Rudi

Even a clown knows when to strike Elvis Costello - Clown Strike

Ah the JTV 69. I have not tried that. It was the JTV 59 I tried at Farlington. I hope to try that and the remaining JVT 89 at Andertons. I would like to go soon. But its probably more sensible to wait until after Xmas. My Ric 650C has a baseball bat neck. I can cope with it, but a more slender neck feels nicer to me. I used the 650C last night at a gig in the Southampton Football Club (a suite, not the stadium itself). A big gig for us. 500 people. Free drinks, food and access to the staff areas. However we were kept waiting til nearly 11pm before going on, and didnt finish til close on 1.am Saturday.

Rob... just wonderful! Your Majesty is Like a Cream Doughnut - Hatfield & the North The band name comes from this road sign (the A1 - the old Great North Road leaving London)

I've had 'Famous Blue Raincoat' echoing through my head today...

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 need altering either. When I got my latest signal processor (a Line 6 POD HD400), I spent a long while constructing the ‘perfect’ tone for my Soloist XL guitar. It turned out beautifully. This tone has been copied & adapted to suit other gigging guitars. TBH, the small tweaks are minimal and are mostly just EQ levels. When I get a new guitar, I select the neck pickup (I don’t use anything else) and turn the tone to full on treble. Then I allocate a new bank for it on the signal processor, I clone the ‘master’ tone patch and tailor all the EQ settings right there. If I get it right, I never touch it again. So depending on what guitar I use, I just select it’s custom tone patch bank. There are 4 slots in a bank. I only really need one, but I clone it and add some tremolo to suit ‘Mama Told Me Not To Come’ on one. So it’s only used on this song. For the 650C and the Deuce I have added a second clone. That second clone has a tad more gain (about 6%) and perhaps a smidgeon more treble (3%). This is used as a ‘boost’. The 650C needs this past the 12th fret on solos. The Deuce needs it on a couple of songs that benefit from a little punch at the last bars of some solos. The 3rd position in the bank is pure guitar with no amp modelling or FX at all. This ultra clean setting is for ska rhythm. I don’t need the 4th patch slot. I know what sound I want. (except that Fender one :)) I have the sound I want. Therefore I don’t need to faff about with it.

I spent about 3 minutes playing it and I don't like it. It only took 30 seconds to decide that really. The neck feels tighter than the stated 12" rad. Maybe its the roll off at the edges? But the e strings are too close to the edges. I didn't push them off, but it would have been inevitable if I'd kept playing. I've put it straight back in the box and have advised Thomann. I have no idea how much it will cost to return, but it will still have been worth the opportunity to try it out. So it doesn't handle well. The neck material is fine. The fingerboard forms part of the neck. It feels ok and I'd have no problem with the neck had it been shaped to my liking. The hardware seems of very good quality, I expected the pickups to be poor, and they certainly are. Seymour Duncan consistently make nasty sounding pups. That's not intended as a challenge to you SD fans. It is of course totally subjective. So waiting to hear something from Thomann right now. Never mind. I have been extremely lucky with mail order guitars up on the whole, so I was overdue for a disappointment. I sent it back after getting the returns label from Thomann. Today (9-Nov-16) they acknowledged receipt of the guitar. Now to wait & see when the refund is made.

Sorry teek, I never noticed this question until now! Ok, for decades I used Gibson triangular picks. Cheap bendy black things with three playing edges. I still essentially like this design. I am unusual in the regard that I use different picks. It comes from the ongoing quest for improvement (mine). I have collected a lot of very different picks in a 2 year period. I now only use 3 basic types. 1/ The triangular old Gibson ones. Heavy or Medium (depending on string tension) for rhythm playing. The 'give' is helpful. 2/ Thicker (1.8mm or more) triangular pick with 'sharp points'. These are plastic (perspex etc) and used for soloing. My favourite is V-Picks 'Freakishly Large'. They are solid. 3/ For jazz I use stone. And that is mainly on my big box Archtop with heavier roundwound strings. Either triangles again or the regular 'jazz picks' which are much smaller. Jazz picks have the advantage of being pointier by design. The stone sound is warmer and a bit quieter. For regular playing they have an unfortunate high 'chirp' when they touch the strings, but if you use a neck pickup and a bass biased EQ, this copes pretty well with the chirps. The advantage of stone is that it doesnt wear out. Yes its me that unusual. Most players dont pay much attention to the picks they use. They would rather spent $4,000 on a boutique amp to improve their tone . The pick making punch is great for regular picks. I would use these for rhythm playing.

