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Post by joachim on Jan 20, 2019 1:53:45 GMT -6
For once I have something news-worthy - I got a new guitar, a Fender American Standard 2015. Second-hand but almost completely unused, plastic still on pick-guard. When I put on .10s instead of factory .09s, I could not get the guitar in tune - the bridge was pulled way to high up as if the springs were too light for the new strings. Is that something you strat guys have experienced? I ended blocking the tremolo with a piece of wood, so I can play on it for now.
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Post by bluesbruce on Jan 20, 2019 5:41:19 GMT -6
Nice looking strat, Joachim. Of course, we demand VIDEO... Don't know what to advise about the tremolo - I blocked mine years ago and just leave it that way. Decent week of practice here, all technique stuff (major scales, notes on fretboard, 16th note strumming) and ear training. Did break out Stetina's "Total Rock Guitar", played with a few of those tunes. I've been looking for a portable guitar interface for use with a new MacBook pro laptop. Only ports on it are USB-C type ports. Anyone have any experience with any of those devices or recommendations? Probably something along the lines of the IK Multimedia iRig HD 2 www.ikmultimedia.com/products/irighd2/
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Post by jack1982 on Jan 20, 2019 6:12:01 GMT -6
Awesome guitar Joachim! I've always loved white Strats, they've just got a wonderful look about them. I've got the trem on mine blocked off, but on my Ibanez I just added a couple more springs (for a total of 5) and that seemed to balance it out. You need to adjust the "claw" (one end of the springs is attached to the bridge, the other is attached to the "claw" which is screwed into the body). You can tighten or loosen the screws holding the claw to the body until the bridge sits level. I'm sure there are dozens of videos on YouTube on how to do it. The tremolo has a much heavier feel (requires more pressure to push it down etc.) but it works. I had an okay week, just worked on that "improvising in the style of Little Wing" challenge. I'm adding in a lot more double stops and hammering into double stops. That's like learning all new licks - I'm not nearly to the point where I can improvise that way, so I'm sort of working on just writing something. Of course there's plenty of trial-and-error hunting around for stuff that sounds halfway decent, so I guess that's "improvising" lol. Next webinar is Tuesday so assuming I get something recorded, I'll post it here. Bruce, sorry but I don't now anything about Mac stuff. IK multimedia makes my Amplitube amp modelling software though, probably want to pick that up as long as you're at it
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Post by grampalerxst on Jan 20, 2019 6:58:00 GMT -6
Haven't had that problem on a strat, but I have on other guitars. It's just one of the hazards of floating bridges. I'm guessing it had three springs and adding two more if it will take (as Jack suggested)them will help a lot with that if you don't want to go too crazy with the whammy stuff. I have an Ibanez with five springs and on my list of things to do is to make the same adjustment to my Suhr Classic. It came with 0.010s so the setup is good on it. It just annoys me that bending one of the lower strings makes any other strings that are ringing go flat. Your other option is to adjust the bridge so it sits right with the 0.010s. Very nice looking guitar!
A decent week for me. A few less hours w/the guitar--started back on overtime this week. No end in sight so I'll have to make the best use I can of what time I can wrangle. I'm going to try to get a capture of my version of BYCU #1 this afternoon so I can officially close the book on that one. I could work on it another week, but I want the extra week for BYCU #2 which from day 1 back in 2014 has been extremely difficult for me to do even marginally well. I'll be truly glad to never try that one again once the end of February rolls around.
Still working on the bits of Pride and Joy and Electric Gypsy. I expect I'll have them in my daily routine for all of 2019.
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Post by joachim on Jan 20, 2019 7:38:11 GMT -6
Jack and Grampa, you're right - the strat has 3 springs. so I will look for a couple of extras.
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Post by joachim on Jan 20, 2019 8:05:08 GMT -6
Bruce, since you asked for it:
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Post by cunningr on Jan 20, 2019 8:26:04 GMT -6
Joachim beutiful strat, i have 009’s on mine cause I didnt feel like addressing the set up. You will need to check the neck releif also because the heavier strings will add tension cause a kittle more neck bow. Already mentioned the spring tension but note that if you tune flat you have to go in and readjust as it will affect it. The issue with the bridge angle it can cause intonation to change sometimes. I didnt think I would love a guitar more than my 335, but now its a toss up love my strat just need to get my string muting techinque better.
