ken56

Tartan, you win. Awesome collection. I attribute my interest in guitars to Chet Atkins and seeing him playing his County Gentleman. My mother loved Chet and I remember watching him on TV and thought to myself I want to do THAT. He made it look so easy, like all you had to do was pick it up and music came out. He is still my favorite.

I am all for exercising the power within ones wallet. I never liked how Levi's fit me so I don't buy them anyway.

An exec from Ibanez actually started the brand I understand. Some were made in the USA but soon moved to Japan. It really does sound as good if not better than my Gibson and the playability is so smooth. I had never ever heard of the Starfield until I came across this one. I was going to visit a friend who lived in a double wide home park and drove by it just sitting in the sun in its case. Yep, got the original Gibson case for it too. I walked back to tell the people that sitting in the direct sun like that was not good and started looking it over and fell in love. lol. 125 got it.

Sorry no pics but, 1982 Gibson Challenger II natural maple finish. Beautiful playing instrument. 1983 Epiphone Strat style with tremolo, black body with maple neck. Original owner of both and love playing them. Peavy Studio pro 50 amp. My garage sale find last summer that I could not believe, a 1977 Starfield Les Paul type and original Tronix amp. Needed some work but had it fixed. Its black body with the gold pickups and mother of pearl inlay on the neck. Its Japanese made by Hoshino corp. It got them sued by Gibson because it was so close to the real thing. It plays and sounds great. The only difference I can see is the body is laminated wood, about 4-5 3/4 inch thick slabs of wood. I love it and am glad I could save it and give it a new life.

Good discussion and many valid points have been voiced. I am all for training too but that costs money that some people do not have extra to expend on a firearm or training or getting a permit. I take exception to the government requiring me to go defenseless if I can't meet their demands of getting a license. Its like a poll tax or literacy test to vote. Regulation of arms was more related to keeping guns out of the hands of minorities way back when. I have seen plenty of stupid at the range when I go too so, that training some people think they are doing is to me just them making noise and wasting ammo. Training needs an end goal and just popping off shells making noise is minimally helpful. I have never witnessed any stupid displayed out in public in my presence among my fellow gun owners though. If TN should ever implement constitutional carry I doubt that we would not have some type of permit system, if not the same one we have now. Even the states that have it now have some type of permit system. That Would still allow us to travel to other states. I still think there needs to be some type of universal acceptance nationally like our drivers licenses. We have that to a point now, I know.

To me, constitutional carry is not the gold standard that solves everything . I do believe that we should not have to pay the state to exercise an enumerated right. I am forced to here in TN to have a permit to carry in public. I carry in and around my home every day and I live in a subdivision with neighbors fairly close by. What good is a right to self defense if you can't exercise that in ones daily routine, form grocery shopping to going to the movie, but I need a permission slip from the state to do so. I also think that a property owner should have the right to control access to his property, by asking a person to leave the premises, not by a sign that carries the weight of law. (There is a difference between your home and a business and I speak business wise) I have said that it is incumbent upon the individual, should one choose to go armed, to train to a level of competency in safe handling and accuracy in shooting but again, I see that as an infringement because it requires another entity to certify my competency. SO .....it comes down to my word that I am competent. Is that good enough? The Bill of Rights is a constraint on government, not what you and I do in public to each other. The criminal code covers OUR INDIVIDUAL conduct in public, not the BofR. I might have jumped around here in expressing my views but for the sake of brevity and not to overwhelm this thread. I think this is a subject that may never have a good answer that will be acceptable to a majority of the population, anti or pro. I for one will continue to carry openly and/or concealed everywhere I legally can and comply with what the state requires. As of now, what other choice do we have?

So, is there an answer to the question of what constraints on carry is acceptable? Who is /has the authority to set the standards? We are all here because we have something in common and like to share our opinions with one another. Constitutional carry has different meanings to every one of us here. What do we agree on and what do we differ on? If you can't fix stupid do we penalize everyone because of one irresponsible incident? Do we accept the "accidents" as the price we pay for freedom? How much government control is acceptable in the exercise of rights? none? some?

