Lunch Report: Fri May 17, 2013

This lunch report is as late as my other lunch reports are usually early (it's noon on a Saturday here), so do the math and forgive me.

Yesterday's lunch was a very nice bowl of rice topped with tuna sushi, avocado and tomato with apple pie made by my wife. I really should have taken a picture of that stuff but I was busy preparing for last night's gig!

I was able to cross off all the items on the checklist in yesterday's report, except for cutting the plastic tubes to raising the bridge pickup closer to the strings for more output to drive my fuzz, but I wound up not stomping while playing the Legacy anyway. I wasn't really satisfied with the clean sound on Fly Like and Eagle and Voices Inside My Head, and regret not putting the Bill Lawrence pickups back in the guitar. However, I was too busy playing, singing, schmoozing and making sure the band stayed together to worry about little details like my guitar sound.

Not as many people showed up, and the music wasn't as inspired/inspiring as I had imagined but I was satisfied with the results for three reasons:

+I achieved my minimum goals: The band made it through two 1-hour sets, and enough guests came for me to pay them.
+I know that the results are proportionate to my efforts. I could have practiced more, invited more people and had used more effective strategies for both.
+I accepted that whatever the results would be were beyond my control at that point.

This last two pluses are probably best expressed by my ride into Tokyo. The bass player asked (ordered?) me to pick him up at his hotel, though the gig is only four subway stops away from there. After hitting traffic, driving through the narrow streets off Shibuya crawling with pedestrians, and then getting slightly lost (in spite of the new iPhone5 improved navigation app), I was starting to feel myself get pissed off at him for asking and myself for accepting. As a result, we arrived at 6:00 instead of 5:30 like I planned. If we had met at the gig, we'd have had more time to set up and rehearse. Meanwhile my old bandmates whom I invited to sit in had already arrived on time, and texted me ask where in Gotham was I?

Really though, what difference would 30 minutes have made at that point? The weather on our ride was beautiful, the bass player and I got to know each other a little better, my friends weren't upset, and the drummer and keyboard player didn't arrive until MUCH later. I realized later that it was actually easier for me NOT to get angry, or at least not enraged.

Likewise, there's so much more I could say about last night, but it's easier just to say it was fun, exiting, personally edifying and successful. One final indicator of that is driving home last night, I didn't feel any lingering disappointment like I have after most gigs over the last 7 years, and felt I really earned that beer in my fridge for a change, instead of just pouring numbness on top of numbness.

Ok, enough about last night. For today's lunch report I'd like to raise a G&L topic that's been at the back of my mind for years: How does an S-500 compare to a Legacy in terms of quality and overall as an instrument? In spite of my deep pride, loyalty and affection for my '93 Legacy, every time I see or read about an S-500, I always wonder if the more inexpensive Legacy is somehow inferior?

Non-G&L topic: What are your plans for the weekend?

aren't you a little young for an iphone? the iphone is pretty much an old people phone, and some women who are not tech savvy. the iphone navigation is still crappy compared to google maps.
have you been to the shibuya train station to see hachiko's statue? i would love to see that.

i don't see a difference between the s500 and the legacy other than the electronics.

well... my band mates always come pick me up for rehearsal and gigs... i'm living at about 10-15 minutes from the rehearsal room but i'll never walk to it in the evening with around 1 000 € on my back... anyway... no plans for the weekend, nothing to do, the weather is <censored word> and i'm in a <censored word number 2> bad mood !

ho ! i have a plan... coffee -> cigarette -> asat -> amp... !!??? damn ! i'm ampless for at least 2 months ! noooooooooo...

ok... let's go back to bed...

Had the Prime Rib Speical for lunch
There is nothing worst than getting yourself upset before a gig. Things like the bass player arriving to stoned to play or drummer arriving with a broken arm in a cast. It is best to play and make the best of it. It usually turns out ok.
I pesonally prefer the S500 over the Legacy. I like the pickups on the S500 more. All the Legacys I have played have been as high a quality as the S500 I think it's just the electronics.
Like almost every Sat.& Sun. night I'll be working.

GB, I missed lunch yesterday as I was busy with things I didn't want to interrupt until I was finished.

You survived your gig! We are lucky because we don't have some of the transportation issues that you folks have. I remember driving in Oslo a few years back. I couldn't wait to get rid of the rental car. There was no room in the streets.

I have both Legacys and the S-500. I really don't have a preference as the electronics are the difference. The question is do you prefer Alnicos or Mfds. Everyone should at least try an Asat. If I had a Legacy, i would be likely to add an Asat. I especially like the Specials.

I am gigging both tonight and tomorrow. We have a Sunday afternoon from 4 to 8 PM at the same place so we walk in and the afternoon gigs are really easy. We can pack up afterward and get home early. We will have fun and talk smart tonight at my place after the gig. Have a great weekend everyone and thanks for stepping up this week GB.-- Darwin

aren't you a little young for an iphone? the iphone is pretty much an old people phone, and some women who are not tech savvy.

Japan can be a nightmare to navigate by car even if you can read the signs, so some sort of GPS navi is indispensable. I only got an iPhone because my company was giving them away to staff so you could check your email anywhere, and participate in other business I probably shouldn't disclose here. However, I quickly took to the camera and navigation features...and the games...and music apps...and youtube once I set up wifi at home. In spite of the rumors about the crappy navigation, I'm actually impressed so far. There's a 3D mode which looks just like the graphics from Ghost in the Shell. If that fails, I also have Yahoo Maps and a dedicated (paid) car-navi app on my iPhone.

Funny about Hachiko Square is that it's such a popular landmark for meeting people, there are sometimes so many people that it's very difficult to find the person you came to meet because!

no plans for the weekend, nothing to do, the weather is <censored word> and i'm in a <censored word number 2> bad mood !
ho ! i have a plan... coffee -> cigarette -> asat -> amp... !!??? damn ! i'm ampless for at least 2 months ! noooooooooo...

ok... let's go back to bed...

