Sheepdog1969
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Posts posted by Sheepdog1969
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On 4/30/2024 at 8:28 PM, Californiaman said:
I also like a sci-fi show called Resident Alien. That's turned out to be a pretty good show.
This show is hilarious and I love it!!! Alan Tudyk is one of my favorite physical comedy actors. I first saw him in Firefly/Serenity, where his limited screen time and minimal comedic dialogue gave me no idea of how funny he was. His role as Dutch in Transformers: Dark of the Moon was awesome. His quirky way of playing Dutch seems to have led to his roll as Harry in Resident Alien, IMO.
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Brothers in arms - Dire Straits
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9 hours ago, merciful-evans said:
I gigged digital for 20 years and the only complaint I ever got was 'You're not loud enough!'
I guess that's far better than, "You're not good enough!", which I may or may not have heard on stage and/or in bed. (haters gonna hate, I say.)
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On 4/26/2024 at 8:21 AM, Californiaman said:
a person of annoyingly low intelligence.
I resemble that remark!
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Multicultural
mul·ti·cul·tur·al
/ˌməltēˈkəl(t)SH(ə)r(ə)l,ˌməltīˈkəl(t)SH(ə)r(ə)l/
adjective
adjective: multicultural; adjective: multi-cultural
relating to or constituting several different brands/manufacturers of guitars in one's personal collection. (e.g. His guitar collection contained Gibsons, Fenders, and G&Ls.) -
Polygamy
po·lyg·a·my
/pəˈliɡəmē/
noun
the practice or custom of having love for more than one guitar at the same time. (e.g. He told me that he was in love with his Gibson LP Custom and his Gibson ES-335, and he could never choose between either of them.) -
11 hours ago, Rabs said:
So I got a sad email from him today and he has asked me to pass it on to you guys.
Thanks Rabs for being such a good friend to jdgm, and passing his message on. Let him know I'm sending positive waves his way. His mindset is just as important as the medical treatment he is receiving. Just like learning a new lick, we all can do anything we put our mind to!
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I ran into an issue when I stacked my TS-808 and my Ross Distortion that I really never noticed until I got my Tube Amp, (Fender HRD Series III 40). I have always loved the full and very deep tone the Ross produced, but when inline with my TS, I would loose tons of the low end. Dub-T-123 educated me quite well about how the TS, (and many other OD's) work, and how they are purposefully built/designed to push mids and highs. It's not that they actually cut freqs below a certain level (Hz), it's just that those low freqs are not amplified like the mids and the highs.
So began my quest for a pedal that could function as an OD, which would still allow me to achieve the screaming harmonics my TS excelled at, without sacrificing the chunky lows I love. (And be able to stack well with my Ross). After reading tons of reviews and researching specs, (functional frequency ranges the pedal(s) are capable of producing), I came across one that seemed to fit my needs.
The Zoar® Dynamic Audio Grinder, by EarthQuakerDevices, is what I picked up.
"Zoar is a medium-high gain discrete distortion (using only transistors; no opamps or diodes in here!) that has that touch sensitive amp-like quality to it that everyone craves. It has been finely tuned to create a highly tweakable hi-fi and modern sounding distortion, but with the ghosts of old school circuitry to deliver a grind that is both instantly familiar and delightfully unique. Want that defined sparkle and tightness of an overdrive? This has it. Want that low-medium gain fuzz that’s perfect for drop tuned guitars and basses? This has it. Want to be able to dial in and control every nuance of your tone from jangly on-the-verge of break up to blowing the walls out heavy saturation? Then this is the pedal for you."
"This meticulously crafted box has six knobs that allow you to truly customize your sound with the Level, Weight, Gain, Bass, Middle, and Treble controls. The red LED light indicates when the distortion is activated by the Flexi-Switch® enabled footswitch.
The Gain control on Zoar goes from the edge of break up all the way over the cliff into the crunchy, grinding abyss. The character of the distortion is heavily dependent on the setting of the Weight control as well as your guitar’s pickup type, and it is further fine-tuned by the EQ section.