I agree with the stupid kills and there is no denying training is a good thing, but that training is incumbent upon the individual to get to a certain level of competency, but who is the setter of that level? What should happen to a person who allows a child to get hold of a loaded weapon? Seems I read about an incident that happened in Washington state, a man went into a store and while gone his young son got his pistol out of the glove box and shot his younger sister. He was a police officer. Stupid crosses all lines. I also agree there are other issues to deal with first in this state. Signs that carry the force of law is one. But again I ask, what restrictions are appropriate, if any at all, (shall not be infringed) or are we comfortable with even "stupid" people carrying a firearm, keeping in mind that one mans stupid could be another mans genius. Does constitutional carry mean unrestricted carry to you ? Does the state have the authority to set training and licensing mandates? Some states have unlicensed open carry. Would we like that here in TN? Castle Doctrine protections? They differ state to state. Is TN castle doctrine at a level satisfactory to you?

We should do what any good liberal would do , raise a stink and complain that you were profiled and you are offended and embarrassed for being suspected of something. Threaten to sue and get them all fired. Make a huge scene and be sure all in the area know that Disney is racist and Islamophobic and homophobic and any other phobic you can think of. Wouldn't that be fun?

Wow, Christmas DID come early for you! Great score on a beautiful guitar. I second getting some instruction . Learning to play on your own is difficult when you have no one to explain the whys and hows of things and answer your questions right away and to show you how its done properly. Can you pat your head and rub your stomach at the same time? The right hand and left hand do completely different things at different times, not easy to do when you are just beginning and a good instructor can give you exercises to develop these skills. As with the age old question, how do you get to Carnegie hall?, practice, practice, practice. Your fingers will beg for mercy if you are practicing enough. I have played since I was 14 and still can't play worth a crap . lol. Good luck with it and have fun.

Harwell is not going anywhere. She was re-elected speaker I do believe. So now what? I have to ask too, just what does constitutional carry mean to YOU? People have differing views on just about everything. Constitutional carry does not mean unrestricted carry, does it? If TN should happen to get it passed would all the restrictions TN has in place on firearm carry/possession in public be void? Certainly it would be dependent on how a new bill would be worded but we know our legislators have a certain opposition to this issue. Would you want to see totally unrestricted carry or are some restrictions necessary?

Any time I have to use a urinal I try to go to an end with strong side against a wall. I am not looking down, rather to the side and use my peripheral vision to keep an eye on who is around me. Paranoid? Not to me, situational awareness is what it is. When I use a stall I try to go to an end also, gun stays in the paddle holster and is set on top of the TP holder muzzle to the wall behind me. ears are always in tune with the sounds of what is happening. Been one time when I saw a guy walk the row of stalls, passing by 3 open ones, and try to peek thru the crack in the door (not blatantly but trying to be sly about it) where I unholstered my gun and was at the ready. He left.

To my point exactly. The police can't be everywhere all the time. The gun grabbers would have us think that the police will protect us and thus the average citizen does not need to carry a gun while out in the general public. Now, more to the point of the smash and grab It sounds like these guys aren't amateurs. Probably not unknown to the justice system and out free to practice their trade at will.......'till next time they get busted..........then released again. BUT....it is us law abiding gun owners that must comply with the willy nilly gun banning crap that keeps coming up because the system won't deal with the law breakers......that costs money that the average citizen does not want to cough up on top of all the other taxes they pay. I raise my hand on this too. I am taxed enough already and I can't say that I am saddened by news of a thug meeting his maker thanks to our right to self defense.

So how long did it take the police to respond?

I have had this very thought too. What if the local sheriff shows up at your door to enforce an executive order, what then? Any LEO who would willingly follow and carry out such an order is nothing but a traitor IMO. What about the National Guard? How many soldiers would comply with an order to turn their guns upon fellow citizens? Who is willing to die for their guns?

Just to throw this in.......... I marinade my venison in a mixture of 1/2 BBQ sauce (what ever your favorite is) 1/2 beer and a teaspoon of garlic in a plastic bag in the 'fridge for 4 hrs. or so. Cook in a hot cast iron fry pan to medium doneness. People that say they don't like venison have said it was very good. Have done roasts and tenderloins like this.

