Santa's early ....left these today


manXcat
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manXcat
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12/22/2020 2:27 am

Just in case of North Pole lockdown on Xmas morning Santa visited me today and left these in my stocking. Lucky me. My favourites. How did he know? What did he bring you, or you hope he will, in 2020?


# 1
matonanjin2
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matonanjin2
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12/22/2020 5:25 pm

How did he know, @manXcat? Nice looking picks. They look pretty thick; are they?

I don't think that we need to worry about North Pole lockdown. I just saw that the World Health Organization has reported Santa Claus is immune to Covid-19. As a microbiologist I'm not sure how this is possible; but I am pleased and I'll accept it!

https://news.yahoo.com/world-health-organization-says-santa-194512976.html


[u]Guitars:[/u] 2014 PRS Santana, 2013 PRS Paul's, 2009 PRS Hollowbody, 1972 Gibson ES-325, 2012 Fender Strat American Standard, 2012 Yamaha Pacifica, Martin M-36, Martin 000-15M, Seagull S6 Classic[br][u]Amps:[/u] Fender Blues Junior III, Boss Eband JS-10, Line 6 POD 500X, Quilter Microblock 45

# 2
JeffS65
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JeffS65
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12/22/2020 5:57 pm
Originally Posted by: manXcat

Just in case of North Pole lockdown on Xmas morning Santa visited me today and left these in my stocking. Lucky me. My favourites. How did he know? What did he bring you, or you hope he will, in 2020?


# 3
faith83
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faith83
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12/22/2020 6:23 pm

Well, today he's using his magic FedEx truck to bring me a home recording studio set up.


"I got this guitar and I learned how to make it talk."

# 4
snojones
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snojones
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12/22/2020 7:15 pm

What recording studio set up are you getting?


Captcha is a total pain in the........

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Susan_Montgomery
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Susan_Montgomery
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12/22/2020 7:28 pm

Faith, I'm eager to hear about your setup, too!

My UPS and USPS guys brought me some ukulele and guitar books. And a new ukulele strap. Fun delivery day!


“Often, what seems like an impossible climb is just a staircase without the steps drawn in.” Robert Brault, American Operatic Tenor

# 6
faith83
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12/22/2020 9:12 pm

I have no idea what I got, really. I basically called Sweetwater and said, "I don't have the time, patience or expertise to know what to get. I need to be able to record studio-quality vocals at home, send me what I need." Then I gave them a budget, they took my money and sent me stuff.

That's what I know so far. This is virgin territory for me. I've spent a lot of time in recording studios, but never as the one pushing the buttons (or clicking the buttons, as the case may be).

Everything arrived today and I'm feeling a little overwhelmed just now. But I'm looking forward to hopefully being able to record vocals without the tick tock of studio time and the bored engineer wishing the session were over so he could go home and do his own stuff.


"I got this guitar and I learned how to make it talk."

# 7
manXcat
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manXcat
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12/22/2020 9:19 pm
Originally Posted by: matonanjin2They look pretty thick; are they?[/quote]

[br]Yes. 1.38mm. Small footpriint.

I use a variety of different picks purpose dependent, but these most of the time now. My picking technique has evolved over the (almost) three years.

Footprint, shape, bevel and attack technique notwithstanding, it's difficult to put into words, but the density/texture of the material they're made of for wont of a better description seems to impart a distinctive 'Jazz III tonal signature'. I've certainly questioned plausibility of that perception and whether it's psychosomatic or real in seeking some qualitative evidentiary basis for it. But in the end just have to go with intuition from ear and finger 'analysis' repeatedly informing me it isn't.

Originally Posted by: JeffS65I got a few things like a neck cradle for doing setups but I decided that I needed a direct signal tuner.[/quote]

Nice. Headstock cradle one of those must haves for own setups, and +1 for a mini-pedal tuner. Korg kit. Always reliable. Footprint is one of those things I found with hands on experience facilitates individual pedal use off pedalboard too. Although my pedal tuner is larger footprint with internal battery capability, I have on some of these for mine when I want to use it independently off the pedalboard or a DC PSU. Convenient, I prefer to use them, otherwise I always forget to disconnect the input TS cable and end up with a flat 9v battery the next day.

Speaking of Korg kit, have you seen this. I was unaware of them until I went to Korg's site to have a look at your pedal tuner today. One of these is going on my GAS list for 2021, if only in consideration of the ears of my wife and neighbours. P.S. I hope Santa hasn't forgotten to include some of these of these that footswitch footprint sock & bare foot friendlier. These presbyopic eyes find them a pedal/board target friendler aid in a mood dimmed studio room light too.

[quote=faith83]home recording studio set up.

