I recently had a birthday. When the annual question about my birthday came from my mom this summer, I told her I would like a gift card, to help me get closer to buying a guitar that I was interested in, which was a 2005 Gibson Firebird V, in Vintage Sunburst, like I used to have. For the story on that guitar, go back in time on BLAH BLAH BLOG to here.
Why not get a new one you ask? Well, if you must know—in 2010 Gibson changed the style and make of the tuning machines on the guitar do a set of Steinberger tuners, thus getting away from the vintage style banjo tuners that the guitars have had on them since their debut in the 60’s. I was not a fan of this decision made by Gibson and when I found that out, decided I wanted to try to find one that was the same year etc., of the one I had, that I sold in 2010.
In a future post it will all be made clear as to why I sold that Firebird, but for now, how about the story of this one. I began my search early this summer after thinking about the one that got away three years ago quite often in the last year or so, and have really regretted that decision to sell it. I had to in order to buy what I bought with that cash, but still—hated letting that guitar go. It had a lot of sentimental value to it and was the first electric guitar I bought after launching my business and getting back into guitar in a big way back in 2004.
So my search took me to eBay of course, as well as Craigslist and all the other usual suspects in looking for great gear. I found some but they got away as well before I was ready to buy, but I kept looking. Then a dry period came about where there were none in my year that were in mint condition and had what I was hoping to find, which was as new as possible a guitar that is now 8 years old. I then began looking at the used websites of the big box stores like Sam Ash and Guitar Center and found one on the used GC site that was exactly what I was looking for. I emailed Mark Campbell the store manager, and asked him if he could help me with finding out more info about it. He in turn put me in touch with Chuck Tate there in the store, and immediately Chuck started some conversation with the Miami, FL store about the condition of the guitar and asking for more and better quality photos for me to see.
I was also trying to negotiate price some as well on this and we were able to do some of that too thanks to Chuck. So where does my mom fit into this? Well on a day long adventure with her and my brother, who is also a guitar player, we wound up at Guitar Center because she agreed to the idea of a gift card for my birthday to help me get closer to paying for it, since I had some eBay funds put away for such an occasion. Steve and I got in there with my mom and he disappeared to the acoustic room immediately to play some Martin Guitars and I found Chuck and explained that my mom wanted to help me get closer to purchasing this Firebird in Miami by getting me a GC gift card. My brother then pulled me back to where he was, thus leaving my mother all alone with Chuck in a land she is not familiar with. Steve and I began playing some Eric Claption signature model Martin 000-28 guitars and in about 15 minutes my mom came back to us and was ready to go.
A few days later which was about five days shy of my birthday, I get a call from Guitar Center telling me that there is a package to be picked up. Now I thought this was weird, since I had not ordered anything from there and I know you can get a gift card right there at the check out counter so I thought that this must be a mistake at first. So I go over there and tell them I am there to pick up a package and the child worker disappears for a moment, only to return with a giant guitar box! My mom had given me the bird!
Not just a gift card mind you, but bought the guitar in full for my birthday. I was blown away by this as the cost of this guitar is about eight years worth of birthday presents from her. It was really sweet and special of her to do that and I called her immediately when I got home and we had a big laugh about it. She was bummed to not be there in person to see the look on my face when the big box was revealed to me, but I told her all the accounts of that event and she was pleased.
After we laughed about it, she told me how she was not only glad that this year she could do a gift like that, but that she really wanted to, and I think it is because she knows how hard a year I have had health wise and how much I have suffered, and really wanted to do something special for me. She can’t really say it to me that way because that is being far more relational than she is wired up to be, but I connected the dots pretty easily based on some things that she said in her own way.
This is one of the most special things my mom has ever done for me and now this Firebird has more meaning to it than the first one I bought back in 2005. It plays great, feels great, sounds great and is in mint condition except for one little nick in the top. Sorry to tell you that you will not see it in the photos above since I retouched it out. I’m just that way. If only putting hair back on my head that I have lost this year could be that easy to fix.
So now I have another Firebird that I love and will enjoy for many years to come. Thanks mom for giving me the bird!!
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