Tondeleo: One reason I like coming to America is the cheap prices compared to the USA. I can buy used cameras for about half of what we'd pay in the UK. Being used, there's no import duty to pay. Cameras, musical instruments and other things that can be flown back to UK can make a trip to America a very good deal.
My mate Cyril had this aspect of a visit to the states foremost in his mind in addition to the experience of visiting America and also being able to stay at Doc's place for free, and having no food expense. He is pretty adventurous when it comes to food, and likes organic. That helped him be prepared for eating deer, rabbit, squirrel and a lot of fish. Also, fresh raised veggies.
But what got him most excited was being able to shop on Craigslist for prices on American guitars and equipment for well less than half the UK prices.
Doc: Well, Tondy, your buddy Cyril's a happy camper now! He found a Les Paul, a real one, and got a good deal on it.
Tondeleo: I'm not sure what you're saying, Doc. I guess happy camper means he is glad to be sleeping outside... but I'm not sure what a Les Paul is - real or fake.
Doc: He ain't sleepin' outside. It just means he's happy. He ain't really campin'. That's just something to say. But he got a real Les Paul. that's a guitar. Made by Gibson.
Tondeleo: Are there "not real" Les Pauls? Imaginary ones?
Doc: YES, there's Les Paul's what ain't real! There's fake ones, there's copies, there's Epiphone ones, there's counterfeit ones made in China. All kinds of Les Pauls. But he got a real one. A real GIBSON Les Paul. Made in USA.
Tondeleo: OK... I hear you. Tell me about getting the real Les Paul. The Gibson one. Made in USA.
Doc: Last week Cyril was lookin' on the 'puter up to the Liberry on Craig's List of things for sale. He found a Les Paul on there, for sale in Arlington... over in Virginia. It was old, like ten years, but never been played. He had me call the guy first to ask him some questions.
Here's the story. The guy works for PBS makin' those Oldies Music Specials. He's a music history guy what used to work at the Smiths Onion [Smithsonian museum in Washington DC]. The PBS called him and gave him a job puttin' together those Oldies Music Specials. He was doin' one of those in Nashville and Gibson gave him some guitars to use as stage props. New Gibson guitars! As stage props, Tondy!
Tondeleo: Uhhh... that's unthinkable, Doc! Unconscionable!
Doc: Well, YEAH! Anyway, he was down there, doin' a country music special and Ricky Skaggs was there as a host or whatever the guy is what talks between the songs and 'splains them. Gibson gave this guy the Les Paul - this guy what doesn't even play guitar - and then Ricky Skaggs signed the case with a silver magic marker. So this guy over to Arlington was movin' down south somewhere and wasn't gonna take the guitar with him, so he was sellin' it. Aint never been played.
Me an' Cyril went over there, an' met the guy. He wanted $700 for it, which ain't bad. Cyril was all like "can I take that other bloke's name off the case?" I told him to deal with that later. I talked with the guy an' 'splained that Ricky Skaggs' name on that guitar case ain't mean nothin' to a 20 year old Brit who ain't never heard of Ricky Skaggs, so that ain't no sellin' point. Then I splained to him that Cyril's gonna have to pay $100 to take that guitar onto the plane to get it home. So if he charged Cyril $600 for it, plus the $100 Cyril would pay to get it home, that's still gonna be $700 which is what he wanted anyway...
Tondeleo: And that guy WENT for that?
Doc: Well.. YEAH! It only makes sense. $700 for a $700 guitar. It's just he wasn't gettin' all $700. He got $600, but he knew Cyril was paying $700, so it was fair. Cyril got that guitar and was happy as a clam, Tondy! His smile started on the back of his head and went all the way 'round to the front of his head and back to the other side of the back of his head! Good old USA! Well, for good deals, anyway.
He brought it home and tuned it up and then we went out and he played it at a couple gigs already.It sounds good, plays good and some people have told him to keep Ricky Skaggs' name on it, 'cause it makes it more interestin'. They splained to him who Ricky Skaggs is. Plus Cyril called his Dad over in England who not only knew who Ricky Skaggs is, but is a Ricky Skaggs fan and was real proud of his son over gettin' that guitar with Ricky Skaggs' havin' signed the case on it. So anyway, there you go. I'm gonna hang up and get him to teach me a few things while he's still here.
