When I was thirteen, I built a ribbon tweeter* out of magnets and tinfoil for my grade 8 science project. I gave a presentation on how I built it and then hooked it up to a receiver to prove that it worked. All things considered it sounded pretty awesome. I was really proud and my inner geek was giddy, at least up until the point that my science teacher uttered those 8 little words… “That’s a pretty good job, for a girl…”
Crap like that used to make me so angry that based on a more than a few occasions I nearly dropped out of high school. Now I kind of take it in stride.
It doesn’t mean that back in my show promotion days I didn’t get pissed off for being overcharged by $50 every time I used to rent a P.A. system from a certain local rental company who’s name shall remain anonymous. It just meant that I learned to work the system. Man voice orders P.A.; Tits McGee picks it up. “Oh, well you told my boyfriend it was $95 and he only gave me $100.” And if all else fails, act really confused; like Victoria Jackson/Anna Faris confused. Eventually they will practically pay you to leave. Better to float with the current as quickly as possible than waste your time trying to change it.
I guess, to an extent, I have an odd skill set based on some random idea of conventional gender standards, whatever that means. It’s something I forget about a lot, at least until someone else brings it up or I have to wade through inept and condescending staff at a local electronics store. I’ve been playing with power tools since I was twelve and I grew up in a house where that was pretty normal. My sister does the exact same thing. I think we were just raised to be independent and follow our passions. For some reason, we both had a passion for building things and playing really loud music. I’m grateful we got to grow up like that.
The perpetual underestimation that goes along with being a big-tittied blonde used to bother me, and I won’t even get started on the ramifications of being ‘a chick in a band’ suffice to say that I have a hernia and bad back based on my young unwillingness to accept chivalry of any kind. Over the years, I’ve just kind of learned to look at it as a game and wait for the funny looks that occasionally pop up on people’s faces as they try to figure me out. I no longer take any of it to heart.
So, to get to the point, I’m currently building a guitar. I’ve played around with them for years: changing tuners, switching bridges etc, but this is the first time I’ve leapt in from start to finish. There have been a few people who have pointed out how cool/weird/what-have-you that is over the last few months, and even suggested I start blogging about it.
So that’s what I’m going to do.
This is also part of the reason that there isn’t any of Bells and Cannons (my new band) music up just yet. I really want to finish this beastie before we jump back into the studio.
I really love how my guitar is turning out. It’s starting to sound the way I’ve always wanted my guitar to sound. It makes me want to run around and hoot and holler I'm having so much fun. And all in all, I think I’m doing a pretty good job, for a girl…
And, as a side note, while I have a general disdain for new white guy Rn'B, I am so utterly grateful that chicks like Chantel McGregor exist.
Stay tuned for updates!
*That’s a type of speaker for all you non-audiophiles out there.
