Lunch Report for Tuesday, April 2, 2013

[Boogie Bill]

It was nice to see your responses yesterday, sorry for posting so late. I’m going to go back and make some comments. Feel free to keep that thread going all week, and I’ll keep checking up on it.

It’s really great to see some of my old friends posting, but I also want to extend an invite to all the lurkers and newbies out there who are reading and not posting. Please, come join our family. Sign up and start posting…even if you don’t have a G&L yet. You’ll want at least five by the time we’re done brainwashing you! (Insert evil laughter here!) Seriously, I always appreciate different viewpoints, and even though I’m an old dog, I can learn new tricks.

I have no idea what I’m going to have for lunch today, but I know my intake will include COFFEE!!!!!.

I’ve been a coffee fiend for years, going back to the days of the original Starbuck’s down in Seattle’s Pike Place market. I had an irregular heartbeat that finally put me in the hospital a few years ago, and it finally came down to having to become decaffeinated. I have gradually added some caffeinated coffee back into my life. When I make a pot at home, it’s about one-fourth caffeine; but when I’m out at a restaurant it is always pure decaf. I like my coffee with cream, no sugar. I use Coffee-Mate creamer cause I’m having major problems with dairy products. We stocked up on the Starbuck’s decaf Christmas Blend, and that or their Decaf Sumatra is my coffee of choice.

Portland might be the world’s foremost city for microbrews, seems like there’s a brewpub on every corner. And coffee roasters! There’s at least six “micro” roasters in town that compete with Starbucks, Seattle’s Best, and Peet’s. They’re pretty darn good, too!

I don’t drink much wine, maybe two glasses a year. I enjoy a good micro-brew now and then, and a good cocktail. But, since I’ve been on the diet, I haven’t been drinking as much alcohol, and I don’t really miss it. I’ve never been one of those guys who needed three or four drinks before I go out on stage. In fact, when I’m playing music, that’s WORK to me, and I very, very rarely ever have a drink when I’m working. After that last set though, look out! LOL! And no more pop for me. These days I’m sticking with water or the occasional iced tea.

Tell me what you drink, be it alcohol, coffee, tee, water, beer, wine or V-8 juice. I LOVE V-8!!!


+++++++++++++++++++++++++

Yesterday’s bio set out some of the things we’ll be talking about this week. So here we go…

I mentioned yesterday that I sing, and it’s probably my best instrument. I sang in the junior high glee clubs and senior high choirs, sang in the musicals in high schools and college. (In fact, I thought about a professional acting career.) I’m a baritone, and over the years I have noticed that I have lost some range, but I still enjoy it. I have a band, and I do 50% of the vocals, splitting them with Sandy the keyboardist. She does the pretty songs and I do the rock and blues. And then I still do some solo singer-songwriter open mikes and things. I’ve sung lead so much over the years, I’ve lost my ear for harmony. I have to work it out, but I can do it.

Do you sing? Lead or back up? Do you have an ear for harmony? Got a favorite vocal mic?

Mine is a Shure Beta 58A, or an SM-58. They’re inexpensive and hard to beat.


+++++++++++++++++++++++++

What other instruments do you play? Do you double on sax or keyboards or drums; perhaps you play bass and only dabble on guitar? Could you make a living as a street musician, busking for dollars while playing some blues harp? Are you planning a tour as a digeridoo soloist? Are you playing a washboard in a Cajun zydeco band? Or do you have a secret life, playing clarinet in a polka band?

What instrument would you be playing if you hadn’t learned the guitar? What instrument would you like to learn to play?

I think I might have learned to play the piano at some point in my life had I not started with this love affair with the guitar. At some point I would like to pickup some better blues harp techniques. But mostly at this point, I want to become a better guitarist.


+++++++++++++++++++++++++

Let’s talk guitars.

There are Fender Guys, and there are Gibson Guys. (And a few others who like weird stuff!) Among the Fender Guys, there are Tele Guys and Strat Guys. I am definitely a Strat (LEGACY!) guy. And I like Gibson’s, especially Les Pauls and ES-335s, but the Legacy is the one that feels like home to me.

