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I just picked up this sweet guitar the other day, it's a Danelectro '63 (2015) She's in excellent condition, and for the price... I couldn't pass her up!

Not intending to hijack the thread, but there's an amusing story from the documentary, "Miracles out of Nowhere", the story of the band, Kansas. They had a gig where they opened for Aerosmith. Somebody, knowing that Kansas had been quite successful, warned Kansas about Steven Tyler's practice of unplugging an opening act if he thought they were getting too much positive attention. Kansas came up with an alternative plan. They plugged a bunch of cords into some outlets near the stage, but the cords just went towards the equipment and didn't serve any of the amps. They found other outlets and as secretly as they could, ran the cords to their amps. When Tyler started his little venture, nothing happened and Kansas continued playing to huge crowd reaction. Tyler went into meltdown about it.

Here's the lot. Have fun kids. Any questions gladly answered.

I'm a comic book artist, animator and filmmaker that plays guitar, bass and mandolin. My first taste of GAS was the Silvertone Amp-in-case when it showed up in the 1964 Sears holiday catalog and it hasn't let up since. Along the way I've done record album jacket art, art directed record companies, animated Lou Reed and Debbie Harry songs, designed effects pedals and co-launched the Pigtronix brand. While I've done some gigging and even had one of my songs written up in Guitar Player Magazine, my audio focus has been on recording for film and video. As I'm deep in the throws of artwork for a new comic book release and seldom see the light of day anyway, the quarantine hasn't had much effect on my day-to-day yet but its still early. Best wishes to all in these challenging times. Think safe.

In my ongoing effort to stimulate our economy, 2 new purchases have arrived. Ibanez Artstar AM153QA in dark brown sunburst. What a guitar. Quilted/burl ash semi-hollow construction, 3 piece nyatoh/maple neck, beautifully rounded and polished fret ends, ebony fretboard, Super 58 pickups and series/split switching for the neck pickup. This guitar really rings my bell. I love the smaller body size and the fact that it has it's own distinctive shape rather than looking like a 2/3 sized 335 like the Gibson 339. The ash body makes it bright and dynamic and with the tone dialed back, it is smooth and creamy like an LP. What a great guitar. I've not owned or played an Artstar before, but I get it now. The second to arrive was a Michael Kelly Patriot Decree in Black Vapor finish. I have owned a couple of Michael Kelly Patriot Customs in the past but sold them thinking I had to have a Gibson Les Paul. Something about these guitars keeps me coming back though, and the Black Vapor finish pushed me over the edge. This guitar was a bargain. South Korean-flawless build quality, perfect setup out of the box and both LP (mahogany body and neck with maple cap) and Tele tones (coil splits and through body stringing) The pickups are very good and the coil splits have almost no volume drop so are perfectly usable. This is a very impressive guitar and it really is a joy to play.

I decided I wanted an acoustic electric guitar to have around the house and did a search on Ibanez on eBay. This one caught my eye immediately and was right-priced. Having had good experiences with Ibanez guitars in the past, I pulled the trigger. I called the seller (who I have bought multiple guitars from over the years) and puchased a fitted hard shell case w free shipping since the guitar will ship in it. I haven't played this model but it has scalloped X-bracing, flamed open-pore okoume wood body and nyatoh (Asian mahogany) neck, thim satin finish, wood bindings and a really cool wood vine inlay that is elegant, but low key. I am really stoked over this guitar and the wood figure on this one just knocked me out. It's a cosmic thing to reunite brothers separated at birth, making both brothers more harmonious under the same roof. I also had a jazz box itch that needed scratching so while searching Ibanez guitars, this one just jumped off the page. Again, the woods just blew me away and knowing how consistent Ibanez guality is, I pulled the trigger. I did a little detective work to find the seller (a pawn shop in AL) and called him directly to negotiate a better deal including case. He advised also that all the "marks" in the photos are reflections. On arrival, I am going to add ebony pickup rings and an ebony tailpiece overlay to "jazz it up" a bit.

