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Re: Your Guitar Amp is Louder Than You Think: Check Decibel Levels

VintageP — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 09:26:04 -0000

The longer I play the less it feels like playing the guitar in my 50s and the more it feels like just playing the guitar. Good news for those contemplating whether to pick up the guitar later in life.
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Re: Your Guitar Amp is Louder Than You Think: Check Decibel Levels

Rita — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 04:03:11 -0000

Hi Pete,

I read your post about doing a test to see how loud your guitar is, the one where you mentioned my blog.

I'm glad you wrote about possible hearing loss from loud music and that you received a lot of hits. It's important that people take care of their hearing.

I did receive quite a few hits from your link.

Thanks,

Rita

P.S. I've used your line about "If I'd known I was going to live this long, I's have taken better care of myself," when I told people about your post. People were interested that you started playing guitar at age 50.

Re: Your Guitar Amp is Louder Than You Think: Check Decibel Levels

VintageP — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 10:50:04 -0000

Hey, thanks for this info on the lower watt amps! I guess the idea is you can drive it enough to get the tone you want at lower decibel levels. Need to look into one of these. Thanks for visiting!
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Re: Your Guitar Amp is Louder Than You Think: Check Decibel Levels

gabstero — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 10:34:35 -0000

Thanks for the post!

It is also to be noted that even if one is not exposed to loud music, the hearing ability will be effected no matter what because of the growing aspect of the ear mechanism. And yes, as Gary mentioned, one starts loosing the ability of hearing the top frequencies and from there, downhill.

But - ever wandered why there is a migration, specially among 50+ year old guitar players towards low-wattage amps? An example is a spur of 18-20w amps lines among boutique amp builders and of course the revivals of some long gone models such as the Vox Ac-15 Handwired, or the Marshall 18w combo.

thanks again for the post!

Re: Your Guitar Amp is Louder Than You Think: Check Decibel Levels

VintageP — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 14:07:33 -0000

I need to talk to you about that "don't age" thing.....

Re: Your Guitar Amp is Louder Than You Think: Check Decibel Levels

GuitarGomer — Sat, 31 May 2008 22:09:35 -0000

Great article, the thing is that as we grow older our hearing organs become more fragile. I for example was tested a few years back as a regular part becoming a full fledged diabetic. It's easier to get back stage at a pink floid concert. And I learned that I wasn't considered as deaf or hearing impared even though there was a small range in the higher frequency range that I was totally unable to hear. It's like if you started at low e and went up the fret board to the highest note you could play there would be 3or4 notes near the top 1/4 of the scale that I wouldn't hear at all. Like a space. These hearing anomalies can happen anywhere in the scale. Just so happens that mine is in the midrange of my wife's voice so I have an excuse for selective hearing, not all is bad. I do however miss out on some of the music.
So my point is that it makes sense to do every thing we can not to damage our hearing any more than we already have and to understand that it's lots easier to do as we age. Or as you guys age, I don't do that/. Cheers, Gary