ODE TO ERIC (To be read in a subdued and hushed tone) Oh Eric Colors of fish and slug, And temperance of one possessed, We admire your splendor and etiquette, From your machine heads to your neck, We hearken to your mighty action, Half an inch when at it's best, And your potentially cold metal bracket, Is welcome near my breast. |
Eric was Adrian's first guitar. It came as just a neck and body from a junk shop. So he bought some machine heads and strings and stuck it together only to discover that it had no strengthening bar in the neck, which kind of bent it double. The action (that is the distance from the fretboard to the strings) could be measured in inches.! Much nailing and screwing of metal brackets ensued. The whole thing (along with a pair of Adrian's shoes and a portion of his mother's lawn) was sprayed a mix of purples, silvers and any other color paints that could be found in the garden shed. Eric had few tonal characteristics and was almost impossible to play. But that didn't deter Adrian from trying. After all, when it's all you've got - you have to make the most of it. Eric currently spends his time affectionatly stored in the loft. |