I said yesterday that I liked the modern upgrades that were made to the Legacy over the original Strat design. To me, they are the RIGHT upgrades, keeping the vintage flavor while creating an instrument better suited to the modern player.

I really can’t pick out just one thing that makes me a G&L fan—it was the whole package. Compared to the vintage Strat I owned, the Legacy was superior in so many ways. The tuners were better. The vibrato was better. The bigger frets and the flatter fingerboard radius made string bending easier, which fit my style. The finish was beautiful and the workmanship was top-notch. The PTB controls were powerful tone shaping tools, and meant that you could actually use the bridge pickup. Even the strap buttons were a superior design.

So when you look at a guitar, what is it that makes a desirable instrument? Is it the feel of the neck? The pickups? Tone? Sustain?

How important are looks to you? Or the ergonomics of a certain body style or control placement?

Are there certain guitars you WON’T buy because of certain features?


+++++++++++++++++++++++++

Some of my thoughts…

I prefer 22-fret necks over 24 frets. I like that neck pickup under the 24th fret node. And I just can handle the small radius fingerboards any more. I prefer the 12” radius of my G&Ls and the Gibsons.

A lot of it comes down to tuning stability and practicality. I don’t like hollow or semi-hollow bodies with trapeze tailpieces. I’ve had bad experiences with tuning stability on these guitars with a trapeze. I like the stop-tail on the 335s.

I like having a vibrato tailpiece. If it’s not a DF, then I can live with a vintage Fender style. I’m not into Floyd Rose vibratos--they are a PITA to change strings on. Ditto for double-roller Bigsby’s. I just don’t want to have to spend 90 minutes for each string changing session.

I don’t want a guitar that feeds back. It’s fine to get feedback when I want it to, but uncontrollably…no.

I prefer the warmth of a wood guitar over Lucite, steel, or composite materials. Not interested in an aluminum-necked Kramer or Travis Bean, or a Rainsong acoustic. In certain situations, these guitars can be very practical. I can foresee a future where a wood guitar might be a rarity, but for now I want a wooden one.

I like good ergonomics. The Legacy style fits my corpulent body pretty well and is comfortable. I like the control layout. I am less fond of the control positions of the LPs and the 335s, but I can put up with it. Firebirds and SGs have the knobs so close together they’re hard to get to and adjust on the fly. My ASAT Deluxe has a DF Vibrato, and it blocks the controls. Bummer!

Looks are important to me too. I do like shiny new guitars, but I’m not opposed to a relic if it is done tastefully.

I prefer to buy un-modified guitars. Pickups, fine. But probably not if somebody took a router to it.

And when it comes right down to it, the feel of the neck and the playability is the heart and soul of the matter to me. If the rest of the guitar is up to snuff, I can change the pickups; but if the neck isn’t right it’s going to be hard to fall in love with the guitar. A good setup can work wonders, but if the basics aren’t there, forget it.

Have you learned what works for you and what doesn’t?

Hope your Tuesday goes well!

Bill

[JagInTheBag]

Tell me what you drink, be it alcohol, coffee, tee, water, beer, wine or V-8 juice. I LOVE V-8!!!

I am a coffee guy myself. I prefer the light roasts, Caribou seems to have the bean selection and roasting down pat. My favorite is LaManita Peaberry is my favorite of theirs. Only coffee I know that tastes better and better as it cools, leaves a smooth even finish.

Do you sing? Lead or back up? Do you have an ear for harmony? Got a favorite vocal mic?

Singing? I'd like to develop my singing voice, sing backup now, but would like to sing and play at the same time.

What other instruments do you play? Do you double on sax or keyboards or drums; perhaps you play bass and only dabble on guitar? Could you make a living as a street musician, busking for dollars while playing some blues harp? Are you planning a tour as a digeridoo soloist? Are you playing a washboard in a Cajun zydeco band? Or do you have a secret life, playing clarinet in a polka band?

Guitar is my only instrument for now. I participate in drumming circles and plan on picking up a Gembe.

Let’s talk guitars.

