My 2nd 6-string guitar…..An Ovation purchased 2nd hand and loved to death. I just called her “Ms O.” because that was the best name for her I could settle on.
When Derek and Emily were small children night time would find me sitting in the hallway outside their bedrooms. On my guitar stool and playing/singing my heart out. You know, children are amazing. They remember the singing at night, but they never said anything about my off pitch tone or sour note. I just played for them from my heart and they took that love with them to this day.
At that time I was also dubbed with a singing name…...Denise Denver….why, because I knew or had a copy of every song John Denver sang. I was no Denver in voice, but sure loved his Nature type songs, and I sang them lots.
She went with me to many activities in my Guiding and Scouting years. “Campfires” at indoor Thinking Week events. My Ovation opened the doors to so many friendships with other players….yes, I met my BFFA Sue when she spent many days and years helping me limp along learning how to play in such a way that I never forgot. She even encouraged my “special” finger picking ways,,,,,no one else can pick the way I do…..they have five fingers, (two to anchor their hands) and 3 to use when picking. I was not quite the same in my hand structure, so I learned my own unique way.
How many through the 10 years I was living on my own did I go to a Christmas Carol Sing with my friends Tom and Helen? I was so thankful the year that Tom introduced me to a lady who is still a really good friend of me....long distance though it is....but always in touch. Helen. Remember Helen? We hit it off like 2 peas in a pod. Both on our own and in great need of a new friend.
Years passed, guitar players to play with came and went.
In October 1999 I met on line my soon to be husband Lou. We only started out as friends first, and why? You may well ask, because I played the guitar, and so did he. What a grand bond to start a life long friendship and marriage.
The last year I lived in Keswick, after marrying Lou and before moving to Wyoming, Ont I had a bbq and several of us brought our guitars. Song words were posted on the white siding at the deck, and then away we went…...our very own backyard songfest.
Did I mention that we both played our guitars at our wedding....that was so much fun for us (not sure about our guests) that we actually played way over the time that we had rented the hall for this day. The Embassy Suites gave us the heads up to stay playing as our guests left to go the different ways home.
Ms. Ovation stood with me at my Sister’s, Father’s funeral. My last time to sing goodbye to them both.
Later on, I purchased my 12 String Takamini Guitar. I had graduated to the big girl guitar era. I named her Esmeralda after one of my song hero’s song….John Denver “Dearest Esmeralda”. I still have her. Last time I played Esmeralda was at my Mother’s funeral…...after that the light on my playing just seemed to fade away. Sad but true. Meanwhile….My O went on to be the chosen guitar that Lou would play all the time. You might say, we actually wore her out with the humming and strumming.
A little history lesson about Ovations. Little did I know when I purchased this lovely fibreglass backed instrument (yes, moulded to fit right into my body frame I swear) that the first year of production the artist decided to form the neck from aluminum. He worked for an airplane builder and figured this would be a solid, non-warping, light-weight way to make a long lasting instrument. This was some time during the 70’s. He was right because we were still playing Ms O like nothing would ever stop us.
This aluminum neck was formed as one solid piece. The frets (the metal bars that cross the neck and the strings rest upon to bring out the notes) was left in the original aluminum bar and then each side was whittled out, leaving the base that had little bars standing up above the neck. Of course these were then covered with thin pieces of wood, and the strings added and away it went to be sold. These were manufactured this was in the early 70,s for one year, then stopped. So I could think I had an antique…..except……….
Our Ms O developed a really nasty twang. The more Lou worked to fix it the worse it got. So this past spring to the Guitar Dr she went and after approx 6 months, of one excuse after the other, one reason why the guitar could not be fixed, broken tools….we finally had our answer…….THE ALUMINUM BAR could not be fixed.
The repair man felt very badly since we waited so long and the guitar would not come back the same way it went out. The repairman offered us a $ exchange on the price of a brand new Ovation,,,,with wood neck, no longer a fancy-dancy experiment.
Our new Ovation is now home with us, and I just love it to pieces. I am even picking her up each day and playing a little bit to rebuild my callouses. The tone is amazing (as I guess all new guitars are). Her outfit is clean, shiny and I hope to see over time the many little scratches from both of us playing her together.
Yes, I am even encouraged to tune up my Esmeralda and start playing again.
What is amazing about this story is that Ms O brough Lou and I together, we both share her now, and when I play my 12string along with him. It is like the beginning time again,,,,,two people who came together over guitars and will stay that way.
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