Lunch Report For Thursday, August 23, 2012

I’m a little late getting the Lunch Report up; I hope you don’t mind. Yesterday turned out to be a weird day—affecting today. And staying up into the wee hours to post the LR has got me a little out of sync. So I’m hoping to get back on track today.

It would help if I was feeling better. I'm still sore after I took a fall two weeks ago in my home’s entryway, the night after I got home from my Seattle trip. The Seattle trip turned into a big Portland “trip”, as somehow I got my feet tangled up and went down on the concrete. It seemed to happen in slo-mo; fortunately I got my arm up to break my fall and save my face before it hit. Banged up my right knee pretty good, and I got some road rash on my forearm along with some other bumps and bruises, but I’m very lucky I didn’t break my damn neck. It’s a lot of mass hitting the pavement and it could have been worse. The USGS said it only measured 2.4 on the Richter scale.

The good news was two-fold: I wasn’t carrying my guitar when I fell AND…I got a score of 9.78 from the Romanian women’s gymnastics judge!

Yep, could have been much worse—the whole splat could have wound up going viral on You Tube!

Not sure what I’m having for lunch today, but I’m sucking down some coffee and a croissant while I’m typing this. I’ve been craving tuna, so maybe a good tuna salad sandwich lies in my future.

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Speaking of the future, anybody read their daily horoscope? I don’t take much stock in it, but I have to admit that I often read the one in the paper. I’m a Libra.

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You can get an app for your smart phone to give you your horoscope. Nowadays you can an app for just about anything. Got any favorite apps for your phone?

The one I have that I use the most is a free Craigslist app. I search the Seattle-Portland-Eugene area for Mesa, Gibson, G&L, Martin, etc., and it loads the ads into my phone as they come up on Craigslist. I also use the gStrings guitar tuner app. It’s really handy when I’m checking out a guitar at the store. I use it at home a lot too. Miss Leslie has a similar app on her phone that checks the Craigslist ads and tells her where all the garage sales are. Finally, there’s a game called Memory, that is kinda like the old “Concentration” tv show—finding two squares that match up. It’s really a kid’s game but I’m hoping that it will help with my memory and hold off the senility for a while. Knock on wood!

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Of course, lots of folks with smart phones use them as MP3 players. I’m not really smart enough to handle the MP3s, so I still use CDs for my music source. And I did something the other day that I have never done before: I ordered one of the Time-Life music collections. This one is the Singer-Songwriters of the rock era. It was a pretty good chunk of change, but should be good, and fill in some of the gaps that I have in my music collection.

When I want to learn songs, I have a Tascam CD-1 guitar trainer that allows me to plug my guitar in, get some effects and listen to a CD. I can slow the CD down without changing the pitch and loop various sections. Pretty cool gizmo, and makes learning licks and music much easier than it used to be, “back in the day.”

So MP3, CDs, tape or vinyl? Or is there some new technology I’m not aware of?

Another thing I find useful for learning songs is You Tube, a DVR, and concert video. Sometimes a song will have me scratching my head, but if I can SEE it, it really helps my understanding.

Do you have a process for learning new songs? What gear do you use to accomplish you goals? How many songs have you learned over that last few months? Working on anything now? Writing anything?

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Having a bit of a problem coming up with a G&L topic today, so I’m going to post a picture that caused a bit of controversy last time I posted it. Here’s a pic of my Tobacco Sunburst Comanche and my 3CSB S-500 that I call “Mom”. Now “Mom” is obviously ash, but some folks thought I was crazy in stating that the Comanche was also ash. I did a little more investigating and it turns out I was right; the body is ash. I don’t know what the technical terms are exactly, but I think the S-500 is flat-sawn and the Comanche is not. There is some typical ash flame under the guard that is also visible on a small section of the back. The body is at least two pieces and probably three, but it is very well-matched. I love the color of this guitar, too.






Ash or alder doesn’t really matter much to me. I do hear a difference. There is one song my band plays that I prefer using an alder Legacy on, because it has a slightly more open, airier tone than ash; which is what this song needs. (I’d do that part on an acoustic if I had two more arms!)

