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Post by scorpiodog on Jan 26, 2023 15:57:29 GMT
I am toying with the idea of an Epiphone Inspired By Gibson J200. They have them in Andertons for way under a grand and in their January sale they have £180 off the natural top model. That seems a bargain and they have great reviews. I may just have to do that. I hope they’ve still got them after I’ve paid my tax, if I have anything left over. But it won’t be a Gibson, no matter how inspired it may be. Done it! It arrives tomorrow. Let you know all about it next week.
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Post by scorpiodog on Jan 21, 2023 15:47:03 GMT
Even later to the party! Been thinking about this since the thread went up, certain that I didn’t have a dream guitar. But of course I do! Ever since I saw the cover of Nashville Skyline by Bob Dylan I’ve lusted after a Gibson J200. I’ve nearly bought one several times. At the end of the 70’s I nearly ordered one for £1,200 from a guitar shop in Christchurch. Then a few years ago with ocarolan and andrewjw in Exeter we were in Mansons being looked after by jackorion when he worked there I tried one that I was quite taken with, it was about £3k. Then there was a 53 (birth year)J200 for auction at Gardner Houlgate that I nearly bid on (I think it went for about £4500 which would have been nearly 6 grand after auctioneer charges and VAT). But the problem is that only a few are really good. The old Gibson QC problem, I’m afraid. So to buy unseen is a few thousand quid gamble, and I’m not happy to do that. I am toying with the idea of an Epiphone Inspired By Gibson J200. They have them in Andertons for way under a grand and in their January sale they have £180 off the natural top model. That seems a bargain and they have great reviews. I may just have to do that. I hope they’ve still got them after I’ve paid my tax, if I have anything left over. But it won’t be a Gibson, no matter how inspired it may be. So I think it will remain a dream.
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Post by scorpiodog on Jan 16, 2023 10:38:08 GMT
I found this on Saturday, and it really moved me.
I've maintained for the last couple of years (after having spent decades dismissing it as rubbish) that I thought there was something to rap, but I couldn't understand it or relate to it. I think this may be the key. Some of his other stuff is intriguing too. If this leads you to discover Ren's band (The Big Push) you'll not be the poorer for it I promise you, and he is a pretty good guitarist. Not a virtuoso, for sure, but pretty good.
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Post by scorpiodog on Dec 30, 2022 14:59:23 GMT
Yep. Jolly good fun. Not hard to operate, but a bit scary to attach the spiders. Watch the Youtube videos on installation.
I haven't been able to find a practical application for it - used the reverb at a folk club once and was asked by a couple of friends what the strange buzzing from my guitar was!
Also, I found that the novelty wore off a bit after a month or so, and so I haven't used mine for a while (really must try it again soon), but if you've got a few quid lying around and want a toy, they're fine.
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Post by scorpiodog on Dec 12, 2022 12:05:38 GMT
Sale results now completed. Pages 6 to 8 of the catalogue. hereAuctioneers estimates pretty close for most of the guitars. Not so much some of the memorabilia.
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Post by scorpiodog on Nov 24, 2022 10:45:46 GMT
Looks like there's a very low, if any, premium attached to Michael Chapman's name on the price estimates. It'll be interesting to see how the auction goes down.
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Post by scorpiodog on Nov 17, 2022 13:48:57 GMT
I may be wrong, but I think scorpiodog has a Spark...? Yes I do, Keith. But that really is a different kettle of pilchards. They're single channel modelling amps, and although they have an acoustic setting, they're a long way away from the clean true sound of a proper acoustic amp. I certainly wouldn't want to put a mic through one. They also have some shortcomings (and not just power - there's no useable line out for one thing - only a USB out) that I wouldn't choose in a performing amp. They have their place, and are fun to play about with occasionally, but they are a bit like toys.
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Post by scorpiodog on Nov 16, 2022 12:59:38 GMT
I'm really torn on this one. My first acoustic amp was an Ibanez Troubadour which was bought on ebay as a whim to find out what playing (and singing) through an amp was like. I had a lot of fun with it, but when I was starting to play out, it really didn't have enough pizazz. Actually, truth be told, it was because I wanted a Marshall, and luckily one came on sale in the Classified section here - just another example of my shallowness, I'm afraid!
So I had a Marshall AS50D, which was perfectly fine if you don't have to carry it too far, and filled a reasonable sized pub room with as much volume as you would need.
Then I got an Asus 1-4-S 8, also from the Classified section, which is fantastic, but more complicated than I need. So I tend to use the Marshall if I play a solo gig where there is no pa (rarely).