Touch-Sensitive Controls
While having its roots in a very familiar past, the passive 3-band EQ has been finely tuned for modern tones. While this style of tone shaping seems simple on the surface, it is deceptively complex and highly interactive.The 3-band EQ and Gain controls give you nearly unlimited options with great focus and sensitive precision, but the real powerhouse of Zoar is the Weight control. This control dictates the amount of low end that is passed into the circuit, thus controlling the entire character of the pedal. From a mere clean boost to a high gain distortion to overdrive to the crispy Hi-Fi fuzz territory, this function gives you everything.
The Level control hits unity gain around noon, but this is dependent on where the other controls are set. In addition to controlling the output volume, it also plays a small part in the controlling the voice of Zoar. By adjusting the Level control with any combination of EQ (boosting the frequency bands and cutting the output volume), you can achieve drastically different curves that have the feel of the more traditional low pass filter type tone control."
"Running Zoar at 18v
Want to elevate your sonic spirit to a higher level? Try running Zoar at higher voltage! Zoar can handle power up to 18v DC. Higher voltages will yield a different frequency response with more defined dynamics and a faster response. When powered at 18v, the range of clean tones are widened, dirty tones become punchier with better note articulation, low frequencies are tightened, the Treble control will cover a broader spectrum without becoming harsh and the output volume nearly doubles! The experience is not unlike plugging into a wall of high wattage tube amplifiers!"Unfortunately, the Zoar has no option to run off a 9v battery, nor does it come with a power supply. Thankfully I purchased the pedal specific 18v power supply. (The EQD's web site, nor any other vender I searched, stated one way or another, if a 9v or an 18v power supply was included. And, yes, the Zoar can run off of a 9v power supply, but 9v will limit the Zoar's potential.) From what I was able to determine, the Zoar has a 0Hz (1Hz) to 18k Hz frequency range. (It could be 18.5K Hz). It also is designed to boost low end freqs via the "Weight" knob, The 3 "band" EQ further defines it's tone.
After playing with it for a couple of hours, I found it to be extremely flexible with a full rich tone if and/or when needed. Just as advertised, it's output characteristics change depending on where the each of the setting knobs are in relation to each other, and this includes the "Level" setting. You're probably are thinking, "Duh! What did you expect?", but this pedal behaves far differently than what I'm used to. I'm used to a "Level" setting merely increasing/decreasing the volume/amplitude of the pedal's output tone/timbre/effect that is dialed in via it's other setting knobs. (Yes, the "level" can effect how your individual amp reproduces said pedal effect based on your amps settings, but this is different.). I'm still making notes to myself so I will be able to remember where each knob was set, which created tonal outputs emulating my specific and differing stylistic needs. Just as EQD stated, different guitars/pickups can and will create differing outputs despite the Zoar settings being exactly the same. These differences are not subtle, btw. This means your guitar pot settings play a massive roll in manipulating tonal/effect characteristics in combination with the settings on the Zoar. (e.g. to achieve the same exact tonal/effect output from the Zoar, on different guitars, ALL of your guitars settings AND the Zoar's settings will likely be different for each guitar used. The more dissimilar the guitars/pickups are, the more variation of ALL Zoar/guitar settings needed to achieve sonic syncope). This may be a negative aspect of the Zoar for gigging musicians who break a string mid set, and have to use their "back-up"/other guitar, which is not similar to the one with the broken string. (Think SSS Strat vs. an active pickup shredder.) Using a Zoar in that situation would require far more settings adjustments to emulate the previous guitars characteristics, than if using a different pedal. However, this guitar to guitar variation does expand the output capabilities of the Zoar for those with a wide variety of guitars which employ a wide variety of pickup types.
I have yet to stack my Ross with the Zoar, as I am still running it through it's paces and learning how it behaves. I am very happy with how it sounds in every setting combination (and guitar combination) I've played it in, so far. It's far more versatile than either my Ross or my TS. I picked it up for $129.00 + tax (free 2 day shipping) on Amazon. (The 18v pedal specific power supply was $14.00 + tax and free shipping). Not a bad price for a frugal guy like me.
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On 4/23/2024 at 5:19 PM, Karloff said:
No coke, Pepsi...
