What A Year

A FaceBook friend started a thread about how many books she has read, shows she attended, et cetera as a "year end" theme..Upon reflecting back on my year, I came to half her totals.
(She is a dedicated "doer", mortals need not apply)

But, I still had some very nice pluses for the year.

Over one hundred times this year I donned a guitar and played for others.
That was incredible. It was once aspect that buoyed me immensely...usually just when needed. As far as payment, I think I netted $500 for the year. Sigh...

Note to self - more paying gigs, less payment in kind.

The fun factor was easily the motivation. My love of music and my ego certainly had a great time of it.
I learned many, many new tunes. Many people would not consider that a worthwhile accomplishment. I treasure learning new things - a pointed reminder that I traveled that road well.
Oh...I learned to sing and play. Major accomplishment. Huge.

I also saw many acts this year. varied - from the Davies brothers - The Kinks - albeit separately, to a Canadian folk hero -  Bruce Cockburn...to an Australian singer, Ry Cuming.
Blues, rock, flatpicking, singers, jazz...I saw it all. It helped to expand my horizons greatly. That, in turn, garnered my playing praise and still more gigs.

I read a fair amount. Not as many as last year, though. If you include manuals, reference books, and blogs, then perhaps...

Two friends released new CDs. Although I can't count these as my accomplishments, I do love to see friends doing well.

2010 was not half bad.

Happy Birthday, Jesus...

Merry Christmas, to the rest of you.
May the coming year be better than the preceding one.
May you find happiness in everything you do.

Too Plugged In?

Most of us have cell phones. If you are reading this you have a computer and a connection to the Internet. You may have a GPS in your car. Many of us have FaceBook (or FB) accounts, MySpace accounts, Twitter Accounts...you get the idea. Smartphones, small PCs, really.They are everywhere. Are we too plugged in?
Yes, I think so...sometimes.

Musicians, do you record to a computer? There are people with no amps, nor effects to speak of and yet they have at their command all the toys that the rest of us pay a dear price to buy. Referred to as 'modeling' it is the practice of simulating virtually any sound; be it a particular amp or an effect. Get the right package and you can play through Jimi's amp and pedals without the use of floor space or depleting your bank account.

There are several interfaces between your instrument and your PC. GuitarPort, is one. It has gotten to the point that I saw a show last year in which not one amp was visible. They sounded great. But to me, something was missing. Those glowing blue or red pilot lights or the flutter of an EQ in a corner.
There are also a school of purists, who will insist nothing but analog one inch tape will do.

I find myself in the middle in that I will use technology, but at a decidedly slower pace. I record to a sixteen track recorder. Although it is not tape, it is digital. But it is intuitive as any reel to reel user can see.

I use the PC mainly to help with composition. I also use it for a final mixdown. But I don't use Jimi's amp and pedal collection.
I still like microphones, and boom stands and cables snaked back and forth. There is something very organic about it. The smell of a tube amp that has been well played for a few hours.
And pages in between my fingers. I still have a sizable collection of vinyl records. I am not ready to give up the analog experience, yet.

We are approaching a time when everything will go digital. No more books, or CDs - everything delivered over your Internet connection...instantly. I'm sure someone will squirrel a nice assortment away in a mountain retreat. A library of Alexandria for the Analogs.


But while technology has made many things better and easier, I am very sad at the prospect of this consolidation coming to pass.

It Isn't Always About Us

We tend to think the world revolves around us. All humans. Now throw some musical aspirations into the mix and it can be lethal.

Yesterday I had a gig to play at the 50th Anniversary Shindig thrown for the Canales, Ricardo and Marie - by their children - Steve and Karmen.
We arrived early and set up with time to spare. The room was covered in decorations which led me to believe that we as a band were under-dressed.  This looked like a tuxedo styled gig.
Jerry told me not to worry. This was the second anniversary party that he & I have worked this past year, and he also reminded me that the other was also a 50th celebration.
"100 years...," he smiled and shook his head.
His point was, they are here for reasons other than you and I. We are window dressing...we are decorations...creators of ambiance is the best we can hope for.

As the people filtered in, my apprehension increased. The women were in gowns for the most part. The men in suits. Jerry and I were in shirt and tie.
"We need jackets, at least..."
"Shhhh, relax."

When there were perhaps twenty people and they were beginning to clump at tables getting hors d'oeuvres or a drink, Jerry and I began to play.

'Ain't She Sweet.' Mild applause. 'Witchcraft.' More mild applause. I spent a lot of time on these songs, I was beginning to think something was amiss. Was my fly open? What was it?
Jerry was beaming. Was he drunk? What was I missing?
We played four more tunes and took a short break.

"Wow, they love us," Jerry said - smiling from ear to ear.
"Are we at the same function? They aren't paying attention at all. Only a handful are dancing."

We played another set. The people ate. The requisite toasts to the happily married couple were made and made again. Some cousin  with video equipment was recording the event for future generations of Canales.
We played, "Wouldn't It Be Nice." A couple of youngsters were trying their best to dance as they had seen the adults doing. It was very cute, indeed.

Nobody was looking at Jerry and I. No one came to the bandstand to compliment us. It was restaurant staff that offered food and drink.

"See kid, they are here for a party; this is not a concert or a show. As long as we don't set fire to the curtains they will have fond memories of you and me. Although they won't remember a single song we played."

I got it. I am a persistent student if nothing else. It may take awhile but I will get it. From that point on I really enjoyed myself. After all, I was here for a party.

Turn It Down

In 1970, I bought the new album by a favorite group of mine, Mountain  - which was called, 'Nantucket Sleighride.' There, inside the opening cover was the admonition, "To Be Played At Maximum Volume."
Being the obedient fourteen year old that I was (yeah, right) I took this advice to heart. How many times my father came down to my room in the basement to ask/tell/scream to turn the volume down?
So I very well understand the reaction volume and good music can produce in young people.

Around the age of nineteen, I discovered a new style of music that didn't use volume to get its point across. It relied on the message of the lyrics. I also discovered Sonic II ear valves. I have been using them ever since. Preserving my hearing, which is very sensitive, is very important to me.

Tonight I was at a club in Hollywood watching a excellent young man being drowned out by his own music. I must be in the minority. Most of the people in attendance were happy to shout above the music...carrying on as though this were a basement party I attended most weekends while in high school.

A friend and I recently observed that it seems as though high school never really ends.I think this true. The cliques, the rivalries...all of it is intact at age fifty something. Could this be the reasoning behind the decibel level? Were we really just at another keg party while someones parents were absent?

I'm not sure. I also don't worry about it as far as music is concerned. I play the way I want to, and if others find it enjoyable...far out. One of the few criticisms I had to endure this year was that I play too softly. And more than once, I shot back - "Then turn it down."

Get My Mojo Woikin'

Most instruments have what their players will variously describe as "mojo," "history," "stories to tell," "personality," et cetera.
The older an instrument is the greater its history is assumed to be. Surely a violin that is four hundred years old and worth (this I think is a great part of the catch) millions has to have better tone than a brand new violin produced at the same shop. It just makes sense?
It never has to me. There may, in fact, be building techniques they previously employed or materials used that are the reason for the tone and so we see why some pieces might be sought after.

But to this day, much if not most of it is speculation or the will to believe in something magic.
Why would a guitar once owned by Jimi Hendrix make MY playing any better? It's silly to think that way, no?
Musicians would, for the most part, disagree. They believe in magic when it comes to their instrument and the effect it has on their playing.

It started when collectors in the 1980s began buying old Les Pauls at ridiculous prices. All of a sudden, classic Gibson was worth ten twenty, one hundred times the original price. And at that point, players felt the mojo risin'.

I have six guitars, the oldest is an incredibly cheap and yet wonderful nylon stringed classical guitar. It has no mojo (aside from a sticker that reads, "Are you stoned or stupid?"), it DOES have wonderful tone.
The rest are all 2007 or newer. Would having a 1962 Jag, worth $4,000 make my playing sound better than the $800 Jag that it happens to be? Nah...

Part Duex - Relicing
The act of intentionally aging a guitar to make it appear older than it happens to be.

Rusted screws and hardware - worn paint. I've never had any of my guitar in that conditions and I do not baby them in any way. The gold plating wears off. The knobs show accumulated dirt. but for a guitar to look like this, someone had to employ sandpaper. No arm I've met sweats paint off. Oh, and Fender will charge you a premium for aged guitars. There are many techs out there that for a substantial fee, will soak your knobs in coffee grounds, use the above mentioned sandpaper and drop implements like screwdrivers onto your guitar in an effort to make the guitar appear as though it has stories to tell. We can delve into the world of fakes and counterfeit guitars another time.

There is one other effect aging has on finished wooden instruments that I have seen and witnessed, that I do enjoy.
It's referred to as, "checking."
When Mr. Gibson first began (the end of the 19th century), furniture was coated with nitrocellulose lacquers.
These lacquers do not react well to sudden changes in temperature. If a guitar which has been outside in the cold is then exposed to moderately warm room temperatures, as the wood expands, the finish cracks - checking.
Like the spiderweb cracks in old porcelain, the checking itself can be beautiful.

