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Happy

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NGD very unexpected result

Today didn’t go as expected. As it was a nice day, I decided to visit Guitar Village. They had a used Peerless Martin Taylor archtop that I was anxious to try. I did, and also a similar spec Eastman too. They were very nice but neither insisted on being taken home.   Then I tried the nicest looking PRS Core Custom 24, Blue Quilt with ebony board. I had admired this on the website before. Finally there was one CE24 which I certainly would have bought had the finish been to my liking

Rudi

0

performance

I played very poorly at the last gig (last week). I was using my preferred guitar of the moment and my old faithful Fender amp, but the sound was all wrong. It may have been because the people were mostly pretty far back from the band. We were on a high-ish stage too. The sound wasn't the usual warm subtle tone I am used to. It was stark & harsh. A poor tone limits what I can play. Some people dont understand that. I dont fully understand it myself but I cant change it. Fortunately everyone

Rudi

0

insomnia

Insomnia Last night: I return home following an evening of dancing. I pour myself a glass of wine. I try to watch a bit of TV but fall asleep on the sofa at around 12.30.   I rouse at 2.55, take my prescribed relaxant & go to bed. At 4.10 I give up trying to sleep and get up again. I’m tired but I know its pointless trying to sleep anymore. I read my e-mails and respond to one of them. When this happened last week, I sat up and read in bed. I read for 3 ho

Rudi

0

Retire

I took early retirement by means of voluntary redundancy today. The consultation was last Thursday and my employment ended today. Said my goodbyes to some great workmates and took all my 'stuff' home. It looks weird. All this stuff that doesn't belong in the house is here. Not just tools & books, but works mug, cutlery and tea caddy etc.   I've worked with some of these fellows for more than 30 years. Its pretty emotional, and leaving is a bittersweet experience. I will meet up wit

Rudi

7

fragile

Pensive melancholy thoughtful contemplative brooding pondering preoccupied absorbed engrossed. Yep I’m fragile alright. The intensive shift pattern I'm working is partly to blame. So the last day of the rest period may be a Thursday, but it will feel like a Sunday because I'll begin work in the morning. If working on Sunday, I'll drive in and wonder where all the traffic went. I'll probably never see other engineers who work opposite me ever again. They are working the inverse of my shi

Rudi

3

reasons to exercise and my incredible teacher

Still well overweight. Exercise is essential but difficult. I take dancing lessons at the moment. Have done for about a year now. When I started the instructor asked if I was a musician; which impressed me a lot! Dancing is complicated and an ongoing struggle to remember all these steps. I fail most of the time but I'm still trying.   I also took up badminton at the suggestion of my son Ben. Only once a week though. Then it transpired that they break during the summer months. So n

Rudi

1

what girlie's like

On Tuesday, I went to Mazak in Worcester in the West Midlands on a work trip. My friend and colleague Danny drove. In the back were the the office interns; three young ladies (girlies to us) who witter & giggle constantly. We felt lucky to be going in a Merc S series hire car for the 280 mile round trip.   The radio was on most of the time. On the return journey a pop-rock tune was being played at one point. Towards the end of the tune, an unusual change occurred. It sounded as if

Rudi

4

the signal processor method

The amount of knobs I’d want on my ideal guitar would be none at all. I only need one pickup; a single coil in the neck position. I don’t need a tone knob because I leave them on max treble (the one exception being the Hofner Archtop, but that’s not a gigging guitar). Volume? Don’t need it. The expression pedal on the signal processor is always set to ‘volume’, so I use that. It’s also much easier to control volume that way. Once the soundcheck is done, the max volume doesn’t nee

Rudi

3

not another one...!

I thought I was going to finish 2016 without getting any more guitars. But no, I have another on the way. The pickup change on the Esprit was supposed to provide me with the Fender sound I miss. It sounds good, but it doesn’t sound like a Fender.   I’ve been considering options for quite a while now. Oddly, actual Fenders are low on my list. I’ve looked at G & L, MusicMan, Flaxwood, Chapman (Yes Rob Chapman. His models are made in Korea and most have ebony fretboards), Yamaha,

Rudi

1

more pick stuff

One or two of you may know that I’ve spent a deal of time and money on picks. It’s been ongoing for about 2 years now. Changing picks has been of more real benefit than any new guitar or any other piece of kit could’ve been. While renewing the edges & points on favoured worn picks, I have experimented by adding bevels or a modifying the shape using files, emery cloth and whatever has come to hand. Some mods have been successful, others not. I’ve even considered making some, a

Rudi

3

minimal work is optimal

This hot weather has been making my guitars move. The careful set-ups are compromised or ruined. Only a couple seem ok. I re-adjusted the Les Paul on Monday, just prior to practice. I tried to adjust the Esprit yesterday, but that’s proving a little awkward. Rather than undertake a lengthy comprehensive set up, I thought I would just play it for an hour as it was. ‘As it was’ is with the G, B and ‘e’ sitting higher off the fingerboard than is usual, and the strings are also

Rudi

0

I'm not a Gibson Player

I have a couple of Gibsons, but I am realising that this does not make me a Gibson player. (all that follows only concerns soloing, not chords) I plugged in the Les Paul last night & played for a couple of hours. My regular alternating pick technique didn’t sound as good as it should. It has something to do with the sound (and definitely the sustain) of the guitar. So I concentrated more of hammer-ons & pull-offs. This made it sound much better. There was less pick noise and ma

Rudi

2

What About White Dirt?

This morning I awoke tired again. It was my fault I didn’t get to bed early enough. While brushing my teeth I wondered what sort of day I’d be in for. Fridays are usually quiet because few people are onsite. But… when problems do occur on Fridays it becomes manic for the same reason. I then idly wondered what I would say to myself 12 hours from now if I’d had a really bad day.   It would be along the lines of; [i]‘don’t go in. Just take a day off. Never mind that you’re using up premium days

Rudi

0

Malfunction. No Target Aquired.

