Lunch Report For Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Stayed up late tonight so I could post the lunch report early for the guys here from “down under”, so it’s going to be a “Breakfast Report” for the guys back on the Eastern Seaboard. My midnight snack was some leftover fried rice and some red grapes. The fried rice was really good, courtesy of the folks at Rice-A-Roni. I added some shrimp, bacon, peas, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, mushrooms and celery—turned out pretty yummy!

I am reminded about a Chinese restaurant that I used to entertain at. One of my perks was that I got a free meal each night. I quickly learned to not order off the menu, but I would have the cooks fix me one of the rice bowls that the kitchen staff would be eating on their dinner breaks. It would be something different each night, and always scrumptious. Ah, the good old days….

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Did something radical over the weekend. I fired my hair cutter. I’d been to her four times, and never felt like I got a decent cut. The haircut I got Saturday is about ¾” longer on my right side that the left side. And I just never bonded with the woman. I just don’t think she was capable of carrying on any sort of conversation, intelligent or otherwise.

So, I’m going to be looking for a hair cutter in a few weeks. It is driving me crazy, because I have only found one good cutter here in Portland—and she moved back to Tennessee! The woman who cut my hair when I lived in Seattle had put up with me for 20 years, so I was really spoiled.

So, who cuts your hair? Do you go to a salon or barbershop? Chain or independent? Perhaps a family member cuts it for you? Or do you just keep it shaved? Have you become a Rogaine junkie; or joined the Hair Club for Men? Are you coloring you hair, to keep the gray away?

Tell all about your hair care protocol. And I want to know if you had a mullet! Got pics of the perm you had when you were in your twenties? Man up and show off your mane!

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Who’s got a band? Are you playing out, doing gigs?

Do you go to jam sessions?

Who’s a beginner? Is your guitar music unfit for human ears? Does your dog run for cover when you get out your guitar? Is your garage or basement the only safe place where you can suffer for your art?

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Who’s got a really cool practice space or room? I don’t have a good space to practice in. I got guitars and gear all over the house, with no place that I can set it up and just go in and play. Years ago, I had a house with a great practice room in the finished basement. The space was large, and had a storage room off to the side, handy for when I needed to tidy things up for guests. But this house has an odd floor plan, IMO; and there’s just no room for me to set up and play.

So show me your practice room. (I will be envious and jealous! It’s okay…I’ll feel bad for a few moments…but…I’ll get over it. Sniff!)

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A couple of weeks ago, I spent a week back up in Seattle. I had a great time hitting up some of the guitar shops. Bellevue American Music is kinda my home store, and it was good to see the guys again. Another favorite store is A# Music Company in Renton. They carry Taylor, SCGC and Huss and Dalton acoustics; Fender, PRS and Grosh guitars; and Mesa, Fender, Orange, and Rivera amps. I was like a kid in a candy store! And I hit a couple of the area’s Guitar Center stores too. And actually, one of the coolest guitars I saw was at BAM, and it was one of the cheapest.

ESP has their handmade guitar line, but their budget line carries the LTD label. One of the LTD guitars caught my eye and it was love at first sight! The ESP LTD TE-202 is a Tele body, with a humbucker in the neck, ala the G&L Bluesboy. The finish on this LTD is a beautiful TCSB like a vintage Fender, and it has been “distressed” or reliced. Now normally, I don’t give any Tele much of a look, much less a second look; nor am I a big fan of reliced finishes. But, this guitar had the goods—it played well and sounded great. I won’t mention price, but it was in the same ballpark as the Squire Classic Vibe ’62 Telecaster Custom. I’ve been looking for a Tele, but I don’t want to tie up a lot of money in one, so this could be the guitar I’ve been looking for. I may pop for one on my next trip up to the Seattle area. And the Strat in this LTD Series is pretty cool, too!

The other one that has caught my eye was a budget Hamer with the Explorer body. I want an Explorer—but I probably wouldn’t play it much. The one I saw was affordable. Cheap even!

