Dad3353

In the late '60s/early '70s, there were yet to be 'classic' guitars that would become reissues, really. Maybe a few people 'at the top' knew how to identify the good'uns; the rest of us scouted around seedy music shops or second-hand shops, trying out whatever we could find. I've already described previously the Hampton Hill 'Mrs Nichols' front parlour (that's where I came across the Hofner President...), or the dimly-lit shop down the station alley in Staines, selling mostly Cathedral strings and kazoos. The Japanese, at the time, were more known for their 'plastic metal' motorbikes; it was the fiefdom of Triumph and Norton, or the Ariel Arrow. My group van was a Thames 15cwt, rescued from a scrap yard, my younger brother's fuzz box was a valve tape recorder, bigger than his (Linear Conchord, all of 15w ...) amp. John Mac, for whom I bought a Shaftsbury Les Paul copy so that he could play lead with us, brought his parent's radiogram to venues (mostly village church halls, or youth clubs...), which took up more space in the van than my Edgeware drums. I was making my own amps, back then, from the newly-published circuits using 4 2N3055 power transistors, for a whole 100w..! I didn't know about speaker cab dimensions, so my 4x12 (with cheap Fanes...) were cut from cheap chipboard, with a face panel 3ft square. That's 3ft by 3 ft; try it, you'll see just how big that really is..! The amps and cabs got covered in the cheapest vinyl I could find, which was quite thick, and turquoise. No wonder that the van was full..! We couldn't afford the 'quality' WEM PA stuff, so hired Simms-Watts, with their weedy little mics. Shades of 'we wuz poor but we wuz 'appy' in there somewhere. It's quite remarkable the difference to be found these days, and the griping and, sometimes, snobbism, that this opulence seems to have generated. Home-made guitars were common, back then, and folk were proud of 'em. Just sayin'.

No, that was the end of that saga, but plenty of others came and went all around. They will be related in great detail in DrumChat.co.uk and PAChat.co.uk in due course. Cars, truck, bikes and more will be dealt with in VariousTransportChat.co.uk, and the first season of 'Maj-Jong For Beginners' will appear in 'ParlourGamesChat.co.uk. Watch this space....

I didn't keep my Burns Bison for long, back in the day. I'd very foolishly swapped my Hofner President Thinline Florentine for it (I'd love to find another of those...). A skinny neck, 'quirky' electrics (that's being generous...) and not really suited, at all, to the style I was playing. I traded it for a Vox double-keyboard organ (my then Good Lady wanted to learn keys; both didn't last either...), and finally opted for a Hohner Pianet, which ended up at my parent's house for my father to learn on, which he did until it started to go out of tune, and we found that there's no real way to tune 'em. Oh well...

I've never been a fan of the AC30, with its 'Top Boost' an'all. I know that there are plenty of fine players that use 'em a lot (Yes, you may now take a bow, Mr May ...), but for myself, or even the folks I played with, they seems agressive, tinny, trebly. Loud, OK, but not 'musically' loud. All this until, just a few weeks ago a friend brought his Vox in for repair. Easy enough (duff rectifier valve, fuses blowing; new valve and fuses, problem solved. If only they were all such easy fixes...). He was not available to come back to pick it up, so I was able to 'soak test' it for a couple of weeks. My, my... What a fine amp..! Not that I play all that well, but it really did make it sound as if I could..! When at last the fellow did return, I was able to go through all the settings and gadgets, to show him just how nice his own amp now sounded; he, too, was impressed, and he tottered off with it (OK, it's heavy...), leaving me bereft. An eye (and ear...) opener. My opinion has changed; they can be good, or even very good indeed.

Fixed.

Maybe so, but 'talking to the audience' is not necessarily 'banter'. The 'Peter Gabriel Trick' was to begin a fantasy story, ostensibly explaining the context of the next song, which would often segue into the song itself, in which there was no mention of the preceding 'explanation'..! Meanwhile, the band were preparing, tuning up, whatever, and the audience attentive, so there was no 'dead air'. OK, they had a particular genre to 'em, but our singer, far from being an improviser, rolls out his one-and-only 'joke' at these moments, sometimes two or three times during an evening..! This, in itself, keeps the 'flow' of the set alive. Dealing with heckling is another skill; we don't get heckled, so I don't know how we'd react. Probably floods of tears, I expect.

The one at the gig and three pubs beforehand..? ...

Well, there's your answer right there. Rehearse. S'what actors do for theatrical performance, or film répliques. It doesn't matter what you rehearse (the 'standard' would be a couple of jokes, usually cheesy, but could be any anecdote or flight of fancy, à la Peter Gabriel...). The important part is that it's not adlib, it's rehearsed, in front of a mirror, maybe. Take the opportunity during band rehearsal, while this 'tuning' goes on, to step up to your mic and 'speak to them' (the fictional audience in the rehearsal room...). S'no big deal once you're used to it; you'll see.

Good evening, @ubit, and ... Plenty to read and amuse you here, and lots to learn and share.

