El Dangerouso

I have to give it up for Goreki's post here. Insightful. However, when I first started soloing and looking at theory, playing primarily rock, I felt like the chords went by too fast for me to keep up thinking about changing mode/scale. There was an intermediary step my guitar teach took with me that, I feel, really helped me, and I think it gets to the heart of Goreki's post. He called it chord analysis. Let's look a a pretty common chord progression, Amaj Dmaj Emaj. He took each chord, had me finger it and name the notes. For the A, okay, I mute the low E, no note there; open A; second fret on the D, that's an E; second fret on the G, that's an A; second fret on the B, that's C#; open high E. Okay, we have A, E, A, C#, E. Three notes A, C#, E. He then said you can play any scale over that chord that has A, C# and E in the scale, and you're pretty certain not to sound "wrong". But, he said, we can chord analyze the whole progression. To save time and space, with the Dmaj you come up with D, F# and A as the notes, and with Emaj you come up with E, G# and B. So if you play a scale with A, B, C#, D, E, F# and G#, you can play that scale over the whole progression. A Ionian (Major) fits the bill. So does maj pentatonic. It has A, B, C#, E, F#. No notes that conflict with the notes in the chords. You're good. By the way, there are other modes that have ALL the same notes. So, while I guess you could say, I'm playing A Ionian over the A, D Lydian over the D, and E Mixolydian over the E, I think that's too complicated. I prefer to think of it the way above, all as A Ionian. It's all the same notes, and I say the ENTIRE PROGRESSION is out of A Ionian. Just because I play two or three notes at a time (chords) doesn't mean I'm not playing out of a scale. By the way, strip this down to A5 D5 or E5 and it give you A, E, D, B. Only four notes to match. A Ionian, A Dorian, A Maj Pentatonic, A Min Pentatonic, A Lydian, A Mixolydian, A Aeloian, etc.

+1 for Tracktion 2. Greg indoctrinated me into the cult! Bang for the buck, it's really the best. As advertised, no steep learning curve, and plenty of power.

I've been around long enough to become comfortable with Drak's philosophy. Also, I'm old enough to know not to try an change anyone's mind, especially over the internet. The best thing to do, well, most effective thing to do, if you don't like what someone thinks, is just to kill them. Did....I....say....that.....out...loud? Really officer, those are not bodies in my basement. Let's face it, the real crime here is that there is not an e-mail distro list to get the documentation of the Wall of Death feedings. I could live without cable if there were a steady flow of those. Can we get that started, Master of the Castle and Keeper of the Beast?

Either that or an A/B/Y box.

Plans are easy. Just choose your speakers first. Once you have those chosen, get all, and I do mean ALL, the Thiell-Small parameters for them. I just e-mailed Eminence and they e-mailed right back with mine. Next, find the downloadable freeware speaker cab desinger WinISD here Linear Team Website. Download the program, input said Thiell Small parameters. The low E on a guitar is at 83hz, so you don't want more than 3 db of dropoff around that frequency. Play with dimensions and bass ports to get there. It tells you what dimensions. Mine will be the standard baltic birch and black elephant tolex, but pink it up to your heart's content if that's what you're all about. The only other rule I can think of is that any bass ports need to be 3" away from any internal baffling. Rock On!

2x12 with casters you mean! I wouldn't lift that thing an inch that I didn't have to. I don't know any good UK speaker guys; Avatar would be the best bet (at least in terms of bang for the buck) here in the states. Really, other than cutting the circle out for the speakers in the baffle,they are far easier than a guitar to build. No painting, no clear. Cut and glue that tolex, baby!

I'll throw this in. I designed a speaker cab a while ago (still haven't gotten around to building it, too much home improvement going on) and you'll be amazed at what it takes to make a closed back sound good. There is a free design program around on the net, google, you'll find it. You'll need to know all, and I mean all, of the Thiell-Small parameters for you speakers to get a worthwhile result. For my 2x10, I needed a 34"x20.25"x12" box with two 4.5" diameter bass ports three inches long. Even then, I lose some low end, but less than 3 db, thankfully. Bottom line: just making your open back closed back may not make it sound like a properly designed closed back would. In fact, it might sound worse than its current open back state.

Bump. For the love of all that's guitar........lovecraft, psw, anyone save me!

