What A Christmas

Well, it is Christmas day. The gifts that were all so carefully selected and wrapped and put under the tree are now all opened and being enjoyed by all. I must say that this was an incredible Christmas. To be honest every christmas with A has been incredible. I was spoiled. I have wanted a pair of KRK Rokit 5 studio monitors and low and behold...a pair was under the tree for me. A also got me another awesome gift, she got me a pair of Leo Fender's 1951 Telecaster patent application drawings. I saw this one day and said wow I love this, and she got them for me. I am still amazed at how thoughtful A is. We have been married for 5 years and together for 6 and in all that time she never ceases to be like this. I am very lucky and blessed to be married to such a wonderful woman. I hope all of you had as wonderful a Christmas as I have had!!!

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Merry Christmas

I would like to take this time and wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy Healthy New Year. I hope that you and your families find the joy of this season and a happiness of being with your families.

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A bit of sadness

I am from the North. I love everything about being a New Yorker. My home state is in my opinion the most beautiful state of all that I have been to. I am grateful to be able to serve my country and to have the honor to be stationed at Ft Benning GA. There is just one thing missing...our seasons and family. It is hard to adjust to the Christmas season down here with no cold and snow. I recall as a kid how I loved the snow and the cold and everything that came with this time of year. I also miss our family. Being so far south does not make it easy to see family. So for all the blessings I have, I do have a little bit of sadness for missing these things.
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Not so good Influences

I have pretty much lived my life in my own way. I have never been one to go with the trends of fashion or the coolest car, etc. I am a member of several different forums and in some of them I have noticed how so many folks are afraid to leave their gear as is. They generally are new to the forums and they tend to have other folks make decisions on their gear for them. I can't help but laugh when someone says "What guitar should I get, which is better, what pickups will make me sound better, etc etc etc. What bothers me is when a new guy comes in to the forum and says I just got a new MIM Tele and I am excited...what should I change. I always ask have you even played it? I would say 90% of the time the answer is no...but then some guy says do this or that to it and it will sound great. These are the kind of influences that just rub me the wrong way.
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Red Light fever

As a kid growing up hunting and fishing, I always heard stories of buck fever. You know when you have that trophy buck in your sights and you do everything to ensure you will get the kill shot. Suddenly you start to shake and no longer can take the shot. Well, I had red light fever the other day in the studio. I recorded everything right on the money until it came time to do the vocals. No matter what I did I was so far off it just wasn't funny. So, I did the thing any good producer would tell a musician...call it a night! Well, it was a first for me and to make it even worse, I am not motivated to go back into the studio...at least tonight I am not...but tomorrow is another day!!
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Tis the Season...

Well, we finished up decorating our home for Christmas. Now...only one thing left to do...finish recording the Christmas album I have been planning on doing. So, this weekend I will go into Indian River Recorders and get this project all done and ready for the season. It is amazing how I am now in the festive mood. Once the album is done I will somehow try and post it here for all to enjoy.

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Orange Is Here!!

For those of you who follow my blog, you know that I have a few guys who influence me as a guitarist. Well one of my Tele Heroes Jim Campilongo's new album "Orange" is now available on iTunes. The actual CD will be released in February 2010. I purchased it and let me tell you Jim does not dissapoint! From the gritty tone of Backburner to the haunting melody of Chelsea Bridge Jim has created a masterpiece! I highly recommend this album!
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Christmas decorations

Well, today we are decorating our Christmas trees! Yes, I said Trees. We are huge Christmas fans and love decorating our house both inside and out. For us it is the whole idea of the season that we love. The way people are actually nice and homes are all decked out and there is just such a magical feeling in the air. I have spent several Christmases in war zones, at those times it was a very sad dreary time and as the old saying that there is nothing like home is so true. Once we are done I will post some pictures. When we are back home and Indian River Recorders is up an running trust me there will be festive decorations in the studio for the holiday season. Once the decorating is done it will be time to fire up the studio and try and knock out a Christmas album over the next few days. Have a great one.
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Mics

One of the thing I love about playing guitar and recording is the gear. There is nothing like having great gear with which to record your music. A while back I ordered a new condenser mic a MXL 990 from Musicians Friend  Needless to say they were out of stock. To my surprise I receive a package on Monday from MF and it is my MXL 990. To make the deal even better, they sent it to me on a deal of the day price. So I saved over $100.00 on this beautiful mic. I was in need of a good quality large diaphram, condenser mic and this one fit the bill. I have several  Sure dynamic mics..SM 57s and 58s which are great for live performance vocal and instrument applications but for recording I really needed this mic. I have to say I am really excited to get this in the studio and do some recording with it. This mic has a wide variety of capabilities. You can record from vocals to percussion with it which is great news!! I'll give a full report once I get back in the studio in the next few days.
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Post Thanksgiving daze

