Ukes and Wildkats

I couldn't let the year go by without posting at least once.  My posting activity reflects my time devoted to the guitar this year - which is very little, sad to say.  I guess my best excuse is "Life gets in the way".  I've been busy with other things, so my playing time has suffered.

I did manage to get some musical gear this past year.  A few years ago, I bought my son a pineapple ukulele for Christmas.  Late last year, he had it out and I started messing around with it.  I liked it so much, that I bought one for myself as my 2013 Christmas gift.  I found tons of instructional videos on YouTube, and off I went, into the wonderful world of ukes!  I liked my little pineapple uke so much, that for Father's Day, I bought a larger, tenor acoustic/electric ukulele!  The ukulele is a great little instrument, and I highly recommend it  for anyone, especially if you already play guitar.  I have found that playing the ukulele really helps me with my strumming.  The chords on a uke are super easy, compared to the guitar.  As a result, I can concentrate on my strumming and timing more instead of worrying about my chord positions - uke chords are that easy!

I didn't forget about the guitar, though!  As evident in this blog, I have all sorts of guitars, but I didn't have a guitar with P-90 pickups in it.  So for my birthday, I got myself one.  I was able to find a slightly used Epiphone Wildkat.  It's a beautiful and wonderful guitar!  It's a semi-hollow guitar with P-90 pickups and a Bigsby vibrato on it.  It's really fun to play - I just wish I had (or made) more time to play it!

Well, that's my post for this year.  Maybe this coming year will find me playing (and posting) more.  I wish everybody reading this a Happy New Year!

Surprise!

After almost a year since my last post, I decided to post again.  I've been very busy with work, so I haven't made time to post here.  I haven't even made much time to play my guitars!  I'm trying to work on playing more and learning more.

As far as gear goes, I haven't been as active as

in the past, but I did manage to buy an older solid state amp late last year.  I had been wanting an old fashioned amp with all the knobs instead of the newer, computer interfaced stuff that is out there now.  I had also wanted some sort of external cab for my little Champ 600 tube amp.  I found both of those things in one package!  I bought an older, USA-made Crate G-120C stereo chorus amp.  I found it locally and at a very good price.  It is more amp than I need, really, but when I saw that the speaker connections were not hard-wired and that I could disconnect the speakers from the amp and connect them to something else, I had to buy it.  It turned out that each speaker was 4 ohms, just like the speaker in my Champ, so it was a perfect fit.  So now, I have a very nice (big and loud) solid state amp, plus I can use it as a cab for my Champ!  I've only used it with my Champ a few times, and it sounds great.  I mostly use it as is.  I grew really fond of the way it sounds and the versatility it provides.

As mentioned, it is a stereo chorus amp, but it also has reverb and a bright switch which work with both the clean and distortion channels.  The clean channel has a low, mid, and high EQ and the distortion channel has a "shape" control for adjusting the tone.  The amp also has an effects loop and a headphone jack.  The effects loop makes more noise than I like, so if I want to add an effect, I just add it between the guitar and the amp and it works great.  The headphone feature is very nice also.

It's funny, but now that I bought this amp, I feel my gear needs have been satisfied.  I have my different guitars, a good overdrive and a good distortion pedal, and some multi-effects units, and now I have one amp of each kind:  a tube amp, a modeling amp, and a basic solid state amp (plus I can use it as a cab for my tube amp).  So, I'm a happy camper!  Let's see if I can make more time to play more often now (and to post more often too).  Until next time!

Melody Maker

Well, now I've done it!  I went ahead and bought a Gibson!  No, not a $1,000 + guitar, but just the opposite.  I found the deal of the year as far as guitars go:

I had been thinking of getting a guitar with P90 pickups for Father's Day, and I had been visiting online vendors in search of an affordable guitar.  I had my sights set on an Epiphone WildKat (unless a better deal came along).  Well, that 'better' deal came in the form of a Gibson Melody Maker Flying V!  Although this particular Melody Maker is not a P90-equipped guitar, it was a deal too good to pass up. 

