LR for December 26, 2013

Well it's the last fiscal day of my calendar year, so I've got to head in today, much as I would rather not. Hope you all have the rest of the week off and have time to participate today. Moreover, I hope you have had a good year in your businesses and jobs or retirements

LUNCH

Skipping it. Eat one for me!

G&L'S AND THEIR AMPLIFIERS

I know this has been covered ad naseum, but like a lot of things on a forum, it changes. What are your ideal pairings? The way I see it, it's guitar/amp/tubes/speakers in that order. I'll show you mine if you show me yours:

1990 ASAT/Roccaforte Rockie 30/JJ EL84's/Eminence 12", 70W, 8ohm voiced for Buddah;--- OR--- Mesa Mark III blue stripe/Winged C 6L6's/Celestion Lead 90, 8ohm in a Thiele 1 X12 cab

1998 ASAT Classic/Fender HRD (modded)/JJ 6L6's/Celestion Lead 90

1991 S-500 Signature/Roccaforte or Fender (see above)

Invader Deluxe/All three rigs shown above, but especially the Mesa

Talent

What is your opinion of how musical talent is developed in this day and age? I personally detest the reality TV (e.g. American Idol) avenue, mostly because very few of these people have a grounding in an instrument, much less formal musical training, skills or knowledge. It seems to be about belting out an R&B tune or shock-value and sob stories. The close second is the Disney/Nickelodean complex. It make sense if you are trying to nail the 13 year-old segment. It's shorter and more accurate. You can say you don't watch this stuff, but you can't escape its dreadful consequences. I want to go back to the Clive Davis/David Geffen model with all its flaws.

The internet does play a neat role in talent development that I hope will expand. A nifty application allowed my son to put his band on the bill at a local music hall if he got enough hits on an MP3 that he had sent over to them. Naturally, the band had to sell 100 tickets in addition. Regardless, I think that's innovative and beneficial.

How about you? What do you think about contemporary talent development?

BRAG AND COMPLAIN

My 17-year old son has knocked the cover off the ball. College prep in the US now is serious and difficult; there are few genuine merit-based scholarship opportunities. Nonetheless, he was awarded four-year Army ROTC scholarships to his first choices: USC (CA); University of Washington and Wake Forest. In addition, he is a finalist for a full-ride to the Citadel. He has accomplished this in a 126K-student unified public school district with little help from us. I am very proud of him.

My dislike of politicians knows no bounds, and it's getting worse. I despise most politicians in all three branches of US government. Let's leave it at that. For our esteemed UK, Canadian, French and Australian G&L'ers, is London, Ottawa, Paris or Canberra any better? I certainly hope so for your sake.

How about you? What has gone well and badly this year?

Regards,

Les

Nice week Les. Interesting topics even though some may have been touched at some point. I am sure almost everything has been covered at some time but we forget! Lunch is unknown as I am just taking a break. I picked up and unloaded new carpeting for Ginny's salon. Weekend project.

I will touch on the amps that I use with all my 6 string guitars. I don't use distortion and my go to is my 76 Vibrosonic Reverb. It has a JBL DF 130 15 in and is a terrific amp. I think that Fender built some of their best in the 70s. Many of these Vibrasonics and Twins had a small tick in the trem. I added a small cap mod which really made it perfect. I fall back on the Cybertwin SE if I need something else but it doesn't get used much. It takes a lot of time to program it, probably the reason they were not a success for Fender. I still am 15' speaker fan. They are full sounding and have what I call the wow factor.

I am a poor judge of talent today because I am not a fan of new music. I find the new country artists all sound alike. I am not a fan of Idol either. It is just belt out your best song although some of them are very talented. There are terrific tools available today to learn music. Almost anything is available on the internet.

It is really a treat to hear about your 17 year old. Some of these young folks are really good at a young age. I have a neighbor kid that I videotaped a few years ago and he won a contest in the TC. The prize was a Rickenbacker guitar. He was a happy kid as was I. It is fun to watch the youngsters develop musically. I think that the talented ones can really benefit from professional training.

It is the end of the year and last night I did my gig accounting. I also looked at next years gig schedule so I am looking ahead. This retirement is great!-- Darwin

Lunch was leftover xmas ham in toasted sandwiches.

