Stock or Mod?
by erik on Jan.30, 2010, under DIY Articles, Guitar Stuff
As a musician, I tend to acquire a nice collection of gear and unload things just as fast. But there’s also one other thing that goes on in my head. Do I mod that piece of gear or leave it stock? The last 6 years or so I’ve done more modding of stuff than I care to really. Though it is fun, it also takes away from what matters, playing. Sometimes, things are best just left as-is. As of this writing, the guitars are tuned in, effects are minimal, playing is more important, and I’m more content with stuff as-is off the shelf. I guess you could say I’m in maintenance mode, just taking care of things on an as-needed basis.
Rock on!
iGuitar.USB Kit
by erik on Nov.09, 2009, under Guitar Stuff
Electric guitars + modern technology = some really cool toys. Ok, so we have guitar amp modeling, simulations, all sorts of other gadgets that we can use with electric guitars. It’s even possible to hook up a guitar to a computer and record without even the need for an external amplifier. But, in the past, an interface between the guitar and amplifier was necessary for it all to work. No more…
Enter the iGuitar.USB. What is it, you say? It is a USB port installed in your electric guitar (and also comes as stock equipment on iGuitars) which allows you to plug your guitar right to the computer without the need for any external interfaces. Just the guitar, a USB cable, and a computer. Just set the input on the computer and in your modeling software of choice (Guitar Rig, Amplitube, Revalver, etc.) to iGuitar USB and off ya go. All the drivers are installed and set up for you. True plug-n-play.
I was lucky enough to win the iGuitar.USB kit on the Seymour Duncan Forum in a random drawing along with a set of Seymour Duncan pickups. I chose to have the kit installed in my 1994 Fender American Standard Strat. What a great setup. A huge thanks to Patrick Cummings of iGuitar and Evan Skopp and Seymour Duncan of Seymour Duncan Pickups.
For more information, go to www.iguitar.com.
Story About My Number 1 Guitar
by erik on Sep.13, 2009, under Guitar Stuff
I posted this on the Seymour Duncan Forum and thought I’d share it here too.
My number 1 started out as parts. While living in CA and working at a music shop, I got the itch to assemble a guitar. One of the guys I worked with at the shop, Rick Torres (no relation to Dan), had a Chandler Alder top-routed HSH Strat body and he sold it to me for $100. He then helped me acquire the rest of the parts.
- Warmoth Strat neck with boat contour, 6105 frets, maple fingerboard, compound 10″-16″ radius. (This was pre Warmoth Pro contruction with the Gotoh side truss rod adjustment. At that time it was just called “Warmoth Construction”).
- Gotoh vintage style Strat trem.
- Kluson tuners.
I had some pots lying around so I grabbed a 500k and set it aside. A 3-way blade switch I bought at the shop. Rick gave me a green switch tip and yellow “Tone” knob.
When the time came to decide on pickups, I was unsure. My buddy Johnny convinced me to get the Custom Custom for the bridge. Being tight on a budget, I put a Jackson JC90 that I had laying around in the neck for a while. Eventually, a Jazz neck would find it’s way there.
The pickguard was heavily EVH influenced. I got a sheet of tortoiseshell celluloid and cut a Frankenstein style guard myself. It was rough but it did the trick. The pickups ended up being mounted right to the body with the Custom Custom having a couple nuts under each tab to lift it up to the desirable height.
The body was finished in a couple of coats of clear polyurethane. The neck was at first finished in a couple coats of Watco Oil but a couple years ago I re-finished it with Minwax Poly Satin, wiped on with a soft cloth.
It has seen several pickguard and pickup changes since and the tuners were replaced a few years ago with another set of Klusons.
Final assembly took place in November 1993 at Rick’s house. He helped me mount the neck, mount the bridge, put the tuners on, and even cut the nut. I actually did most of the work, he just guided me through the process and showed me tips and such. The wiring I did myself.
Here’s a pic of what it looked like at the beginning (with the Jazz neck) and what it looks like now.
Thanks, Rick and Johnny.
Remember The Heroes…and Never Forget
by erik on Sep.11, 2009, under Uncategorized
September 11, 2001. Eight years ago today marks the day our country, the USA, was attacked by terrorists. Let us all remember those who lost their lives on that day and never forget how that changed our lives.
The Father of the Solid Body Electric Guitar
by erik on Aug.27, 2009, under Guitar Stuff, Music Stuff
Les Paul. We all know those two words. They are a name, a man, and an electric guitar. The man, the father of the solid body electric guitar and multi-track recording, passed away on August 13, 2009 at the age of 94. His invention of the solid body electric guitar set forth what would become one of the most popular and admired instruments to be made, the Gibson Les Paul model. Multi-track recording changed the way records were made and paved the way for the technology we have today.
Les Paul did more than just create the solid body electric and multi-tracking, he was an established player himself with many hits in the 1950’s and a career that started back in the 1930’s. He influenced countless players over the years and could be found playing at his own venue in New York quite often. Even as he got older, he still played. He never stopped. I don’t know exactly when his last public appearance playing was, but I do know that he played up through last year (2008).
A true guitar hero and mentor to many. He will be missed. But, his legacy will live on not just on the headstock of the guitar that bears his name, but in the music he made, the people he influenced, and in every person’s heart that he touch.
R.I.P., Les. And thank you for your contributions to the world.
