Guitarist surprise!!

I've got a semi-regular jam night that I host in my studio and recently have managed to get a decent group of people playing with me. Great female vocalist, decent guitarist playing mostly acoustic but with some electric and lap-steel, backing vocalist that plays a bit of mandolin and an ex-drummer who is now into cajon and hand percussion but has slowly added snare, splash cymbal and other stuff.

It's mainly an acoustic guitar based type of thing at reasonably low volume but we do some rockier songs. Anyway, last weekend was the singer's birthday so she invited some friends over for a BBQ and jam. One of those friends was also a guitarist and here is where the surprise comes in. He turns up with a Marshall 2x10 combo (or something like that) and a typical metal-head pointy guitar with humbuckers, locking nut and Floyd Rose type tremolo. I'm thinking that this really might not work, particularly if he is one of those guys that can't get his tone without ear bleeding volume.

Well, you could have knocked me down with a feather. His playing was sparse arpeggios, tasteful licks and solo's and his volume so controlled we actually asked him to turn up a little after the first few songs. Considering that he didn't know most of the tunes he fit in so well he's now permanently invited to come along. Just goes to show you can't judge a guitarist by his gear!