On that note: I've been in the electrical equipment industry since 1990, and hold a patent for a high-end surge protective device design. Pardon the long post, but there's a lot of pure garbage that gets stated about "power conditioners" and surge suppressors, and I think it's helpful to get down to the core facts of what they can and cannot do. A "power conditioner" doesn't really protect your equipment in any way. The majority of them are no more than a 60 Hz filter, with perhaps a bit of surge protection. Unless you are dealing with a noise issue from another ill-behaving load on the same circuit (like a neon sign or failing refrigerator/fluorescent light ballast) , they really are just electronic jewelry. Surge protectors, however, can provide real value in preventing transient over-Voltage events from damaging your gear or shortening its life. There are two key performance factors that tell you how a SPD (Surge Protective Device) will operate in the real world, and a third that will give you a sense of how long it will live. The first two are the clamping Voltage, i.e., what is the highest Voltage that the SPD will let through to your equipment when it attempts to clamp a surge event. The second is the Peak kA rating, which determines how much transient energy the SPD can absorb without failing to clamp. These are required test values for any SPD that meets the UL SPD standard (1449, 4th edition). Peak current is sometimes called Nominal Discharge Current, and clamping Voltage is sometimes referred to as VPR (Voltage Performance Rating). The third value is the total amount of energy that the device can absorb before its useful life is over. Most SPD are based on MOVs, which are sacrificial devices that lose some capacity every time they absorb a transient. A higher "Joule rating" indicates the total amount of energy that the device can take, which gives an indication of how long it will last in normal use. Be careful, though, as a high Joule rating means nothing if the device doesn't have a high enough Peak kA or low enough clamping Voltage rating to protect your equipment. I like the fact that both Furman and TrippLite give clear, honest ratings information for their devices. It allows you to really compare what they do. The trouble is that many other manufacturers do not, so it can be difficult to get a really solid, fair comparison. So, have a look at this product: https://www.furmanpower.com/product/15a-merit-series-power-conditioner-wlights-M-8LX Look at the spec page, and go down to the bottom, where it shows the peak impulse current, rated at 12,000 Amps. This is actually a pretty reasonable rating compared to most inexpensive "surge strips", as it is double the 6kA that is required for the VPR testing under UL1449. It's limited to 150 Joules so it's not a long-life device, but it will take a reasonable hit before it lets anything through to your gear. The real problem, though, is that the only protection modes are line-to-neutral. A transient that is line-to-ground would not be clamped inside the device, and would force surge current to travel through the neutral-to-ground bonding link either in your equipment or in the service panel. Not a common occurrence, but not a good outcome. Now, compare to this product: https://www.furmanpower.com/product/20a-advanced-power-conditioner-wsmp-no-lights-9-outlets-1ru-10ft-cord-P-8 PRO C Note that it doesn't use MOVs, so there is no Joule rating - it should absorb surges throughout its useful life. Trouble is, its initial clamping value is only 3,000 A, and it's max is 6.5 kA - roughly half of the other device. It's about tradeoffs, and the trade-off here is that a relatively moderate transient event would pass through this device and get to your gear. Now, what would I recommend? Something more like this: https://www.tripplite.com/isobar-12-outlet-rack-mount-surge-protector-15-ft-cord-3840-joules-locking-switch-cover~ISOBAR12ULTRA Have a look at the spec sheet. Clamping Voltage of 140VRMS. Peak current of 96 kA, which is more than a standard 120/240 VAC panelboard can handle. Joule capacity of 3840. UL1449 approved. Note that it also include Line-to-Ground and Neutral-to-Ground protection modes, as well. This is a serious SPD that actually does the job, and will keep doing it for a long time. There's a lot of snake oil in this part of the electrical industry, along with some reasonably good products that are just over-priced for what they deliver. The key to not getting ripped off is to understand the specs and use them to understand what the various products will really do. Full disclosure - I used to run the engineering team for a company that made SPDs (not one of the ones I have mentioned here). I've moved on to another part of the industry, so there's no conflict of interest with this post. Finally, as Phil noted above, your power cables should be as short and as thick as you can get them. I won't let anything smaller than 14 gauge anywhere in my gear, and I prefer 12 gauge. As a comparison, the NEC (electrical code) won't let you wire any 120VAC service in any house or commercial building with anything less than 14 gauge wire, and higher gauges are required for long runs (to meet Voltage drop requirements). 12 gauge is required for 20 Amp circuits. Hope this helps....

