You musicians can claim to be original all they want- the truth is, they're fashion victims as much as the next guy ( or girl) . You've got your Stevie Ray Vaughan followers, buying stratocasters, winding the bridge pick up hot, stringing the guitar with telephone cables, and playing through a Tube Screamer ( or better yet, a boutique Tube Screamer clone) into an under 10 watt tube amp. You've got your Noise Rock nerds playing Aluminum guitars into Traynor Amps, set on "crackle". You've got your Shoegazers, and 1990's indie Rockers playing Jaguars and Mustangs, with a big Muff and a fender Amp, with the reverb all the way up, and so on.
My fashion set, as a guitar player is closest to the Youth Pastor at a Church "Praise" band- I go for stuff that's inexpensive, yet can approximate the Tone Lawyers. ( The Tone Lawyers are the guys buying "investment grade" guitars and Amps- all very tasteful, but not necessarily "gig ready" )
In my fashion circles, then, there was a big wave of dudes who totally lost their minds on the Biyang Tri Reverb. It's not quite a clone of the TC Electronics "Hall of Fame" reverb pedal- it's a different design in most of the key factors- but the reason for its popularity is that it can approximate some of the HOF's best tones. I'll admit- the trendiness is what hooked my attention, but I got it for this reason- while I've got a great sounding Spring reverb on an Amp, and my Digiverb can handle the shoegazer special effects- this Biyang is the shortest and simplest route to a shimmery "Post punk' reverb- you know that "big" guitar sound from about 1985, that went from The Edge to Geordie to Simple Minds, to heck I think Culture Club even had it a bit. I set the switch to "Hall", the "A/B" to "A" and keep the "Blend" and "Time" dials somewhere between 11 and 2 o'clock, and I'm on it. No real tweaking required, and I've got that big wet reverb. Combined with the Digiverb, and I'll give the Catherine Wheel a run for their shoelaces. Combined with my Fender Amp, and the JAMC have competition, but on its own, I've got everything from Dan Ash to Geordie to Reg Smithies. That's a lot of my tastes, right there. So, yes, I'll follow fashion, if I look good in it....
Thursday, August 28, 2014
Sunday, August 10, 2014
Two more Guitar Pedals
I'm no snob. I don't need a brand name, but what I do need and want is utility. I want stuff that meets my expectations. So, if I bargain hunt, I don't want to compromise. I happen to know that several things I like have a large amount of "inflation" on the price ( nicest way of saying they're gouging) . For example, I know that stomp boxes aren't expensive to make. Assuming the boutique guys are paying what I'm paying, and I know I'm over-paying, The average distortion pedal is about 20 bucks in parts. So, let's be generous, and pay them 50 bucks an hour in building the thing- which is about how long it took me- then, 70 bucks really is the most, reasonably, they should charge. Go Here and find a seventy dollar dirtbox. There's about 10% of their total. So, is it bargain hunting to expect a lower cost? I don't think so.
I've got friends who basically believe in magic, and I don't blame them. I understand. If you put an Earthquaker Devices pedal up against a similar Boss product, of course it destroys the Boss. But, rather than think of Boss as substandard, it makes most folks think of Earthquaker as superior. I have been pretty relentless, and while Earthquaker are probably the best of the high dollar "Boutique" guys, they are overcharging- in some instances less than what they could, so bravo to them for that, but still, it's a little bit of magical thinking to say that , for example, the Monarch overdrive is five times the pedal of the Joyo Ultimate Overdrive. I think the Joyo stuff is a little "underpriced" in the Wal Mart sense of the word ( How Wal Mart gets such low prices is by bullying overseas manufacturers, who generally comply by screwing their workers) but that in no way negates how much Earthquaker ( and others, who are far, far worse) are over-pricing. I'm willing to bet they could shave off 30% of their price and still make a profit, just fine- and while they'd still be too rich for my blood, I wouldn't think of it as quite such a game.
But, the problem of leaving the brand name behind is that you are on your own. See, it's a hype machine- the magazines and blogs, and so on are all built in- you'll find reviews and demo videos aplenty for the hyped brands, but apart from Joyo, who caught fire on a couple of pedals, there are precious little resources out towards informing folks of all the manufacturers.
So, I bought this Nady Tremolo on Ebay for a ridiculously low price, and had no information going in. Zero. It turns out that it sounds about as good as a Boss ( meaning on the lower end of mediocre. Not terrible, but nothing special) and is as ugly as a Danelectro ( meaning hideous beyond words. It looks like one of those "Hang loose" feet, in orange, and is huge) . It's worth what I paid, but I wouldn't suggest paying a realistic price for it ( generally it sells for about the same as the Boss- so, then, just get the freakin' Boss).
