Blue Glasses

So, I still like Lookmatic. I've found that Mezzmer has a few frames that function better, book Lookmatic still has better style, and are just spot-on excellent for prescription sunglasses. So I got a pair of the "Jones" in black ( evidently their last pair, as the frame is not on their site any more) with blue lenses- let me tell you the blue lenses are key- they actually seem to work with my eyes such that I see details better, and more clearly when wearing them- it's like "Hi Definition" sunglasses. Very cool, and if you have blue eyes like me, I suggest you give them a try.

Guitar Fetish

So, in trying to build the "Stagcaster" I've made some mis-steps- the Aluminium pickguard just didn't work out as every one I tried just didn't fit, and the guitar tech that I asked to check my set up actually turned out to be less savvy than me and now I've got some fret buzz (I'll fix that- probably have file down a fret or two, and will raise the action ever so slightly) but one thing that worked out great was going to Guitar Fetish for parts.  The Tele Knobs look great, and function much better than the stock knobs, the copper fill acts as a pretty good noise gate, and best- the Alnico neck pick up sounds great and balances perfectly off the existing bridge pick up. The result is a quiet, but ideally "Telecaster" sound- as in there's a good amount of "spank" or treble response on the attack, and the notes ring out in a chime, with a slight upper mid boost on the decay- this versus the bridge means that on the three positions the bridge tone is slightly harsh and biting, the middle (out of phase) position sounds bright and full, and the neck position sounds bright and bell-like- that is, nothing sounds like a strat, or generic single coil- everything is well within the range of tones you'd expect for a telecaster- but it's got just that little extra bit of signal strength that makes it best for a twangy, steely sound. Good stuff, and now, I think I'll look into some of the other things they sell....

It doesn't have to be big

Little things can make me happy. But what's a little thing? I got this little computer lamp at IKEA .  a five dollar USB LED lamp which might seem little, but I use it about 3 hours a day, and it's noticeably saving me money because I'm not using desk lamps. That seems like a big deal to me. I guess it's a matter of perspective. I don't get real excited by  new TVs. I know other people do, but I'm more into the technology of my Roku box, than the monitor for it. I get very excited by new CDs, but I've got basically the same stereo I've had since my son was born - I just have added new components. Which is why a blog like this is interesting to me- I find it fascinating what seems important to other people, so I'm hoping that others might find it interesting what I find important. It doesn't have to be big, it just has to be big enough.

Now, it can be said- the Noisemaker Effects Plus

Ok, you may recall that I got this for my birthday, more than three weeks ago- so, why so long to talk about it is that it was a bit defective. Matt was very candid with me, and admitted to me that he never got particularly excited about the design on these, as he wasn't really operating on his wheelhouse- duplicating old designs wasn't really his bag. So, I suspect with his mind on other things, it wasn't his best work. So, he offered to have me send it, and he'd fix it, free of charge. Now, keep in mind, I didn't buy it from him- I bought this second hand at Reverb- which, by the way, has serious problems, and I wouldn't suggest going there- and he still was going to fix it. So, again, his customer service is incredible, and, I strongly suggest you patronize him, if you need a guitar effect.
But, that takes time, so I only got a chance to really try it out, today. The executive summary is that it's a great, but limited pedal. To get it out of the way, no, it doesn't sound like a MXR Distortion Plus. Quite frankly, that's impossible. The MXR Distortion wasn't just one set of circuits, nor even a consistent set of components- a 1974 will not sound like a 1978, and even two 1978's won't sound exactly the same. So, no, you cannot clone a Distortion Plus. You can get close, and get inside the range they cover, but you can't nail down that moving target. That having said, this is aimed toward a distortion plus, but definitely is voiced differently. Some things the MXR does better, others the Noisemaker does. What it does exceptionally well is a medium gain midrange distortion ( with some small fuzz characteristics) that still has great note clarity. We're talking American Hard Rock crunch distortion. It's a great sound- and the way to dial it in is not intuitive. See, the limitation is that you can't really get great high gain, nor low gain sounds- you crank both gain and volume near to all the way up, and there you go- a "Marshall' kind of gain, but with presence. You also can't get that nasally bite that is most associated with the MXR- Randy Rhoads. Add an overdrive before it, and an EQ afterwards, and maybe, but my MXR can generate that tone by itself. So, no, I wouldn't use it to replace my MXR, but I will be using it- mostly with humbuckers at high volume.
Now, Matt has discontinued the pedal- you most likely will never own one which means that my point is not to get you to buy one. My point is two fold- the first, and primary one is this- with anything creative, whether making electronics, or sculpture- you're far better off with something original- duplication is never exact. The second point is that , at their best, products are a reflection of their producers. Matt is a good guy- that shows is how he conducts business, and in the products he sells. You cannot go wrong in dealing with a good person.

Some New Glasses From Mezzmer

I've got really pretty bad eyes. I don't have the worst prescription of anyone I know, but it's definitely on the worse side, not better. So I appreciate well made glasses. Mezzmer does glasses extremely well. They don't have the biggest selection, and basically, if you don't like retro plastic glasses, they have nothing for you. However, I do like retro plastic glasses, so they have plenty for me. So, I got two new pair from them- a pair of the Oscars in black, and a pair of the Astaires in brown. I like them as glasses, and they fit well, and are very well constructed. The only thing against, is that I have to get a new eye doctor. This one has got my prescription slightly off, again. I can still use these, but I can't use them for the reason I bought them- as computer glasses at work. I can read just fine with them up to about 20- 22 inches away from my face, but my computer at work is about 28-30 inches away, with small type. These will be fine for reading books, but because my doctor still doesn't listen to me, they will not function as I need them to function. It's definitely been that kind of day. So, I will have to go to another doctor, pay for an eye exam out of pocket, and then, I can order a new pair... Absolutely not Mezzmer's fault. and again, the glasses themselves are great. Just a pisser...