Interview with The Mad Professor (BJFE)

A few questions for Mr Bjorn Juhl....

FCS: I just bought a Little Green Wonder, and noticed that the circuit board is not
'Gooped' like some of your other pedals circuitboards.

BJ: Little Green Wonder never came with a gooped pcb for the very simple reason that I didn't think it much of a tradesecret and besides I wanted it to be possible for the user to change the chip and further more as a fun note at the time LGW was launched, there was another manufacturer that was known for making a gooped tubecreamer;)


FCS: I also notice that my LGW (Little Green Wonder) has no serial number written inside.

BJ: There is at least one LGW that did not get a serial number and I can still track down approximately when was made, even so I believe I once did one for a guy who collected 8 LGW's outof which one did not have a serialnumber. I have that somewhere......


FCS: I love the early MGMV (Mint Green Mini Vibes) you made.

BJ: Well, only the first two MGMV's were made in that shape of that box and using that type of knob.
Those boxes had to be manually sawed down and new holes drilled and new threads made for new type screws and the knobs were surplus from a factory that was closed and the widow of the late owner might possibly open the doors but only if there were orders for something like 100,000 knobs of one type or there would be no point in starting the machines again......
I believe I mixed the shade of green from tints and just as an experiment........
I believe both of those are in Finland... one bieng Harri's (Custom Sounds)and the other belongs to a guitarist of Finland's biggest band ever, Eppu Normali, which by an odd coincidence means something like Abby Normal or Abnormal and that is also is an inputchoice on the MP amplifier model CS-40.

Anyway, a perhaps fun note about the MGMV is that the demoguitarist for Dr Z amplifiers asked on what was the PRS forums and what is now TGP about MGMV and I sent him then a pm that there were no members that could answer his questions and there were too few units made but he ordered one and wrote the first review and then all MGMV's made up unitil 2003 were made in the same mintgreen as LGW and then later changed to become Mighty Green with gold letters and then various custom colours and also DLX versions.
Someone once ordered a mintgreen MGMV DLX which is possible to make.

FCS: I see you are also modifying Wah Pedals for sale. From my own studies I see that
some of the older McCoy Wahs are inconsistant, and it's not all about one or two parts in those pedals, but many things. In addition, those pedals are older now, and some are in need of repairs.

BJ: Yes it's a sum of many parts but it's a function of gain. Some of the old ones may use electrlytics that may have dried out so they have become volume pedals- I played one such once - a very boring experience- I got it on loan for a rehearsal  and while it was the oldest Wah I have ever played it was also the weakest.

In my years as a servicetechnician I have come to see that Wah's are very personal to musicians and next to my workshop there's a store that carries all kinds of gear and the owner brught down all whas at one point since a customer had brought in a particurlarly good late 60's wha to compare and so I asked the owner how he played the Wah and he told me he'd grab the edge and prefer a rapid change towards the last 173 of range and a rather vocal response so I asked if he had a cheap Wah in his range and I'd do an experiment with that and see how he'd like that.


FCSG: Why do you prefer Wah prior to Fuzz (when stacking pedals)?

BJ: Regarding this question I personally prefer Wah prior to fuzz -I know those who definately prefer Wah after fuzz and there is no hard rule.
The reason I prefer Wah before fuzz/ distortion/overdrive is that then I still have a full range of sound while changing the resonance in the midrange and then in a mix the guitar takes about the same space.
I know many prefer Wah after say fuzz and mainly then because these two effects may not play well together dependeing on the makes of either and that can dictate Wah after fuzz while this is never the case with distortion pedals while then the distortion effect in itself can be so dense that the Wah effect drowns it if place ahead of the distortion.......

Again I'd tend not to use that amount of distortion though.

A trick to cut down noise when using Wah with heavy gain is to use an overdrive or compressor ahead of Wah and then a little less distortion after the Wah and thusly level through the Wah is higher above its noise level and amplification of noise after it is lower - this can be of importance at live high level settings and also with recordings and it wil reduce microphonics in the Wah as in sound coming from the shoe touching the rocker.

FCS: Why did Hendrix put his Wah somewhere in the middle of his pedal stack?

BJ: If we'd look at Hendrix' system then he'd have a fuzz that would with in conjunction with his guitar form a filter that would cut high frequencies this due to the low impedance of the fuzz and the high impedance of the guitar.....if he would have put his wha here then the fuzz would have loaded the wha which would have made the wha travel faster and the sound brighter and also the volume lwer when the wha was engaged..........likely this was not desireable-unless amplifier was allready distorting and making up for this loss.......
It is highly possibly that many times Jimi may have run his Fuzz Face first for the above reasons- however he was not a technician but a musician and as such believed in magic and to some extent it is good to believe in magic because magic may also be the spirit that carries the notes and guides what sounds we actually like to hear.



FCS: I went to see the Black Crowes the other night at the Nokia in Los Angeles, and certainly was watching Rich Robinson's foot on his Wah... and noticed the range he used. This was after reading about how Jimi (Hendrix) liked his Wah's set up. On another note... have you ever thought of building pickups?

BJ: At ayoung age I made pick ups too but I could not afford to get a winding machine. I had as a friend a girl who's father made an invention of constant load on coilwinding that could be used for this and he sold it- You know at that age I wouldn't ask if I possibly could have a coil or two wound but I wound them by hand instead myself. Yes, winding is very time consuming and nothing I'd ever consider doing ever again but I was young once.
As a service technician though I have repaiered more guitar pickups than I care to remember. One day I decided  I wasn't going to do anymore guitar repairs but only electronics so I sold all guitar parts. I think I may have a couple of spare pick ups but that's all- still come to think of it I have several guitars I have not finished setting up- thank you for reminding me of that.


FCS: I recently went on EBay looking at MXR pedals. The very early ones have become collectible and expensive.. and the circuit boards were silkscreened and prepared in fish tanks in small batches. Some of the originals are having problems with rotting foam inside too. I read in my Pedal Book (by Analog Man) though that someone picked up a lot of old MXR pedal parts, and has been selling assembled pedals on EBay, that may not even function properly. The book warns that if the pedals don't have proper pots you can date, then don't buy the pedal. Any comments?