Even though it cost me a bit more- the Hotone Octa is another matter altogether. This is what I'd call a bargain. Generally, you can pick one up for 70 bucks- and it does virtually everything I would do with the 215 dollar EHX Micro POG. No, it doesn't sound quite as natural on the Octave up- but it's a matter of taste not genuine quality- The Hotone has more warble, the Micro POG has more distortion. So, you have to ask what you're looking to do- I'm looking to double up a few melodic lines- basically play some dyads that sound more like harmonies- Which is what the Micro POG is usually used for, as I hear it. So long as I keep it to whole notes, not more than a bar of sustain, the warble doesn't really come into play. In every other way, the Octa just trounces the Micro POG- first off, this is the smallest pedal I own- it's even smaller than my EBow. That's a feature, to me. It way too small for a battery, but seriously, if it's not a dying battery thing for a fuzz pedal, is there any reason for a battery? I can tell you a big reason against Batteries- throwing toxic heavy metals away every few months. As I was saying, sonically, it's as good as the Electro Harmonix, but that's in standard mode- in the "dirty" mode, which is not polyphonic ( able to handle chords) it keeps up with virtually all the analog "sub-Octave" stuff out there- from the DOD Octoplus, to- get this- the MXR Blue Box- It doesn't have its own fuzz, but I swear it does the single note blend thing as good as the MXR- and when I add my own Fuzz, I've got a Stoner/Sludge monster. In the polyphonic mode, adding a dark overdrive, like the Joyo Ultimate Overdrive produces that "organ tone' beautifully.
Now, I got it on Ebay for 50 bucks, postage paid. Getting it for that might be challenging, but still possible. So- consider that. I could spend 150 and get the Earthquaker Devices Organizer, I could spend 215 , and get the EHX Micro POG- and each would give me slightly different options to arrive at the same place this 50 dollars got me. That's bargain hunting, to me. It wouldn't be if it didn't get me there, any more than if it cost more.
I've got friends who basically believe in magic, and I don't blame them. I understand. If you put an Earthquaker Devices pedal up against a similar Boss product, of course it destroys the Boss. But, rather than think of Boss as substandard, it makes most folks think of Earthquaker as superior. I have been pretty relentless, and while Earthquaker are probably the best of the high dollar "Boutique" guys, they are overcharging- in some instances less than what they could, so bravo to them for that, but still, it's a little bit of magical thinking to say that , for example, the Monarch overdrive is five times the pedal of the Joyo Ultimate Overdrive. I think the Joyo stuff is a little "underpriced" in the Wal Mart sense of the word ( How Wal Mart gets such low prices is by bullying overseas manufacturers, who generally comply by screwing their workers) but that in no way negates how much Earthquaker ( and others, who are far, far worse) are over-pricing. I'm willing to bet they could shave off 30% of their price and still make a profit, just fine- and while they'd still be too rich for my blood, I wouldn't think of it as quite such a game.
But, the problem of leaving the brand name behind is that you are on your own. See, it's a hype machine- the magazines and blogs, and so on are all built in- you'll find reviews and demo videos aplenty for the hyped brands, but apart from Joyo, who caught fire on a couple of pedals, there are precious little resources out towards informing folks of all the manufacturers.
So, I bought this Nady Tremolo on Ebay for a ridiculously low price, and had no information going in. Zero. It turns out that it sounds about as good as a Boss ( meaning on the lower end of mediocre. Not terrible, but nothing special) and is as ugly as a Danelectro ( meaning hideous beyond words. It looks like one of those "Hang loose" feet, in orange, and is huge) . It's worth what I paid, but I wouldn't suggest paying a realistic price for it ( generally it sells for about the same as the Boss- so, then, just get the freakin' Boss).
Even though it cost me a bit more- the Hotone Octa is another matter altogether. This is what I'd call a bargain. Generally, you can pick one up for 70 bucks- and it does virtually everything I would do with the 215 dollar EHX Micro POG. No, it doesn't sound quite as natural on the Octave up- but it's a matter of taste not genuine quality- The Hotone has more warble, the Micro POG has more distortion. So, you have to ask what you're looking to do- I'm looking to double up a few melodic lines- basically play some dyads that sound more like harmonies- Which is what the Micro POG is usually used for, as I hear it. So long as I keep it to whole notes, not more than a bar of sustain, the warble doesn't really come into play. In every other way, the Octa just trounces the Micro POG- first off, this is the smallest pedal I own- it's even smaller than my EBow. That's a feature, to me. It way too small for a battery, but seriously, if it's not a dying battery thing for a fuzz pedal, is there any reason for a battery? I can tell you a big reason against Batteries- throwing toxic heavy metals away every few months. As I was saying, sonically, it's as good as the Electro Harmonix, but that's in standard mode- in the "dirty" mode, which is not polyphonic ( able to handle chords) it keeps up with virtually all the analog "sub-Octave" stuff out there- from the DOD Octoplus, to- get this- the MXR Blue Box- It doesn't have its own fuzz, but I swear it does the single note blend thing as good as the MXR- and when I add my own Fuzz, I've got a Stoner/Sludge monster. In the polyphonic mode, adding a dark overdrive, like the Joyo Ultimate Overdrive produces that "organ tone' beautifully.