Residual checks. The last movie I saw was Jersey Boys. The insight that if people stop seeing movies with those actors we don't share certain views with they will not employ them any more may be too little too late to some, but it sure makes me feel better.

Cruise is a known anti. I will not add to his bank account either.

I agree with this. Its a pretty big revenue generator and politicians do not like giving up a revenue stream. Even if it made it to Haslam's desk he would veto it. I have no faith in his conservatism and commitment to its ideals. While some may feel that a permission slip or permit rather, is good enough cover I have to ask, how does one exercise their constitutional right to bear arms if the state controls who gets permits? What happens when the state decides to tighten the constraints on permits and throws in registering your guns or you don't get a permit? Think they can't do that ? I don't put anything past them. Wet your finger, raise it high into the wind and see which way its blowing.

No one has offered up the fact that you need a HCP (handgun carry permit) to carry in the state except for car carry. You can have a loaded firearm in your vehicle without a permit. To carry it on your person and in public (off your private property) you need a permit. It is the default in TN law to be illegal to posses a firearm in public without a permit. We are not so free as you may think. The state still wants to tax you for your right to self defense.

Trespass law cover this issue. There is absolutely no reason to have this law. Why on earth should a sign absolve a business owner from direct contact with someone he does not want in his business? He could easily just call the police on you if he should notice you have a gun on you without ever saying a word to you. Ya ya, the sign is your notice. I get it. No shoes, no shirt, no service.......so a guy comes in and the business owner is just going to ignore him? The sign said.............no service. Scary guns. ooohh. A business owner should not have to have direct contact with someone who has a gun. That's too scary. Stupid law.

OK, so where are all these stories of these "open carry asshats" causing trouble? Anything?? Nothing at all? Wow, how can that be. Maybe these "open carry asshats" are actually pretty level headed and only wish to exercise their god given right to self defense. Anytime I have seen a ruckus it has been caused by some liberal wacko extremist who thinks they can impose upon others what they think is right. Some states actually have no law against open carry and you can actually exercise your rights without a permission slip from the state. The fact is Ohio is one of those states so no law needs to be suspended to prevent law abiding people from the exercise of an enumerated right. I think its a shame that Tennessee is not among the states that allow the free exercise of enumerated rights without asking the state for permission to do so. We can only hope that change is in the future.

It was reported that the Orlando shooter was radicalized from the internet. Maybe a proposal should be introduced that the Gov'mt can censor the internet? Same rationale on regulating guns right? Think the libs heads would explode?

The lawful and open carry of rifles was the only thing ALLOWED to be openly carried by Texas law before the recent advent of handgun open carry in Texas......concealed carry was by permit only. They won a gain in the ability to exercise their 2A rights and I applaud all those who dared to be so bold as to actually dare to exercise their rights. We on here have complained about needing a permission slip from the state to exercise our god given inalienable right to bear arms and have advocated for "constitutional" carry, as in no permit needed. Now, as I believe, the courts have ruled numerous times that concealed carry can be regulated. So wouldn't that mean that open carry can not be regulated? That open carry is how one would exercise that very right? How do you reconcile the free and unencumbered exercise of a right and yet still want to attach infringements to it? I will not criticize anyone who wishes to carry and exercise their rights in any manner they wish to. Those who think open carry is not a good idea then how about you don't do it then. Hold your tongue and try not to call those that do stupid or even attention hogs. Really? They are advancing the idea that good "normal" looking people carry firearms whereas hiding it under your shirt does absolutely nothing to normalize the carry of firearms in public. I support anyone who wishes to carry in any manner they wish. They are on our side I believe. Carry however you wish and I will carry how I wish, shake your hand if we meet, and if you are concealed please don't feel the need to show it to me. Many have done that and also thanked me for openly carrying and I have always asked why they didn't. So if you are in and around Dandridge and see some stupid guy openly carrying its probably me, say hello.

These are sealed units and are not meant to be repaired. Service valves would have to be installed into the lines and then recharged with refrigerant. Probably be more expensive than just buying a new one.