Sometimes those are the best kind of weekend. Sorry to hear you've been amp-utated.

We are lucky because we don't have some of the transportation issues that you folks have. I remember driving in Oslo a few years back. I couldn't wait to get rid of the rental car. There was no room in the streets.

I am gigging both tonight and tomorrow. We have a Sunday afternoon from 4 to 8 PM at the same place so we walk in and the afternoon gigs are really easy.

Lots of streets here should be one-way, but then you see trucks trying to pass each other on them while trying to avoid hitting cyclists and parked cars.
Hope you a good weekend of gigs. Sounds blissful compared to the rush job I just completed.

Howdy:

My youngest daughter plays in a competitive soccer league, so we're "soccering" as always. This time both Saturday and Sunday we're at a Beach Soccer tournament. For those unaware, no shoes or shin pads, just special socks you wear that have a locking top so the sand doesn't get in. And you're playing on soft sand so running it definitely more difficult. But it's a smaller field of play.

Sounds great. I went to a sports festival at my son's elementary school, more cooperative than competitive. My 4-year old just started soccer. I guess I'll be doing some soccerring soon, too.

I was going to get a S500 but after reveiwing the sound clip between the Legacy and S500 I just couldn't resist the sound of the Legacy , now have had my legacy three weeks and happy with my decision .....


this weekend I'm going to get my wife a new TV for our bedroom , our old TV (just 3.5 years old) picture went out .... also going to get a camera today and hopefully be camera savvy by sunday ..lol

I was going to get a S500 but after reveiwing the sound clip between the Legacy and S500 I just couldn't resist the sound of the Legacy , now have had my legacy three weeks and happy with my decision .....


this weekend I'm going to get my wife a new TV for our bedroom , our old TV (just 3.5 years old) picture went out .... also going to get a camera today and hopefully be camera savvy by sunday ..lol

what camera are you looking at?

No real plans, hang around with the wife as work might take me out of town next week, and most of the time all summer.

I would take an S-500 over an legacy as aside from electronics they are equal, and the appeal of G&Ls, to me, is generally pickups I don't have to swap.

As far as walking / transitting to a gig / practice. Been there, done that, no problem. It wasn't 1000 on back though, it was closer to 3000. People don't tend to bother me.

this weekend I'm going to get my wife a new TV for our bedroom , our old TV (just 3.5 years old) picture went out .... also going to get a camera today and hopefully be camera savvy by sunday ..lol

what camera are you looking at?

not sure yet Louis , Nikon or Canon , I'm wanting to stay below 200.00 and prefer around 150.00 this time around ..... I want a SLR but with one kid still in college and my youngest graguating HS it will have too wait , still want a good compact camera so that when I do get a SLR it will still be useful

^

Even an entry level SLR kicks most point and shoots scare in the stones for quality. Not to mention if you go used you can get a bargain.

this weekend I'm going to get my wife a new TV for our bedroom , our old TV (just 3.5 years old) picture went out .... also going to get a camera today and hopefully be camera savvy by sunday ..lol

what camera are you looking at?

not sure yet Louis , Nikon or Canon , I'm wanting to stay below 200.00 and prefer around 150.00 this time around ..... I want a SLR but with one kid still in college and my youngest graguating HS it will have too wait , still want a good compact camera so that when I do get a SLR it will still be useful

get the panasonic lumix zs25. leica lens, 20x optical zoom, for a point and shoot it kicks the nikons and canons to the curb. sells at costco with a case and a 16 gig card for 229. full manual and full auto operation.

it looks sweet , but no one local seems to stock panasonic lumix series

it looks sweet , but no one local seems to stock panasonic lumix series

you don't have costco? sam's club?

I found a Lumix DMC-ZS19 at Target and purchased it , not quite as good a deal but it has the 20x lens with up to 40x smart capabilities , with adapter for my computor and 16 gb card it was 250.00 ..... now I have to get a photo bucket or somewhere to store picts on the net .... any suggestions ?/

thanks , Eric

I was going to get a S500 but after reveiwing the sound clip between the Legacy and S500 I just couldn't resist the sound of the Legacy , now have had my legacy three weeks and happy with my decision .....


this weekend I'm going to get my wife a new TV for our bedroom , our old TV (just 3.5 years old) picture went out .... also going to get a camera today and hopefully be camera savvy by sunday ..lol

I've never owned an S-500 but I think I get the flavour of it with my 1st style SC-3. I also have a modern Legacy. Both guitars are killer in terms of quality and sound. I might have a slight preference for the sound of the Legacy pickups, which for me nail the vintage Strat sounds of my favorite old recordings. In other words, I don't really have a similar point of reference for the "small" MFDs, thought I really do appreciate what they deliver.

Regarding the TV for the bedroom thing - good luck with that. We have enough distraction here. Recently, when I sought to make good on my husbandly duties, she asked me if if I mind if she reads!
I thought about it for a moment, and realized that I could care less.

What was I saying? - ed

A good friend of mine in the know says an early 80's S-500 is most likely his favourite G&L
Thanks for the week.
Anthony

^

Even an entry level SLR kicks most point and shoots scare in the stones for quality. Not to mention if you go used you can get a bargain.

been looking on CL for months for DSLR's , seems like they are all missing the charger or something here lately

Glad your gig went alright, nothing is ever perfect. We had a great gig last night out in the country. My pedal-board is covered with bull dust, rum and coke - literally bull dust, as the venue was outdoors in a place that is a stockyard by day! It's going to take a while to get it cleaned up, same with the amp, it'll need to be dismantled and cleaned thoroughly.