Last Move!!!

Well, as is the case with Army life, we have moved to Germany! This is the last assignment I will have because at the end of this I will be retiring from the Army after 31 years of service!! What is the next adventure for the ADK Teleman...retirement in our beautiful river home!! We bought our retirement home when I was stationed in Canada and well, the Army had other plans and said nope, off to Germany! A & our lab Holly have been fantastic with the whole move! Going form our gorgeous 3700 sq ft home to a cramped 1100 sq ft apartment. No complaints and nothing but smiles and a great attitude by both! I am one lucky guy!! So, now we are here for 2 1/2 years more then done! I will post more stuff and then when we return to the states...nothing but Telecaster heaven!! Have a great one and I will post again soon!!
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Welcome the Telecaster Cabronita!

I have always loved the look of the Fender Telecaster Cabronita! From the moment it first appeared in the Fender Custom Shop 3 years ago I have wanted one. Well a month ago a beautiful Black with white pickguard Cabronita arrived. The Filtertron pickups sound in one word, heavenly! Some folks are not too fond of only having a volume knob and no tone knob but this little tone machine does not need one! The Fender team really hit a grand slam with this guitar. The fit and finish are flawless. The fretwork on the neck is amazing. It is like Fender came and got the neck from my favorite Telecaster and cloned it. I have gigged this guitar at 3 different shows and all 3 were fantastic dates. I was able to make her go from a sweet bell tone sound to a growling tiger with minimum effort! I love this guitar! Well done Fender!
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Our First Gig!!

Well, there is nothing in the world like being in a band and seeing the band's name up on the Marquee for where you are going to play! My band Jet Lagged was the show case band  Thursday at Mustang's Saloon in Kingston Ontario! It is a great club and we were really excited to get out and bring our show to the town! We had a fantastic show and an even better crowd there enjoying the music and the staff of the Mustang Saloon were absolutely first class! We wanted to Thank our families for coming out and supporting us and our friends and general public who made this show a really fantastic event! I also wanted to Thank my gorgeous wife A for being the biggest fan and also doing all the photography and video work! Love you baby!
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Farewell to a friend

Today I got the sad news that an amazing NCO with whom I served passed away. At first I didn't believe what I saw. Then the sad truth of the situation sunk in. My old friend was gone. Never more would he impart his wisdom on the many Soldiers and Officers with whom he served. No more jokes and no more quiet reassurances during trying times.Gene Griffin was a great Soldier, leader and friend! The world is a darker place with his passing. I wish his family peace and comfort during this most difficult time. We shall meet again someday in a far away place my friend! RIP Gene.
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Fender's colourful ties with GM and America - Car News | Auto123

Fender's colourful ties with GM and America - Car News | Auto123

How wonderful...Classic Fender colors with Classic American cars! Just click on the link above to enjoy!
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D-Day

68 Years ago today young men far from their homes embarked on one of the most horriffic ordeals in the history of mankind...the Invasion of France on D-Day. As a life long Soldier I am in awe of these brave heros! I can not imagine what must have run through their minds as they were crossing the English Channel. To those brave men I Thank you. I hope I am worthy of the sacrifices you made for my freedom. I have served in 2 different wars and can say that there is no glory in it. Only fear and a waste of humanity. Lets hope that one day there will be no war! The true price is paid by the Soldier who prays for peace!
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The Joy of Fender

I have been a guitar player for 36 years and I can say that I never tire of playing my Fender guitars and amps! There is nothing like firing up my Fender amps and plugging in one of my favorite guitars(yes a Tele) and just getting lost in the music! Tonight I will be going to rehearsal with my band jet Lagged to prepare for our show at Mustang Saloon in Kingston Canada on June 28th. It is always such a great feeling to fall in love with your gear over and over again. There is only one thing in the world better than my Fenders and that is my wonderful wife A who totally supports my passion for music and especially Fenders!
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Auditions...Oh the nerves

Well, it has been a while since I posted in here. Life happens and well, I have been busy recording my album and just with life. Now that I have a slow evening I decided to drop a quick note in the blog! This weekend I have an audition for a local 80's cover band here in Kingston so I am excited yet a little nervous. It has been a while since I was in a band and I am hoping that all goes well and I will get the gig. It is funny how the idea of doing a show every couple months is appealing as opposed to the time when I wanted to play out every night. I guess as I am getting older the idea of playing out late has lost its appeal. Well, I will drop back and give a reoprt on Sunday.
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The Great Canadian Prairie

In my new position with the Canadian Army I had the unique opportunity to travel out to CFB Wainwright in Alberta province. It was almost like going back in time to be out on the prairie and not see another car driving down the road, no houses, no people just wide open spaces in it's purest form. I was so enthralled by the beauty of the country. The wild life was gorgeous. I saw moose, wolves, coyote and elk. One of the most beautiful areas was where part of the film "Open Range" was shot. There were Aspen stands by the river and the a sky of indigo blue the day I was there. This was an amazing time. What does this have to do with playing my Tele...nothing...but who cares.
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A new Home, a new Town and a New Studio