So, have you found any good, cheap guitars lately that blew your skirt up? Maybe you’ve seen something out of the norm for you? Perhaps something that has caused a paradigm shift in your thinking? I’m not talking about the $8,000 pearl inlaid acoustic that sounds like the voice of God—nope, I’m talking cheap thrills! I love my Gibsons, Martins and G&Ls, of course—after all, I AM a guitar snob! But I love finding a cheap guitar that really works.

Actually, I think Will Ray snaps up a lot of the cool stuff for his Premier Guitar Magazine column! I think he’s hoarding stuff—and then he writes about it to create demand and drive the prices up! He’s trying to corner the market on cheap cool guitars, and he’ll make millions! I heard he has a stash of 200 guitars. (Or was it 20,000?)

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Well, it’s late (actually it is early) and I’m going to go fall into bed. Thanks for visiting, and your participation. You did post, right?

BTW, I didn’t get back to the computer yesterday, so I will have some comments up later today on Monday’s Lunch Reports. Keep checking in.

And rest in peace, Phyllis Diller. I loved your zany comedy, and the world is a sadder place without you.

Bill

(The Truth Is Out There!)

Stayed up late tonight so I could post the lunch report early for the guys here from “down under”, so it’s going to be a “Breakfast Report” for the guys back on the Eastern Seaboard.

What a thoughtful thing to do. Never occurred to me when I did LR duties ages ago.

So, who cuts your hair? Do you go to a salon or barbershop? Chain or independent? Perhaps a family member cuts it for you? Or do you just keep it shaved? Have you become a Rogaine junkie; or joined the Hair Club for Men? Are you coloring you hair, to keep the gray away?

Tell all about your hair care protocol. And I want to know if you had a mullet! Got pics of the perm you had when you were in your twenties? Man up and show off your mane!

I gave up on beauticians and stick to the barber. Here in Michigan, it used to be that you had to have a barber's license to cut hair, and 'stylists' did the curls/perms and coloring. Then, many decades ago, we had an Attorney General whose daughter couldn't make a living as a beautician, and thought that it was unfair she couldn't cut hair as well. So, the law was changed and now we have barbers and beauticians. The barber's license requirements never changed, but the beautician's license requirements are nowhere near as stringent, or so I'm told. By my barber. Who is somewhat bitter about the whole thing.

Related observation: no matter what I tell the barber to do with my hair, it always ends up looking the exact same way. Which is fine with me, and somewhat amusing.

My hair care regimen consists of a light shampooing in the morning, towel dry, a dab of gel to keep it all in place (although it's very short and not likely to go anywhere). Been wearing my hair this way for 15 years now. No coloring/Grecian Formula/Just For Men/whatever. I prefer to age gracefully and naturally. I have noticed that my distinguished looks seem more attractive to a certain female demographic lately.

Who’s got a band? Are you playing out, doing gigs?

Do you go to jam sessions?

Not me. No. No.

Who’s a beginner? Is your guitar music unfit for human ears? Does your dog run for cover when you get out your guitar? Is your garage or basement the only safe place where you can suffer for your art?

I bought my first guitar 22 years ago. I'm still a beginner. Took lessons for several years, but nothing really seemed to 'stick' from that. According to my wife and two younger sons, I play "way too loud."

Who’s got a really cool practice space or room? I don’t have a good space to practice in. I got guitars and gear all over the house, with no place that I can set it up and just go in and play. Years ago, I had a house with a great practice room in the finished basement. The space was large, and had a storage room off to the side, handy for when I needed to tidy things up for guests. But this house has an odd floor plan, IMO; and there’s just no room for me to set up and play.

I play in the basement. I used to have guitars all over the house, but now I'm down to (uhhhhh) six. Or seven. Most of them are stored at my in-laws house for some reason, though. Guess I never got around to bringing them back home.

