MuzikTeechur

I was playing a wedding reception yesterday and noticed that about mine - was using the Leslie button rather than the footswitch and noticed that whenever I pushed the button the whole panel would deflect about 1/4".

"the algebra has a devil in a sidecar for me...." "big old Jed in a lighthouse, don't carry me too far away..." As far as tumbling to song meanings later in life, although I knew what "Paradise by the Dashboard Light" was about, I gave some thought to the title sometime later and got the meaning of "I can see paradise by the dashboard light." Kind of like when Jake Blues said "Honey when you bend back I can see Christmas; when you bend over I'm looking straight into the New Year!" or something to that effect.

Welcome. There is a thread specifically for postings like this: https://forums.musicplayer.com/ubbthreads.php/topics/1043598/Let_s_hear_it_Post_your_music_#Post1043598

Well, it was only a matter of time, but I have to bring up the dreaded (and widely derided) X-Stand. As I've said many times on this forum, I own MANY keyboard stands. Every time someone gives a positive review of a new (or old) stand, I have to go out and buy one. It's an illness. It would be refreshing if we could find a stand that didn't have SOME sort of compromise. I keep coming back to this On-Stage "Heavy Duty" 2-tier x-stand. ($80 at MF): X-Stand at MF *CLONK* Pros: * It has a small footprint * It's strong as Hell * It only takes one trip to schlep in, and leaves a second hand to carry something else * It takes about 30 seconds to setup/tear down * It's fairly light Cons: * It's an X-Stand * Not a lot of foot area for foot controllers/pedals * There's always that potential for "Catastrophic X-Stand Failure" * The 2nd tier is WAY out of position (see below) * It's an X-Stand. With the On-Stage brand, the 2nd Tier is RIDICULOUSLY high, and AWKWARDLY forward. More like bunk-beds than a useable, comfortable 2nd tier -- bunk beds for really tall kids. When using this stock setup, I would have to actually pull my hand back, and then move it WAY up to access the top keyboard, rather than just moving up to the upper board. Horrible design. Stock Stand: http://imageshack.com/scaled/800x600/34/xein.jpg Luckily, when I bought this from MF, they didn't send the "crossbar" that reinforces the upper arms and keeps them from racking, so when I called them to complain they just sent an entire upper "kit" with new arms. So, since I had two sets of upper tier arms, I wasn't afraid to get out the sawz-all and do some modifying. First, I cut the uprights - not sure how much (4"?), but I cut them at the original hole for the cross bar. Then, I used my drill press to drill new holes for the uprights, and for the cross bar. Can't remember exact measurements but I did put my lower keyboard on the stand and placed the upper arms where I wanted them before drilling. Then I measured and cut holes for the cross bar. (unfortunately, this put the crossbar at the exact height of the input/output jacks on the lower keyboard, so that might be a consideration for you). All that was left was to pop out the little "stops" at the end of the upper arms, cut them back about 4", and put the stops back in the holes. This brought the upper keyboard down about 4", and back about 4". MUCH better position. http://imageshack.com/scaled/800x600/593/rayt.jpg http://imageshack.com/scaled/800x600/32/kwxh.jpg http://imageshack.com/scaled/800x600/713/xla0.jpg I lost one of the top "caps", but a little work with a file cleans up those sharp edges in no time. I still bang my shins sometimes when I go for a pedal, but this is great when stage space is limited. I prefer my Standtastic 2-tier, but the footprint is enormous. So, that's it: don't be afraid to modify your stand to suit YOUR needs! p.s. Pictures in my garage. That's the beer fridge in the background, currently full of tasty Sam Adams' Octoberfest!

Some great ideas here. I'm like King Arthur on a search for the "Holy Grail" of stands. When someone, here or elsewhere, mentions a new or different type of stand I'm compelled to find one and try it out. I have Z stands, X Stands, folding stands, invisible stands, Apex stands, Ultimate Stands, a T-Stand, and even two Standtastic Stands. My observation is that the "better" (ergonomically, structurally, stability...) a stand is, the longer it takes to set up. Knobs, wingnuts, etc. all suck when they come loose and roll away to a dark corner on an unlit stage during setup or breakdown. I dislike it when it takes longer to set up my stand than it does for the drummer to set up his kit. On the subject of modifications: I keep coming back to this X-Stand (horrors!) with a 2nd tier. *CLONK* In stock form, the 2nd tier is ridiculously high, AND is perched almost directly over the lower keyboard. I needed it lower and back. A sawz-all cut the arms, and I used a drill press to drill holes for the stabilizing rod across the back (to lower it). Simple, effective. And, yes, I use a simple safety strap in case of X-Stand Malfunction. Only (minor) complaint is that there isn't a lot of foot room, and I use two sustain and two modulation pedals. Stand sets up or folds up in less than 10 seconds. AND with the modification the 2nd tier is well back and lower. This past weekend I realized I'd left my X stand AND my folding Z-stand in my Music Room at school, and was forced to take one of the Standtastic stands out of hibernation. They work great, and are very adjustable - just a bit fiddly to set up.

I have the "official" Neo foot switch (isn't the vent itself a footswitch? I always felt it was too nice to put down there on the floor). It's configureable to behave in several different ways - to mimic the various Leslie switches through the years - via DIP switches. It's a few dollars more than a generic foot switch, but no re-wiring involved. As far as "noise" - I have never even *heard* the click.

Beautiful work on the wood, and great attention to detail and professional fit and finish. Will you build others? A "Moe Mark II" perhaps?

There goes my morning coffee I am surprised no one comnfirmed the implication! So I must.. Well, what exactly did you do on break? As much as I'd like to tell you that I scored one for piano players everywhere... alas, I went out to another room where the bar was set up. I got a drink, and then spoke with the host (a friend), who was chatting with another gentleman: "Someone's got to keep that drunken bitch away from me!" Unfortunately, for me, the "other gentleman" was the cougar's husband. Nothing was said (at the time - I found out later he was the hubby), but Mr. & Mrs. Cougar left the party soon after. I was, I thought, happily married at the time. In retrospect, I should have banged her like a screen door in a hurricane, hubby notwithstanding.

I was playing cocktail piano for a Christmas party, and the hosts had just had their piano tuned. This one drunk cougar with her legs down to there and her dress cut up to there kept coming on to me, in a really drunk, obnoxious way. I did my best to ignore her. Finally, as I'm reaching down to the bass notes in my best Fats Waller stride piano, she plunks her arse down on the bass keys. "Please, Madam" I exclaimed; "this is a finely tuned instrument!" to which she pulls her skirt up and says "So's THIS, Buddy!" I went on break.

Well, this is me looking as large as Joey D, but not playing nearly as well. My band this past Friday evening doing Gladys' version of "Heard it Through the Grapevine." I played Wurli on the verses, played the sax solo, then Hammond clone from then on out.