Thursday 7/19/2012 Lunch Report

Heat:

Today's temperature in Northwest Missouri was 102 degrees. I've been doing a lot of A/C system repairs at the garage this week.

Lunch:

Today's lunch was at the local Chinese Buffet. For a small town we have a very good Chinese place!

Guitars:

What is the next guitar, bass or amp on your wish list?

Cars:

What's your opinion on hybrid vehicles?

Random race car photos:

This car was built by the Chevrolet brothers and driven by Louis Chevrolet at the Indianapolis 500 around 1920.







All three cars above are at the Museum of American Speed located at Speedway Motors in Lincoln, Nebraska. If you're ever in the Lincoln, NE area I highly recommend this museum.




Sprinter 92

Today's temperature in Northwest Missouri was 102 degrees.

I have no idea what the DC temperature was. I decided to work through lunch rather than stepping outside. The prospect of heat had a lot to do with that decision.

What is the next guitar, bass or amp on your wish list?

I never really plan them out, but I generally have a list in mind of what I am on the lookout for next. I'm trying to keep it to one per model (not that I wouldn't jump on another SC-1 or original SC-2 at the right price). The wish list includes a G-200 (which I realistically have no hope of finding at an affordable price), an ASAT Bass or a Climax Bass. I am also eagerly awaiting the final design for the GbL LE-2.

What's your opinion on hybrid vehicles?

I like the idea, but my experience driving a couple has left me wishing they drove differently. The lack of any sort of audible or tactile feedback from an engine has been impossible to get used to.

Ken

San Jose, CA (Northern Calif) temp was a high of 75.
We just got to our second home in Paso Robles, CA (Central Calif) and it currently is 79 (the high was 91).

I recently got my next G&L about a month ago, the 2012 Special Collection ASAT Classic S shown in G&L's Ad and was the first one built. I absolutely love the
Nearly Naked finish!

When I not driving my 2008 Corvette, I drive my 2005 Toyota Prius. I've got 122K miles on the Prius and have not had
to change the brake pads yet, they are still within spec. I cruise around 75-80 mph back and forth to Paso Robles
and still get an average of 44.6 MPG. I've only had to have the conventional battery replaced once (at 33K miles) and have
had a couple of recall services done. I do follow the manufacturer maintenance recommendations. I am very happy with the
Prius. I am even happier with the Vette.

I happen to have a picture of all three:

today it was high 80's. not bad for this time of the year.

next purchase on the wishlist is a two rock custom reverb signature v3 50watt amp.
i also need to finish about 4 guitars that are sitting here waiting to be done in different stages of construction.
still looking for a deal on a comache or s500 and i still want



i like hybrids, really like the idea of the plug in prius. unlikely that i would get one as i like to drive cheap cars.

Lunch today was curry laksa, which IMO is one of the worlds top 10 dishes.

I love motor museums, its been far too long since I was at one. I'm going to a vintage machinery show and tractor pull in a small, far away town in September that I'm really looking forward to.

Hybrids are a nice step. I'm very interested in hydrogen power. There were a few buses in my hometown that ran on hydrogen and I've seen nothing since I left there 4 years ago.

Next guitar will be a full custom built something, or the GbL LE-2 if I like the final specs enough The full custom route is full of tough decisions! Next amp will most likely be a tweed bandmaster/super clone or an MI Audio Iron Duke. Or maybe a JTM45 style thing.

finally the heat broke yesterday and it was a comfortable 75 degrees.

When my wife wanted a new car a couple of years ago, she wanted a hybrid so we checked them out. I just couldn't justify the extra cost for a hybrid in canada. So, we wound up with a 2009 Jetta Diesel. 55 mpg and over 500 miles on a tank. Love it.

