Thursday, January 31, 2013

Vox AD100VT Valvetronix Amplifier

This is currently my main amp when I play in a group. It's has a low-power tube power amp and models several amps -- including the fames Vox AC15 and AC30TB.  This 100Watt amp is plenty loud for anything I would want to play.  There is an attenuator pot in the back to limit the overall power output and the amp came with a footswitch to select any one of two user-defined settings.  In addition to each user setting, the 2nd footswitch button control enables/disables any of the built-in effects.
This is part of the Valvetronix product line and is driven by two 12-inch speakers visible from the open cabinet.  At some point, I might build a little platform I can use to wheel this Vox around because it it heavy but thanks to the amp handles, it's really not too bad.
The only complaint I have with this Vox is that I wish I could preset more than 2 settings.  I can certainly see at least wanting 4 presets given the variety of songs that I play.  Surf clean, blues, hard rhythm and solos.  It has an effects loop that I seldom use and an output for an extra speaker.  I bought this used in 2012 and I did drive all the way to Murrieta to pick it up.


Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Fender Modern Player Marauder

This is the second guitar I ever bought online. I saw a similar guitar but in black at the the Guitar Center in Rancho Cucamonga but they didn't have the Lake Placid Blue color that I was looking for.  Amazon.com to the rescue.  The guitar's main feature that I was interested in was the triple-bucker pickup (bridge) and the interesting combination of sounds I can get out of it.  The neck pickup is effectively a Jazzmaster pickup.
This guitar is made in China and the headstock is relatively simple.  A Fender label.  No model number.  The guitar shipped with a really decent setup. After all, any guitar purchased in the internet has that added burden of being playable off the box -- otherwise, the buyer will have this tendency to just send it back.
This in the only made in China guitar in my collection and it had earned its way to sit alongside my Americans, Japanese and Mexican axes.  The pearloid pickguard and the jazz bass knobs are definitely  nice touches and complement the Lake Placid Blue finish, which by the way is flawless.   Doing some research, the Marauder was initially attached to a Fender from the 60s and I suppose only time will tell if Fender continues this product line.

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Takamine F309

This is a Martin OM copy by Takamine that I picked up at a used music store in Colorado Springs in the mid 90s.  I went there a lot for work and one time, I was there for over 2 weeks and decided I needed a guitar to kill boredom.  This is an F309 model made with mahogany and has an aged red brown finish to it.  For a Japanese acoustic made in the early 80s, this one is very well made and had obviously lasted over 30 years.
I'd be the first to tell anyone who wants to play a mahogany top guitar, the sound is not for everyone.  It is not particularly loud (compared to a dreadnought) nor has the same projection as a spruce top guitar.  However, I used it mostly for fingerpicking tunes.  The other feature that is unique is the Martin clone headstock shape and type.  I've read that Martin did file a lawsuit because of the (obvious) similarity.
Not sure what this guitar is worth these days but it's the oldest guitar in my collection.  I did pay a decent price for it but haven't really played it in the last 10 years.  The Takamine label and model are actually burned into the strip of wood that binds the bookmatched back of the guitar.  Inside the guitar is a sticker with the Takamine logo and the serial number 82070274.  From what I this tells me, this is the 74th guitar manufactured of July 2, 1982.

Monday, January 28, 2013

Yamaha Silent Guitar

I wanted a travel guitar at the time (early 2000s) and I was playing a lot of nylon string guitar.  The Yamaha Silent Guitar is collapsible with a built-in pickup for headphone playing or plugging into an amplifier.  I found the use of headphones really cumbersome at best -- for some reason, I need to hear the tones coming out of the guitar body.
I do find the design of this guitar both sexy and functional.  It uses a solid wood piece for the neck-through-bridge main part and hard plastic/wood for the guitar body.  Only the top half of the guitar body comes out and is typically held in place by set screws at the tail and where the neck meets the body.  On a playability scale, however, I would only give this guitar no more than a 6 (out of 10) -- not because of the neck, which is decent, but because of the small narrow body.  Maybe it's Pavlovian conditioning that my ears expect a loud, resonating cedar top every time my finger touch a set of nylon strings.  I don't play it enough to reverse that expectation.  That has got to be it.

Sunday, January 27, 2013

60th Anniversary Stratocaster

If there ever is an argument for getting a guitar for it's color, this is it.  This 2006 Fender Strat has a Blizzard Pearl finish as its top selling feature.  The other is that it is a 60th Diamond Anniversary guitar (1946-2006) as evidenced in the neck plate and a little "60" button at the back of the headstock.


This guitar, made in Mexico plays as good as any American Strat I have in my possession but I believe it had a bit of water damage when I got it (used, obviously).  I had to clean out the maple fretboard, which seems to have dried brown stains (coffee?) in some of the wood grain around the fretwire.  The tremolo bridge also has some rusting in it but that's what adds to the character of the guitar, right?

