Guitar-Case

[VPI]

Nice.

 

When you say your only steel string does that mean you have other Nylon string guitars.  Haven't played with one of those yet.

 

Froggy Bottoms do look awesome, they are up in VT.  Huss and Dalton is in Virginia.  I am still really interested in getting a handmade guitar like those but I should probably figure out how to play one before laying down large money to add one to the collection.

[aardvark baguette]

i have a $100 yamaha nylon i bought a few months ago, which is the only other guitar i have.

 

i remember reading an interview w/ Brent Mason where he said a cheap nylon can sound very close to an expensive nylon.  That its a smaller quality gap than steel string.  there is still a difference, but I think the basic theory is pretty much dead on.

 

I used to have a taylor anniversary limited (XXX i think?) and a Martin Thomas Humphreys classical.  I regret selling that one, its probably really hard to find nowadays.  they had this cool neck extension that let the entire top vibrate independently.  Both of those guitars had amazing intonation, i think thats the biggest gain with expensive guitars.

 

after I got RA in my hands a few years ago I walked away from guitar completely.

I've been on meds for a while and my hands are better now, so ideally I should get back to it, but i've forgotten most of what I used to know.

its difficult to know if I'll ever really get back into it permanently, so Ive been reluctant to buy any new guitars.  Its a shame, because its only now that I can actually afford the real stuff, not the beater guitars that I currently have.

[aardvark baguette]

oh, i forgot about Huss & Dalton.  i suspect they are awesome.

[VPI]

Anyone tried the V-Picks?  http://v-picks.com/index.php

 

Thinking about trying the Acoustic Pack to see if I like them better than the Dunlops and shop freebies I am using now.

[VPI]

Ended up ordering some V-Picks and some Blue Chip picks to try out.

 

I have found that I play the Modified Oval 1 11/16" neck 000-28 much better than I can play the Modified V 1 3/4" D-18.  Part of that might be the 13s on the D-18 but the combo of modified V and 1 3/4" is quite a handful.

[aardvark baguette]

 

 

this arrived today  

i cant get over the birdseye.  the back of the neck is even better but i forgot to snap a pic of it.

don't have an amp yet.

[VPI]

That is awesome. I have been traveling all week but I am excited to get back to my practice.

[Dusty Chalk]

That's some gorgeous, Chris. 

 

Rivera Clubster (the 1x12 one that's 1099 everywhere -- I'm serious, my friend has -- literally -- a wall of amps (I'll try to take a picture the next time I go over), and that's his go-to).

[aardvark baguette]

just bought these.  delay is the small logo, MN3005 chip version.  harder to find now, as I understand it.

 

I am going to have to get multiple amps, there's too much fun to be had.  I like the idea of a JC120 for jazzy fingerstyle stuff.  Some boutique tube stuff for touch dynamics and teeth.

 

  

[Dusty Chalk]

Understood, that's why he has a wall -- he's got everything...British tweed, Marshall, I'm just saying that's the one that's the most versatile.
 

Speaking of delays, he bought a cute little toy that he showed me last weekend:

[The Expanding Man]

just bought these.  delay is the small logo, MN3005 chip version.  harder to find now, as I understand it.

 

I am going to have to get multiple amps, there's too much fun to be had.  I like the idea of a JC120 for jazzy fingerstyle stuff.  Some boutique tube stuff for touch dynamics and teeth.

 

  

 

The DM2 is a very special delay pedal - don't sell it.

 

Don't tinker with the trim pots unless you know what you're doing.

[VPI]

My Blue Chip came in while I was gone and I also picked up some custom picks made from Deer and Buffalo.

 

[aardvark baguette]

last one this week, i swear

 

[VPI]

Hmm, I haven't even started looking at pedals.  

 

The Deer and Buffalo Horn picks have fairly high string noise but they do sound pretty good.

 

As far as guitars go I am thinking about a large bodied semi-hollow/hollowbody electric as I tend to like a bit more size to the guitar than the Strat.  I looked at a Peerless 336 knock-off and the Reverend 336.  Ran into a guy at a bluegrass show last night that has a 1967 Gibson 336 for sale also.  Might try that one out.

 

I am interested in trying out the Gibson acoustic sound so I might try to pick up a Gibson acoustic or maybe even the Martin CEO-7 which is supposedly a Gibson-like guitar.

[aardvark baguette]

i'd like to get a Hamer Improv hollowbody if they still make it.  probably really expensive though.

