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Category: Amplifiers

My Guitar Amp Journey

Posted on August 31, 2023September 9, 2023 By kcwm No Comments on My Guitar Amp Journey

Jr. recently watched a video on Rhett Shull’s YouTube channel about one amp for everything. At the start of that video, he talks a bit about his first guitar amp and subsequent journey. Now, I’m nowhere near as interesting as a bonafide YouTuber who has chops knows their stuff. Instead, I’m just a dude who’s…

Read More “My Guitar Amp Journey” »

Amplifiers, Gear Talk

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Remixing the first 7 songs from Volumes One and Tw Remixing the first 7 songs from Volumes One and Two is coming along. 

Some songs sound better after the first attempt, some require a tweak or two, and others require whole new parts be recorded. 

I still need to re-record “Octivation”, “Lost It All In Factory”, and “Let’s Get Behind Them” for different reasons. 

I’ve learned a lot between the beginning of this whole process and now, and you can hear the difference in the originals vs. the remix. 

Want access to listen to the remixes? DM me and let’s talk about it. I’d love to talk about the process and hear your feedback.
During the 9/13 @pearljam show, we were treated to During the 9/13 @pearljam show, we were treated to Eddie Vedder dressed up as a mirrorball and a story behind the jacket and helmet for “Wishlist”. I recorded very little during the show, but him spinning around was too good to pass up. I tried to catch it on the big screen but only caught a moment of it.
I worked out two separate trades on Sunday that in I worked out two separate trades on Sunday that involved a #strat as part of the deal. Funny thing is that the #stratocaster is not my favorite type of guitar to play, but both were interesting. This doubled the number of strats I have.

1) The red #Fender is made up of parts from Fender guitars, but I do not believe that any parts are from the same guitar. 

• The body is refinished matte red with some roadworn-ish type relicing, which is just gold underneath...maybe the original color?

• Fender Vintage Noiseless pickups with a Clapton mid-boost mod. It sounds really good. 

• Neck is from a 2013 MIM Floyd Rose Fender. It's a really nice, comfortable neck. 

• Thick solid steel block. It has excellent sustain

If I keep this one, it will get some Fender Locking Tuners

2) The black one is a #Squier Affinity Strat, but it's not a normal Affinity. It's a 1997 model, the first year they offered the Affinity line and it's a full-sized, hardwood (likely Alder) body with a 22-fret rosewood neck. It's a pretty nice neck, especially for a Squier. 

It's hefty for a strat too...it's not light like so many of the Squier Affinity line. Having that full-sized body adds some weight. 

The pickups leave a bit to be desired, which is par for the course with the Affinity line, but this guitar would make a great modding platform for someone interested in doing so. 

Heck, if that red one hadn't come through and I didn't already have two other nice strats (both Squiers, interestingly), I'd likely look to make some modifications.

----

In the end, I will take time to consider whether I like the red partscaster or my Squier Classic Vibe '60s strat more. Whichever one wins gets the Vintage Noiseless. Clapton mod, and stainless steel block (as long as it fits the Squier). 

I have some decisions to make.
New upgrade for KCWM music purposes. Next recordin New upgrade for KCWM music purposes. Next recordings will feature this 2004 Dr. Z Maz 18 Jr. 

#NAD #newampday #drz #maz18 #guitar #guitaramps
Back in '95, my grandmother bought my first real e Back in '95, my grandmother bought my first real electric guitar from a pawn shop in the small town I grew up in. I think we paid $85 for it with a hard case. 

I played that guitar a lot, its pictured with me in the Jazz Band photo from my junior year (covered in a ton of stickers...so classy), and I recorded songs with it. 

When the electronics started to die, I wasn't as knowledgeable in what could be repaired and I junked it. I sold the parts and moved on. It wasn't until years later that I realized what I'd given up and I've often priced them, but never pulled the trigger. 

Yesterday (7/19/23), this popped up on Facebook Marketplace from a local shop. At first, I thought it was interesting and didn't intend on buying it, but after giving it some thought, I went and did just that. 

This was a bit of a nostalgic purchase. If I named my guitars, this one would be called Dot or Syb (short for Sybil), after my grandmother.

This Squier Contemporary Strat (27-6800) was made from '84 - '87 in Japan. From the info I've gathered online, it's a 24.75" scale instead of the normal 25.5" Fender Scale. The pickups each have an on/off switch so you can turn all three on at the same time, and the humbucker has an on/off/coil-tap switch. The tuners are Fender-branded Gotoh. 

It has some definite wear and tear, but I don't care. 

You'll definitely be hearing this on some upcoming songs, as I intend for it to split time with the tele I use for lead parts, as I did with the modified Squier '51 it's replacing did. 

Anyone in the DFW area looking for a cool modified Squier '51? 