Now, I got it on Ebay for 50 bucks, postage paid. Getting it for that might be challenging, but still possible. So- consider that. I could spend 150 and get the Earthquaker Devices Organizer, I could spend 215 , and get the EHX Micro POG- and each would give me slightly different options to arrive at the same place this 50 dollars got me. That's bargain hunting, to me. It wouldn't be if it didn't get me there, any more than if it cost more.
Saturday, July 19, 2014
Zenni Optical
So, I now own 4 pair of glasses from Zenni Optical.
They have the distinction of being the cheapest glasses I will buy. I could go cheaper, but I refuse to go that cheap. See, for the most part, there are very few actual manufacturers of glasses. Oh, sure, they'll slap different labels on different types, but they're pretty much all made in the same place. So, it complicates things- I know that my Lookmatics are still made by Luxottica, but my Mezzmers as well as the Zennis are made by Asisn upstarts. I honestly cannot tell which one, but I suspect Mezzmer is with Wenzhou, or another really large Chinese firm like Optibiz, whereas Zenni is more obscure- but still likely Chinese. I suspect that the manufacturing process is more "mass" and definitely less labor, and eco friendly than either Lookmatic or Mezzmer, but at least they're not all the way down there with some of the Indonesians- and that's why they are about as cheap as I will go. It's worth noting- and it's absolutely best to know, not guess, where the stuff you own was made, but in this world, and especially when it comes to monopolies, you have to make compromises.
Anyway- so I owned a pair of reading glasses from them, from last year's deal- they had a four for the price of three deal, so I bought three pair for my son, and one pair for me. This year's deal was three for two, so I got three, and my son got three. Here's my Three: "Blue Steel" "Retro Metal" ( AKA "Cory Doctorow") and "Hipster Clown" - Zenni doesn't bother to name their styles, so I've done it for them.
So, what do I think? Well, Blue Steel is very much what you'd expect- super cheap, but not as cheaply made as what you'd think- like most Chinese products. They create the most gnawing guilt- I'm pretty sure they were made by sweatshop labor, because the price vs. quality vs. flaws just fits that profile too well. Retro Metal is actually very comparable to a low-to middle end Luxottica product. I'd put them on par with Oakley. Not bad. Hipster Clown actually is garnering me compliments, and I'm not so self assured that I can completely ignore that. They're still very cheaply made, and that's obvious ( I'd put it at Wal Mart type quality- aka "at least I didn't get it at a swap meet" ), but they evidently look good to other people, and they're the first pair of glasses since my Lookmatic Clubmaster-inspired "Austins" that get remarks of "Hey where did you get those? I want a pair!" So, I'll take it. So, all in all, I'd call it a win. Oh, and total price for my order was about US 160.00- which is what I'd pay for one pair of Lookmatics, with all the bells and whistles that I like ( which still beats the pants off of the 300 to 400 I'll pay, using my insurance, at a brick-and-mortar. Without Insurance, I'd pay more like 500 to 600) so, again, not bad.
Basically, Warby Parker still rules hell, for having the least amount of guilt, coupled with a decent price
(unfortunately they can't quite hit my distance prescription so I just have a reading pair). Mezzmer is a very close second, and Lookmatic might be third, but they win over both for style points. But Zenni still is slightly on the "good guy" end of the spectrum. If they start doing the moral equivalent to "carbon offests" I'll eliminate one of my other choices.
They have the distinction of being the cheapest glasses I will buy. I could go cheaper, but I refuse to go that cheap. See, for the most part, there are very few actual manufacturers of glasses. Oh, sure, they'll slap different labels on different types, but they're pretty much all made in the same place. So, it complicates things- I know that my Lookmatics are still made by Luxottica, but my Mezzmers as well as the Zennis are made by Asisn upstarts. I honestly cannot tell which one, but I suspect Mezzmer is with Wenzhou, or another really large Chinese firm like Optibiz, whereas Zenni is more obscure- but still likely Chinese. I suspect that the manufacturing process is more "mass" and definitely less labor, and eco friendly than either Lookmatic or Mezzmer, but at least they're not all the way down there with some of the Indonesians- and that's why they are about as cheap as I will go. It's worth noting- and it's absolutely best to know, not guess, where the stuff you own was made, but in this world, and especially when it comes to monopolies, you have to make compromises.
Anyway- so I owned a pair of reading glasses from them, from last year's deal- they had a four for the price of three deal, so I bought three pair for my son, and one pair for me. This year's deal was three for two, so I got three, and my son got three. Here's my Three: "Blue Steel" "Retro Metal" ( AKA "Cory Doctorow") and "Hipster Clown" - Zenni doesn't bother to name their styles, so I've done it for them.
