Guitarists of Singletrack…

room decoration by my mrs

Can she come round and decorate my place please?

Can she come round and decorate my place please?

I’ll ask if shes available

a few ground rules

You can’t plug it in at any time, no leads, no pedals, guitars, tuners

Its a special kind of torture………………..

Changed my mind. Yes, I am fickle…

One of the benefits of WFH with no sig other around is that I’ve just had a 30 minute gap filled by switching on the gear that is always plugged in and rocking the James Tyler though the valve amp at a stupidly high volume.
Nobody around and nearest neighbour a decent distance away…
🙂

This is 4 ft away from my computer. My ears are whistling now.

Is that James Tyler a Variax? If so how do you get on with it. I am very intrigued by them.

It is.
I love it.
The guitar is made in the same World Instruments factory as the PRS SE models and certainly seems to have the same high standard. The components are all excellent although I changed the tuners to Schaller locking.
As a Les Paul style guitar it is pretty darn good. I like the sound of the basic guitar which is pretty vital. The pickups sound great to me so the basics are all covered.
Move onto the Variax and things get interesting.
I love the Strat and Les Pauls sounds, especially after some tweaking.The acoustic and resonator sounds work really well for me and heck i even enjoy using the banjo and sitar. I have been warned by mates never to play them when we are just foolin around…
The others sounds well – I don’t need a jazz guitar but it sounds convincing.
The Rickenbacker 12 strings are glorious as are the acoustic 12 strings and the rest I don’t really use.
My only real complaint is the fact that the volume and tone knobs are the 2 nearest the floor. I tweak my volume a lot and do a fair bit of “violining”. I’ll get over it at some point.
Its pretty cool and I love the fact I can set the electric sounds through the DT25 and the acoustics through the Stagesource FRFR.
If I want I can program the POD HD500X to change everything so I can be playing an acoustic 12 string through the FRFR on Wanted Dead or Alive, hit a floorswitch and switch to 6 string and then with another tap hit get a Strat through a Fender without doing any switching on the guitar.
The different tunings on the fly can be fun as well.

Ahhh I want one now 🙂 I just watched some videos and it would be great for recording where you want different sounds.

I have a Helix so I assume it would work well with that.

Very very much so.

I’m loving this guy’s work

Disturbingly accomplished and tasteful.

Any of you guys got any advice on where I can find a variety of drum loops? I don’t have a drum machine and I find the current version of GarageBand seems a bit basic. Not looking for rock, more a variety of world and “jazz” styles.

Theres a million(probably) long drum loops on youtube

They’re just a bit of a pain to get into a DAW. I shall persevere however.

There are loads if you can manage to upgrade to Logic. Even the AI drummer is pretty good once you work out how to drive it and make it follow tracks etc. Though that said most my stuff is rock rather than anything fancy 🙂

I sent some stems to a mate in Garage Band this week as he does not have logic, it really made me realise how worth while the upgrade is.

I’m now nearly 12 months in playing guitar and learning the neck is now on the agenda, any tips on tackling it. I know the major scale in three positions so at the moment thinking of using that as a stepping stone.
Any other general guitar tips also appreciated, well apart from anything that involves a metronome 🤣 cheers.

Found loads of loops from those nice folks at Music Radar.
https://www.musicradar.com/news/tech/free-music-samples-royalty-free-loops-hits-and-multis-to-download

Hi Bazzer, thanks for the tip on Logic. I’m mainly using Live but I’ll try a demo version later.

I think there is a 30 or 60 day demo.

I love it, if only I had this sort of thing when I was 18 🙂

Only thing I find is it dilutes my focus, I don’t practice guitar as much as I used too, am playing with a synth or working out drum patters. However I have found myself creating more with the skills I have, rather than being more interested in increasing skills. So maybe its actually a good thing 🙂

I watched an interview with Ed O’brien from Radiohead the other day, I am not a particular fan but something he said resonated with me. Instead of worrying about your skill level or the kit you have, concentrate on being creative with what you have and not worry about stuff you struggle to play or having cheap kit. I am paraphrasing 🙂

A bit like people who always feel you need to have the newest bike. Having the right friends to ride with is more important 🙂

Not only has a knackered finger kept me off the bike for a couple of weeks I’ve not been able to hold a plectrum either which I think is worse than not being able to ride!
I seem to be able to hold a plectrum now though so back to learning River of Deceit. Still loving the ex Rocketdog Jaguar. It has now had a bit of a fettle and some new strings. It deserves someone who actually knows how to play but hey ho, I may be able to one day 🙂

Wow, that’s lovely.

Wow, that’s lovely.

I presume that you mean the guitar and not the playing 🙂

Can’t wait to see what kind of noises this thing makes. I haven’t gotten around to playing with pedals yet so always on the lookout for my first one.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CIGnuNaHQfY

Looking forward to hearing that on The Pedal Show at some point.

Nice, Simon, lovely melow sound – both playing and guitar.

The last few sunny afternoons have been spent on the neck of my worthless plywood Sigma Martin DM 2. The nut just required finger pressure to remove but the frets much patience. The nearer I got to the sound hole the more friable the wood, all out without making too much mess. Then came the sanding, first to remove bulges at the 12th and 4th frets (which caused most of the buzzing), then to get the thing flat along its length, then to do the new 10″-12″ compound radius like my favourite Warmoth Wizard neck.

I’ve ordered some Fender frets with an extra .13mm of tang thickness in the hope they’ll be a snug fit in the friable slots. Medium jumbos with the same dimensions as the Dunlop 6150 I have in most of my guitars. One of the things I dislike about acoustics is the silly little frets they usually have in them, I want to press on the string, not wood.