So when you look at a guitar, what is it that makes a desirable instrument? Is it the feel of the neck? The pickups? Tone? Sustain?

How important are looks to you? Or the ergonomics of a certain body style or control placement?

Are there certain guitars you WON’T buy because of certain features?

Have you learned what works for you and what doesn’t?

The sustain of an electric guitar when it is unplugged denotes to me the overall build quality of the instrument.

I am still learning what works best for me. Ergonomics is important- I love the tone of the ASAT Junior II, the Pau Farro fret board. The body wood is great, but with no forearm or belly cut, it just grinds into my hip and forearm. No fun. The ASAT Carved Top is really nice, but I think the Skyhawk has the most comfy body for me. Too bad it has a gloss neck- it gets sticky when I sweat.

My favorite neck is the '65 Fender Jaguar, it starts out as a "U" near the nut, filling the inset of my hand between the thumb and forefinger, then tapers and flattens out to a slim "C" as you go up the neck- great for reaching all the way around to use the thumb to fret or mute or post for fast finger work. The only thing I don't like is the radius- frets out while I'm trying to bend. I think the perfect neck would have this rear neck contour of the Jaguar and the fingerboard radius of the G&L's.

Bridges- The Saddle Lock is KING! Great for palm muting or just resting. For a vibrato- DF really has no second. The Jag/jazz setups are pain in the butt, but set up right, stay in tune just fine and integral the sound of the guitar. The dual vibrato boss on the Skyhawk Fine Tuner bridge allows me to use different techniques when the bar is mounted on top or bottom. I really wish they'd never phased out the Fine Tuner.

[Boogie Bill]

The best way to get better at singing is to....SING! The best tip I ever got for singing was from the actress Rita Moreno talking about her technique on the old "Mike Douglas Show". She really emphasized getting your jaw moving, exagerating even, working on your diction, focusing on moving your mouth and lips. And the side benefit is that it helps you with staying on pitch.

I have trouble with fretting out my bends on the small radius fingerboards too, which is why I like the Legacys. The thing to check is to make sure your bridge saddle heights match the radius of the fingerboard. Easy to do on a Fender, but it takes some filing on a Gibson tune-o-matic. You can get a radius gauge set from Stew-Mac, a wise investment.

Don't see many of the fine tuner bridges, but I too wish they'd kept those around.

Bill

[louis cyfer]

tim, teavana is a rip off. try the loose teas, better tea at much better prices. i am really big into green tea, and i have bought the exact same tea at the loose teas as at teavana for 12-14 bucks for 4oz, that was 20+ bucks per ounce at teavana.

[blargfromouterspace]

I love a cup of tea, English Breakfast or ginger made with freshly grated ginger and honey. If it were available it's all I'd drink at gigs. I stay away from cola etc. Too much sugar. I'm a big fan of wine and micro-brew/craft beers too. I like to buy from small, local producers rather than conglomerations and have found what I believe may be Australia's best winery only about an hour from my house. Occasionally I splash out and buy a very nice bottle of French wine - as good as this local place is, the French make wine with and elegance that I've never seen in an Aussie one. I'm considering moving there - not only is the wine better (and cheaper) for the price of a modest family home here I could get a gorgeous old Chateau there...

I sing (or at least grunt in time) a little bit in my bands, and had my first gig as lead vocalist in a new band a month ago. Its good fun. I use a Shure SM58. I'm not interested in paying more, and anything else in that price range that I've tried hasn't been as good or sturdy. Its the standard for good reason. It's always good to have your own mic, nothing worse than going to the mic at a club to find that it still smells like whatever the guy who used it last night had for dinner

I want to learn to play the organ, I love those Hammond, Farfisa and Vox sounds. Badly. Old ones sell for practically nothing, but I can't fit one in my house.

[Sprinter 92]

Tell me what you drink, be it alcohol, coffee, tee, water, beer, wine or V-8 juice.

I drink water and coffee during the day and like to have a beer most evenings.

What instrument would you be playing if you hadn’t learned the guitar? What instrument would you like to learn to play?

