Alembic Guitars Club
Alembic products => Alembic Basses & Guitars => Topic started by: strangerones on November 01, 2006, 10:22:08 AM
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Hi all,
I'm currently taking a marketing course, and we're dealing with demographics.
Would anyone have any guesses as to the demographics of age and sex for Alembic customers? My guess, just based on activity I see on this board is that probably 90% of Alembic customers are male and a large majority are probably over 30.
Anyone have any thoughts or opinions on this statement?
Thanks,
James
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I would say you are right on target at 90% male. I bet that the age is even higher for a majority of us. Mica or Val would be the best source for demographics. If you get any substantial information, please post it.
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Those numbers are probably correct for this forum, but I wonder how close they are for ALL Alembic owners.
Myself; male over thirty (almost 1/2 through my second 30 LOL)
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Owners is not the same set as customers, nor is it the same set as forum members. First thing to do is identify what group you really want to profile.
For example, customers, at least to me, would be recent/future purchasers of new instruments. Based upon the price, you aren't likely to find too many young people of either sex buying new.
Owners, on the other hand, would include all the people who have been able to acquire an Alembic through any means. All the sub-$1000 Spoilers and Persuaders allow this group to be much more varied in age and income. Do you include preamp owners as well as the instrument owners? That might spread it a bit wider.
Forum members is an interesting group. It includes both owners and potential customers. It even includes people who are in neither category. If that's the group you're looking to profile, I would look at a few dozen profiles at random. I would be surprised if you told me that as many as 10% of active forum members were female. Maybe it's just not obvious because of the nature of the topics discussed, but the names and pronouns seem almost universally masculine, Mica excluded of course! I would also suspect that the vast majority of participants here are instrument oriented. There are quite a few preamps out there that are owned by players who probably wouldn't be interested in participating here.
just a few thoughts from my perspective, anyway...
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As of a couple of weeks ago, I'm half-way through my second 30..
When I bought my instrument I was 19, but had turned 20 by the time it was in my hands.
Sex is fine, be it Demographic or Regumbycan...
John
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Hmm . . .
Male, former owner (unless you count my SF-2), purchased all instruments used, under 30 (for a little while longer). Even though I no longer own an Alembic, I hang around the forum for the guitar porn, the luthier insights, and beer threads.
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Double post
(Message edited by oujeebass on November 01, 2006)
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I bet its quite a range,but as far as club members I would think it is bit skewed. We all come here to make it be known we own Alembics and are proud of it.
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Well, no, not all. Some of us come here because we enjoy, as Kevin put it, the guitar porn, the luthier insights, and beer threads. Some of us, sadly, are not now and never have been Alembic owners (though I assume I'm not just speaking for myself when I say we wish we were.)
As for my demographics - male, over 50, fantasizing about some day owning an Alembic or ten, and enjoying conversation with people who likewise love fine instruments.
Peter
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Well once the kids have grown up, the mortgage is gone or you have been left a sizable amount by a late relative then buying your dream Almbic becomes a possiblity.
Either that or a Repsol Honda Fireblade!
Well done Nicky for the 2006 MotoGP championship, it has been a very unusual season and it is good to see someone else get the crown.
(UK member)
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Well once the kids have grown up, the mortgage is paid off or you have been left a sizable amount of money by a late relative then your dream Alembic is within your reach.
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I'm guessing a high percentage of Hawiian shirts.
And I think you're right on-- over thirty, male, above average income, and music as a hobby (not a full-time profession).
Not to mention a high percentage of:
Motorcycle/sports car/luxury car ownership
Beer afficionados
Fans of the following:
Grateful Dead (wonder why? )
Level 42/Mark King fans
Stanley Clarke
Jimmy Johnson
Emerson, Lake and Palmer
And we're home to the largest per capita percentage of people who know that Jermaine Jackson is a bass player.
Bradley
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Demographics, is that like sample images.
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Demographics isn't fun until you get to the specifics. At which point it isn't demographics anymore, is it?
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Oh, yeah, I forgot - former & future motorcycle owner, homebrewer, and Deadhead.
Peter
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You've got most of the bases covered Peter. Hopefully home plate isn't to far in the future.
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I may be the odd man here, but my specifics;
Music: Lynard Skyhard, SRV, Isley Bros, Bob Wills, Ohio Players,
Bike: Harley
Shirt: Sleeveless (no Hawaiin)
Tattoo's on both arms
Beer...IBC.