Curiosity of all piqued. You can't just stop there. = P

@snojones Empty stocking? = [

[quote=SusanMW]UPS and USPS guys brought me some ukulele and guitar books. And a new ukulele strap

Sounds like you are very much into your new Uke Susan. +1 on good books. A fav here too.


# 8
manXcat
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12/22/2020 9:41 pm
Originally Posted by: faith83Everything arrived today and I'm feeling a little overwhelmed just now.

WOW! I get the "overwhelmed" part totally. Mine is humble, and the competency learning curve long an challenging. Yours is your focus, so I can only ogle in surmising at what SweetwaterSanta must have sent you. = ]

P.S. I noted a recent (?) profile sig change from default Full Acces to "JD Forever". A John Denver fan since seemingly forever myself, he was most significant and influential to me at the time of buying my first nylon stringed acoustic guitar way back in '73 when he was in his deservedly popular heyday. His death in that Long EZ all the more tragic in a fuel managment incident being foreseeable and the accident avoidable if you read the FTSB accident report. So sad. But to happier memories. Impossible though it is to pick an absolute favourite from his many, there are two songs of his I love in the particular. One, "Rocky Mountain High" because of its soaring vocal that irresistably elevates, the other as close to a #1 pick as possible, "Poems, Prayers, & Promises" for its invocation of a soulful introspective spirituality.


# 9
faith83
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12/22/2020 9:51 pm
Originally Posted by: manXcat
Originally Posted by: faith83Everything arrived today and I'm feeling a little overwhelmed just now.

WOW! I get the "overwhelmed" part totally. Mine is humble, and the competency learning curve long an challenging. Yours is your focus, so I can only ogle in surmising at what SweetwaterSanta must have sent you. = ]

P.S. I noted a recent (?) profile sig change from default Full Acces to "JD Forever". A John Denver fan since seemingly forever myself, he was most significant and influential to me at the time of buying my first nylon stringed acoustic guitar way back in '73 when he was in his deservedly popular heyday. His death in that Long EZ all the more tragic in a fuel managment incident being foreseeable and the accident avoidable if you read the FTSB accident report. So sad. But to happier memories. Impossible though it is to pick an absolute favourite from his many, there are two songs of his I love in the particular. One, "Rocky Mountain High" because of its soaring vocal that irresistably elevates, the other as close to a #1 pick as possible, "Poems, Prayers, & Promises" for its invocation of a soulful introspective spirituality.

Yeah, unpacking everything and looking at the learning curve reminds me that the reason I pay those engineers is because they know how to use this stuff and I don't!

It's just a basic set up -- a microphone (that's where all the $ went), stand, etc. and an interface/software. Just for vocals, for now.

JD.... ah, yes. There are so many favorites for me. None of them singles. Part of the challenge with turning new people on to JD (and even some fans) is that RCA picked his singles, and as you no doubt also know, for the most part they aren't very representative of him as an artist. His album cuts are much more interesting and substantive than most of his singles, though many of those are masterpieces too -- including of course Rocky Mountain High and PPP, both of which are exquisite. (His line, "It turns me on to think of getting old" guts me every time I hear it.)

My Sweet Lady, maybe the finest love song ever written, IMO.

And then there are his cover songs, which in many cases rival or surpass the original. His recording of The Weight is, IMO, ,definitive, as is his cover of Kris K's Casey's Last Ride. And I prefer his version of Let It Be to McCartney's. I think he gets the song in a way that Paul didn't. And of course, Mother Nature's Son, while technically a Beatles song, is for all intents and purposes a JD song now. He was meant to sing it.

If you haven't already, check out his 1995 Harbor Lights Concert (PM me and I can point you to where to get it). IMO, one of the finest concert recordings ever made and John at the peak of his creative power. He was just getting started in some ways in his development as a mature artist. (And yeah, a stupid stupid mistake of arrogance from an experienced pilot. John should have known better and fueled up and he'd still be with us today. Unless he went and did another stupid thing, that is...)

I can go on and on about JD, but won't...

Billy Joel is why I became a songwriter in the first place years ago. JD is why I came back to it, years later. I owe them both my life many times over.

PS -- JD Forever is a little silly, but it's all that would fit. I wanted to do a quote, but there's not room, and I'm not willing to sacrifice my BJ quote in my sig... ;-)


"I got this guitar and I learned how to make it talk."

# 10
JohnGC
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12/22/2020 11:14 pm

Father Cristmas came early for me as well. I now have a Mystic Surf green Fender Professional 11 Strat. I think the whole family must have posted him early letters telling him I was a member of Guitar tricks.


# 11
faith83
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12/22/2020 11:17 pm
Originally Posted by: JohnGC

Father Cristmas came early for me as well. I now have a Mystic Surf green Fender Professional 11 Strat. I think the whole family must have posted him early letters telling him I was a member of Guitar tricks.