So, what do I think? Well, Blue Steel is very much what you'd expect- super cheap, but not as cheaply made as what you'd think- like most Chinese products. They create the most gnawing guilt- I'm pretty sure they were made by sweatshop labor, because the price vs. quality vs. flaws just fits that profile too well. Retro Metal is actually very comparable to a low-to middle end Luxottica product. I'd put them on par with Oakley. Not bad. Hipster Clown actually is garnering me compliments, and I'm not so self assured that I can completely ignore that. They're still very cheaply made, and that's obvious ( I'd put it at Wal Mart type quality- aka "at least I didn't get it at a swap meet" ), but they evidently look good to other people, and they're the first pair of glasses since my Lookmatic Clubmaster-inspired "Austins" that get remarks of "Hey where did you get those? I want a pair!" So, I'll take it. So, all in all, I'd call it a win. Oh, and total price for my order was about US 160.00- which is what I'd pay for one pair of Lookmatics, with all the bells and whistles that I like ( which still beats the pants off of the 300 to 400 I'll pay, using my insurance, at a brick-and-mortar. Without Insurance, I'd pay more like 500 to 600) so, again, not bad.
Basically, Warby Parker still rules hell, for having the least amount of guilt, coupled with a decent price
(unfortunately they can't quite hit my distance prescription so I just have a reading pair). Mezzmer is a very close second, and Lookmatic might be third, but they win over both for style points. But Zenni still is slightly on the "good guy" end of the spectrum. If they start doing the moral equivalent to "carbon offests" I'll eliminate one of my other choices.
Why I like Junk
I don't like "junk". I don't like the conceptualization of objects as "junk". I think of that as wasteful, and petty, and disrespectful to other people.
But, let me back up a bit. While this same argument can be used about anything from cookware to shoes, I've encountered it the most with leisure purchases. Cars, Guitars, Grills, and TVs. I can certainly see how there are objects that harm the user- Aluminum cookware, lead paint, and the like. Call that "junk" if you want. However, usually, what is meant is " that object is not up to my fine standards, and you should be like me". I object to that. Take cars, for example- I literally ( and yes, I mean absolutely and exactly) drive cars until the wheels fall off, the engines explode, or the vehicle simply cannot be repaired. So, for most of my life, I drive what others would have called "junk"- some rust, some wear, maybe not the most classic of designs, you get the idea. I feel that's a responsibility. The amount of resources that go into a car, from insane labor practices to toxic materials, to the destruction of fossil fuels, means that, to me, it's irresponsible to be the cause of additional cars being manufactured. If you have a car, it's your responsibility to wring every little bit of use out of it as possible.
Another aspect is with Guitars. I have belonged to various online forums for guitar players, and it never fails- some "newbie" will asking about starting, and out come the people to tell them what they should buy. Every single time, the end result suggestions are an over-expenditure. They'll tell them to buy a 500 dollar guitar, a 500 dollar amplifier, and more. And why? Because you don't want to buy "junk". Bastards! Well, I'm telling you it's a flat out lie. My first guitar cost less than a hundred bucks, and I had to learn how to make my first amplifier- but had I purchased one, I would've been happy with an equally cheap amplifier. I still keep a check on my purchases. I'll never be spending more than a paycheck on any piece of musical equipment. You know why? Because I'm not playing to impress 20 people out of the 500 hundred who paid to see me. That's what that extra money goes to, seriously. You know what the difference between an Epiphone and a Gibson is? Pure vanity! They're both made with questionable labor, and parts, with questionable quality control- so don't go telling me about Korea, China, or Tennessee, because I've actually been to both Gibson and Epiphone manufacturing centers. You know why "boutique" manufacturers charge so much? To make you think it's worth it. I know this because they'll say it. And the people who buy into the claptrap- who are the majority, easily, - they'll bully people who disagree. ( So, to get along, I won't exactly "disagree" with them- I'll just fail to agree)
I don't own a manufactured grill- I make them when I need them. So, there's no bragging rights to a campfire. It's a matter of skill versus status, in my mind. If you're skillful enough , the convenience of the machine isn't needed. If I know how to gauge heat and mass and the transfer of caloric energy to transform my raw food into the cooked state I want, I don't need the controls and gauges. It's about mastery versus success. Success is, by and large, in the eye of a beholder- if other people say you are a success, then, you are. However, if you've mastered something, you have made it do what you want.
Finally, I don't have some TV as big as a coffin, that costs as much as a bathroom remodel. I have a 32" Samsung that cost less than 400 bucks. Some would call it junk- it's not smart, 3D, or anything beyond. It's not even up to 1080, like my computer. You know why? Because I get to define it- not the manufacturer. I say it's a visual speaker for a visual HiFi system- more like a Stereo system than a radio, get it? It's there to simply translate the electronic content I'm feeding it, not to interpret it. I like that. I like my objects to do exactly what I tell them to do- and no more.
So, no, I don't like the designation of quality to be in someone else's hands and mind. I don't like "junk" anymore than I like "Fine" or "top quality" ( or "organic" or "gourmet" or "professional" or any other marketing term that people have given themselves over, in an effort to appeal to their insufficient self esteem, and overinflated vanity). No matter what- even if it's buying stuff- I believe in living in my own world. I'm a materialist in the most exacting sense of the word- I believe the physical world is a much better judge than your conception of my perception. So, no I don't like "junk"- I like my stuff.