Part  Trois - Polyurethane/Polyester - Modern Finishes
Poly finishes are not supposed to check. They are plastic. (We can discuss whether a plastic finish strangles the tone another time),  What I would guess is Fender and others use a nitro undercoat - that will yellow with time and then finalize it with a poly overcoat.
The reason I would hazard this guess is I have been temperature cycling my MIM Jaguar. If poly doesn't relic, why am I doing this?

I lay the guitar outside in the hot sun for an hour and then bring the guitar into the cool, shaded house several times a day. The wood expands and then shrinks.
At night I am reversing the extreme, but still cycling. An hour out in the cold night air and then into the warm house.

Most relicing I have seen is produced horizontal to the body.

After just one day of a couple of cycles I began to see very fine cracks in the undercoat.
The guitar is smooth to the touch. And they run almost vertically. Northwest to Southeast if one were to hold the guitar up by the neck. If they get to the point where I can photograph them, I will.
Now, to spot the lines easily I have to look into the reflection of a light source - a line will be evident and the image will be distorted like a broken mirror.
As I am fond of saying - we'll see.

Strange daze, indeed.

Laura Birdsong

A good friend from New Jersey has released a wonderful CD called, 'Crazy Wisdom.'
I'd heard a song from the CD but until it arrived today, I had no idea of the treat waiting for me.

Laura has a voice that was formed by living with the bees and the bears by a lake. I think that she always lived by this lake - even when in suburban N.J. It seems to be an integral part of her since forever.
Because the music and thought flow with a practiced rhythm that seems to have existed since the beginning of time. Her music never feels contrived...the words are not forced to fit. They just work.
She's a poet with a natural soul.

She also gathered together a wonderful group of musicians to help her with the project.
Bru Rossman, Mike Ferrara, Billy Karcher, Gerry Griffen, Dave Moore, Don Sternecker, Delaynie Rudner & Meg Beattie.

The CD release party will be:
"Upstairs" at Tierney's Tavern
136-138 Valley Road
Montclair, NJ
Sunday, November 21 · 2:00pm - 4:00pm

Congratulations Laura!!!

How Much Is A Good Show?

John McLaughlin is one of the musicians that I try to see anytime he is close to my area. I have tickets to see him on December 1st.
$75 - one seat.
The Stones cost more, so does the Who. But why?

Forget overhead, etcetera. Name acts are raking in huge amounts of money touring. Why do you think they continue to endure the road in the first place?
Todays business model means most CD are not sold, but rather stolen via downloading. The band has to release the CD to keep the fan base happy...and to ensure that they attend the concert dates - because that is where the money is being made nowadays.
It used to be the record contracts were based on album sales. Now they are based on attendance figures.
This is the "paradigm shift" the industry has adopted to retain profitability in the face of rampant downloading.

There is another world entirely composed of middle acts - bands costing $5 to $30 per seat. Tremendous entertainment value for the money.
Ari Hest
Amy Kuney
James Maddock
Rosi Golan
Rich Pagano
Beppe Gambetta
Dick Dale
Janiva Magness
Ingrid Michaelson
Holly Cole
Bruce Cockburn
Oli Rockberger
And on and on.

$8 shows?! $15 seats? Unheard of? No...just not advertised. None of these offerings (with one or two exceptions) are ClearChannel material, yet.
The new form of word of mouth, social networking, has become their ally.
In my youth word of mouth was how we learned of new bands. A friend would say, "Have you heard these guys called..." and off it went.

The last three shows I've seen were increasingly packed with wide ranging audience demographics.
Innovations such as FaceBook or Twitter aid this incredibly. To be able to instantaneously invite your friends and acquaintances easily adds sales to these events.
An artist has but to click the "Invite" button and he can reach out and touch up to 5,000 people - or as a "Figure" an unlimited number of people that have chosen to "Like" the person or band.

NPR affiliates are the only radio stations I am aware of that will play these types of acts.  The rest of the radio landscape is pretty barren. That limits publicity greatly. Geography too, plays a huge part in the exposure doled out - NY artists get regional airplay on WFUV. It's rare to hear them on stations west of the Mississippi such as KCRW. But through social networking and Internet Radio these limitations are being overcome as well.

My point? Look for the cheap seats.
Find the inexpensive show and experience something possibly new and fresh four times a week, instead of once a month for a big name that you've known for forty years.
Of course that's not to say, don't see Dave Mason when he comes to town, just find time for new things.

Art and Diversity

There are so many forms of music it boggles the imagination. Given that there are only eight notes; every combination has been played, every note sung - and yet.

You can be a virtuoso of your instrument...be it voice, guitar, bass or drums.
You can be a poet...a Dylan or a Mitchell - rare and far in between. She even more rare than Mr. Zimmerman.
She has a huge amount of physical talent in her voice that he sadly lacks. But poets are given that leeway. Look at Tom Waits.
You can be a painter of images on a aural canvas. Very fleeting and yet at the same time indelible.

As a kid I started with the blues. A boyfriend of a cousin of mine stayed at my house one summer for a weekend.
He took my archtop acoustic and played the blues. He showed me yoga and explained the meaning of life. His name was Phil.
So I listened to Clapton and Hendrix and encountered an artform that could set my soul on fire. But the blues lack serious lyrics.They are all incredibly similar - misfortunes seem to follow a pattern. So I began to look for meanings.

This led to things like Poco - uh oh...now I was straying afield. Lyrics mattered more than the music. What was the message? Did it evoke a picture? Was I looking at clouds in the shy...watching the shapes shift with the chords?

In 1972 or 1973, a friend of mine, Mike Buyukis exposed me to John McLaughlin. It was Mike that introduced me to Al DiMeola. And that led to years of love for all things Jazz. I found an entirely new world. And being young enough to be an enormous ass I also had a healthy disdain for anything less than Jazz.
Rock and Roll became...That stuff? My roots became passé. Mind you, no regrets.

So as I have grown and matured I have learned to love all my roots.
And I have seen my playing evolve in ways unimagined when I grabbed my first guitar at age eight.

Todays stage is back to simple. Pop.
I found that I am a literal poet. I compose sonnets, not songs. Or things ee cummings might like, but have no business set to music. And Dylan, I am not - even he understood what I had missed up until this point.
I can carve a wonderful line, but could never connect it in sequence to another that would trip lightly from the lips.

I had been contemplating a singer/songwriter that I enjoy when it struck me. I knew what a hook in Pop really is.
I understood - yeah the light from above, the whole nine yards...Angels may have been singing, too.

I had been trying too hard. Sculpting when whittling would work.
I was headed to a show last night and walking in the wrong direction. When I discovered my error and reversed course I began to hum. Three chords - and I have a wonderful line that has been literally rattling around my head for years. I put the two together and with purpose, told myself to construct a simple second line. No over reaching. I had it. I had it! In thirty seconds I had the companion line. Now, add another.

I watched the show that night, all the while knowing I had unlocked something fundamental to the creative process. The show reinforced that notion, no end.I am no master, but given time and some polish...I can do this.
All night, as I awoke now and again, I heard the lyrics - I think it was maybe 4 am when I added the last line to the verse.

Learning new tricks is life's blood. It's good to feel the beat.

Now What?

Our weekly house band gig at Characters is dwindling as the weather cools. We play on the patio - outside and completely exposed. Indoors there are devoted darts players...I mean devoted. To the point they have affiliation with some national Darts League.
Indoors is reserved for after 8 pm when the playing changes to pool.
Most of those bands are either Rockabilly or really loud Metal.
We've talked to the owner of the tavern about the future and there are a few opportunities to be had...here and there. But for the most part, it will slow until March when the weather warms again.

So I write...and write and write. Compose away...
I audition for other bands. I went to an open house jam.
I cast about in search of the next fix, the next thing musically.

What worries me most is the thought that I'll fill much of my time by attending show after show. I've learned to find very good entertainment for under $20 but the idea that I'll spend that $20 four times a week (not even thinking about parking or drinks) is sobering.
Supporting acts is me. No problem. And I have wasted far more money on less satisfying activities; on things that do not yield anything but a momentary rush. When I go to shows, I am inspired to try new things musically. Or I look at styles with a new eye. I take something real and very special away from most shows.

On that note Ari Hest at Room 5 lounge Tuesday evening at 8 pm.
Join me, won'tcha?

Vote...Vote Often...Vote Correctly

As long as you exercise the responsibility you've done it correctly, no matter which candidate you vote for.

Don't miss an opportunity to vote...or people like me will decide FOR you.

It's not a right...it is a responsibility. You owe me and the other three hundred forty million Americans your attention and participation.


