Sheepdog1969

I lost a girlfriend to a washing machine with an "unbalanced load". I was admittedly a bit agitated. But, because their relationship had such a shaky start, it was washed-up before she knew it. (He was drained) I saw that the Permanent Press gave the "contents of the relationship" a few hot and tumultuous cycles before the sweltery tidbits eventually dried up. What a load of sh....

First off, WOW! Wow for your awesome collection, wow for your awesome wood work, wow for your awesome builds, and wow for your awesome attention to detail. (No joke, I expanded this picture to fit my big screen and stared at it whilst listening to classic vinyl for a few hours yesterday. I hope you are cool if I download it and use it as a "screen saver".) Your comment of not wanting to spend big $$ for the historic instruments in your collection, but instead choosing to creating them yourself, made me think of the "personal value" you instilled, ingrained, and imprinted onto/into these instruments, which is far more priceless. As a "lefty", (but as one who chose to play "righty"), I appreciate the exponentially more difficult process of faithfully recreating "left handed" instruments. (I also fully understand the "Murphy's Law" principle you experienced, as defined by your sander failing when it did.) I can only imagine that the tonal output characteristics of your art most likely exceeds the physical beauty of each piece. Strangely, I seem to find an equal desire to simply stare in amazement at your collection vs. playing each of them. Thank you so much for sharing your art with me/us, and in so doing, exposing yourself to the potential "slings and arrows" of arm chair internet critics. Well done, sir!

I recently read two separate, yet defiantly related articles, about vacuum tubes and tube amplifiers that seemed concerning. The first article detailed the ever diminishing number of companies, globally, who produce vacuum tubes, and how demand far exceeds production capabilities. The second article detailed the "Mean Time Between Failure"/lifespan of a vacuum tube, and that tubes in a tube amp may need to be replaced every 3 years based on regular use. (My research has found that vacuum tube life expectancy should exceed 5,000 to 10,000 hours https://www.guitarmeet.com/guitar-amp-care-when-to-change-your-tubes/#:~:text=On average%2C tubes can last,less from your vacuum tubes. ) Obviously, these two articles raise a scary scenario. If vacuum tubes need to be replaced every three years or so, based on the usage data provided above, AND since replacement tubes seem to be in short supply, are tube amps really worth the money? By no means am I questioning the awesome tonal quality of tube amps, but what good is a pricey tube amp if it fails in less than a decade and no tubes are available to get it running again when that happens? Interestingly, I have NEVER heard anyone I know complain about this issue, nor did I even think about this until I read these articles. Is it that tubes simply loose performance characteristics over time, rather than outright "dying", thus average/non professional tube amp owners never notice this issue? Do giging semi professional/professional players really swap out tubes every three years? If so, do they suffer product availability issues and/or cost increases due to limited supplies? What is your experience?

If anyone was "concerned" about my opinion about anything, they seriously over estimate my ability to effect/influence anything. I meant no disrespect and only alluded to the marketing/advertising component of those "silly" covers. Actually, I thought your post was a great conversation starter. I saw Rush 3 times but never got to see Yes live. I would love to hear about how Yes sounded in concert.

I am so sorry for your loss.

When I was a kid, my friends and I always tried to have "play dates" and/or "over nights" with the kids who had the best toys. I got permission from my parents to come over to your house. Do you think your parents would be OK with me "bunking over" this weekend? I promise that it is because I like you as a friend, not because of your awesome toys! LMK

As an addendum to my reply above, I wanted to give a bit of experienced advice to bands and their marketers. Flyers advertising your band's upcoming gigs, are "a dime a dozen", as they sit on the wall, cork board, and/or restroom of where ever you choose to post them. Said flyers exist to inform readers of the location, date, and time of your show, but they only work if people read them. Creating a visually unique attention drawing marketing tool, that stands out from the rest, is a must. Established bands may be able to simply rely on name recognition in their marketing, but most local groups need more to generate a following. (hint: settle on a band name "logo", including font, color scheme, etc., AND STICK WITH IT! This will be your "Trademark", and you need to "condition" your desired fan base to immediately associate that "image" with your band.) Incorporate a "theme" with your gig fliers, that progresses from one show to the next. I have used 50's sci-fi graphic novel covers, from defunct publishers, that I digitally altered to included the band logo, band related "captions", and show time/location info, whilst preserving the original cover art. Each show scheduled used one of the digitally altered graphic novel covers, from the same series, as the gig flyer. Did the '50's style graphic novel cover art visually represent the musical style of the band? Probably not, but it created interest and put butts in seats. Eventually, these flyers determined the cover art style for this band's first album. Was a dude's butt necessary on the cover of the Rush Hemispheres album? Did said butt corollate to the music on the album? The answer to both of these questions is NO, but we are still talking about that album decades later, partially because of that image. Marketing/Advertising tools are designed to get people to come to your shows. It is the artist's responsibility to keep them coming back.