ESP has their handmade guitar line, but their budget line carries the LTD label. One of the LTD guitars caught my eye and it was love at first sight! The ESP LTD TE-202 is a Tele body, with a humbucker in the neck, ala the G&L Bluesboy. The finish on this LTD is a beautiful TCSB like a vintage Fender, and it has been “distressed” or reliced. Now normally, I don’t give any Tele much of a look, much less a second look; nor am I a big fan of reliced finishes. But, this guitar had the goods—it played well and sounded great. I won’t mention price, but it was in the same ballpark as the Squire Classic Vibe ’62 Telecaster Custom. I’ve been looking for a Tele, but I don’t want to tie up a lot of money in one, so this could be the guitar I’ve been looking for. I may pop for one on my next trip up to the Seattle area. And the Strat in this LTD Series is pretty cool, too!

I vacillate between utter disdain for non-USian built guitars and "ready to pull the trigger." Lately I've been enamored, once again, of those '80s JV series "Made in Japan" Fenders. I've played a few and they were fantastic; others who know better have called them 'magical.' Just can't seem to synchronize the availability of funds with the 'in the mood/frame of mind' to buy one, though.

The other one that has caught my eye was a budget Hamer with the Explorer body. I want an Explorer—but I probably wouldn’t play it much. The one I saw was affordable. Cheap even!

At the Heritage Owners Club "Parsons Street Pilgrimage" earlier this month, I played one of the other member's H-357. It's essentially a Firebird. Never having picked one up, I was expecting--from the shape alone--that it would be heavy, poorly balanced, ungainly. It wasn't. It was light, balanced perfectly and damn if it didn't have a perfect setup. I don't think it could cop the same tones as my ASAT Z-3, though.

So, have you found any good, cheap guitars lately that blew your skirt up? Maybe you’ve seen something out of the norm for you? Perhaps something that has caused a paradigm shift in your thinking? I’m not talking about the $8,000 pearl inlaid acoustic that sounds like the voice of God—nope, I’m talking cheap thrills! I love my Gibsons, Martins and G&Ls, of course—after all, I AM a guitar snob! But I love finding a cheap guitar that really works.

At the HOC PSP thing, I also noodled (acoustically) on someone's vintage ES-125T. For a 60 year old, entry-level/student-quality guitar, it was fan-freaking-tastic. For less than $1k, one of those might be the ticket. Or a cheap bass...ten years later I'm still jonesing for a good-quality, cheap bass.

And rest in peace, Phyllis Diller. I loved your zany comedy, and the world is a sadder place without you.

Bill

(The Truth Is Out There!)

Didn't know she'd passed. Lots of the celebrities of my youth are shuffling off this mortal coil. Guess that means I'm getting old. Oddly, I don't feel it. BTW, if "the truth is out there", then what do we have "in here?"

i fired my barber long ago. i do go to the local black women's hear salon to get my beard braided. i keep the grey in.

i play out, but i am not in a band. my whole living room is my practice room. about 15 guitars and 6 amps out at one time.

Hi Bill,

Last time I went to a hair dresser was in my teens, and that is a long, long time ago. Since then, my niece in the early years and then my girlfriend, now wife, would 'ambush' me and get me a haircut. Although, with the receding hairline there is less and less to maintain

I play in the band at work although due to some reconstruction we have been on hiatus for some months now. So I'm not sure whetehr it would count. Otherwise, I play with the neighbor on the porch once in a while. My wife love me noodling on the guitar so it's not too bad. But I'm certainly not a great guitar player. My practice space is slowly filling up with guitar cases, a distinct consequence of that other hobby of mine: collecting G&L ASATs. Oh well, as long as there is 9 sq ft for me to stand in.

I haven't really been playing any other guitars than those in my collection. I bet there are some amazing guitars and gear out there for little money, or some steals amongst vintage gear for that matter. But I'm just not looking. I'm just drooling over these recent G&L prototypes ....

- Jos

1) Hair cuts.. I cut my own.. Buzz cut

2) Band.. Yep, I play as well as teach.

