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L&M Sept. Profile of the Month: Jack M.

Friday, September 14, 2012
Name: Jack M.

City: Naperville, IL

Forum Username: aslerjack

My Gear:
Guitars:
2011 Gibson R4 Goldtop w/P90’s (got rid of 3 guitar’s for this)
2009 Gibson 60’s Studio Reissue (setup for slide)
2004 Fender 52 RI Telecaster
Saga Telecaster (that I built and painted)
Santa Cruz OM-PW
Taylor GC Mini

Amps:
Dr Z Carmen Ghia 1x12 combo
Dr Z Maz 18 NR head
Dr Z 1x12 cabinet
Victoria 20112
Fender Mustang 1

Favorite Artists/Bands: Number 1 is Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers (band from Tempe, AZ). After that, there are a ton that I like, from Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Dwight Yoakum to Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, Tom Petty (love Mike Campbell on guitar), and a whole slew of others. Too many great blues players to mention.

Favorite styles to play: Rock and Blues, or whatever we are learning to play at the moment. Sometimes it’s fun to crank the amp and grunge out with some power chords after a long day at work.

What made you want to play music? I have always admired people who could play the guitar.

Previous music experience: Air guitar and cold beer… On my way home after a polo game one Sunday in 1998, I stopped by Guitar Center and ended up buying a Fender mim strat and a solid state amp. My wife laughed at me and said it would end up in the basement in a month. Well, she was right. I would come across it every couple of years and drag it upstairs and give it a shot. It always ended up back in the basement corner in about a month, pretty much stopped at the same point every time. Saw Van Halen a few years ago and decided to try again. I spent some time looking online for guitar courses and came across LMG and bought it. Haven’t put the guitar down since! Between the DVD’s and the forums, they helped me get past the stumbling block I always seemed to hit.

If the house was on fire, which instrument would you grab? The R4, cable, and the Carmen Ghia, this combo can do everything from clean to mean. Set the volume knob on the Ghia between 1 and 3pm, tone knob about 1pm, all the overdrive I need with my R4 and then just roll back the volume on the guitar for cleans.

Favorite place to be when playing guitar: First, it was on the front porch with a cold beer, no neighbors are a good thing. After playing a few of small shows, have to say being on stage is where it’s at for me or with the guys practicing.

Most delightful musical moment so far: Has to be the first time we played on stage in front of a decent crowd. We played 5 songs without any of them turning into a train wreck. I was able to come out of my solos in time with the drummer, didn’t forget my lyric’s for the backup vocal parts. Hearing my voice come out of the stage monitor was a bit of a scare the first time while playing but I got used to it. I enjoy playing by myself at home but nailing a song with 4 other guys in front of people is just a great feeling.

I have to add one more moment here, it was getting a phone call from Steve the day after I won a tuner on one of the Live Lessons. It was great to talk to Steve for a bit and thank him. I may sound a bit like a homer, but my guitar would still be in a corner of the basement if it wasn’t for him and LMG.

Hobbies: Horses and Polo. I used to play polo for a living but now do it as a side thing. We like to pick up a couple of young horses each year and start them in polo and hopefully sell them in a year or two. Between that and playing and umpiring, is what funds my guitar and amp purchases.

Current Job: IT Director for some nursing homes.

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