BA.Barcolounger

6 hours ago, Phil O'Keefe said:

I’m totally jealous. I seem to have near Chernobyl levels of toxicity in my sweat, and go through a set of uncoated strings in about a month in winter, and about two weeks in the summer if I’m playing a lot.

I'm the opposite. MY fingers are are super dry. So much so that they crack in the winter.

I can go about 3 months between changing strings. And we gig alot.

21 hours ago, arcadesonfire said:

Looks like Dean Markley has stopped producing the Blue Steel strings. I used them for 20+ years. Loved em because they maintained their springiness much longer than other makes, but they weren’t overly springy. Does anybody know if they’re making the same thing but under a different name? 

What make for you use? How would you describe the sound?

I go on stage for the first time in a year next weekend. Gotta restring and be ready. (BTW, I use gauge 10-46.)

I'm in the same boat. For decades I used Dean Markley Custom lite (thin high strings fat low). Then they stopped making the "yellow packet" version and switched to "Blue Steel".I switched with them, just out of brand loyalty.

When I got the SG, I started using Gibson vintage style 10's. They sound great but tend to wear out pretty quick.

For the Gretsch and the homemade tele, I have been bouncing around between brands, usually ernie balls, because they have the Fat/Thin gauge setup I like.

Watching the episode about 40s bluegrass right now.

Irish Bouzouki

 

It's a super-easy mod - if you can solder. And if you can't, we can help you with some tips...

 

Do you know what the values of the current potentiometer and capacitor are?

 

The pots are stock. 250k, i believe.

No idea on the cap.

How long did the sanding take?

An afternoon. Once I broke through the clear shell, the sandpaper had something to grab. The flat back was quick. The sides took longer because I had to do that by hand, with sandpaper wrapped around a broken broom handle.

 

Have you tried experimenting with different values for the tone pot and capacitor?

 

Not yet. I may get brave later on.

What kind of wood was that crate made of?

Not sure.

It has the same grain pattern as my wife's antique chestnut dining room chairs. But i wouldn't be surprised if it is just pine.

Awesome work BA!

 

How does it sound now with the new pickup?

Will this be your new main axe for gigging?

I tend to cycle between guitars, even within gigs. Having a bagpiper in the band, I always have to have at least one guitar prepped with the first fret capo (one of his sets of pipes are in Bb), so I can just grab and go, between songs.

If a song has a ripping solo, I always use the SG. If it doesn't, then I use this one, or the Gretsch.

Yeah' date=' BA I'd like your thoughts on the little 59! [/quote']

 

Excellent crunch through my tube amp. What I like best is the volume knob roll-off.

 

With the volume knob at 100% it gets a great lead tone.

With the volume knob at 75% it gets a great crunchy rhythm tone.

And at 50% its clean.

And all of it with no loss in clarity.

 

What I like least is the behavior with the tone knob roll-off. As soon as I go below 100% on the tone knob - instant mud.

 

So as a result, my tone knob is always dimed.

Cool story that could have turned out much worse. Happy New Guitar Day.

I'm just glad I realized it before we got to the gig. There was nowhere anywhere near the gig to buy a guitar. There was one in Astoria, Queens. 45 minutes away.

I can't imagine what a pain it must have been to have to sand through all of the original poly finish!

 

The end results are pretty awesome though - very nicely done!

 

I used a big-ass belt sander. And like 3 belts.

Then I took it to my dads woodworking shop and used his surface planer to remove 3/8" off the top...

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Then I distressed it and stained it to match the box...

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Then glued down the new top (not pictured - it was covered with car batteries), and then used a router to trim it to size...

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Then I routed the cavities, and began reassembly (including the original box nails)...

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This last photo was taken before I applied a flat clearcoat sealer, and screwed down the switch plate. I have also swapped out the tuners since with some fender locking tuners with the compensated pole heights (so I could yank the string tree).

Some of you may know, I play in a celtic rock band. We had a gig down in Rockaway beach at an Irish festival. I packed up my stuff in the truck, but I left my guitars in the house because I had some errands in the morning and I didn't want them sitting in the heat.

The rest of the band met at my house, piled their gear in the truck and we got on the road.

2 hours down the Thruway, I realize that the guitars are still on the couch. It's too late to turn around. The swear words were flying.

Our fiddler fired up google and found a Sam Ash in White Plains. We stopped and I bough a cheap Squier telecaster, got to the gig, played and then drove home.

Now I have an extra guitar, that plays nice, looks meh, and sounds terrible.

So I took it apart...

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I bought a Seymour Duncan Little 59 to replace the stock bridge pickup, because the stock pickup was way too tinny and noisy.

It is a used tele with a very significant chip on the body (lower right). So I decided I was going to replace the entire top. With this...

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So I sanded off the existing finish off the back and sides...

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to be continued...

The older I get' date=' the less supportive of intellectual property rights I become, particularly with popular music. Taylor didn't invent I, IV, V, mVI, or breakup songs. She got rich and famous doing something that millions of people do for free in their spare time. So she signed a lousy contract: live and learn.[/quote']

 

Do you have any music online, that I can copy?

 

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This one. Sold it for a Les Paul DC (which was nice too).

I'll go 4

 

Aerosmith

Get Your Wings

Toys in the Attic

Rocks

Aerosmith

Get Your Wings

Toys in the Attic

Rocks

Great minds, and all that.

Talking Book

Innervisions

Fulfillingness' First Finale

Songs in the Key of Life

I'll go 4

Aerosmith

Get Your Wings

Toys in the Attic

Rocks

Being a northeastern kid that learned to play guitar in the seventies, I was influenced by Joe Perry and Brad Whitford.

It was the law.

I saw it in IMAX 3D (non HFR).

I enjoyed it. The effects were not jarring and the 3d was superb.

I also have to LOL at guys who complain about too much CGI in movies about alternate worlds inhabited by orcs, elves, giant spiders, goblins, and dragons.

I saw it in IMAX 3D (non HFR).

I enjoyed it. The effects were not jarring and the 3d was superb.

I also have to LOL at guys who complain about too much CGI in movies about alternate worlds inhabited by orcs, elves, giant spiders, goblins, and dragons.

I enjoyed this season premiere.

Lots of action. The group seems to have become more ruthlessly efficient at the expense of their personal relationships. The idea of them slowly losing their humanity, I suspect, will become a running theme this season.

Also, the effects and make-up budgets are obviously much higher this season. Expect splatter.

I enjoyed this season premiere.

Lots of action. The group seems to have become more ruthlessly efficient at the expense of their personal relationships. The idea of them slowly losing their humanity, I suspect, will become a running theme this season.

Also, the effects and make-up budgets are obviously much higher this season. Expect splatter.

"No."