My Musical World
Hi, WA Friends!
Some members have been asking to see more of my home music studio, so I thought I’d show you a part of my musical world.
I’ve played guitar for about 50 years, and it’s hard to remember a day when I haven’t picked up a guitar at least once in 24 hours. During this time, I’ve played in everything from garage bands as a kid to clubs in Rhode Island, New York, Chicago, and Italy.
When working as a physician in Connecticut, I studied guitar building with a luthier as an apprentice for three years in the guitar repair department of a big music store. Here is a photo of the display floor in the guitar area. I wish I had these many guitars!
As the backstage “House Doc” for a big concert venue, I had the opportunity to meet many famous musicians. You can see a few of the autographed albums on the walls of my studio in the photos below. I have dozens of backstage passes, which I can't seem to find in the crazy amount of musical memorabilia I've collected over the years.
One of the musical highlights of my life was the chance to meet Les Paul.
Here he is playing onstage at the Iridium Jazz Club in New York.
Here is Les autographing his CD for me after the show. I'm sick of hearing my wife say that we both have the same color shirt on, so don't do it!
I should have brought him one of my Les Paul guitars to sign! Daah!!
Teaching, playing, and building guitars helped me pay for a small part of my education, but it was mostly a lot of fun! I’m not even sure how I got into the whole “science” thing, but I guess life happens, and it was an easy subject for me in college. I don’t regret any of it, especially the chance to help sick people get well.
I lived in Florence and Rome way back in the late 1970s as a Brown University exchange student. I was doing research on artificial lung at the University of Pisa, and I taught and played guitar for some extra money.
I found this mug in my music studio last month. This was the biggest music store in Italy, the Centro Musicale, in Rome. I taught Rock and Metal guitar there. During that time, it was almost impossible to get certain Fender and Gibson guitars in Italy, so I brought a few with me each time I traveled back to Italy from the USA and made quite a bit of money selling them!
Here is the other side of that mug, which shows the inside of the Mississippi Jazz Club in Rome, where I played with the house band at night and had my own Jazz fusion band that played there on the weekend afternoons.
I'm the guy on the left playing the black Stratocaster, all dressed in typical Italian clothing with the shirt open. I was in my 20s and having way too much fun! The guy in the middle is playing a Les Paul guitar. I brought both these guitars with me from the USA.
Here are some photos of my home music studio. Yes, it's always this messy!
Guitars:
I have collected and built almost 70 guitars over the years. Most of them are in my music room, but others are scattered throughout the house, so I can always reach over and grab one.
Most of my store-bought guitars are Fender, Gibson, Ibanez, Paul Reed Smith, Parker, and Ovation.
I built the guitar in the photo below with the "teardrop" pickguard (between the off-white and blue guitars).
It has a bird's eye maple neck with an LSR roller nut. The chambered walnut body has a stunning "tiger-eye" flame maple cap. It has the David Gilmour custom EMG pickup set (DG-20) with active electronics. I did a custom pickup battery route, similar to the Eric Clapton Stratocaster (inside the back cavity). The bridge is a Fender 2-point tremolo with stainless steel saddles and routed for the larger Jeff-Beck-style tremolo cavity. The volume and tone controls and the selector switch are all military-grade components with an Orange-drop ceramic capacitor.
The bag in the photo above contained a small gift waiting to be wrapped.
Amplifiers:
I have a couple of dozen amplifiers, mostly tube amps. The only electronic devices on planet Earth that still use vacuum tubes are guitar amps because they produce a more organic and player-responsive sound.
Remember the big "tube testers" in Radio Shack? There are very few places to buy new old stock (NOS) tubes these days and virtually no place to test them. Luckily I have my own tube tester in my guitar workshop! I do have a few valve-state (half tube and half solid-state), solid-state, and modeling amps. The modeling amps have high-definition models of collectible tube amps. They sound pretty good, but not as good as the real thing.
I do have some amp modeling plugins in my digital recording studio that are the closest you'll ever get! the great thing about modeled amps is that you can add controls that didn't exist, like a master volume, with changing the overall sound of the original amp.
Most of my guitar amps are made by Fender, Marshall, Laney, Soldano, Vox, Orange, Mesa Boogie, Peavy, and Line-6.
I definitely favor the sound of the British amps.
In this photo, you can see part of my digital recording studio in the background.
Guitar Workshop:
I have a pretty well-stocked guitar workshop. I don't have the tools at home to build acoustic guitars, but I can build solid-body electrics. I do seasonal setups on all my guitars, as well as neck re-frets, electromagnetic shielding, pickup design and rewinds; you name it.
He is a photo entering my guitar shop. I'll warn you; it's a little messy.
In the next photo, you can see the tube tester on the first shelf, at the very left, and the oscilloscope (with the little display screen) that I use to bias my tube amps. I built both of them when I was in college (Heathkit).