But, let me back up a bit. While this same argument can be used about anything from cookware to shoes, I've encountered it the most with leisure purchases. Cars, Guitars, Grills, and TVs. I can certainly see how there are objects that harm the user- Aluminum cookware, lead paint, and the like. Call that "junk" if you want. However, usually, what is meant is " that object is not up to my fine standards, and you should be like me". I object to that. Take cars, for example- I literally ( and yes, I mean absolutely and exactly) drive cars until the wheels fall off, the engines explode, or the vehicle simply cannot be repaired. So, for most of my life, I drive what others would have called "junk"- some rust, some wear, maybe not the most classic of designs, you get the idea. I feel that's a responsibility. The amount of resources that go into a car, from insane labor practices to toxic materials, to the destruction of fossil fuels, means that, to me, it's irresponsible to be the cause of additional cars being manufactured. If you have a car, it's your responsibility to wring every little bit of use out of it as possible.
Another aspect is with Guitars. I have belonged to various online forums for guitar players, and it never fails- some "newbie" will asking about starting, and out come the people to tell them what they should buy. Every single time, the end result suggestions are an over-expenditure. They'll tell them to buy a 500 dollar guitar, a 500 dollar amplifier, and more. And why? Because you don't want to buy "junk". Bastards! Well, I'm telling you it's a flat out lie. My first guitar cost less than a hundred bucks, and I had to learn how to make my first amplifier- but had I purchased one, I would've been happy with an equally cheap amplifier. I still keep a check on my purchases. I'll never be spending more than a paycheck on any piece of musical equipment. You know why? Because I'm not playing to impress 20 people out of the 500 hundred who paid to see me. That's what that extra money goes to, seriously. You know what the difference between an Epiphone and a Gibson is? Pure vanity! They're both made with questionable labor, and parts, with questionable quality control- so don't go telling me about Korea, China, or Tennessee, because I've actually been to both Gibson and Epiphone manufacturing centers. You know why "boutique" manufacturers charge so much? To make you think it's worth it. I know this because they'll say it. And the people who buy into the claptrap- who are the majority, easily, - they'll bully people who disagree. ( So, to get along, I won't exactly "disagree" with them- I'll just fail to agree)
I don't own a manufactured grill- I make them when I need them. So, there's no bragging rights to a campfire. It's a matter of skill versus status, in my mind. If you're skillful enough , the convenience of the machine isn't needed. If I know how to gauge heat and mass and the transfer of caloric energy to transform my raw food into the cooked state I want, I don't need the controls and gauges. It's about mastery versus success. Success is, by and large, in the eye of a beholder- if other people say you are a success, then, you are. However, if you've mastered something, you have made it do what you want.
Finally, I don't have some TV as big as a coffin, that costs as much as a bathroom remodel. I have a 32" Samsung that cost less than 400 bucks. Some would call it junk- it's not smart, 3D, or anything beyond. It's not even up to 1080, like my computer. You know why? Because I get to define it- not the manufacturer. I say it's a visual speaker for a visual HiFi system- more like a Stereo system than a radio, get it? It's there to simply translate the electronic content I'm feeding it, not to interpret it. I like that. I like my objects to do exactly what I tell them to do- and no more.
So, no, I don't like the designation of quality to be in someone else's hands and mind. I don't like "junk" anymore than I like "Fine" or "top quality" ( or "organic" or "gourmet" or "professional" or any other marketing term that people have given themselves over, in an effort to appeal to their insufficient self esteem, and overinflated vanity). No matter what- even if it's buying stuff- I believe in living in my own world. I'm a materialist in the most exacting sense of the word- I believe the physical world is a much better judge than your conception of my perception. So, no I don't like "junk"- I like my stuff.
Saturday, June 28, 2014
An Anti- purchase
I buy what I want. Basic rule of American Capitalism, right? I guess it can be interesting to talk about what I don't buy, as well, right? For example- I've bought two guitars since starting this blog, right? Why didn't I buy some other guitars?
Right, well, I didn't buy a Gibson because while the cost is high, the quality control is about as varied as the cheapest guitars- so why spend the extra? Two grand expenditures seem like a heck of a gamble. Likewise, Fender guitars are more consistent than Gibson, but they're very little better than their much cheaper Squier range- so I would consider a Squier, well before a Fender- however, at the same price point, there are literally dozens of other brands that achieve the same thing as a Squier, so there's no real reason to go with Squier as opposed to Agile, SX, Douglas, Stagg, Jay Turser etc, etc.
Of course, I could try to find some hand built custom thing, but it's hard to justify paying the same price as a used car, when I could get very near to the same place at the price of a nice night out.
Likewise, there's a lot of "cork sniffery" with buying effect pedals. I believe the "cork sniffer" tag got applied to guys who, much like a buyer of fine wine, spent enormous amounts of cash to buy something with probably less actual use than a much cheaper variation. You don't drink a 6000 dollar bottle of wine, you might sniff the cork. Well, likewise with effects pedals- I've seen, very recently, bids higher than what I paid for my effects pedals on some Devi Ever aborted attempts- I mean three figures for an effect pedal that all it has going for it is that Devi Ever might possibly have touched it. Seriously! They're even clearly labelled as "non functioning". I've also seen high dollar bids on the box or instruction manual for an effect pedal- so, why didn't I buy a Devi Ever, or Earthquaker Devices, or Fultone pedal? Because I'm not interested in sniffing the cork, nor in spending quadruple the amount to get to the same place.