BJ:

A Phase 90 would have a 500K Reverse Log pot. Yes well I remember MXR they were in many ways tanks in terms of guitar pedals when they came and many fine details like you could stand on the knobs- but the damned foam. The Ebay problem, well that's maybe because after MXR folded and a just a few years ago unused pcbs and boxes and what not was sold on e-bay and some people may have put those together.
One guy wanted an MXR envelope Folllower and had bought a pcb and it was damaged and therefore not used but you know I had not heard one of those in 20 years..I put that in an ecloser that looked nothing like an MXR and with no markings and it does not exist other than to the joy of the owner but there are those that make fakes from rejected parts like this and they may not even know how to get the circuits working correctly but they concentrate on getting it to look correct and like an original so they can get the most money for it .As far as the padding inside, I use neoprane as it makes a no tension no friction mounting. I don't know how well it will hold over 30 years but I'd think better than foam anyway that is what studies of the inner structure of the material shows. Neoprane is the same material as used in divingsuits btw.

Ah you'd laugh I eatch my boards in tupperware.. it's something I asked someone who went to such a party to get me but the tank has held since 1991.

I think MXR in some ways was an inspiration in terms of being indestructable- something they abandoned later in the Command series.
But BOSS took on that I felt though that sound was........well the more fun sounds came from things that were more on the edge of breaking down....

FCS: Yes, the Analog Man book mentions one of the Doobie Brother's MXR pedals was run over by a car, and still survived intact.
You also make MP (Mad Professor) Amps, that are played by some very well known artists. I love the idea of also one day owning a Dumble Amp. He is apparently still alive, and very picky about who he talks to.

BJ:
Right, well the only Dumble amp I ever worked on I serviced just one part or rather I rewired a reverb but promised I would not look at no other part in the am which I also didn't. Somebody asked me if I wanted to have a look but I told I would fix it if it was broken otherwie I was not interested and never heard back.
As a fun note I can tell you that two Dumble owners I have spoken with here each keep their amps one in his kitchensofa and the other in a wardrobe noneof them using them only having them for investment these days
It does seem a waste of equipment.
On another note the other day a guy came by and told he had the sound of his life but it was to heavy so he had to let it go.......
And so he asked me if I'd make him a pedal with this sound.
Considering a sound being so heavy that you would have to let it go when you have it I'd call that a challange......
What he had was a Riviera head one of the early multi channel types that weigh half a ton but he had read on records with artists he liked that played songs he liked with sounds he liked that those were recorded with Dumble amps so he got himself a Twin Reverb and searched for pedals...
This guy is a fun guy with a broad a quick smile and roaring laughter and maybe it is also much for fun a search but the sequence I just told above shows just how myths complicates things where sound would instead easily lead- like get the speaker that fits and the try blasting that with a poweramp and then add preamp- this specifically for this sound that was so heavy that one would have to let it go....
You know I thought maybe at one point I'd like to speak with Dumble and then I'd like to be able to say I never peaked into his amps nor copied him.

FCS: Well, thank you so much Bjorn...

Velcro-Be-Gone

Ever wondered how to remove that unwanted velcro from your beloved pedal? Needle Nose Plyers... does the job every time! Carefully grab the edge of one corner of the velcro in the end of your plyers, and then begin rolling SLOWLY (I have found the edges of the velcro always have a little corner that is easy to grab to get started). Voila!

Cute Lepers

(Hey... Ronnie Wood's a fan too)

Vintage Post from The Past....with all the Typo's

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2007

Mike Nesmith

Met and spoke with Mike Nesmith yesterday. Also had Jury Duty. Live in LA, so rather than deal with the 1+ hour drive from West LA to Downtown the next day (for 7:30 roll-call)... I decided to get a towncar and stay overnight at the 'Standard'. Car came 8:15pm, and nice guy; 50-ish looking guy in a suit, tie, with short greyish hair, helps me get bag into car and drives me off. First off, I ask him if he has ever done Jury Duty... he says yes... he did it four times, once only had to call on the phone only, another time had to go to court, but was not called on a panel, and twice more went in.. but not chosen...even though he really tried to get on a case, and be agreeable. He is driving, and we go by Mary J. Blige's house, and I happen to mention that the car outside waiting in the road is for 'Mary J. Blige', at which point he mentions he used to be in a band in the 60's. I say... ok.. which band (expecting the usual... sax player for 'Mountain'...actually, Mountain are great... try 'Blood of the Sun'). He says...'Have you ever heard of the Monkees?'... I say...'The NEW Monkees?'...he says... 'No, the old ones...'65,'66 etc. So now I am worried.. I am being driven around in a car by a man with a identity disorder. 'Which Monkee?' I ask... and he replies...'Mike Nesmith'. Ok, next great question from me (a man being driven around in a Towncar by Mike Nesmith)....'Why are you driving a towncar?'. As we all know, Mike Nesmith's mother was the 'Liquid Paper' inventor, so unlike other '60's bands, he has no need to drive a car for a living. He also invented 'MTV', is a great success in Video production, and is the originator of Country-Rock as a genre...etc, etc, etc. He also wrote some of the most amazing songs of the past century. He replies...'My son lives in a Condo downtown, so my friend who owns the car company lets me take a car of his and do a run for him on the way downtown at the same time'. Now I am becoming convinced it is Mike Nesmith...sure as heck looks like a slightly older version. Fit and healthy though for his age... hmmmmm...old waves of doubt creep in again. Fate listens to you at all sorts of odd times... I prayed every night to get out of Jury Duty...still got it....meanwhile, three months ago, I told my session player friend on a whim (as we listened to Mike's song 'Joanne' on my iPod player)... 'Boy... if there is really someone I would like to meet..it's Mike Nesmith..but guess I never will.... I am still not telling him how he is one of my favourite musicians... because I am sure it is not really him. (Was there an episode of the Monkees/ Head, where Mike dresses up as a chauffeur). (I also later read about how he has been a prankster since childhood, and I also verified once I got done with jury duty, that this man was indeed Mike Nesmith). More tomorrow....and the end of the story...by the way... he is a really nice guy...

Alligator Arms

Tell me this is not the best thing ever! I went to a Black Crowes concert last night at the Nokia theater in Los Angeles... and this little box was sitting on top of an amp, right behind Rich Robinson. And even if Brian Setzer is not your thing (he achieves the same sound this little box provides), this is a must-have Christmas request from Santa (but he has to have deep pockets... not alligator arms... when it comes to buying it), since they run around $1080.00.