I would like to play violin, but I'm physically unable to. I don't have full range of motion in my left elbow. It makes playing guitar a bit of a challenge but I manage to get it done.

So when you look at a guitar, what is it that makes a desirable instrument? Is it the feel of the neck? The pickups? Tone? Sustain?

All of the above are important, but if the neck doesn't feel comfortable then tone and sustain really don't matter.

Are there certain guitars you WON’T buy because of certain features?

After years of thinking that three single coil guitars were for me, I finally came to the realization that they weren't. I no longer buy S-500's, Legacy's, Stratocasters etc. unless I can get them cheap enough to resell.

Have you learned what works for you and what doesn’t?

I hope so.

[willross]

Tell me what you drink, be it alcohol, coffee, tee, water, beer, wine or V-8 juice. I LOVE V-8!!!

A little coffee, a little tea, a little water is enough for me...

Do you sing? Lead or back up? Do you have an ear for harmony? Got a favorite vocal mic?

I'm a songwriter. I picked-up guitar to write with and accompany singing. Sennheiser & Rode are pretty good...

What other instruments do you play?

After trumpet, I dove into percussion... then guitars. Here are a few from my arsenal:

What instrument would you be playing if you hadn’t learned the guitar?

See above.

So when you look at a guitar, what is it that makes a desirable instrument?

Now? Humbucking and light. The rest is negotiable...


Cheers,

Will

[cuzwilly]

I drink a lot of coffee and soda pops. no Alcohol it gets me in trouble.

I am probable the worst singer. but I think that the Shure sm 58 is the best mic for live use indestructible

besides guitar and bass I can hammer out a few songs on keyboard. I wasted a lot of money on syths back in the 80's. I have a Roland GR 33 guitar syth that I get out every once in awhile when I feel I need something exotic.

I feel I know what works for me in a guitar. How a guitar plays sounds and feels is more important to me than looks. G&Ls appeal to me because all that I have played or owned didn't need to be modified.

[LeoFThe Champion]

Hey Bill,
I drink water , tea, coffee and wine. , beer and JD. I often think drinking alcohol and coffee go hand in hand. It definitely helps start the day after a few drinks.
Like you, my voice is my best instrument. I play guitar to write songs. In recent years I have also started to play the Bass guitar. I enjoy it more than I thought but I still love to sit around with an acoustic and sing . For me I've have always been into SM 58 but not to record the vocals. Different mics for that one, of course.
I like most guitar shapes and that's what attracts me the most initially. I especially love the sort of timber the body is made of. I'm convinced it makes a difference. But most of all the necks got to feel good. Most you can adapt to but in the end you love some more than others. Good week , I look forward to more from you
Anthony

[louis cyfer]

LOUIS ;;;;

I hear you. I just splurged that one time! I'm not Bill Gates by any means. Plus now that Teavana was bought by Starbucks, you know it's going to change from being really good stuff at overpriced prices to really mediocre stuff at overpriced prices.

I saw a movie on Netfliks called "All in this Tea." It's about the guy who opened up the premium loose tea market in China decades ago. He has his old business which I've bought from (Silk Road Teas) and it's 50% less than Teavana and really incredible stuff. I learned the guy reopened his own place (Phoenix Collection) with some really nice stuff as well which I've bought and again it's a lot less like you said.

I also frequent Mitsuwa which is a chain of Japanese grocery stores in the USA. They've lots of loose tea's for pennies on the dollar at what Teavana charged, so I'm right there with you!

Regards,

Tim

tim, try ti kuan yin oolong tea. it is very nice. i like the japanese green teas, although there are no real japanese green teas. my current favorite green tea is called rain drop, a very nice mix with some flower petals thrown in.

[louis cyfer]

i don't sing, other than when getting interrogated. at those times i have been told i sound like pavarotti. guitar is my only instrument. i would have liked violin, but didn't start early enough.
i like function over form. body contour and neck accessibility. neck shape and size are not so important, although i don't like skinny necks anymore. my favorite guitar is still 7.25" radius, and bending is just fine on it. the finish of the neck is more important, my favorite is tru-oil. anything else i keep sanding.

as long as the guitar sounds good and sustains unplugged, i can get the sound i want from it. i am yet to find a guitar that fits me without mods, i really want to get one guitar that is exactly right from the box. sadly, g&l does not make it. it will probably have to be an anderson, maybe a kirn.