 

i just ordered some 72 packs of dunlop tortex picks (green, blue, purple) and a pedaltrain jr pedalboard

Edited February 2, 2014 by aardvark baguette

[VPI]

Starting to lean more towards the D-18 with the 1-3/4" neck at this point.  Might be partly because it sounds so much better than the 000-28.  Not noticing a huge difference with the different neck sizes so the much fuller bass of the dreadnaught makes it my go to guitar at this point.

[aardvark baguette]

you are pick-only, right?  

 

i only notice a difference in necks when fingerpicking.

 

i do like the chug from a dreadnought on 'Old Man'

 

-----

 

arts and crafts night for me.  i should have gone up a size in boards.  just laying things out, minus at a pedal at my office.

Edited February 7, 2014 by aardvark baguette

[VPI]

Anybody working on any songs now or does everyone here already know how to play?  I am working on Greenday Good Riddance, Neil Young Heart of Gold and House of the Rising Sun.  All super-easy beginner songs. 

 

I think my biggest problem at this point is holding the pick the proper way.  I think it sounds much better and I have better control when I hold the pick between my thumb and my first and second fingers.  Anytime I try to just use the first finger I get really heavy handed and it sounds rough, no finesse.  Either way, making it all the way through Good Riddance without the pick slipping is challenging for me at this point.

[aardvark baguette]

You have to work it.  Play while watching tv, until you're not even thinking about it.  At least thats what I did in college.  Try to learn how to execute harmonics, and you'll learn different ways to hold a pick.  

 

I try to choke up on the pick, so only the tiniest portion is exposed beyond thumb and fingertip.  Where you strum matters:  between the soundhole and the neck is warmer than way back by the bridge.  Upstrokes are lighter than downstrokes. Every little thing makes a difference, but thats part of the fun.

 

I think I usually use three fingers to strum.  No hard and fast rules against it imo.

 

I remember liking thicker picks on electric, thinner on acoustic. 

I just got some Dunlop Jazz 3 picks, (standard and Eric Johnson versions) and the logo is raised, providing extra grip.  Its a non-tortex material, which is a departure for me.  Much smaller shape than the tortex too, which helps with choking up on them.

 

I've forgotten 99% of what I used to know, but can read tab with ease compared to when it was 'new' for me.  \

I wasted a lot of college trying to learn Tommy Emmanuel's ONLY album, but was never able to fully memorize any of those, or master them up to speed.  I still remember a tiny bit of Jim Croce stuff. 

Currently working on a Joe Pass tune.  By working on I mean just familiarizing myself with a small portion of it.

 

[Grahame]

Jeff, as a practice aid, you might consider the stylus pick, as an aid in developing clean alternate stroke picking.

http://www.amazon.com/Stylus-Pick-Kit-Ultimate-Picking/dp/B006IU6ZF0

http://www.jemsite.com/forums/f30/stylus-guitar-picks-do-they-really-work-7882.html

http://www.styluspick.com/guitarpickalta.htm

 

Develop the skill on this (as it forces you to use "just the tip"), and then transfer to any pick you are comfortable with.

[VPI]

Thanks guys.  Went ahead and ordered the stylus pick setup, some dunlop Jazz III grip picks and some different V-Picks off of Amazon to try.

 

Heh

 

http://www.theonion.com/articles/new-study-finds-only-88-of-guitar-center-customers,35227/

Edited February 10, 2014 by VPI

[tjkurita]

Hey vpi. Those are some nice guitars you already have. Definitely enjoy them! Electric-wise, you can't go wrong with a strat. But if you like hollow bodies you should try a discontinued gibson ES 446s. I have one and it is the one guitar I will never ever sell. They can be had used for about the price of a CS strat (which I am assuming you will be looking at!)

[VPI]

Yeah I remember you playing for us at that meet at your place out at Queens. Was wondering if you were still playing.

[tjkurita]

Here are some shots of the 446 (solid, carved spruce top with a thicker profile to reduce feedback, mahogany back carved hollow):

 

Of course, in order to get the guitar running right you will need to swap out the tailpiece, tuners, and pickups! 

 

I also strongly recommend you cover ANY rubber/synthetic-poly-whatever parts of your stands or hooks with cloth or microfiber.  Over time, the rubber/poly can eat into the nitrocellulose lacquer of most guitars. 

 

 

 

Edited February 10, 2014 by tjkurita

[VPI]

That is a beautiful guitar.  I am using a Hercules stand that holds it by the neck but it does rest on the back of the guitar on the rubbery surface.