Last year, Gibson came up with a line of humbucker-equipped Melody Makers in all (or nearly all) of the iconic Gibson shapes.  The guitars initially sold for over $500, which at the time, was the lowest price I had ever seen on a new Gibson guitar.  The prices on these guitars started gradually going down, and now this past May, I saw them advertised at the same price as an Epiphone WildKat.  When I saw the Melody Maker Flying V, I just had to buy it!  I'm usually not into 'pointy' guitars, but I make an exception for the Flying V because it is my Son's favorite guitar shape.  He plays the Guitar Hero and Rock Band video games, and his 'guitar' for those games is a Flying V.  Whenever he draws a guitar, he draws a Flying V, so I couldn't pass up buying the Melody Maker Flying V (plus the price was fantastic).

I got the guitar almost a month ago, and I was very pleasantly surprised.  The guitar came in perfect condition and it was set up just right.  All I had to do was tune it and start having fun!  What I really like about the guitar is that it is very light weight.  I had read that it was light weight, and since I knew my Son would like it, I was hoping it would be light enough for him to hold comfortably.  It was just as I had wanted, so now he can hold the guitar while I try to teach him some guitar basics.  The guitar has only one bridge pickup and one volume control knob (no tone control), but with only that control, the guitar is very responsive.  The tone can be manipulated with an amp or a pedal, so the lack of more controls or pickups becomes a non-issue.  Overall, I am very happy with the Melody Maker.  It's a USA-made guitar for a great price that is hard to beat!

My Multi-Effects Pedals

It's been another three months since my last post, so I decided to do a post about my multi-effects pedals. Since my last post, I bought another DigiTech multi-effects pedal. This newest one is an RP155.

My first DigiTech multi-effects pedal was an RP50. I bought it in 2008, when I was first getting into electric guitar. It's a good pedal to start out with. I like it because it's small and compact, but after a while, I started wondering about the models that come with an expression pedal built in.

My RP200 has an expression pedal. I bought it for next to nothing off of Craigslist last year. It is an older, American made version and is made very well. I like it not only because of the expression pedal, but because it has an auxiliary input and a dedicated headphone jack. I can hook up an mp3 player with backing tracks, or the audio from a computer based training video to it and play along. The headphone jack comes in handy late at night too.

My new RP155 has a 20 second looper on it. I had never used a looper before, so I decided to give one a try. So far, I really like it. The looper on this model is very basic and easy to use (which is a good thing). Even though it's very basic compared to a dedicated looper, I can add as many overdubs as I want. The initial loop length dictates the length of each additional overdub. In other words, if the initial loop is 10 seconds, for example, the overdub loops can't be over 10 seconds each. So it's better to make the first loop as close to 20 seconds as possible. That gives me more time for the additional overdubs. What I like about the RP155 having a looper built in is that I can create a loop, stop it, and then change presets and play the loop again and play over it or overdub it using the new preset.

The only drawback that people have commented about is the fact that you cannot use the drum machine while using the looper. If I ever get fancy enough to want to use a drum machine and the looper at the same time, all I have to do is add the RP200 after the RP155 and use the RP200 drum machine.

Since the RP200 also has an AUX input, I could also place it in front of the RP155 and add additional sounds to loop through the RP155 using the PR200's AUX input. I tried doing just that shortly after I got it. I have a keyboard that allows me to record a limited sequence of notes on it, so I played some notes and recorded them and then hooked the keyboard up to the RP200 AUX input, with the RP200 in front of the RP155, and I was able to loop my recorded keyboard notes.

The RP155 also works with software called X-Edit that you can download from the DigiTech website via a USB port on the unit. I was checking out the software, and it is pretty cool. I can change presets and store them in different locations on the RP155 pretty easily (plus I can name them). I even found a preset that is set up to emulate a bass, so I relocated it closer to the presets I like so far. That way, I have a whole three or four piece band I can use with the looper function - guitar, bass, and drums (from the RP200)!

Needless to say, I've been having fun experimenting with my DigiTech family. Now, I just need to practice some actual new stuff on the guitar to put all of my 'one-man-band' ideas into action! I've been studying up on some music theory as it applies to the guitar, so that will help me expand my playing also. Oh yeah, I also re-strung my acoustic with 10s. These new strings are a lot easier on the fingers than what was on it before, so it makes me want to play it more often. Speaking of 'more often', I hope I can start posting more often also. Stay tuned and see if I really do it this time!

Rediscovering My Acoustic!