[jdavies]

Thanks Bill for the post Easter lunches.
I mostly drink twinings irish breakfast tea, hazelnut coffee and an orange juice / lemonade mix.
My best instrument is my imagination. I come up with lots of melodies rhythms and grooves in my head then work out how to play them on guitar and/or bass. Consequently I have a lot of original material and play solos usually completely differently every time until I find a definitive version that perfectly fits the song.
I love to sing and have written poetry and lyrics all my life. I usually sing through a Heil Pro PR20 as it suits my voice both live and recording. I am always in the process of recording an album but never quite finishing it. I can sing all sorts of harmony as I sang with a three piece for many years doing 3 part harmonies. There is an art to not just singing the notes but finding a variety of tones to suit the overall blend. I tend to think of singing parts with different national accents.
I have always played an even split between bass and guitar - an L2500 5 string got me into G&L guitars and a Will Ray Tribute has been my first call instrument for quite a while.I have no objection to any style of guitar but prefer the tele/ASAt shape. I prefer light guitars because they are easier to sing with and tend to use a snappier funky rhythm sound and a sustaining violin like drive for lead solos. number one thing about a guitar is that it inspires me to come up with ideas but doesn't limit me from playing anything I've done before.

Jeremy

[Elwood]

Tell me what you drink, be it alcohol, coffee, tee, water, beer, wine or V-8 juice. I LOVE V-8!!!

Coffee,(espresso if it's pulled ristretto), almond,coconut milk,orange san pellegrino's and lately I've been reaping the benefits of apple cider vinegar in hot water with a little lemon and a touch of cane sugar. I'm going to explore the green teas soon,
I'm convinced I just haven't found the right kind for my taste buds.

Do you sing? Lead or back up? Do you have an ear for harmony? Got a favorite vocal mic?

Nope , but I will this year, forming a new band and I'm ready to jump in the deep end .
Not sure how that will go over, but I'll have fun !!

I've been very impressed with the Sennheiser e935. Punchy , but picks up the subtle details in the highs,
and they are very stage friendly...ringing out the onstage feedback goes much quicker if there are 935's up front.

What other instruments do you play? Do you double on sax or keyboards or drums; perhaps you play bass and only dabble on guitar? Could you make a living as a street musician, busking for dollars while playing some blues harp? Are you planning a tour as a digeridoo soloist? Are you playing a washboard in a Cajun zydeco band? Or do you have a secret life, playing clarinet in a polka band?
What instrument would you be playing if you hadn’t learned the guitar? What instrument would you like to learn to play?

Bass,and some keys.
I think I could do well with the Cello, I'd settle for a girl that would come play for me a few times a week,
the Cello has to be one of the sexiest instruments.

I'd love to be able work the saxamaphone...I know Jimi's dad played sax, I'm convinced Jimi does too...just on the guitar .

Let’s talk guitars. Bill

gotta go get dinner off the stove...back as time allows.

[y2kc]

BoogieB,

I drink some weird stuff. For almost a year I have been making drinks every morning. I know what you are thinking and it's true, I am a juicer. I mix half a small organic watermelon with a 3rd pound of spinach or blue kale and a banana or two. Sometimes I put carrots, tomatoes or whatever is there. With walking I reduced my mass and feel a whole lot better. By the way, the drinks are tasty. My super skinny wife works at an organic market and we get a good discount so for me this is the way to go. Painless and really good.

Drinking that stuff also takes guilt out of the picture. It makes it real easy to justify a beer or two when you know you have already consumed a ton of good stuff. I went from 195 down to about 170 in about 4 months and just feel a whole lot better. I have done labor all my life and thought I was fit.

I also drink coffee. I get the beans at the market, grind them in the vita-mix and brew them in a french press. Pretty simple and someday I will brew a pot that I am happy with. I am still working on that after 25 years of drinking coffee. Started drinking coffee when I was 30.

