Thanks To The Well Wishers

[Red Hook]

I loved that show. A Mel Brooks production, right?

[burntboy]

Pov, face it, comics are part of your soul, and they have been for decades. They may lay dormant in your head for a while, maybe even years, but your love for the funny books will always play some part in there. It was just last August that we were passing your newly aquired pre-codes around the table at the San Diego Forum dinner. You were showing those things around with pride, and they were cool.

 

When I was 17 I also swore off comics and sold them all. Although I was also doing music then too, it was my interest in girls that overshadowed any desire for comics. I was fine for three years, but then at 20 the bug that lay dormant in my mind came back with a vengeance. I then regretted selling all my books as I had a pretty impressive collection of Silver Age Marvels for a 17 year old.

 

It's not like you are trying to kick a bad habit like smoking or gambling or McDonalds. Collecting and studying comics as you have done (as far as I know) has really enhanced your life in a positive way. I could certainly see that not too long ago.

 

So with that said, maybe think a little more about what you are doing. You know more than I what is right for you, but knowing human nature, I think you may regret at least part of this decision. Don't let this part of Pov die as someday I believe you may miss it.

 

What a great post.

 

was thinking the same thing - nice job, Sid best wishes POV

glad i got to meet you last year at Wondercon........................

[Jeffreykli]

Bye Pov. You'll be missed, especially with your extensive knowledge of restoration techniques. Hopefully I'll see you around the area.

[sborock]

I will still be calling to have dinner with you and your ugly fingers whenever I come to SF! Hell, we talk about so many things when we are at dinner, that by the end, we probably won't notice that we have not talked about comics and/or movie posters anyway!

[3000psi-migration]

Hey Mike -- don't think you're getting away that easy! We know where you live!

 

Sorry I missed you last weekend ... but hope to see you soon for lunch/dinner, hanging out, and plenty of gabbing about whatever ...

 

Best of luck with your music.

 

--Liz

[Mr. Zipper]

I've been thinking about buying another guitar for a while now but always put it off as it would be too $$ to get something I would like, but when I spend $$$ on a comic book or two, it doesn't seem so bad.

 

Don't wait another day and do it.

 

I started playing guitar when I was 30 (7 years ago). My only regret is that I didn't start sooner!

 

Start with a decent acoustic guitar. It's harder to play than electric, but electric will seem so much easier once you've learned the basics on acoustic.

 

You can get a decent acoustic for $300 - $400, but if you can, go for a Martin. You can get a solid wood Martin starting around $700. A very small investment for something that will give you a lifetime of pleasure.

 

Yeah, your fingers will be cut up like POV's for the first few weeks, but once the callousses form, you'll be fine.

[drbanner]

I've been thinking about buying another guitar for a while now but always put it off as it would be too $$ to get something I would like, but when I spend $$$ on a comic book or two, it doesn't seem so bad.

 

Don't wait another day and do it.

 

I started playing guitar when I was 30 (7 years ago). My only regret is that I didn't start sooner!

 

Start with a decent acoustic guitar. It's harder to play than electric, but electric will seem so much easier once you've learned the basics on acoustic.

 

You can get a decent acoustic for $300 - $400, but if you can, go for a Martin. You can get a solid wood Martin starting around $700. A very small investment for something that will give you a lifetime of pleasure.

 

Yeah, your fingers will be cut up like POV's for the first few weeks, but once the callousses form, you'll be fine.

 

I've casually played guitar since high school and have a nice acoustic (Taylor) and electric (Les Paul), but was thinking a nice blues/hard rock guitar would motivate me to play more... maybe one like this!

[PovertyRow]

Yeah, your fingers will be cut up like POV's for the first few weeks, but once the callousses form, you'll be fine.

 

Actually, for the sitar, those are more baby callouses. They will get deeper, longer and uglier with time!

[drbanner]

Yeah, your fingers will be cut up like POV's for the first few weeks, but once the callousses form, you'll be fine.

 

Actually, for the sitar, those are more baby callouses. They will get deeper, longer and uglier with time!

 

Does playing the sitar really form semi-permanent "dents" in your fingertips as pictured!?!?

[Zonker]

Yeah, your fingers will be cut up like POV's for the first few weeks, but once the callousses form, you'll be fine.

 

Actually, for the sitar, those are more baby callouses. They will get deeper, longer and uglier with time!

 

Does playing the sitar really form semi-permanent "dents" in your fingertips as pictured!?!?

 

 

 

Must...resist...urge...to...turn...this...into...a...pressing...thread.

 

Pov... you'll be missed! The important thing is to do what makes YOU happy! I can definitely understand that if-- for whatever reason-- the joy of collecting is waning, then continuing to carry around a bunch of comic books in storage can be just too much *stuff* weighing one down.

 

Stay in touch!

 

Maybe come back every now and then and post links to some of your performances? Or recipes, for that matter!

[BassGMan]

Yeah, your fingers will be cut up like POV's for the first few weeks, but once the callousses form, you'll be fine.

 

Actually, for the sitar, those are more baby callouses. They will get deeper, longer and uglier with time!

 

Does playing the sitar really form semi-permanent "dents" in your fingertips as pictured!?!?

 

No, just like with bass and guitar, once that you have callouses (sp?) those dents will hold on longer than with fresh skin. Fresh skin is more elastic and bounces back quick, if undamaged, but the thick skin takes a little longer to flatten out again, although it always does. And once that you have those callouses, it doesn't hurt anymore when you get those "dents".