That skit was based on a real place in Chicago who's original location in under Michigan avenue very close to the Chicago Tribune building. It's called "The Billy Goat Tavern", at Lower 430 North, Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611. I've been to this location quite a few times. It was the dark and dingy hangout for Newspaper writers from the Trib, and the Chicago Sun Times, which used to be the next building west of the Trib on the Chicago River. Second City writers and comedians, (the original SNL and long time talent feeder to SNL), knew about it because many of them had worked in the newspaper business before writing for Second City. I was fortunate enough to spend some time with Del Close there, (and more than a few nights hanging with him at Old Town Ale House on North Ave. The story behind the first time I met Del is hilarious. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Del_Close ). Met Michael Royko Jr. at the "Billy Goat" for the first time as well. Belushi, Ramus, Aykroyd and the Murray brothers were regulars at the Goat during there Second City days. The owners goat, and the Cub's refusal to allow the goat into Wrigley Field, resulted in the famous "Cub's curse". Back in the '80's and early '90's, the Billy Goat was almost exactly how SNL portrayed it to be.
Chips, no fries, Pepsi, no Coke, Cheezboyger, cheezeboyger, cheezboyger.
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Glossary
glos·sa·ry
/ˈɡlôsərē,ˈɡläsərē/adjective
a highly polished, mirror like, ultra reflective finish or coating. (e.g. The finish on that Gibson guitar is so glossary that the stage lights reflecting off of it are blinding me!)
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A few years ago, I tried to find a hilarious SNL skit with Michael Jordan, George Wendt, and a few other white SNL cast members playing basketball on a late '60's, post integration, high school basketball team. MJ was the only non-white team member (on either team), and the only player who could actually play the game. Sadly, for PC reasons, the skit has been scrubbed from history. (The skit openly exemplified the blatant racism that existed in many southern post integration public schools) The skit was so gut bustingly funny, that MJ and the SNL cast couldn't stop giggling as each offensive line was uttered. My favorite line was delivered by George Wendt, who was portraying one of the 4 white guys begrudgingly playing on court with MJ as their 5th team member. George has the ball, and is trapped in a double team at half court. MJ is obviously open, and he is begging George to pass the ball to him. The rest of the team begins to beg George to pass MJ the ball. George refuses and says, "I ain't passing the ball to no darky." MJ couldn't hide his laughter after George belted out the line, and the other skit members quickly fell apart as well. Apparently Michael Jordan helped write the skit and was all in with the bigoted language. I would love to see that one again!
Another favorite,
Knock, knock.
Who is it?
Um, candygram ma'am.
Is this the Landshark?
Um, no ma'am, um telegram....
Oh, well let me open the door for you....
(landshark eats her.)
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Years ago, before Big Pharma began making pills to enhance male endowment, guys lacking down there got their enhancement advice from locker room "wives' tales". One sad lad eventually asked one of his better built friends what he could do to grow a bit more. His friend told him that he had been told to rub butter on it, which he had done to great effect.
A few weeks later, the sad lad complained to the friend who had given him the butter advice, that "it wasn't working". Worse yet, he indicated, "it was having the opposite effect."
"I'm really shocked that butter isn't working for you, because it really worked for me.", said the friend.
"Well, butter is pretty expensive and my Mom would have noticed if any of the small amount of it we keep in the fridge, went missing. But, since Mom substitutes Crisco for butter, all the time, in her recipes, that's what I've been using.", the sad lad explained.
His friend shouted, "You idiot, Crisco is SHORTENING!".
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rushing
/ˈrəSHiNG/noun
the act of listening to the band Rush for hours on end. (e.g. Dad's been in the backroom rushing for so long that he's wearing the vinyl out.)
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Here are a few of my "definitions", (this post and the next reply), that redefine words into something more fun. Add your own redefinitions to The Gibster's Dictionary!
Oxymoron
ox·y·mo·ron
/ˌäksəˈmôrˌän/
Adjective
an individual stupefied from an oxycodone addiction. ( e.g. That moron was so high on Oxy, that he got a DUI on his lawn tractor as he was driving to Taco Bell.)-
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5 hours ago, sparquelito said:
I recall seeing Metallica on stage in 1989 at the awards show, playing their A$$E$ off, and killing a live rock performance.