Clip for the Day

Stranglers....

Drunk Gorilla's

I am fairly new to this... having previously owned an all-in-one pedalboard that came with built-in wah/ volume control, and more sounds than a drunk gorilla at the zoo. The correct way to line up your pedals on your new, hand assembled professional pedalboard should be as follows... Line in > Tuner (a Boss tuner is apparently what most people choose) > Filters or Wah (since it works off the signal attack from your playing) > Compressor (put as early as possible due to increased noise level) > Overdrive (which is placed before modulation, therefore not fed modulated sounds) > Modulation ... (like Flangers, Phasers, Chorus and Trem) > Volume (last... since it then will not alter the signal level.. will keep the tone, and allow the delay to finish the job after the volume has been minimized.... finally, reverbs and delays are hard to tame and octave overdrives can produce spikes... so taking all these details... and the noisy gorilla... into account, pedalboard layout should be well planned and properly laid out. If you don't take the time, you risk stifling your board.

Pop Song for the Day...

Youtube.

BJFe Stack #4

PGC>BBOD or DRD>HB is another stack mentioned by Bjorn (or BJFe pedals... and DRD stands for Dyna Red Distortion). I'll let him comment from the interview (link in previous post) ... "PGC (Pale Green Compressor) is used to keep approximate level and mainly restrict the peaks lightly and thus add more gas to the engine, while HB (Honey Bee) is used to put a limit so that the harder the system is hit, the more it distorts.. but it can clean up by a mere touch of striking force. HB is also used as an inverse boost, setting a limit to protrudeness of main overdrive distortion. This can set the sound from soft to protruding leads and thus place the guitar back and forth in the sound landscape. HB is also used by itself to give distortion at will, but softer than the clean sound used". I would listen to Bjorn... he probably knows more about pedal effects electronics than most in the business.

BJFe Stack #3

Directly from Bjorn....'BBOD > DRD > BPB
Using the Master Volume amp analogy - we can set the BBOD to a setting similar to preamp over drive (saturated drive at low level)
and the DRD at lower distortion but raised level so it has more punch and dynamics like a high headroom power amp....
and then use the BPB at the end to simply raise the level of either or both drive pedals......giving us the BBOD by itself , the DRD by itself and the combination of the two and then a straight level boost of any of these or the straight clean signal from the BPB' (I have a RRB... Red Rooster Booster in last position for now... updated photo soon).

BJFe Stacking #2

Here she is in bad photoshop for all to see (visually) ... what Mr BJFe (Bjorn Juhl) describes as one of his personal favourites... PGC>LGW>DRD. As he says...'PGC is mostly used for clean sounds and DRD provides moderate distortion that can be worked from the volume control while engaging LGW into DRD gives this very easily played "hero" sound. It is great fun, as it has very high gain but is still well defined enough that any chord sustains for the longest time. This sound combination is quite different from just turning up the distortion of DRD. Depending on the which amp is used... add Sea Blue EQ or HB (Honey Bee).... some salt, paprika and maybe a little other seasoning.

I Know You Wanted It....

Following the advice given by Bjorn himself, in the interview here, with Six String Soul, I am going to Photoshop (not meant to be picture perfect) the stacking setups of his pedals that he recommends. He says that "stacking" is a craze to some gearheads, and that the above combination (described in the interview as: PGC>MGMV>EGDM>LGW) is known as his "Green Sound". He says the PGC (Pale Green Compressor) is used to give a hint of sustain and keep control of peaks, so exact distortion levels can be set accurately. MGMV or MInt Green MIni Vibe (I quote) is used to give just a flickering of vibrato at the tail of phrases. LGW (Little Green Wonder) is there for just a tad of breakup as controlled by PGC. EGDM is finally set to give moderate distortion of it's own but in conjunction with the other pedals it adds just a protruding upper midrange to the LGW sound... just enough to make it standout. The 'Green Sound' allows several levels of distortion with or without compression as well as straight sound. I thought it would be nice to decode the descriptions for one and all (newbies) and lay them out visually as Bjorn describes it... so you can actually see what he puts together visually. Next up.. visual of: PGC>LGW>DRD. (Just for giggles and ....)

Bed Spins

So... are BJFe pedals worth all the hype and all the money? I just saw one of his compressor pedals that sold on EBay in September 2009, it came from the Doobie Brothers. Yes... I probably missed my chance to get a nice compressor pedal. Granted, the Doobie's can most likely afford the $$$, and they are going to buy a pedal for tone, not as pedalboard candy. I see lots of posts referring to money being better spent for rent, than on a BJFe pedal. Truth be told... BJFe's are some great pedals. They are also hand made and hand tuned (if you can find one) by Mr BJ himself. He is a fanatic and very talented. He is obviously driven (as is gearmanndude) to make a world contribution to tone. BJFe pedals are well constructed, and yes... also very attractive. They have a certain look about them... the boxes are very compact, and attractive. They currently sell used on EBay in the $400 to $500 range. That's 5 Fridays at the bar buying rounds of drinks for your friends... even for those making less than others, it is all about priorities. That's ok... and BJFe pedals don't lead to bed spins either... or chucking up in an alley somewhere... in addition, buy a set for your pedalboard, and maybe your guitar still cost you more.

