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G'day from down under...

5253 Views 33 Replies 10 Participants Last post by  pteropid
Hi everyone, I don’t seem to be able to post in the new members introduction thread so I decided I’d just create an intro thread here, mods please feel free to remove if required.

I’ve been a Jemsite lurker for over a decade but didn’t sign up until 2017, I generally don’t get involved in forums as people seem too cranky these days, but I guess it’s polite to say G’day to everyone. Yep I’m from down under if you haven’t guessed.

I started playing guitar when I was about 8 and spent my early teenage years growing up through the hair metal/rock era and I guess I was part of the Eddie Van Halen school of guitar. That was until Vai just blew me away with the attitude song and his work with David Lee Roth. I was about 15 when the first Jems appeared in Australia but I didn’t really pay attention until the first florals and VBK’s were on display.

I will never forget the first time I picked up a Jem , it was a Jem 7 root beer and it was a revelation, I was instantly able to play things I’d struggled with for years. One thing in particular that will always stay with me, is when I took the Jem off the rack for the first time ever, I could feel the sculpted cutaway around the neck join, I instantly felt comfortable with the guitar, I’ve never had that experience since.

As a teenager the price meant that ownership would always be a pipe-dream. After I left school I worked for a few years in the industry mainly in sales and tech so I got to play the Jems regularly that way, but still could never afford one. It was interesting working in a guitar shop just as ‘Passion and Warfare’ dropped and we took delivery of the first Universes, I tried to play them but the whole 7-string thing totally did my head in (still does to a certain extent). I suffered a severe injury to my left arm that resulted in nerve damage, so my career in music was done pretty much overnight, given that I’d played since I was 8 it was utterly devastating and I was pretty lost for a while, somehow I ended up studying medicine and I guess financially it worked out for the best in the end.

Anyway, I’m realising this post is getting ridiculously long so I’ll cut to the chase, there should be a photo of my girls below. From left to right - 1990 EXB404, 2012 UV70P, 1989 JEM 777VBK, 1988 JEM 77FP, 2017 JEMJR, 2004 RG350FM

tl;dr… I’m old and live in Australia, I used to sell and repair guitars and amps in the early 90’s. After many years I own my two dream guitars, a near mint ’88 FP and an ’89 VBK that needs serious restoration work :)

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G'day fellow aussie.....sweet collection mate....cheers and beers :)
Thanks Mate!

Which side are you on? East or West? I was born in Melbourne, lived in Sydney for 25 years moved back to Melbourne in 2003.

Noticed you are into motorsport. I've got a VEII SS Walkinshaw pack, old man has a Tickford TS50 and HSV R8 with Walkinshaw pack.

Nothing better than V8 cars and loud guitars, Hahahaha!!:grin2:
Mate, im up in the northern suburbs....bordering on open padocks....real fun when bushfires show up.

yeah love my drag racing....currently building a 496ci HQ Sandman, keeping things beside the driveline original is proving to be a bottomless pit.:)
Wow, that's some serious displacement! Being a Q'y and also a Sandman that thing is definitely worth the love

I'm assuming from your username you have a UV7BK, damn nice guitars.
Its one of the few vehicles that no matter the condition, its worth investing in. Like Toranas, Monaros, GTs or Chargers....the cost of rebuild wont reach the selling price. But im not building it to sell. Being president of the sandman car club, i guess i should have one haha

Yes mate, im uv through and through...they just feel right to me
"Being president of the sandman car club, i guess i should have one haha"

Yeah, that kind of helps, lol

What year is the UV? Do you have any other UV's?

28 years after playing my first UV and I'm still a bit lost when I play. I'm determined to get my head around them though.

The UV77MC is my second favourite guitar of all time, after the JEM77GMC. I've only played an MC once and it felt overwhelming but solid and beautiful. I then handed it over to someone who could actually play it and it sounded fantastic. They need to be played loud so that you can really feel that extra bottom end. When I play mine it just sounds like mud, but hey I'll get there eventually. :smile_big:
yeah of late, Sandmans are taking over my life....its a cool thing though...meeting lots of like minded people...we're all nutters :)

I've had a stack of UVs in my time....moved most on but have a UV7SBK on hand. For me its the width and profile of the neck...just feels right. Wishing for an UVMC one day....one day :)
You'll get there man....determination is your friend ;)
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