Yesterday was a really great post Thanksgiving day time. My wife, A and her mother were doing their crafty sewing masterpieces(an awesome pillow set for our nephew). I was in the studio all day finishing up a new song called "Brooklyn". It was a very productive day yet one filled with new discoveries. As anyone who reads this blog can tell I love my Fender Teles. I was trying to get this one harmony part on the song recorded and just could not get the sound I had in my head. So, what do I do? I put down my Tele and pick up my Strat and take a pass at the song. Well, I have to say that the sound I was looking for was defenitely not going to come from my Strat. After several more futile attempts with my Strat I finally put her down. I went back and picked up my HWY 1 Tele named Dacks and well after some minor tweaking of my amp I have the exact tone I was looking for. Now all that is left is to add some drums and strings and Brooklyn will be ready for mastering!! The old saying is true, you can always come home!
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Thanksgiving

Well, it is that time again. Folks are traveling, everyone has a few days off and Turkeys are scared for their lives..:) Tomorrow is more than just about food football and days off. It is more a celebration and giving thanks for life. Think about all the things in life that you have and think about how lucky you are. I for one think of my wife A and how very blessed I am to have her and even to know her. She gives me a reason to be thankful everyday because she is such a wonderful wife, friend , soulmate but most important person. I am thankful for this great country we live in, for the gorgeous home we now own and will retire to and just enjoy life. I am also thankful for the gift of making music. What a true gift it is. I live a charmed life...in my opinion and am most thankful for A! Happy Thanksgiving my friends!!

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Studio Design

It is an exciting time for me right now. We have my wonderful mother in law down for a Thanksgiving visit..:), I am really lucky because I have a fantastic relationship with her. We have our gorgeous property in the North Country and are going to be selecting our final home design soon and last but not least..I have finalized my Studio design for Indian River Recorders.The control room is going to be 15 x 20 with a 10X10 machine room area. The main room is 20X30 and the iso booth is 10X10. The great part is that this will be a full service studio out in the country where there are no distractions and an artist can concentrate on their music. I am excited to just be able to bring this to the North Country. I will post some schematics sometime in the near future.
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Tribute to Jim Campilongo

I consider myself to be a humble small town guitar player. I have had some success as a guitarist and as an engineer. I left that job many years ago to serve my country in the Army. I have started back to writing and playing much more than I had in years. I attribute this to my wife. A, has been the inspiration for my playing and writing. She supports it and always encourages me to play, write and record. One of my Tele heroes is Jim Campilongo. Jim is an incredible guitar player who's work I really enjoy. Jim is a world famous guitarist who is such a musical influence that Fender is actually making a signature model Telecaster after his. One would think that with all this success and fame he could just blow off people. Not Jim! I recently wrote a song called "Brooklyn". I have been recording bits and pieces trying to get it just right. One thing I have been looking for is the tone, that perfect setting to really make this song shine. I heard the tone on one of Jim's songs "Dagger Through My Heart". I emailed him asking him a few simple questions on settings..what does he do, Jim sends his producer an email asking how they recorded the song so I could try and get the same tone. This is a true gentleman. He has answered every email I have ever sent him. He doesn't have to do that, but he does! Why, you ask? Well, it is because Jim is a really great man and artist! Jim, Thanks to you my friend!
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Christmas Music???

Ok, I am one of those guys who loves Christmas. I love everything about it with one exception...it is November 17th today....why am I hearing Christmas songs on the radio??? I am a traditionalist and believe that you don't put out Christmas stuff before Thanksgiving and you definetely don't start the Christmas music  before the Macy's Thanksgiving parade!!!
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Great North Country Telecaster Festival

Today, I was down in my studio going over a new song I had recorded when I had an idea. I see all these really neat festivals in the North Country, but I have yet to see one dedicated to our wonderful Telecasters. So an idea was born. Once I get back home I am going to see about starting one. This would be something which in my opinion really bring some great things to the players up north. More details will follow.
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Studio day

It is amazing how whenever I go into the studio to record I am excited. Today is a studio day. Later this afternoon I will go down into Indian River recorders and start to lay down the tracks to a new song that I wrote this week. What is so funny is that I own this studio...I can record up to 200 tracks and the possibilities are limitless. The fun part is even though this studio is mine..I still get that same thrill asI had the first time I ever recorded. I go down plug my guitar into my amp set all the mics up and get all levels set. Maybe it is the fact that I am creating music or just the fun of sitting in my studio and being in control. I make the decisions on what and how I will record my music. No producers, managers or bandmates to tell me that they don't want to be there etc. What a wonderful modern age we live in.
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Home