Now that August bank holiday has past, I am reviewing the past year critically. A lot of what has happened since is connected to the hole in my life that opened up when my partner Jan died on August bank holiday 2014.   My employer sent me home on 2 weeks compassionate leave, during which time I helped clear Jan’s flat of all her possessions. I did this together with her son Ian and her friends Pam & Lorna.   I spent ages taking her stuff to charity shops and to the tip. When the funer

Rudi

0

Picks Review

Picks Review:   Using and choosing picks is highly personal. No one can give a generalised review. My review is based upon what I am used to and the techniques I use. My use of picks is confined to electric guitars only. I never use them on acoustics. The techniques I use.   Lead: predominantly alternating up & down, AKA speed picking. Hammer on/pull off. Basic sweep (not the shredder type). A personal Staccato version of economy picking. Exceptions: I do not tap.   Rhythm: Var

Rudi

0

Pick Article (Also Posted In Guitar Area)

Picks / Plectrums   Pete Walker, a guitar store owner and lifelong enthusiast said to me that ‘everybody can hold down a few chords & string a couple of phrases together, it’s the picking hand that makes a guitarist sound unique’.   This is a big subject. Nothing varies so much between guitarists as the sort of pick they use and the way they use them. It’s the most neglected subject too. Players obsess about their main equipment more than anything else (and spend a lot of money doi

Rudi

0

Not Socialised Properly

This has been written as an expression of regret. Not a challenge nor an attack.   I watched another youtube video of willseasyguitar recently. I have learned a fair amount from Will (if that is really his name) and been entertained sometimes too. I can say the same for Scott Grove. Both these fellows like to broadcast on a broad variety of topics, though they are best known as guitar buffs.   I’m now used to hearing ‘hey’ as a greeting. I also realise that ‘How’s it going?’ is not a que

Rudi

3

Juggling Guitars

My guitars are mostly leisure instruments, but some are grafters.   The Soloist is the main grafter; a real workhorse. I’ve had it 18 years & it feels like a part of me. I’m trying to spec up the Deuce to become a grafter too (it’s cheap). It will never be anything like as fine as the Soloist but I just like it for some reason.   The elderly Washburn G5V is a practice model. It has been played more than any other guitar, and it shows. Both The Soloist & the G5V have significant ru

Rudi

0

Hagtrom Deuce Update

update to 'Hagstrom Deuce' thread I started in the guitar area of the forum. I tried out the Deuce at gigging volume on Saturday morning. I brought it out for the last few minutes having done most of the rehearsal with my usual Jackson Soloist. I was also trying out the Line-6 pod 400 signal processor (with the custom tones I had tailored to each guitar). Not an ideal situation to introduce 2 major changes at once, which is why I used the trusty Jackson for all but the last few minute

Rudi

0

Guitar Watching

The Gibson Les Paul Special Double Cut 2015 I’ve been curious about these ever since finding the Hagstrom Deuce. This is the model the Deuce is based on. The more expensive 2014 Special had the full arch-top shaped body cap and trim. The 2015 version is half the price with a slab body and minimal features. It looks basic & cheap, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It has a rugged visual appeal. I handled one a short while ago. It didn’t seem too bad. I played one at Nevada M

Rudi

0

Thumb Osteoarthritis

thumb osteoarthritis: Had this in both thumbs for about 3 or 4 years. Until last year it never interfered with my guitar playing. Now it does. Now I cant use the thumb-over-the-top technique to fret the bass E. I use it a lot in fingerstyle. The thumb just doesnt bend enough anymore, and if I try it hurts too much anyway. For soloing and band work. I only discovered yesterday how I minimise thumb use. Normally the thumb grips the back of the neck when the fingers press down on the fi

Rudi

1

Hard & Easy Guitars

‘Hard Guitars & Easy Guitars. I love ‘em both. As a young’un I wanted ever lower action, lighter gauge strings, lighter string tension and all the things that go to make playing easier. More than that, I needed these things in order to play properly at all. I don’t recall exactly when it was I realised that I didn’t need those features anymore, but it took a little while to sink in. Moreover, I now seem to be able to play any guitar at full throttle regardless of its set up.

Rudi

0

Guitar Cases.

Unusual for a blog entry. I am posting it here in addition to the forum so I can retrieve it if needed in future. Instrument cases. Cautionary tale #1 On picking up a guitar from the luthier, he pointed out that the tip of my guitar’s headstock was resting on the base of the case. In other words it was not being supported by the neck as it should be. He warned me that he had seen a lot of broken necks due to poorly fitting hard cases and that a heavy shunt or two could do that. He

Rudi

1

Choosing A Back-Up E-Guitar

How to choose a guitar? The easiest way is to go to some shops and try out a couple in each (any more than 3 can become confusing). What about when you have a pretty good idea of what you like already. 17 years ago I spent 18 months looking for a replacement for my Strat. I came away with a Jackson Soloist that is still the best fit for all my needs. However, there are some things I don’t like. 1/ Floyd Rose Bridge. These cost about £215. So I definitely paid for something I didn’t wan

Rudi

0

Last Gig Of The Year

Last gig of the year: Friday 19 December 2014 Club V Fareham Recreation Ground. Denny’s 60th birthday bash. Denny himself is in a covers band, and they opened for us (Blown Out). I was very glad that people did get up and dance to them. Though it was at the last song! This was their first gig, and they did well. They did one of the songs we do ‘Mama Told Me Not To Come’, so the party heard 2 versions that night. Club V is a wonderful place. It’s got 2 control rooms for DJ/a

Rudi

2

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