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ridethatbike

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Blog Entries posted by ridethatbike

  2. ridethatbike
    Here I am, two years and a month into this crazy journey. I meant to blog here more often, but you know how that goes. I'd like to say I've been busy playing, but that clearly hasn't been the case. What I have done is buy/sell a bunch of gear, and gotten a bit better at playing along the way.
     
    Right now I'm in the process of simplifying my gear, one electric/amp/pedal board and one acoustic with a practice amp. That's it. I'm paying those off over the next year and shutting down all my credit that's enabled this swapping. And I'm blocking TGP, MyLesPaul, and Reverb once everything is sold. Damn those sites are hard on the wallet (although do have some useful information).
     
    If I go and look at all the players I admire, and listen to stories about their formative years, they sure as hell weren't on TGP swapping pedals or reading reviews on which tailpiece increases sustain or which pickguard looks the most like a real '59 pickguard.
     
    They were playing. And listening. And woodshedding.
     
    Some of you guys/ladies (most, really) are excellent players and I enjoy listening to you. But buying $5000 guitars isn't going to get me any closer to sounding better. So, like I said, I'm simplifying my setup, and getting to work. So I'll post a couple more HNGD and HNAD in the next few days, then it should be happy new song days after that.
     
    I don't want to come off all doom and gloom though. I've made some good strides and made some important discoveries. I'm certainly technically more proficient, and hear a lot more in music than I used to, particularly with guitar-centric pieces. I've noticed how some music that I used to feel "meh" about, I enjoy a lot more now that I realize what's going on with the guitars. I've discovered a bunch of new-to-me artists, people you all probably have been listening to for years, and finally understanding why artists like Peter Green and Neil Young are so important.
     
    All in all, I think 2014 should be a great year. I think I can finally leave my beginning player title firmly behind, and jump into that wide pool of intermediate players.
     
     
     
     
  3. ridethatbike

    Starting out

    By ridethatbike,

    I've been here awhile now on the HOC, so I figured I might start keeping track of my musical journey here.
     
    It's funny to me that a majority of the forums out there are built on the acquiring/selling of gear, rather than the playing of it. At least the ones I frequent. I figure it's about time that I have some cool "stuff" and ought to focus on playing rather than chasing some tone/idea I have in my head.
     
    I've been learning with Learn & Master for about a year, and am maybe half way through the material. I also bought one of Marty Schwartz's Blues DVD sets. Both courses are great. Sometimes I wonder if my efforts aren't too varied at times though. I guess as long as I'm playing, it doesn't matter too much.
     
    My musical influences are across the board, but if you cut it down who my favorite 5 guitars players are, I think the list would go something like this:
     
    1) Warren Haynes
    2) Buddy Guy
    3) Kenny Wayne Shepherd
    4) Derek Trucks
    5) Albert Collins
     
    Now those 5 guys are way across the board as far as playing styles, but I think they are all masters at what they do. If I were to extend the list into general musicianship and how much I enjoy them, I'd have to include a few more:
     
    Trace Bundy
    Dave Matthews
    Eddie Vedder
     
    So you can kinda see where I'm coming from. I still love the "grunge" scene from the 90's, and a lot of the late 60's-70's rock.
     
    Sometimes when you study a language, you can learn a lot about a group of people and how they think. Music is very reflective of the setting it was developed in as well. Kinda cool.
     
    Alright, that's enough rambling for now. Talk to you all again soon.
  4. ridethatbike
    I took out the stock humbucky out of my trusty G&L last night, and replaced it with a Fralin P-92. Gosh dern, after some adjustments, I can't believe it. It sounded pretty good before, now it's incredible. It's really become 3 different instruments depending on the switch placement. Really nice!
     
    It even seems to make my tone controls more effective, although I wonder if I shouldn't upgrade those down the road. I need to do something about the jack, as it's constantly loose, and doesn't hold the cable plug very well either. $4 + solder fix...but that would mean I have to stop playing!
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