My basic point is that I don't buy stuff without thought, and careful analysis. So, why I'm not some kind of label groupie, or connoisseur should be obvious. Less obvious is why I don't have a bunch of the cheapest chinese made knockoffs- and the answer to that is simple - most of that stuff won't get me to where I want to go. Example- the Danelectro 600MS delay pedal I got just does not suit my purposes. The decay rate is too short, the depth is too extreme, it just doesn't sound right. So, I've got two of the Donner Yellow Fall echo pedals, and that gets exactly where I want. Costs more, but it was the most direct route to the sound I was after ( somewhere between Geordie and Surf Music)
The same thing goes for other purchases- jeans, Cars, Houses, you name it- I don't buy what I don't want, so one of the keys to this project is getting a clearer idea of what I want- and honing in on exactly that. Whether you do it in a blog, or with your friends, or just in your head- I'd suggest that everybody do that.
Right, well, I didn't buy a Gibson because while the cost is high, the quality control is about as varied as the cheapest guitars- so why spend the extra? Two grand expenditures seem like a heck of a gamble. Likewise, Fender guitars are more consistent than Gibson, but they're very little better than their much cheaper Squier range- so I would consider a Squier, well before a Fender- however, at the same price point, there are literally dozens of other brands that achieve the same thing as a Squier, so there's no real reason to go with Squier as opposed to Agile, SX, Douglas, Stagg, Jay Turser etc, etc.
Of course, I could try to find some hand built custom thing, but it's hard to justify paying the same price as a used car, when I could get very near to the same place at the price of a nice night out.
Likewise, there's a lot of "cork sniffery" with buying effect pedals. I believe the "cork sniffer" tag got applied to guys who, much like a buyer of fine wine, spent enormous amounts of cash to buy something with probably less actual use than a much cheaper variation. You don't drink a 6000 dollar bottle of wine, you might sniff the cork. Well, likewise with effects pedals- I've seen, very recently, bids higher than what I paid for my effects pedals on some Devi Ever aborted attempts- I mean three figures for an effect pedal that all it has going for it is that Devi Ever might possibly have touched it. Seriously! They're even clearly labelled as "non functioning". I've also seen high dollar bids on the box or instruction manual for an effect pedal- so, why didn't I buy a Devi Ever, or Earthquaker Devices, or Fultone pedal? Because I'm not interested in sniffing the cork, nor in spending quadruple the amount to get to the same place.
My basic point is that I don't buy stuff without thought, and careful analysis. So, why I'm not some kind of label groupie, or connoisseur should be obvious. Less obvious is why I don't have a bunch of the cheapest chinese made knockoffs- and the answer to that is simple - most of that stuff won't get me to where I want to go. Example- the Danelectro 600MS delay pedal I got just does not suit my purposes. The decay rate is too short, the depth is too extreme, it just doesn't sound right. So, I've got two of the Donner Yellow Fall echo pedals, and that gets exactly where I want. Costs more, but it was the most direct route to the sound I was after ( somewhere between Geordie and Surf Music)
The same thing goes for other purchases- jeans, Cars, Houses, you name it- I don't buy what I don't want, so one of the keys to this project is getting a clearer idea of what I want- and honing in on exactly that. Whether you do it in a blog, or with your friends, or just in your head- I'd suggest that everybody do that.
Monday, June 16, 2014
A Quick Follow Up
My PureSalem now has a name! I have been emailing with Rick Sell, who not only confirmed that it is, in fact, a PureSalem protoype, and that the body is a solid piece of mahogany, attached to a solid Mahogany Neck- that he likes my name for the model- so, it's now officially a "Louie". I know, naming guitars is just a childish thing, but this is at a slightly different level. You can say it's yet more childish, but considering the names for his other guitars : Brave Ulysses, Tom Cat, and Sad Fester, I think it's a vote of confidence that he agrees with the name "Louie De Palma"- the guitar is short, dark, angry and has no tone control.
Saturday, June 14, 2014
Another Guitar??
Yes, I bought another guitar. Now, you might think that this blog is about buying guitar stuff, and in the micro-sense, it might be. What I mean for it to be is a documentation of how I'm finding my way, in what I purchase. I don't mean letting my stuff define me, but the reverse- how my self-definitions play into what I purchase.So, I'm finding that, as a complete music nerd, the most resonant ( geddit?) purchases are those that involve music. I don't know why I'm so stuck on music. My Dad played guitar, but not professionally. My Mom sang in the church choir, but again, nothing professional. I can't tell you why I started trying to be a roadie at 15, a sound engineer at 25, joining bands in between, and not really quitting that circus until I was 37, thus meaning that somewhere around half my working life was based on music and sound. So, at this point, me buying guitars isn't about fulfilling a fantasy of being a rock star or something. It's more like a woodworker buying a new Bosch circular saw, or a day trader buying some penny stocks. It's me asserting my little self over the course of my time, here.