Moments later, they awarded that years "Best Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Recording" to Jethro Tull.I remember that vividly. As I recall, the announcement came as I bent to pick a dogend.
I grew up listening to Tull, and I have always been a big fan. Ian's flute rocking was as unique as it was awesome. When my daughter Alexis decided to play flute in 5th grade, I excitedly played some Tull for her so she could hear what was possible on a flute, beyond the symphony stuff.
At that time, I was ok with Metallica, but I had not listened to much of their music, save for what FM radio overplayed. But what I did know, and what anyone with half a brain should have known, was that Metallica was/is Hard Rock/Heavy Metal and Jethro Tull WAS NOT!!!
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1 hour ago, Dave F said:
Just my opinion, as long as there is not a neck angle or truss rod issue, any guitar can be setup to your liking. As some other considerations (some already mentioned), neck shape, nut width, string spacing at the bridge, string tension (scale length and string choice), tone woods, bracing, body style and probably a few things I forgot, all go into the equation. I've setup some very inexpensive guitars for friends with them saying it was the best guitar they've ever played. Gibson-wise, if the J45 (Gibson's dread) is too large they are many models to start stepping down. The G series is still 16" wide but thinner as is the J180 body. Then the J165 body, L00, LG and so on. Many models in that mix. I have a wide range of models from the Super 400 to the LG. The L00 seems to work the best for me comfort-wise.
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Can you give me ball park price range for the Gibson L00? (obviously not holding you to actual purchase price). I think the shorter scale Gibsons may be a great place to start for me. (amongst a few other acoustic makers)
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1 hour ago, PrairieDog said:
Fwiw, there are some factors beyond the make of the guitar that contributes to easy playability and reducing fatigue/cramping.
you could try them out right now with your current guitars just to see if they are in the realm to make a difference. I apologize if you’ve already tried these and they didn’t help.
The first, and easiest is adjusting your technique: cramping comes from over-exertion combined with awkward hand mechanics.
One thing is try not to hold the guitar neck in a death grip. Because it starts out being hard to fret the strings, folks sometimes fall into a habit of thinking they have to mash down on the fret board to reduce buzz, etc. And they get tense concentrating, and then tighten up even more.
Try reframing and relaxing your grip. Start out holding the neck loosely, but securely, and fool around fretting single strings and easy open chords like E-minor or A , finding the point where you are pressing on the strings as close to the fret as you can get, just hard enough to hold them down neatly, aiming for no buzz and a clear sound. Then let your hand only work that hard. If you feel you are tensing up, stop and breathe, and stretch and relax your hand for a minute.
Also, check your fingers are staying curled over the fret board with just your finger tips coming down with your knuckle perpendicular to contact the strings. Like a piano player holds their hands arched. Trying to play chords or runs with flattened knuckles so you are using your finger pads is a sure recipe for hand cramp and muddy, muted notes.
As you practice, try simple chord changes while strumming, concentrating on staying loose and easy and watching your pressure. Don’t worry at this stage about tempo, rhythm or botched notes, just think about how your hand feels. Go slow and work up.
There are better you tube videos out there that demonstrate what I’m talking about if I’m not doing a good job explaining. The key is relax into it.
The other things are string gauge and height. Lighter strings and lower action will be easier to fret and won’t cause as much work. Don’t worry about the sound for right now, you want to build up hand stamina, you can always switch back to heavier strings later working the muscles up into those. I find the coated XS ones easier to move around on.
Once you figure out if any of this helps, it could expand your options in your search for a new guitar. Taylors have really comfortable necks for most folks, and if you have large hands the bigger gibson necks might feel good.
Good luck with your quest.