At the moment it feels like throwing good money after bad and hours of my life too. If ever I succeed it’ll be a cheap plywood acoustic with a nice electric style neck. Firewood, or a guitar, for the moment the jury is out.

Nice, Simon, lovely melow sound – both playing and guitar.

Cheers 🙂
Still fairly clueless with settings on my Mustang I amp but it’s fun playing around. I also need to practice a normal F chord rather than the barre that I default to as River of Deceit really needs a normal F chord as there is a g-string pull-off that doesn’t work with a barre. I’ll get there eventually!

At the moment it feels like throwing good money after bad and hours of my life too. If ever I succeed it’ll be a cheap plywood acoustic with a nice electric style neck. Firewood, or a guitar, for the moment the jury is out.

I’d love to have the time / skills to do something like this but I’d end up with firewood in seconds! I’ll stick to watching craftsmen doing it on YouTube instead 🙂

I seem to be able to hold a plectrum now though so back to learning River of Deceit. Still loving the ex Rocketdog Jaguar.

@simondbarnes really happy you like it, never sounded that good under my fingers. Great to see it being played to its potential 👌

Am self isolating and a bit bored. Just threw some bits together. I think it’s all first take except for the fretless bass bit where it’s tricky to get the intonation right

Listen to AUD-20201128-WA0010 by adamt on #SoundCloud
https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/qRXs

@simondbarnes really happy you like it, never sounded that good under my fingers

Thanks for selling it to me! I love how it looks / feels / plays

Listen to AUD-20201128-WA0010 by adamt on #SoundCloud

Like it 🙂

Any Line 6 Helix users here? Good prices on the HX Stomp at the moment and I’m struggling to resist.
Any other recommendtions for modelers in a similar price range, Headrush Gigboard, Mooer GE300 maybe stretch to a Boss GT1000 Core?
Nice bass work btw AdamT 🙂

Yes I use a Helix, I really love it. Use it with a Headrush FRFR speaker. I have had previous line 6 “pods” and I never really liked them other than their convenience. The Helix is on another level to me. Only thing that I would really like is if it had the wireless built in like their spider amps.

I get great sounds out of the speaker, I am still working on getting good tones for recording. Though I think its learning the fact that what sounds good on its own does not always sound good in a mix.

I use Logic pro and there are great options for recording and re-amping etc with the helix.

Its a top bit of kit.

I’ve got a HX Stomp, awesome bit of kit. I’m still an ‘amp’ guy, but some of the amp sounds are great. The bass stuff is lovely too. Not updated mine for ages, I bet that there’s loads of new stuff now!

Any of you amp modellers want a decent FRFR?
I have a Stagesource L2m consisting of 800W of tour worthy sound. Bought 6 months ago and only been used at home or hauled down the garden to the garage for volume. And a quiet(ish) acoustic(ish) socially distanced jam session.
Sounds great and is mint. I’ll even throw in a Line6 Link lead for any Helix owners.
£360

This would be in classifieds but it won’t accept images from me at the moment.

Nice playing Simon. I might look that up as I’m looking for self-accompanied pieces that sound complete.
But I’m on the lookout for a bedroom amp. I’ve currently got a Vox Amplug which is ok but slightly fiddly and restrictive. Budget around £200. I’ve tried a small Fender Mustang and didn’t really get on with it – too much faff to find a tone and then I’d never find it again. I keep getting bombarded with ads for a Positive Grid Spark. Anyone tried one? Boss Katana is supposed to be the thing but maybe I should look out for an old fashioned thing that just does one job but does it well.

Glad to hear good things about the Helix amp sounds as I couldn’t pass up the HX Stomp for £377. Just plan on using it for practice, noodling over backing tracks, etc but if if we’re ever allowed to gig again, it would be handy not to have to lug a head/cab around.

@Tom-B V3 is supposed to have some nice new amp models and 8 blocks for the Stomp.

I keep getting bombarded with ads for a Positive Grid Spark. Anyone tried one?

I have one.

It’s absolutely fantastic. Genuinely blown away by the sound from it. The app is a bit temperamental but they’re quick to update it with patches. The jam feature thing isn’t that great despite a lot of hype from “reviews” but I’m not that fussed.

The user patches you can search for can be a bit of a lottery, but when you find one that actually sounds like it’s supposed to, it’s quite staggering how good and accurate it sounds.

HX Stomps are subjectivelt the best bang for buck in the helix range

With the last update recently it is beyond belief what it will do

There are certainly better individual pedals out there by a country miles but such convenience in a stop format

I also have a helix which is flat out incredible

8 blocks?! Blimey…..need to get that downloaded then. Roll on 2023 when my gigging career resumes 😭

Edit….agree that they are amazing….I use mine in conjunction with a few other pedals and an amp most of the time too. 8 blocks means that I’ll probably ditch the amp at wedding gigs now though.

8 Blocks but the same DSP, use your power wisely 🙂

Hi Eddie,

I’m interested in the L2m

I cant message you on the mail system for some reason

Cheers

Plum

Hmmm. Might be tempted to get a Cyber Tuesday Spark then.

Hey Plum messaged you with my email.let me know if you dont get it.

Nice playing Simon. I might look that up as I’m looking for self-accompanied pieces that sound complete.

👍

I’ve tried a small Fender Mustang and didn’t really get on with it – too much faff to find a tone and then I’d never find it again.

I’m slowly getting used to mine. When I find a tone I like I’ve been saving it.