As many of you know, I play in a band called Modulator. We spent the last week touring (Boston, NYC, Chattanooga, Little Rock, Dallas and Austin) and I had a good time playing music and being away from work. Most tours have a couple of good stories, and I thought I'd share one: Randy (the drummer) and I decided to go up to Austin ahead of the others so that I could hit a few music stores. The first place we hit is Austin Vintage Guitar on Lamar St, which has a large selection of old music gear (guitars, amps, etc.). Despite being a bass player, I tend to be more interested in old guitar amps, so I immediately walked into the amp room. On my right was an old Hiwatt DR103 guitar amplifier, which immediately caught my eye as I don't see them too often in Texas (Fenders are king here). Apparently, I wasn't the only one interested, as there was a guy behind the amp checking it out. As I walk down the aisle, I see that the person checking it out is Eric Johnson, the acclaimed Texas guitar player. EJ is asking the storeclerk some technical questions about the amp, but the clerk wasn't able to answer all of them. Being a gear geek who's always thinking about buying this or that music equipment, I know a little about Hiwatts. So feeling somewhat cocky, I walk up to the amp and pretend to check it out, thinking that EJ might ask my opinion. Sure enough, EJ turns to me and asks "Hey, do you know anything about these Hiwatts?" Naturally, I answer "Why, yes I do " I then proceed to give EJ a short history of Hiwatts (and Sound City Amps, where the founder of Hiwatt worked before leaving to start his own company) and answer a few of his technical questions as well. After we talk, EJ decides to buy the amp. Now I'm hoping that EJ gives up his Marshalls and starts using old Hiwatts. Then I can say that I was the guy who convinced EJ to use Hiwatts and I'll have my own little footnote in the history of Texas rock. Then again, if this happens, I'll never be able to afford a Hiwatt. Crap.
Sub, that's an awesome story. I saw Billy Gibbons at the Guitar Center on Westheimer once, didn't get to give him any info on gear though.
Sweet story. Did the owner give you a commission for selling the amp? I once saw Doug Pinnick (Kings X) at a used record store in Houston. I wanted to say something to him but I chickened out.
Damn man, if I would have known you guys were playing in Little Rock I would have come by to support a fellow bbs member. Juanita's is a great little place to catch a rock show.
You shoulda told him it's best to play with a couple of people before going all out and buying the amp. Then grabbed the nearest bass, plugged in and demanded a little jammy jam!
I'm sure there is a man rule against describing another man as "sweet". When I worked at Joe's Crabshack back in '97 or '98, I waited on Flava Flav and some chick he met on the plane into town. He was a nice guy, but a lousy tipper. He made up for it by coming in the next day with his crew and inviting me to drink with them.
