Lunch Report for Friday June 25, 2010

Well, we made it to Friday together. I think it’s been a great week and want to thank all of you for making it so. It’s been nice hearing from such a great variety of fellow G&L enthusiasts, new and old.

So, what are you guys up to this weekend? Doing anything special? What is a typical weekend like for you and yours?

Lunch today will be a grilled, split-down-the-side bratwurst on a soft flatbread with sauerkraut, spicy brown mustard and chopped garden tomatoes. Let’s have some three-bean salad on the side and wash it down with some cold spring water.

Anybody following World Cup Soccer? Who is a fan of the sport? Is your interest recent, or have you played and/or followed the game for years? Do your kids play?

Do you think Soccer will ever rise to the popularity of Baseball and Football here in the USA? Why or why not? I remember back when I was a kid, nobody I knew played the game. Now it’s everywhere. It’s been an interesting phenomenon….

Music question: I know this has been covered before, but this is something that fascinates me mostly because I don’t care about it at all: The scale of a guitar. Some guitar players voice a strong preference for 25.5 scale typical of Fender six-stringers. Others prefer the shorter 24.75 “Gibson” scale. Personally (and it’s probably because I’m just a hack), I could give a rat’s ass. It’s not that I can’t tell or feel the difference. I can, though it’s a subtle thing. It’s just that I don’t prefer one over the other. How do you feel about this? Should G&L offer differently-scaled guitars, perhaps as an option?

Well, that’s about all I have right now. Thanks again for reading and contributing this week. You’ve made it fun for all of us. - ed

I'm taking Mom on a ride on Sunday. Specifically, the 15 mile version of this:
http://www.bluecruiseidaho.com/Meridian/

It's the first cycling event I've entered outside of Tour de Fat with a rickshaw or pedicab. It's not all flat, but should be a lot of fun.

I haven't owned a lot of short-scale guitars so I can't say that I'd prefer them over the 25.5" scale. However, I have been playing a Hamer Newport 90 for the last few months and it has the shorter scale length. It's a very fun guitar to play but I don't really prefer it over the Grosh in the standard scale length. Like you, I have no preference. I just care how the guitar sounds and feels.

RickT

This weekend, maybe I will finally program the drums and get my butt recording again. I have a mic on route and I don't want to run the guitar til that gets here, but I am content DI'ing bass. We'll see, I have a lot of data analysis to do from my lab work too.

I have both a 25" and a 25.5" guitar of high quality. The 25.5 gets all the love. I prefer how tight the strings feel when bending, yet I find they get to pitch easier. From a guy who plays bass, guitar strings offer little to know resistance playing, but I guess the higher tension feels a little bit closer to home. I like to play 9s on guitar, not sure why as when I play a bass it is at minimum 130-45s (5 string sets, I like 135-50s more, due to the taughtness for a clear B on a 34" scale)

I don't follow soccer, it is a bit slow for me. Needs some body contact or something .

Lunch today - me and da' wife was off so we went out. I had one of those Man v. Food burgers. Humongous but very tasty. In fact, I am still tasting it.

Scale - don't really give a fig other than lap steel where I like a longer scale - at least 25." Harder to play slants but the suckers will ring forever.

Strings - depends on the guitar but generally 11s on electrics (11 guage strings and a glass slide are a great combination). On acoustics 13s and 14s depending on the guitar. Will go with 16s on the National when I know I will be in open tuning for a bit.

Sweet job this week Zap.

I have no clue what I'm doing this weekend, perhaps a bit of shopping. Weather improving, so that's a big plus.

Not a big fan of soccer, but I always like it when the USA team wins!

I have both long scale G&Ls and several Gibsons (LP and 335 models) and Ibanez guitars with the short scale. I use the Gibsons on certain things, sometimes due to sound quality, but also because there might be a bit less "stretch" on some things.

My two big rules are that : one, 2HB guitars always have the shorter scale length with the neck pickup at the 24th fret node; and two, 9-42 gauge strings on the long-scale G&Ls and 9-46 or 10-46 on the short scale guitars.

Have a good weekend.

Bill

My typical weekend is staying home and doing whatever needs to be done. I do have to work every other Saturday morning at the garage. Tomorrow night I'm going to the races at Lakeside Speedway in Kansas City, Kansas. It's hard to believe that it will only be the second race I've been to this year. I use to attend 50+ races a year.

I haven't watched any of the World Cup. I'm not a soccer fan.

A shorter scale G&L neck offering might be interesting. I'm use to playing 25" and 25.5" scale guitars. Any scale shorter than 25" just doesn't feel right to me. I'm struggling to feel comfortable with my Larrivee, P-05 parlor model acoustic. The Larrivee has a 24" scale. I think an Asat Special with a 25" scale neck might be interesting!

Nice work this week, Ed! I'm going to try a participate a little more on the forum.

Sprinter 92

OK, let's wrap this week:

I think Soccer will eclipse baseball eventually (except perhaps in New York, Chicago, Boston and maybe another market or two) but the NFL and the NHL will be moved to up their game and will stay competitive. I think hockey will benefit greatly from its similarity to Soccer in pace and objective. I think the NBA will become more of a fickle affinity, as the move of a single player chasing money instead of the team's interest is indeed a powerful and destructive force - more than in most other sports.

