The B Team

Being a substitute player in music can be quite gratifying. When a player can't make a date and the band thought of you...how nice!
There are also fewer expectations of you. You have not been with the group as long, don't share all the insider "stuff." At the same time that affords you the freedom to see a piece a new way.

In the last two week I have been given two instances of filling in.
In one case it was a Farmer's Market and the other a familiar tavern. Both are gigs I have done in the past.So the venues themselves are comfortable. But the lineup and the setlist are not.

In both instances the bands are of the "Classic Rock" style. Serviceable, but played to death.
But I had that bit of freedom, since I was not given a score for solos, but expected to wing it.
Oh, wing it...I did.
Midnight Rider - a tune from my early guitar days. Duane Allman's part is relatively simple...but oh so hard to sound THAT good.
Well, what I played was good enough to draw a three minute tune out to six or seven minutes.
I have not tried playing slide in public, but I can emulate it with sweeping vibrato and glides.

During the break, the bass player says to me, "I didn't know you played slide."
Neither did I.
Being the new guy afforded me a looseness that made the old tunes a bit more fresh...a bit less stale.

"Not gonna let them catch the midnight rider..."

Amazing what a change in perspective can do.

Intonation - Callaham Compensated Saddles

When the Telecaster was first "designed" and built, the saddles (the metal bar over which the strings pass on their way to the nut.- between the nut and the saddles is where a string vibrates) were two strings to a saddle. Three brass barrels.

You are able to set the overall length of the string via the three spring loaded screws.

Fretted instruments "suffer" with tempered tuning. It's mathematically impossible to lay out the frets in such a way that the strings are in tune over the entire length of the neck. With twenty one to twenty four frets on most electric guitars or scale lengths from twenty four inches to twenty five and three quarters, there is a lot of variation to be had - add into this the curvature (radius) of the fretboard, and you can see there are hurdles to be surmounted.

Back to the Telecaster. The epitome of simple...simplistic. With the three barrel design there is an inherent trade off. One of those two strings will be closer to perfect intonation than the other. Players back in the 1950s learned to bend the spring loaded screws which would angle the barrels...effectively lengthening one string and shortening or retaining the same with the other.

You can see the Tune-O-Matic Bridge design has an individual saddles for each string. The arc described by the radius and scale is also easier to visualize in the arc of the saddles.
Eventually Fender came out of the dark ages and began to install six saddle designs of their own.

But you can also see, this bridge in much harder to adjust. On the TOM there is one spring loaded screw for the string length, and two thumbwheels, one at each end to raise or lower the bridge. With the Fender design, each string is adjusted for intonation and height individually. While that may sound as though it makes for a more perfect instrument, it makes for a colossal pain.
The height adjustment screw are hex heads,  you need two tools instead of one. Each height adjustment is done with two screws - the design itself almost precludes the use of only one. I say almost because someone figured out how to stabilize an offset screw.

My two Teles have three barrel bridges. I like the look. I have no belief in mythical properties of the brass material or the three barrels, themselves, I just like the way they fit the overall old school vibe.
Intonation has always been a huge compromise. And it hurts my ears to hear a guitar that can get no closer to perfect intonation; much as reading text written by the illiterate will hurt my eyes.
(In this way, I am a snob...I guess)

In my own way, I started to do research. I found angled barrels, much the same as the bent screw trick of years gone by. I also found a very clever variation.
A Slanted Compensated Saddle.

The face of each barrel has two surfaces at angles from each other. Length overall is still adjusted with the same spring loaded screws. And dammit, they use hex head screws to adjust the height...one for each string.
After removing the strings it took fifteen minutes to remove the old saddles and replace then with the Callahams. Another ten minutes adjusting intonation and I was done.
Height takes days to dial in. I want the action (height above the fretboard) to be as low as possible. When you lower the action you are inviting fret buzz. So you lower it and play. Find a dead fret...Raise it a bit. Play some more. Determine you can lower it a touch and so on.

The intonation? Spot on. No change in any other quality.
$46 with shipping.

Cork

Referring to 'cork' in the guitar community is short hand for a "cork sniffer." A poser rather than a player.
The schizophrenia is deep among musicians.
No, I am not kidding.