Last but not least is my small 5.1 home theater setup, where I watch all my music concert videos. Yes, that's the movie "300, " I like the Frank Miller movies, so I had it one night while I was doing a class assignment for my healthcare informatics degree. There's another home theater upstairs where my wife and I watch movies together that we both enjoy.
Well, that's a little peak at my musical world. If you made it all the way down to here, thanks for having a look! 😎
Keep On Rockin' 🤘
Frank 🎸
Recent Comments
83
Hi Frank,
I see the history of your musical journey in these pics. you have the knowledge of a guitar encyclopedia. A friend of mine who is a guitar ace would have his eyes pop looking at your guitar collection. You may have heard of him, Vinny Burns who has played in DARE for ever. In between he's toured with other bands like Asia. His Dad and I worked together when I started my career. Hence, I've known Vinny since he was a little kid.
You should write a book about your life. You must be the only doctor in the world who's so dedicated to guitar and music. Meeting Les Paul is mind blowing.
Thanks for sharing your amazing guitar world.
Cheers.
Edwin
Hi, Edwin
Thanks so much for your comments, but you are too kind! 😊
We did discuss Vinny Burns in a previous conversation. I checked out some of the DARE YouTube videos at that time and they were awesome! I’ve also heard him play with Asia.
My guess is that he probably has more guitars and amps than me. I have built quite a few guitars and modded many of my amps, and those are among my favorites.
I’ve met quite a few big name players, but Les Paul topped them all. I spent the entire time telling him how great I thought he was.
Yeah, I probably know more about guitars than most Doctors.
About 20 years ago a friend that played bass guitar in one of my high school bands ended up in the ER at my admitting hospital.
He told EVERYONE in there that I play better than Jimi Hendrix, which is total BS!
Anyway, it got all around the hospital and for years various Docs asked me to play in their little musical ensembles.
They were mostly pretty bad players, but I just pretended that we sounded good, since they were all friends and colleagues.
It got to the point that I really wanted to strangle that high school friend of mine! 😎
I’m not really a book writer, but maybe someday.
I hope your right hand is doing better and that you’re getting a bit of keyboard playing in.
Keep On Rockin’ 🤘
Frank 🎸
Hi Frank,
After I sent this message I wondered if I had told you about Vinny. That was a senior moment.
I am having an issue with getting the doctor to see my hand. A doctor in sports medicine had been treating me with two injections for the middle and fourth finger. I developed a special rapport with him after I showed him my video playing the piano. He always fitted me in as I needed these injections. Sadly he has left.
The new doctor could not see me until December. My hand has been getting worse as I can't even pick up a mug without the danger of it slipping out. So I asked my GP to find another doctor to give me these injections sooner, He had to get approval from the insurance company to see someone else. That process is in progress. It would be ironic if I got the approval and the appointment with the new doctor would be even later than December.
Needless to say, I cannot play anything at the moment. The best I can handle is playing chords with my right hand. This will pass so I am hopeful.
Thanks for asking.
Cheers.
Edwin
Hi, Edwin
Sorry to learn about your ongoing hand problems!
Unfortunately, I am all too familiar with the insurance company pre-approval paradigm. While you're waiting for the new approval to go through, I would keep the first appointment and take the one that comes up sooner.
When I started seeing patients in the 1980s, things were much more patient-centric. Doctors weren't all grouped up in huge practices, and everything happened a lot quicker.
I assume you are right-hand dominant, but try to use your left hand as much as possible for now.
Feel Better!
Frank
Absolutely fascinating. It’s wonderful when you can support yourself working at your dream niche. You have a beautiful set up.
Thank you for sharing.
Thanks, Kathie!
I'm using my guitar website as both a money-maker and part of my passion for music. It's just that much more time I get to spend with guitars! 😎
Frank 🎸
Wow…what an exciting , informative and fun post!
Thank you for sharing a pics of your world with us.
-Mike
Yes, I love any musical instrument.
My mother taught me how to play the ukulele when I was about 4 or 5 years old. It's great for singing songs!
I don't sing. I either play all instrumental pieces or have someone else sing.
The tambourine is an awesome percussive and rhythmic instrument!
We had a tambourine, growing up. I made some much noise with it that my mother hid it on me every once in a while! I got my revenge in the end by getting my first electric guitar! 😎
Frank 🎸
I played guitar for over two years in our Christian church's "folk mass." I was in high school and didn't have an acoustic guitar, so there I was with this huge amplifier turned down to a whisper.
It looked ridiculous, but we sounded pretty good. 😎
Pretty cool! You have made a life of music...makes me feel quite inadequate, with my little bit of travel and music-playing.
I did spend a year and a half on the road -- probably already told you that -- playing 5-string banjo and bass. I didn't see any basses in your collection...if I still collected more instruments than I need, would add a bass or two. I'd especially like an unfretted one...have a friend here who is an excellent bass player; tried his unfretted one and really liked it.
When I first moved here, played music 3 or 4 times a week, but when Covid hit, we stopped. Hoping we start again soon.