Favorite beer by far is Hacker Pschorr weiss beer. Favorite beer web site is The Beer Advocate.com.

As far as guitars go, if I can forget everything except the music then the guitar is working for me. If the neck plays right and the guitar is balanced I am a happy camper. My Heritage H-125's are great examples of guitars that feel perfect while playing. Compared to a H-150 (lp type) the 125's just disappear in my hands and the playing is so much more enjoyable. I do like the H-140's as well. All my G&L's are comfy.

My name is y2kc and I am a juicer,

y2kc

[Skyhawk]

Tell me what you drink, be it alcohol, coffee, tee, water, beer, wine or V-8 juice. I LOVE V-8!!!


+++++++++++++++++++++++++ Micro brew, coffee, Moxie, Coke, Pepsi, ginger ale, water.




Do you sing? Lead or back up? Do you have an ear for harmony? Got a favorite vocal mic?




+++++++++++++++++++++++++ Yes, both. Yes. Not really.

What other instruments do you play? Do you double on sax or keyboards or drums; perhaps you play bass and only dabble on guitar? Could you make a living as a street musician, busking for dollars while playing some blues harp? Are you planning a tour as a digeridoo soloist? Are you playing a washboard in a Cajun zydeco band? Or do you have a secret life, playing clarinet in a polka band?

++++++++++++++++++++++++++ None but dabble on bass, keyboard, piano.

What instrument would you be playing if you hadn’t learned the guitar? What instrument would you like to learn to play?

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Piano


So when you look at a guitar, what is it that makes a desirable instrument? Is it the feel of the neck? The pickups? Tone? Sustain?

+++++++++++++++++++++ All the above.

How important are looks to you? Or the ergonomics of a certain body style or control placement?

+++++++++++++++++++++ Well, I prefer it to look nice, but nice is diff. for everybody.

Are there certain guitars you WON’T buy because of certain features?

+++++++++++++++++++++ Gibson Les Paul style guitars do not fit me well, though I love the sound of them.


+++++++++++++++++++++++++

[darwinohm]

I am a day late but what the heck!

Tell me what you drink

Diet Soda, coffee in the morning and I like beer but rarely hard drinks.

Do you sing? Lead or back up? Do you have an ear for harmony? Got a favorite vocal mic?

Backup Vocals. I believe I have an ear for harmony, a plus when arranging recordings. I like the Shure Beta 58 but our band is using a couple of Sennheiser 935's and they are sweet. We use a higher gain EV on Kari and it all works superb.

What instrument would you be playing if you hadn’t learned the guitar? What instrument would you like to learn to play?

I don't know as I played several while going to college. I played Sax in high school and college but you can use it for everything.

So when you look at a guitar, what is it that makes a desirable instrument? Is it the feel of the neck? The pickups? Tone? Sustain?

How important are looks to you? Or the ergonomics of a certain body style or control placement?

Are there certain guitars you WON’T buy because of certain features?

I can adjust to the neck. I have many different sizes in including an extra fat on the Grosh and they all work fine. I do like a high gloss poly and do not find them sticky. Sustain is very desirable. If they have it unplugged, the rest will work. I do not have any pickups that I dislike but like Jamie, I would like to see filtertrons in a G&L. Looks are a must. It is a the first thing I consider. I then look for the rest. As for not buying, I only have one Gibson. I find the Les Pauls very heavy and I am unable to get by the QC issues. Many of them still look like they were painted with a brush. I even like a Parker and usually they are rejected by many. Like Louis, I would like a Ron Kirn Tele. -- Darwin

[bassman]

I drink coffee and lots of it every morning until 12 noon, then I switch to water or lemonade if I have any. i drink an occasional beer, but I am trying to cut back on alcohol. I used to drink one or two beers every evening. No hard stuff for me.

Singing: I sing lead and backup. I enjoy it and it is always a challenge to sing and play bass at the same time. I feel that bass is the hardest instrument to play while singing because of the bass line being a counter melody of sorts.