#guitar #fender #squier #stratocaster #strat #fenderjapan #mij #ssh #rock #kcwmmusic #dmcafreemusic #dmcafreerock #nostalgia
I need to clean up my desk a bit more but I just r I need to clean up my desk a bit more but I just replaced my two 1440p monitors with this 34” ultra wide. I’m able to see every track on the mixer of Studio One 5 and so much of Superior Drummer 3. It’s so awesome.
Ignore the number of takes it took me to get secti Ignore the number of takes it took me to get sections of power chords done, but that KOT in the track names represents a @munnymanpedals Knock Out Tone I recently acquired. Paired it with my (maybe) 70s Session Les Paul copy for a great tone for a rhythm track. The track without it is a dry signal to my Mesa Express 5:25. 

I just uploaded a new song for release and the one pictured should be coming in the next two weeks. That will make 3 of the 14 songs I hope to write and release for 2023.

You can give the new track a listen at https://on.soundcloud.com/WYiEr and hear that KOT in the left channel during the choruses, bridge, and ending.

#munnymanpedals #rock #dmcafreemusic #guitar #guitarpedals #supporlocal #dfwpedalmakers #homerecording
Here’s a close up of the pickups in my 1992 Fend Here’s a close up of the pickups in my 1992 Fender Telecaster. 

I used to have a set of GFS Power Rock pickups, but I felt like the output started to wane on the neck pickup. 

I’ve been fascinated with mini humbuckers after talking about putting them in my PRS SC245 Ted McCarty. After learning that the p90s in that guitar are Seymour Duncan’s, I opted to install a Seymour Duncan Antiquity II in this one. 

It’s a good mix of more oomph than a single but not quite the same as a full-sized humbucker. 

The bridge pickup remains a GFS Power Rock, and the one I use for most of my lead work. GFS pickups may be hit or miss, but these have been a home run from day one. 

Lastly we have the Fishman VT Powerbridge. This piezo pickup adds such a great tonal option into the mix. I often roll the volume of that pickup down to half to mix in a bit of brightness to the mini hum. I’ve used this to supplement my acoustic guitar on tracks.
You can see the discoloration between the 1st and You can see the discoloration between the 1st and 7th frets where I most often play this guitar. It’s the one I’ve owned the longest. @bigjohnsguitars set up and refrettedthis #telecaster in 2010. It’s required a tweak or two here and there, but it’s been the slightest of tweaks. The neck, body, and Fishman VT Power Bridge are original, and everything else has been modified. 

It’s my number one and what I do most of my writing on.
I’ve been sharing these videos on TikTok, and I’ve been guilty of getting stuck on the name that’s on the headstock. I now have a handful of “cheap” guitars that I feel are competitive with their more expensive counterparts, especially with a good setup by @bigjohnsguitars 

I sold a 1995 USA Fender Strat and kept this Squier Classic Vibe ‘60s Strat. We put some Texas Specials in it and John wired it up with a 6-way switch. I used this in the left channel of my most recent single, “To Those Who’ve Said Goodbye”, the song that you hear in the background. 

I took a minute to talk about this guitar but could easily talk more about how it plays, how it felt right out of the box, the changes I’ve made and others I want to make, and plenty else. 

#guitar #fender #stratocaster #strat #guitarsofinstagram #kcwm #dmcafreemusic #cheapguitars #squier #squierguitars #bigjohnsguitars
New single, artwork by @cotiecat. Hoping it will b New single, artwork by @cotiecat. Hoping it will be live on Spotify, YouTube, etc by mid-week. 

In light of the recent passings of our resident matriarch, Frau, and Cotie’s Kuwabara crossing the rainbow bridge, i thought it fitting to honor them both, and Chiclet as well. This song is dedicated to their memory, as well as anyone else who’s lost a pet at any point in time. 

This is the first single of 2023 and I hope to release 5-6 more that I’ll collect in the form of an EP in addition to remixing, rearranging, and rereleasing my previous 3 albums and 4 singles into two 14-song albums. 

I have to find balance between music and D&D. That’s my current goal for this year…creative balance.
Started posting videos about my instruments, amps, Started posting videos about my instruments, amps, and pedals I use to record music. I started off with my 1992 Fender Telecaster that’s my go to when it comes to lead parts for almost every song I’ve ever recorded. Hard to say everything I want to about this guitar in a 1 minute video. #guitar #guitarsofinstagram #fender #tele #telecaster #seymourduncan #gfs
Stripped some ghouls, skeletons, and cultists usin Stripped some ghouls, skeletons, and cultists using LA Totally Awesome and redoing them for uniformity using a rough slapchop paint job. 

I love putting color on the tabletop for my #dnd sessions, and have a soft spot for some cultists. 

There are some unpainted buddies there, one of which is my kid’s mini. Focus here is for some minion-esque baddies to sponge up some action economy. 

My players still steamroll my encounters.
Trying out the slapchop painting method for some # Trying out the slapchop painting method for some #tabletopquality orcs to use in a #dnd session. 

The three taller archers are from one of the 4e dnd board games and the others are Reaper minis, though the three squat orcs aren’t my favorites. 

I do wish I’d spent more time choosing colors for them instead of gray fur with gunmetal, but they work for what I need them to do: sit on the table in color rather than white plastic.
@totalpartychill saw your TikTok about the small m @totalpartychill saw your TikTok about the small mat, and while I love the big one, it doesn’t quite fit the normal setup we have. The small one should be perfect. Looking forward to getting it
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