That doesn't mean that I'm not aspirational. If I had the money for it, I'd have a Martin D-28, customized to be fully left handed, and a vintage Jazzmaster, again lefty, and a couple of Gibson guitars, most likely a vintage Melody Maker and an early 1970's SG, and a Mesa Boogie Mark II, and an Orange custom Reverb, and an H&H I/C 100, and so on, and so on. Two of those "aspirational" things are the lovely guitars from PureSalem, and vintage, early 1960's mutant guitars- you know Supros, Nationals, Burns, Danelectro, Silvertone, Teisco, and so on.
So, by a fluke, I was able to meet several of those aspirational desires, this week. I got a PureSalem guitar. Don't look for it on their website, because, when Rick Sells was looking to make his guitar company, he tried out several designs at several different manufacturers. The prototypes that he made that represented manufacturers that he didn't ultimately go with, he sold on Ebay a few years back. One of these was bought by a fellow lefty less than 10 miles from me. I never knew that guy, but he decided to sell his prototype on Ebay, and I bought it. So, mark the "PureSalem" box checked. How about the mutant factor? Well, the design is about one half a Silvertone/Danelectro 1448, with the remaining half taking bits from the Silvertone/Kay 1410, and the 1963 Gibson Melody Maker. Doesn't that pretty much fill the bill?
See, it's a solid slab ( I can find no seams, joints, or bindings, and the stain and poly are fairly thin, leading me to believe it's real, solid wood) of what appears to be Mahogany, with a definite, and set Mahogany neck, and a single pick up- so you've got your Gibson there. The small scale (17 Fret) neck, the body shape, all on one side tuners with a paddle headstock definitely calls up the 1448. The red color, pickguard shape and humbucker voicing calls up the 1410, but really, yes, this is a mutant. It's got a few problems, typical of this kind of purchase- there's some glue on the neck from where they were sloppy installing the nut, the action is set on Slide ( almost a quarter inch up from the body, and about half that from the upper frets. The prior owner liked really thick strings) the Humbucker is a muddy no name, and the tone control has come loose and is therefore useless. But, all that is tweakable.
So, why should you care about my purchase of a guitar you will never, ever own? Why should it matter to anyone but me? In a way- it shouldn't. That's part of my point in this blog. Most folks when they talk about stuff, are trying to make you envious of their stuff. They are saying "I got this, it's cool, and you should want to get this, too". The ultimate aim is for their ego- I have cool stuff, therefore, I'm cool. Well, I know I'm cool enough for me. If you think I'm cool, well, good for you, I guess, but it doesn't matter to me. If you think my stuff is cool, again, good for you, I guess, but it's far more important to me that I think my stuff is cool. What's more important than any of that, is the question of your ego, your cool, and your stuff. See, I'm offering up my process to legitimize your process. So, if, let's say, you're a book collector, and a former Librarian- then, I'm presenting this as an encouragement for you to talk about what makes for a cool book, in your book. Let's say you dig cars- well, then, I'd want to hear about some obscure Auto that only you can explain- get the picture? I'm talking about the stuff as a way to get to the ideas.
In this case the ideas are as follows:
1. It's not magic, but if you follow your muse, your singular desires, eventually, your ideas will manifest. In my case, take a look at the manifestation- this little guitar checks off a lot of boxes, and not necessarily compatible ones, and yet, here it is, purchased for less than the price of a decent family dinner at a restaurant. I don't think it's a deity, or magic force. I think it's a matter of tuning your perceptions, and essentially, creating a radar for the way you want to see the world. I really dig the stuff I was describing above, so I was turning my attention towards it. When things conformed to that set of desires and aesthetics, I would pay more attention to it. That allowed me a better "eye" for what I wanted. I'm not saying we create our own reality, but I'm saying we choose what to put our minds into, and that affects our perception of our actual reality.
2. None of us are alone- think about this- wanting a guitar made by PureSalem, a lefty, and following both Gibson and Sears catalog aesthetics is a pretty obscure, lonely thing- and yet, there was somebody almost within walking distances to me who evidently at least partially shared that aesthetic. That's an incredibly comforting thing- none of us are truly alone, no matter how alienated our lives make us. If you look, you will find like-minded individuals.
3. If you examine both yourself and your "evidence" ( the physical traces of your mental existance) you might come to a different understanding than if you kept it to a purely mental exercise. For example, through this purchase, I've come to understand that most of the reason why I like PureSalem is that these are not "trash" guitars, they just reference guitars that are. So, not only does this guitar scratch the itch, it fills the desire- because nothing is more "trash" than an old Silvertone, but this is actually a fairly high quality guitar, and I wouldn't like it as much if it weren't.
4. Owning something is a collaboration. In this case, there is the guitar, as is, then, there's what I'm doing with it- playing, and tweaking, and adjusting. It doesn't matter if it's a camera or a fridge- it's all an interface between you and the manufacture.