Congrats!!!!! A nice addition to the family


"I got this guitar and I learned how to make it talk."

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manXcat
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12/22/2020 11:22 pm

A brief reply. I suspect you'll appreciate this. From 1968, the late Sandy Denny's vocal in one of my all time favourite songs. Been covered many times since by numerous worthy notables such as the late Eva Cassidy, but Sandy Denny's original vocal is still hauntingly right for this song, as well as nostalgic for me. I was 13 at the time of its release.

Originally Posted by: faith83My Sweet Lady, maybe the finest love song ever written, IMO[/quote]

Some other time, possibly I'll share an anecdote about the relationship of that song with another impressionable coming of age moment in my life.

Was just listening to JD rendition of "Let it Be" prior to your post mentioning it. Concur. [u]Superb[/u].

[quote=faith83]If you haven't already, check out his 1995 Harbor Lights Concert

Looked for it in all my ordinarily fruitful haunts among literally 5 pages of listed Denver album/concert titles, but didn't spot it. Most unusual?!!! 0.o. Has the album another alternative title?

Re BJ and JD. Important to have role models who inspire so.


# 13
manXcat
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12/22/2020 11:39 pm
Originally Posted by: JohnGCFather Cristmas came early for me as well. I now have a Mystic Surf green Fender Professional 11 Strat. I think the whole family must have posted him early letters telling him I was a member of Guitar tricks.

Woohoo! Someone must have been an especially good boy this year.

Super excited for you. Fab guitar, & love your choice of colour. Can't beat any of the colour classics on a Strat. Pic?

Have you got a Fender amp John? If not, maybe drag in cousins, nieces and nephews to write more letters? = P

Can't praise enough how perfect a combo with that Strat for Blackface cleans Fender amps can be, and with Tweed tones 'to die for'.


# 14
faith83
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12/22/2020 11:43 pm
Originally Posted by: manXcat

Originally Posted by: faith83If you haven't already, check out his 1995 Harbor Lights Concert

Looked for it in all my ordinarily fruitful haunts among literally 5 pages of listed Denver album/concert titles, but didn't spot it. Most unusual?!!! 0.o. Has the album another alternative title?

It's out of print and hard to find. PM me and I'll hook you up.


"I got this guitar and I learned how to make it talk."

# 15
manXcat
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12/22/2020 11:59 pm
Originally Posted by: faith83It's out of print and hard to find. PM me and I'll hook you up.

PM sent.


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JohnGC
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12/23/2020 12:06 am
Originally Posted by: faith83
Originally Posted by: JohnGC

Father Cristmas came early for me as well. I now have a Mystic Surf green Fender Professional 11 Strat. I think the whole family must have posted him early letters telling him I was a member of Guitar tricks.

Congrats!!!!! A nice addition to the family

Thank you Faith and congratulations on your recording studio set up. Deviating from this post I would like say how much I enjoy all of your post. Your positive attitude inspires me to succseed in in learning the guitar.


# 17
faith83
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12/23/2020 12:13 am
Originally Posted by: JohnGC
Originally Posted by: faith83
Originally Posted by: JohnGC

Father Cristmas came early for me as well. I now have a Mystic Surf green Fender Professional 11 Strat. I think the whole family must have posted him early letters telling him I was a member of Guitar tricks.

Congrats!!!!! A nice addition to the family

Thank you Faith and congratulations on your recording studio set up. Deviating from this post I would like say how much I enjoy all of your post. Your positive attitude inspires me to succseed in in learning the guitar.

Aw, thanks! I try. I have my moments of frustration, though (currently going through a loooong one), but I do my best to honor the journey.


"I got this guitar and I learned how to make it talk."

# 18
faith83
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12/23/2020 12:14 am
Originally Posted by: manXcat
Originally Posted by: faith83It's out of print and hard to find. PM me and I'll hook you up.

PM sent.

PM responded to (GT: This is a HINT that we need notifications on new messages....)


"I got this guitar and I learned how to make it talk."

# 19
Susan_Montgomery
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12/23/2020 12:28 am

Faith, your setup sounds pretty cool. I love the Sweetwater Santa idea... :) I almost ordered my new ukulele from them but they were out of stock of the Cordoba I wanted so I had to look elsewhere. But they are awesome.. :)

I should also add, Santa is bringing me at least a couple months worth of 30 Day Singer lessons, too.....I didn't think I would ever sing and play guitar but now that I have the ukulele, my predictions were right...I AM singing more, regardless of my abilities so it's giving me a little more confidence that I might be able to sing even better someday...with the guitar, too. I recorded Little Drummer Boy (my youtube channel) on my ukulele yesterday and SANG my little heart out...haha.


“Often, what seems like an impossible climb is just a staircase without the steps drawn in.” Robert Brault, American Operatic Tenor

# 20

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