Today started out like any other day. I got up, got ready for work had a wonderful relaxing breakfast with my gorgeous wife A, and went to my office. The work day was good no issues to make the blood pressure rise and just a very productive Friday. When I got home there was a huge envelope waiting for me. It was the deed to our Lake front property in the North Country. This is the All American dream...we have several acres right on the lake. It is such a joy to know where we will build our dream log home. I felt very emotional thinking about how hard A and I worked to get to this point. A, grew up in Brooklyn so she never had land and a lake to live on. That was something of dreams for her. Now it is a reality, all the efforts on both our parts have paid off. Once we are up north again we will build and I will have the studio built to start my North Country recordings. The thing I am most excited about is to give my beloved A the dream home she so deserves! Thank you A for all you are, your love and just being you!

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Veteran's Day

Tomorrow is Veteran's Day. Originally it was Armistice Day to honor the end of the "War to end all Wars". Many people of  the teens in the last century thought and felt that we would truly never fight again in a war as brutal and wasteful as the Great War. We all know that history does repeat its self. Why..because we do not study and digest and really remember it. We are therefore condemned to repeat it. Of all days this is one that I truly dread. I think of my friends who I have marched off to war with I am here alive and well, some of them are not. Some were buried in Arlington National Cemetary with all the honors and fanfare of a deserving warrior who gave his life in defense of his country. One chose a quiet solemn burial of a simple Soldier high in the mountains of his beloved Idaho. Some wanted to have nothing of the Army associated with their final resting place. These are the men we should celebrate and honor and Thank. These fine young men are the ones who deserve this day in their honor. Those of us who have gone off to war and fought and came home have our reward, we have our lives to live. We have our families to love and we have endless possibilities for our future. All because of these fine men.

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How small is too small

As I sit here and think about the gear I have and playing out I wonder to myself how small is too small. I have several different rigs that go from a Fender M80 Bass 160 watts per side in stereo to a vintage Peavey Bandit 65 rated at 65 watts to a Marshall MG15 at 15 watts to my favorite amp, my Fender Super Champ XD. The Super Champ is a beautiful tube amp rated at 15 watts. It is loud...I am talking really really loud. The size clubs that I will be playing in ,this amp fits the bill. If for some reason I need more volume..well then that is what a mic was invented for..:) I like how it is only 25 lbs. The M80 weighs in at a nice 80lbs without any extra cabinets...add cabinets and you are talking around 200lbs of gear. The Marshall is a nice little amp at 20 lbs...and it too cranks for a nice vintage Marshall sound. The Peavey weighs in at a good solid 60lbs. So, in my opinion...I think that taking the Marshall for the harder stuff...and my Super Champ for everything else is perfect...so I guess in this case small is huge.

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Great Books for Teles

From this forum I am sure that everyone knows that I love Telecasters. In my humble opinion there is no better guitar out there. The Tele is a well rounded instrument that can cover all genres of music like no other guitar. Amazon.com carries  The Fender Telecaster Handbook: How to Buy, Maintain, Set up, Troubleshoot and Modify your Tele by Paul Balmer and Andy Summers, and is  to be released  in January. The forward is by Andy Summers of Police fame. I ordered mine and am incredibly excited for it to get here. The reason I chose to write about this book is because it covers what several different books do. So, instead of having to purchase a ton of books...you have this all in one volume. Hope that this helps.

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Fender Friday

Well, today was the last Fender Friday at Musician's Friend. It was a great way for folks to get a high quality Fender guitar at really crazy price. It is a sad thing but then again they never had to do it in the first place. I never took advantage of it but I feel sorry for the guys who were saving and hoping to pick up a new guitar at the bargain price. There is a bright side to this story. American Musical Supply is really good about beating prices. If Musicians Friend gives 20% off AMS will give you 25%..so it is still within your reach to get a quality Fender! I hope that this helps all those looking for a beautiful Fender Tele.
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Records

I remember a time when a band would start, work hard and dream of getting a record deal. I remember being in 2 bands that were very promising. Both of these bands had our own special sound. One was back in the mid 80's before I went into the Army. Great group of guys all talented all combining several different musical tastes and styles into a really sharp unique sound. We played out alot and got really good. We even got a record deal...and then...the band fell apart. The second band was when I had gone back to college. We were really good. Our style was defined as "Rocking Cow Punk with undertones of Blues". This time we went further, we played everywhere...we had a huge following and we recorded an album...then...the band fell apart. Our lead singer got "God" and left. No hard feelings...understand..too cool...we found a new singer..no go. We lost the dynamic of our guy. Today's musicians are so lucky. They no longer have to deal with trying to get a record deal. With a minimum investment of a few thousand dollars you can buy a multitrack digital studio. This studio will have effects and capabilities that rival the big studios of Nashville, NY and LA. With a little studying of the gear some hard work and some good songs today's musicians can make a record without the problems of the past...the record labels.  I am one of those guys now who has a full service studio. I am so lucky because anytime I feel the urge to record, I just go down stairs into my studio, turnon the recording light and create my music. What a wonderful world we live in.
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The Greatest Team in Baseball...The New York Yankees

