Lunch Report - Thursday March 3rd

[astutzmann]

Winding down. Thanks to SouthpawGuy who will be the LR next week!

I guess my meeting with my partner yesterday was a great thing, we were awarded a contract to do a 7.5 KW Solar PV system on a house in Port Colbourne, Ontario, wahoo. Planning for that starts today! Installation begins in May.

I better get my partscaster done by then!

LUNCH

As my lovely wife has reminded me, I need to lose about 20+, so no breakfast today and lunch will be a stuffed chicken breast and salad.

G&L QUESTION

Currently I have the 2008 ASAT Classic Bluesboy, the 2009 Legacy and a 2011 ASAT Classic Special Deluxe on order. Stupid me is already thinking, what's next.

As far as tonal qualities go, I think I will have a lot of the bases covered.

In premier guitar magazine, they asked a guitarist to create a set of guitars that would have all the major tonal qualities covered and he had 7 must haves in the set.

Here's the article: http://digital.premierguitar.com/premie ... 103_1#pg40 Would be a good debate to challenge his picks, hmmmm.

So, question is, what in the G&L line am I missing to provide a different tonal experience? I am assuming an S-500 would be one I would think about, but what others? A dual HB, rampage, what?


NON G&L QUESTION

Two Questions today,

First, about orientation. Being a lefty, it always interests me what orientation a person is. For example, I have all my life been totally 100% left sided, left handed, left footed, etc.

I was asked recently, why I wear my watch on my right arm and my answer was that at 10 years old, my first watch had a strap and I couldn't do it up with my right hand on left arm, so I switched.

I do everything lefty, except.............for some unknown reason, I play hockey right handed, golf right handed and at baseball, I could switch hit. When I started the guitar adventure 4 years ago, I guess I could have bought a right hander and learned that way, but there was no question in my mind that I would go out and buy a lefty. So, what orientation are you and how does it effect other things in your life, like golf, etc? (I read recently that Jimi Hendricks was right handed and wanted THAT hand on the fretboard, which is why he learned to play lefty)

Second, just curious how many of us still take regular lessons? I go every two weeks for an hour to a wonderful guitar teacher. He challenges me every time with a new tune that I have to learn, I try to play it in the first hour as we go thru it and then the second half is learning some theory and a new tune. Currently I am learning a song called Alka Selzer, aka Brian Selzer style, its perfect for the Duese and is vey tough being a grade 5 lesson. Without this constant challenge, I think I would just play the same old stuff over and over again. Now, when I go back and play the stuff he gave me years ago, its much easier, ahhhhhhh progress.

[zombywoof]

I ain't a tone hound so have no sage advice to offer on tone.

Orientation - nothing comnes to mind.

In the lessons categpory - I have been playing over 50 years and have never had lessons. My teachers were a transistor radio and records. All of my bad habits are so ingrained it would probably be pointless to start at this late stage.

[yowhatsshakin]

Hi Alf,

Glad you already found your successor as LR. You can indeed stop worrying now

It is hard to advice you on what G&L would be a must have beyond your nice triplet. Yes, an S-500 would be nice or an F-100. For both of these models trying to get yourself a Leo-era exemplar would even be better. For me, getting a Leo-era, maple bodied ASAT III was an ear opener. Incredible versatile guitar and currently my favorite.

Thanks for the article. The guy makes a lot of sense in his choices. I would certainly have (and do) a T-style, S-style, and maple capped hog body in my arsenal. In my case, the former 2 are G&L's, but I'm certainly with him on the PRS as an absolute workhorse of a guitar. I'd say the same about my Artist II, still with 5-position rotary switch. To have some semi-hollow kind of box is good too. I'd still like to get my hands on a White Falcon. To have a couple of 'other' sounding guitars makes more sense for a studio cat than for a closet rocker like me. But to have an Airline, baritone, and/or sitar guitar is just fun too. I always have to remind myself that for studio and touring musicians. instruments are their tools. Difference is, for them it is a tax deduction too

I'm a righty, play soccer with both legs. Never had lessons and sometimes I regret that. Progress would indeed been faster. Oh well, nobody is complaining here at home ...

- Jos

[sam]

Hey Alf,

For different experience I would suggest an ASAT Z3 SH (personal fave) or a Studio VI - for all the switches!

I am a righty all the way .