What instr would I be playing if not guitar? Well I think I would enjoy being a drummer and I have played drums at some open mikes.
I am actually going to take a free ukulele lesson this Sat. at Guitar Center to broaden my horizons.

What do I look for in a guitar?- Design , craftsmanship and tone. I have bought most of my guitars because of a good price but I will not buy clamping/nut, Floyd rose guitars or pointy 80's guitars. I do have one Gibson Les Paul Studio and two Mexican Teles just for fun but my best electrics are my G&Ls. I have one Legacy and two S-500s. I like guitars that look traditional, Sunburst finishes and natural finishes are great with a few metallic blues and candy apple red for good measure.

[Goat]

Tell me what you drink, be it alcohol, coffee, tee, water, beer, wine or V-8 juice. I LOVE V-8!!!

Teas at home - all sorts! Coffee if I'm out and about because it's usually better than the tea. Water is great stuff. Decent beer of any type is great too!

Do you sing? Lead or back up? Do you have an ear for harmony? Got a favorite vocal mic?

Mine is a Shure Beta 58A, or an SM-58. They’re inexpensive and hard to beat.

My voice is my main instrument. I'm a baritone but have a large range and can pull off bass or tenor in a choir. I'm just as happy singing solo, duet or choir. My girlfriend is a professional opera singer (soprano)! My favourite vocal mike is an Audix OM5; it has a very tight HC pattern and is not a 'lazy' mic - you have to keep on top of it, but it's clear, it cuts through the mix, and it doesn't pick up ambient sound. It's also tough and well made.

What other instruments do you play?

Bagpipes.

What instrument would you be playing if you hadn’t learned the guitar? What instrument would you like to learn to play?

Piano.

So when you look at a guitar, what is it that makes a desirable instrument? Is it the feel of the neck? The pickups? Tone? Sustain?

Neck and tone.

How important are looks to you? Or the ergonomics of a certain body style or control placement?

Looks are an odd one for me - if I'm playing for myself (which is most of the time), I like quilted maple and other highly grained and pretty timber - I don't own any solid colour guitars anymore. But if I'm playing in front of people I'll usually pick up something plain and simple looking. I love the belly cut on my ASAT, having been a Strat guy for a long time, and was thinking of picking up a G&L 25th anniversary for the double-cut body....

Are there certain guitars you WON’T buy because of certain features?

I wouldn't buy anything with a FR trem or similar, and acceptably whacky body shapes stop at a Gibson Flying V for me - anything with sharp pointy bits is right out!

Have you learned what works for you and what doesn’t?

I'm open-minded and still willing to experiment.... but yeah, pretty much.

[Boogie Bill]

Lots of tea drinkers on the board. I love iced tea, and usually I get Starbucks green tea with just a little black tea added to it. I very rarely drink hot tea, except when I'm sick with a cold, usually English Breakfast, Oolong or Earl Grey.

I noticed several of you are drummers, or want-to-be drummers. I actually took a few lessons when I was about six, but we couldn't keep it up. My rhythm guitar style makes good use of those lessons. I love it when I can lock in with what the drummer is doing on the snare.

I too, like the Sennheiser that some of you are using. It is a good one. The real trick is when you are doing live performance, you want all of your vocal mics the same, and that will help to avoid feedback. If you have multiple monitor sends, you can be a little more creative. The SM-58 is just such a standard, it's a good one to have in your kit, along with an SM-57 for micing your amp. I believe the word is "ubiquitous".

Darwin mentioned adjusting to various necks. I have 53 guitars, and while many of my G&L necks feel identical, the Gibson necks go from the thick baseball bat profile of my '59 Historic Les Paul to the flat-wide "Slim-Taper" style of the 1960's. With so many guitars I have to be able to adapt very quickly to each of those, but perhaps to my acoustics or my 12-strings.

I don't get guys who claim they can't play a slim neck or fat neck or this or that. If you were stuck on a desert island with a crappy guitar with an odd neck, you would soon learn to cope with a neck different than what you're used to.

I'm a human animal, and I can adapt.

Oh, and I would NEVER sand off the back of a guitar neck. Ruination!

Bill