Tonight I got the thrill of watching the Yankees with their 27th World Series Championship. In my opinion they are the epitome of baseball. I am thrilled to see another trophy back in our beloved New York! Congrats to the Yankees and all Yankees Fans!!!
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Tele care and Relic guitars

It is amazing at how we value different things. I have always been the type that takes care of the things I have and try an prolong the life of them. I have always tried to keep my guitars in pristine condition. I clean them regularly and have gone as far as to have the Fender Guitar cleaning kit. It has an assortment of waxes and polishes and misters to really give your guitar's finish a nice luster and also protect them. I also learned how to set up my guitars. This is great because it not only saves me from taking them and paying someone else $50 twice a year, it is a way to  prevent any issues further down the road. So the long and short, I love my guitars to look exactly as they did the day I got them out of the box. I can't help but laugh at the guys who buy the same guitar as I have...but get the Road worn or relic'd guitars. It is sad to see that people are so fake and have to buy a brand new guitar and I mean new...not one that is vintage and beat up from years of being played. These guys say that they like the look and feel of these guitars. I say..get off your duff and really play..go out and gig that is how your guitar will be relic'd. I am sorry for the rant, but this new generation wants everything handed to them and do not know the value of hard work to attain your goals.
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Bring on the Twang

It is amazing the differences between the vintage and modern bridges on my Teles. My first tele is a 2009 Fender Standard Telecaster. It has the modern bridge...six individual adjustable saddles. Each saddle can be intoned and height adjusted seperately. This makes setting up your guitar very simple and easy. It also give a long sustain to the guitar. The draw back...it is really big...and  in my opinion it takes away from the astetics  of the guitar. No longer is there the clean simple lines of a Tele. Now, don't get me wrong, I do love this bridge. The amount of sustain that the guitar has makes it really great for soloing and classic rock. My second Tele is a 2009 Fender Highway 1 Telecaster. This has the vintage 3 barrel bridge, grease bucket tone circutry and nitrocellulose finish. The vintage 3 barrel compensated bridge, now that is a masterpiece of engineering. Each barrel has 2 strings on it, and one intonation screw and two height adjustment screws. Setting the intonation and action on this for some is a mystery....but after a few times of working through the process...it is actually pretty easy and in alot of ways alot of fun. This bridge gives the Tele its signature TWANG...that very distinctive sound that no other guitar can emulate, immitate, reproduce. To take it a step further...add brass barrels and you are in Twangville USA. In fact it is so twang and bright that some folks find that they have to roll off the tone on the guitar and the highs on their amps to tame it down. Personally as a die hard Teleman...I say bring on the Twang!!
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Dacks has arrived

Well, after much anticipation my new Fender Highway 1 Tele arrived today. I have decided to name her Dacks(short for Adirondacks) after the region where we will retire on our farm. The friendly UPS guy dropped her off when I was at physical therapy(torn rotator cuff). Needless to say as I was driving home and I saw thew UPS driver pass by me on our street I was really excited. I kind of tortured myself by not opening the package until after I took A to the jewelry store to get her engagement ring cleaned and repaired. Once we got back home A was so sweet and told me to open her up. Well, Dacks is even more beautiful than I had imagined. When I took her down into my studio and plugged her into my Super Champ and just rolled some volume on...man oh man did she sound awesome. I can't wait to do some serious playing and recording this weekend!! Seeing how it is Veterans Day weekend it will be nice...a long weekend to play and record...and A will be crafting and our beloved Holly will try and make up her mind on who she wants to be with. I am so excited to get back home to the North country that we love so much and play with everyone I can up there!! Play well and post more tomorrow.
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Anticipation

Well, thursday my gorgeous wife ordered my new Fender Highway 1 Telecaster for me. It is Honey Blonde, maple neck, 3 saddle bridge and the Grease Bucket tone control. I am excited...kind of like a kid at Christmas. It is scheduled to be delivered tomorrow..and to make it even more sweet...I am off from work. I still couldn't believe that A ordered it for me. I have told her that I really don't need anymore guitars now. I have my one Tele which I call Brooklyn...my Strat and now this new Highway 1 Tele. It is so funny how as a grown man I am like a little kid waiting for this guitar to get here...I guess the old addage you never grow old is true. Thank you A!!! Not just for the gorgeous new guitar but for loving me the way you do...it keeps me young!
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Musician Network

I have been thinking about this as I sit here in our home longing to be back home in the North Country. How do musicians find bands and vice versa? I think one of my projects when I get back home will be to establish a no cost forum where musicians in the North Country can link up and find a band. I will also include places that want and like to have live music. This should help bring more opportunities for the players up in the North Country.
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Long Weekend adventure...sort of....