Me?
Brown - Newsom
Boxer
Napolitano
McLeod
Torres
19 - yes
20 - no
21 - no
22 - no
23 - no
24 - yes
25 - no
26 - no
27 - no
SS - yes
SP - yes

Disclaimer - I am a dyed in the wool liberal

Rock The Vote

Stuff

C.B.I Artist Cables
Very reasonable price, Durable - I have one ten footer with twenty or thirty gigs under the belt and it is in like new condition. They sport two types - HS - Hot Shrink - which is just a shrink wrap cover and the G - Artist Gold. They also have lengths available from one to twenty five feet.
Ten feet of HS will run you about $15.
Disclaimer - I absolutely do not put any credence into cables that proport to transmit more signal such as Monster or low (insert hot topic element here) cables. The human ear has enough trouble without trying to hear the difference between "Bandwidth Balanced Construction" and soldered cable. It's snake oil.
My Father sold tubes for more than fifty years, you think you can hear the difference between tubes? I know you can't - having shown in blind "taste tests" that the coveted tubes of yesteryear produce power in the exact same fashion as todays Russian or Chinese versions and with labeling removed, the ear cannot tell one from another.

Ernie Ball Super Slinkys
The Summer I went to camp and attended Woodstock, I was determined to get a guitar. My Father found some Gibson arch top that was in horrid shape (although today probably worth a fortune). One of the first "improvements" I made was slapping on a set of Super Slinkys. One of my friends told me about these marvelous things - light gauge strings. .009s to be exact. I think the beast had .011s when I got it and with the high action, it was murder.
I still, forty years later use Ernie Ball Super Slinys - Regular Slinkys now and again...usually on the Jaguar.

Elixir Strings
I was not satified with the D'Addarrio nor the Martin strings I tried on my Ovation, so I sprang for some Elixir Nanoweb Strings. I haven't put them on but felt the need to mention when strings run  $18 a set, they had better be superb.Breakage is not much of a concern. It seems to be the strings selling point. But I had heard and read many raves about tone being remarkably bright & remaining true that I decided to try them out. Strings rarely break for me but tone fades...usually quickly. I am lucky to get three gigs out of a set.

Friday night I saw Rich Pagano and the SugarCaneCups.
What a great show. The melodies are Beatle-esque. Which is not surprising considering he is the drummer for the Fab Faux, the premier Beatle tribute.
His lyrics are thoughtful and thought provoking. I think they got seven or eight songs in the one hour set.

Highly recommended.

It Is All In The Fingers

As musicians we chase tone. We argue tone. We revere tone.
And we miss the point.

It is, without a doubt, the right hand - the picking...the inherent rhythm we carry.
The left hand can learn the notes, but it is rare that we chase down the same rhythm or even try to emulate the picking technique involved.

Hendrix, Santana, Beck, McLaughlin - it is all the picking!
In the cases of Beck and Santana it is painfully and visually obvious - Carlos uses a huge pick and up picks most of the time. Beck...no pick at all. But have you ever seen a guitarist drop his pick when launching into a Beck tune?

Al DiMeola started as a drummer. His main emphasis with me in the beginning was rhythm. One of the two must have books was Melodic Rhythms For Guitar.
It is a subject glossed over. Given much lip service.
But it is absolutely essential to the mastery of tone. Mute picking, finger picking sweep picking...tools.
But the ultimate goal is playing those same four or five notes one hundred different ways. Being able to change gears - change rhythms is the only way. There are only eight notes. All the possible combinations of order or sequence have been done.
Rhythms are infinite.

I was listening to McLaughlins 4th Dimension project and I noticed his tone was similar to Inner Mounting Flame - a record released thirty years ago? But the rhythms in his picking had subtly changed - it sounded different.
That is when it hit me. Tone - what we perceive to be changes in tone are merely rhythmic changes.

B.B. Kings tone is very similar to Albert Collins in harmonic content...a clean non overdriven ringing sound, even though plays a Fender and the other a Gibson - completely different in rhythm.
And as easy to distinguish as day from night.

I need to take drum lessons.

Let It Rain

Yesterday we had a four birthday bash at Characters after the nominal weekly band thing.
Sylvia who is the girlfriend of Steve the bass player was celebrating as well as John the manager of the tavern and two of the regulars.
All four had their actual birthdays on Saturday.
So Jerry serenades Sylvia at one point...we did Happy Birthday for all of them while they were seated front and center...a good time was had by all.

Then it began to rain. I'm not a fan of electrocution. Where the stage is situated, our amps are just sticking from under the overheard awning. Exposed...getting wet. We pushed everything forward a few feet and soldiered on.
Wind began to blow. We pushed the amps another couple of feet under the overhead protection.
But now, I am beginning to get cold.
It is difficult if not impossible to play when cold, let alone wet as well. The fingers stiffen and the brain begins to shut down. Creative juice become viscous sludge.

But we can't stop now. The crowd is there for a reason, they don't have the same perspective as we do. We play.
"Ernie, do you know 'Let it Rain?', " asks Jerry.
"Well enough to wing it..."

"Let it rain...Let it rain..." The light bulb goes off over the collective head of the audience.
"Hey guys, it's raining...maybe you should take a break?"

It was a very long day. I am glad it's over. It was fun, but now I am thinking of heaters as band equipment.

This Friday, October 22nd - Rich Pagano of the Fab Faux and The SugarCaneCups will be at Room 5, Mid Wilshire, Los Angeles.
KRISTIN FLAMMIO (7pm), ALL ON SEVEN (8pm), RICH PAGANO and the SUGARCANECUPS (9pm), JASON LIEBMAN (10pm), SAMANTHA BEHYMER (11pm) | $8
Room 5

Bluegrass, Folk...Flatpicking

I saw Beppe Gambetta tonight. A charming, disarming man with talent to spare. He describes himself as an Italian Flatpicker.
His role model is Doc Watson. A legendary icon in American music. There are few indigenous forms of music in this country. We are, after all, an amalgam of peoples making one nation...

I had recently been thinking how todays music seems so much more fractured than when I was growing up. There are just many more types, styles, pigeon holes with which to classify music. Or so I thought.

What I found was my age showing. I am a firm believer - there is nothing new under the sun. Nothing, Not one iota. I'm mid fifties and I feel the embrace of high school antics on a daily basis. So too, nothing changes.

Doc Watson may be a flatpicker, or a bluegrass player...it is enough that we take the time and effort to classify it and then argue over it.

So there may be Trance and Ambient and Death Metal or this or that. It is just the anthem of the next generation; I was not meant to follow completely. But the debate will rage on. And people will continue to  neatly arrange all taste and opinion.

As to Mr. Gambetta and his utterly charming wife, Frederica...I was in a word, enchanted. Not that I will rededicate my existence to flatpicking but it certainly will offer things to be incorporated into my own playing style. I heard refrains from my childhood reverberating across a small and intimate setting.
He revers music that on the surface has little to do with Italian melodies...The Mediterranean melting pot.
But if you exclude the instrumentation, he very much resembles a Renaissance man of the highest tradition. Beppe plays the guitar exclusively...but he plays banjo pieces or pieces that sound as if they were made for a lute with equal aplomb.

His English is charming, as are his anecdotes and tales. He was eager to share whatever we wished to know. He uses a 1.5 mm pick.(I use a 3.0 mm). What type of wood made up his guitar. I wanted to know the story behind the red shoes and guitar strap but felt that would be a bit much.

His play was flawless. Polished to the extreme. He easily captivated his small audience for the entire two hours.
He went between straight flatpicking to some limited fingerpicking - his main strength lies however, in his left hand.
He can pull the notes and need not rely on the precision of his picking. This is also something Al taught me to do. Play a piece with the left hand only...no picking at all.
Whether there were lyrics or not, I felt a story being told. I heard a tale being spun.
A definite must see. His tour is extensive and far ranging.

On Thursday October 7th my West Coast tour starts. See you there! Here is the schedule: Oct. 7, San Diego, CA - Oct 8, Culver City, CA - Oct 9, Covina, CA - Oct. 10, Fullerton, CA - Oct. 12, Berkeley, CA - Oct. 13, Newcastle, CA - Oct. 14, Felton, CA - Oct. 15, Berkeley, CA - Oct. 16, Sutter Creek, CA - Oct. 17, Minden, NV - Oct. 21, Bozeman, MT - Oct. 22, Whitefish, MT - Oct. 23, Sandpoint, ID - Oct. 24, Seattle, WA

If you get the chance I highly recommend this gem, no matter what label he uses.

Stray Far Afield

If we stay within our comfort zones, progress is minimal. If our perspective never changes our outlook becomes stale.

If I am working a piece I tend to work it until completion - I dislike leaving loose ends. I immerse myself in the work. My view doesn't change and it becomes a race against my internal clock. Most of the time I finish my work before stasis sets in. But there are times when I pass that barrier and lose my vision without realizing it.

How does one restore perspective? Some will walk away from the work to regain balance. I don't have that luxury. If I don't grab my guitar for an extended period of time, a very integral piece of myself begins to slumber.
Sure, drop it for a day. But I can't just leave it for a month while I work on myself - the two are very much related.

