If I post this here, I'll finally get around to building it, right?
If I post this here, I'll finally get around to building it, right?
David S. Wallens wrote:petegossett wrote: In reply to David S. Wallens: Carol is/was doing Skype lessons for a very reasonable rate.I know. Believe me, I have thought about it. I think I'd spend the who lesson just going OMG, OMG, OMG.
I know I would!
That Wrecking Crew documentary that was on Netflix was really cool. Carol Kaye was, and is, amazing. I would spend the whole time picking her brain on the old days instead of getting a lesson. She is a living legend.
Ransom wrote: If I post this here, I'll finally get around to building it, right?
Awesome. Build thread!
Ransom wrote: If I post this here, I'll finally get around to building it, right?
I need one of these. I figure a couple of these would be the first step before getting an amp kit.
Tony Sestito wrote: That Wrecking Crew documentary that was on Netflix was really cool. Carol Kaye was, and is, amazing. I would spend the whole time picking her brain on the old days instead of getting a lesson. She is a living legend.
Totally. She (and they) played with everyone. Like, everyone.
And a build thread on the pedal would be cool. Go for it.
Ian F wrote:Ransom wrote: If I post this here, I'll finally get around to building it, right?I need one of these. I figure a couple of these would be the first step before getting an amp kit.
Knowing me, it'll be an amp kit right from the start because I am incapable of judging the size of a project before I begin.
I have been doing a bit of work on my own gear. Pulled the Pearly Gates bridge out of the fat Strat because it was really, really bright and I couldn't tune it out. Threw in a '59 single wire instead. Why single wire? Because whoops. But the end result is good, it's got a nice range of sounds without the ear-piercing highs. I shall play with it some more, but the initial noodle sounded good.
Then the PG went into the Les Paul along with a PG neck PU, replacing a couple of Burstbucker Pros. Those were a plug-in style so I had to patch the little plugs into the Pearly Gates wiring, which was a pain in the patootie. But it was the right thing to do. The guitar sounds fantastic. It was a little more bland with the original pickups. I don't have the vocabulary to describe it, but the instrument is just more alive. I'm going to enjoy learning what it likes to do.
Tonight while waiting for my lesson I played a PRS S2. I admit I'm partial to PRS. Felt really nice. Like, really nice.
In reply to Keith Tanner:
My main Les Paul went through many pick-up changes during my ownership. I bought it in '88 with EMGs - the classic 81/60 combo (long before I knew how iconic that set-up is). A few years later, I replaced them with EMG 89's, which have coil-tapping ability with push-pull V pots. That remained until a couple of years ago when I had the water damage repaired and installed Duncan P-Rails. The only downside right now is the installer didn't quite get the soldering right, so I need to pull it apart and figure out what isn't right.
I've been debating installing the old 81/60 pick-ups into my Explorer. Since, well... because. 
My ESP Horizon also came with EMG's, although I have a set of Duncans to install in it when I finally get around to reassembling it.''''
Hence why I want to start with something small like a pedal kit or two. I have a major problem with starting projects and not finishing them. I don't have room for an exploded amp kit in my house right now. 
David S. Wallens wrote: Tonight while waiting for my lesson I played a PRS S2. I admit I'm partial to PRS. Felt really nice. Like, really nice.
That looks really nice. Then again, all PRS stuff is nice. 
It kind of reminds me of a Godin SD I almost bought a few years ago:
I really wish I bought that thing. It was like a mix between a Strat and a Les Paul.
I had my bass-playing nephew (aka my 14 year old self) over again this weekend, so naturally, we hit up the music store. On the way there, we were talking about those Ampeg Dan Armstrong acrylic basses and how cool they looked. You know, these:
We walked into the store, and they actually had one! 
Here's my nephew playing it:
While it sounded good, I wasn't prepared for the fact that the thing weighs like 30 LBS. It was easily the heaviest bass I've ever played. For $1100, I can think of many better instruments to buy. But man, do they look awesome.
While I was there, I played a ton of stuff, both bass and guitar related. I was prepared to pick up another cheap guitar, but after playing about 10 different ones, nothing really popped out enough to want to take home. The only standout was a cheap Epiphone Les Paul Special with P90's. It was the first time I ever played something with P90's, and I liked it, but not enough to bring home.
I did however get something...
It's an older Line 6 Bass POD. I have a guitar Pocket POD, and it's pretty cool for practicing, so I've wanted to pick up the bass version for a while. The early ones have come down enough in price to justify it. For practicing, I can get really good tone out of it, and playing through my little Marshall guitar amp with headphones and a line-in music source for backing tracks, it bypasses the amp's on-board EQ so it still sounds like a bass should. 
Also, I missed out on a hell of a deal over the weekend: a Traynor Bass Mate tube amp and an 80's Peavey Foundation for around $100 together. Went up on CL and sold almost instantly. I think the US-made Peavey basses are about to jump in value, so I wanted to get ahead of the game. They are really nice.
I recently picked up a mid-'70s, U.S.-made Peavey fretless bass in really awesome/original condition for $199. If a Fender, it would have been over a grand.