Well, we are in Kingston and we are settled in to our new home in lovely Canada. I have to admit that our new home is beautiful and my new studio is amazing. It is huge with plenty of room for all my guitars and basses to be out in their stands instead of in their cases! A's sewing room is beautiful with a nice view of Lake Ontario. We are still fine tuning our individual rooms but that is half of the fun. Seeing A set up her sewing machines and all her materials and threads was such a joy because she so deserves this and has been so supportive of what I do and my music. Next big adventure is getting our retirement home set up and then enjoying life at a much easier pace. Well, I am going to sign off for now but will post again soon.
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The Excitement is Mounting! But I will miss my boys!

Well, we got our orders yesterday and I have been in a flury of action getting the movers, making sure all the i's are dotted and the t's are crossed! In just 2 short weeks our new adventure and a major change in our life will take place. There are so many things which need to be done and people to see and things at work that even though are no longer my responsibility I feel this twinge of guilt because I was on such a great team of professionals! I look back on my time here in the Armor School with many fond memories of my Soldiers who gave every bit of themselves to the job and mission. From my boss George who always made me look at both sides of the arguement, to my brother from another mother Frank who was passionate about what we do but yet quick with a smile. Ski with his dry sense of humor and his total love of the Army and tanks. My buddy Harvey with his thoughtful responses to everything. His mentorship and friendship andother true professional who takes pride in being a Tanker. To my SGM Greg, a friend who I served with in Germany back in the 80s. One of those old school NCOs who like all my NCOs puts the Soldiers first! And last but not least Alex. The guy who never gets mad, always cracks a joke or pulls me back from the edge when I am too close to an issue or project. I shall miss these fine men and friends who have challenged me to be a better Officer a better Soldier through their example. But, as with all things in the Army we have moments like this over a career and that is what makes us appreciate the good men we work with!
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Happy Canada Day!

Being an upstater, Canada was only a short drive away from where I grew up an a country that has always held a special place in my heart! Today is Canada Day! In a few short weeks A and I will embark on one of the biggest honors I have ever been given. I will be serving for a 3 year period as an Exchange Officer in the Canadian Army. I am so excited for this amazing opportunity to serve with not only aliies but brothers to the north. So far we have been so very well received by the Canadian Army when I was doing my orientation back at the beginning of June. So on this very special day for our adopted home, I say happy canada Day and we can't wait to come "home". Have a great Holiday weekend everyone!
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Moving!!

Today I got the call I have been anticipating our orders are coming this week posting us to Canada! needless to say A and I have been really excited all evening. In preparation for this I have slowly started to pack up Indian River Studio for the move. it is amazing how much incredible gear I have. I was looking at all the boxes of amps and guitars and gear that I have has made me realize just how lucky I am to have such a supportive wife who truly love my craft as a musician and song writer. It was a rather sad moment packing up all my gear because I love playing and using it. Even though it is only a couple weeks where it will be in boxes it is still hard to not have it out and on hand so I can record whenever I want. I do look forward to this new assignment because while we are up in Canada the final home for Indian River Studios will be built. The plans are drawn up and soon we will be breaking ground on this wonderful new home where A and I will live and enjoy my music and her incredible sewing! So for now, have a great evening and we will be back on soon!
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Fender G-DEC 3 Thirty Blues Edition 1st Report

Well, on friday the man in the brown truck dropped off my new G-DEC! I had a funny feeling from the moment I got the package in the house until I got the amp unpacked and plugged in that this was no ordinary amp. From the moment I turned it on and saw the soft blue glow from the information screen to the first notes I played the experience only got better! There are 100 factory presets of classic Fender amps. The quality of these patches is first class! Then there are the 100 backing tracks which you can play along to. Again, Fender really did an amazing job getting some of the most elite artists and having them record the tracks. I then hooked up the amp to my computer and started to fool around with the Fender Fuse software. This is where it gets really interesting. I was able to manipulate the software in the amp to make my own settings and then rename them. Now the information screen has my named patches. Talk about a totally custom amp!! The amp comes with all the associated DVDs and software packages(Fender Fuse, Amplitude Fender LE amp modeling software and Ableton Live Lite 8 Fender Edition recording software) I will post more as I delve deeper into this amazing amp. As always to my amazing wife A, Thank you for  such amazing gear! I love you!
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New Tool in the Sonic Arsenal!