3) Practice room.. I practice during slow times at work, so my practice room is the main showroom of the music store

4) Cheap guitars. Dillions are a great bang for the buck, I have owned several. I also own one of the LTD relic'd Strats u mentioned. Mine is Black, with a maple board and HSS config. with a Floyd.

1) Haircut - I just started going to regular guy again about 2 years ago. I went to a salon in my early 20's, by virtue of seeing the owner. In college I just shaved it with a number 2 guard or 3 on some cheep clippers every 2 weeks. Maybe that is why dates were hard to come by, then?

2) I am not even playing in, let alone out. Darn job.

3) I have a 11x12 office/practice room. My understanding is that I should consider myself lucky to have that! Actually, it works great--if my wife is upstairs I can give the tubes a little workout even if she is home and if she's not I can let it go and the neighbors don't complain.

4) I have a mexi-stat. I got it used and it's alright....

Nice to stop in...will be back soon(er).

Bill, I had lunch today and I had Pizza for dinner. Lunch was at 9:00 this morning. Not easy to keep this furnace going.

I don't have a chance to fire my barber. They all die first. The last one that died, his family left a message on his answering machine saying he was on a two week vacation. It was at least a month before I found out that he was on a forever vacation. As many of you have gathered from my photos,my cut doesn't require a lot of styling!

Yes, I am currently in a band called The Agates and we are busy most weekends. I love to gig and I hope that it doesn't become a "job". I also do work with other bands when I am available but not very often as I don't have time.

My garage is finished inside, has a gas radiant heater and it is my practice room, recording studio. It has seen a lot of action in recent years. It has seen some good recording sessions, band practice and a lot of talking smart after gigs. It has also witnessed some brew sampling. It is not easy to keep a good band together but we are enjoying this to the ultimate as we have fun and there are no egos to deal with. That is a bonus in this business.

Inexpensive guitars. I have owned some in the past and do not even own a Tribute at the moment. I will be looking at a Tribute in the future. I am very happy with the guitars I own and am not looking for more unless one grabs me. Often you get what you pay for. As an experiment, I ordered a Red Pearl Tele pickguard from China 2 weeks ago. It was $7.50 including shipping. I said to Ginny, "this is nuts, how can anyone make this and ship it from China for $7.50". It arrived today and I must say that the quality and looks and edge routing was flawless. I put it over the original pickguard and it looked very close. Bottom line is that is will be a desk ornament. The holes do not line up perfectly nor does the switch plate cutout fit. It appears that they are unable to locate holes properly, something we would take for granted. It was a cheap experiment but I got what I paid for, the price of a couple of cold ones! -- Darwin

Hey Bill,

Thanks for putting in the late hours...

I've been going to barber's since my teens in the early/mid 80's - specifically Cedar River Barbershop towards Maple Valley just SE of Renton.
DIfferent owners now but Kelly & Carl provide great service at a decent price. I'd highly recommend you pay them a visit on your next trip to Seattle.

Good cheap guitars?? - They're heaps more these days. Saw one of the vintage classic squier teles and was quite impressed but here they're not too cheap.. `$800 new. Granted gear here in NZ is about 3x the price as what's in the States... I buy strictly used tho and have found some sweet deals. My all time favourite cheap gats are Peavey Predators & Reactors - great guitars + they share some Leo-era goodness = tilt adjust & bicut necks! I recently picked one up with a HSC for $60 and tricked it out with some G&L pickups & parts. Its almost complete - want to add a DF bridge I have laying around but I need bridge saddles/post and strap buttons - hence my ads in the market place. Will post some pics in the near future.

Question... A# used to carry G&L's - do they still?

Cheers,
KF

Hey Bill,

Great stuff going this week

1) In my late teens, early twenties i was rockin hair almost down to my waist! When my girlfriend (now wife) were walking down the street people would always heckle us "Lesbians" when they saw us from behind!!!