Normally, I can pretty much figure these things out, but I'm not making it happen this time. I've got a Shiva. Two button footswitch, no reverb. Here's how they do the footswitch; they take a three button footswitch and cap the reverb part. So, I figure I'll get a two button footswitch to save some space on the old pedalboard. Got one, the channel select will work, but not the boost. I pulled them open. Please someone, tell me what to do. Here is what I can tell by myself. Bogner switch: Channel switch on one termianl has a common wire with the boost switch and this is connected to sleeve on the stereo jack. The other terminal on the switch is connected to a diode (looks like a 12V zener) and a 33 ohm +- 1% resistor. The diode and resistor are connected to the two seperate leads on an LED. Also on the diode LED lead is the tip lead for the stereo jack. On the other terminal of the boost switch are two resistors connected to the two LED leads. One is 41 ohm +- 1% and the other is 100 ohm +- 1%. The 100 ohm also has the sleeve lead from the jack wired to it. New Switch: Channel switch has a 410 ohm +- 1% resistor on an LED lead and a lead to tip on the stereo jack on one terminal. On the other terminal is simply the LED lead and a lead to sleeve on the jack. On the boost is essentially the same setup, but with the lead on the resistor terminal going to sleeve. The LEDs are much smaller on this footswitch. What do I need to do to get this bad boy to work? Do I only need to add a diode/resistor combo, or can I not get there from here?

I'm selling my entire rig. I'm doing so because I've moved from Texas back home to Orange County, CA, and I've made a few realizations. Realization #1 - I will never play live again. Realization #2 - I will never live in a home big enough again to accomidate the size of this thing, let alone the volume. I would love the sell the shootin' match, but I realize that most counldn't afford to buy everything at once, so I'll post prices on individual pieces. I'll give it until Sunday on here, to give PG guys a shot first, then onto Ebay all of it/the remainder goes. Pics: Complete Rig Rack one Rack two Fender 4x12 Stereo Cab FCB1010 As you can see, everything is in Mint to Excellent + shape. I have manuals for everything. The rack case has a seven plug power strip installed in it. The "RAFA" tab on the BBE is cloth and held on by a small piece of masking tape. Prices(buyer to pay actual shipping): VHT GP3 $950 Chandler Tube Driver $140 G Major $300 Echo Pro $350 BBE 362NR $45 Peavey Classic 50/50 $325 Rack Case $170 Fender 4x12 Stereo Cab $500 FCB1010 $60 (Still have original box) If you have any questions, e-mail or pm me. I'll be glad to answer.

Looks great! I like the fusion of parts and styles. It's got that Satriani/Morse(gotta love that pickguard and pickup config)/Gibson vibe. Speaking of pickup configurations, I see you went with the Jellycaster III (or was it just II?) setup again. Still my favorite after putting it in the Shredocaster. Good luck with the rest o' the project!

Couldn't agree more. I think golfers and guitar players are alike in their quest for "game improvement" or "ball flight" and "tone". Buy that magical club that when swung, will put the ball a mile down the fairway or on the green every time, flying under the wind. Of course, it would have a beautiful slight draw every time. Buy that guitar, amp, pre-amp or strings that when plugged in, turned on or tuned up will give you exactly what your ears want to hear. I think it all resides pretty much in your body and investment of time, not really dollars. Turn the knobs on what you have; spend some time going beyond the presets. Work on your technique. Practice, you have to dig "the secret" out of the dirt as Mr. Hogan would say. All that being said, I am very close to perfect with what I have. I have been questing after this soundclip on the Bogner page, I'm close and didn't have to buy a Bogner XTC. It took some tweaking of the knobs on the stuff that I did have and use of my ears. I think Eric Johnson has great tone, but I've done this experiment with the players/bands I really like. Most of the time I totally agree, I think their tone, taken in isolation, sounds like grunt.

Lady's Fancy by Dan Crary. Good Luck playing it without some serious practice time, it's a killer for sure!

Used, but basically good as new. Still have all original boxes/manuals/software for both. A Behringer mixer (UB802) and an M-Audio soundcard (Audiophile 2496)that will get you started on some home recording on your PC (with a download of Kristal Audio Engine - Free!). $140 and I'll pay your shipping to the continental US. Anyone else, let me know where you're at, and we'll figure out a fair deal.