Home Cookin' Good

I just purchased a BJFE Candy Apple Fuzz. It sounds truly home grown, home cookin' great. That said, I went out and also purchased a Harman Germanium Fuzz pedal too. I read a great review here... Karl (the author) points out that though he is crazy about the BJFe pedal line, he still opted to keep his Hartman Germanium Pedal(Steve Stevens is a lover of Hartman pedals too), and sell the BJFe. To quote Karl " I’m told that pedalboards are about tone, and that I should be keeping the pedals that sound the best. I’m seriously wondering right now if I shouldn’t just be picking the coolest-looking, rarest, and most handmade-looking-magic-mojo pedals. Would my rig be less toneful? Maybe. Would it be cooler? Absolutely". The BJFe is a boutique pedal, and so are Way Huge .. another great pedal (I like the originals from the 90's)... There is no doubt BJFe makes amazing pedals... they cost more than some other pedals... and yes, great eye appeal and that neat handwriting on the front by his wife and the great paint jobs is the first thing you see. I just spent $400+ on my BJFe Candy Apple Fuzz... and $187 on my Hartman Germanium Fuzz. I would say you could certainly put them in a boxing ring together and they can duke it out (like Gearmanndude does with his pedal collection). The BJFe sounds amazingly warm and original and might benefit from some stacking too (Bjorn recommends stacking). Many well-known artists stack BJFe's on their pedalboards and use them to come up with tones that define their playing. I will keep both ... and sell something else I own, not musically useful. Check them out for yourself though...Hartman Germanium.. and BJFe... and you decide. I still also love the smaller size of BJFe pedals too, as many other guitar pedals are bigger on your board... whilst Mr Bjorn's pedals are short and compact... and as I said, very well made. You can get them at CustomSounds (in Finland) who love to ship to the US.

Not Tone Sucking Vampire

Here she is... the Hilton Low Profile VP (Volume Pedal).
It can go on your pedalboard... or not. Usually the cons to a VP on your pedalboard is the space they can take up... at least this one takes up less, and is top of the line. You do not want a passive VP (without a buffer)... since it apparently sucks tone like a vampire. With an active VP this doesn't occur. (When a passive VP sucks the tone, it does it mainly on the high end). But hey... one guy says on-line that he has been playing without ANY VP for 15 years. I guess it all depends how good he is whether I should listen to that. A VP is a useful application... and place it last on your pedalboard. It's main plus is that you can adjust the volume with the VP to achieve good saturation with your pedals at lower volumes... I am still having trouble making room for one right now on my overcrowded little pedalboard... which is more crowded than the last lifeboat off the Titanic.

Newly Minted Pedal Geek

I just ordered
a Divided By 13 Dyna-Ranger Pedal.... go here on youtube to check out how this little number sounds (courtesy Wild West Guitars). Go here also for more info on Divided By's site. Apparently used by none other than Mr Clapton. What I especially liked (as a newly minted pedal geek) is the original glass Mullard OC44 transistor in this puppy. It is also used by David Gilmore, Tony Iommi and Brian May. Going from position 1 to 5, it goes all the way from traditional treble booster to lower Sabbath tones (this straight from their site). It is the perfect sounding boost/ drive pedal... and I am a convert from hearing what they can do.
If you really want to go crazy... you can add extra resistors to your order (SKT275, CV7003, Metal OC44's) since there is a socket for the transistor, allowing you to swap them around... wow.

Vox Clyde McCoy Wah

When you go to heaven and put together that legendary pedalboard... yes... the one you have always dreamed of, it will certainly include one of these... a 1967 Vox Clyde McCoy Wah .. made in Italy, with the script writing on the back.. Hendrix and countless other famous musicians have used them.

HIERARCHY OF NEEDS

I have just purchased another pedal on Ebay... as you can all see, on the Hierarchy of Needs Diagram, this is perfectly allowable. Pedals are more important than Food or Safety... hence the latest purchase of a Baby Blue Overdrive made by BJFe (with the little drawings by Mrs BJFe). It appears that Gearmanndude has not evaluated one yet from what I can tell, so have to send you here...In Bjorn's own words 'Baby Blue Overdrive, that is a pedal that would rather give overdriven sounds to a clean amplifier than further push an amp. Many blues, fusion, and country players like this one and it gives the necessary complexity of distortion at control of the fingertips to a clean amp. Its range of distortion also allows heavy sounds'. Meanwhile, my Wah-Wah Pedal and assorted connecting cables and Voodoo power box will have to wait.

Rocket Science

My attitude is... most stuff IS rocket science. If you approach everything professionally, with the attitude that
it's rocket science, it not only becomes easy, it becomes cool. Take a professional pedal board and matching case...
I just went down the hill in Hollywood, to A&S Flight Cases... and picked myself up my first pedalboard and case. If you are going to assemble a nice little collection of high-end (or low) pedals, why not protect the tools of your trade? And just like
gearmanndude says... get a nice Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 2 to power it all up.

Way Huge....

Way Huge™ pedal (from the past) on the way... more info soon....

GEARMANNDUDE...

Whether you think Gearmanndude is Jack Black or not (some of his ... or maybe MOST of his famous youtube videos seem to have his voice-overs, in any case this guy has some seriously great humor... you can watch 'em all for some great entertainment, and learn a lot about guitars and pedals too) I just bought his 'custom painted' version of the 'Lutherdrive Overdrive'... based on the vintage TS-808 Tubescreamer cicuit. The Luther circuit is modified to have a tighter bottom end (in the demo's I've seen...it DOES), and it DOES have better clarity too... and all the artwork to boot....anyway... check 'em out.... more on it when I get it.

Lovepedal 'Toxic'

I have a Lovepedal 'Toxic' on the way... it's secondhand, with the chips to prove it...it has been described as 'way unique'.. and even with just one knob, is 'not a one-trick pony'. One reviewer said 'turned all the way up the toxic wants to rip my head off with massive, raging distortion/fuzz'. I'll have more to say when she arrives....

Little Green Wonder

Here is my latest addition to my growing pedal collection...made by BJF pedals. They are made by Bjorn Juhl... apparently his pedal genius started with his father ... who told him "What you need you can make yourself". This led to Bjorn using his mother's radio to build his first amplifier. His naming of the pedals is based on 'Adjective + Color + Device Function'... hence other pedals like 'Baby Blue Overdrive' and 'Dyna Red Distortion'. The 'Baby Blue Overdrive' gives overdriven sounds to a clean amplifier... for blues, fusion and country players. My 'Little Green Wonder' is for people who don't like TS Type Pedals (Tube Screamers... like the Ibanez Tube screamer which is an overdrive effect pedal with light distortion similar to the sound created by an overdriven tube amp... and sort of bluesy). Bjorn describes the Little Green Wonder as having high headroom overdrive and a stackable TS of sorts... and it's very much up to overdriving distorting amplifiers, but can also be used on it's own as a smoothing pedal for fuzzes or bright amplifiers (he says... ). Anyway, go to the link to read more about his 'Honey Bee OD' and 'Blue Berry Base Overdrive' too. Also his 'Dyna Red Distortion', 'Emerald Green Distortion Machine'.... 'Candy Apple Fuzz'...'Pink Purple Fuzz'... 'Pale Green Compressor'...'Red Rooster Booster'...'Baby Pink Booster'....hmmmmm...and all the drawings on the inside are made by Eva Juhl.... (Mrs. Bjorn)....my sister-in-law is Swedish, so I totally get all this.