Talent development? Thats practice, hard work, a good mentor and the drive to apply yourself to it.

is London, Ottawa, Paris or Canberra any better? I certainly hope so for your sake.

Canberra isn't, unless of course you're a billionaire with ownership of one or more mining companies.

I am only going to pick one topic today.

Talent:

I hate everything about American Idol including the name. Same goes for anything like it.

The days of making magic are gone. Not that the potential is absent in humanity, it is that the circumstances in which it develops naturally have been annihilated by people trying to fake it or force it with hype.

LUNCH :
Xmas leftovers, it was great !

G&L AND AMPS :
I'm playing a Boogie F30 these days, but I'm growing more and more tired of it.
I'm gonna change my rig, now that I have two of my beloved Barber Small Fry pedals, I'm gonna buy a killer SS amp (a Mambo Amp, home made in UK) and have my overdrived signal made by pedals.
Sure I'd like to have a Carr Sportsman and a Rivera Quiana, but real estate is a big issue nowadays. And sure I love tube amps going into breakup, BUT, I have to have a rig that can amplify my jazzbox, and be gigable in my funk-fusion band, without being heavy or too expensive !! That's a tough design brief isn't it ?

TALENT :
I never ever watch TV reality, whatever the theme.
I think lots of people got talent, but I'm with Jamie, lots of talent means usually lots of work.
I use to say that it takes the same time to make a musician than to make a PhD, more or less 10 years of hard work !

BRAG AND COMPLAIN :

We, in France are very lucky to have an education system that is free, as well as the health system. French people are always complaining about taxes, but as long as you don't have to pay for school (except lunch) and you don't have to pay for hospital or medicine, I'm fine with that.

What has gone well and badly ?
As I wrote it several times here, 2013 has been a landmark in my life : I had a heart attack in february, and a second child in september ! I end this year alive and kicking, I have no heart failure despite having three stent in my coronary arteries. I run 3 times per week, and I feel pretty normal except the usual food restrictions and every day medications.
My son, Gaspard, was born september the 3rd, in 45 mn , he and his mother are alright since then.

I feel very lucky to be here, and I have a new guitar !!!

what else ?

Hey Les,

I've been reading all week, thanks for picking up the LR during this crazy week!

Amps:

I have been running a couple of Dr Z route 66's for a couple of years now... in to a Z-best cab with a G12H and a Vintage 30. That paired with my Xotic Pedals and any MFD and it is pure tone heaven

Talent:

I must say that years ago when American Idol started i did enjoy it. I thought early on there was some really good talent. I have not watched the last 3 or 4 seasons, completely lost interest. Personally I am at a loss on contemporary talent development. I have the opportunity to teach a lot of talented up and coming players at the local college and the biggest thing i try to hit home with them is they must be versatile... For every Bieber or Shakira etc there is a full talented band backing them - If you can play and be open minded there still are a few opportunities to get out there. Get rich and famous.... Heck NO, but love what you do, absolutely!!

Looking back, this year has totally had its ups and downs... But it is nice to end it on an up! I have been blessed to have had a great holiday season with the family thus far, had some time off and most importantly just saw the Pics of the LE2's getting near completion!! Talk about starting the new year off on the right foot.

Thanks again for picking up the LR's

Have a good one
Scott

Yesterday was leftovers, of course. We were all sitting around looking like big bumps on a log...decided we should all go for a walk and it was great, people came back alive...

I just have one amp, a very clean 20W Morris that I had Glen Morris build for me, www.morrisamps.com

Love it, don't need anything else.


I saw Ian Thomas this past summer. If you remember him from the seventies, "Painted Ladies and a Bottle of Wine" and the brother of comedian Dave Thomas. Ian is just as funny and his set that he did was amazing. He's 64 now and he can still sing, play, great backup band and said he is working on a new album, now that he's a grandpa, ha.

Why I bring it up, is that he played one of his early songs and told a story about how his first 3 albums were awful. BUT back in the day, a record company would sign a group and would be willing to see if they developed....

He said that today, there is too much pressure to be a superstar from day one, talent doesn't get the opportunity to develop anymore..

I thought that was interesting.

Speaking of talent and the question from the day before about female talent, I saw Serena Ryder the other day with her band. She's incredible, amazing singer and has great chops with her guitar playing as well. She had a keyboard, bass and drums and she handled all the guitar playing while she sings up a storm....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sh4J7ZRv7Vw

Definitely one to see live!!