I honestly don't ever plug in at home any more.
So my opinion is to indulge yourself if that floats your boat with anything you can afford, but only stretch the budget if you're likely to do solo gigs where you have to prvide your own amplification.
Anywhere with a pa and operator/engineer the most you'll need is an acoustic effects pedal and a DI box. I use a Zoom A3, but you'll only need one of those if you don't trust the sound engineer or you're looking for total control over your sound. But every level of sophistication comes with its own learning curve. I'd rather play than fiddle with sound parameters, so I generally don't.
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Post by scorpiodog on Oct 28, 2022 9:03:25 GMT
Our very own PistolPete? I really love this raunchy version.
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Post by scorpiodog on Oct 24, 2022 11:02:44 GMT
Hey rodders. We haven't seen you around in a long time. Welcome back! There's lots of second hand stuff available around £2K. forestdweller recently bought a Huss & Dalton for about that, and that sounds great in his hands. If you're looking at new, you also have some good choice in the factory-built makes. I recently played a bunch of Furch guitars and found them extremely good value. Many of them are substantially cheaper than your £2k budget. There are also some darn good all solid Yamahas at the same price points. But here's a thing that's pretty off-the-wall. Andertons are the UK agents for a far east company called Sire. The do an all solid Grand Auditorium or dreadnought range at around the £450 mark. I bought one of the cheaper laminate back and sides models a few months back for £300, and I was astounded at the value for money. Here they are. Don't worry about the Larry Carlton signature tag. I'm almost certain that Larry Carlton has never seen one! Lots of great suggestions in this thread. I'm particularly fond of Brook guitars, and you can often pick them up second hand for around your budget. I've never played a bad one.
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Post by scorpiodog on Sept 28, 2022 10:57:46 GMT
I rather like "Live in The Living Room" by Philip Henry - Amazing beat box harmonica version of "Keep Your Lamps Trimmed and Burning".
Talking of beat box harmonica, while it's not strictly blues but is very bluesy - anything by Son of Dave. I like the "Shake A Bone" album particularly.
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Post by scorpiodog on Aug 20, 2022 12:46:47 GMT
Many years ago I really enjoyed hearing Paul ( scorpiodog) sing this song in a similar tempo, and have enjoyed singing it that way on several occasions since. Paul, it may have taken some time, but it looks like you've started something! Keith That's very kind, Keith. But it's "Love Me Do" I sing. But lots of those early Beatles pop songs turn out to be beautiful love songs if you slow them down a bit. I do love Frank Watkinson's stuff, though. One of my very favourites by him is "Behind Blue Eyes" originally by The Who.
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Post by scorpiodog on Mar 10, 2022 12:11:03 GMT
I have a Marshall AS50D too. It's the digital version of the AS50R (R is, I think, Reverb) which is the older model of the amp. It's absolutely brilliant for small gigs. Heavy, though. I find it's best used on a stand slightly angled upwards. I've used it in a room without particularly good acoustics that's maybe 25 metres on a side and it's just fine. In fact, I've also used it with a small mixer plugged into the vocal channel to provide amplification for 3 acts. Really robust and easy to use. I prefer the sound quality of other amps I have, but it's pretty good.
I do like the look of that Nux, though. Particularly the battery powered one. I have a truly awful battery operated pa that I really ought not to use. That could be an option... hmmm.
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Post by scorpiodog on Feb 28, 2022 11:02:53 GMT
I've never had a situation where it sounds out of tune and I couldn't get it in tune. I have had lots of occasions when it all sounds crap, but I think that may be a different issue!
However, I have had the guitar go out of tune mid song, usually when I've changed strings too close to a gig. Usually it's just a case of ploughing on and hoping the audience doesn't notice (they never do) and then retuning before the next song while saying something daft through the mic. Only once have I had a situation where I've had to stop due to tuning issues, and that was when the string pinged and dropped 3 semitones. It was the D string. I could probably have coped if it was either E or the B, but losing the 4th string confounded me completely.
With most issues, the answer is to carry on, maintain the rhythm and sing louder!
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Post by scorpiodog on Feb 24, 2022 6:25:12 GMT
Congrats,Paul. That’s some chord contortion in the first photo. Lovely looking guitar, Francis. So, how about some sound clips… It’s an F Maj7, but you dont play the Eb on the 4th string. I call it my F for photograph chord. Never been known to play it. Soundclips are a bit tricky at the mo. I’ll try, Vinny.
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