Neat Pedal- Love Pedals

I found this Little Darling pictured on line... if she sounds as good as she looks, I bet she's worth the price. (I know this isn't a swear word... just the technical term for my dog). Go to Love Pedals to see what they currently have...

ZENKUDO

I was checking my bank account today, and found that I might (currently) be a little short on cash to afford the $55,000.00 to get a nice Dumble Amplifier head... but 'No Worries'... there is always ZENKUDO...Toshihiko Tanabe manufactures these pedals in Japan as a hobby, and you can order them directly from him. The Dumkudo (overdrive) is better suited to what I play (Telecaster with a singlecoil pickup)... so I am readying my $330 in a pile so I can get my 'Dumble' in a box. There are 3 modes.. LED RED = Marshall mode, LED BLUE = DUMKUDO MODE, and LED GREEN = DUMBLE MODE. And hey... I just saved $54,700, so I am going out for dinner tonight. Seriously though... check them out.

Dumble?

What is a Dumble Amp? I have heard a lot about these amps over the past couple years. He is rumored to build amps that cannot be discribed in
mortal words... I never really followed up on what Dumble was all about... until today. He has been building his amps for
many years. If you go to this link here... you can read a lot of rumors. Stories include odd clauses in your build contract (when you order the amp) that specify that if you call Mr Dumble before he is done building your amp, he keeps the amp. There is also another story that you must make your own shipping arrangements, and then send someone to Mr Dumble's door with a specially built box to pick your amp up (when it is ready). Prices are spoken of in urban-legend-type-tones... and supposedly range from $2500 (if you don't mind waiting... probably a long time)... to $5000 (for faster service... maybe, I am guessing, still in your lifetime)... to $15,000 (rumored... but possibly untrue). Wikipedia says his amps are now worth roughly the price of a condo in Florida, and there are still only a few hundred out there (to date). Since the 1980's he has been sealing his circuitry in some sort of 'goop' to prevent people trying to copy his secrets. Someone joked online that you have a better chance of making friends with John Mayer (who owns most of the Dumble amps out there supposedly)... and having him randomly give you
a Dumble... that of actually getting Dumble to build you one... As you know (if you read my posts) I am a follower and player of Louis Electric Amps, and own an early KR12, and a Buster Amp. I find my Louis Amps all I could ever want... but who knows... maybe one day I'll also have a Dumble (as long as I can resist calling him of course, before it is ready).... I guess I should also start saving. Someone on-line says that your best bet (remaining in reality here folks) is to get yourself a Kelley amp if you can find one, if you love the sound of a Dumble (and probably John Mayer).... also apparently try Two Rock Amps... they managed to get the 'goop' off a Dumble and find out what goes into them... apparently John Mayer agrees... he sent them his credit card. Buy a Two Rock 'Jet' Amp here. For further Dumble research... you can go here. Also, if you really want a Dumble, but lack 55K lying around your house.... maybe buy a Zendrive... for more info on these great pedals known as "Dumble In A Box" go here.

The Strength of A Gorilla

Higher gauge strings (ie. "thickerer" strings) can rock your world. I have .09/.11/.15/.30/.42/.52 on my Tele right now. I was having fun with The Black Keys "Thickfreakness", and noticed that thicker strings, and bare fingered playing... led to some really enjoyable tone. It seemed to feel much better having more string to play. Higher gauge strings supposedly result in slower attack and increased sustain... but that would depend on how strong your hands are, and how you play, but I guess it is all relative. If I use the same force on lighter strings (still playing Thickfreakness) they vibrate too much. Some claim that heavy strings have a clearer and more lively tone than lighter strings too... they also sustain longer, and have more effect on your pickups (same as moving your pickup closer to a light string). Some say they have stronger harmonics, more compressed attack, and a higher output, which I would agree with. Other ways to get compressed sound is through the use of a pedal... but the a pedal will not give you that great thick-string feel when you go play (if that is what you crave). You can also put a higher output pickup in your guitar... if that is what it is all about... or move the one you've got closer to the strings (as mentioned).
Heavier strings are more uncomfortable to play for some, but that would depend on how you like to play. If you have the strength of a gorilla, it's only going to feel better with thicker strings. If, on the other hand (no pun here) you begin to get signs of carpal tunnel syndrome.. you're not the gorilla you thought you were... so back off on the string gauges.
As we all know, Stevie Ray Vaughan loved heavy strings, and is rumored to have put Crazy Glue on his finger tips, to make it more comfortable to play those big cables.... anyway... give it a shot (but don't forget to have someone file your nut slots to fit those new strings!). Go here for more on this topic.

Build-it-yourself...

Why not build your own pickup? Alright... maybe you got a lot of things to do... like make a living, and don't want to save the $80 for someone else to do it for you...but if you want to learn how it goes together, and rejoice when it actually works... go here.

Step Away From the Amp and Put the Tube Down!

"Welcome to a world of numbers. A world where one false step can lead to a fall into an abyss... "... alright, I can only go so long trying to emulate Rod Serling. Did you know that in the world of Tube Amps, an EL34 is the same thing as a 6CA7? Did you know that my Groove Tubes™ 6CA7's are also marked as GTE34LS's? Groove Tubes also seem to be 'chubbier' in size, compared to the stock/oldstock EL34's I also have, so size (apparently) is not necessarily a good guide to matching tubes. I noticed one of my power tubes (an EL34/6CA7/GTE34LS) was giving off a metallic buzz when I cranked up my distortion on my Louis Electric KR12. (I spoke to Louis today.. he is great to talk to). One thing I found out was that it is not that uncommon to have tubes that are microphonic. Whether you want to change them out, and not put up with the buzzing seems to be up to you. My boxes of Phillips™ EL34's (two of them, plus one labelled GZ34, which comes in the same box, but is a different tube) came with a giant warning "REMEMBER-YOUR AMP MUST BE REBIASED BEFORE INSTALLING YOUR NEW POWER TUBES TO AVOID PERMANENTLY DAMAGING THE TUBES". Whenever I hear those two words... "PERMANENTLY" AND "DAMAGED" I get worried... and so should you. My Dad used to own an old amp from the 1950's, and I remember as a kid, whenever one of those little tubes got too dark, and didn't give off that mellow amber glow anymore, we would go through a big box of tubes, and I would help him find the one we needed... then we would just plug her in.
Don't do that (with your power tubes). Spend the few dollars to take your high-end beloved tube amp (and any spare new tubes...) to a professional who can make sure that amp is rebiased... and save yourself spending more than the small fee he or she is going to charge you...