5. Pictures can be better than words- have a look-see:
That doesn't mean that I'm not aspirational. If I had the money for it, I'd have a Martin D-28, customized to be fully left handed, and a vintage Jazzmaster, again lefty, and a couple of Gibson guitars, most likely a vintage Melody Maker and an early 1970's SG, and a Mesa Boogie Mark II, and an Orange custom Reverb, and an H&H I/C 100, and so on, and so on. Two of those "aspirational" things are the lovely guitars from PureSalem, and vintage, early 1960's mutant guitars- you know Supros, Nationals, Burns, Danelectro, Silvertone, Teisco, and so on.
So, by a fluke, I was able to meet several of those aspirational desires, this week. I got a PureSalem guitar. Don't look for it on their website, because, when Rick Sells was looking to make his guitar company, he tried out several designs at several different manufacturers. The prototypes that he made that represented manufacturers that he didn't ultimately go with, he sold on Ebay a few years back. One of these was bought by a fellow lefty less than 10 miles from me. I never knew that guy, but he decided to sell his prototype on Ebay, and I bought it. So, mark the "PureSalem" box checked. How about the mutant factor? Well, the design is about one half a Silvertone/Danelectro 1448, with the remaining half taking bits from the Silvertone/Kay 1410, and the 1963 Gibson Melody Maker. Doesn't that pretty much fill the bill?
See, it's a solid slab ( I can find no seams, joints, or bindings, and the stain and poly are fairly thin, leading me to believe it's real, solid wood) of what appears to be Mahogany, with a definite, and set Mahogany neck, and a single pick up- so you've got your Gibson there. The small scale (17 Fret) neck, the body shape, all on one side tuners with a paddle headstock definitely calls up the 1448. The red color, pickguard shape and humbucker voicing calls up the 1410, but really, yes, this is a mutant. It's got a few problems, typical of this kind of purchase- there's some glue on the neck from where they were sloppy installing the nut, the action is set on Slide ( almost a quarter inch up from the body, and about half that from the upper frets. The prior owner liked really thick strings) the Humbucker is a muddy no name, and the tone control has come loose and is therefore useless. But, all that is tweakable.
So, why should you care about my purchase of a guitar you will never, ever own? Why should it matter to anyone but me? In a way- it shouldn't. That's part of my point in this blog. Most folks when they talk about stuff, are trying to make you envious of their stuff. They are saying "I got this, it's cool, and you should want to get this, too". The ultimate aim is for their ego- I have cool stuff, therefore, I'm cool. Well, I know I'm cool enough for me. If you think I'm cool, well, good for you, I guess, but it doesn't matter to me. If you think my stuff is cool, again, good for you, I guess, but it's far more important to me that I think my stuff is cool. What's more important than any of that, is the question of your ego, your cool, and your stuff. See, I'm offering up my process to legitimize your process. So, if, let's say, you're a book collector, and a former Librarian- then, I'm presenting this as an encouragement for you to talk about what makes for a cool book, in your book. Let's say you dig cars- well, then, I'd want to hear about some obscure Auto that only you can explain- get the picture? I'm talking about the stuff as a way to get to the ideas.
In this case the ideas are as follows:
1. It's not magic, but if you follow your muse, your singular desires, eventually, your ideas will manifest. In my case, take a look at the manifestation- this little guitar checks off a lot of boxes, and not necessarily compatible ones, and yet, here it is, purchased for less than the price of a decent family dinner at a restaurant. I don't think it's a deity, or magic force. I think it's a matter of tuning your perceptions, and essentially, creating a radar for the way you want to see the world. I really dig the stuff I was describing above, so I was turning my attention towards it. When things conformed to that set of desires and aesthetics, I would pay more attention to it. That allowed me a better "eye" for what I wanted. I'm not saying we create our own reality, but I'm saying we choose what to put our minds into, and that affects our perception of our actual reality.
2. None of us are alone- think about this- wanting a guitar made by PureSalem, a lefty, and following both Gibson and Sears catalog aesthetics is a pretty obscure, lonely thing- and yet, there was somebody almost within walking distances to me who evidently at least partially shared that aesthetic. That's an incredibly comforting thing- none of us are truly alone, no matter how alienated our lives make us. If you look, you will find like-minded individuals.
3. If you examine both yourself and your "evidence" ( the physical traces of your mental existance) you might come to a different understanding than if you kept it to a purely mental exercise. For example, through this purchase, I've come to understand that most of the reason why I like PureSalem is that these are not "trash" guitars, they just reference guitars that are. So, not only does this guitar scratch the itch, it fills the desire- because nothing is more "trash" than an old Silvertone, but this is actually a fairly high quality guitar, and I wouldn't like it as much if it weren't.
4. Owning something is a collaboration. In this case, there is the guitar, as is, then, there's what I'm doing with it- playing, and tweaking, and adjusting. It doesn't matter if it's a camera or a fridge- it's all an interface between you and the manufacture.
5. Pictures can be better than words- have a look-see:
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