(Most of this carried over from the old-old site that prevailed when I joined in 2017, the one that pre-dated the version with the split-site “Community.”  I had not seen this for about 3-1/2 years.)

In late 2012, my wife bought me my first guitar, a Babicz Identity cutaway dread.  I took lessons for about 3-1/2 years with a jazz master, but I ran into schedule difficulties.  I studied with him because he is the best instructor and guitarist in the area and because I think jazz study can be a good foundation to prepare you to play anything.  But due to a change of Music Department Chairs at Muhlenberg College, where we were meeting for lessons, Tom was no longer able to teach students from off-campus.

I continued to regularly practice on my own, but really just the material Tom had written out for me.  One day in late June 2017, I finally watched Tony’s infomercial.  I decided to join, quickly realizing that I could get a lifetime membership for slightly less than I was paying for a year of private lessons.  The lifetime membership button didn’t work; it was greyed out.  Noah was surprised when he got my message insisting that you honor the deal I saw.  I said I was joining as a life member on day 1 and expected you to credit the annual payment to the amount of the lifetime membership, which Noah arranged.  It took a few weeks before they got the lifetime membership up and running on the site.  I was the test pilot.

My favorite music genres are progressive rock, bluegrass, celtic, jazz, classical and concert band.  I started building guitars in Jan. 2017 and am nearing completion on 2 acoustics ( a mahogany parlor guitar and a rosewood OM).  I recently started assembling a tele-style “partscaster.”

Update 2017-09: The “partscaster” is in playable condition, and it was fun to play it for an hour or two, but almost all my playing is still acoustic.

Update 2021-04:  I still have not completed any of my guitar builds, but I started two more guitars: an archtop with spruce top and quilted maple B&S plus a Martin D-28 kit that I bought at the 2017 ASIA (Association of Stringed Instrument Artisans) benefit auction.  At the 2019 biennial ASIA symposium, I bought a StewMac ukulele kit at the benefit auction.  That’s the only lute family instrument I have completed to date.  I have not touched the “partscaster” electric since I wrote the preceding material in 2017!