Today started out really well. I am off for a nice 4 day weekend so we decided to go up to north Georgia to pick up the antique 1936 Zenith Radar eye Console Radio we found a month ago. The drive up was fast uneventful and really relaxing! A and I were talking and laughing and just totally savoring the thought of a long weekend with no agenda...no place to be and only each other to be with. We pick up the beautiful piece of Americana and then decide to have lunch at Cracker Barrel(one of our favorite restaurants) and then just cruise on back home. Everything was going well...we were enjoying the changing foliage against the lead gray sky as we were making out way back to the green of south Georgia. Well...the adventure...traffic on a Friday afternoon at 3:20pm during football season in Atlanta. Now, I have lived in NYC...both in Manhattan and in the greatest borough, Brooklyn....a city of 12 million people...you would think that traffic was bad right? WRONG...it is smooth and rather fast considering. Now Atlanta...a small city of only 1 million..easy drive...SO VERY WRONG!!! I was amazed at how backed up the traffic was...all because a car broke down and everyone had to rubber neck. The adventure...not get in an accident...:) Well, during that time we were listening to some Brad Paisley and Keith Urban as noted in a previous post...my two Tele guitar heroes...and my gorgeous wife was listening to me expound on the virtues and quality of the Tele sound on their recordings. Marriage to A is such a joy....normally I would have been impatient and furious about such horrible traffic at that time of day. A makes it a great time because we are together and just loving every moment of our time. It is also an amazing feeling to know that she appreciates my guitar playing and how much I enjoy to play. I have a charmed life!!!
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It's Friday...well for me it is

I love fridays...A and I have our rituals and our traditions that we so savor. I am on leave from the 30th until 2 November...so for me it is friday. I am looking forward to this long weekend. We will be picking up our antique Console radio, shopping and of course...playing my Tele. I am excited because it is a long weekend with A, one which will afford us the oppotrunity to just relax and do some of the things we have been too busy to do. I also have to add that today A ordered my new Tele for me. The 2009 Fender Highway 1 in Honey Blonde with maple neck. But, that is not the reason why I am so excited for this weekend. I am excited because I get to spend time with A and our dog Holly! I have a good life!
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Options

It never ceases to amaze me at the options that there are for our guitars. I remember when you had your basic colors...a few different pickup choices etc. Now  buying a new guitar is a really complicated decision process. Do I get a nitrocellulose matte finish, do I go with a polyurethane finish, do I just go with a plain old fashioned raw finish. Do I get brass barrel saddles, or modern saddles, do I get compensating 3 barrel bridge or a non compensating 6 barrel saddle bridge or do I go with the modern bridge. Then comes colors...thankfully I am color blind so I don't have to see all the different shades to further complicate the decision process. Then there are the wood choices...ash, alder, swamp ash, rosewood, maple etc.....This could take months to decide. Well...tonight A and I were going over the next guitar I am going to get...what color wood etc...well...Fender has made it simple..the Highway 1 Telecaster color Honey Blonde maple neck ,3 barrel saddle compensating bridge. The best part..it is the stock model...no changes necessary. I am a traditional simple guy and this is right up my alley. Imagine if I was an indecisive person..:)
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A little yellow Lab named Holly

It is funny how life works. I have a wonderful life. A wife who is fantastic in so many ways, more than I can count and well...someone I still can't believe is mine. I have a profession I truly enjoy. I am able to play and record my music on fantastic equipment. We have our home up in the North Country. Last but not least...our little Yellow Lab named Holly. We are unable to have children, so we got Holly. She is a fantastic dog. She is loving and sweet. Holly never lets us argue...she will walk over to both of us look up at us and do something that makes us both just start laughing. Holly is a great companion. She follows us around and just is. Today was a rather difficult day because we had to take Holly to the vet. She had stepped on something in the back yard and cut her paw which in turn is infected. To see her limp around is more than I can take. The vet had me put her up on the table and started the exam of Holly's paw. Needless to say the vet had to try and numb Holly's paw so she could work on it and make her more comfortable. The worst thing in the world...the yelp she gave when the needle was inserted and the Lidacaine was injected. It made me sick to my stomach, like I had hurt my little one. After some time the vet said that it looks like there could possibly be a splinter somewhere in the pad of her paw. The long and short of this Holly is doing fine, she is on antibiotics and is fast on the road to recovery. I know you are probably thinking what does this have to do with playing music...nothing...but it is important to me and this is my blog so...he who owns the blog gets to write about what they want.
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My Inspiration