To a person, if asked in pulic they will eschew cork.
"What matters is your tone!"

Then why are most NGD (new guitar day) threads nothing but pictures?
"Look at the flame!" "Dude! Awesome LOOKING guitar!"
And the irony misses them...completely.

So I post a NGD thread in which I included clips but no pictures. A couple of the thoughtful community people respond. The kids are absent.
So I asked, do you wear or play your guitar? Is it jewelry to you?
And I was met with replies such as , "You can't tell me you never stood in front of the mirror and thought,'Damn that looks good!'"
And truthfully I replied, when I was 16 maybe I did, once. But my aim has always been the music.
Close your eyes and listen.

I do understand theatrics...I am a ham. But the best shows in my mind were the ones with the great music and not the lights or smoke to add to the experience.
I watched John McLaughlin's fingers, I couldn't care less what guitar he was using. I knew his sound came from within, not from the tool he used.

Telecasters, my new, current consuming guitar love are ugly guitars. There are a few specimens that are nice to look at. Fender has tried to dress them up - there is a tuxedo...a black guitar with white binding and a white pickguard. Or the one made from redwood - although Fender tried to make it more historic than visually enticing by tying it to a railway trestle that was over one hundred years old.
It's their function that drew me.
It has that singular Fender single coil sound and with a touch of OD can out creamy any humbucker.
Wait...you are saying it can sound like either?
It could be a Ford or a GM?
French or Italian?
It is God's gift...but it is wrapped in an ugly, ugly shape.
In the 1950s the routing done for the bridge pickup was a tad too large. A very slight bit of uncovered routing is referred to as 'buttcrack' and now is held as a sign of lineage.

Look at that?! There is no flattened edge radius. There is no "belly cut." No binding. Not much chrome. When they were first made, it was from pine. They are the cheapest in the Fender line.
But what a beautiful palette.
The swiss army knife of guitars. But it's cork quotient is very low.
Posing hair bands need not apply.
But if you close you eyes to enjoy you favorite music, then tele players are for you.

Everyone Has An Agenda

Yesterday, July 4th was spent playing at George Harrison's.

Roadhouse opened.
By the time they took their first break, Tony the guitarist, came up to me and asked if I'd sit in.
We started playing a tune written by the bass player. A rambling sort of thing, very reminiscent of the Allman Brothers. It was fun.
As people began to filter in the list of tunes grew. Lefty Jeff brought his new ES 335 and had a tune or two in mind..."Can't You See," being his favorite. Ric came...dance partner in tow. She doesn't know you as, "Shotgun?!" Gee whatta surprise. He wants to play Santana. Status showed up as well. He had played a four hour gig in Long Beach and was ready to go. The kid is dedicated.

 Jeff asks me to start a tune..."Something out of the ordinary..."
Do you guys want to try something new?
Not.on.your.life.
Fine...I start playing 'Voodoo Chile.'
It is neither out of the ordinary nor is it new. George tells me to "blaze, and pay no attention to the rest..."

Musicians have comfort zones, much like anyone else. However, being the fragile egos that we are, no one is vying to try new things as it may include failure. That...disappoints me.
I had been waiting to try some Colin James tunes; the opportunity was not going to present itself this night.
Failure is a huge part of musical growth. Many times it is much less painful than failure in "real life."

Most people do not hear the screw-ups we make on stage.
They DO notice when we are out of sorts, less than communicative, not here to play.

Tony, like myself exudes passion when he plays. It doesn't matter that half of what he plays doesn't fit, or is too loud, or he blows a particular passage. He closes his eyes and plays. People appreciate that.
A genuine desire to play or perform.
Tony turns to me as they are packing their gear, "Dude, I want to play with you again!"
Musicians also appreciate honest passion and desire.

I have no real agenda other than playing.
I'd like to be playing my material - it is what I am striving to do.
In the meanwhile, I can play anything the crowd wants to hear.
Requests?

A Mil Or A Mile...It Was Still A Miss

I use Super Slinkys.
One week I needed to replenish the string bag and the local shop had only Extra Slinkys - 008s instead of 009s.

What's a mil, you say?
So did I.

Holy moly, but it is more involved than trading up to 011s or 012s.
I was faced with a completely new setup.