2)The band is taking the month of August off…. we played 11 gigs in a 10 week span - its nice to spend some weekend evenings with family and friends.

3)I have been puttering all summer on converting half the garage into a teaching/guitar room. Here is a pic of it in progress….

Finishing up the in floor heat tomorrow then on to electrical….

4)I love finding cheap guitars when they are G&L's. I just can't resist. In fact i just broke my new years resolution yesterday (more on that in the Porn section soon). I really do love Godin stuff, i don't think i would call them cheap, but they are certainly a great value for the money.

Have a good night.

Scott

I don't have a chance to fire my barber. They all die first.

After years of experimentation, I have found conclusively that the relationship between 'price of haircut' and 'I look stupid' is exponential. Spend a lot, you look really stupid, spend a little and you'll look alright. I get mine cut at a place that charges $9.95 and come out looking pretty good Most I ever spent was $40 at a trendy place. Not only did I feel stupid for spending so much on a haircut, but I looked it too.

Bands: I play in two, with one we play at least every two weeks plus we do backing for other artists who need a band. The other has been more of a sometimes thing. The sometimes one is getting a makeover (at a cheap barber ), so we are meeting up every week to rehearse and find a different sound for the band, hopefully it will lead to more gigs. I love playing shows, sure it's a lot of work for little pay but its so much fun and I can almost always justify another amp or guitar purchase!

I have no cheap guitars anymore, I am a total snob . Just yesterday I got a bargain on a Weber amp kit - $270 for a tweed bandmaster (5E7) clone kit. I have a few speakers and tubes lying idly around the place, so what better way to put them to use?

Finally have a few minutes and something to contribute! Mostly I read and enjoy all your contributions to experience and knowledge of G&L and guitar related
1)Haircuts: Same barber Tony Pisano we found when we lived in Innaloo(very Australian suburb name in aboriginal means young girl) still go there since we moved away as its like a small country town atmosphere where everyone knows everyone else and is interested in how they are going. Our son still goes there despite living in various places around the metro area. Gives great male and female cuts and very consistent.
2) Bands: After teaching for about 10 years have a band with my son on drums and vocals, myself on guitar and vocals and one of my students on bass - played a few gigs in Fremantle to good reactions with another lined up in September - all original called DaDaDam (like a triplet with the second note accented)
3) Cheap guitars: I picked up as earthquake damaged tribute legacy in Christchurch New Zealand when we stayed with friends over there - helped their economy and got a nice guitar. J ust a few chips in the finish on the edge near the jack and a fair price considering I had to bring it back as slightly excess luggage to Oz.
My rule of thumb is to try a guitar I like the look of - if it sounds good acoustically and feels OK I'll plug it in- if it feels right I will then look at the price tag. If I cant afford it I put it down and walk away. If it is within feasible reach I will go through the budget and see if i can really afford it and if I really need it. I ask myself if I was given that amount of money to spend on anything is that what I would buy? If yes it gets bought, if no I leave it. That way I end up with guitars I want, need and actually use (mostly) rather than dust catchers in a stand. SO some were cheap but good value and some were as expensive as I could afford at the time.

Jeremy

Hi Bill, it's always a pleasure to see you on LR duty. And I nearly always learn something useful.

In no particular order:

Haircare: I'm not too fussy about where I get it cut. I've learned the directions by rote so I can go anywhere - number 3 clipper back and sides (number 2 for summer), thinned out on top and blended with the rest. Square cut at the back, and yeah I would like to keep the sideburns. I don't mind the grey hairs appearing, but why do they have to stick out at 90 degrees to the rest? I've invested in some hair goo to keep them in place, but the older I get the more I'm appreciating Louis' approach to hair care.

Cheap Guitars: So many, so little time. I tried some Squier Classic Vibes and felt dirty for wanting one (or 3). One day I may break down and walk out with a double bound tele. They were all really well put together, even the pickups didn't suck. But they're 2x more expensive here than in the US, and I'd rather get a used USA G&L or Tribby. I'm also a sucker for '80s Japanese stuff. The pickups are often the weak link, but the rest of the guitar is usually very good to exceptional.

