Larryz

@p90jr Cool review for little problems that come up during the minutes before a gig like having to use a different amp than you planned on, having to turn it down for the sound man, not being able to see your tuner, masking tape on the pedal knob settings, etc., LoL! My guess is you were able to get all the bugs worked out before the 1st song began! You might throw a clip-on tuner in your bag like my TC Electronic in case you can't see the floor tuner pedal. Nice big bright screen for a clip-on and you can turn around and/or block the sun easily. Anyway, glad it all worked out! 😎

"Gordon Lightfoot Dies: ‘If You Could Read My Mind’ & ‘Sundown’ Singer-Songwriter Was 84 (msn.com)" A super talented singer songwriter has passed away leaving us with some great tunes...like The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald... Rest in Peace Gordon...

@KuruPrionz +1 we are all different and yet we have some things in common. I too learned to adjust my tone and volume using my right-hand picking position and palm muting on my acoustics. Later I learned to do the same on my electrics. The Tele was a great learning experience with the two stock pups, by getting different tones with the selector on for both pups adjusting the tone knob to taste and then playing it like an acoustic using picking positions and dynamics. I really don't use/need the whammy much and seldom do any volume swells anymore like Jeff and Roy (except on some surf tunes). I prefer to use a clean boost pedal to adjust my volume up and down for rhythm and for lead and leave the controls set where I think they sound best for clean rhythm playing. I prefer USA Gibson 57 humbuckers turned down for some reason. I'm a set it and forget it kind of guy...😎 ps. for the intermittent dropouts on the 335, check the 3way as I have had to replace the cheap ones on two guitars with similar controls using a new Swithcraft switch. The other issue that came up was very tricky and it was in the 4 pot grounding wires. A loose solder joint on one guitar was easy to spot the 1st time it happened. The second time was a lot more difficult as the cheap thin ground wire had broken inside the insulation cord exterior about an inch back and everything looked good solder wise. Anyway, I would check the pot grounding wires...😎

@KuruPrionz +1 I use 22iu Orange Drop caps. A lot of players leave the Tone pots up full and that's probably the reason Fender came out with their Delta Tone pots which have a detent locking mechanism that leaves them full up. The pots are labeled "Tone" and "Volume" on all guitars. They do increase and decrease the volume and the treble and bass settings to my ear. I used to not use the tone knobs and just run them full up on my Strats at all times, but working more with Gibson style controls I do use the tone settings on both pups with the 3way in the middle position for blending and I play the electric as though it is an acoustic using hybrid pick and fingers. The pickups make the biggest difference when more bass is needed, I flip to the neck pup and when more treble is needed, I switch to the bridge pup, mostly leaving the 3way in the middle for rhythm guitar to back my vocals. I know you would like to bypass the tone pots...😎👍

500k pots on all three is what I and the Gibson manufacture have done on my humbucker equipped guitars. Nothing wrong with trying Kuru's suggestion though...😎

@Lokair & @surfergirl Glad you both got over your concussions! 😎👍👍 @KuruPrionz I've always had good luck with my Fender tube amps. I had a good tech to check the tubes and whenever I replaced the matched set of power tubes, I had the bias checked/set. But, Fender came out with the SS modeling amp of the 65 Deluxe Reverb which is my favorite, and it weighs 15 to 20lbs less than my tubers. +1 on SS amps being a little more dependable. So, I gave up on the Hot Rod Deluxe and the Hot Rod DeVille (even though I still own them). Weight being the most important feature for me having a bad back, which caused me to give up my Twin a long time ago LoL! 😎👍 @Lokair I have had problems with my tone changing on me overnight LoL! I think it's similar to what Caevan was saying about atmospheric and elevation changes and I have tinnitus. I noticed that my sound was great at night and changed the next day on me? I would make adjustments and then it would change again with the seasons, temps and humidity changes. What sounds good at night or on a rainy day will change within a day or two even though I never touched the controls. So now I leave everything as is and check the day tone against the night tone before making any adjustments...playing outside and at other locations changes everything too LoL! Just a thought... 😎👍

@IMMusicRulz Marshall Tucker is one of my all-time favorite bands from back in the 70's. I've posted Desert Skies before, so I'll select another tune this time around LoL! Check out this one for some cool lyrics and playing in the Bob Away My Blues tune: 🤠👍

@Caevan O’Shite Andy always does exceptional demos and gets some great sounds without needing a pick and I'm sure you do too! I had to go out and find this pedal on YouTube after you said this was one pedal you could leave "always on". I really liked this demo and was hoping you had seen it. I thought maybe all of the Forumites that have used the Tube Screamer and the Blues Driver back in the day would like to hear this pedal...😎

Congrats! Here's a demo: 😎👍 Loved the Les Paul at the end! 😎

The only pedal that ever failed me was the on/off switch on the Tube Screamer. I replaced it with the Boss Blues Driver. Both pedals worked fine with the Twin, But I preferred the Boss Blues Driver and I felt it was less obnoxious LoL! If you like your ears, the main thing to try and steer clear of, is driving a Twin sans pedals into O/D IMHO...😎

Ditto Caevan's suggestion! I have a David Gilmour EMG drop-in pickguard that is set up exactly like he describes. Makes any Strat or Squier sound great IMHO! 😎 ps. White with tortoise shell pickguard is one of my favorite Fender color combinations!