Lessons, took some as a kid and started some on-line last year for a few months that I like but travel and other circumstances kept me away, plan top start again asap.

[Philby]

Hi Alf,

Congratulations on the solar contract. Now all you gotta do is get you some sun!

As far as guitar tone options go, I've got single coil T and S type guitars well covered. I also have a semi-hollow jazz box for more mellow stuff. The gaping hole IMHO is lack of an SG or LP type rock 'n' roll machine. I've tried many Gibsons and don't like the feel of any of them which is a shame because I like the idea of having one in the rack. I figure the right one will find me one day, and it'll probably be something I've not considered like a Jap made Gibson copy or Gretsch Electromatic.

When it comes to left or right, I am seriously screwed up. I suspect I am naturally left handed like my father, but through persistent instruction I have been taught to write with my right hand and play guitar right handed. Dad always said you'll never find decent instruments if you're a lefty so he always turned me around to play right handed. I kick with my left foot, bat left handed, but throw and play tennis with my right. I've never been a 'fast' guitarist because all the dexterity is in my wrong hand.

I took a lot of piano lessons when I was a teenager. It was a good education about music theory, but didn't help much on guitar where licks 'n' tricks are probably more important. I do tend to enjoy listening to the playing of self taught guitarists more. They have an individuality and voice that can often be trained away by too much instruction.

[darwinohm]

I was getting ready to reply Alf, and I read Philbys post and his story is my story on left and right. I am also left handed but play guitar right handed. I also thought I had a hole and bought a Gibson LP. It is now history, but I do have a couple of fine Gretsches and I have a Hamer that will cover the LP if I had to. I have always been a strat type guy but an interesting thing is happening and I am gravitating to T type guitars. I like a trem and I would get the DF if I bought a t type G&L. However the next t type that I end up with is going to get a Jazzmaster Trem installed no matter what brand of guitar.

I studied music in college. Theory is a good thing to have. I do not play guitar as a sight reader and ear/ listening is my vice. Sight reading would be great but I have seem many sight readers who do not have the expression in their music. Some of the best are studio musicians and many of them sight read and many can really cook. It is fun to see these guys do their warm ups which are almost meltdowns and then settle into more mundane stuff while recording.

Great week Alf and I am looking forward to Southpaw next week. Just by looking at his guitars and pooch, he has to be a class act!! -- Darwin

[Philby]

I was getting ready to reply Alf, and I read Philbys post and his story is my story on left and right.

Darwin, maybe our muddled up brains cause us to like red guitars above all others?

[blargfromouterspace]

The G&L gap: Looks like you only need a twin humbucker guitar. I don't have one of them either. but whenever I play a guitar with a bridge humbucker I feel unsatisfied. I need the extra brightness and spank of the single coil. I love humbuckers in the neck position, making the Bluesboy my all time favourite guitar. There's nothing I don't use it for. It's a semi hollow one, so I get a bit more air in the sounds which is perfect for jazz and rock 'n' roll tones. If I were to get a twin humbucker guitar I'd take a chance on an F100. I'd love to try the MFD humbuckers. And you can order them with bound bodies......

I nearly pulled the trigger on one of these the other day, which would have filled the gap in my guitarsenal I have intended to fill with an ASAT Special. So I backed away......


Oreinatation: I do everything right handed except eating. I hold my cutlery back to front, with the knife in my left hand. I don't know how I picked that up, but as a child I remember having great difficulty holding a knife with my right hand, and consequently only ate food I could cut with the sided of my fork/spoon.

I haven't taken lessons for a long long time. I had a few when I was 14 or 15, but stopped. Every now and then I see a guitarist who is so good that I approach and ask about getting a lesson. I get their phone numbers but never get around to the lessons.

[cmguitar]

Alf,
I don't own a HH guitar I got 2 HSS guitars a USA Fender and a GTX pawn shop special I rebuilt.
I used to be a humbucker guy. Not anymore. I am a single coil guy now.
I can't think of a guitar G&L could build that is any tonal different than what they have now. Well maybe bring back the ASAT '50.

I took lessons as a kid I lost interest in a teacher telling me how to do it.
Now I have considered a instructor on giving me a kick start or a different perspective on what I am doing or not doing. Something to help the gray matter kick in.

On yesterdays question. I do all my set up. If I have something major like I have a old Gibson flattop I need to get the binding repaired - I will carry that to a repair shop.

Chet