Ash, alder, maple, mahogany—which do you prefer?


And here's some porn of two of my favorite blondes and a redhead. The redhead is a alder Legacy in the Fullerton Red and cream parts with a GOT neck. The Butterscotch Blonde in the middle is a Legacy Special in ash, pearl guard, a heavy birdseye GOT neck and a delightful ebony fingerboard. The Transparent Blonde Legacy on the left is also ash. I've added some gold parts to make her look more like a Fender "Mary Kaye", which is one of my favorite color schemes. The pickups are Seymour Duncan Texas Hot Antiquitys. I really like these pickups, but I love the standard Legacy pickups for what they do, too. The Antiquitys have a slightly thicker tone than the stock pickups, and they really sing.








Again, thanks for posting. And don’t forget, we need someone to step up and commit to doing the Lunch Report next week.

C’mon! I double dawg dare ya!

Bill

BoogieBill you have a guitar for every occasion.
Which one do you play when you are naked?

Edit: play

Last edited by meowmix on Thu Aug 23, 2012 5:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.

BoogieBill you have a guitar for every occasion.
Which one do you plan when you are naked?

That's a very good question, and I'm glad you asked!

Usually, if I WANT to get naked, I would probably pick up one of my Martin acoustics, and sing sweetly into the ear of some beautiful nymphette in the hopes of getting lucky.

If I actually DO get naked with said nymphette, then I am happy to put my guitar down and let her solo on my organ!

Now you know how a true professional handles these sometimes tricky situations.

Bill

Last edited by Boogie Bill on Thu Aug 23, 2012 5:51 pm, edited 1 time in total.

i use mp3's, but i use cd's for serious listening. mp3's are nowhere near the sound quality.

i have never heard a decent explanation that makes sense as far as how horoscopes work. how does the period of the year you are born in have any bearing on personality? especially that since the earth's axis has tilted, the traditional dates no longer line up, the signs are moved over almost a whole cycle, so you are really no longer a libra by your birth date.

i love that transparent blonde legacy. beautiful.

i love that transparent blonde legacy. beautiful.

Thank you! That guitar is one of my favorites.

Bill

Great batch of guitars!

Y2kc

Bill, good topics today. I had a great bowl of chili for lunch.

Glad to hear you are recovering okay from the fall. I have fallen several times but am lucky and am still quite flexible and heal quickly. I tripped over the monitor at our last gig and everyone was worried but me. It didn't slow me down.

I don't do horoscopes and have no idea what I am, nor do I do phone apps. Jeez, am I boring or what?

I use u-tube when I need to learn a song or I'll down load it from I-Tunes. For $1.29 you can't go wrong. In our band, we all learn songs on our own and have them ready when we gig. It sure cuts down on practice time together.

Nice bunch of guitars. I remember the discussion on your Comanche and I would still say it is alder but who am I to know. Your Legacys are really neat. I was always a Strat/Legacy guy but have gravitated to ASATS more now. Especially with the belly cut. I also like them light. Age does that to us. Good day-- Darwin

Hey Bill. Glad you're okay post-tumble.

Love Mary Kaye. Maybe you can get the DF electroplated in gold. That would put her over the top (though I'm certain she's just wonderful down under!).

I'm surprised Darwin hasn't made you an offer or three on the red one. Or maybe he has.

Have not learned anything new lately, though I find that during the organ solo, it can be fun to follow her "lead" in search of a perfect harmony - if you get my drift!

Body woods: Maple with MFDs. 'Nuff said! I'm coming 'round to preferring Alder to Ash for single coil applications. Korina for humbuckers.

Horoscopes: Voodoo Doo-doo.

Tuna salad sound great right now. Ah, the power of suggestion! - ed

Hey Bill. Glad you're okay post-tumble.

Love Mary Kaye. Maybe you can get the DF electroplated in gold. That would put her over the top (though I'm certain she's just wonderful down under!).

I'm surprised Darwin hasn't made you an offer or three on the red one. Or maybe he has.