I'm a guitarist/engineer. Over the years I've played a whole bunch of different types of material, and was full-time, recording and touring for a while back in the late 80s. Now, I fill in with a couple of local horn bands, do some charity things as a solo act and do a lot of musical theater work, as guitar/utility strings or music director. Like everyone else, my gigs are gone for the near future, now just waiting to see if my summer shows are still going to happen. Stay safe!

That's because now he is de-composing... But GH is right, there has to be a balance, or it is all just buzzing. For our ears and brains to really grasp melodic art, it needs to have time between notes, to allow us to process, to absorb...and digest, and react...listening is not the same as hearing...

Very nice collection!! But, dammit, now I feel inadequate...my axe collection in 2016...I've added a couple {an Applause fretless a/e bass, a D'Angelico 335 style and a Danelectro 12 string] and gave one [the Mahogany SG] away...I guess I need to do a new class photo, plus the amps, and the PA gear... the acoustics... yes, I have a thing for black guitars...

I played March 16th, and that's been that. It was arguably the largest lounge in my town, so social distancing was not an issue. Oddly enough it was a really good night. Afterwards, the bartender joked that I was like a musician on the Titanic, playing tunes while the ship went down. The manager also bought me a beer at the end of the night (only the second one in three years) and wished me well. I've been playing the gig for three plus years, and specifically, every Monday for over two years. I had never missed a Monday. It was very strange not playing there this past Monday. Lately, I had been loosing lounge gigs to DJ's, so my gig count had gone down, maybe 15 gigs a month, but now all my end of March gigs and April gigs have been cancelled. One of my favourite yearly gigs was playing a 45 minute (sometimes less) set of Jazz standards with great musicians, to a great crowd, and free drinks! All for $200 each. They actually are paying us half: now that's classy. Anyway, I have emergency savings, and I had also planned on doing a little CD, so I guess I could use those funds if I had to. The trouble and strife has a pretty good pension, and my kid still lives at home and still has a job, so I don't have to worry about that... I've only had two vacations in twenty-five years, so while this pandemic is of course, a life and death situation, and a very serious economic hardship for many, I am in some ways relishing the time off. I just wish it wasn't under these circumstances. Take care all, and stay safe.

like a kidney stone...

Musical instrument manufacturing or any other manufacturing companies are non essential folks need to lay low and stay home. They are closing all non essential stuff here in MA , as of tomorrow at noon. It's a smart move. I give a lot of credit to the medical workers that are putting there health everyday on the line to fight this and keep people alive. This is nothing to mess with. Monthly bills will come every month, and can wait, if you don't have the money. If you get sick and die the bills will wait even longer. I believe that things are gonna get worse before they get better. Could be weeks, could be months. Nobody knows Don't watch the news all day, it will only make you depressed. The reality of it all is you will be spending a lot of time with you family. We have the net, cell phones to keep in touch for folks. My wife talks to her 93 year old mom everyday, sometimes twice a day. When is the last time you grabbed a board game from up in the attic and spent and evening, chatting and playing a game. Back when I was a kid my grand parents came over on Sunday nights. My brother and I, along with my Gramp, would play cribbage till it was time for dinner. ( 3 trk board) Some of the best memories I have. I still have the cribbage board, I hope I still have a deck of cards. Back in the summer of 2018, I spent 10 days in a day program at the hospital working on stress reduction. It was a great program for me, some folks were a real mess. You live one day at a time, and do something every day you enjoy. One of the counselors was Arlo Guthrie's tour manager. She was a patient years before. She said after entering the program, she cleaned off her kitchen table for the first time in 30 years. If you have a musical instrument, play it and play it some more, learn a couple of new tunes, write a song. Make dinner as a family, clean up the cellar. I take my dog out to a soccer field where there is nobody and we fetch tennis ball for an hour. All in a all just stay healthy. In the flu epidemic of 1918, the people that did the best and didn't get sick, were the ones that isolated themselves. It's a different world right now. Besides typing this out, I'm was sitting on the couch with my puppy watching it snow. Me the puppy Luka will treasure this time together for many years to come. He's a real sweetie at night.