Saturday, January 26, 2013

Bugera V5 Amplifier

Impulse buys are not always the best things.  First, I don't have much time to think about whether I really need it.  Second, it's a purely emotional response to some other thing that's going on -- stress, typically but nonetheless, it's a momentary feeling of elation once the purchase is made.  And last, I probably has something already very similar in form and function, rendering the impulse buy a total redundancy.  This Bugera V5 (as in Vintage 5) is an impulse buy from Guitar Center in Covina.
On the first question of whether I really need it.  Hell, no.  But did I want it?  Hell, yes.  On the second attribute of an impulse buy of non-lasting satisfaction, I think the 5-Watt tube amp is going to make me feel fine for a long time (ok, until the next boutique amp hits the market, which I'm hoping is at least a year).
My Fender Blues Jr 15-Watt amp is really a little too loud for a bedroom application -- which is what this Bugera is destined for.  This is where the Power Attenuator switch at the back becomes a relevant selling point, i.e., I can drive the tube without driving my next door neighbors crazy.  The 8-inch speaker, rated for 30 Watt is adequate at all power levels especially the high-end of the volume/gain dials.  The clean sound I can get from the V5 is perfect for practice and learning songs.  My only complaint is the LED indicator light next to the power switch.  Damn, I'm talking 1-cm diameter bright enough to light up a night club -- should I take this to a gig.  Oh, and on the third issue of redundancy, this is the whole premise behind GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) is not just double but multiple-times-over redundancy anyway.

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Baby Taylor

This is the first instantiation of a Baby Taylor, made in El Cajon, California.  I got this in 1998 and took it on trips thanks to the portable size of the hardshell case that fits in the overhead compartment of any 737 or larger plane.  The finish is no-nonsense flat and this one has seen plenty of abuse over the years. One of the kids learned how to play guitar with the Baby Taylor mostly because of its size.
The small body does project quite a bit and it's louder than my other small-bodied Takamine.  It's construction is somewhat unusual where Taylor used two screws at the 16th fret to hold down the neck.  Ugly as hell but I assume there's some kind of structural rationale for it.  The bridge and the headstock, painted black, are the same shape as my other Taylors.
The Baby Taylor case is something special as well.  Nice thick, maroon material lines the inside of the case and the guitar body fits just perfectly.  Taylor now makes a slightly larger model, the GS Mini but the original Baby has a charm that's sets it apart from any other Taylors.
Top: Sitka Spruce
Sides: Sapele Laminate
Scale Length: 22 3/4 inches

Monday, January 21, 2013

Corboda C5-CE

At some point in the past I played flamenco music for a whole year after seeing Paco de Lucia in concert.   It's a stretch to even think of myself as flamenco player but I gained valuable fingerpicking techniques during that year away from steel strings, electric or acoustic.  I got this Cordoba in 2009 not because I outgrew my other classical guitar but because this one has a built-in pickup and tuner.  Oddly enough, the C5-CE model is considered an entry-level classical guitar.
This Portugese-made guitar does not have a serial number nor a country of origin but when I tried it, I didn't care.  The price was right, the neck was nice and wide and the projection was what I was looking for.  When I plugged it into my acoustic amp, it has a really bright upper end.
I can't even remember the last time I played anything remotely flamenco in style but I do on occasion, play some jazz standards on the Cordoba.  It did come with a nice matching gray soft case.

Sunday, January 20, 2013

PRS Tremonti SE

There is a certain hesitation with the guitar buying public regarding internet purchases.  It is based primarily on the fact that an instrument is something one needs to play in person and there are variations even within the same model on craftsmanship, feel, tone, etc.  So when I ordered this PRS Tremonti SE  from Amazon in 2009, there was an element of risk that I wasn't too comfortable with. (I've since bought another guitar from Amazon and am quite happy.)  I've decided since that my fears were unfounded.
The gig bag that came with it is somewhat special -- embroidered with the SE nameplate.  This PRS is very well made and the neck feels even better.  I suppose CNC machining had revolutionized guitar making in the Far East.  The model is named after Mark Tremonti, a favorite guitar player of mine (from Alter Bridge) and I suppose his name was enough to convince me this guitar is worth a try.
I play this PRS mainly for heavier classic rock songs (e.g. Zeppelin, Ozzy) and it's probably the best-feeling neck on any of my electrics.  The bridge is also a very unique design -- somewhat art deco but fully functional in every way.  I'm really curious if I can tell the difference in playing feel between this PRS and a $3000 model.
Body: Mahogany
Neck: Mahogany w 22 frets
Neck Width at Nut: 1.7 in
Scale Length: 25 in
Weight: 6.6 lb

Saturday, January 19, 2013

Jasmine Acoustic

This is my first acoustic guitar (technically, my 2nd but the first one was a really cheap-o and just fell apart).  Jasmine is a lower end brand name by Takamine made in Korea (not Japan).  At the time, I definitely could not afford even the cheapest Tak dreadnought which ran about $500.  I got this Jasmine S-80 for about $300 from Guitar Center in Hawthorne in 1990.  Don't even know if the top is solid or laminate spruce but it sounded nice and I played this for almost a decade until the Taylor bug bit me in the late 90s.
I haven't played this in about 10 years and the wood had stabilized to the point that any warping the guitar was going to do was over and done with.  The inlays and the plastic bindings are not of the best craftsmanship but this guitar was made when manufacturers first started out using the Korean labor market.  I've tried several string sets with this Jasmine but the John Pearse mediums sound the brightest.