But first and foremost..JC rules! John 3:16
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Olie - I am pretty odd too.
Music: Country.
Bike: Schwinn
Shirt: I have never owned a Hawaiin shirt. Yet, anyway. No tattoo's yet either!
Beer: Diet IBC. My diabetes won't let me enjoy the original IBC anymore.
Age: 48, with first Alembic at age 17. Since I was 17, I have never been without at least one Alembic.
Michael
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Thanks for the input everyone! I didn't really expect this thread to see so much love.
I had thought that the board wasn't entirely representative of the Alembic customer population. My reasoning behind the 90% male demographic is that the music industry seems to by predominately male, probably more so when you narrow your focus down to something like Alembic.
The over 30 thing was simply because the price makes many Alembic instruments pipe dreams for younger musicians. Though considering preamps would probably widen that age range. I wouldn't count used instruments, as at that point the buyer is not an Alembic customer. I'm 25 and already managed to pick up a new S-F2 and F-1X, along with a used Skylark.
My other thought is that Alembic's market segments could pretty well be divided into the following groups:
Hobbyist Musicians
Collectors
Professional Musicians
I'd ask Val or Mica, but I assume they're too busy to deal with such nonsense.
To be honest, I have to design a marketing plan using an existing company trying to market a new product in order to demonstrate that I've actually learned something from this course. The product I'm marketing utilizes the mind operated technology being researched by the medical industry. In my marketing plan, Alembic modifies their existing preamps with this new technology so the musician can operate the preamps just by thinking about it.
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Hey, I think I did that once! But it was probably more chemistry than technology.
(And I can go almost a month without wearing the same Hawai'ian shirt twice.)
Peter
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Age: 29
Music: Lots. I mainly go for the harder rock/metal of the 60s through 90s, but the last album I bought (yesterday) was Dylan's new Modern Times and I think it's great.
Bike: '83 Kawai 650
Shirt: Yep, the occasional Hawaiian. Guilty as charged.
Beer: The King.
Age: 29. Bought my one and only Alembic (Epic) at 19 and rarely play anything else. Would love another, accepting donations.
Hobbyist Musician, as in, gig a lot, but make no money at it.
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I feel compelled to add:
Used to be a full-time pro (C&W, Jazz, Rock, you-name-it), but now only gig a lot for not much dough. Speaking of yeast, Black Toad or Champaign Velvet Bock are my beers of choice these days. Speaking of days and how I spend them before my first beer, the bike is a 2004 Kawasaki KLR650 (Red, the fastest color, an A18 named Helen, for those who care). ATGATT. Quiet Pipes Save Neighbors! Speaking of which, they only occasionally see me in a Hawaiian shirt. Speaking of which, it doesn't cover any non-beer-influenced body modifications (no tattoos, but I am a bit chubby). Doesn't do such a great job covering up the beer-influenced modification (chubbiness) either. Speaking of fat, Mel Schacher, Kasim Sultan, Chris Squire, Greg Lake, Paul McCartney and many of the other usual suspects made my record collection fat...
John
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Okay, I'll bite too:
Age: 40-ish
Music: Progressive/Hard Rock (Rush, Yes, Kansas)
Minivan
2 Hawaiian shirts, but I don't wear them too often.
Diet Root Beer (type 1 diabetic for almost 40 years)
Hobbiest with above average income
Ken (TEO)
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Hmm. . . forgot to list my beer preference (is this thread to degenerate to a beer discussion as well?). Currently I have really been enjoying Bell's Two Hearted Ale. A lovely IPA with an extremely floral hop aroma that gives nice balance without becoming intrusive.
Oh, and I've owned a few Hawaiian shirts (all with sleeves), and have listened to a number of Dead shows, but wouldn't call myself a true Dead Head. My bike is a schwinn, and my income is middle class.
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I'm 36, male, and a Deadhead, but I enjoy a wide variety of good music, especially classic and southern rock and country.
I toured the southeast for a few years in the late '90's, and may have the opportunity to do so again at the end of this school year.
I have owned 2 Honda motorcycles (I was in college and it was what I could afford) and will have another bike (probably for dirt) someday. I live in a small enough town that my bicycle can get me anywhere in less than 10 minutes. Most of my extra money now goes into supporting my firearms habit (recreational and competitive shooting, reloading and general tinkering).