FYI, my initial reaction to your questioning of the Yes and Rush album covers in question was quite visceral, leaning towards anger. Both of these albums, and bands, were part of my musical foundation regarding guitar. (Not to say that either of the afore mentioned albums were particularly quintessential in either cover art or tracks.) Both Rush and Yes tended to be musical outliers, with just enough "commercially acceptable"/"Radio playable" content to keep them relevant. They both created highly complex, technical, and atypical music, proving standard 4/4 Rock time signatures need not be the norm. As such, I never questioned their "Avant guarde" album art choices, I just focused on the music. Yet, I restrained myself from my initial "gut reaction", because of my bias. I remember wondering about why both bands chose to put "dudes butts" on these covers, (2112 included), as a teen buying said vinyl when they were released. It defiantly wasn't done to increase sales. I guess fans like me just bought the albums for the love of the music, and maybe we assumed that the cover art visually expressed something the band(s) music was unable to do. When I began creating professional marketing material, (logos, flyers, concert posters, cover art, etc.), for bands, I was routinely questioned about how my "art" directly correlated with the band's musical style. I replied that, save for actual images of the band, how can one express "music" with images that corollate with a "musical style"? Is "metal" black and silver, with sharp edged images? Is "Rock", a bit more colorful, with softer edges? What type of music does the image attached below define? Music Marketing and advertising is about drawing interest, provoking questions, creating a "Buzz", and ultimately selling seats/albums. Sgt. P's post proves this. "There is no such thing as bad press.".

My condolences. Sorry for your loss.

Sorry for your loss. She will live on forever in her art. (Loved the video and the track!)

sorry for your loss brother!

In mid March of 2023, my mother lost her years long battle with frontal lobe dementia. Six months earlier, my father asked me to pen her obituary knowing she would not survive her disease. As I detailed her extraordinary, perpetually involved, active and generous life, I came to a previously unrealized revelation. Hopefully what I learned about my mom, while attempting to honor her life in words, will resonate with the vast universe of musically talented individuals. My mom never played an instrument. I can't ever remember hearing her sing a song, even at church during hymns. She didn't hum along with the radio. She never whistled. Despite producing/organizing multiple charity stage musicals, she didn't even participate in the chorus. I can't even remember seeing her dance to music. But I do know that she absolutely loved listening to music. One of the reasons she fell for my dad was because of his talented tenor singing voice. From choirs to Barbershop quartets to stage musicals, she adored it when he performed. She especially liked it when he played guitar and sang. She had an extensive vinyl collection and she was particularly drawn to live performances. She never missed any of my band performances from 5th grade to college. Eventually she grew to love Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chicago Lyric Opera performances, and had season tickets, (for decades), for both. Summer nights at Ravinia, just north of Chicago, were magical concert experiences for her, and her season tickets there never went unused. When my musical skills appeared to be impaired by budget oriented instruments, she somehow found the funds to buy me the high end, and high dollar, instruments that allowed me to better express my talents. When Jim Culbertson, the nationally renown director of my high school jazz/funk band, informed her that my 5th trombone skills demanded a high end, F attachment, bass bone, I somehow had one a few days later. When, after playing hand-me-down acoustic guitars for over a decade, I mentioned that I would like an electric guitar, she managed to buy me a new, 1983 Korina Gibson Explorer for $350.00. (Somebody at Guitar Center probably lost their job after that sale.) She somehow understood, despite never making music herself, that investing properly in musical talent can exponentially improve a musician's art. As I crafted the document that would encapsulate and enumerate my mom's effect on the world, I learned that she had provided far more philanthropic support for the arts than just her season ticket purchases. Her financial contributions were not something she talked about, nor did most of us even know about them. I then began to think about all the individuals who had not a "musical bone" in their bodies, but so loved music that they were literally able to "make music" by giving financial donations to musicians, thus ensuring that the music could play just a little bit longer. Sharps, to them, may simply be pointy things that can cut you, and they probably think flats are only bad things that happen to tires. Yet, without these generous audience members, music would inevitably diminish into the sound of silence; the church bells would all be broken. As I said goodbye to my mom, I understood that she did make beautiful music, she just made it in a different way. And, in my head, I heard Jackson Browne singing: "...Oh wont you stay just a little bit longer..." And I know if she could have, she would have. "...now the promoter don't mind, and the union don't mind if we take a little time and we leave it all behind and sing one more song..." Susan Elaine Zick wife, mother, grandmother, music lover 1944-2023

The back of the guitar is separating from the body across the top, (below the neck). I will upload a more detailed pic when I have some time. (I have been "radio silent" for a bit because my mother passed away a few weeks ago after a 6 year struggle with frontal lobe dementia.) I am trying to figure out if I need to use a "steam box" to allow the wood to become more flexible, or if there may be a better method.

Bass strings last that long? Guitar strings loose their edge in less that a year.

