- Drag your fingernails across the strings of an electric guitar, plugged in or not and you'll get an idea of what Guapo sounded like. Cats hear 3 times the high frequency range that we hear. Guapo was hearing high partial harmonics of the fundamental notes of strings 'played', inaudible to me.
- Cats can hear three times what we hear among the higher frequencies up to about 65,000 cycles. The rustle of a leaf, to a hunter like the cat, is an important sound. Interesting info here on Dig and Cat hearing but rather technical. www.lsu.edu/deafness/HearingRange.html
- What A Pretty Cat! - llamar99
- Sweet Fender telecaster! - WhiteOleander
- 'Custard' spot lol! my cat has one on her forehead!!! - custard123cat
- he´s playinggggg OMGGG! *.* - Kah Magueta
- "i'm a pro now" says the cat - woah libertie .
- really cute cat. I just love cats and guitars - Larsen personligt
- cool pick ups - Larsen personligt
- Basic Telecaster layout with single coil covered pickup at the neck and a single coil pickup at the bridge. It's classic! A simple Fender design that gives a strong, direct and twangy sound.
- most adorable thing i've ever seen, i guess - fictionalbrain
- jody_reeder says:
Whats he playing? Cat Scratch Fever? Wild Thing? Who Let The Cats out? Quote "HAHAHAHA,"!!!! - 2 Fender Single Coil Pickups...
I love the Tele and i love the cat... - Glurz - tn tn ttn tn tan ton tan te tan tn hahaha :) - xxsh5boo6xx
- look at its face its so cute - lover.kitty
- Rock`n`roll kitty - Hochulia
- Fender Cat o caster - Da Pimparazzi
"Cat Scratch Fever!" - Ottawa 2002
"These strings are alive!"
Our cat Guapo (Handsome) in his pin-striped suit. He loved to play
with the vibrating strings, feeling the buzz and hearing the odd
sounds that would come out of the amplifier's speaker. I did
encourage him to play and Guapo would sometimes entertain us with his
musical concerts. He didn't sound that great but he played with
energy! Quality on this is a bit rough, though. I was still a
newcomer to Flickr back then.
Thanks All for 31, 498 Flickr Views of this image as of March 1st, 2013!
Flickr rates these as my top 200 most interesting images HERE: www.flickr.com/photos/mikeygottawa/popular-interesting/
.
Comments and faves
becky lou, Steve Brandon, Bambi2001, Dr Tao, and 219 other people added this photo to their favorites.
Mikey G Ottawa (76 months ago | reply)
(This photo has the highest number of 'favorites' of my many photos!)
Guapo didn't sound That good on guitar (never took any lessons but what an ear!) but he made us laugh as he 'Chased The Buzz'!
Good thing we had no piano! I'm just a big kid, at heart and I encouraged- even indulged him. It was funny for me to watch him- chasing the buzz as if the strings were alive!
A couple of years after our separation, the poor, little creature went to live with my ex-wife in an old house in the country where he met his end after tasting some poison in the attic laid out for the mice. He must have been only 5 years old. Smart little guy! Guapo would hear my approach upon returning from my day at work and wait for me by the door. Never have I seen a cat do that! Our little joke was that 'he was such a good cat- he could have been a dog!'
Sandra, my ex-wife recently rescued a neglected, mistreated kitten
and promptly adopted the poor little thing. That made us both happy.
Mikey G Ottawa (76 months ago | reply)
The brightest stars burn out soonest, they say!
I dunno. He was no star (except here)
but such a good cat. Thanks
UrbanMaker! Best to you and yours!
littlelori (76 months ago | reply)
That was one "cool cat"! I'm sure he's playing lead guitar in his own band up there in kitty heaven!!
Mikey G Ottawa (76 months ago | reply)
You are so kind, LittleLori! Makes me smile- that does!
Thanks so much!
Thanks Becky Lou!
Jo Ann 315 (76 months ago | reply)
Wonderful shot. What song was the kitty playing :)
KirscheTortschen (76 months ago | reply)
Poor thing, there was me worrying that he might have chewed on the electric wires!!!
Mikey G Ottawa (76 months ago | reply)
Jo Ann! You crack me up. Thanks dear. Hope you and yours are well. . . . . I got it now. . . .
'Cat Scratch Fever!' by Ted Nugent.
Gruss Kirche Tortchen! At first I too was
concerned until I realised that the cat would have to
simultaneously touch the microphone with his lips
and the electric guitars' strings - to get a shock!
just kidding. We never let him sing.
The strings' vibrations only -
are amplified by the pickups and directed to the amp
so no danger I believe. Silly me. It was just for fun.
The cat thought somehow- that the strings were alive
and making sounds as he batted the guitar neck
with his paws- I think.
Heard a story once about a cat (not Guapo)
that liked to chew on
electric lamp cords . . . . unitl one day-
Zzzz! Meow! That habit was broken
and the cat got a fright.
Thanks so much for your visit and comments K.T. and Jo Ann!