As you know, I picked up the 64 Gretsch Corvette about 2 weeks ago, and have been in the process of rebuilding it. Got most of the parts, pickguard material arrived the other day, and I figured you may be interested in the progress. The timing seemed fortuitous, since 1) I have an inflamed Achilles tendon in my left foot and can't work for the next week or so, and 2) because of the wonderful virus, my work has been shut down for TWO weeks! (I manage a food truck.) The loss of income isn't a major issue, EXCEPT I just spent a ship load of spendable cash on buying new guitars to flip. Ah well, at least I will be busy. Poor, but busy. Originally missing a tuner, a search on feebay nabbed me an original tuner from a early 60's Gretsch. Slightly different back plate, but close enough. the tuners required a drop of oil to restore them to the same smoothness they had nearly 60 years ago. I added a GFS Xtrem, more about that later, and strung it up with the worst strings known to mankind: GHS Precision flatwound 11-50. Flat, but rough, wait what? Garbage, but heavy enough so I could see if the neck would stay stable since it hadn't had any on for 20 years or so. And amazingly, the neck was perfectly straight, no creaking around the joint, decent enough frets that required the minimum of dressing, and kept tune and intonation. A bridge was added in the old style Gibson with the post directly into the old mahogany. 3 different bridges later, found one that just melded with the radius of the neck. (One of those cheap 9 dollar made in China Roller bridges. Who would have thunk it?) Now back to the X-trem. I love GFS products in general. Nice pickups, decent hardware, and really nice prices on bodies and necks. The X-trem however is one of the biggest POS I have ever used! Because of the straight line used from the anchor to the bar, when depressed, it doesn't come back into tune. It's off by 3-5 cents. REALLY annoying to say the least, and I don't want to "wiggle" it back to tune. So... I either pull the spring and handle, and use it as a stop tail, or replace it with a old trapeze thingy I have in the bottom of the parts drawer. Electronically, it's nice. the pots required a little cleaning, the 3 way needed to be replace since it rotted away, and a few wires needed to be resoldered do to be being jostled about. Nothing serious, minus the hot wire out of the bridge pickup. Luckily there was JUST enough wire there so I didn't have to unwind it. Whew! The neck pickup is brilliant! there is this wooly-ness, in a good way, that sounds like a cross between a humbucker and a P90, without the heavy handed growl of the hum, and lacking just a hint of the high end of a P90. The bridge pickup however.... Anemic is a term used by those on the Gretsch forum, and it was said as a compliment as much as possible! It sucks, pure and simple. No bite, no tone, just blehh. And that is supposedly how they sounded new! Now I could go and try to find a set of modern Hi-lo trons, at 150 bucks a pop, or try something by added a magnet, hoping it might give it a little boost. Any suggestions? Replacing the pickups, without routing out wood, is not an option. NOTHING fits. And yes Phil, I AM going to go with chicken head knobs, despite on how much you dislike them! 😁 And for the pickguard, I went with a red tortoise, since it matched nicely with the mahogany. Hope that I haven't bored you to tears! Stay healthy my friends! And wash your paws before and after playing!

Just sticking my head in to say hello. I cut my teeth here starting back in 2001. It's a darn shame how things ended... and it ended years ago, at least for this sub-forum. Unfortunately, there's just no reason, other than nostalgia, to stop by. There are other forum communities out there, but they've never felt the same and I don't spend nearly as much time on them as I used to here back in the good ol' days.

A good test would be to run a thick gauge extension cord to that outlet 20 feet away. I have been in clubs where it seemed like somebody's unqualified brother in law did the electrical wiring for the owner. One thing to beware of is ground loop hum from having gear plugged into different outlets on different circuits. And the dreaded RFI interference hum from fluorescent lights as well. Lastly, a power conditioner is cheaper than repair work.