I have played guitar for over 45 years, and have occasionally fiddled with other peoples Bass guitars during that time. I recently picked up my own Bass, and have it set up to my liking. (the funny story of how I acquired it can be found below.) It is a p/j and I play (and I am learning to play) rock, metal, jazz, funk, fusion, R&B, and blues. It is a 4 string Rouge series III lx-200B. (it actually plays quite well, holds tune, is intonated, and has the action set just high enough to eliminate 98% of fret buzz.) Yet it still has the factory strings on it, and I bet it will sound even better with a set of quality strings. Any thoughts?

The chances that any "unused" item may be "needed", regardless of how long that it has sat idle in storage, will increase exponentially the second that it is no longer in your possession. (ie: While you have it, it won't be needed, but once you let it go, a need for it will arise.) Trying to explain this to your wife, girlfriend, and/or mother will fall on deaf ears and expose you to ridicule. (a sexist would say!). PS - I've known many musicians who not only could find a use for those straws, but would cut them in half, (or thirds), when they "used" them, thus getting 2X+ the use out of them.

FYI, there are some things that are "objective" regarding a "pro set up", like intonation and fret shaving (if needed to smooth rough edges), yet many things are "subjective", and are only "set up right", when they meet each individual musician's playing style, type of music they play, type of strings they choose to use, the type of amplifier and/or electronics they use, etc.. The "action" (string to fretboard distance"), for example, only needs to be high enough not to rattle on frets, yet not so high that it impedes playability and/or negatively effects intonation. Action height between these two extremes is up to the musician. As such, pickup height, is extremely subjective, and truly could never be "set up" to meet your specific needs unless it was done with you being present and actively involved, all while using your rig, (amp, effects, strings, etc..). As little as 1/4mm change in pickup height can drastically effect output tone and volume. Pickups can be adjusted so that the height distance between it and the low E is different than the distance at the high E. Fine tuning this distance can be done per string on your covered humbuckers as well. Based on your comments, your bridge pickup, or at least a few of the string to p/u distances on it, are just a tiny bit too high. A few minutes fine tuning each individual "pole" until sound quality at the high gain levels you play at, meets your needs. Lots cheaper, less time consuming, and less invasive that p/u replacement, if it works!

Learned about stop bar tail pieces not being "attached" on my Explorer years ago, as a teen. Nothing like a heavy chunk of metal falling off your guitar unexpectedly while changing strings! Like Dub said, simply never remove all of your strings at once while changing them unless you are prepared for it to "dislocate". Yes there are reasons that one may need to remove all of the strings of a guitar prior to replacing any of them, like when removing a pickup or when the rosewood/ebony fretboard needs oiling/cleaning, for example. However, my decades of experience restringing guitars has lead me to only change one string at a time, 99% of the time. No, I do not "cut/snip", (with wire cutters), old strings, let alone cutting/snipping all of them at once. I actually unwind each string to be replaced, one at a time, and then replace it, ( using a Luthier's knot) This, "one at a time" method does a couple of things. It keeps a stop bar tail piece from falling off. It maintains tension on the neck and body of your guitar during string changes, albeit 5 strings of tension versus 6, which minimizes the movement of the neck, headstock and body of the instrument, (the changing of the slight bow of your guitar neck, headstock, and body, which is normally maintained by the tension of it's strings whilst in tune), thus mitigating fret board cracking, lateral fret movement/shifting, finish cracking and other structural wear due to said movement. Although you may not be able to see the "flex" differential between a strung and tuned guitar compared to when it is unstrung, the progressive damaging effects from these complete tension releases followed by tension increases, especially when torque (twist) is also applied to the neck, headstock, and guitar body by tightening each new string onto an unstrung guitar, especially when each new string is installed from lowest to highest, (or the reverse), can eventually damage your instrument. By changing one at a time, torque is mitigated by the tension from the other 5 strings on the guitar. This method also limits drastic changes to truss rod tension, mitigating "thread stripping" and/ or unintentional changes to desired truss rod tension.

I actually am trying to find out how to "strip" the voices from my Alesis Concert 88 key and not from my DX 100. (the DX 100 came with very detailed instructions/user manual regarding MIDI operation, but the Alesis instructions only detail how to assign the MIDI track, (it has only 1 MIDI track output, per the specs, but I may need to use the MIDI software to try to "strip" the onboard Alesis "voice". The Sweetwater rep claimed that my Alesis Concert 88 could also function as a MIDI controller keyboard when connected to a PC with proper MIDI software.) As I just got it a day ago, I have not spent the time reviewing how it functions when connected to said software.

To be abundantly clear, I am a heterosexual male who's preferred pronouns are; he, likes, b00bies.

As a Chicago guy, I prefer a deep dish sausage pizza, but only if it is a "puck", not a "crumble". Chicago folks know what I mean.

Checked my girlfriend for "teeth" down there. No teeth, but her gums were in terrible shape!

I recommend taking your Gibson to your nearest music store. Once inside, uncase your axe, find a seat, and yell out, "Somebody give me an A!" Tune, by ear, your A string to the tone that follows. (Or, you can pick up your "land-line phone" and use the "dial tone" similarly.)