It is amazing what an individual finds as inspiration. For some it is love of God, for others it is love of country and so on and so on. For me it is my wife A. We have been together for 6 years. In those 6 years my life has only imporved more and more. Sometime, I have to pinch myself to make sure that the life I live is not a dream. A supports what my chosen profession is...a Soldier. It is a profession that has taken me away from her for 18 months, put me in harms way and is not the easiest to support. Never once has she complained. She has always accepted these trials with a grace which amazes me. Where is this going??? Well, the other thing that I truly enjoy is music. In this A has been once again totally supportive. Today, I arrive home after a rather frustrating day...Dr said my rotator cuff is torn so under the knife i will go...:( but as I walk in the door what do I see my gorgeous A with a mischevious grin on her face. The grin was because the brand new Fender Super Champ XD amp we ordered arrived. She knows how much I have been looking forward to this. Nothing like the sound of a really good quality tube amp...so...we unpacked it and I plugged my favorite guitar in the world..my Fender Telecaster named Brooklyn (in honor of A who is from Brooklyn). I strummed a D chord...all I can say is incredible. It is so easy to be inspired when you have someone who loves you as A does me. It makes life so fantastic, so joyful. I find inspiration everytime I look at her. With this new amp...I can translate that inspiration into some really beautiful music..but it will never be as beautiful as my inspiration...A. I hope all of you out there are as lucky as I am and find your inspiration.
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Modding your gear

I have always felt that Guitars and Amps are alot like cars. As any other red blooded American guy I love to use my hands and work on my cars...the same holds true for my gear. I love setting up my guitars and working on my amps. I replaced the speaker in my Marshall combo with a Celestion G8 Vintage 8 recently. What a difference. The stock speaker that Marshall had added was...ok...not bad but not great. Fortunately my wife A is great about supporting my obsession with my gear and was like...get the new Celestion if you want it. So before I replaced it I let her hear what my amp sounded like with the stock speaker in it. I then installed the gorgeous Celestion into my Marshall. With great anticipation I fired it up and to my surprise...the amp sounded incredible...even better than I imagined. The thing that was so much fun...I installed it myself and saved about $50.00. The same holds true for setting up and working on my guitars. In many ways...the similarities with working on your own car and your gear is really the same. Thanks A...the Celestion rocks!!!

Opinions, Tremolos, Bigsbys and effects

I am generally a traditionalist. I have my opinions on things. That said I am always searching the forums on the Telecaster forum, and the Fender community forums. I can't help but laugh at how some people think that their opinion is the answer to everything and if you don't agree with them then you are so very wrong. In my opinion and taste..I feel that a Tele is best without a tremolo or a Bigsby. That is my opinion. I think that a tremolo should be on a Strat...again my opinion. Does that mean if you decide to put one on a Tele I think you are wrong? Nope...it just means that you have your preferences and opinions as I have mine. I also have to laugh at the folks who think that if you use effects you are somehow "cheating" as a player. Once again..that is an opinion. I prefer to have a little bit of overdrive, chorus and a touch of reverb when I play. That is how I defined my tone. The best of all this...it is my opinion..:) Have a great day all!
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The joy of playing a Tele

I have been playing guitar now for the better part of 35 years. I have played everything from an acoustic to a Les Paul to a Strat. The one guitar that has truly  had an effect on me like no other has been the Fender Telecaster. from the first timne I can remember hearing a Tele, to the first time I ever played one, there has been this bond I have felt for the Tele. Some would call it mojo, some would say the twang of a Tele....I say it is that tone and sound that a guitarist looks for, dreams about and in many cases never finds. For me the Tele is an instrument like no other...it bonds with you and fits perfectly in my hands....it truly is an extension of me.

Arrogance and insecurity

I normally try to keep my blog positive...afterall we are talking about playing here, but tonight I have to vent. I am on several forums and there is one guy we will call Jay who is just such an arrogant individual. He is always putting people down and thinks that he is the end all know all to Teles. To me it shows insecurity. I just hate when people are like this. If you have nothing positive to say then please just be quiet. Sorry, I just had to get this off my chest.
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Smaller is better

Ok...I like to think that I am in decent shape. Well, today I was down in our basement and organizing things so everything is in order. I grab a bin and slide it...POP goes my shoulder. Darn.....now I suspect that I have blown out my rotator cuff. I am so glad that I no longer have the need to have a huge rig to play through. For my harder side I have a nice small Marshall MG15CDR amp...this gives the hard rock tone. For the normal guitar tone sound which I have made for myself I have my nice new Fender Super Champ XD. Both amps rate 15 watts and both amps weigh less that 25 lbs. Thank heavens...if I had to lug around the rigs I used to...4X12 Cabinets plus the heavy heads...combined weight around 100lbs...man I would tear the other rotator cuff. The point...I am so glad that I have mellowed and learned that to play good I don't have to be loud..:) Have a great weekend all!
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Joys of marriage and tubes