Well, it's been over three months again, but I'm back! I still have not been playing on a regular basis, thus my lack of posts. The little that I have been playing has been with my Epiphone Dot. I love that guitar! It looks great, it sounds great, and it plays great! I've been messing around with it and with the RP200 I mentioned in my last post. I got a great "B.B. King-style" preset that I set up on the RP200 and it really goes well with my Dot! Since I haven't been playing regularly, everytime I pick up my guitar, it's back to the basics - polishing up my chords, practicing scales, and practicing my finger picking. I still have not played my Dot using my Vox DA5 settings or used it with my RAT and Tube Driver pedals, but I'll get to it - it's great fun when I do pick up any of my guitars!

Last night, I decided to take out my acoustic guitar. It's a 1975 Harmony Grand Concert H6390. It was my first 'serious' guitar. I got it when I was 11 or 12 years old, and it is in great condition. I took it out of it's case and strummed it a while and realized what a great guitar it was for the money. I had not used it in a long time (probably over a year). I checked it with my tuner today, and IT WAS STILL IN TUNE!!! This guitar was made during the last years of Harmony's U.S.A. production. It sounds great and it plays great also. Being an acoustic, it takes a little more effort to play than an electric, but I like the neck size and shape a little more. It also seems easier to finger pick on my acoustic than on my electrics. I think I'll keep it out to play 'spur of the moment' stuff, plus it give my hands more of a workout, which will end up helping me to play my electrics that much easier. Acoustics are great fun, and their sound just can't be duplicated on an electric. Try an acoustic in 2012-Oh, and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I'm Back! (Version 2)

Well, so much for posting more often! The weather has been very hot around here. I don't like to play when it is so hot, so I have been avoiding playing my guitars. I had my custom Tele-style guitar out for most of this time. I put it through its paces, playing it through my Vox DA5 and all of the settings I have for it. I also played it using my Fender Champ 600 amp and my RAT II and Tube Driver pedals. I am very pleased with this latest guitar! I finally put it away and took out my Epiphone Dot. I haven't played the Epi that much yet, but I want to play it with all of the equipment I just listed also.

I did manage to make a couple of Craigslist purchases since my last post. I ended up buying an older, U.S.A. made DigiTech RP200 effects pedal with the built-in expression pedal. I already have my DigiTech RP50, but I wanted something with a built-in expression pedal. Plus, I got the RP200 at a great price! I was also thinking of trading the RP50 towards another CL purchase, but that did not happen (see below). The RP200 is a great pedal! I have not played around with it very much, but I like it so far. One thing I had never played with is an expression pedal, so I have to get used to it. It's harder than it seems (at least for me)!

My other purchase was an early birthday present for my son: a five piece drum kit! I found a great starter kit at a great price on Craigslist around the same time I found the RP200. I had planned on buying the RP200 and then trying to trade my RP50 towards the purchase of the drum kit. It turned out that the drum kit had been in storage for a few years, and the sellers were not into guitars, so I ended up keeping the RP50. I got a very lightly used drum kit, complete with cymbals, for a great price, though! And the most important part is that my son LOVES it (he's rather good at it, too)!

Well, that's what I've been up to these past four months! I really do hope that I can start posting more often from now on, but we will see. Stay tuned and stay well!

I'm Back!

Hello everyone! I've been busy with other stuff and I just have not taken the time to write in my blog. Truth be told, I have not been playing very much this year. Guitar has been near the bottom of the priority list so far this year. Maybe writing in my blog will get the ball rolling for me again!

I did manage to do something that I mentioned in my last post: I bought my first USA-made electric guitar! It's a custom made Tele-style guitar that was made last year by the gentleman I bought it from. It has a swamp ash body and a great 12" radius neck. The pickup configuration is not the typical Tele configuration. It has a 'lipstick' Tele neck pickup, a middle Strat pickup, and a humbucker pickup at the bridge. The pickups are all wired to a 5-way switch, just like on a Strat. The guitar sounds amazing! I really like having all of those pickup options on one instrument! I finally put my Ibanez Jet King away and I have my new guitar out on my guitar stand now. I am testing it out with all of my settings on my Vox DA5. I tested it out with my Fender Champ 600 and have come to the conclusion that the Champ and this guitar were made for each other! What a fantastic combination! I still haven't tested it out using my pedals - that's next on my list! Needless to say, I am very happy with my new guitar, even though I haven't had the time to play it as much as I would like!

In my last post, I mentioned I was going to try to devote more time to my playing (which I have not done), so let's see how I do from now on. Wish me luck, and hopefully I'll have more posts pretty soon logging my accomplishments from here on out! As I always say: Stay tuned!