Brock: Have fun on the bike. Let us know how it goes. Looks fun!

Rick: I'm with you! One day I want to hear that Grosh through the Swart. The Broadcaster as well!!! Good seeing you here!

sirmyghin: With the way those Soccer players fake getting hit, you'd think there WAS some real contact, lol! What guitar is the 25" scale? Consider sharing your recordings when you're satisfied. I'd be most interested in hearing your stuff!

zw: Thanks for the kind words. I use 11's on most of my electrics, though truth be told I'm tending toward a 10-46 set these days. I use Martin SP 12's on my acoustic. Looking forward to next week. Thanks for receiving the honor!

Tim: Say hi to -gw- for me at the Scottish Highland Games ;+) Couldn't "skirt" around that one, eh? Sounds like a blast! Seriously, call me the next time you get a Trinity in. What to tell the wife, hmmmm......... We'll deal with that later as need be.

Bill: I have a dear friend in Eugene, and things have been so gray and damp there that he's accepted a position in Austin, TX with less prestige. I'm going to go out on a limb here and suggest that you might benefit by a change in scenery, preferably for the brighter. May the sun always shine upon you, wherever you may roam! Yeah, I frequently shop on weekends too....

Sprinter: My weekends tend also to be time to catch up on things around the house and work-wise. Unfortunately, this time of year, the kids have their neighborhood swim team, which actually requires a great degree of commitment. Tomorrow (SAT) AM, we have an "Away" A-Meet and we need to be at the pool early to warm up. We need to be across town before eight. Sunday, we have a "Relay Carnival" which requires us to be somewhat farther away about an hour earlier. I hope to rest on Monday! Oh, and one day I too hope to own a parlor guitar. It just seems right for my situation...

Next two rounds are on me! G'Night! - ed

So, what are you guys up to this weekend? Doing anything special? What is a typical weekend like for you and yours?

Chilling this weekend. Typically, we're either gigging, rehearsing or gardening.

Anybody following World Cup Soccer?

Kinda sorta. My kids are grown, but they "played" soccer back in the day.

Do you think Soccer will ever rise to the popularity of Baseball and Football here in the USA?

I hope so. It's a much better game than American football. Baseball, on the the hand, will always be the "great American pastime."

Music question: I know this has been covered before, but this is something that fascinates me mostly because I don’t care about it at all: The scale of a guitar. Some guitar players voice a strong preference for 25.5 scale typical of Fender six-stringers. Others prefer the shorter 24.75 “Gibson” scale....

I like the Gibson scale. Easier to tune to pitch after re-stringing. Easier to play all night long. But that doesn't keep me from playing my Legacy all night long .

Peace...

Gdub

OK, let's wrap this week:

sirmyghin: With the way those Soccer players fake getting hit, you'd think there WAS some real contact, lol! What guitar is the 25" scale? Consider sharing your recordings when you're satisfied. I'd be most interested in hearing your stuff!

The links float around here somewhere, I'll post some when my number comes up in 2. 5 days, I think I have 5 ones that I am very happy with, there is maybe 1 or 2 I find didn't turn out. There are also some less accessible stuff. I am in the processing of remixing a bunch of it right now, due to some odd differences between forcing stereo and mixing then listening in surround. They are mostly in stereo it would lose the low end. Going to try and get that done tonight.

Great week Ed.....

Yep, I'll be tuned in tomorrow for USA-Ghana. Even skipping a chance to catch Savoy Brown at Summerfest to watch the match, but I may get down there later to see -you'll never guess- Uriah Heep! I last saw them in 1976
There was a show on public TV way back then called 'Soccer Made In Germany' that got me into the sport, and I've watched World Cups since we (USA) hosted in '94. I probably follow the EPL (English Premier League) as close as the NFL and MLB these days.

Don't currently have any short-scale geets, but have had quite a few. No real preference either way...

Stay Tuned...
BW

Great week Ed

So, what are you guys up to this weekend?
In San Fran working this week. Have work colleagues from overseas so will show typical tourist sites. Would rather be home with family.

Anybody following World Cup Soccer? Who is a fan of the sport?
A fan due to US current performance, but my son plays soccer so I follow for that reason.

Do you think Soccer will ever rise to the popularity of Baseball and Football here in the USA?
I think baseball and football (American version) will remain the most popular.

It’s just that I don’t prefer one over the other. How do you feel about this? Should G&L offer differently-scaled guitars, perhaps as an option?
They come in different scales? From my perspective no major preference, maybe because I've only owned one Les Paul and all others ASAT/tele varieties.

gw: I was getting worried about you, man. Glad to see you post. Say hi to Tim this weekend ;+) I'm still enjoying the Maggies CD's. Much appreciated. Nice change of pace from the usual. You're an excellent rhythm player, btw. I appreciate that more than lead....

Ledergeist: I've missed you too, buddy! You know that an entire continent's dreams will be crushed when the USA wins, don't you? btw, I really dig Uriah Heep. Just try NOT to smile when Easy Livin' is cranked - especially on a July Morning.

sam: Really appreciated your participation this week. Your work seems interesting. What do you do that has you entertaining foreign corporate types? Let us know where you took your guests if you get the chance.

Peace OUT! - ed