Based on what you've said here. I suggest that you don't bother.

Yes I did. Ice cream, ice lollies and prawns. They were still frozen when I got home. The coolbag did its stuff, but probably didnt need it coz it was freezing yesterday. Hmmm... could use a frozen fruit juice lolly right now. Its 7.17am at the moment and breakfast is 2 hours away.

Ok, I dropped into PMT (dont ask! - formerly Nevada Music) on the way home from getting the groceries. I looked over some stuff there. They had 3 variax. 2 x Standards and a James Tyler. I tried out the JT and a black Standard. It took a little while to realise why I was only getting magnetic pickup sounds. They had no batteries installed. Nevertheless it was a very worthwhile experience. I liked that they had the countries of origin on the headstocks. JT is MIK and Std is Indonesian. The Std feels nicer. The JT has a thick baseball bat neck, while the Std is slimmer & easier to use. Soundwise, I was surprised. I listened to everything clean on a Blackstar amp with the EQ on midaway for bass, mid & treble. The JT neck humbucker seemed muddy and out of balance (high e quieter than the others). The Std sounded very Strat like with woody tones. The handling felt just fine. More importantly, it sounded lovely! If i had ordered one based on specs alone, I would have gone for the JT, but comparing these now I am very impressed with the Std as a regular guitar, before any thought of the variax circuit.

Devil's work? Sorry man, that's just not admissible. Personal definitions are strictly the province of the clergy. I hope you realise that you're gonna have to do penance for this? You must choose 1 or 2 1/ Hang around a local school at home time dressed as Michael Jackson, or... 2/ Listen to Slim Whitman's "Indian Love Call" on repeat for a 24 hour period (yes at night too). It was nice to hear Hocus Pocus again though.

I'm not understanding the link ? PS My last attempted post here failed

Did this happen Mike? Since there was no update, I imagined that it didn't. Even so, just the preparation must have sharpened your skills somewhat?

Variax makes a lot of sense, especially for recording. Apart from the versatility, a silent signal can be so important. It is a shame that you cant easily transplant the variax innards. Not only to ad it to an existing guitar but also to replace the variax circuit when its replaced by a newer version. On the subject of replacements, its amazing how many guitars have such a short manufacturing life. I had a Musicman Sillouette on my shortlist, but it seems out of production now.

Living In The Past - Jethro Tull

ok, the Flaxwood is gone. I repackaged it this morning and took it to Waterlooville Post Office. All I had to do was attach the returns sticker (I printed from a supplied pdf) from Thomann and hand over the postal docket to the counter clerk. I feel more at ease now. I have 5 days off before resuming work. Time to work on my recording, house, garden, etc.

Interesting to consider the house/rooms/storage part of it. Because it is important. As it is now, I can fetch any guitar I have quite easily. I dont have to drag out the vacuum cleaner, hedgetrimmers and mop from out of a closet to reach a guitar. But I'm living on my own in a 3 bedroomed house with plenty of free space around me. I only really live in a lounge-dining room & the middle sized bedroom. The small bedroom in my studio. The large bedroom is full of tools and wardrobes. The large sitting room is has got the bulk of my guitars in it. I have to clear them out if I want to use the room for visitors. If I get any more, I'll have to begin stowing some away, and if that happens I probably wont use them. That is the cut off point! If I cant easily access an instrument it might as well be gone. If I lived in a bigger property, I might well feel different about having some more instruments around.