I play a different genre - instead of jazz, maybe some blues for awhile. Or I'll go to shows that I would normally not notice. Take in bands that I had not paid attention to before.
I liken it to buying clothing - expanding your wardrobe makes you feel as though you've added a new dimension to yourself. I might buy a cheap tchotchke like a new slide or some new picks - just enough to change the feel of the guitar. A subtle shift in view that maintains a fresh perspective so vital to creation.
The trick is to stay for just long enough to fix the original dilemma and not further skew the creative juices by taking the new road for too long. It'll just end in another rut.

I have listened to C&W or Opera. Neither is my cup of tea. I have always been able to appreciate the talent, but I don't really enjoy either form. Usually it is more than enough to spend a day or so listening or playing with these different genres to bring my mind around.

Recently I found "Crossover" - what is it with all the labels for styles? - mental note...write piece concerning Freankonomics application to musical labeling -  my new discovery is Andrea Bocelli. Although he's been around for years, world renowned...I had never noticed him before.
I was watching The Sopranos when I became aware of this haunting melody being used to exaggerated effect. When I heard it, I sat up. I thought it was operatic music and I thought how odd that I was enjoying it.
Online I found that he is considered a "Crossover" artist. Then I heard the duets he did with Sarah Brightman.
Still sounds like Opera to me, but this Crossover was more than enough to wipe clean the film that had been covering my sight.
What was refreshing was that I found only one or two songs that piqued my interest. No danger of a rut in this.
His signature song title - Time To Say Goodbye - is a wonderful melody line with a slow syncopated beat.
Incredibly easy to play. Very difficult to sing. His voice is a marvelous instrument. I worked on the vocals - playing my guitar along with his voice. What a shift it proved to be!

So listen to something new, squirrel those suggestions given by friends for when you really need them.
As we used to say as kids - "Forward...never straight."

Tomorrow night I will see Beppe Gambetta playing at a local guitar shop - The Fret House in Covina.
The Fret House
Wonderful venue for intimate music. Join me.

Learning New Tricks

What is it about learning something new that we enjoy?
Speak of undiscovered territory, expanding ones' horizons, et cetera. And while in the end that may be true it is not "it."

We enjoy it because in the end we defeat something within us that had held us back.

I have to learn the Ritchie Valens tune, 'La Bamba.' I mean all of it, including the "solo." At the last show, Jerry get on me that I need to know the song. He's right. No arguing here. During our last show during a break we began an impromptu version with Jerry playing the guitar and myself on his keyboards and "singing."
It was, interesting to say the least. Well appreciated by the audience as well.

But I need to learn the opening note for note and not, "approximately."
After visiting the new library of Alexandria, the Internet, I found on youtube a few examples and I was on my way. The first one sufficed.
Although the kid played it using many open strings rather than first, third and fifth fingers (he used two fingers throughout, as did Valens) I quickly found myself frustrated and wondering why in God's name had I chosen to play music...in front of people, no less? I burned through it. I played that opening ten times. Fifteen times, twenty.
I had it. I got it. I also knew that to continue would risk another frustration borne of being tired and taxing the system.
It was time to sleep on it. I played it one more time and went to bed.

I awoke and did my morning routine. As the computer booted up I remembered 'La Bamaba.'
I picked up the guitar and played it. Too slow.
Took my shower, woke up and played it again; this time pressing as fast as I could. I screwed it big time, but saw the progress and smiled.
What had been frustrating yesterday was conquered today.
As a young kid I remember thinking that driving a car was hard...how would I ever accomplish it? To put the nagging doubt to rest I told myself that by the time I got to college, I'd have figured it out.

That memory came back to me. Yesterday I could have quit playing, my fingers were not responding I couldn't play it at all. I knew to lay down and absorb it while asleep. To wait for it to come to me.
I still need to polish it...a lot. I am older and it shows, but I can still play it.. It just takes a bit more effort.

By beating a thing that had been beyond me twenty four hours earlier, I had mounted a hurdle, cleared an obstacle. It was the fight that made me better in several ways... not the least of which was the growth to my musical repertoire. Made learning a new trick, very much worthwhile. Many time musically, things just come to me...effortlessly. Many times it takes effort and application to achieve my goal.

I used to often wonder why I love being a perpetual student. I thought it was a lifestyle. I realize it is a way of personal challenge and growth that excites me and not necessarily the environment, which in itself isn't bad.

Unbridled Joy, Why?

I don't understand why playing has such an impact upon me. It's one of those rare highs that seems to outlast the act for a very long dreamy while.

When my daughter was born I thought I had experienced the ultimate high. The rush was very long lasting and deep. She had been born at midnight and I wandered the streets of my town until dawn.
When I arrived at work that afternoon I was still feeling it. I think it wore off about three years later.

When I play, I feel some of that same rush. And it lasts and lasts. Like the water reaching me on the beach, there are ebbs and flows but it is recognizable and somewhat relentless; long after the gig. And I crave it as an addict would. There are few lulls in that need. It is an extermely determined desire...this passion to play. To play with others and make a connection, to play for others and make another magical connection that although different, is nonetheless very energetic and integral to the high I feel.

When a show is over, the first rush is a breathless feeling of being spent. As we sit and enjoy a coke and talk over the show, the energy returns. It builds again. No desire to catch your breath...it is wondrous to be used and tired and yet aching to go again. A song starts in the jukebox and the impulse we all share is to grab our instruments and jam along. Begin anew.

I can imagine playing to our deaths. Ignoring the bodies call for sustenance or rest...just riding that crest for a long, long time.

My season of creativity is looming. As the days shorten, words tumble out and melodies flow.Another high altogether. One that needs an appreciative audience. Mixing the live performance with the introspective process of creation is a delicate balance, but very rewarding when done well. This I must learn.

I look forward to getting high for the rest of my days. My hope is some of the audience also reap that same buzz from our evening on stage.

It Works Because We Will It To Do So...

At Characters yesterday the retirement party for 'Big Ed' was held.
Replete with well executed BBQ and music provided by Jerry, Steve and me.

During the week, I had spoken with 'Big Joe' and invited he and his brother Jesse to join us. Jesse plays the drums and 'Big Joe' the harmonica. Jerry reminded me to make certain 'Big Joe' knew he wasn't going to be paid, so I told him it was a jam and he was welcome to sit in.

As background, 'Big Joe' is looking to put a Blues Band together - toward that end we (He and Steve and myself) had held a rehearsal or two and had more scheduled.

We took our first break and Jerry had bought a round, could I help him carry it back? Sure.
When we returned with the drinks,'Big Joe' turns to me like King Farouk to a minion, and says, "Get me a coke."
I was somewhat taken aback and must have been standing there, my mouth agape...

Sylvia, Steve the bass players girl friend is five feet nothing, steps in, plants her hands on her hips and says to 'Big Joe,' "Excuse me?"

When it ended 'Big Joe' was leaving, a stream of expletives exiting his mouth as he went.
In the vernacular, she had ripped him a new one.
Sylvia was still hot and upset as we took to the stage again. This time, sans drums and harmonica.

I went to the mike to apologize, when my mouth opened I said, "Forty years ago today, Jimi Hendrix died."
'Hey Joe' followed. And you know what? It was better than good. For some reason, it was particularly sweet and moving.
In the aftermath of the ruckus that the resident ego and the protective girlfriend produced I had expected us to quietly fold the tent and call it a day. Oh.Hell.No.

We didn't leave the stage until after seven pm.
And as we did, Jerry turns to me and says, "We have another gig next weekend besides the Characters thing.
You up for it?"
Is Sylvia coming? You know I am.

----------------------------------
Being in a band is like being married to several people at once - an almost impossible situation. Add to it the fact that ego is probably the one thing we all have in common. I am very deferential, I look for harmony - I just want to play.
I have no need to do a particular song or solo all the time. There always seems to be that one person who must put the thoughts of what's best for the band aside and think only of themselves.

So it looks as though Steve and I will not be invited back to 'Big Joes.' Ah well, no loss - really.
As Ralph Kramden would say, "A mere bag of shells..."

Acoustically Speaking...The Tone Is Set In Stone

When I go shopping, for an acoustic, I will just strum the guitars as they hang from the wall, listening to the tone. Things such as the action can be addressed later but tone is set in stone - so to speak.

Ovations - either you love them or hate them. I happen to have been in lust for one since the early 1970s. When I finally decided to begin looking for one, I was surprised to find the Celebrity line. Inexpensive Chinese builds, they are Ovations 100%. The tone, the feel, the appointments.

You can see where cost cutting took place - the material used in the bracing structure, even the "multi piece exotic hardwood rosette" feels relatively cheap. Liberal use of foam materials to buffer or dampen. When I opened the backing plate it appears as though the cap is one piece? I was under the impression that it is laminated. The top has a small dimple near the bridge at one end (there are several pencil marks on the inside indicating why it could not be used for the side that will show).

Very typical Ovation neck - which is to say, fast. Frets are well set, the undercut is evident under the binding, which is thick. There is abalone binding on the face to compliment the stunning quilt.
One of the abalone fret markers is the exact same color as the portion of the fretboard it occupies...and so is invisible. There are numerous pin marks from the manufacturing process on the back of the neck, I would assume marks from hanging.There is a small gap as the binding transitions from the body to the neck.
The pre-amp OP4B is serviceable - a three band EQ and a built in tuner, but nothing special as far as bells and whistles. As far as delivering tone - in spades (with the EQ left neutral).