[Mr. Zipper]

I've casually played guitar since high school and have a nice acoustic (Taylor) and electric (Les Paul), but was thinking a nice blues/hard rock guitar would motivate me to play more... maybe one like this!

 

 

I have a Martin, Danelectro Convertible, Les Paul Cherry Sunburst and this Highway One Special Edition American Strat:

 

 

 

But I have never found that a new guitar motivated me to play more. The best motivation for me is to keep the acoustic out on a stand where it's easy to pick up and strum a bit.

[sborock]

"The best motivation for me is to keep the acoustic out on a stand where it's easy to pick up and strum a bit."

 

That's the same for me

[BassGMan]

"The best motivation for me is to keep the acoustic out on a stand where it's easy to pick up and strum a bit."

 

That's the same for me

 

The best motivation for me is to keep the BASS out on a stand where it's easy to pick up and pluck a bit."

[jimm94]

The best motivation for me is to keep the saxophone out on a stand where the reed can get dry and warped.

[PovertyRow]

Yeah, your fingers will be cut up like POV's for the first few weeks, but once the callousses form, you'll be fine.

 

Actually, for the sitar, those are more baby callouses. They will get deeper, longer and uglier with time!

 

Does playing the sitar really form semi-permanent "dents" in your fingertips as pictured!?!?

 

Yes. they remain and grow deeper and wider with practice. If I stopped they would fairly quickly disappear. But as long as you play on a daily basis they are always there.

 

Interesting instrument, the sitar. It has a long, wide neck but the strings only lay halfway acorss the width of the neck. This allows the string to be grasped by those two fingers and pulled along the fret for up to 5 full pitches (for example, I can pull c-d-e-f-g) on the middle c fret. Considering you are doing this with steel piano wire, you can imagine the amount of tension and the kind of impressions left in your callouses after some hours of practice.

[BassGMan]

Considering you are doing this with steel piano wire, you can imagine the amount of tension and the kind of impressions left in your callouses after some hours of practice.

 

Granted I have never played sitar, but I can't imagine that the affect on the fingers is THAT much different than on bass or guitar. And if it is similar, I think you may be overstating the impressions a bit. Certainly a good few hours of playing leaves some deep grooves in your callouses, and possibly you may still see some outline of them a day later, but I have never seen a case where the imprints (grooves) stay in place on a permanent basis, unless things are different when age comes knockin' on the door. And although the fingers can certainly get tired out, there really is no pain unless you are stretching beyond your means. Regardless of how those strings can hinder a newbie, I cannot see that playing any string instrument is literally painful or causes much damage to the hands or fingers, at least if playing properly. Of course if you had arthritis or some similar ailment it is probably different.

[Timulty]

"The best motivation for me is to keep the acoustic out on a stand where it's easy to pick up and strum a bit."

 

That's the same for me

 

The best motivation for me is to keep the BASS out on a stand where it's easy to pick up and pluck a bit."

\

The best motivation for me is to keep the PAN FLUTE out on a stand where it's easy to pick up."

 

Then make a sacrifice to the Goat God, Pan. It helps me keep perspective with my collecting.

[PovertyRow]

Considering you are doing this with steel piano wire, you can imagine the amount of tension and the kind of impressions left in your callouses after some hours of practice.

 

Granted I have never played sitar, but I can't imagine that the affect on the fingers is THAT much different than on bass or guitar. And if it is similar, I think you may be overstating the impressions a bit. Certainly a good few hours of playing leaves some deep grooves in your callouses, and possibly you may still see some outline of them a day later, but I have never seen a case where the imprints (grooves) stay in place on a permanent basis, unless things are different when age comes knockin' on the door. And although the fingers can certainly get tired out, there really is no pain unless you are stretching beyond your means. Regardless of how those strings can hinder a newbie, I cannot see that playing any string instrument is literally painful or causes much damage to the hands or fingers, at least if playing properly. Of course if you had arthritis or some similar ailment it is probably different.

 

Sid, next time you are in SF come by for a vist. I will let you play one of my sitars. But carefully. A misstep can slice open your finger and I would feel horrible about that. Playing for extended periods, even with a good callous set, is still painful. Sitartists have their own techniques for dealing with that. Rubbing the grooves on a rug briskly is one. I light a match, hold my fingers an inch or so above the flame and move them back and forth for the heat to penetrate. Then I am good for another 15-30 minutes. And my fingering and technique are quite good.

 

The callouses remain through the day until the next playing time pretty much intact. Those that saw them at the con dinner were pretty grossed out by nthem, and it had been a couple of hours since I had played.

 

There is absolutely nothing to compare the sitar to the guitar as far as stringing and fretting goes. How far can you "pull" horizotally along the fret? As I said, I can pull up to 5 full pitches from c to g. And this kind of playing accounts for at least 70% of the playing. These are not used as embellishments to straight fretting. Straight fretting accounts for a small percentage of the playing. One fret can be played across several pitches then on to the next fret and more several pitch pulls (they are called mirs or meends). And there is no wooden undersupport from the neck. You don't press down and feel the neck under your fingers. The neck is riding about an inch beneath the stirngs and you only have air under your fingers. No support except for whatever support the fret gives you, but you are fingering the string BEHIND the fret so your fingers are basically pulling a couple of inches or more of #3 steel piano wore, and often holding in that extended positing for a couple of secionds, slowly decending to the previous pitch, going back up, then down again across a few more pitches etc. It is almost non-stop in the opening movements of a raga, whihc can last 30 minutes to an hour. Then the second major set comes in with the drums and another 30-45 minutes or more. And a lot more of those pulls.

[greggy]

Where's the list, gramps?

 

Good luck