While true, its not the whole story. I was recently very impressed by the 'Fender sound' of a Fender Duo Sonic. That has a 24" scale. I could find no information on the pickups. So I asked Fender. I read a reply this morning from... Blake Gillett (Fender) Nov 2, 17:56 MST Hello Rudi, Thanks for contacting Fender. Here are the specs for the neck and bridge of the Duo Sonic Offset: Appearance Details: / Ceramic 8 magnets / White cover DC Resistance: 7.20K Ohms Pole Length high E: 27/32 Pole Length B: 27/32 Pole Length G: 27/32 Pole Length D: 27/32 Pole Length A: 27/32 Pole Length low E: 27/32 Weighted Resonance: n/a Natural Resonance: n/a Inductance: n/a DC Resistance: 7.20K Ohms Polarity: South Magnet: Ceramic 8 Bobbin: Molded Plastic Turns: 7400 Wire: 43 gage Poly Description: Part Number: 0041649000 Used On Models: Duosonic Position: Neck Pickup: Duosonic Appearance Details:/ Ceramic 8 magnets / White cover DC Resistance: 7.20K Ohms Pole Length high E: 27/32 Pole Length B: 27/32 Pole Length G: 27/32 Pole Length D: 27/32 Pole Length A: 27/32 Pole Length low E: 27/32 Weighted Resonance: n/a Natural Resonance: n/a Inductance: n/a DC Resistance: 7.20K Ohms Polarity: North Magnet: Ceramic 8 Bobbin: Molded Plastic Turns: 7400 Wire: 43 gage Poly Description: Part Number: 0041650000 Used On Models: Duosonic Position: Bridge Pickup: Duosonic Thanks! Blake Gillett Consumer Relations Representative/Direct Sales Fender Musical Instruments Corp. 17600 N. Perimeter Dr., Ste-100 Scottsdale, AZ 85255 Pretty damned impressive. I was expecting Alnico 5 or 2 I am often shocked at how a guitar can sound when it become apparent that 'it dont always work the way I thought it did'.

I was never much good at maths. An X is 10 right? I've been a bit concerned that Thomann havent followed up with a returns label for the Flaxwood. I had sent them a couple of e-mails over the last few day that they didnt answer (Yesterday was a German Bank hol). However, I discovered a pdf label + packing instructions in an attachment to a prior phone message. That's the problem, using 2 computers and a phone to communicate & having to wonder where the answers are going. So I can send the guitar back on Friday (off shift for 5 days starting Friday). Not sure if all Post Offices can take it though? I had another look at it last night (the 1st time since it arrived). The neck edges are not rolled, but I suspect it isnt a true neck radius, maybe more of an ellipse? The build quality is actually very good. If I had kept it I would have taken out some of the neck relief by now.

I had not heard of the Helix so I checked it out. I found this http://www.tonymckenzie.com/line6-helix-effects-unit-floor-pedal-inside-and-out-review.htm Thanks for the info. I try to pick close to the neck most of the time. At times I even pick over the upper frets (I like the way it sounds). I can hear the difference between an SG & an LP. The SG has less definition. But between a slab LP and a maple cap LP? That's lost on my ears. So what difference they find to model is bewildering to me. Surely a whole range of different pickups (57 Classics / Burstbuckers / 496r etc) would make more difference than a bit of wood? The acoustic models certainly sounded authentic but like the action was too low. Notes not clear enough because fret noise. Perhaps his action was too low, or maybe its really in the signal? How does it seem to you?

I have been checking out more options, but taken your variax one to heart. 18 e-guitar models, but 5 of them Les Pauls? What's your opinion on the acoustic sounds? Can the variax behave like acoustic, as when you play hard or soft? Because it might be easier to record my fingerstyle stuff on something like this rather than the real thing. I've just been listening to demos of the MIM Fender Duo Sonic. The neck sounds have been beautiful. Ok, its a weird guitar with its 24" scale and student look. Worth a try at least.

Oh I could take them to charity shops, and that would be something, but I'd rather place a guitar into the hands of someone who was keen and in need of an instrument. With a charity shop donation, I'm just as likely to see them again in a 2nd hand shop at a mark-up on what I originally asked. Psychologically, I suppose I'm still looking to gift someone like me who was hungry for a guitar for 8 years. Yes, I know things have changed, but you cant reason with your hangups.

Tim, all the while you have your wife to think about, I think that's a useful distraction. You're going to be preoccupied enough with the treatment. I feel you are going to cope well. Thanks for the heads up & advice. If you're up for it, post an update now & then. A blog maybe?

I have looked into donating the guitars to a worthwhile cause, but even that is a non-starter here in the uk. If I knew a youngster that could make use I them I would give them away.

I still trying to sell on my Epi Casino Coupe & Dillion Dagger bass. No one wants 'em