The action is adjustable? Yeah, remove the strings and carefully lift the bridge and there are shims underneath/inside. By adding or removing shims the end user can adjust the action, which as far as I know is very unusual for acoustics. Just one innovation among the many Ovations brings to the table.


Other innovations (also cost cutting) are a pinless bridge (through holes, like any modern tailpiece) the multi sound holes (which I have to believe increase cost - access to the truss rod is via a removable panel on the back) and of course the spherical composite bowl for a back. That allowed for some very innovate bracing structures such as the X or in the case of the Celebrity it is a Quintad.

The tone is Ovation. It is so distinct and easily recognized. A Strat can be heard coming from a mile away whereas humbuckers as practiced on Gibsons are oft copied and so have attained almost a generic status, like a Q-Tip or Xereox - most humbckers sound similar. (I think only the player hears the differnece much of the time - our perception of the sound is very different from the audiences)
Ovations have a touch of reverb and much fuller mid range frequencies. The upper registers can get somewhat brittle. That can be altered with a string change.
The guitar just rings. This thing fairly warbles in my ear. Never mind that they string it with a wound 'G' at the factory, bronze - too. They are also pretty loud even before you plug them in. The slimline pickup when coupled with the OP4B preamp deliver beautiful Ovation shades. There is almost a buzz when they play, an electric snap. They are also the only guitars I have seen people physically play the life right out of. They thrash and beat them as though they were playing the nastiest metal imaginable.

None of the flaws really took anything away from this guitar. It seems to be priced at $499 for the flame quilt top, but if you're willing to buy through GO-DPS/Amazon as I did, you can score one for $449. (Tell Joe that Ernie sent you).

Retailers/Ovation portray it as a starter guitar and because of the inexpensive nature, I'd agree, but for sound quality it is incredibly difficult to tell it apart from a more expensive brother.

Passion Has Nothing To Do With Volume

Since I bought the Ovation I have been listening to McLaughlins album, 'My Goals Beyond' again. (June 1970)
Three of the songs on the albums are standards with the rest being originals by John. The entire album is acoustic...Id Est - not an electric instrument for miles...

As a young man, passion often equated with volume. The war in Vietnam was something we shouted about.
Rebellion is usually felt most deeply when exercised at the top of ones lungs. Or at least that is the perception of youth. Hopefully, we learn as we get older to remain passionate and not have to flatten our diaphragms to do so.

But strangely enough, when I discovered the album as a lad of sixteen in 1972 I was immediately taken by the passion exhibited by McLaughlin. I was blown away. Never had I encountered an acoustic guitar being played with such ferocity. I easily imagined smoke rising from McLaughlins fingertips as he played.

The original tunes are very heavily influenced by Indian music. This was during McLaughlins very spiritual phase - he was given the name, Mahavishnu by his guru, Sri Chinmoy which led to a band known as The Mahavishnu Orchestra. My interest in the spiritual aspect lasted maybe a week, perhaps less.

Other reviewers have noted that they don't consider the technical expertise to be on par with later works.
I would strongly disagree.
While everyone tends to improve the longer they play, John's technique at this point was superb. In fact on the following album, 'The Inner Mounting Flame,' his fingering style, proficiency with arpeggios, desire to explore, decreased. It was an album of emotional release with much less regard for proper technique. It was an album to be felt.

The opening piece on 'My Goals Beyond is called 'Peace One' & it begins with a loping bass line and seething drone. The atmosphere for the rest of the album is set.

And then McLaughlin begins to pick. I can well imagine he was channeling Yehudi Menuhin while he played.
The back and forth between himself and the violinist, Jerry Goodman , the flow he achieves is just flat out amazing. The notes tumble forth in staccato rips or in smooth waterfalls. Sheets, cascades of music.
All of it says to me - passion. And this is just the first tune. Whew...

It was then that I learned that passion has little to do with volume. No longer was there a need to shout. The blood could be made to boil with quiet zeal. I think this album contributed to my musical growth in no mean way. It was an album of passage.

Now, if only I could still sit on the floor, cross-legged and play.

Track listing: GoodBye Pork-Pie Hat; Something Spiritual; Hearts and Flowers; Phillip Lane; Waltz for Bill Evans; Follow Your Heart; Song For My Mother; Blue in Green; Peace One; Peace Two

Personnel: John McLaughlin- guitar; Billy Cobham- drums; Jerry Goodman- violin; Charlie Haden- bass; Dave Liebman- sax; Airto Moreira- percussion; Badal Roy- tabla; Mahalakshmi- drone box

Ovation Celebrity Deluxe Quilt

Updated at the bottom:

Developed starting in 1966 and introduced as the 'Balladeer' in February, 1967, Ovations reached the height of their popularity in the 1980s, where they were more often than not seen during live performances by touring artists if acoustic guitars were being played.
Using his background in aviation engineering, Charles Kaman designed a rounded-bowl back, intended to improve the flow of sound through the guitar, and developed a new top bracing system.

Ovations have a distinctive chime in their acoustic sound. Once plugged in, they are subject to tone alteration as any other electric.
But that bowl that makes up the back and the bracing it allowed Kaman to dabble with...what a stroke!

It was the album, 'My Goals Beyond,' that brought these guitars to me. Seething jazz that was laid upon droning Indian music. McLaughlin was deep in his spiritual phase when he recorded this masterpiece. And he made his guitar sing. The way he was able to craft that authentic tone was awe inspiring.

Al DiMeola also played an Ovation very early on. He taught me to imitate those I admired...Hold my pick the same way, move my wrist in the same fashion, even if I didn't recognize the reason behind the behavior.In time I would come to understand. Maybe it was then that the seed was planted.

1972 I was sixteen and got my first guitar, I was fascinated by the finish. It was artwork to me. If could have slept with it, I would have. I may have, once. But as I grew older, finish became an ornament I could do without.
In some cases, to my great surprise, it was a boon. My SG is a 'Faded' model - think pre faded jeans.
(Although in a guitars case it makes the model cheaper rather than more expensive as in jeans/fashion - go figure)
A new guitar that appears old and worn out of the box.
The guitar has a very fast neck and never needs polishing. The finish is a satin. It is an application of three coats rather than eight, thus the cost saving and lack of glossy finish.Wax it once or twice a year at most.

When I started looking for an acoustic I knew an Ovation would rank high on my list - excellent guitars for much less money. Korean made plus the composite backing...much less wood and finish is needed.
On my short list was a model called the Ovation Celebrity Deluxe. They have a wonderful cherry red finish that is warm and very deep.
I have tried all the major vendors in the past, Guitar Center, zZounds, MusiciansFriend and have had relatively good experiences with them all.
I had not tried SweetWater, however. I have no idea why not. In their favor, they list the exact guitar you are buying. You can peruse through six different cherry finished guitars and decided which one you want. They are listed by serial numbers..."I'll take that one."
This, is not normal for online vendors. You model may vary from the picture...et cetera.

I am now in serious window shopping mode.
Oh, good grief...A "Trans Blue" finish...[rolling my eyes] it looks purple in half the pictures and blue in the rest. Ah, I see...transparent/transforming. An either or finish.
The 'Paduak' is a au natural finish of a reddish wood, doesn't move me.

Then I scroll to the "Blue Burst Quilted Top."
Game over.
In the last thirty years the finish on a guitar has done nothing for me. After all, I spend more time in which I can't see what they look like. The audience can see them, but I can only  hear them.
The Strat has a nice Sienna burst that I like but it never excited me.
And blue is probably the LAST color choice for me; but something in this top spoke to me.
Makes me want to touch it.
Makes me want to play.

(Click the picture and see a much larger shot...quilted top, indeed - this is THE guitar they are sending)
And now, I must practice exquisite patience and savor the anticipation - like a beautiful fall tableau...and wait for the FedEx truck to arrive.

Sad Update - Sweet Water is  more like Brackish Water...

Trent from Sweet Water calls and leaves a message. That particular guitar is not in stock...even though the website says otherwise. Do I want to remain "in line" for two or three weeks?

I call back and get Trent on the phone. Trent speaks over me. Trent tells me the website says out of stock - it, in fact says, "Limited Availability." - and plainly explains they have it on hand. Trent uses well crafted phrasing as to not commit to anything other than he'll call and let me know when the guitar is available. Trent has turned a mild disappointment into a distasteful encounter. The word, 'smarmy' comes to mind.

Sweet Water is offering me nothing in the way of service. They had charged me $2 to have Fed-Ex obtain my signature as proof of delivery? (Had I declined and the box stolen before I had taken delivery, Sweet Water wants me to assume responsibility?)
No-thank-you.

GO-DPS (via Amazon) has it in stock...and get this - $52 cheaper?
It will ship tomorrow. Oh, and get this - I sent an email through Amazon asking GO-DPS to try and pick out a particular look I am after out of the five guitars they have in stock - I realize how subjective that kind of request can be, nonetheless I think I was able to convey my desire.
I also know in this day & age service is more often than not what a particular person brings to the experience, not a corporate culture instilled from the top down. So my hopes weren't high.