Shirtwise, no Hawaiians, but for work I bought 5 identical purple (my school's color) oxfords.
As for beer, I prefer laagers and stouts, and my favorite domestics are Miller High Life and PBR.
Charles
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hey charles. common intrest,im a gun shop owner,competive shooter.trap,pistol and long range rifle,reloading ect.playing since 1965 hawaiian shirts outdoors only,-----chuck
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I'm old enough to know better, NO Hawain shirts, like just about any music that's well done, prefer Tony Lamas and Brownings and H+K's and Alembics w/FatBoys, IBC Root Beer (Whereas I CAN drink and drive), virtually anything Italian, no tattoos (!), empty-nester, and I truly am an interesting bunch of people. I probably watch too much PBS and I LOVE radio. And to hell with digital photography, I love Velvia.
J o e y
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Liberal Redneck here. a true Oxy Moron in a classic 1957 model! Lots of miles run, hopefully lots left.
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all righty then....52yrs young,, 750 Kawarunsonsocki, have a spoiler on the way and feel like a sugar starved kid in a candy store! Played Fenders, Guilds and Ric's mostly, along with Schroetter upright. Had to give up beer after seeing Janet Jackson on the Superbowl.Demographics as song title? NLP
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Age: mid-50's
Bikes: former owner, Triumph Bonneville 750
Beer: Newcastle Brown Ale; Bass Pale Ale
Hawaiian shirts: lots, but only to cover concealed weapons [see my profile], not as a fashion statement :>)
Tattoos: none
Music: hard to pin down--everything from Lynrd Skynrd, Allman Bros, Charlie Daniels/Marshall Tucker to The Tubes, Rush, Kansas, to James Brown, Tower of Power, Average White Band, ConFunkShun, most 70's and 80's funk/groove
Current instruments: Fender Jazz MIA; custom Orion nearing completion
Status: Hobbyist musician
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Liberal redneck, does that mean you'll drink beer from a can or a bottle?
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Normand, I can think of worse thing to see. Like maybe Michael getting exposed during half-time.
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Me?
Age: 44
Bikes: None. I do have a Dodge Ram Quad Cab with a Hemi that can run over one though.
Beer: German Hefeweizen, Belgian Lambics and Ales, English Ales, and anything non-American. American beer is like sex in a canoe. It's #$%^ing near water.
Hawaiian shirts: None.
Tattoos: None.
Weapons: Hmmm ... M9 9mm pistol, M4 Carbine, and in previous assignments, M2 .50 Caliber HB and M242 Bushmaster 25mm Chaingun. Oh, and the TOW Missile and M240C Machine Gun too.
Music: Yes, King Crimson, early Genesis, Rush, Led Zeppelin, Emerson Lake and Palmer, The Tubes, The Police, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Stanley Clarke, Jaco, The Beatles, The Who, Frank Zappa, Stu Hamm, etc. Definitely not a Dead or Phish Head - never did get it.
Current Instruments:
Fenders: '05 Fender Jazz Bass Deluxe (MIA); '73 Fender Jazz; '76 Fender Precision; '94 Fender Jazz Bass MIJ: '99 Fretless Jazz Deluxe (MIA)
Gibsons: '87 Gibson Thunderbird; '74 Gibson Ripper; '77 Gibson RD Artist
Musicmans: '02 Bongo; '79 Stingray; '06 Stingray HH
Rickenbacker: '76 4001; '77 4001
Peavey: '89 Dyna Bass Unity Series Limited with Kahler Tremelo
Pedulla: MVP 4
Ovation: CC074 Acoustic Electric
Godin: A4 Acoustic Electric
Alembic: '03 Europa; '03 Spyder (#7 of 50); '04 Dragon's Wing; '91 Essence; '92 Essence
Under Construction: Custom Series II John Entwistle replica
Lakland: 4-94
Status: Hobbyist/semi-pro.
(Message edited by ajdover on November 04, 2006)
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Olie,
the answer to your question is 'yes'!
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Age: 37
Alembics: I bought a 76 Series 1 when I was 19 (the bass was already 12 by the time I got it), and that bass is still my main axe. I think I paid $1200 for it. A year or two later, I bought a new Spoiler, which I only kept a few years.