Have not learned anything new lately, though I find that during the organ solo, it can be fun to follow her "lead" in search of a perfect harmony - if you get my drift!

Body woods: Maple with MFDs. 'Nuff said! I'm coming 'round to preferring Alder to Ash for single coil applications. Korina for humbuckers.

Horoscopes: Voodoo Doo-doo.

Tuna salad sound great right now. Ah, the power of suggestion! - ed

I'm with ed except I had taco salad. Otherwise the post would be pretty much the same ...
- Jos

So MP3, CDs, tape or vinyl? Or is there some new technology I’m not aware of?

There's the UPnP (DLNA) network standard. It lets you keep a single small server (a glorified USB hard drive that connects to a home network) that kicks out MP3 (or other formats... ...hopefully your players support them) to all kinds of players in the house. A Sony PS3 plays music this way, as do a ton of small boxes and some TVs these days as well. It's really convenient in a house.

So MP3, CDs, tape or vinyl? Or is there some new technology I’m not aware of?

There's the UPnP (DLNA) network standard. It lets you keep a single small server (a glorified USB hard drive that connects to a home network) that kicks out MP3 (or other formats... ...hopefully your players support them) to all kinds of players in the house. A Sony PS3 plays music this way, as do a ton of small boxes and some TVs these days as well. It's really convenient in a house.

you don't mind the lower quality in the house?

you don't mind the lower quality in the house?

It's there, but for the most part, no. I still have CDs as source most of time (higher quality + backup). I'll encode at 320 and that's helpful. I'd like to run FLAC but my current server doesn't do that, and the clients may or may not (haven't looked).

If I want higher quality, I can fish out the source CD (if I can find it). If it's something new I really care about, I'll have a CD and play that.

Some of the playback equipment around here is iffy too.

-Brock

Hey Bill,

Playing catch up today...

Sad to hear about your fall - hope you're on the mend. If you're not already familiar with arnica cream to may want to give that a try.

Nice lookiing gats! Esp dig the sunbursts.

I prefer ash & maple - light or heavy I find both woods sounds pretty Fab and tend to be very resonant.

I find Astrology and Numerology useful tools and very helpful in understanding myself and others. There's all different types based on different belief systems. One of my favourite numerology books - is The LIfe You Were Born to Live by Dan Miliman.

Louis - you may (or not) find this guy's theory on Astrology interesting - http://www.mauricecotterell.com/

I'm old school - still listen to CD's and pick them up used for $1 or two. I ditched my ipod after the battery died. I dig vinyl but can't be bothered to use/have a duplicate system.
Re vinyl - I miss the album cover art and liner notes... lost art IMO literally...
I have a BOSS Loop station I use for a recording scratch pad and I still use audio cassette tapes on my tascam porta studio.
At some point I'm sure I'll get with the '90's and start using a recording software...

Cheers,
KF

KF, that guy writes fiction, comedy at that. it is very funny, i was laughing hysterically. jos needs to see that.

Bill, too bad with the fall, at least you are still kicking though.

No horoscopes, no smartphones. Hell I don't have a cell phone of any variety (go team). I still keep cd's and do not buy digital but most of my listening is MP3's. Being as I travel damn near constantly on airplanes not much choice in the matter.

The term you are likely looking for is quarter sawn. It is a method that yeilds less wood from a log, but has a more aligned grain and is 'stronger' in that direction. Your comanche is likely quarter sawn ash, giving the orientation of the grain. Here is a little diagram that shows how it works. Quarter sawn is a compromise on rift sawn in that it cuts close but not exactly at 90 degrees to the grain.

Body woods is an interesting subject. My overall opinion is miniscule difference/I don't care. If I can connect with an instrument mentally, mostly a comfort/playability thing, then chances are I can make it sound like whatever I need. Consequently I tend to choose them based on aesthetics. I don't really seek instruments for a 'sound' so much as a type (S-S-S, H-H, etc) and as long as the craftsmanship is up to par I take the instruments 'sound', and work with it in a complimentary way. So I don't go to the instrument and demand what I want, I take it for what it is and exploit it.

Louis - Ha!