My mate Cyril had this aspect of a visit to the states foremost in his mind in addition to the experience of visiting America and also being able to stay at Doc's place for free, and having no food expense. He is pretty adventurous when it comes to food, and likes organic. That helped him be prepared for eating deer, rabbit, squirrel and a lot of fish. Also, fresh raised veggies.
But what got him most excited was being able to shop on Craigslist for prices on American guitars and equipment for well less than half the UK prices.
Doc: Well, Tondy, your buddy Cyril's a happy camper now! He found a Les Paul, a real one, and got a good deal on it.
Tondeleo: I'm not sure what you're saying, Doc. I guess happy camper means he is glad to be sleeping outside... but I'm not sure what a Les Paul is - real or fake.
Doc: He ain't sleepin' outside. It just means he's happy. He ain't really campin'. That's just something to say. But he got a real Les Paul. that's a guitar. Made by Gibson. Tondeleo: Are there "not real" Les Pauls? Imaginary ones?
Doc: YES, there's Les Paul's what ain't real! There's fake ones, there's copies, there's Epiphone ones, there's counterfeit ones made in China. All kinds of Les Pauls. But he got a real one. A real GIBSON Les Paul. Made in USA.
Tondeleo: OK... I hear you. Tell me about getting the real Les Paul. The Gibson one. Made in USA.
Doc: Last week Cyril was lookin' on the 'puter up to the Liberry on Craig's List of things for sale. He found a Les Paul on there, for sale in Arlington... over in Virginia. It was old, like ten years, but never been played. He had me call the guy first to ask him some questions.
Here's the story. The guy works for PBS makin' those Oldies Music Specials. He's a music history guy what used to work at the Smiths Onion [Smithsonian museum in Washington DC]. The PBS called him and gave him a job puttin' together those Oldies Music Specials. He was doin' one of those in Nashville and Gibson gave him some guitars to use as stage props. New Gibson guitars! As stage props, Tondy!
Tondeleo: Uhhh... that's unthinkable, Doc! Unconscionable!
Doc: Well, YEAH! Anyway, he was down there, doin' a country music special and Ricky Skaggs was there as a host or whatever the guy is what talks between the songs and 'splains them. Gibson gave this guy the Les Paul - this guy what doesn't even play guitar - and then Ricky Skaggs signed the case with a silver magic marker. So this guy over to Arlington was movin' down south somewhere and wasn't gonna take the guitar with him, so he was sellin' it. Aint never been played.
Me an' Cyril went over there, an' met the guy. He wanted $700 for it, which ain't bad. Cyril was all like "can I take that other bloke's name off the case?" I told him to deal with that later. I talked with the guy an' 'splained that Ricky Skaggs' name on that guitar case ain't mean nothin' to a 20 year old Brit who ain't never heard of Ricky Skaggs, so that ain't no sellin' point. Then I splained to him that Cyril's gonna have to pay $100 to take that guitar onto the plane to get it home. So if he charged Cyril $600 for it, plus the $100 Cyril would pay to get it home, that's still gonna be $700 which is what he wanted anyway...
Tondeleo: And that guy WENT for that?
Doc: Well.. YEAH! It only makes sense. $700 for a $700 guitar. It's just he wasn't gettin' all $700. He got $600, but he knew Cyril was paying $700, so it was fair. Cyril got that guitar and was happy as a clam, Tondy! His smile started on the back of his head and went all the way 'round to the front of his head and back to the other side of the back of his head! Good old USA! Well, for good deals, anyway.
He brought it home and tuned it up and then we went out and he played it at a couple gigs already.It sounds good, plays good and some people have told him to keep Ricky Skaggs' name on it, 'cause it makes it more interestin'. They splained to him who Ricky Skaggs is. Plus Cyril called his Dad over in England who not only knew who Ricky Skaggs is, but is a Ricky Skaggs fan and was real proud of his son over gettin' that guitar with Ricky Skaggs' havin' signed the case on it. So anyway, there you go. I'm gonna hang up and get him to teach me a few things while he's still here.
