Don Brown

motorcycle (I think I'd like a Buell) Guitar wise: I'd love to try a Parker, though don't think I need one... A big ole hollow body without a bigsby ... an SG with the EC paintjob ... hmmm... but all of these exclude what I really want, a comfortable retirement and a happy wife

Thanks! I dont play it because it looks nice (I just got it out to play it) and it is probably my most beatable guitar, so no refin it is! This is a fount of wisdom, thanks everyone, Roy esp!

well, while we are on the subject... I have a Steinberger GR, OLD, and need to have it refretted (some of the frets are "popping"(I can press them down and they spring back up, not enought to make it unplayable if I stay in the top 9 frets, but above there it gets buzzy) and the finish is shot to hell and back. So when I talked to the folks at Peekamoose (the Steinberger forums name them as the best place to have work done on old Steinies) they told me not to get a refin because they used some sort of gel-coat or some such thing. Now I can believe this because there are several places that the wood is visible and several where there are clearly layers of paint/gel that go from the red through to silver and black before the wood, and the black esp. seems really thick. They said that to mess with the finish would change the tone too much. What sort of finish is on the old Steinbergers (this is the wood body, not really cool paddle ones) and why couldnt the same sort of finish be re-applied? and since I bought it for $400, and the refret is gonna be close to that, and a refin even more, is it even worth it? Of course, only I can answer that question, how much do I love it? Well, the refret is necessary (unless I only play home position chords), and the refin is cosmetic. just curious

Most for a CD - A german import of Blind Guardian, someone either here or on the old Harmony Central boards talked me into it. It's fine, so not a big loss, but I don't listen to it that much. I did pay nearly 70 for an original Criteron Collection of "Spinal Tap" when it had gone out of print and before it was re-released (with more bonus stuff). I got the re-release and watch that one and keep the Criterion Copy for safe-keeping. Usually I get my CDs at Half-Price-Books and rarely pay more than 6 bucks. Got some real finds that way. I don't buy DVDs anymore thanks to Redbox, one of the great inventions in America today. I'd pay decent money if I could find CDs of the first two "Swirling Eddies" recordings. My tapes disappeared long ago. Best deal, I found the complete "You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore " (6 double CDs) in a cool pink crate for 20, still sealed. Now I'm not the biggest Zappa fan in the world, and I don't think I could listen straight through, but it is still a hell of a deal.

Happy Bday Rob!

my prayers, my wife's, and my prayer partners are all with you