Regarding the Grateful Dead: I do not like this music. Never did, although I tried for a while. I am a huge fan of Jazz Is Dead, though, with Jimmy Herring, Alphonso Johnson, Billy Cobham, and T Lavitz.
Bikes: My pride and joy is a 6-month old Kona Dawg Deluxe, a pedal-pusher mountain bike (I do, after all, live in Jackson Hole). I also admit to a 1990 Suzuki DR350, for those times when I get the itch to motor on the trails.
Guns: More than a casual interest, but not competitive. I load my own ammo, carry concealed (I think a lot of Wyomingites pack heat). I never wear a Hawaiian shirt, though. A middle-aged guy with a Hawaiian shirt is a dead giveaway for a cop (sorry, Eric. I couldn't resist!)
Music: It changes as I get older, but common themes include Jaco, soul jazz ala Lee Morgan, Cannonball Adderley, Grant Green, etc. I also currently spin a lot of Mike Stern, Soulive, Medeski, Martin, and Wood, Scofield, Eldar, Richard Bona, Flecktones, Aquarium Rescue Unit, James McMurtry.
Ink: none. I'd consider it, except for the fact that almost everyone has it now. It's no longer a sign of anything but conformism.
Beer: Not much, anymore, as it takes a toll on my waistline. Lots of wine and scotch, though, which probably isn't much better, but I love those spirits.
Musical status: Working-stiff professional without another job. Nothing particularly glamorous these days, but I love what I do: weddings, parties, happy hour jazz gigs, casuals, etc.
I am lucky for a number of reasons: I play a lot of bass, I get to live in Jackson Hole, and I play an Alembic, which is cool regardless of where you live, what you do for a living, whether or not you have tattoos, ride motorcycles, shoot guns, listen to the Dead, whatever.
Andy Calder
www.andycalderbass.com (http://www.andycalderbass.com)
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Hey..AJDOVER..holy cow thats an impressive collection.. Whats the current favorite!
I'd think you need your own road crew and 18 wheeler!!
NLP
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Hawaiian shirts a must in north carolina,the home of beach music. though i never connected them with undercover cops,mabye this is the reason that when im in maryland playing i hear the word narc a lot and people tend to avoid me until they find out im with the band.-----chuck
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The questions seem to shift from post to post so I'll wing it.
I'm 52, bought my first and only Alembic three years ago almost to the day.
Hawaiian shirts? You're kidding right?
Music: I'm a big fan of music. My CD collection has everything from Bubble Puppy to Bach. There's even a Lisa Lisa and the Cult Jam in there but don't tell anyone.
Gear: '94 Epic, '00 Warwick Thumb BO, '78 Guild B302, all 4 strings
Beer: Guinness. Period. Wine is good also, but liquor is off my diet. My system just isn't the same as it once was.
Weapon: Glock model 23 .40 cal I do have a concealed weapon permit but rarely carry.
No motorcycle, never learned to drive one though it does look like fun.
Tattoos: Not yet, that's my son in law's area of responsibility. The boy's covered. But my daughter adores him and he is a bass player so it's good.
Sam
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Age: 54
Bought my 77 Alembic in 1978 at age 27 for $900.00.
Hawaiian Shirts: At least 6 and wear them all the time. Even last week.
Never had a bike. I was into muscle cars: 66 Vette 427/435, 68 Chevelle 327/325
Music: Beatles, Stones, Who, ELP, ZAPPA,Stanley, Jaco, Victor, Alphonso Johnson, Benny Goodman, The Duke, Pete Fountain, and all Swing and Dixieland Musicians.
Bands: Started playing in bands in 1963. Rock and Roll, Jazz, Fusion.
Tattoos: Never
Contracted Hep C in mid 80's. Liver Transplant in 2002.
Had Type 2 Diabetes before Transplant, But now have no signs of it. The Liver was screwing up all my functions.
Beer: Not any more. ICB is great
Retired
Hobbies: Music, Semi professional Woodworker.
Howard
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Normand,
Current favorite right now is the Lakland. It's probably the only bass that even comes close to touching Alembics in terms of quality and tonal versatility. I love mine to death - I have it in Korea with me at the moment.
BTW, if you want to sign up as part of my road crew, I'm game! :-)
Alan
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Alan,
You're mechanized infantry?
Bradley
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Sounds like combat engineers to me.
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Alan,
You're mechanized infantry?
