Lunch report: 2011-06-15 (Wednesday)

[Brock]

It'll be short today. But hey, no frozen burritos!

Lunch:
Los Betos Mexican Restaurant (Fairview location) three enchilada plate. Two beef, one chicken. The chicken is still a leftover. I also ate a ton of the spicy carrots. I love those. Make carrots hang out with peppers and onions, and they get some tasty 'tude. Had Brooke Bond Taj Mahal tea I brewed to go with it once I got back to the jeep.

G&L:
Question: Is there any non-factory string configuration G&L you'd like. Please elaborate.

I'd like to have an 8 string bass (octave pairs) but would actually prefer a 4 string guitar (eadg) I think if I had to decide. Tough choice. I already have a USA Hamer 8 string bass, but no awesome 4 string guitar. The TV Cycle theme song guitar is a Danelectro Mod 7 seven string (pictured below) that I removed every other tuner and bridge saddle from. It's a bit wide in the neck (I may move it to an 8 string in the future) but it works.



Video:
This is the second episode of TV Cycle. It's a really neat ride. If I were editing this today, I'd add some gamma correction to the rider view. That said, I like this episode for a variety of reasons.
1. It's a really neat ride. One I didn't sufficiently appreciate until I watched the video. The best TV Cycle episodes so far involve the Greenbelt and the Schwinn, since it has the best mounts and a springer front fork.
2. I also didn't realize how much I flex the frame on that 1995 Taiwanese Schwinn. Take a look at that bottom right camera view right before the rail bridge, for example. Flex, flex, flex!

[youtube]E3TY4htISmo[/youtube]

The biggest disappointment I've had from TV Cycle so far is I've learned the host (me) is even fatter and more of a dork than I ever thought. I like the shows much more than I like seeing that host guy from TV Cycle.

Outside:
I'm in outdoor office mode today. I normally do this with a laptop and an external monitor. Today I'm actually running my whole workstation (well, I don't have the second box and the ABY switch, but anyway...) outside. Three LCD monitors (1600x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1080), and a older Lenovo AMD Athlon 64 bit X2 mini-tower. Instead of the Logitech speakers with the subwoofer, I'm "roughing it" with some Hot Wheels desktop speakers. Thanks to the 100ft Cat5 cable I just bought yesterday, I have non-wireless internet out here. Ah, the glory of the great outdoors.

Question: Do you use computers outside much?
I try to, anyway.

Music:
My favorite singer/songwriter (AKA dude or dudette with an acoustic guitar) is Wall Pleasant. Here some choice live Wally:
[youtube]dagYABSpit0[/youtube]

Wally's "Songs About Stuff" is a favorite CD. The later release "Hoedown" has its moments early on with songs like "Two for One Coupon":
http://www.wallypleasant.com/Wally_Plea ... Coupon.mp3

More tomorrow.

[Boogie Bill]

Taylor is having some success with there new Baritones--one a 6-string and the other an eight stringer. They sound good and it is an interesting concept.

The only thing I would have G&L do is a 12-string. My idea would be to base it on a hardtail Comanche--three z-coils and PTB, 5-way and sweet switch. I'd want at least a 1-3/4" neck with a 12" radius, perhaps with options for 1-11/16" and 1-7/8". Grover minis for the headstock should be easy enough, though there might be some other options. Some kind of lightweight locking tuner would be heaven. If you could get the street price in at about $1500, I think they would sell a BUNCH of these. There simply isn't any competition at that price for a top-notch quality 12-string. Sure, there is Ric; but most players are turned off by their ridiculously narrow necks. Taylor's T-5 12-string has been very successful for them, but it's more of a acoustic/electric crossover--it certainly doesn't have the tonal capabilities that a three-pickup, solidbody 12-string would have. And heck, if you want acoustic tones, why not wire in a separate output for something like Graph-Tech's GHOST System? It might add quite a bit to the cost, but the added versatility would be welcomed my many players. I think the Comanche's Z-coils would make for stellar 12-string tones, and for me that is the driving idea behind this concept.