Mikey G Ottawa (76 months ago | reply)
Thanks Steve B. for your fave!
midmophil (76 months ago | reply)
Well, I'm sure with all of his fur he had the fuzz tone down pat! 8-) Great photo!
Mikey G Ottawa (76 months ago | reply)
Bah Boom!
Tshhh.,
Good one! Thanks MidmoPhil! Take care!
Mikey G Ottawa (76 months ago | reply)
You crack me up Nicholas! Thanks for dropping by!
Bambi2001 (76 months ago | reply)
I love the way he looks like he is playing the guitar
blueskydesert (76 months ago | reply)
This is priceless and a wonderful title.
KaCey97007 (76 months ago | reply)
That's great, Mikey... Thanks for sharing the pix and the story.... We used to put boots on our cat to see him dance... He would shake his feet to try to get the paper boots off... So Funny and no harm to the cat!!!!
--
Seen in my contacts' photos. (?)
gnawledge wurker (76 months ago | reply)
great pix and story, sad he died young.
Mikey G Ottawa (76 months ago | reply)
Bambi> That is exactly what I like about this self-indulgent photo
of mine. Looks like he is playing music. Thanks for dropping by!
BlueSkyDesert> Thanks! Jo Ann asked me "What's he playing?"
and that is what came to mind. Cat scratch fever!
Hallo Licht! Wie Gehts? Thanks for dropping by! A laugh a day keeps the doctor away!
KaCey> I can just picture it now. That's funny! Thanks.
Thanks My Canadian friend- Canuckshutterer! Appreciate
your visit and comments as well! I'm just having fun on a quiet Saturday.
Best to You and Yours, All!
grapejlee (76 months ago | reply)
Guapo was gone too soon-- he really WAS a rock star! Great picture! :)
Mikey G Ottawa (76 months ago | reply)
Aw, Kate . . . You said it, dear- 'Gone too soon.'
I was heart sick when I got the bad news. Couldn't let on though 'cause my ex-wife was hurting even worse and feeling guilty about it- to boot. It feels a bit better now though after having told you all- my Flickr friends. Thanks so much, really.
Best to you and yours.
Dr Tao (76 months ago | reply)
Great! Love the moment.............
Have a beautiful Good Day and all this happy new week ahead, Mike!
Dr Tao (76 months ago | reply)
And I invite You as well to post this extraordinary photo with Search the Best
(invited only) and tag with "SearchTheBest"
Mikey G Ottawa (76 months ago | reply)
Oh, Dr. Tao! That is so kind. Lately I have been so selfish just concerned with me, my photos and myself- I haven't even visited the photos of my contacts. But You know, I think Flickr is helping me to heal inside- by sharing these stories and photos of mine and looking back with fondness.
Glad that I haven't lost all my Flickr friends in the process!
Thank you so much for your visits and comments! I wish you and yours all my very best, as well!
I would be pleased to add this to the group. As usual I was just amusing myself when I took this. My ex-wife, Sandra and I would
sit around and giggle watching this smart, little guy! Thanks so
very much, Dr. Tao!
Mikey G Ottawa (76 months ago | reply)
Thanks Martin for your fave!
*shana (76 months ago | reply)
Very funny!
Mikey G Ottawa (76 months ago | reply)
As an experiment, I would turn the amplifier on, which was across
the room. I would brush the strings with a finger and their amplified sounds now came from across the room where the amplifier
stood. Of course, the buzzes and scrapes of metal strings against metal frets never strayed from their source- the neck of the guitar.
Guapo would look at the amp, now aware that his 'cat music' was coming from across the room and continue his 'attack' on the strings
on the guitar's neck certain as he was- that here was the source of the sounds that interested him. I thought that was clever of him.
Maybe it is the wine that makes me talk like this!
Thanks for your visit and comments, Snjezana!
FotosdeManuela (76 months ago | reply)
Very nice composition, interesting
Mikey G Ottawa (76 months ago | reply)
No need to translate the word 'Guapo' for you, Manuela, dear!
Spanish is your first language, isn't it? Who else but Mike would think of giving the electric guitar to the cat? He was curious about it
I could see and one thing led to another and this picture came out of it all. Thanks for your visit and comments, dear. All the best.
Mikey G Ottawa (76 months ago | reply)
Thanks for your fave, Pterantula!
*Gabisa Motonia (76 months ago | reply)
Great capture..., Mikey !!
Please add your photo to www.flickr.com/groups/supershot/
After you add it to the group pool, please tag this photo as a SuperShot</stron
Mikey G Ottawa (76 months ago | reply)
Thanks So Much, Kgabisa! It is my pleasure to do so!
Best to you and yours! Woo Hoo!
Frizztext (76 months ago | reply)
I agree, this is definitely a
If you have not already done so, please add your photo to www.flickr.com/groups/supershot/
After you add it to the group pool, please tag this photo as a SuperShot.
erin is a star (76 months ago | reply)
super cute picture!
k e t i / Keti Gzirishvili (76 months ago | reply)
wow!