Bradley
Bradley,
I began my career as an infantryman, and saw service in the 1st Gulf War with 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division. I was a Bradley Platoon Leader back then, and hence the reference to an M242 Bushmaster, TOW Missile, and M240C Machine Gun.
Alan
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Andy
No reason to resist, you're right--at least for some locales.
However, Hawaiian shirts don't stick out like a sore thumb so much here in predominantly sunny, hot central California (kind of like what Chuck said about North Carolina). Now if I wore a fanny pack, that would be another story--a 3rd grader can make you with one of those :>)
Eric
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Yes, the fanny pack is worse, although you could also be made as a sound engineer with one of those,
Dick Cheney lives about a mile from my house, and the valley's crawling with Secret Service and various other security-types when he is around. Secret Service seems to prefer photographers' vests when they are in the mountains. They must have gotten a good deal on a bulk order, because they ALL wear them, and they ALL match. You can pick 'em out a mile away. It must not really be important that those people remain incognito, or they would make some small effort to do so. I have to believe that it's only important to have a garment they can use to hide an MP5. Funny that the Secret Service isn't really so secret.
Andy Calder
www.andycalderbass.com (http://www.andycalderbass.com)
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Alan,
I was 2nd Battallion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division (Heavy) in the 1st Gulf War. The Bushmaster was the giveaway- TOWs and SAWs are both available without Bradleys (the fighting vehicle, not the consultant ).
Bradley
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Age: 40-plus
Bike: None at the moment. I have ridden many and on the pavement the BMW's were superior to all of the others.
Beer: A&W or Blachawk Stout
Hawaiian Shirts: I own a few that I like
Music (other Performers I listen to often): Ray Wylie Hubbard, Dire Straits, David Wilcox, Bonnie Raite, Cowboy Junkies, Bruce Cockburn, Adrian Legg, Natalie Merchant, Tracy Chapman, Tori Amos, Austin Lounge Lizards, Asleep at th wheel.
Grateful Dead: I like some of their material / I have seen them only once in concert
Guns: Only a few
Income: Unemployed and looking
Sex: Solo / Single and looking for long-term (relationship) 8^D
Gender: Male
Tattoos: none
Status: Hobbyist musician
Regards
-- Eugene
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Alan, I was in the engineers so I'm used to haulin'..but I used to like to make things go poof even more. After 23yrs that door closed long ago. Enjoy hearing from you.
Andy.. the secret service has never been secret, but it takes a special kind of person willing to take a bullet!
NLP
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age: 37
bike: raleigh single-speed! (all my money goes to gear)
beer: delerium tremens or leffe
hawaiian shirts: none-but i have nothing against them!
music: beck, mozart, groucho marx, soul coughing, cibo matto, latin playboys, air, zero 7, serge gainsbourg, 60's cambodian pop, and much more.
status: pro musician
alembics?: short scale excel and SF-2 -i have owned spoiler, epic, essence
male: yes
tattoos: none
married!
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Guess I'll jump in:
1st Alembic: about 1984. A Spoiler (wish I still had had it) currently a 32 scale Excel.
Age..I'd say ageless, but the number of years would be 55.
Beer..yes please..Miller Lite..I'm simple that way
Bike..'92 Sportster
Hawaiian shirts..own 1..only wear it in middle of winter..change of pace.
Music..Progressive/classic rock/classical..
ELP,Yes,Genisis,Beatles,etc, Bach,Mozart,russian impressionistics
Almost retired (11/22/06)
Hope you dont need mental status do you ?
Gary
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Just to skew the stats a little...
Age: 22
Sex: Male
Bands: Mostly improv in a jam-type setting, recently started backing up a talented singer/songwriter who's quite the guitar wiz as well.
Music: Favorites include Zappa, Captain Beefheart, Brian Eno, The Residents, Traffic, Talking Heads
Bike: Perhaps some day, but not yet.
Hawaiian Shirt: Had one as a souvenir from a trip to Maui, but it was phased out of the wardrobe a few years ago.
Tattoos: None
Beer: Newcastle, Smithwick's, Harp, Guinness
Alembics: First at age 18, first custom at age 20, also in the stable are my main axe ('82 Distillate) and graphite-neck SI
Adam
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That's interesting. Me, I don't care for:
Grateful Dead
Level 42/Mark King fans
Stanley Clarke
Jimmy Johnson
Emerson, Lake and Palmer
But sports cars, you bet!
Dave