And for the life of me, I can't understand why G&L won't tackle this. I'm out there--I talk to a lot of guys and jams, and there really seems to be an interest in a guitar like the Comanche XII. See, I've even got a name for it.

And no, our computers have been declawed, so they are strictly indoor pets now.

Bill

[Ahryn]

I own a laptop and one thing I really like about them is the mobility, that being said I don't bring it "outside" much as I kind of baby it.

non factory standard string configuration?

One word, baritone.

A baritone in the ASAT style and well you could look at my lunch report for my whole dream G&L baritone but in a pinch I would take that Comanche XII

[Dave_P]

The only thing I would have G&L do is a 12-string.

Hey Bill, I remember seeing this a while ago, I wonder if any more progress has been made. Maybe you can get that Comanche XII after all -> http://www.guitarsbyleo.com/GALLERY/OWN ... /Z-12.html

I don't use my laptop outside too much, it's taken some good spills inside so it does have that rugged camping look to it now, duct tape and all

-Dave

[Aussie]

Is there any non-factory string configuration G&L you'd like. Please elaborate.

I'm with Bill on the Commanche XII. Maybe an Invader 7 with EMGs for the metal market? My son would love one!

Do you use computers outside much?

Never. Can't get interested in virtual reality when I'm outdoors basking in actual reality.

favorite singer/songwriter (AKA dude or dudette with an acoustic guitar)

Maybe its a result of the soundscape that I grew up in, but whenever I think about an acoustic guitar toting singer songwriter I think about great story tellers. Favourites for me include the likes of Paul Kelly and Archie Roach

[youtube]qe6TmSKmu24[/youtube]

[youtube]SZPhwEwXEdw[/youtube]

Cheers, Robbie

[Brock]

A reminder that Leo Fender already designed a Baritone at G&L, it just hasn't seen production:
http://www.fenderavenue.com/Forum/tabid ... fault.aspx

[bassman]

I like the TV cycle episodes. I am starting to get hooked on them. Don't worry about the host appearing fat. Most viewers have nothing to brag about.

If you keep riding that bike, I think you will lose weight and get in pretty good shape.
I would bet that a multi-speed bike would actually be a better workout for you. I realize that is anathema to you, but I thought I would suggest it.

I suggestion for the director of TV Cycle:
I just wonder if you should have a camera pointed behind you so that the viewer can see where you have been?
That may be more interesting than the crank cam, which doesn't do much for the viewer IMHO.

My band briefly had another bass player and I got a chance to play guitar or baritone. I don't think the baritone did that much for our sound. It was fun to play guitar. I found it to be much easier than playing bass.

I don't get your attraction to a four string guitar. They are called tenor guitars and I don't see what you can do on a four string guitar that can't be done better with 6 strings. IMHO that is.

Have a great day.

[Brock]

I don't get your attraction to a four string guitar. They are called tenor guitars and I don't see what you can do on a four string guitar that can't be done better with 6 strings. IMHO that is.

Tenor guitars have narrow string spacing, similar to a regular guitar. So, the neck is narrower. They're also shorter scale, and I like running eadg tuning. I stumble and trip and stumble and trip over six strings. I recently gave a six string multiple years, but it wasn't working. It's now a four. I'm happy with it, finally.

I'm also not super fond of the unwound strings. I run a wound G on the four strings.

Something that might be interesting is a really old Carvin bass. They're pretty much a 4 string guitar. Put on some guitar strings, and ta da!:
http://www.carvinmuseum.com/decade/59-basses.html

I also have a banjitar that was converted over to 4 strings. Tenor banjors have too close of string spacing, but that banjitar works for me.

-Brock

[Ahryn]

A reminder that Leo Fender already designed a Baritone at G&L, it just hasn't seen production:
http://www.fenderavenue.com/Forum/tabid ... fault.aspx

Now I really want G&L to release one of these!

It would be perfect!

[willross]

Quickly, I'd like a baritone and a 12 string. G&L's quality would make them ideal...


Cheers,

Will