Four hours later I have an email in hand which read,

"Hi Ernie,

I will look in the morning for you. They are beautiful guitars. This is a great choice.

Hope you enjoy it, and remember us for your future music needs.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

Thanks for the order.

Joe"

Joe - this is the epitome of good service. You can be certain, I will. 

Vendors - all you have is service to offer...most retailers keep strict pricing intact.
So practice what you preach.
The face that Trent put upon Sweet Water soured my experience completely.

And what Joe did, renewed my faith in mankind.
;)

It's All Good

I haven't had a bad gig.
(I've played badly, no doubt)
I've thought a few would head south, but they didn't. In fact those gigs turned out to be some of the best.

Tonight was supposed to be a Good Bye Samir show, but it wasn't to be. Strike one.
No worries.
I still had the afternoon gig at the Farmer's Market. This is a paying job. $25 an hour...cash. Through the town and the Parks & Recreation Department.
As we are setting up the promoter comes to explain it would be three hours and not four as we had agreed.
And of course that meant $75 per person rather than $100. Strike two.
Sigh.

As we began to play it was to a sparse turnout. The weather here has been brutal up until yesterday.
(The AC had been running 24/7) And then it broke. So today it was very pleasant, cool and a distinct lack of humidity.
So I expected a larger crowd. Okay...play on, McDuff...yes, I said it.
The band is a Blues thing - strict blues. No Rockabilly, no Tejeno. Joes band - he can do as he pleases; I'm just happy to play, right?

We're playing Stormy Monday, a standard.
There is a chorus early in Peaches En Regalia (F. Zappa) with an incredible walking bass riff, with the horns placing a sweet minor descending riff over the top.
Somehow Steve and I got 'stuck' in it half way through the song. (I started playing it, Steve recognized it and off we went)
But it rang...Joe starting playing his harp to my horn parts. It just worked SO well. Steve and I were both grinning involuntarily.
And now I notice people dancing. The crowd from the Glass House, a venue across the street, are filtering over in between shows...to check us out. These are nineteen through twenty five year olds. I'm really grinning.

And when we took a break, the woman at the taco stand came over and plied us with food.
"Could you play some Santana?" Joe nods.
I haven't had a grin plastered on my face this silly and unyielding as this since the early 1970s when it was acid induced.


Playing music is SO cool.

Beauty Sleep Matters

If you are not in tip top form, your game deteriorates. Some people feel the effects much more than others, but if your are run down, everything suffers.

For myself, if I get less sleep than is my wont, I am edgy, surly and not very creative at all. I lack patience and the ability to see any picture other than my head aching.
I've seen performers go for many hours past their limits - buoyed by the audience or drugs. And while it works for a time, eventually, the house of cards collapses.

Miles Davis was known for turning his back on the audience, or worse...flipping them off. I suspect he didn't sleep well, among other problems.

I know myself that if I lack sleep, my playing itself doesn't change, but my mental attitude does. And attitude is paramount to making music. I lack the vision to imagine where the tune should go. And without that inner dialog the music doesn't move much at all. It becomes rote finger work. In a word - boring.

Of course there are tricks to staving off the mental lethargy that lack of rest brings - I am making tea as I type this.
It's when you're at that wall, for me three or more days with less than ideal sleep, that no matter what you do, you won't be performing at your best.

Funny thing - audiences rarely notice all the little mistakes in the rendition of a song, but be out of sorts and every human in the room knows something is up.

Bands that have been doing it for a while learn how to snatch sleep where and when they can. New stars frequently show the excitement by powering on, even when they should be resting.
I get such a charge from playing that it takes hours for me to come off the high and be able to lay my head down.
So I have learned to sleep on the way to the venues. To each, his own.

At Least They Tried

Chris called, my guitar is ready and he confirmed that the Made In Mexico Jaguar I have has a Made In America Jazzmaster tremolo plate. When GM did this using Chevy engines in Pontiacs (even though, functionally, the engines were identical - valve covers said Chevrolet), the outcry was huge.
Potentially a consumer could order a mod part and it wouldn't work since the arm on the MIA part is not threaded but the MIM tremolo arm is.
It took Fender or Sam Ash eight days to have a part delivered from Fullerton to Ontario...ten miles?
And Chris took the mint greet tip off my arm and placed it on the replacement arm. Fender didn't ship a complete tremolo arm? Well, at least it is functional, now.

As you exit Sam Ash or Guitar Center, for that matter, they want to search any musical related package.
Can you say illegal search and seizure?
They don't ask to search womens handbags. But for "security," IE shoplifting, they want to look in my property?
I have bought and paid for this case and what is within. Call the police if you believe me to have stolen something but to presume, nay ASSUME that everyone with a guitar is a thief is too much for me.

This is why I will continue to patronize Styles Music in Pomona. Even if it did cost a few dollars more to buy from Little Lou, it doesn't, I would still not buy from a large corporation that treats their customers so poorly.

Am I being too critical?

The phrase, "the customer is always right," has been relegated to history's  dust bin, it seems.

At least the Jag is home.

Post Script - As I was trying to determine how the swap in parts had occurred an older gentleman approached and we spoke about guitars in general and the Jag in particular.He has one as well.
"Who set this up? The action is like butter!"
Andy Brauer strikes again!

Kudos Fender & Sam Ash Customer Service

My brand new Jaguar...sniff, sniff - baby isn't quite right.

It seems the collett that accepts the tremolo arm is not threaded as the arm would suggest.
I called Fender and was quickly connected to Steve.
Steve took my information and my issue. It was slightly above his level of knowledge so he asked to call me back, shortly.
Not more than fifteen minutes had passed when Steve called. First pleasant surprise.
My issue is indeed something an authorized repair center can rectify, gratis. Steve goes on to name a center located in Los Angeles; he based this on my cell phones ANI.
No, Steve...I am in Pomona. In seconds and without missing a beat, Steve came up with a dealer within minutes of my house. And I live out in the sticks...styx?
He goes on to provide both the name and number of the gentleman at the dealer who heads the repair department.

I call and spoke with Chris, who was kind enough to tell me that he is currently caught up so my guitar will only wait for parts if needed, to be shipped to him.
I went to Sam Ash in Ontario, I proceeded to look for Chris - he had just left for lunch.

Gary was kind and attentive, wrote the repair ticket and walked me back to the door after he provided me with business cards with direct numbers.
(Guitar Center also has roaming people to watch the store, but they tend to be rude and condescending; Gary was anything but)

My day job involves Quality Assurance as applied to things such as Customer Service. In this instance I was very happy with the service rendered. From start to where we currently stand, the representatives have been articulate, courteous and helpful. In this day and age, this level of service is outstanding.
Kudos to Fender, Sam Ash as well.

I'll let you know how the repair turns out.

Chris from Sam Ash called to tell me the MIM Jaguar has a MIA tremolo plate ... We'll see.

New Offerings

People Get Ready

Constant Change

Hey Joe Take Two


The first is the song by The Impressions from 1965 that Jeff Beck has taken and made into somewhat of a signature piece. My thought was what if Dicky Betts did the piece instead.


Constant Change is just a nice variation on the Blues.

The iconic Hendrix song, sans vocals - it was literally, take two.

The Case For A Case

I recently bought a new Fender Jaguar guitar. It came to $767.15 out the door. It included a "Deluxe Fender Gig Bag." A thin padded bag that will protect from swirl marks only. Impact a amplifier cabinet and there will be a dent.

Online there are only two choices for a Hard Shell Case (HSC) for the Jazzmaster or Jaguar guitars. These being the only two Fender models bearing the "Offset Waist." Most of the vendors have the black case with the red interior. My guitar is red. I wanted the brown tweed with the orange interior. Most of the vendors want an additional  $10 for the brown. And I'll assume they don't stock it, so the $10 is my paying for them spending six minutes ordering a case online.

Guitar Center carries both and furthermore, does not charge a premium for the brown tweed. They do, however, charge $139.95. Are you &*^%^%!! me?! Oh yeah...another $12 and change to ship it. I could have ordered it at one of the other vendors and saved $2, because they'd have shipped it for free.
At this point I am close to banging my head against the mike stand. And I haven't touched on why I feel guilty buying anything from Guitar Center - suffice it to say, they are the Walmarts of the music world.

Ah well, lesson learned. Use Vaseline.

In 1972 when I got my first Stratocaster, my first real guitar, my father paid $272, which included the HSC.
At that time, there was no such thing as a gig bag - a nylon guitar shaped back pack.
Every guitar made, came with a HSC. And these things were luggage. The Strat I got had  the long rectangular case, which at that time was rather new. It was HUGE. It served as my file cabinet, my stash and it held my guitar, with assorted picks and strings.
It was de-rigueur to case your guitar. There was the ritual of warming the case before opening it during N.J winters - although today, the byproduct of opening it too quickly, finish checking, is sought after - proof of age, mojo. (Not really, but that is for another time)
But now, the major manufacturers - Gibson and Fender both, include gig bags on their lesser priced models.
(Gibson makes all guitars in the USA, but cheaper models get bags - Fender manufacturers worldwide, but only USA models get HSC standard)

I am not saddened nor nostalgic, I think they have missed an opportunity.I would have bought the Jaguar for $100 more if it included the case. I seriously doubt any sales would be lost. And then how difficult is it to have two packages, one with case - one with bag - similar to options on a car?

