or whatever you like to wear for comfort). I was watching "Lost" last night with my wife. I had quit playing just before it came on. I told her about all this. At least from the "trying for a few months to make the Tele #1 and then just "sliding" into the Morse.
She told me, "Sounds like the guitar you think you never bonded with has bonded with you." "What!?!", I said. She basically was saying that that guitar I always wanted to be my #1 keeps presenting itself all the time to me and I keep trying to make something else (Tele) something it can't seem to be...
Boy that was a huge ramble. I do that when I have a revelation. Sorry so long but I had to get these feelings into words and post them in the forum where the folks here would truly understand.
I have always been a fan of Steve Morse; the music, the talent, the person. His affinity for being able to successfully mix all genres of music into an eclectic style that actually is his individuality, is astounding.
Years and years past and I finally told my wife that I have had enough Telecasters in my life. I'm ready to make a bold move. For my b-day (this was a few years ago), I would like the guitar that I have always secretly dreamed about. I told her about the Morse model. I caught her looking at some on-line stores and she kept looking at the Y2Ds. I remember seeing the Y2D when they first came out. I have to be honest. I was a little disappointed. What happened to the slanted pickup? Other player friends told me to stop living in the past and start embracing the future.
That's a difficult task for me. Change doesn't come easy. I still miss the 80's. Perhaps because it was more care-free high school and the only responsibility I had was my own hairstyle; which I still think is cool.
Anyway, I found my wife had ordered a Y2D in Purple Sunset. I received the guitar via FedEx and my whole family just ooh'd and awed over its beautiful finish. Me? Well, I admit, I still missed the slanted pickup. I spoke to my wife about it. I don't return or trade gifts of that nature; but this time, I had grace to do that. Thank goodness for Pete DuBaldo. Pete stepped in and said he would trade me my Y2D for a new Standard Morse in the finish I had always wanted; Morse Blueburst.
I got the guitar and started trying to bond right away. From the start, I saw it as a huge improvement for me over the Y2D. Not a quality thing, just a personal thing.
Then it started - the honeymoon was over. I went through all kinds of feelings, good, bad, ugly, and all kinds of in-between feelings. Y'all have read my posts. Well, in the past few months, I have been trying to gain my own individuality as a player; not necessarily in style, but more in gear. Though I love my Morse, I have always felt a little like my own individuality was compromised due to Steve's name being on the headstock. I finally decided that it was the humbuckers that I really couldn't bond with. I removed the Morse humbuckers and installed a DiMarzio Air Norton in the neck and an Air Zone in the bridge. I replaced the 250k pots with 500k and I heard something different from this guitar. No, it never sounded like Steve Morse. I'm not him nor do I have anywhere near the talent he does. After changing out some electronics, I felt the guitar take a little closer step to actually becoming "mine" and not just another signature model (albeit, a fantastic one). Going on, my wife has always started that I am a Tele guy. That's just what she has always seen me with. Again, in the past few months, I have really been trying hard to have my Tele be my #1. I'll play it for hours. Then when I'm about ready to pack it up for the night, I'll strap on the Morse. It's like coming out of your Sunday School suit, shoes and all and stepping into your favorite blue jeans and tennis shoes (or whatever you like to wear for comfort). I was watching "Lost" last night with my wife. I had quit playing just before it came on. I told her about all this. At least from the "trying for a few months to make the Tele #1 and then just "sliding" into the Morse.
She told me, "Sounds like the guitar you think you never bonded with has bonded with you." "What!?!", I said. She basically was saying that that guitar I always wanted to be my #1 keeps presenting itself all the time to me and I keep trying to make something else (Tele) something it can't seem to be...
Boy that was a huge ramble. I do that when I have a revelation. Sorry so long but I had to get these feelings into words and post them in the forum where the folks here would truly understand.