Thanks for the advice, and no apologies needed regarding what I have already worked on for decades. I have tried lighter gauge strings, (which are currently on my POS acoustics, despite the thin tone.). My acoustics are just terrible, and no amount of technic can overcome that. I have not attempted to file the nut(s) to lower the action, but I do believe that is a great option. Once I acquire the proper files and measuring tools, I plan to attack that issue. However, I really want to buy a quality acoustic that will allow me to play at the level that I currently can with my electrics, without trying to put lip stick on a pig, (as it were ). Thanks to the knowledgeable members here (such as yourself), and their sage advice, I expect to bring something home some day that feels/plays as comfortably as my Gibson electrics do. I am just taking my first steps on this journey, and I can't wait to see where it brings me.
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1 hour ago, Sgt. Pepper said:
Probably most Gibson’s are going to be easier to play just because of their scale length at 24.75”.
Thanks! Since dreadnoughts might be too big for my needs, what model number/style of Gibson acoustic should I be looking into?
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4 hours ago, bigtim said:
You haven't mentioned anything about your budget.
You are correct, and I am a moron. As I said to Sparq, in the reply I just wrote to him, I neglected to address that very important issue. (Please refer to my reply to him posted above, for my clarification, which was partially based on your astute observation)
And, thank you for your Taylor recommendation!
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5 hours ago, sparquelito said:
I don't think that there is a brand or a price point to "the nice playing acoustic".
I have owned and played some off brands, and I have owned and played some rather dear ones.
Hands down the best and easiest playing acoustic was my JBP acoustic electric dreadnought.
I got it many years ago, on sale for $138 (down from $189 I seem to recall) and it became my workhorse, go-to guitar. For years.
Sadly, I loaded out and packed poorly after a gig on the river years ago, and a stack of PA speakers fell on it.
Crushed it to kindling.
😐
You sir, are a mind reader. Sparq, it goes without saying that, "You're the man.".
As I often do, I bury the lead. I am fortunate enough to think less about cost, and more about functionality. I defiantly neglected to discuss my budget, which would have made it far easier for wise Forum members to respond accurately to my original post. Not to sound like a D-bag, but if I wanted to buy an acoustic for $10K, I could. However, I am known in certain circles as "Cheap". Personally, I prefer the term "frugal". Just because I can do something, doesn't mean I should.
I think I began this quest with a false, or partially false, assumption. I assumed that acoustics manufactured by Gibson, Martin, and the like, created easier playing acoustic guitars than the low end crud I currently own. I just assumed that cheap acoustic guitars were hard to play, and conversely, higher end acoustics would be easier to play. Ignorance is oft my strong suit. Mea Culpa
So many times I have watched professional musicians tear up intense riffs on their acoustic guitars, and I always say to myself, "Self, how the heck can they rip up that acoustic with lead lines when I struggle to fret simple chords on mine.". I know I suck at guitar, but I firmly believe that my crappy acoustics are enhancing my suckyness.
Ultimately, I am looking for an easier playing acoustic that will still produce full tone AND be appropriate for playing at fireside gatherings. I could care less if it is used or worn, as long as it is easy to play and sounds good. I have always found that price is relative, and great deals do exists for those willing to search for them. I am tiered of shying away from my acoustics, and not playing them as often as I want to, simply because I struggle to play the ones that I own.
So Sparq, what the heck is a JBP??? (I actually don't even know what the term "Dreadnought" means.) Can you help a brother out? Thanks in advance.
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I would love to be able to walk in to a guitar store/music shop and be able to take a high end acoustic off the rack and play a top of the line model just to see how the cream of the crop feels when I play it. Sadly, I don't even have the knowledge base to be able to look at the rack and determine what that guitar would be. There are so many high end Gibby's and Martins, with so many variations/models designed for different purposes, I wouldn't know where to begin. I have to assume that there are specific lines/models of quality acoustics that lend themselves better to "sitting around the campfire" playing vs. plugging in and playing on stage at The Grand Ole Opry. Just looking for a a place to start.
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54 minutes ago, duane v said:
When I need to play lead on an acoustic I break out my Gibby Bluesking EC30. Plays like butter.
Wow Duane, she is stunning! That's the kind of guitar that makes the voices in my head scream, "Put that down! That's expensive!". Dollars to donuts, I wager that guitar has never been played at a Hillbilly fire pit, nor should it ever be, lol.
