pyeh
Member of good standing
Paul,
Such a pity you couldn't make the November RFF meet. There were only 4 of us but it was great fun. Next time you must go.
The OM gear I got from you is very special. Thank you.
Such a pity you couldn't make the November RFF meet. There were only 4 of us but it was great fun. Next time you must go.
The OM gear I got from you is very special. Thank you.
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Paul,
I do this posting as a public service, but know I get out of this more than I give.
Life is kinda funny that way, and I kinda know that the world is not really that big. There will be other Meet-Ups, but because of our child caring I have to be a bit remote because of the 10 week old grandson.
I will concede that “Maggie’s” cornbread stuffing that she baked actually came out better than my stuffing.
I did an hour long trail run in Blue Mountain Preserve near my house. I stick to the easy trails for now to avoid injury or overdoing it. Thanksgiving for me was realizing that I am realizing what family is, the good, the bad, and the ugly at the age of almost 65. Pretty much I grew up alone and on my own, so this is a new and most of the time wonderful experience.
I will say that retirement is unsettling for me in a good way. Perhaps what I’m trying to say is that it is still full of surprises and is evolving. Looking forward to working with a new contractor to remodel the upstairs bath, connecting the Victorian tower room to the guest bedroom to create a master bedroom, building out a new cedar she-shed, and insulating the attic for further development for a sound studio for my tube hifi and music gear.
Because I’m a lazy slacker I don’t post. Sorry. And you are right Hellen is a kind soul and also an interesting artist.
It was great to see Pete again after many years.
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
One day I bought a guitar neck at a discounted price, the next day I bought a relic’ed nitrocellulose Cabronita Alder body.
So seems like the “12 Day’s of Christmas” except I’m buying these gifts for myself to celebrate Christmas early.
Still have to order a pickup, bridge, tuners and a slew of odd parts to build out my new guitar that I can spread out over time in the spirit of the song.
Know that I own a Matchless Lightning from the Mark Sampson era. This amp is can be described as a Vox AC15 on steroids. It has been said that the Vox AC15 has more chime with a smother roll off in the top end, but the Lightning is beefier and louder. Some of this has to do with different speakers though, and also the Matchless amp has a brutally overbuilt power supply that is kinda nuke proof with a very overbuilt output tranny as well.
Anyways the magic combination is a Vox tone with filtertrons. Pretty much tone heaven. These amps also are very touch sensitive.
We shall see if just a bridge pickup is enough, or perhaps another pickup will be added to the neck, or yet another guitar may have to happen... “Don’t tell “Maggie.”
Anyways I know its Christmas time, but I don’t feel guilty buying myself some gifts and being selfish instead of being selfless.
“Bah-Humbug,” I say.
My across the Avenue neighbor already has up a Christmas display. Kinda big and bold.
Tomorrow I likely will round up the leaf blown leaves to add to the huge massive mulch pile on my back-slope. My goal is to hide and cover the chain link fence that is at the base of the slope.
Cal
So seems like the “12 Day’s of Christmas” except I’m buying these gifts for myself to celebrate Christmas early.
Still have to order a pickup, bridge, tuners and a slew of odd parts to build out my new guitar that I can spread out over time in the spirit of the song.
Know that I own a Matchless Lightning from the Mark Sampson era. This amp is can be described as a Vox AC15 on steroids. It has been said that the Vox AC15 has more chime with a smother roll off in the top end, but the Lightning is beefier and louder. Some of this has to do with different speakers though, and also the Matchless amp has a brutally overbuilt power supply that is kinda nuke proof with a very overbuilt output tranny as well.
Anyways the magic combination is a Vox tone with filtertrons. Pretty much tone heaven. These amps also are very touch sensitive.
We shall see if just a bridge pickup is enough, or perhaps another pickup will be added to the neck, or yet another guitar may have to happen... “Don’t tell “Maggie.”
Anyways I know its Christmas time, but I don’t feel guilty buying myself some gifts and being selfish instead of being selfless.
“Bah-Humbug,” I say.
My across the Avenue neighbor already has up a Christmas display. Kinda big and bold.
Tomorrow I likely will round up the leaf blown leaves to add to the huge massive mulch pile on my back-slope. My goal is to hide and cover the chain link fence that is at the base of the slope.
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
I have a modeling opportunity.
An “option” is being sought to secure me as a model for a menswear shoot in NYC.
I have to think about this. Life can become complicated fast. I know through second hand experience what “Maggie” went through.
Not so different than perhaps an artist putting their work out there. A rather complicated and tricky road is approaching.
Maggie pointed out that our agent has separate contracts on us, so we are not a joint contract and our representation is separate.
Seems like a good intro and EZ because its a New York shoot. The forward images are kinda lux menswear and expensive watches. Not a bad gig and is kinda big-time/big name, big wide exposure. Actually a little scary big.