Hi, Fran
Yes, my whole life has been music, medicine, and biomedical engineering. I've always been torn between making music and helping people!
You should never feel inadequate about musicianship or compare yourself to others. There's always someone out there that plays better than you, and I thrive on that as a learning opportunity!
My dad played the banjo, and my mom played the guitar and ukelele. The banjo is a great instrument. I'll bet you can bring a lot of those banjo rolls over to the guitar and it would sound totally awesome!
If you look closely, you will see a red bass guitar in the first guitar photo, in the back row. It is a vintage '68 Fender Music Master bass with a short-scale neck. I use it for recording bass tracks in my studio.
Fretless bass is awesome! It gives you that legato sound when you slide in and out of notes that you can't get with a fretted instrument. I used to play the standup bass at the Mississippi Jazz Club every once in a while.
In elementary school, I played the violin. Fretless instruments are wonderful for developing one's musical ear!
You should get back to playing as soon as possible!
Frank 🎸
I'm glad I took the time to read this one, Frank. I recognize most of the names because of my husband. What fun you have had, so far, besides your serious medical persona. A very interesting read and fantastic photos too, which I wonder how you managed to upload without, at some point, blowing up the post. LOL.
Hi, Donna
Thanks for having a look and I'm thrilled you enjoyed it!
Yeah, I'm like a medical Dr Jeckyl and a musical Mr. Hyde. Someday I might just split into two different people by binary fission. 😎
Does your husband still play a lot of guitar music?
And how about you? Do you play an instrument?
Keep On Rockin' 🤘
Frank 🎸
Dang, Frank!
You could have your own store! This is so informative, and really be on your website, maybe in your 'about page'.
Rudy
Thanks, Rudy!
It's funny, I know all the people that work at the local Guitar Center. They let me play with all the guitars and amps so I can review them on my website, even though they know I'll probably never buy them.
Even once in a while, they'll ask me if I have a certain guitar for sale that a customer is looking for. 😎
Keep On Rockin' 🤘
Frank 🎸
That is totally awesome, Frank! Somewhere in the back of my junked out garage, I have a large salesman's case full of vacuum tubes in their original boxes!
Thanks for letting us look at your world!
Jeff😎🎸
Hi, Jeff
Thanks for having a look! 😎
The tubes you have are probably for TV sets, but you might be able to get some real money for them on eBay. It depends on their brand, where they were made, and the tube type.
Vacuum tubes are characterized as pre-amp, amp, and rectifier.
I have a large supply of guitar amp tubes in each category from the USA, England, Russia, and China.
When I was a small child, the TV repairman came to our house. I used to sit behind the TV set and watch him work. He would spray DeOxit on the TV tuner and then swap out one tube at a time, waiting for the TV to work again. He had a big carrying case with slots for all the tubes and tools.
Frank 🎸
That's probably just like my big case, Frank!
Thanks for the clarification, my friend!
Jeff🎸
You bet, Jeff! 😎
You should dig them out when you get a chance and do some research on eBay.
Frank 🎸
I might just do that! Years ago I had some that I was making good money on eBay with. I hadn't gotten the big case yet!
Jeff🎸
Haha, just have to wait until winter is over to get to the back of the garage! Of course, I still havbe tons of stuff to sell inside the eBay house!
Jeff😎
You can turn practically anything into money on eBay, Jeff, and you seem particularly good at it! 👍😎
Frank 🎸
Yes, it just takes a lot longer to list now with many of the changes that eBay has implemented, Frank.
Jeff😎🎸
See more comments
You have certainly LIVED and LOVED life in ways most people can only dream of. Some people may be envious of the life you have lived but, you have lived the life that would be a source of inspiration for others. There will be many more teaching moments from your life that will inspire others to work toward their dreams.
Jerry
Thanks, Jerry!
Your comments are truly appreciated!
I have had an excellent life, so far, and I hope that will continue!
Over the years, I have helped more sick people get well than the ones I have entertained musically, so that's a good thing. When my time comes, I hope the good Lord will take that into consideration.
Everyone has their idea of what an ideal life would be and we should all embrace that, whenever possible.
Envy very seldom gets us as far as admiration, and I have admired so many in the professional guitar world. If it were not for the players that have inspired me I probably would have given up the guitar a long time ago.
So glad you enjoyed the post and now you know who I really am. 😎
Frank 🎸
Frank,
In order to understand why a post is written, we have to first understand what motivates a person to write that post. I understand that your passion is music, specifically guitars and guitar legends. Your passion for this as well as your passion to help others is refreshing in the online world.
Jerry
Thanks so much, Jerry!
Many years ago, I helped bring music therapy into the hospital I am on staff at. That was one of the best things I ever did with my music education!
It's always so personally rewarding when things come together to help others! If everyone on this planet went out of their way to do just one nice little thing for someone each day, imagine the effect that would have on our civilization! 😎
Frank 🎸