The T-60 (I think that's the right model) are gaining in popularity. My old bass player picked one up for studio work for when his stand-by Ric is a bit too aggressive sounding and his P-bass isn't quite what he wants.
Amusingly, he has a near-on addiction to fuzz pedals. I think he has a couple dozen of them.
A consolation prize may have appeared: a mid 80's US made Peavey Foundation "S". Looks like this:
The one I found is in rougher shape, with some paint chips and 3 mismatched knobs, and he's asking $125. If I can get it down to $100 or less, I might bite. These are pretty rare, and some of them had active P/U's. Not sure if I really want another project right now.
Ian F wrote: The T-60 (I think that's the right model) are gaining in popularity. My old bass player picked one up for studio work for when his stand-by Ric is a bit too aggressive sounding and his P-bass isn't quite what he wants. Amusingly, he has a near-on addiction to fuzz pedals. I think he has a couple dozen of them.
The Peavey T-40. The T-60 is the guitar version. That shop I've been going to lately has one: http://www.musicgoroundboston.com/p/673320/used-peavey-t-40-1981-bass-with-case-bass-guitar-black
This one is awesome. Sounds killer, plays even better.
T-40 - right.
I'm going to take a look at that Peavey bass tonight. From the pics the guy has up on the ad, it has some bumps and scrapes, but it's all there.
I also did some more research on it. These were USA-built basses made for a little while in the 80's and early 90's, and come in 3 flavors (all P/J): passive w/Dimarzio-designed Schaller ceramic pickups, passive w/Peavey-designed Alcino pickups, and with active pickups. This is an early one with the Dimarzio/Schallers. They have a neck similar to a Jazz neck, which I prefer. They have a funky stamped steel bridge and Schaller-designed tuners, too.
If it isn't too rough and the neck is straight, I'll get it. I am thinking that this is a good bass to refinish. I haven't ever taken one down to a bare body, so this might be good practice.
Update: new piece of equipment shipped out today!
Blech... looks like a dog chewed on that Peavey, even the neck. Poor thing. It was FUBAR and then some.
Even though the guy went down quite a bit in price, I passed. When you can get one absolutely perfect for not much more, there's no point.
This one's been a while coming. It was on the wall at the shop where I take lessons, and I sent a picture to my wife Janel because I knew she'd like the finish.
She stopped by to see it in person and tried it on for size - turns out it snuggles right into her and feels really comfortable to play. Better than a Strat for...uhh...lady part clearance. I was apparently supposed to buy it for her for Valentine's Day but I don't think that was ever communicated to me!
Anyhow, we swung by the shop on Saturday and brought it home. It's an Ibanez RGA121H Prestige in Crushed Ruby. Mahogany body, maple/walnut neck with a rosewood fingerboard. The pictures do NOT do the metalflake justice, it's a jewel. Made in Japan in 2008, it's been hanging on the wall of the shop ever since. A tag on the guitar noted that it got new strings and a truss rod adjustment back in 2009. I talked to the owner and got it for what he paid for it 9 years ago, which is about $200 less than what used ones sell for on Reverb and less than half of MSRP.
Janel likes it because of the way it fits and the fairly slender neck. Oh, and the color. Definitely the color. She's looking to start playing and this is what she wanted. She's a bit intimidated by my tube amp with the 4x12 cab, but I plugged it into the little Yamaha THR10 and that's much more friendly for her. I know, it's a weird choice for a beginner guitar (especially for someone who doesn't want to play metal) but if she likes her instrument, she'll play it.
I've spent some time noodling around with it and it's beautiful to hold. The finish on the neck and frets makes my USA Gibson feel crude. The bridge is really nice under your hand and makes it really easy to palm mute. The knobs are metal and the whole thing just feels good. I've set it up with nice low action and light strings so it's comfortable for her to play. It's got the stock pickups in it that like to yowl, so if she ever decides to start up an all grrl punk band I think she's good to go. Maybe I need to teach her how to play Barracuda.
I haven't figured out the 5-way switch with two humbuckers, though. What the heck?
Now I have to make another guitar frame.
In reply to Keith Tanner:
Ibanez builds some seriously nice guitars for cheap.
Does the five-way knob split the coils?
According to a review video I watched (why are they always British?), that's what's going on. He said that the middle position joins the two split pickups together, as opposed to two humbuckers in the PRS description - thanks for that. I'm not sure I can tell which it's actually doing in the middle position.
So here's a question. Humbuckers are supposed to be quiet. But my LP is noisy. Buzzes all the time unless I touch the strings or bridge. Then it quietens. If I also touch my Mac (metal case) I get all sorts of noise. My Strats don't do this - same amp, same room, same cables, same everything. It sounds like a ground problem to me. I've tried shielding the cavity on the back and the bridge is grounded to the pots, all stock Gibson wiring. Is this just part of the charm?
In reply to Keith Tanner:
Check resistance from your strings to the outer flange on the output jack, you should have continuity there.
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