Look, I know nothing about how BL or SD has their production set up. I was simply attacking the notion that handcrafted inherently means higher quality. Not always true. I am willing to admit that a CNC machine can cut more accurately and faster than I ever could with fewer mistakes! Just a clarification as to how I was measuring the sigma level. I was refering to sigma levels coming out of production, not as reach the final customer. Sure enough, you can put out a much higher sigma level to your customer by inspecting quality in after production, but in the long run it is much more costly to your company than simply building quality into your manufacturing/production process.

I have no experience with the BL, but I put a Dime in a guitar with an Alnico II Pro in the neck (it was my Slash/Dime guitar). The Alnico is pretty low output, but it was okay with the Dime. The drop in level was noticable when switching, but not to the point anyone would have put it down to anything other than changing from bridge to neck. Also, hate to say it, but automated production does not = lower quality. In fact, any Six Sigma Black Belt will tell you that any process with heavy human involvement will not surpass 4.5 sigma or so. You MUST automate to approach 6. It's simple: people make more mistakes than machines.

I voted metal, but I suppose I could sub-class to shred. I don't know if he really counts as shred in my book, but my favorite player is Eric Johnson. I guess he really wouldn't be metal either. I like Satriani, Joe Stump, Vinnie Moore, Steve Morse, several other "shred" type guys. Band-wise I'd have to say my favorite bands are mostly '80s/early '90s era hair bands. VH, White Lion, Motley, Poison etc. I also like Monte Montgomery, Tommy Emmanuel, Charlie Hunter, KWS, Joe Bonamassa, Acoustic Alchemy, etc. Anything with some guitar that catches my ear for whatever reason. Hell, I even like the Indigo Girls. As far as the new stuff, I like Magic Elf, Shadows Fall, Lamb of God. Reminds me of the good old Metallica/Death Angel/Megadeth/Exodus/Anthrax days.

Not to hijack, but that would be T.J. Hooker.

Looking for a new preamp?

Did you make sure that A and 4 are the lugs that are always "on"? You might have the wiring correct, just reversed. You can look at the side of the switch, and when you move the blade, one of the lugs on each side will always be in contact, as well as one of the other three. It may be that these are the 1 and D lugs, in which case, you would switch your inputs to A and 4, etc.

Oh, and it should be slobering in the post header. I guess I can't spell either. Just makes me a bigger idiot I guess.

I just checked it. It's only 15/30. I usually use it on 15, which works great for the lugs, but I'll try on 30 for the pots. I probably need to get one with more juice, but I'll give it a shot and see if I can make due.

You guys rock! I really appreciate the help. My soldering iron is switchable, so I'll go for that, at least to see if the higher setting will cut it, along with the sandpaper and flux today. Again, all greatly appreciated.

I have never really had any soldering instruction; well, I guess maybe a little in a seventh grade elecronics class in 86 or 87. Anyway, I seem to have no problem soldering to lugs, but have a hell of a time soldering grounds to the cases. All my joints look like crap, and I always seem to have the solder not stick to the case. The thicker the wire, the harder it is for me. Will someone with the skillz to pay the billz please save me from hellish fate?

Appearently, this issue is a tough one. I'm seeing good points on both sides. I very much agree with Lovecraft when he said: "Legislating morality has never worked" It doesn't work. I know this for a fact, and for whatever reason, I still have a very hard time condoning legalization. Maybe it's because I don't know who to believe on what study, I don't know what I don't know, etc. Anyway, I was thinking about the long term health costs...I don't know where that puts us, but maybe there is no change. Folks just might trade one poison for another. It's funny folks bring up obescity. I was thinking about that when I hit on the long term health cost deal for drug legalization. What the hell do you do about obescity? Now that's a tough question. Skibum, good point about pre-legalization Netherlands, but was there already a de-facto legalization before the legislation was passed? Whatever the answer, I guess I would be strongly against any socialist-style program where the government houses addicts and pays to feed their addiction, unless they fed it to overdose levels so the addicts could die very quickly, and stop costing me any tax money. Harsh, but the way I feel. I guess the bottom line is this. We don't really know the full effects of legalization. Sure, we can know some, maybe even most, but there may be something hidden. The only way to know for sure is to take the step and legalize it. I'm just not willing to take that risk today. I guess it's the fear of change. The same reason beaten women stay with a beater. The fear of the unknown is worse than the devil they know. Maybe something will push me across the line someday. Like I said...I can agree to some things said by the other side.