Mikey G Ottawa (76 months ago | reply)
Thanks for adding that tag, Frizz Text!
I do so appreciate the visits, comments and faves, All!
Thanks So Much!
Mikey G Ottawa (76 months ago | reply)
Thanks for your fave, Donmimi83!
ichie (76 months ago | reply)
Wow! lovely and CooooOol player!!!
thanks Mikey for visiting my stream :))
Mikey G Ottawa (76 months ago | reply)
Thank you Ichie, for your visit and comments and fave!
Your photos are great!
Mikey G Ottawa (75 months ago | reply)
Hello Olivier! Thanks for droppin' by!
Cheers!
Jo Ann 315 (75 months ago | reply)
Wonderful shot Mike. Love the playfulness of the kitty.
I saw this in The Best of Your Best
Mikey G Ottawa (75 months ago | reply)
You are so kind to visit me so often, Jo Ann.
I do so appreciate your invite to The Best of Your Best-
the Flickr Group. Thanks so much, Jo Ann!
TKRS Productions (75 months ago | reply)
That's a cool cat!!! Just like the one in my photo sets!!! Go see, he's cool too.
Mikey G Ottawa (75 months ago | reply)
That is one cool ginger cat, Dave! Nice SG!
Cheers, dude!
Mikey G Ottawa (75 months ago | reply)
Pretty cool ginger cat, Dave!
Your excellent photo . . . .
flickr.com/photos/34263488@N00/413678172/
. . . . Reminds me of
'Nipper' the RCA Victor dog listening
'His Master's Voice'!
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nipper
Thanks Dude! Cheers!
Mikey G Ottawa (74 months ago | reply)
Thanks Hy136 for your fave.
Your stuff is amazing:
flickr.com/photos/hy136/
Cheers!
exbrun2 (74 months ago | reply)
Wow! It looks like he's doing a hammer-on! I like cats and I like Fender Telecasters... this photo is perfect blend of both! Sorry to hear Guapo is gone... did he release any albums before he left this mortal coil?
Nice photo! Cheers!
Mikey G Ottawa (74 months ago | reply)
That's a comment by a guitarist, I'd wager!
Hmmm. Hammer-ons remark gave it away, M!
That is so cool! Telecasters are the best- I think.
Les Pauls equally so- but of a different flavour..
Anything instrument with strings fascinates me
and have played around on a guitar since 1976.
I like to sing and so, this way I could accompany my
voice with the guitar. Take it to a party, to the beach.
Music is so many things: a soulforce, an energy,
a sympathetic resonance. It is indicative of culture
and period, emotion and feeling, mood and flow.
'Albums'! You cra-ack me up, Exbrun! Just a bunch of photos are what we still have from Guapo. He lives on in our hearts & memories. My ex-wife Sandra and I never made any kids.
Guapo filled that void for us for a time, in a way.
He was such a good little tabby. I will always remember how he would be waiting by the door to greet me at the door anytime that I returned home and walked throught the apartment door. I could whistle or snap my fingers and Guapo would come to me-most of the time!
We used to joke that Guapo had been such a good cat that he could have been a dog. You got me rambling now but I gotta smile at the thought of Guapo. Thanks so much for your visits and comments! Best to you and yours. Cheers!
.
exbrun2 (73 months ago | reply)
Guitarist cats are so rare.... you get plenty who will sing but those who will strum along with you are hard to find.
Here's to Guapo - may he find plenty of instruments to his liking in kitty heaven.
I've played some guitar in my time.... still have my Tele. Mostly I play acoustic now...
Since reading your accounts of Guapo, I've tried to teach my cats to play guitar but so far to no avail. One of them is a tabby like Guapo... I was thinking maybe I should try him on TABulature instead of sheet music...
Take care!
Mikey G Ottawa (73 months ago | reply)
I'll just climb back upon my chair from which I fell off laughing.
Seriously, Alex. I'll drink to Guapo!
"Telecaster?" he asks, perking up his ears.
Nothing beats that historic design of Leo Fender's
except his next, the Stratocaster and Les Paul's
great designs- of course!
My Yamaha acoustic must have fallen out of the canoe
since the finish has some slight discolouring
but it plays and sounds exquisite. That one was
a good deal- $75!
"TAB for the Tabby!" You are cra-acking me up!
That is too funny! I dunno. You have one wicked sense of humour, Exbrun2! Best to you and yours, my friend! A toast. To you and that sense of humour. You're killing me here.
Cheers!
.
Mikey G Ottawa (73 months ago | reply)
Thanks for your fave, Gitart!
I just love guitars. Cats, too.
The music business?
You've got guts, Sir!
Passion, too!
Cool name!
Cheers.
amable (73 months ago | reply)
Hi, I'm an admin for a group called Animal trick/clicker training, and we'd love to have your photo added to the group.
Mikey G Ottawa (73 months ago | reply)
Hello from Ottawa, Amable! I have never seen photos
of horses quite like your photos. Really nice!
I'd be happy to add my photo!
Thanks very much.
Best to you and yours!
Cheers.