I got it to play, but that tinny jangle would not go away. And the percussion thump the low E and A should have made was anemic, to say the least.

They lasted all of a day before I threw them out for good old Supers.
The old saw: Tone is from the fingers is 80% truth, the rest is setup!
(Ha! You thought I was going to say strings)

I Feel Like Such A Hypocrite

Welp...I bought this Baja Tele last month.

When I realized I couldn't swap out the knobs, instead of crying all night, I decided to get some chocolate chip mint pick guard.

Dandy.
That black switch tip? Out of place, now...Hmmm.
Ordered a cream colored switched tip.
Man, that is really, er...creamy...fugly.

So what'd I do that I said I wouldn't do?
(Besides getting a Tele, smartass)

Grabbed the scotchbrite and the .000 wool and scuffed it and then jammed it into a cup filled with Earl Grey and Soy.

Ayep...I am relic'ing my first part...Gawd, I feel awful.


Relic'ing is the artificial aging of parts on the guitar to make it appear to be older than it is. I find it contrary to everything I understand.
We restore classic cars, not purposely age them.
We undergo plastic surgery not to look older, but younger.

So why is it acceptable to have a fake antique guitar? There are so many examples, when one sees an old guitar nowadays the assumptions is it is a fake, go ahead...prove otherwise.

Some do it to fool the unsuspecting and sell them a cheap guitar for a lot of cash.
Others do it to keep up with the demand...witness Fender themselves making the "Road Worn" series.
A $600 instrument that retails for $800 because they rusted the metal parts for you? And sanded off paint?
Personally I have never seen an elbow wear the paint off of a guitar.

Do horn players relic their trumpets? Gawd no, they protect them as best they can. Patina comes with age and use.

My guitars suffer the dings and bangs any well used instrument will undergo. They have their share of war wounds. If you gig, then shit will happen.
But I don't need to age my guitar to obtain mojo. That comes from my soul and my fingers.
But you see, I bought this switch tip and...

06/13/2011
Updated picture of the switch tip - no close ups or anything spectacular. Just a nice overall "look."
Whatcha think?

Accessories, Not As Much Fun, But Every Bit As Needed

My First Case For The Case

I was in Styles Music today buying some strings when I remembered I need a case for my new guitar.

A Baja Telecaster...named Yay. It's a story; think Modern Family.

Lou has gig bags...no, they won't do.
He also has the molded ABS Fender cases.
He has guitars in those cases but he'll sell one to me and order another.

"Fender® molded cases are tough and lightweight with a reinforced metal frame and hinges, black plush interior, and TSA locking latches. Great for tight storage situations. Cases are designed to fit most standard size instruments. Please see SKU description for details."

Hmmm. It's not tweed. It's black...with a black interior. My sense of style is not amused.
Lou works up a price. Close to 30% off the street price. The tweed would be almost double. I thought it over for a bit and decided to buy the ABS case.

I got home and took it from the car. It tipped nose down.Why the face? It's not balanced? Like a piece of luggage! It should be balanced...shouldn't it?
I put the guitar into the case and latched it. Hefted it. Hmmm?
Walked with it. Balanced perfectly. Strike one for modern engineering.  The case is also very thin and compact. I believe it might fit underneath airplane seating if not in the overhead bins.

The guitar by itself is close to eight pounds. The case must be another four or five. This thing is light...very light.
Traditional hardshell cases are made from laminated wood, mostly plywood and then covered in tolex or in the case of the Jag, tweed. They weigh more than the guitar. Fourteen or fifteen pounds by themselves. (More than the guitar & the plastic case combined) It was thought you needed something with some bulk to be able to absorb the abuse a road instrument gets.
They didn't have light weight polycarbonates in the 1950s and 60s. Not cheap, form fitted guitar cases, at any rate.

Function over style?
You know, as I get older yeah...it is worth more to find equipment I can easily move than it is to have equipment that is stylish.
I remember that Plush made a line of amps in the 1970s that had foam padding built into them...Tufted faux leather amps. That was the definition of style during disco's heyday.

Styles comes and go, function stays....the Tele, Karma - wow...a complete revelation. Equipment needs to be functional, my fingers will supply the style.

Live and learn?