Just six days before Christmas, a former student dropped by to give me the surprise of a lifetime…
A Very Merry Christmas To Me
It was Friday, December 19, 2014. I was getting ready for my last guitar student of the day when I received a text from a former student (Pat).
“What’s your schedule look like today?” the text read.
“I’ve got a lesson coming up in a few minutes, then I’m free til around 5:30 p.m. What’s up?” I replied.
“Wanted to bring by some Christmas cheer!” Pat said.
“Okay,” I said. “Where are you? We can do lunch.”
“Just leaving Smithville. Can u wait?”
I told him I could then arranged to meet him at a local Burger King. A few minutes later I got another text.
“Go ahead and eat. I had to backtrack. Forgot something. I will just swing by your house if that’s ok?”
“Okay. Will get something to go,” I said, and decided I’d stay in town a little while longer to run some errands.
I’ll Have A Breedlove Christmas
I arrived home a short while later and sat down on the couch to chill out and watch Netflix while I waited.
“Hey, Eric, I’ve got a couple of stops before I get there, so I’m probably going to be around 4 p.m. just to give you a heads up,” read the latest text from Pat.
I replied that it was fine and continued to watch my episode of Agatha Christie’s Poroit TV series. After a few minutes into the episode another text came: “Update: Going to be around 4:30 or so.” It ended up being around 4:45 p.m. or so when Pat arrived at my house.
As he got out of his truck, he retrieved a guitar case from the passenger side. I went to the front door and when I opened it and invited him in, I casually asked him what he had.
“I just came by to bring some Christmas cheer. Merry Christmas,” he said as he extended the guitar case to me, “It’s yours.”
For a moment I couldn’t breathe. “What do you mean?” I asked.
“Exactly what I said,” Pat replied. “I want you to have this.”
The Breedlove Revival DR-Deluxe
I took the guitar case, laid it down on the floor, and open it. It had six latches—more than I’d ever had on any guitar case (the usual number is four latches). When I opened up the case, it was like a glow emanated from it. Laying there, in mint condition, was a Breedlove Revival DR-Deluxe acoustic guitar.
This HOSS of a guitar had everything!
- Solid Red Spruce/Adirondack top with “Pre-War” Adirondack forward X bracing (the name “Revival” was an homage to “reviving” the pre-war style of manufacturing guitars in the 1930s and 1940s)
- East Indian Rosewood back and sides
- Hand buffed Honduran Mahogany neck
- Ebony Fretboard with Pearloid dot inlays
- Vintage Waverly Tuners
- Bone Nut and Saddle
- Ivoroid binding & heel cap
- LR Baggs Dual Element pickup system
And, most importantly…
-
MASSIVE SOUND & TONE!!!
When I opened up the case, it was like a glow emanated from it. Laying there, in mint condition, was a Breedlove Revival DR-Deluxe acoustic guitar.
How My Fetish With the Breedlove Revival DR-Deluxe Began
I had actually created a review of the Breedlove Revival DR-Deluxe guitar while trying out some new guitars in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, TN over the summer of 2014. My wife and I were celebrating our two year anniversary in June with a trip to the Smokey Mountains and enjoying some well-deserved R&R in a rented cabin.
This video is the result of my “test drive” with one of three guitars: the Breedlove Revival DR-Deluxe…
After comparing three different guitars (the others were a Collings and a Bourgeois which simply couldn’t compare with the Breedlove), I decided that the Breedlove Revival DR-Deluxe was the guitar I had to have, so I began saving for it immediately.
Little did I know that God had other plans.
Working All Things Together for Our Good
It states in Romans 8:28 that…
“…all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
Myself being a Christian, I believe this to be true. I also believe that whatever God’s purpose is for me, it involves being a musician; it’s clearly a calling He has placed on my life. That being the case, why should I be surprised that God inspired someone else to fulfill the need for a better guitar than the one I previously owned (and still own), my Martin DCX1E?
“God placed it on my heart to give this guitar to you,” Pat began as I played around on the Breedlove. “I believe you’re a man of great character, you preach the Gospel, and he wants you to have it.”
“Thank you so much,” was all I could think to say.
“But,” he teased, “I can’t say I wouldn’t mind getting a complimentary copy of your Bluegrass Guitar Essentials course when it comes out on DVD.”
I laughed and said, “Believe me, I had already decided on that; you’ll be one of the first people to get a copy when it comes out.”
Another Goal Achieved…On To Greater Things
While looking at my planner for 2015 just this past week, I realized something astounding about my Goals for next year. Here’s how the layout looked in my planner:
To Own
“New acoustic guitar (solid wood).”
Why Do I Want It?
“Motivation to get better on guitar; for better, more reliable tone.”
How Will I Achieve It?
“Keep soliciting endorsements or settle for used guitar…make enough to afford what I want without having to settle!”
My realization? It was such a joy and blessing to be able to record that this goal had now been achieved before 2015 has even begun! I wrote alongside the To Own section this small statement that had such a BIG impact:
“12-19-14, Breedlove”
I look forward to seeing what the future holds for me as I continue playing alongside the group I sing and play with (The Gilbert Family). Thanks to God and His obedient servant, Pat, who have made it possible for me to improve my skills and enjoy playing with an even greater instrument and—most importantly—an even greater zeal.
Now that such a goal has been achieved, why shouldn’t I have faith in seeing my other goals through to completion?
E
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Cream of the Crop
(Note the slight differences from the Deluxe version I received above)
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Question: Have you ever received a gift that helped you achieve your goals? What has been your favorite and greatest sounding guitar to date? Leave a comment below and tell us all about it.