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49 minutes ago, RBSinTo said:
You are asking an open-ended question which will result in as many different suggestions as replies.
Obviously you are correct. I guess I want to know what I should be looking for in an easy playing quality acoustic, so I can have a place to start. I only know from hand cramping, tough to play low end stuff. Maybe I'm asking to much of an acoustic, but I hope not.
Here are 2 of my current torture devices.
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The first guitar I ever played, and learned to play on, was an acoustic. My Dad had a Yamaha FG-150 that he bought new, presumably in the early 1070's. From time to time, he would get it out and strum a bit for me and my brother. Dad came from a musical family that played/performed at taverns and bars for Tips, just to make a few extra bucks to survive. Dad knew the basics, and could play enough chords to sing and entertain us. He also knew the names of those chords, which really helped me when I begged him to teach me how to play. I was 8 when he felt my hands were big and strong enough to start to learn. And, after much pain and frustration throughout countless hours of practicing on that Yamaha, he told me that I had learned all that I could from him because I already knew everything he knew. I was on my own from there, and did my best to learn by listening (and playing with) songs on the radio and/or the albums I had access to. At that time, none of my friends played, and I couldn't learn online, because the internet didn't even exist at that time. I didn't even touch or play another guitar, other than that Yamaha, until I was in my teens. Guitar lessons were not an option, because my financially strapped parents were already paying for me to learn trombone through the Public School music program.
Although I am glad that I began learning and playing on an acoustic guitar, it saddens me that it took me so long to learn that not all acoustics were as difficult to play as that Yamaha was/is. The second guitar I ever played was my friends POS beginner electric. I couldn't believe how easy it was to fret, especially bar chords. I remember having to force myself to stop using so much pressure as I played chords, because I was literally mashing both E strings off the fretboard when I played a simple G chord, (and with every bar chord). I had to mellow out with my picking/strumming, as well. (Dad never taught me about changing strings, so the Yamaha had super dead, super old strings on it.) I think I was a junior in High School before I got to play a good acoustic, and I remember it was an Ovation with the curved back. It was big and heavy, but I swear it fretted like my '83 Explorer. And, best of all, it sounded full and loud with little to no effort from either hand. Over the years I have played a few decent acoustics, but I have never played a Gibson or a Martin, so I really don't know what real quality feels like when played, (let alone what real quality sounds like when played by me).
I have been gifted two acoustics, in addition to my Dad's Yamaha (which he gave to me when I turned 13). Both are Oscar Schmidt's by Washburn, One is a 12 string that's Model number is 292035-01 OD312. The other is a 6 string, but it is in a case in the back, and it's not worth bothering to pull it out just to get it's model number. Both have to be super low cost, and I know the 12 was made in China, (I bet the 6 was too.). The 12 is actually easier to play than the six, and both are way easier to play than the Yamaha. But that's not saying much. Because of it's size, and the 12 strings, the 12 has a richer tone, but neither of them are anything to write home about. They all just seem to have a thin tone, for lack of a better word. I am actually ok with how the 12 string is easier to fret that the other two six strings, even with the added complexity of 12 strings. Sadly, it takes so long to tune vs. a 6, that I don't play it as much as I should. I also shy away from playing the 6 strings because of how hard they are to fret/play, which sucks. When strung with lighter strings, they obviously play easier, but the tone goes from thin to emaciated.
I am hoping to find a quality acoustic that I don't have to fight to play, that produces decent tone, and isn't so darn purdy and 'spensive that I won't want to play it out at the fire pit. I am not looking to buy this guitar tomorrow, and it is kind of a wish list thing right now. I am thinking pre owned instead of new, and don't mind scuffs/wear as long as they don't hurt how it plays. I also would rather sacrifice some tone for ease of play, if I have to.
Any suggestions?
Must See TV?
in The Gibson Lounge
Posted
Roadkill/Roadkill Garage, Full Custom (Ian Roussel), Fallout, The Boys, Invincible, Utopia (US version), The Lazarus Project (TNT), Star Trek Discovery, Star Trek Strange New Worlds, The Mandalorian, and Evil (Paramount). (NASCAR on the weekends)