Call 911

Does anyone else out there live in fear of the following:

* Strange Noises coming from the Amp
* Buzzing Strings
* Hey... that crack wasn't there yesterday!

Let's deal with #2... Buzzing Strings.
It eventually occurs... one of your strings starts buzzing, expecially when you strum it a little hard. Does that
mean it's time for a new nut? Maybe that fretboard is giving you problems, and a truss rod adjustment is
in order... or, possibly there is a loose fret. Maybe there is also nothing wrong. If that buzzing doesn't make
it to the amp (and it generally doesn't)... who cares? There is a well-known 'T-Style' guitar maker out there
(not Fender, otherwise I could have used the word Telecaster)... and he says he sometimes sends out brand
new guitars with strings that have a little buzz on the first couple of frets. Customers call him with worries
that there is something wrong with their new guitars. His reply is to 'go plug it in. Does it still buzz through the amp? If it doesn't, then the guitar is fine'.... no need to call 911. Wait until it falls off the stage to do that...

ToneQuest Report

I just found out about this... the Tonequest Report... go here to get a free sample issue (or two). There is a really great article I read there... I was fascinated to find out that a lot of modern vintage reissue guitars have Polyester paint as an undercoat (you can read about this, and more, in the free issue download on their site). The manufacturer might put good old Nitro on top of the poly... but the poly is still there. The manufacturers put it on real thick too... because it fills all the holes in the wood, and there is then no need to use any wood filler. In addition, that stuff cures in only a day... it also sucks out all the tone in the wood, and can make it sound as acoustically fine as a piece of concrete. Just one more reason to save up a little longer before you go and buy that guitar of your dreams... the higher-end ones probably don't have the poly... polyester paint for me is about as attractive as finding Polydent in my grandparent's medicine cabinet.

It's Alive....

You work in an area that is not the safest in the world... Welcome to being a working musician. I am not one (yet)... but know that is where I am going. Junkies, hustlers and pimps are going to be your equivalent of other working people's elevator-door-holder guy, lunch/commissary worker and Starbucks coffee person. They will know your comings, goings and probably exactly how much change you are carrying. Quiz most musicians about whether they have ever had gear stolen from them, and yes... whether it is a cable, an amp, or a beloved guitar... things have (at one point or even more often) 'grown legs'. David Gilmour lost one of his early guitars this way, and countless other well known and not-so-well known musician's too. So (to come to the point)... you work in a pretty bad area (where all the hottest clubs are), and you want to bring your favorite ax with you, because you always want to sound your best. There might be future band-members, producers, or other connections watching and listening from that dark area out in the audience... so why sound bad? Why even sound mediocre? Mediocrity never got you into a great band. But if you carry that $9000 guitar with you (yes... admit it... most musicians have instruments... eventually, that are the most valuable thing they will ever own), eventually...that hustler out on the street will know it... and he will pick the right time to jump you outside one night for it. But you can't go out after all this practice and experience and get a $99 Made-in-TJ Guitar. The frets will cut your fingers, the neck will be bowed the wrong way, and it will probably sound (at best) substandard. The anwer: 1.) Rent... a rental-ax has to sound reasonably good... and you can put in the extra work to sort through them and find one that does... the value can also be on the lower end in case it gets stolen. Option 2: Go on ebay, buy some cool parts, and get out the old soldering iron. That pickup you have been saving in your desk drawer can now find it's voice. You can get the guy down the street to shoot the body red sparkle like you always wanted, and you can also choose your own neck and make sure it has some nicely dressed frets... you can also make sure it is set up perfectly to your liking. Total cost can be kept low, but the guitar will probably play great, and sound (at very least) good... and in your head, you will know, like Dr Frankenstein... you made it... and "It's Alive!!"

Still Fretting?

Did you know if you refret your guitar with wider frets the tone will probably change? In general, a refret will make the tone of your guitar slightly 'brighter' (ie. treble with bass and mids supporting). Sometimes a neck is also stiffened by a refret, which can also affect tone... even changing your tuning machines can affect tone. If you put keys that are heavier on your guitar, it can also change the balance, and make your headstock heavier (as in when Dickey Betts replaced his standard Les Paul tuners with Grovers... I owned a Dickey Betts copy, and it actually sounded great). If you decide to go with stainless frets (to prevent wear) they are harder than nickel silver ones... they will also not oxidize, and will have a slicker feel... and also a much longer service life. I personally don't like stainless frets. Apparently they will change the tone a little compared to nickel silver frets... but still less than changing the saddles or pots on the guitar. If you currently love your tone I would suggest a refret (when absolutely necessary) with the exact same size frets as you currently have... also make sure not to get cheap here... get the best luthier you can find to do the job. Also, you might want to note for future reference that excessive fretwear can be avoided by playing your guitar with a lighter touch... I tend to wear out my frets almost every 6 months (with daily playing), and have found that I can actually move my hands more swiftly on that neck when I lighten up my grip a little... and don't use my hands like a capo.

Proof...

Just in case anyone (from reading my previous post a few posts back) did not believe me when I said that neck and bridge humbuckers have different pole spacings... when it comes to humbuckers... a neck pickup is a neck pickup, and ...well, you can guess the rest...

I've Got that Melting Feeling...

