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Post by ashaffer on Aug 26, 2004 14:38:00 GMT -5
I agree about the Monster cable, there is definitely something wrong with it and it was close to $50!
I like the George L jacks because you can easily do a solderless connection if something goes wrong on a gig. What don't you like about them? I have both straight and "L" jacks because of the rear mounted Steinberger jack plate, a straight jack will poke you in the gut.
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Post by ashaffer on Aug 26, 2004 6:39:55 GMT -5
I bought an expensive Monster "Jazz" cable that is very thick and has very nice gold plated jacks. It was supposedly voiced for jazz guitar (rolling off highs?). I have noticed that it is somewhat microphonic when it is hit or moved around. That is not a good thing! I have several George L cables, they are very thin cables that you would not think would be robust, but do sound good and I have not had any problems with them.
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Tuners
Aug 26, 2004 14:33:29 GMT -5
Post by ashaffer on Aug 26, 2004 14:33:29 GMT -5
I like it, but it is more complicated than need be for just guitar tuning. It can do so much that I will never have a need for. I do like it when I am setting intonation while doing a guitar setup.
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Tuners
Aug 26, 2004 6:47:56 GMT -5
Post by ashaffer on Aug 26, 2004 6:47:56 GMT -5
I have the Peterson Virtual Strobe, got it at Musician's Friend at a Blem price of about $100 off. That was pretty afforable. I use it and sometimes the tuner in the POD 2.0 (if that is what I am playing through). The Peterson is very accurate.
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Post by ashaffer on Aug 27, 2004 14:44:53 GMT -5
Well that makes sense Professor. I hardly ever play for that long straight through. I am far from a professional and just work on recording songs and friendly jams. I just like the tone I get from the larger gauge. You know as Liberace said "I like em big and stiff" ;D
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Post by ashaffer on Aug 26, 2004 14:40:56 GMT -5
What are you using Professor?
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Post by ashaffer on Aug 26, 2004 6:43:35 GMT -5
I have not seen any flatwound heavier than a .014 (which I use), but I have seen references to them on www.archtop.com. Perhaps a search of www.JustStrings.com will turn something up?
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Post by ashaffer on Aug 28, 2004 20:46:41 GMT -5
Mahayana, My name is Al if you want to use that. Come to think of it, Ash is pretty cool I have two copies of Bitches Brew on vinyl and the boxed set on CD. I still prefer LPs to CDs given the time to warm up the tubes (Audible Illusions 2C pre-amp and McIntosh MC-30 monoblocks) and clean the records. But I do find myself putting a CD on more and more and even playing MP3s through the home system. Serious listening is still done with the turntable and a good hour or two warm up of the amps. . Come to think of it, I do most listening during the week in the car with the CD changer on my commute. That is a good 1 to 2 hours a day. I only create my own songs on the computer, but they are based on royalty free loops and samples that are produced by various companies like Sonic Foundry who makes the Acid program. These loops and samples are sometimes produced by "name" artists like Bill Laswell and Mick Fleetwood. Most of the dance tracks that you hear on the radio (if you actually listen to that kind of station) are made in this way. I also create my own loops of "found" sounds and electronic or acoustically generated music. I just seem to do better at this kind of thing than playing other's songs. It is not like I do not respect the craft of doing that, it is just that I have found that I am not very good at it. One of my best friends is a guitar teacher, duo and small group guitarist and has been a professional since we were teenagers 30 years ago and I have seen what he has had to go through to make a living at being a professional musician and it seems harder than I can actually imagine. But I certainly admire his and other's love of the craft. I will remain a software engineer who enjoys the "process" of creating paintings in sound. I relate mostly to people like Rothko, Pollack, and de Kooning. The NY abstract expressionist school of the 50s. Not that I compare my music to their quality of work at all, but at least in spirit.
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Post by ashaffer on Aug 26, 2004 8:47:06 GMT -5
No, not at all. Just jokingly embarassed that I am old enough to only have the LP and not the CD I have the Complete In A Silent Way Sessions CDs and also all the other Miles Columbia boxed sets that have been released in the last decade. In a Silent Way and Bitches Brew are two of my favorite electric Miles recordings and had a real influence on me back in the day. The main thing that I do now is create backing tracks on the computer in a program called Acid based on loops and samples and then import the tracks into my DAW to add my own guitar and/or bass. It is mostly world/funk/jazz, somewhat in the style of other modern players like David Torn and Steve Tibbets. I like all styles of music that reflect emotion from the heart and mind. I jam live around my area, but mostly blues based tunes. I am a huge blues and jazz fan and own over 3000 LPs and 500+ CDs. I have personally met Joe Pass, Tal Farlow, Leo Kottke, and Jerry Garcia in my adventures.