Friday, January 18, 2013

Burgundy Mist Stratocaster

This is the first electric guitar I ever got.  Back in 1997, I decided I wanted a Fender Stratocaster and Guitar Center had this beautiful American-made beauty in Burgundy Mist with matching painted headstock.  The paint has a bit of metallic feature as shown in the headstock logo below.  It had the other requirement I wanted, which was a maple neck. Maple necks just age into this really warm, soft, yellow tint after 15 years. This guitar doesn't get played outside the house for it is probably my most priced electric guitar.

As seen above, the finish on the neck is starting to peel from years of use.  I remember having to pay an extra $100 for this nice molded case (below) with a Fender headstock pressed on it.  At the time, this was the best guitar that I could afford and this one will probably get passed on to one of my kids or grandkids at some point.

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Tom Delonge Stratocaster

This is the first Tom Delonge Stratocaster I got sometime in 2011.  As with most of my guitars lately, it was a Craigslist buy and is in mint condition.  The Delonge strat is identifiable by 3 obvious things -- a single volume knob, a single humbucker pickup (Seymour Duncan Invader) and an oversized 70s headstock.  The Delonge's come in a couple other colors and I'm definitely in the hunt for a blue one.  The SD Invader pickups really shred and is just excellent for fast rhythm runs.  The Tom Delonge nameplate in the back is also a nice touch.  Not sure about the age of the guitar but I'm guess this was made around 2001.

Koaloha Ukulele

This ukulele is almost 10 years old.  I got it during our annual trip to Hawaii from a small music store in Maui.  The Koaloha brand is handcrafted in Hawaii using the only wood of choice for these instruments -- koa.  I really like the pineapple shape of the headstock, the custom Koaloha logo on the tuning heads.  I might get rid of all my guitars but not my ukulele.  Our 2003 vacation to Maui was memorable in many ways and every time I play this simple instrument, I take a trip back to a special time.


Peavey Falcon Custom





This is a US-made strat by Peavey.  My only guitar with locking nut and Kahler/Floyd Rose tremolo system.  The action is a little low to the point where I hear some fret buzz but should be ok.  This Craigslist special is from some British guy in Corona and is in excellent condition.  A Peavey case, similarly in great shape, came along with the guitar.  The bilaminated flame maple neck actually sold me on this guitar.  Also, now I know why it's important to buy instruments from non-smokers.  There is a pungent scent from the fretboard when I first got it.  I'm still airing it out a bit just so I can smell that woods again.

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Seafoam Green Stratocaster

I built this hapa-haole-caster a while back.  The body came from a Tom Delonge Strat (from Craigslist, where else) in gorgeous seafoam green.  I kept the Seymour Duncan Invader pickup for the bridge but added two Tex-Mex single coils to make my very first HSS strat.  The oversized headstock is also very distinctive and I opted for the volume-only knob configuration.  The pearl pickguard was from Warmoth.  This is probably the one electric that gets the most play around the house. Original Delonge Strat was made in Mexico.

Yamaha SC300T

This is a classic surf guitar in Candy Apple Red color.  Another Craigslist find, I guessing originally sold around 1984.  I am a sucker for painted headstocks so this was an easy decision.  Just a couple very minor scratches on the finish.  Missing a tremolo bar and also, the volume and tone knobs are not original.  I had to adjust the intonation just a hair when I got it.  No case and the tuners don't look original either but it's one cool-looking surf guitar.  The back of the headstock is stamped "Made in Taiwan" but the quality of the guitar screams Yamaha Japanese quality all the way.

Ibanez Talman TC825

Ibanez Talman Model TC825 is the only model w a Bigsby tremolo.  This one was around 1988 and made in Japan.  The silver sparkle finish sold me and it's in pretty good condition when I got it from Craigslist.  I did have to adjust the action quite a bit to drop it to some reasonable string height.  It came with an Ibanez hardshell case.  This was a bit of an unusual Craigslist transaction.  I drove all the way to Studio City to pick it from from the seller, who then proceeded to take my picture with his phone camera just so he can show his dad where the guitar went.  Apparently, him and his dad bought the guitar together as some pawnshop in Atlanta years back.  Whatever.