Remember when you were a kid, and you had to finish your ice cream cone before it melted down your arm? Or maybe you were the type that bit the end off the bottom of the cone and liked melted ice cream down your arm. Now that most 50's Gibson and Fender guitars are getting into their late 50's, melting plastic is on my mind. So far, it seems it is only Gibson's and not Fender's that are a real melting problem. Vintage Guitar Magazine just republished a piece about Kluson 'Keystone' and white oval-type tuner buttons on Gibsons that are deteriorating. The problem also extends to bindings and pickguards. In Dan Erlewine's book "Guitar Player Repair Guide" Mr Erlewine says "Some plastics used during (the 1950's) are ticking time bombs with 30-year fuses". He mentions that some guitars (like Fender from my research) used different types of plastics, so do not suffer from this "melting" problem. According to Mr Erlewine, the causes of this melting come from solvents and plasticizers used when the plastic was manufactured. If a guitar that is susceptible is left in it's case for many years and these gases cannot escape, these solvents and plasticizers can result in damaged finishes and wood, corroded metal parts and also a sticky smelly mess. Not that leaving your guitar out of it's case all those years would necessarily avoid the plastic pieces deteriorating... you might however avoid the secondary effects the gases can have on the rest of your guitar. The only real solution is to replace the parts before they melt.

One of these things....

One of these things is not like the others... remember that Sesame Street song? (Thanks to them for this photo of the Cookie Monster)...But I bet you can't tell which one it is...(see the photo that is not the Cookie Monster).

The pickup on the left is an exact copy of an early 50's Tele/Esquire pickup... the one on the right is an actual early 50's Tele/ Esquire Pickup. The copy was made by Illusion Pickups... 6.5 Ohms, constructed the same way Fender did back then, 1:1 reproduction parts, including Zinc coated baseplate. They also warn "Please don't purchase this with the intent to sell as original vintage to unknowledgeable buyers". Are you "knowledgeable"... probably not... unless you really know a lot about pickups... give that copy to a professional, and have them "age" it with some dust and dirt... and scratches, and you might end up paying $1000 or more too much for the copy... meanwhile, you might still enjoy getting one for $94.99 from Illusion Pickups.

... and if you want the real thing, make sure you know and trust the seller...completely... whether you trust the blue guy above or not to make the choice for you, that's up to you.

'Buckers

Does anyone out there REALLY know how a humbucker pickup is put together? Did you know that the pole pieces should be a little closer together for the neck pickup? That is because the strings converge, from the bridge up to the nut... hence, you might NOT want to get creative and put a neck humbucker near the bridge (or you might... go ahead and try it). As far as windings go... the more windings on the pickup the greater the DC resistance...if you used #42 wire, the following resistances would yield similar results to what follows (for both coils together)... 3 to 6k ohms DC resistance = clear tone, 6 to 9k ohms DC resistance = medium tone, and 9 to 14K ohms = loud and heavy tone. Skinny and tall coils will generally produce a clearer sound than shorter and wider coils. The 'bobbin' is the top part of the pickup you see with the pole pieces (6 of them) visible through the top. Learn more about making you own home-made humbucker (if you like) here... or at least understand a little more about how pickup is made!

Tone Punch & Playability

It's true... guitars can get better as they age. Granted, in 1954, when Stan Hope picked up his brand new Tele in Luskin TX, and
walked home to plug it in his amp... one of two things...ok, one of three things... happened. 1) The tele had amazing potential and sounded great... Stan played it, and (like most of us) traded it down-the-line to a talented musician somewhere. Said musician then played it (not unlike a concert violinist who adds mojo to a great violin) and today it is amongst the best of instruments for tone, punch and playablility. Option 2). The guitar sounded like a toilet seat with strings, and Stan put it in his closet. Stan got older, and last year his nurses-aid cleaned out his closet, and found the guitar. A collector just paid big $$$ for a mint and unplayed original 1953 Tele (Stan bought it in '54, it was a '53). Option 3). The guitar sounded mediocre, Stan played it anyway, and traded it back to the original store he originally bought it from, for a new Les Paul. Stan got better at his playing, and got to know Buddy Holly and the Big Bopper. The guitar was passed from musician to store to musician, with dealers adding expletives...in order to sell it... like ... "wonderful player" and
"great C-shaped neck".....truth be told though, a poor instrument will likely never wake up from it's coma, and a great instrument will only get better through being played, just like fine wine.

Your One...and How To Hit the Jackpot

In The Black Strat book on page 126 it says... "The Black Strat's return to prominence was during the Pink Floyd rehearsals for Live8. The favoured red Strat had been used for the first two days of rehearsals at Black Island Studio, London. During the third day it was suggested that David should try the Black Strat, as he had used it on the original recordings of these songs. He put down the red one and began playing the Black Strat.
David's guitar sound instantly ascended to what can only be described as 'another level'. His body language changed, becoming animated and interacting with the guitar as if he had just dicovered an old long-lost friend."
I cannot make up a better example why one should go to your local guitar store, and play and test out different necks and guitars, for as long as it takes, to find the set-up that fits you. Only when you find this guitar that is specific to you, will you understand what it is like... to find 'your one'.

Necks Again

The ex-Rich Robinson 1955 Esquire I have has the perfect neck for me. It is amazing how when you find
the correct neck dimensions that fit your own hand how a guitar really 'connects' to your body.

I have never had a guitar do this for me, and always thought it was more a matter of whim, rather than any specific
'magic'...

I just read about David Gilmour (of Pink Floyd) and how
he picked up his old Black Strat again after many years... and how his playing suddenly went to a 'new level'. Recall,
it was Mr Gilmour who originally put this guitar away, for another one.

This connection with a guitar seems to have less to do with specific guitar mojo, and more to do with how
that guitar 'fits' an individual person.

That said, I now am in touch with FIMC (Fender) to copy that neck for me. I have no idea what neck radius this neck is, what year it might really be representative of or
similar too, I just know I like it.