Ok, go ahead and say it..joys of marriage and tubes??? Ok here is the premise of my post today. Marriage to my wife A is the greatest thing in my life. I have a wife who is incredible in every way. she supports what I do for a living and never complains, she totally encourages me to play my guitar and she actually has a genuine interest and appreciation of my guitar playing. A, supports this by letting me get whatever guitar gear I desire...talk about a really huge motivator to be a good player...:) Tubes...well...there is nothing like the sound of a tube amplifier, or for that matter and old tube radio, We are both huge fans of old school radios. A appreciates the sound and the warmth of their sound. This also translates to her appreciation of tube amps. Being in such a great marriage is awesome...having a soulmate who appreciates vintage tube sound like I do equates to the joys of marriage and tubes.
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AMPS Revised

I wrote an earlier post about the Deluxe VM.....well change 2, tonight I ordered a Fender Super Champ XD. Talk about an incredible amp. It is 15 watts, tube, with different modeling effects. Lets face it...I don't need a huge rig anymore. I don't envision playing to huge crowds like I used to when I was younger and in a rock band. I am more in the country vein now and well...in this case less is more. I will let everyone know what the sound is like once I have had a chance to really give this amp a go.
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My Tele Heros

I love my Tele...it is the ultimate guitar in my opinion. I have always loved the way a Tele sounded in Rock, but lately I have really delved into country music and the two Tele players who have really got the sound I love and try to emulate are Keith Urban and Brad Paisley. I love how they are true guitar pickers. I appreciate the fretboard gymnastics of Eddie Van Halen, but...in my opinion these days there are just too many effects that players use on their guitars. Both Keith and Brad us minimal effects...they don't use tremolo bars and they are so readily available that it is a joy to learn their music in order to improve my own chops...man it is a gift to be able to play!
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Central Plains

The last couple days I was in America's heartland...Fort Leavenworth Kansas. The long empty fields all harvested and in their mode for a winter's sleep to rejuvinate for the next growing season gave me a chance to reflect on how lucky I am to live the life I do. I was listening to get this...country music on the car raido...not like there was much choice, when I realized how simple life is in the rural communities. The music, the way of life, the simplicity of life. It made me think of the North Country and how life is so similar. I so treasure that life, the peaceful rhythm that is so enticing. I look so forward to those days.
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Adirondack sound

I have been sitting around here thinking about what is the Adirondack sound? Is it Country, Rock, Punk, Classical?? Who knows. The thing that is so great is that the whole North Country is so large and diverse you can have a multitude of different styles and sounds. That is what is so awesome about music. I look forward to when we finally get back home and bringing my own style back home with me...kind of a rock/country mix that is my own style. It will be great to play with other folks from the North Country and see what we can do!
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Crisp Saturday Morning

Greetings all. It is saturday morning and the sun is out the air is crisp and cool and I am hanging out with our dog Holly while my bride sleeps in. I have always enjoyed moments like this when I can just noodle around on my guitar in the quiet hours of the morning. Not looking to do any serious playing, just doing scales or finding new chord progressions that sound neat. There is nothing like the morning. The promise of a new day, no mistakes have been made yet..:) and everything is fresh. I hope everyone has a great day and later on we will talk shop.
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Friday Night Coffee

Well, it is friday night. The work week is over and now it is time to relax for a few days. I love friday nights because my wife and I have our rituals. We relax put on the shows we like to watch and I noodle around on my Tele. I love these nights. Tonight is especially nice because we closed on our own little piece of heaven this week...5 beautiful acres of land on a lake in the North Country. The second reason we have some cool(by southern standards) weather. It is in the high 50's right now. I am really excited for friday nights in the North Country once our log home is built and we are living there permenantly. Have a great night.
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Home from the North Country

Well, I ventured up the the North Country the last few days for business. How wonderful it was. I was able to walk the land where we will build our dream home and the future home for all our dreams. I couldn't help but get excited as I was looking across the lake our property is on and think about all the wonderful times that are ahead for us. I also imagined sitting out on the deck with my Tele and playing some really great music for my wife. Life is good!
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Time Away

For the next couple of days I will not be posting. I have to head up to the North Country on business and to be quite honest...I hate dragging a laptop with me when I have to travel so...I am leaving it at home. Keep playing and be back posting soon.
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Joy Of Playing