Not sure if this is on topic or not, but seeing the HB pics above ^^, I thought I'd share this photo of my Xavier, with a similar pick-up disposition ... Based, loosely, on the Tele Thinline (one day I'll maybe be able to afford a real guitar ...), the p/u's resemble Filtertrons. A push/pull splits to single coils; the mini-switch cabling has been removed (was for phase change, but too much of a faff...). You can't really appreciate the Black Sparkle finish. An excellent 'player'; it's really my 'go to' guitar these days, for any electric stuff. Sounds very nice through a Germanium 4 Big Muff, and records nicely, too.

I have a Fender Bassman Export 50, and its associated 2 x 15 cab, and can confirm that it is excellent as a guitar rig. I also used it for several years as my bass amp, on big stages and exterior gigs, as well as home practise, and it worked splendidly for that, too. The head is currently with my amp repair man, awaiting pick-up after its major overhaul (re-caps, and a duff o/p tranny...); I'll have to make time to get it, as it was ready before Christmas, but travel wasn't allowed, so... Hmm... Maybe next week..? S'been too long since I used it. Here's a (very...) old photo; it's just visible on the left ... ... and again, with one of my guitars ..

Good evening, xxxxx , and ... Plenty to read and amuse you here, and lots to learn and share.

Doesn't work for me 'We could not locate the item you're trying to view' message. No idea why. Hmm...

Only partly, in truth. I've been playing guitars, of many sorts, for over half a century now; I worked in a music shop for several years, too. I can't honestly say I've ever known anyone, least of all myself, that consider the 'tone' of any make of strings, from Cathedral through Ernie Ball to D'Addario and Elixir, passing through many others (Dean Markley, Fender etc...). The gauge will have an effect, but when I changed from Fender Bullets to Elixir, I noticed only that they lasted one heck of a lot longer. Tone..? That's my fingers, and (partly...) the guitar and amp. OK, pedals, too, when used. But the make of strings..? That's a new one on me. Others may have better ears than me (not difficult, especially these daze..!); I'll ask Our Eldest (a luthier and guitarist...) and see what he thinks. No, it's not a factor I've ever considered, tonally. The feel, yes, but not the tone. Blind, I'm not sure anyone could tell what brand is what. Edit: Our Eldest is also surprised by the notion. If there is an effect, it's well down on the list of potential tonal changes, behind fingers (obviously...), pick-ups, potentiometers, amp, jack lead and more. Very difficult to do a real 'A/B' test, too, but our experience is that the brand matters little, tonally. Just sayin'.

Tone..? What is this 'tone' of which you speak..?

Probably too soon to tell for longevity.

My first week's wages, in a little brown envelope, amounted to 6£, as an apprentice, in '66. It was spent on my first guitar, a Russian-made acoustic classical guitar, strung with steel strings about 1/2" from the 12th fret. The neck joint was a simple horizontal bolt through the heel to the body. I would, of course, need a guitar method book, so I bought, at the same time (from Bell's Music, Hounslow...) the Mickey Baker Complete Course In Jazz Guitar. Here's the book ... ... still available, very inexpensive, from Amazon and elsewhere. Here's Lesson one, on Page Two ... I can't say how many hours, days, months, years I've spent breaking my fingers on those chords. Things improved somewhat when I 'upgraded' to a Hofner President, but it was a hard slog. Happy daze...

Here's a review of a few ... https://producerhive.com/buyer-guides/best-thin-body-acoustic-guitars/ I've a son-in-law with a Fender Acoustic Electric which plays very well, and sound nice with or without an amp.

I use Nanoweb 10's; they last years (I have 'rusty' fingers...), although, to be fair, I'm a drummer, so don't play my guitars day in, day out. I have a couple of guitars I've not brought out to see daylight for a couple of years, and when I hauled one out the other day, it was still in tune; I played all afternoon on it (Hofner Verithin...). I used to use Fender Bullets, but they go rusty on me very quickly; well before 'dying'. Soooooo... Elixirs. A tad more expensive at the outset, but far and away cheaper in the long run. I usually wait for a 'pack of three, price for two' offers, for instance. I've just fitted a set on my 12-string electric, too (a pain in the wotsit, changing strings on a 12-string, so I like to do it as little as possible...). Hope this helps...

Elixir

Good morning, Adam, and ... Plenty to read and amuse you here, and lots to learn and share.

The devil you say...

A grave question indeed.

Let me know when I can get a physical CD of this, posted to France (I don't 'do' downloading, and the site says not to order from outside the UK. I can pay directly to you via Paypal, or any other means you may prefer, just give me an all-in price and a PP address and I'll sort it. I haven't listened to all the tracks (I like to keep some surprises...), but what I have heard sounds Jolly Good. I like to support BC (and, by extension, GC...) efforts, most especially when they're Good (which this is...). Let me know, then, if and when it becomes possible (by PM..?); meanwhile... Thanks for posting, and have a great day. Keep well, stay safe Douglas

Thanks for posting. Not a follower of Toto (I know the name, and have heard tracks from way back, without really paying attention other than to think 'Hmm; they're good.'...), that video is excellent (as it should be, with three keys players and all..!); I listened on my standard monitors and wouldn't fault the sound, from any of 'em. I'll dig a bit deeper into this current line-up; they're Pretty Darned Good.