All of my guitars have hard cases. You cannot gig with a bag. Ever watch people throwing equipment into a van after a show; tired and wanting to leave as soon as possible?
And your stash won't be safe in a zippered pocket.

Every Guitarist Should Have One

When one buys a guitar, whether it is new or used, it can use - nay, it needs a proper setup.
Frequently intonation is off, action is very generic, the strings may be very old, et cetera.

With that in mind, many people set about to rectify the situation themselves. Some people are capable of making these adjustments utilizing the many resources available online or through tribal knowledge.
Dan Erlewine's book, 'How To Make Your Electric Guitar Play Great!' being one of the well known sources.

But a greater amount of people do not know what they are doing or do not have the patience necessary to complete the job. And if there are any issues with the instrument, it takes a craftsmans touch to bring out the best the instrument has to offer.
It has to be a labor of love.

That brings me to Andy Brauer. Andy loves guitars. I mean that Andy has a passion for guitars that is infectious and almost innocent in demeanor. His love of guitars is child like - he has a wide eyed sense of wonder when in the presence of a guitar.

I learned of Andy quite by fortuitous accident.
Last Summer I purchased a pair of Sheptone AB Tribute pickups for my SG. They had been very highly recommended by a tech who produces wiring harness ready to drop in your guitar. I had the pickups and a wiring harness and quickly found myself at the limit of my knowledge and more importantly, my patience.
I began looking online for a tech to put my guitar together for me.

Andy's website came into view. I grabbed the phone number, called him and explained my situation.
"Those are my pickups! Sure I can help. When would you like to come by?"
I had a moment...so that was what the AB in AB Tributes stood for! Oh my!

I drove to Valley Village and found his workshop. I handed him my pickups and the wiring harness. Went over the work I wished to be done...a proper setup, install the pickups and the wiring harness. When do I want it back? Is this a dry cleaner? Andy knows that working musicians need their equipment. If they have a gig Saturday, that's when it has to be done.
We made a date and I waited expectantly. The only tech work I had experience with previously was the guy the local music store had hired at minimum wage. Needless to say, that was poorly done work and had for years turned me away from utilizing a competent tech.

I drove back at the appointed time. After greeting Andy and the ensuing pleasantries I sat down and Andy handed me my guitar. I strummed it unplugged. It rang! The action was perfect, the pickups and harness were in place...I was beside myself. It fit me like a glove, as though it were made for me!
And now I understood. A person who loves music and the instruments this much imbues every piece he touches with absolute magic.
The setup included:
frets had been polished
the fretboard oiled
the guitar cleaned and polished
action was very low as I had asked
intonation set
new strings installed.

I subsequently brought Andy my Strat (new nut + setup), my Gretsch (new nut + repair tailpiece + setup), and now he has my newest, the Jaguar (setup).
I cannot wait to get it back.
In each case, he took a nice guitar and made it artwork.

If you play and do not have a tech, get one - post haste! If you live near Los Angeles, call Andy.
If you live further away - factoring in shipping costs. This guy is the Michaelangelo of technical work, you will not be disappointed.
Andy Brauer

Size Does Matter

I own a Fender Stratocaster. A wonderful guitar.
It has a 9.5" radius - the curvature of the fretboard.
A scale of 25.5" - length of the neck.
With 21 "Medium Jumbo" (oxymoron, anyone?) frets.

Since 1972 when I bought my first Strat I have always felt that Fender guitars just didn't "fit" me well.
The radius of the neck combined with the scale made the curve of the neck feel very pronounced.
My Gibson has a flat neck, no radius to speak of. And it feels much more natural.
But the sound a Strat makes - It is God Himself playing - is not to be denied.

I could have found an alternative...a company that makes Strat copies with flat necks. But I want the real thing. I want a Fender.
I have recently rediscovered the Classic Players Jaguar. It has two pickups with higher output than a Strat, a control setup that resembles a Jetson styled car, and this particular model is "aged." That is, it's made to appear to be an older Jaguar. The pick guard is "mint green," what happens to a white pick guard over time. The frets are bronzed and the pickup covers are "lightly" aged...whatever that means. Headstock is pure old school with the small model designation.
They retail for $799 and are MIM - Made in Mexico.

The control setup is fascinating. It allows for two independent set ups in terms of both volume and tone that are changed with the flick of a switch. Nowadays people spend good money on A/B switches to accomplish the same thing.

And here is the secret all guitarists lose sleep over.
SIZE does matter.
The Jag has a shorter scale - 24" and one more fret, 22.
The effect is a flatter feeling to the fretboard. Add to that the cutaway on the body. While the Strat appears more "balanced" to the eye, it is the Jag that in reality is a better fit. It sits well when standing or even while seated. Something most guitars do not do well. They excel at one or the other...usually.
It is a most comfortable instrument! It's one drawback is weight; very close to eight pounds.

Mine is in the middle.

Surf's up!

Thank You CraigsList

People have been after me to get a larger amplifier. I current use a Fender Pro Junior.
15 Watts, all tube, one 10 inch Eminence speaker. and a paltry 20 lbs.

You can see it on the lower right in the photo. This is the patio area at Characters, a local watering hole that I play weekly. It holds roughly 250 people and has been packed at times.
I have had to on two occasions mic the amp through the PA system, usually reserved for vocals, but I tend to think everyone plays far too loudly, anyway.

Fine. Yesterday I started scouring CraigsList, CL in 'net speak. I was not very hopeful as CL has fallen from it's heyday...my, how far it has fallen.
This morning as I begin my work day I open CL again, narrow the search to my immediate geographical locale and dive in.

And this is what I saw ...

For Sale - Fender Hot Rod DeVille 410
This is a 60 Watt tube amp with four 10 inch Eminence speakers. The obvious downside is this weighs 50 lbs.

But as a friend of mine put it,
"The 1x12 in the deville/deluxe series is only 40 watts, so you lose a little clean channel headroom. between those two, i'd choose the 4x10 every time."

David is a very good musician who has taste and chops. I trust what he says.
It retails for $900 plus 9.75% sales tax - $986.65
I paid $550 for a four year old amp in pristine condition. It was in a Church. It was used for services on Sundays. I would not have believed the tale were it not for the fact we were in a church negotiating a deal.

The Pro Junior was also a CL find...a $400 amp for which I paid $175. I have been gigging steadily with this amp and it has performed very well.
This is the second time I have found wonderful treasures in what once had been the Fertile Crescent of the Internet, but has since become a cesspool. Perhaps it's time to stop perusing the personal ads and stick to the For Sale columns?

Polytune

An incredible idea that for years proved elusive.
How can a guitarist tune all six string at once? You can't, duh.

We've been made to strike each string in turn, tuning it...tweaking a bit more, muting the string before proceeding to the next and so on. What has differentiated most pedal tuners up until this point has been speed and accuracy. Strobe tuners are the most popular and the faster the strobe can respond to changes in frequency, the faster one may tune up.

Then in January I heard some buzz about a tuner that allows you to strike all six strings at once and it will show the status of each string, flat, in tune, or sharp.
I plugged it in and strummed the open fretboard - an there it was, the low 'E' and the 'A' were flat.
Nicely done. Striking that low 'E',  Polytune switches to a more normal needle strobe mode. I almost wish there was a switch to activate one, both or the other mode as I found it disconcerting to switch to the needle.
But it does have the ability to show me at a glance which strings are out of tune and which way.
It may take some getting used to, as my current tuner is a circular strobe, and wickedly fast.
We'll see.

Less than $100.

Dunlop wedge picks. Good Gosh but I love these picks.
Dunlop Stubby Picks
$3 gets me six. And they are durable. I haven't worn one out as of yet. My gauge is light so that is a factor but my previous favorite picks (Gibson Heavy-Jazz Teardrops) wore at a much more noticeable rate.

Nickel strings. Not nickel plated or coated. Pure nickel strings. $6 or so for a set. They are much more resistent to corrosion and they have a  very bright sound that lasts for a really long time. I used to change string every two to three weeks. I find my self going for a month or more and I play a lot.
I generally will take any brand with the exception of D'Addario. The last three sets of D'Addario strings I purchased were flat out awful. A 'B' string broke, they lost brightness inside of days instead of weeks and they have resorted to some really cheap packaging that tends to make a mess in my gig bags.

Rinse and Repeat

Repetition.
Take two.
Take thirty three.

It kills creativity. Spontaneity is lost when you play the same tune over and over.
Fine, spice it up.It by take four, it's not happening, then move on and return later. A small break can be very beneficial.