Nothing But Looks

I was driving today and came around a corner only to be greeted by none other than John Cameron Fogerty jogging in the other direction on my side of the street. I would never had known this if I had not seen a photo of him jogging in some magazine the other day, while I waited to get my hair cut. He actually had on the identical outfit he did in the photo... for descriptive purposes...a bandana, t-shirt, and shorts. He played guitar in one of the bands I remember from my childhood...heck, he helped make my childhood. Creedence Clearwater Revival (1967-1972) had hits such as Susie Q, Proud Mary, Have You Ever Seen Rain, Fortunate Son, Bad Moon Rising... ok... too many to mention. Mr Fogerty wrote all the songs for the band. His first guitar was a Silvertone and a 5 watt amplifier which he (of course) got at Sears using money from his paper route. After that, while with the Golliwogs, he played a Fender Mustang.... then a Rick '325 with Bigsby. His time with Creedence was spent playing a Gibson ES-175, then afterwards two Les Pauls. His amp during this period was a Fender Vibrolux silver, a Fender Concert, and a Kustom (which was the main amp for performances). I'll end here, and say that the quilted sparkle padding on those Kustom amps make them amongst my favorite amps... even if some say it's nothing but looks.

Button of Choice

I found out today that my 1955 Esquire has been modified... just a little... to the tune of those little buttons (two of them) that are used to attach your guitar strap to the guitar. Somebody wisely added Schaller strap locks. Apparently, if you are a collector, this is not good. I am not a collector (hence none of my cases are correct for any of the years of my guitars). But if I was... to find replacement 'buttons' is not as easy as it seems. The button in the photo above, on the blond guitar, is a 1950-1951-style strap button...or the 'first type'... the original 'steel rod' is nickel plated with a sharper top edge and a flat base (apparently). I have illustrated some later strap buttons, including the 1970's ones... with 'fatter' dimensions. What does this mean to the sound or feel of your guitar? Apparently nothing. It also means the thing doesn't fall off your shoulder though.

Je Ne Sais Quoi?

Like the song says... "Who Do You Love?"... I have two wonderful, amazing guitars... both owned by very successful
musicians before me. Each musician would have said their guitar was amongst his favorites (when he owned them). I have taken each of them away with me and played the heck out of them. One seems to be like an extension of my own body... each string resonates, and each minute I get to play that guitar is heaven... meanwhile, my wife says that the other one is the best sounding guitar I have ever owned... but the second guitar doesn't yet feel like an extension of my body. The one that sounds so good to me is a joy to play, and I would happily pay for each minute I have with it... just like that girl in 12th grade you never got. It must be some je ne sais quoi ... in addition to a basic, great sounding guitar... that makes for this magic. I can understand why BB King felt he had to name his guitar Lucille. The musician that has never felt like naming a guitar, has never met his or her true love yet. (ok... blech!...as Mad Magazine used to say). People say "sell me that guitar that sounds so good in Keith Richard's hands", but a lot of that mojo may still stay with Keith. I can't explain why the last three or four guitars only sounded great when I got it all just right... right time of day, right mood, right amount of being tapped in... and yet, this current guitar sounds so great at any time of day. UPDATE: Finally got used to the neck and specific sounds on the second guitar, and now can say I have two to love.... everyone should be so lucky (as they say).

Don't Hold Your Breath...

There is nothing new in the world. I just got done chopping a tele bridge, so I could use another pickup (other than the usual Telecaster bridge pickup) on the guitar. I thought I might have stumbled onto something totally new and original... heck, maybe there would even be some way to one day do it for other musicians. My neighbor is the one who mentioned that nothing is new in the world. He also mentioned that if you take a Cadillac and customize it... and call it a Schmaddilac, it is really still a Cadillac. You can't go around and sell Schmadillacs to people. OK... you make your Caddie look fantastic.. maybe you chop the roof and add one of those searchlights on the drivers side... you know, the ones cops had on their cruisers in the fifties... the ones you can turn on and direct from inside the car. Maybe you hang some curtains inside all the windows, with those little pom-poms on them... And add a baby Jesus on the dash. It's still a Cadillac. Can you market it, and sell it as something else, to other people? Well... you can't patent it or trademark it... but maybe your neighbor suddenly wants you to Schmaddilac his Cadillac for him too... and then another guy in the next town sees one of your Schmaddie's, and he wants you to do one for him too... maybe yet another guy in another town starts making them (to compete with you)... but his aren't as good as the ones you're turning out... so you are up to your ears in orders for Schmaddie's...and making a living at it... maybe... just maybe......but don't hold your breath.

Tampa Red

Tampa Red/ Hudson Whittaker was born in Smithville GA in 1904. He was an orphan who went to live with his grandparents in Tampa. His nickname came from his red hair. He was a guitarist and a singer who moved to Chicago in his early twenties. He had an amazing talent with slide guitar, and was often referred to as a 'guitar wizard'. He was one of the first big stars of the Chicago blues scene. He was also a prolific composer and wrote many memorable songs. He was good friends with Big Bill Bronzy (more about Big Bill in another post). Tampa Red was very kind to musicians less fortunate than him, and would offer them a meal and a place to sleep. He performed throughout the great depression. Unfortunately, he was a drinker, which he attributed as a cause of his health problems. He died in a nursing home in Chicago in 1981, at the age of 77. He left a great legacy of music available on iTunes™... including some really great guitar on 'Things 'Bout Coming My Way'. You can also imagine the Stone's doing a version of his 'When things Go Wrong with You'... still as pertinent today as it was back then. For more information on obscure Blues greats, go to the Blues Trail.

Necks ... and How I remember them.

I just had a person on EBay contact me to ask what the neck radius was on a guitar I am selling. I tend to classify my necks less mathematically, more tactilely. I know the feel of a '50 Broadcaster neck... baseball bat sanded into a U-shaped V, really meaty... and (of course) those odd bevelled edges on the side of the fretboard. I know the feeling of a 52 or 53 Tele/ Esquire neck... (I have owned 4 or 5... one was sprayed totally metallic green, and otherwise mint... in it's thermometer case... thermometer cases came with Tele's from 50 to 53). The 52/52 Tele's still have that 'bat' neck, but not a Broadcaster neck (these are not my favorite). Then comes the 55/56 Tele, with a neck everyone describes as anything from a thick baseball bat neck, to a large and chunky 'V'. I love my 56 Tele... and it has a neck similar to a 58 D-Shaped neck... which (by the way) is what Fender puts on most of their reissues now. It is a little thicker than a 58 D Neck. Meanwhile, my 55 Esquire is indeed clubby, but somewhere between a 58 and a 53 neck. What I am trying to say here is... it obviously was not rocket science back then, so there was variation even in the same year, between necks. We all know what works for us... and for me, neck radius is not the way I remember them...