ALf

Late reply but here goes
Can't think of best pairing now, I run between Mesa Boogies and Fenders and all sound good. Lately I've spent more time with Boogie Lonestar Special with EL34's.

Talent versus pop machine are different beasts but it seems pop "idol" is where it's at these days. I do tune into TV talent shows occasionally because every now and then you see someone who does have talent.

Gotta brag on my kids right now. My son won his schools spelling bee (going to county competition next) and played some beautiful acoustic Christmas music in local mall last week. At the same mall day my oldest daughter sang and played piano. Some mall walkers stopped and complemented her afterwards. I was (am) a proud parent.

No complaining these days.

I just lost another reply to a #&*( time-out. I won't try to recreate it, but here's the gist of it:

BRAG AND COMPLAIN

Les, as a Citadel alum my suggestion is to forget those top choices and head straight to Charleston. If the scholarships haven't changed too much, an Army ROTC scholarship should be accepted there (El Cid is historically the largest commissioning source for Army officers outside of West Point) quite readily. I just missed a full ride, but the runners-up used to be pretty sure of getting other major awards, which would "stack" with ROTC scholarships and come close to the value of a full ride. Several of my friends who were full-ride Citadel Scholars also accepted ROTC scholarships, to guarantee a Regular (as opposed to a Reserve) commission. The school has changed a lot since I graduated in the 1980s, but it is still a "road less traveled". Nowadays it has become a very reputable school academically as well. No ROTC program will prepare a young man or woman for a commission like four years in the Corps of Cadets will. Please don't hesitate to PM me if you or your son have any questions about "El Cid"!

My sons are too young for college choices yet, but I'm thrilled with how they are doing academically and musically in elementary school. My 11 y/o started playing alto sax in September, and was moved up from beginning to advanced band in October. He played his first-ever "gig" last week at a retirement home, with a group of second and third year students. His school's music teacher asks students to track the time they spend practicing, and any who make the "1000 Minute Club" have their names read at an end-of-year concert. He is already up to 2500 minutes of practice, and has set his sights on breaking the school's record for most practice in a year. As long as his homework gets done first and his grades stay up, I'm all for him shooting for that goal.

My 7 y/o gets straight A's and is reading at a middle-school level. He took up electric bass this past summer (on a short-scale instrument), and just received a short-scale MIM Duo Sonic for Christmas so he can start to understand chords. I'm pretty sure he has perfect pitch, as it took him less than a day to figure out (on his own) open G and Cmaj7 chords that he's heard me playing a lot recently. He has also figured out bass lines on his own after hearing me play them a few times, but without me showing them to him. The one that baffled me the most was Someday We'll Be Together, which he picked up by ear in the correct key (D-flat). I'm letting him go entirely at his own pace, and just showing him things when he asks.

The bad part of my year came right at the very end, when my mother passed away very suddenly and unexpectedly on Christmas Eve. I was halfway across the country visiting in-laws, so I've just finished two days of driving back to the East Coast. Tonight I'm trying to keep myself distracted, and tomorrow I get started on the estate and mentally preparing for the service. So it goes...

Ken

sorry to hear about your mom Ken

Eric,

Thank you.

Ken

Gosh, that must feel bad, I'm sorry for you too.
But I'm happy your kids go so well academically and musicaly, proud you must be !

Ken , You and your Family are in my thoughts.
my condolences,elwood

so sorry to hear about your mom.....condolences

What a sad tough time this must be.
I'm thinking of you and yours.

Very sad Ken, Ginny and I are thinking about your family. Condolences.-- Darwin

Ken,

Very sorry for your loss. You and yours are in my thoughts.

Hey Ken,
Sorry to hear about your Mum.
I think Xavier is saying to us all , celebrate life.
Anthony

Thanks all for the condolences and best wishes. We made it through the memorial service and hopefully my last long-distance driving for a while. In just over a week we went from Annapolis to Ann Arbor and back, and then an Annapolis to Charleston round trip. I really think the most exhausting part was all of the time on the road.

I may be scarce for a few more days, but I look forward to catching up on the reading (and hopefully some post-Christmas gear reviews!).

Ken