When I first saw the Juniper, it was love at first sight. I'd been looking for a unique parlor guitar and it seemed to fit the bill. It took a few months for me to finally grab one. Out of the box, it was gorgeous!
And then I began to play it. . . From the get-go, the Juniper utterly confused me. I've been playing for so long that I had developed a style and technique that seemed to run counter to the Juniper's strengths. Every time I picked it up, it seemed to taunt me. "Not like that!" it always said. "Try again!"
Two days in, I came close to returning it. A week later, I felt the same. For some reason, I told myself to give it time, to not cave in. Eventually, I put my pick aside and began to experiment with fingerstyle, a technique that I have never really used. Immediately, the lights came on. Sparks flew. Love was absolutely in the air!
Two months in and I am in absolute love with this guitar. It has totally redefined my playing style. I see and hear a noticeable difference in my musicianship. After spending who-knows-how-long at a plateau, I feel like it has allowed me to break through and reach a new musical height. I have new ideas, can't wait to try them out, and have an excitement about playing guitar that I haven't felt for almost two years.
Bravo, Orangewood! You have no idea how much this guitar means to me!