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Post by ashaffer on Aug 23, 2004 15:47:59 GMT -5
I've got the LP
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Post by ashaffer on Aug 23, 2004 15:43:33 GMT -5
Some of my favorites:
Larry Coryell - Spaces Jim Hall/Ron Carter - Alone Together Gabor Szabo - Dreams Wally Cirillo/Joe Diorio - Rapport Stan Getz/Charlie Byrd - Jazz Samba John Mclaughlin - My Goals Beyond Jimmy Raney - Strings & Swings Joe Pass - Virtuoso Django - anything! Pat Martino - the early Prestige records Tal Farlow - almost anything (I met Tal at the King of France Tavern on my birthday while he was doing a duo gig with Steve Novecell on bass. He gave me a signed set list with his birthday wishes.)
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Post by ashaffer on Aug 26, 2004 8:53:21 GMT -5
www.archtop.com sells vintage JS pickups when they find them (expensive I am sure) and all of the old DeArmond stuff too. They sell the "real" Kent Armstrong pickups and have a full stock of all models. The Benedetto pickups used to be made by Kent, but are now wound by SD I think. I have read conflicting opinions on the quality compared to the Kent Armstrongs, but have not heard them myself.
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Post by ashaffer on Mar 28, 2005 15:15:06 GMT -5
I just started using a Fender Blues Jr. with a 12" Weber Blue Dog Ceramic speaker and long reverb pan upgrade. It is a quite good jazz amp and very easy to haul around. I am a bit surprised that a 15 watt EL-84 based amp can sound as clean as this does. The Blues Jr. also gets a good overdriven tone when called for. I use a Carl Martin compressor and a Keeley modded TS-808 Tube Screamer. I haven't tried the Heritage Golden Eagle through it yet, just the H-550, H-535 and the other solid body guitars. I've recently added two USA Hamer archtop Studio model guitars to the collection, a flame top Duncan humbucker and a gold top P-90. The P-90 model with .11 strings can get some good jazz tones. Those Hamer guitars are a very pleasant surprise! I've been playing the Golden Eagle exclusively acoustic for some time now. I think I might be selling my Tech 21 TM 60, as I do not see the need for it anymore, maybe even the Princeton. I will probably keep the Power Engine 60 to run the POD through and I doubt I will ever get rid of the Boogie MkIIc+ because it just looks so cool -Al I use a 1984 Mesa Boogie Mark IIc+ (wood/wicker) through the clean channel when I have the strength to lift it . For jams and such I really like my Tech 21 Trademark 60 or my POD 2.0 through a Tech 21 Power Engine 60. The Tech 21 stuff is great (I also have a Trademark 10). I used to use a early 70s Fender Princeton, but it didn't have reverb and I always want a little reverb. The Princeton is now the least used of my amps, seems kind of a shame.
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Post by ashaffer on Aug 23, 2004 15:20:41 GMT -5
I use a 1984 Mesa Boogie Mark IIc+ (wood/wicker) through the clean channel when I have the strength to lift it . For jams and such I really like my Tech 21 Trademark 60 or my POD 2.0 through a Tech 21 Power Engine 60. The Tech 21 stuff is great (I also have a Trademark 10). I used to use a early 70s Fender Princeton, but it didn't have reverb and I always want a little reverb. The Princeton is now the least used of my amps, seems kind of a shame.
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Post by ashaffer on Aug 26, 2004 14:29:32 GMT -5
Thanks Professor, it is an ever evolving collection. I just trimmed it down from 13 pieces. I would like to include a Django style guitar and a National Tricone Resonator at some point. If I could only have one of the present group; it would be the CS Strat as that is the most versatile.
Do you mean that you do not have a digital camera? Or that you do not have a scanner? If you need any help with any techy stuff, let me know. I am in the software business on the development side and can usually figure most computer stuff out.
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