Bruce I have a version 1 of those works great came with an adpator to use with my ipad or iphone also, i also used it once to add another mik channel into GB recording some tracks for my sons band.
My week been working on Bass compositions and intervals, also instructor gave me a rythmn that uses a rake. So I taght my trio plus band the progression using the bass lines the used the looper section to add the guitar bass part the practiced the rythmn/ raking still struggleing with teaching the trio band but works pretty good for a practice tool.
Also progressed further through Born Under a Bad Sighn changed amp emulation to a vibrolux really sounds good that way.
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Post by Phil on Jan 20, 2019 9:51:46 GMT -6
Joachim - sounds great. You've really come a long way. I really like that tone.
I only got in 5 hrs last week and 5.5 hrs. the week before. I just haven't had much motivation the past couple of weeks. Hopefully, that will change soon. I'm still doing the arpeggios in 1 position and the Phil Keaggy stretch that I talked about before for 10-15 minutes or so as a warm up. At least I'm being consistent with something. One of my plans for 2019 was to work thru part 2 of the Mickey Baker book. Well, I decided to take another look at the 1st part and discovered that I never did the last 3 lessons in that section. I guess I skipped them because they are hard. So I'm currently working on those. Looking thru the 2nd half of the book I'm amazed by how much it covers. The book is only 64 pages long but it covers enough stuff and gives enough "homework" to keep you busy for a year or 2. If anyone here ever gets interested in learning some Jazz I highly recommend working thru "Jazzin' the Blues" and then the Mickey Baker book. I guess you could even work thru both at the same time. However, I suggest you don't buy ANY other courses until you finish both of them. These 2 books, which together cost less than $25, will give you more bang for your buck than anything else you can buy.
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Post by bluesbruce on Jan 20, 2019 9:59:00 GMT -6
Sounds nice, Joachim. Looks beautiful, love that cream color!
Rich, thanks for the feedback on the iRig. Jack, I think these come with a stripped down version of the Amplitude package, and frequent "reminders" to upgrade to the full thing which I think is about $200. Logic has a full slew of amp and cab sims, along with a boatload of effect sims, so I probably wouldn't even install their software, just need a small, lightweight and relatively portable input device for the guitar. The iRig HD2 is about $100, where some of the older iRig models were more reasonably priced. I probably just need to quit being such a tightwad and just buy the thing... then I can have an equipment report, but not quite as nice as Joachim's😁.
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Post by cunningr on Jan 20, 2019 11:03:04 GMT -6
Sounds nice, Joachim. Looks beautiful, love that cream color! Rich, thanks for the feedback on the iRig. Jack, I think these come with a stripped down version of the Amplitude package, and frequent "reminders" to upgrade to the full thing which I think is about $200. Logic has a full slew of amp and cab sims, along with a boatload of effect sims, so I probably wouldn't even install their software, just need a small, lightweight and relatively portable input device for the guitar. The iRig HD2 is about $100, where some of the older iRig models were more reasonably priced. I probably just need to quit being such a tightwad and just buy the thing... then I can have an equipment report, but not quite as nice as Joachim's😁. If I remember correctly I paid about $100 for my Ver1 HD. You might try reverb.com see if you can find a used one. I am noting that used gear isnt much cheaper though, was looking for a mxr micro amp for a clean boost new they are $80 all the used ones i found are $55 to $60. I did win an rc3 looper on ebay for $115 including shipping so good deal there, didnt actually think i would win it. Lol
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Post by jack1982 on Jan 22, 2019 16:06:07 GMT -6
Here's the little thing I did for week 2 of the challenge: One of the other guys did something that actually did sound very Little Wing-ish, I'll have to see what I can do along those lines for next week. Also need to get "R n' B You Can Use" out and swipe some licks out of that one song
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Post by joachim on Jan 23, 2019 3:42:25 GMT -6
That's getting really cool, Jack! Thanks for sharing that.
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Post by Phil on Jan 23, 2019 9:12:46 GMT -6
Nice playing, Jack.
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Post by bluesbruce on Jan 24, 2019 5:07:15 GMT -6
Very cool, Jack! You're definitely getting a Hendrix kind of vibe going there.
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