Yeah, the Feder Twin has 4 6L6's and no drive channels. The Fender Hot Rod DeVille and the Hot Rod Deluxe both run on just 2 6L6 power tubes with a drive and a more drive channel. +1 on Roy Buchanon who is one of the greats that liked performing very loud, turned the back of his Twin to the audience LoL! 😎

+1 on not trying to turn a Fender Twin up high enough in volume to try for an OD type of breakup as it's an amp that's made to play clean at high volume. It's hard on the ears and you'll need ear protection if you go into its high-volume settings. I seldom ever ran mine above the 4 setting. Back in my Fender Twin days, I used an inexpensive Boss Blues Driver for a clean but overdriven vibe...😎

@Mark Schmieder My Magma Flats are on Hex cores. They use a non-traditional process of winding a round wound on a hex core and then they are flattened. 😎

@Mark Schmieder One difference on the high strings (plain) that I have found in Thomastik and Elixir is an anti-rust alloy string. The Elixirs' cost less so I order Elixir singles from Juststrings.com. Only adds a couple of bucks to have a custom set for the 1st and 2nd strings, as I always use a wound 3rd on both acoustic and electric guitars. The alloy plain strings last longer from rust and fret wear and don't wear thin and rusty before it's time to change the wound strings. Those with acid hands should like the alloy concept... 😎

I use Magma 10-48 acoustic Flats on my acoustics and their electric 10-46 flats on my electric guitars, with the 3rd string wound not plain (shaken not stirred LoL!). They are brighter than any flat wounds I have ever used. They do not squeak which is one of my main concerns. They are round wound polished down to smooth and called "Flats." I like 10's and string gage is a very important consideration IMHO. 😎

Rest in Peace Ahmad Jamal...

I'm no longer gigging but I do play at private parties now and then, and also at open mics. Open mic is an easy way to go with just a guitar. Parties at friends' gigs, I can make in one trip, guitar and mic stand in one hand, amp in the other and a backpack for cords, mics, strings, batteries, tuner, beer, etc. I like to bring my own stool and a small ice chest, so I usually do it in two trips...😎 ps. Having a lightweight amp (22lbs or less) really makes it easy. My amp runs both the guitar and the mic.

@Mark Schmieder Thanks for the info! I didn't know PRS made parlor acoustics...the prices on them are very reasonable...😎👍

As a California surf kid, I grew up on the Beach Boys music loving just about every tune. I grew up on the Ventures, Beatles and Elvis too LoL! I only got to watch the 1st hour of the show then my wife had to watch one of her favorite shows, so I missed the second half. I thought the part I got to watch was excellent and with a few exceptions, everything was extremely well done. The backup band and singers were excellent. Having most of the Beach Boys watching overhead in the audience was very cool and you could tell that they really appreciated the performances as did the whole audience! Here's an act I wish they would have included and it's one of my favorite Beach Boy vids! 😎👍

I always wanted an ES-175 Gibson but just couldn`t see paying $4,000. Then Epi came out with their Premium version for $1,000 and I snatched one up. They are made in Korea and assembled in the USA using all US made parts (switchcraft 3way, 57 Gibson humbuckes, Gibson pot and orange drop caps). Plays and sounds almost as good as the original. I figured that if I bought a cheaper Epi off the rack, it would cost me up to a $1,000 to buy and upgrade one...about the only difference is it's laminated spruce top. Which works good for outdoor gigs when you want to leave the other more expensive guitars at home. 😎

@IMMusicRulz And don't forget Santana's PRS Signature models...😎👍

@KuruPrionz +1 on lifting fingers instead of sliding to reduce finger squeak. I learned that concept when I first started playing on nylon string guitars. Then I found D'Addario "polished" wound string sets for recording and reducing string squeak on the silver wrapped wound strings. I still lift my fingers LoL! I always hoped they would come out with polished strings for acoustics to do the same thing and Magma did it! You could always reduce squeak on electrics with flat wounds, but I agree, they were a little too dull. Then Magma came out with a polished set for electrics in almost the same gauges for both my acoustic and electrics. They are much brighter than regular flat wounds. My only negative comment on Magmas, is the 1st and 2nd strings wear out quicker and rust quickly. So, I order singles of Elixir 1st and 2nd rust prevention alloy strings from JustStrings.com for a couple of bucks. 😎

@KuruPrionz If you want to get rid of that "dull, yet lifeless 'tone" of regular flat wounds, give Magma "Flats" a try. They are much brighter than regular flat wound strings. They are a round wound string polished down to smooth. I use the 10-46's on my electrics and the 10-48's on my acoustics (nice and bright). They have absolutely no finger squeak (which really drives me nuts on acoustics). I prefer cedar tops on steel strings and on my nylon strings. But spruce is also nice, especially on my archtops. I wouldn't mind trying one of those carbon fiber acoustics some day... 😎 @Bluesape I'm glad to hear your friend is getting more play time out of her PRS SE Acoustic guitar running 9's. They are a bit too light for me on both electrics and acoustics but they do bend easier...😎 @Caevan O’Shite I don't think we have strayed very far OT from the OP's post...I have never tried a PRS acoustic guitar, but I would give one a try some day...+1 I've never been into Martin acoustics for some reason even though they have always made great sounding quality acoustic guitars...😎

I started learning to surf at the age of 13. Bought my O'Neal surfboard at the age of 16. Surfed through the age of 19. Always on the Pacific Ocean and pretty much always in the Santa Cruz area. Prior to the age of 13 I rode belly boards on the same waves before I ever stood up on a board. We also played with skim boards on the beach. The water was always ice cold, but it was too much fun not to dive in and play. We also learned to body surf which came in handy when you lost your board and had to make it back to the beach which could sometimes be a long way when you were already getting tired LOL! We didn't have leashes in those days and on our little hideaway beer can beach we would get kicked out of the water due to sharks spotted by the rangers now and then. We spent many nights around the campfire drinking beer and playing guitars till daylight...lots of memories back in the 60's when 16-year-old kids could get away with such fun and owned their own cars (which they paid for and paid their own insurance)! If you have the urge to surf, Get out there and play! Same thing goes for playing guitars! 😎