I have 2 wishes for my next guitars, first the GbL custom that is being design, but I think I also want a 335 style guitar, maybe a Heritage 555.

heat.. you have sunshine!! we have had rain ALL summer!....
for a next guitar I'd love a USA built ASAT Classic.. I recenty got my first tribute classic and absolutely love it... but now I'm longing for the real deal! Blonde with white PG please
The car ne is difficult... i drove a company car for 25years so didnt pay any attention to cars or have a want list!!! but now i run my own and love my BMW 520i tourer........... maybe an old VW Camper?

john

Heat:

Tell me about it...

Lunch:

I made a tomato-braised pork tenderloin with cilantro, jalapeno & smokey garlic over rice. Got my cookin' on...

Guitars: What is the next guitar, bass or amp on your wish list?

GbL-2 and/or a Legacy Special.

Cars: What's your opinion on hybrid vehicles?

Anything that helps, helps. However, I've heard of EMT's getting shocked by them when assisting in auto accidents...


Cheers,

Will

So, we wound up with a 2009 Jetta Diesel. 55 mpg and over 500 miles on a tank.

Alf,

I had to replace my Subaru last year and went with the Jetta diesel wagon. I love it. Most of my driving is in fairly heavy traffic, but I still manage to get over 40 mpg. It was closer to 45 before I put roof racks on.

Which model do you have?

Ken

we have a 2009 Jetta Diesel Comfortline. I bought it when the 2010s were already out and had to find one. This one was sitting in a dealership about 2 hours away, but we called them and bought it on the spot.

So it has leather etc, but no nav or anything like that.

My wife loves it! We have driven it from canada to florida a number of times and get there in just over 2 tanks of gas, amazing!

Alf,

That must be a model we don't have in the US. This one is our third Jetta, and our second one with a diesel. My first got me well over 200K miles, and the second (our other diesel) was still running strong at over 100K when we sold it last year. We didn't even have to list it for sale. We just mentioned it to a couple of neighbors, and within an hour people were calling about it. We sold it to somebody who worked in a pub, and I believe it is now running on used French fry grease.

I'm hoping for at least 250K miles out of this one.

Ken

It's cooled off here in Western NY and has been raining for two days, The rain is too little, too late for some of the local farmers.

I've got enough guitars, I've been looking on the bay for a Fuchs Lucky 7

I wouldn't be caught dead in a hybrid!


Gary

I too have enough guitars. 3 S-500s. Need no more.

Hybrid are a bad idea. Let's say you get into an accident. The hybrids are designed to be light, which means, not much protection. Better off with a accident in a vehicle that get 12 miles to the gallon. How much did you save by having a life time worth of back problems?

Ok, you save $ on gas. You most certainly did not save the environment. Those batteries are made overseas in some very harsh environments that would not be legal in the US.

Just had a peppered turkey sandwich on potato bread and a glass of water.....not too exciting.

I think the next guitar/amp on my wish list would be a Korina ASAT Classic S. Although I would really dig a ASAT Special Deluxe with a Korina body or the prototype ASAT Deluxe Semi-hollow Korina. Or.....well I could go on for ever! But it seems I got a thing for Korina.

As far as hybrids, not to hip on the price/mpg thing. I just bought a 2012 Corolla and around town I'm getting 34mpg on the highway it's 40mpg. The price of a hybrid and the potential service/repair on such a complex system kept me from going the hybrid route. The big sticker price difference, the service/repair bills and the couple of mpg bump I would get just didn't seem to justify me buying one.

Hey Sprinter -

My next G&L will likely be a humbucker-equipped Legacy. Though I clearly don't need any more instruments, my dreams alternate back and forth between a HB, 2HB or Special model (hard-tail preferred). If anybody here has any helpful insights, I'd be most appreciative.

Regarding Hybrid vehicles, I'm interested but like our friend Sean, the complexity of the system(s) - as well as the extra expense - are matters of some concern. But like I said earlier in the week, one of my dream vehicles is a hybrid Lexus RX SUV hybrid. My wife currently owns a (non-hybrid) RX 300 from 2004 (which she bought used), and it's just a great, great vehicle.
- ed