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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | Okay, here goes . . .
Long ago, when large wooden ships carried cannons, the only thing worse than a "loose cannon" were loose cannon balls rolling around the ship wreaking havoc. To alleviate this, the "monkey" was created. The monkey was an iron plate with big, deep "dimples" in it in a triangular pattern. The cannon balls would be configured in a triangle on the bottom, a smaller triangle stacked on top of the first, and so on, until there was just one ball on top of the heap. As the cannon balls were used, the "monkey" held the rest in place.
The problem was that with the constant exposure to the sea air, the iron balls would rust to the iron monkey. To fix that, the monkeys were then fabricated of brass. No more rust problem!
However a new problem did occasionally arise. If and when ship would venture into the Artic regions (or the weather got icredibly cold) the metal would naturally contract. Brass has tendency of contracting at a much higher rate than iron. Brass gets cold, brass contracts, cannon balls roll free.
Hence the phrase:
". . Cold enough to Freeze the Balls Off a Brass Monkey . . ."
Sorry, about the total lack of "aaargghhs" and "matey" there Woody, but since that last "incident", they don't let me drink rum in the office anymore . . . . bastards! |
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Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 13984
Location: Upper Left USA | Arrh! No appreciation for an Old Salt, the balmy landlubbers.
Know what you mean. They won't let me squeeze the melons in Safeway any more.
Where does the analogy about the Well Digger's ass fit in?
Didn't all this start with Norse(I'm so happy I can only hit this one key)man1's jubilation over his new guitar? Congrats Nman1! |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 1380
Location: Central Oregon | The well diggers ass is frozen to the witches tit. :)
Congrats Norse(you finally got a deep 12)man1! I think going with coated strings is a great idea. I'm gunna get a deep 12 one of these days....
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Joined:
August 2003
Posts: 4619
Location: SoCal | Nils,
You'd look good with a dark sunburst GC or CL. |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 1380
Location: Central Oregon | I might not look *good*, but I might look a little better :)
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Joined:
December 2002
Posts: 939
Location: Fort Worth, Texas | Way to go Norsey - now we both have the same model!! Enjoy! |
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Joined:
May 2002
Posts: 3005
Location: Las Cruces, NM | Norsey
As a 12 string dreamer, congrats with your treasure. Nothing like a thing that gives great pleasure and gaurantees a lifetime of revelation. Those long winters will now be too short and you will fail to notice that it is snowing and freezing outside, or that you have a wife and children and a job as you cycle from the dinner table to the 12 string playing area with brief trips to the bedroom for fitful sleep as you dream of another song that would REALLY sound good on the ole 12 string and leap out of bed to try it out. Life with a 12 string will become EXTREMELEY simplified. I'm not one to show envy, ENJOY ENJOY.
Bailey (My dog got sick and died and I came down with the same sickness and spent a miserable week) |
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mornin!