Gigging: In my dreams.

Practice Space: I've finally stopped my basement from flooding, so the plan this summer is to put down some soft flooring, install some sound reduction insulation and enjoy my musical oasis.

Looking forward to the rest of the week.

Playing a little catch-up…

Dick: I really like Gibsons, and I would love to have a Firebird. Firebirds and Explorers are actually pretty comfortable to play when standing. But, I’m so locked into my Legacys and Les Pauls, I’m not sure how much I would play it. I’m sure that Heritage was sweet. The Gibson ES-225T was a really popular guitar that many young guitarists used to play dances back at my high school dances in the 1960’s. Those old P-90 arch-tops are a blast.


Louis: I was wondering how you did the braiding. That would never work for me, because I don’t have the patience, but it looks good on you.


Jos: I hear you about receding hairlines—I have my father’s widow’s peaks. My hair is starting to disappear about as fast as the Brazilian Rainforest! And those prototypes—I want that Dusty Rose Legacy SO BAD!


Tim: Could those National repros have been made by Eastwood? I was looking at one of their ads in the Vintage Guitar Magazine—talk about a ’60 flashback! And I love my DanElectro Innuendo 12-strings! They sound so good—they’re what got me thinking that a Comanche XII would be such a great product. And Tim, you have been missed! Welcome home.


Slick: I haven’t seen any Dillon guitars; I’ll have to check them out. Glad you like your LTD Strat. I’m obviously set with my Legacys, but at that price, they are very tempting.


Sickbutnottired: You sound very blessed to have a great room! I’m jealous.


Darwin: Too back about the pickguard, but it was worth a try. Oh, and remind me to never become your hair cutter!!!! How strange!


KF: I know that barbershop!!! When I was a kid in the mid-1960s we lived in a house back in the Maplewood Golf Course property. I have several good friends that live out in the Maple Valley area. I used to entertain at clubs in Renton and Maple Valley, and my sister lives up off Talbot Road. Before I came to Portland, I briefly lived up in the Renton Highlands. Unfortunately, A# doesn’t carry G&L anymore—wish they did. I owned a Peavey guitar for a while back around 1990. That was a really good value, and very well made. I think it was a Horizon II—sort of Strat with a Gibson-scale neck (which didn’t work for me). I like a lot of their ‘80s guitars.


Scott: Yeah, a cheap G&L is like hitting the Lotto! Just missed one, a Legacy Special that was up in Seattle last weekend. I bought a used Legacy two years ago that was really messed up with a horrible setup for $400, and it has become one of my favorite guitars. SWEET! Your new space looks like it has a lot of potential.


Jaime: I really wish I was doing more gigs, but my band has slowed down. My chops get so much better when I’m playing gigs. Cheap amps are good too! One of my best deals EVAH was a hang-tag new Fender Super Champ with the EV speaker that I bought from a guy for $65. He was going through a divorce, getting out of the biz. That was back around 1990, and it started me back on the road to tube amps after years of playing solid-state. Wish I still had it.


Jeremy: That’s really cool that you have a band with your son! I bet he keeps you on your toes. I like your philosophy on buying. There’s a lot of stuff I’d like to have that I don’t buy, simply because I know I wouldn’t use it very much. But I still want it! LOL!


Philby: I’ve noticed my gray hairs seem to make themselves more noticeable than I want, too! That double bound ’62 Squire Classic Vibe Tele is a pretty cool guitar for the money—several hundred less than a Tribute—though the Tribute is a much nicer guitar. I have several MIK Ibanez instruments, including a pair of rare GR-520 Ghostrider solid bodies. They are excellently made, pro quality in my book. Some of the 70’s Japanese models are really desirable, especially the “lawsuit” models.

Thank you all for chiming in!

Bill