It is also the way of studio time. Fifteen to three hundred an hour dictates a certain work ethic. Push it out in linear fashion.

I hate to argue with producers.
"Think of it as a smoke break."
"But you don't smoke, e."
"I know...[sigh]...that bands that do smoke; they take breaks and then return,'refreshed,'right?"
Light bulb time.

Sometimes repetition is the job at hand. When the song is new, you play it again and again until you are tired of it. A sure sign you know it.

But when you are trying to lay one track on top of another, it is one thing to be familiar with the piece and another to get stuck in a rut over it.

Take three is my limit and then it all turns to mush.

I Believe In The Good

What inspires music?
Or art, or the written word?

Love inspires, as does despair.
Pain can cause words to flow. Or the simple joy of being alive and aware of it for the miracle it is.

I tend to think that dark feelings, however powerful, do not produce the same level of work as when we are happily inspired. Darkness does produce very strong moods, consuming feelings. But they are not the emotions of productivity. To put forth your best effort requires all cylinders be in running order. To have one cylinder firing louder and harder than the rest is counterproductive.
It's like playing when you are high, you may think you are inspired, but the fog is only allowing you to see a small piece of the picture. Darkness takes a lot of effort to maintain. It is hard to remain angry without using a great force of will.

The lighter aspects of human nature such as love require much less effort to sustain, so there is a large store of energy waiting to be put to good use. When the trees are pretty, when the air tastes good, works pour forth like water that had been dammed. Not just quantity, but quality of the work is elevated by the mood of the author.

Musicians who have a smile on their faces seem to be not necessarily more prolific but the caliber of the work is higher.
Look at the band, The Police.
When Sting was a happily married man the music the band released was stirring. The bass was a focused piece, the band itself was very precise and articulate. Very little flash, rather it was a high order of music due to happiness. 'Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic.' A wonderful tune with a tale to spin and a bass line that defines a walking beat.

As life took it's toll and Sting's marriage ended, the music took a sharp turn toward  mediocrity. Sting's bass playing became stilted and angular. The band sounded disjointed. And the mood of the pieces went positively creepy - 'I'll Be Watching You,' for instance.

An artist that works on canvas is easy to trace his moods. In every pursuit there are telltales which alert us to the mood of the artist.
As an artist I have learned to find stability in my own skin. That in turn has allowed me to put some consistent music together. It's kept my energy level high as I waste no calories worrying nor fretting.
Looking through my catalog of music is much like reading a diary - my moods are very easy to follow.
And my best pieces are those that I wrote when the sky was at its bluest.

It doesn't mean to avoid composing when you are down. It means look to lift your mood and then write it down.

Bridge Of Sighs...No I have Not Been To Venice

This is an update to my bridge replacement for my new Gretsch.

Oh my God...Oh my God...Oh my God.
Can you tell I am excited?

Claims of tonal improvement struck me as snake oil. Palm muting would be more comfortable? I'd get more twang and tone (Twone in Gretsh-speak). Also the Bigsby is supposed to be smoother and easier to use with this bridge.

I can't tell what is the reason for the improvement, but improvement there has been!
There is a distinct change in the bridge pickups sound. Overall sound has much more twang to it.

It may be the much better fit the base achieves to the body of the guitar than the OEM bridge. And that may be due to the smaller foot of the new base. The OEM base seems to have a twist in it, which may be a function of having such a long foot.
The new base piece "snapped" to the body of the guitar with no tweaking necessary to make it flush with the guitar. (This would affect transmission of vibrations to the guitar body)

It may also be the nature of the bar bridge as opposed to one with many moving parts that accounts for the improvement in tone. (This would primarily affect sustain)

The thumb wheels on the bridge itself came lowered all the way to the base. I had to raise them a bit to get the guitar playable. But once done, intonation was simple and very fast. I suspect it is not spot on as there are no little adjustments that can be made. It didn't seem to make a difference. Not to my ears nor my tuner.

The base looks like ebony although I have been told they dye rosewood to make it look darker. It feels like ebony, more solid and heavier. But what do I know?

I ordered it on June 30th from Darren Riley.
 Darren Riley's Guitar and Amp Shop
And received it in todays mail.
That's fast!
(He also sent three emails, one confirming the order, one to thank me for the order and one to announce it had shipped - good work)

Tomorrow - well, actually later today I have a huge gig with an expected turnout of one hundred people or so and perhaps twenty musicians. So I will give it the shakedown it deserves.

Why We Don't Leave Almost Well Enough Alone?

At the beginning of June, I bought a Gretsch G5122 double cutaway.
It's a very well built Korean import. Never mind that Fender is the hands upon the reins. There are a few touches that reflect choice of economy.
I need to find better tuners, that is for certain.

But in a quest for all things tone related. I bought a new bridge.
The original is a very serviceable Gretsch version of the Tune-O-Matic attached to a very cheaply finished base. The fit of the base to the guitar is touchy at best.
This is critical in the transmission of vibrations. This is an acoustic guitar.

I could have just bought a new base piece, rosewood or ebony.
Interesting note: the preferred base piece has less contact with the guitar body than the OEM base. Its feet are each half the size of the factory original part.

But I was intrigued by what is called the Rocking Bar Bridge.
It has no saddles to adjust intonation. It is a bar with appropriate grooves cut into it.The vertical holes by which it is attached to the base are larger than the studs allowing the bridge to move when the Bigsby is applied.
As it is solid, that too aids in transmitting the vibrations.

I learned a new trick as well for floating bridges. Anyone with an archtop will appreciate this one.
Pinning is a process whereby a luthier or tech pierces the surface of the guitar and plants studs which meet holes places into the bottom of the bridges base.
After this is done the only way to manipulate the intonation is by adjusting the saddles.
The bridge will never again slide across the surface of the instrument.
Well rather than permanently holing my guitar, I thought of the violin in the corner of my office.

Rosin!
Undoing the tension of the strings, removing the bridge and then applying rosin to the feet of the base.
Never mind that I replaced the bridge facing the wrong direction and discovered this only after having re-done the intonation and wondering why it was harder than normal.
[Sigh]
Once I had it correctly oriented and affixed to the guitar, I tuned and checked intonation. Perfect!
Rosin has just the frictional characteristics desired and yet will leave virtually nothing but dust behind as it ages and degrades. It won't harm a new poly finish.
Check with a luthier before applying it to a nitro finish, although I suspect it'll do no harm there either. After all, most decent violins are nitro finished.

Multiple Personality Songs

I ranted about songs that sound wonderful when the lyrics were in fact very dark and filled with pain.
There are so many facets to every gem; this is relevant because the band wants to add some tunes.

Touch of background - the drummers are 21 each, the bass player is 47 and I am the elder statesman at 54.

Here are the songs to be added:
Magnolia - The Hush Sound
I and Love and You  - The Avett Brothers
How Do You Like Me Now - The Heavy
Pulling Mussels From a Shell - Squeeze
Django's Blues - Django Reinhardt

An interesting mix. The songs are suggested and I listen to them. However, I have learned to pause before hitting 'reply.'

The entire list of songs is over represented by failure and bad karma. I mean that one of two ways - literally - oh yeah, some of these choices are awkward and not my type at all - pieces that are not well done for one reason or another. The other way is the meaning of the song. Dark and painful to hear.
And yet - all these tunes have a redeeming factor...somehow compelling.

In both 'Magnolias' and 'I and Love and You' the theme is is looking for sanctuary after a bad turn.
Magnolia's lyrics do not fit the meter of the song. The production of the song is a typical rock ballad, well done musically. The way the vocals are expressed it sounds plausible. An examination of the lyrics is quick to show you how the lines rely on shoe-horning a couple of syllables in, using a lilting sort of stumble. It is one hundred percent intentional. But it sounds like a goofy, nerdy plea for attention. In other words, a good song for us to play.

The Avett Brothers are good. They have a nice act that at times makes you think of other harmonizing brother based bands and yet...
The song 'I and Love and You,' is written over a Civil War tune. (I believe the brothers are from North Carolina)
I would guess that was not intentional as much as it was natural for true "country" musicians.
They employ violin and banjo, guitar and piano. Drums are rare to be noticed, more like ornaments.
Their song is a Dear Jane with the hope of redemption awaiting on the other side. Both dark and light at the same time.

Okay - I buy these two ballads.

The tune from The Heavy - 'How Do You Like Me Now,' is the story of a man who has been dumped and found himself a new friend and asks the question, "How Do You Like Me Now..." the smirk dripping from his face.

"Why are we doing this?," I asked.
"It's a good dance tune...lots of dirty rubbing stuff."
"Dude?"
I'm kind of lost. I do have to allow others to have input on the song list but this is pushing it. Isn't it?

'Pulling Mussels From a Shell,' from Squeeze is a favorite of mine. A song about nothing really - just the happenings one day along a beach. What people have read into it is another story. Not an easy tune to play, this will entail a lot of work, but I am all thumbs up.

Django? You guys suggested this? Wow.
All for it. And how we pull this off is all on me. I love it.


I cave easily to 'How Do You Like Me Now.'
Multiple personality tunes.