Well, what can i say? I have a wife who spoils me! The latest tool coming into my studio is a new Fender G-DEC 3 Thirty Blues Edition. I tried one out a while back and really liked the freedom it gave me in terms of not needing a band. With this little amp you can load your backing tracks onto an SD card and go play live. The great thing is no band drama and consistent performance. I am also looking forward to the capabilities that this amp brings wiht the Fender Fuse software. I will be able to manipulate the sound of my amp and also build the set list effects so I do not have to do the pedal dance when playing. Once the amp arrives I will post pics and also give a full report on it's pros and cons. Until then see you later sports fans! To my gorgeous wife A, once again you spoil me more than I deserve! Thank you babe! I love you!

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The Great Tone/Volume Knob Debate

As I was flying back from Kingston Ontario the other day I was listening to one of my favorite guitarists Jeff Beck. I was appreciating how he uses his volume and tone knobs so well to further accentuate his music. While I am not anywhere near the calibur of player that Jeff Beck is, I find that I am much more comfortable using an expression pedal. I tend to make small adjustments with the tone and volume knobs when playing> I think that the main reason for this is because I use the expression pedal for big swells. I will also admit that it is also because I am not good at using the volume knob for swells while picking. Some of the forum "friends" I have tease me because while they are very well vresed in the volume knob swells, they can't do an expression pedal swell to save their lives. So, to sum it all up as an incredible player I know once said..."It's all good"!

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A performance report on my Fender Road Worn 50s Telecaster

Well, I have now had my RW Tele for a week. In that time I have had the opportunity to go over this beautiful instrument from head to toe. The relic job is in my opinon very well done. The places where the great Fender craftsmen did the relicing are flawless. it really looks and feels like normal wear and tear on the guitar. The hardware relicing is also first rate. The fit of all components is perfect. I could not find a single thing wrong with the fretwork. The intonation was right on. I did not have to make any adjustments. I did make a slight adjustment to the height of the strings but found no fret buzz what so ever. The next thing was to plug her in. This is where I really fell in love with this guitar. The Tex-Mex pickups are in a word incredible! The neck pickup is as smooth as silk and has an angelic quality to it. I was able to make this guitar sing! I felt like a kid at Christmas! New tones, new adventures! Then I went to the bridge pickup and well...had my hair blown back by the tone and sheer aggressiveness of it. I was able to go from twang machine to a roaring monster with just the turn of the volume knob on my guitar. I have not been able to put this guitar down. Both plugged in and unplugged this guitar sounds gorgeous. It is begging to be played. Yes, I used to be a skeptic of the whole reliced guitar thing. Then one day when my gorgeous wife A was in one of her classes I went to my local guitar store to try out some amps and happened to play a Blonde RW Tele. I was impressed with it. And now as Paul harvey would say ' That is the rest of the story" A, as always I can't tell you enough just how much I love you and also how blessed I am to have someone who believes in me and my music like you do! I love you!To everyone else have a great weekend!

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New Guitar Day!!!

Well, my new Fender Road Worn 50'sTelecaster arrived today! Nothing like coming home after a good hard day at the office to see my beautiful wife and our gorgeous little yellow Lab. To make it even better if that was possible...a nice box with Fender on the outside! so I get this little beauty out of the packaging and then have to set her in the stand to acclimate. Once everything was ready...and believe me that 3 hour wait was tough..LOL I tuned her up and plugged in to one of my Fender amps. All I can say is amazing!! The Tex-Mex pickups are really fantastic. I put her through her paces and she is one amazing guitar. Since we are being posted to Canada for the next 3 years and this is a dream assignment and a dream guitar she is being named Kingston! I just want to thank my amazing wife A, for supporting me in everything I do and inspiring me to play music and write/record again. You are my inspiration and my whole world! Hope everyone has a great night!

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Another Tele Coming soon!!

Hey, after all my blog is about Telecasters so what do you expect?? My gorgeous wife once again is spoiling me with another Tele. This time the new addition is a 50s Road Worn Tele in 2 tone sunburst. I am really excited because this one has the vintage appointments and the Tex-Mex pickups! I will be honest, I used to be against relicing a new guitar, but now after having had the chance to play a couple I get it. The broken in feel is really nice and then there is the added bonus of not worrying about any nicks or dings because it already has them. So shortly the new addition will be here.  I do want to Thank my awesome wife A, because she spoils me when it comes to everything and I am a really lucky man to be married to her because of who she is! I love you A! I will take some pictures and post them! Until then...here is one for you!
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Headed to the Great White North!!

Well, after 25 years in the Army somewhere, somehow I have managed to make someone confident enough in my abilities and I have been given the honor of being an Army Exchange Officer to the Canadian Army. I am  excited because not only are we given this wonderful opportunity, we will be able to build our dream home and the  home of Indian River Studios will be built! I am still so grateful to my amazing wife A, because she has been so supportive of my profession and never has complained with some of the less than desirable  postings we have had. This, in my opinion is a huge reward for her because now she will finally be able to have her own home not an apartment like she has lived(she is after all from NYC :) ) There will be many pictures posted and when the studio is open a ton of great music coming from it! have a great weekend all!

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