Everytime that I sit down and play I can't help but think of how lucky I am to have the ability to play. It is often overlooked the simple act of playing. I love how after a stressful day at the office I can pick up my Tele, plug in and just play. This simple act takes away so much of the things in life that make me tense. I love how by playing I am able to create something that is beautiful, and fulfilling. It is amazing how this joy, takes away all the stress and makes me feel better. How lucky we are!
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Tone

Often in the guitar world people talk about getting a certain "tone". I am a big fan of Brad Paisley and Keith Urban's tone for their Telecasters. Tone is a very complex and subjective thing. I have found in my experience as a musician and an engineer that there are so many variables to "tone" that it really is a individual taste. I know some folks who really don't care for the Telecaster's twangy "tone". Then if you ask a dedicated Tele player...we all live for the tone. To sum up my thoughts...go for the tone you like and want...and most of all enjoy the gift of being able to play.
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Home Studios

I posted a picture of the current home studio I have. It is the Boss BR1200CD. I can't say enough about this fantastic studio. Having worked in the Nashville studios I am able to do the same quality work on this desk as I could there. I have so far recorded 13 original songs and am preparing to finish the final overdubs and then master them and burn them down to CD. The great part of this desk is you can do it all right there. No need to spend your hard earned dollars anywhere else, once you own this masterpiece of modern technology you can do it all in the comfort of your own place.
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Disclaimer...:)

Ok...now I will finally add my disclaimer. This is my blog and when I post on here about a product or a company I am getting nothing from them..:) I mention Fender because I use Fender...I believe in good quality deserves good praise. As for companies I mention and use are because of superior price and customer service. I prefer to use American Musical Supply...fantastic prices, free shipping..they will beat anyone's price and great customer service. The other company is Music 123. They will call you and offer you a substitute product if the order you have placed is seriously delayed. To sweeten the pot...they will generally offer an upgrade at their expense and overnight the product to you. So that said....those are the products and folks I like to do business with.
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Joy of effects pedals

Greetings all. I have to say, I have been very lucky. I have a wife who is not only my soulmate but my best friend, a career I truly enjoy, and the Digitech RP355. For years I looked for the perfect effects unit that met the following criteria, a)under $500, b) had the flexibility to let me change parameters and make my own effects chains c) was user friendly. Digitech has answered the call. The unit can be purchased from either American Musical Supply or Music 123 for under $200 US, there are over 130 different effects you can choose from and you can make your own settings. This is a fantastic unit and having the ability to make my own settings and then put them in the order I want for when I am playing is a really great option. Hope this helps anyone who is possibly looking for a new unit.
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Amps

Today my wife and I went out amp shopping. I was leaning towards one of two models...either the Fender Frontman 212R or the Fender Deluxe VM. The 212R is a Solid State 100 watt amp into 2 12" speakers. It has a nice set up with reverb and gain...and is very very loud. The Deluxe is a Tube amp 40 watts into a 12" Celestion speaker. It has Reverb, Delay, Chorus, Virbrato. Great amp...vintage tube sound and of course that classic Fender tone. After some discussion of how much power I need and sound for the types of gigs I will be playing...the Deluxe VM won...It will be great to play up in the North Country with this amp...I can't wait.

Long Weekend

Greetings to all Tele players out there in the North Country. From down here in the steamy south I find my mind wandering back to the North Country and the change of seasons. I think of how I used to love sitting out on the deck with my guitar playing in the cool fall air with a hot cup of coffee and the changing colors to inspire me. soon we will be back up north and I am really looking forward to that. Especially on long weekends like this one. Hope everyone has a great weekend and has a chance to play and have some fun.
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New Book on Telecasters

I am really excited about this...I just ordered mine here is the link  http://www.amazon.com/Fender-Telecaster-Handbook-Maintain-Troubleshoot/dp/0760336466/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1254996524&sr=1-3

It is in a pre order status.
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Open Mic Nights

Greetings to all. I was just thinking that this might be a great place to list bars that you frequent that have open mic nights. It might be a great way to meet fellow Tele players and who knows....a new band might get formed. I know that Herrings Inn in Herring does occassionaly have them. So if anyone knows of another place...just post away. Cheers!
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Welcome to ADK Telesound

Hey all you Fender Telecaster fanatics. I have created this blog for those of us who call the North Country home. I am currently in the Army and stationed down at lovely FT Benning GA. The purpose of this blog is to discuss/help and network for all Tele players up here. As an addicted Tele player here are some ground rules...there is no such thing as a bad guitar...there is a thing as bad players. If you like a certain type of Tele that is great...a Tele is like your wife, girlfriend etc...a personal choice so please be respectful of everyone. That said...jump in tune up and lets all enjoy!
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