Know that I’m aware that I have/display Guitar slouch, meaning I kinda don’t stand up straight and perhaps look too relaxed.
Maggie says I kinda draw attention to myself, and perhaps I am drawn into the spotlights…
I’ll sleep on it…
”I was just minding my own business,” I say, this is a bit crazy, but also I am flattered by the opportunity.
Cal
An “option” is being sought to secure me as a model for a menswear shoot in NYC.
I have to think about this. Life can become complicated fast. I know through second hand experience what “Maggie” went through.
Not so different than perhaps an artist putting their work out there. A rather complicated and tricky road is approaching.
Maggie pointed out that our agent has separate contracts on us, so we are not a joint contract and our representation is separate.
Seems like a good intro and EZ because its a New York shoot. The forward images are kinda lux menswear and expensive watches. Not a bad gig and is kinda big-time/big name, big wide exposure. Actually a little scary big.
Know that I’m aware that I have/display Guitar slouch, meaning I kinda don’t stand up straight and perhaps look too relaxed.
Maggie says I kinda draw attention to myself, and perhaps I am drawn into the spotlights…
I’ll sleep on it…
”I was just minding my own business,” I say, this is a bit crazy, but also I am flattered by the opportunity.
Cal
PaulW128
Well-known
Hi Cal,
Thank you for your reply. It's nice hearing from you. Perhaps I should just get in the car and pay you a visit some day! The guitars you mention, your home remodel that you describe so eloquently, sound so interesting, and i'm not even sure what you shoot with! Leica?
I'm shooting with a Nikon mirrorless (Z50) with the 2 kit lenses. Not nearly as sexy as Leica but it does a pretty decent job for my purposes.
Best,
Paul
MrFujicaman
Well-known
Hey Cal,
Didn't you say you planned to try out 4 X 5 phototgraphy soon?
Didn't you say you planned to try out 4 X 5 phototgraphy soon?
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Paul,
I shoot a SL and a SL2. I would not call these cameras “sexy,” because they are mucho big and heavy. Anyways they are crazy cameras. The APO 35 Cron is “Brutal.”
My MM actually cost about $8K new which was crazy back then. I still shoot this and love the MM as an old camera that is mucho basic, and perhaps to me the digital camera that is most like a film camera. No video, very basic, no frills.
I think the CCD sensor has a unique rendering, and because it has no Bayer Filter Array and has a lower High ISO performance than a CMOS sensor, I would argue that it is the most unforgiving digital camera made. Later cameras are just so more forgiving and advanced, and the charm is how crude a camera it is. I was an early adopter and had Leica replace the sensor and at that time it was overhauled and rebuilt. The anodize is worn through along the edges and the camera has a patina that is pretty wonderful. I wish they did not have to replace the leatherette because I used a grip and the leatherette was worn smooth in areas from the tips of my fingers. I shot this camera a lot and it saw a lot of use.
The MM I figured out how to get mucho midrange so the prints resembled large format wet prints using Piezography. Then “Calzone-Factor” made me print crazy big to annoy people.
My thought on a sexy camera I would say is a Nikon F2AS or a Nikon F2 with a DE-2 prism.
At this point, I’m still in love with my MM and perhaps the only new Leica I would be interested in would be a SL2 Monochrom, but as a sub a Q2 Monochrom I am considering if the money is crazy with modeling.
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
MFM,
I have a 50’s era 4x5 Linhof already. This one has the original leather covering that has a mucho heavy patina.
The Devil Christian is also a 4x5.
I have 3 1/2 gallon hard rubber tanks as well as a Nikon developing tank, and also a Jobo.
Someone gave me some HP5, and I have a stockpile of perhaps 23 packs of Fuji FP100.
My basement darkroom is on the back burner, but I have an about 8x12 space where I would build a freestanding room for a darkroom only. Plumbing for a sink is kinda EZ-PZ.
Anyways I always admired the IQ of large format, and of course I like to print big.
I think I will also love to get an 8x10 and do mucho contact printing. I’m interested in AZO and that old school “Linda” paper that has incredible tonal range.
It might take another year to get to building out a darkroom. The Baby-Victorian is still getting remodeled and updated.
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Well I think I’m interested in this modeling opportunity. I am aware that this path is fraught, but pretty much because of the risk, excitement, and the opportunity to kinda put myself out there it is something I must try.
So I retired on December 22d in 2021, but my last day of work was the day before Thanksgiving more than a year ago, so technically I have been retired for over a year.
In January Medicare kicks in because I will be 65, and I have to start to take my hospital pension also at 65. My Grumman pension I don’t need, so I figure I’ll collect at age 72 the maximum age, and with Social Security I don’t need that money either so I will be forced to take benefits when I’m 70.
My modeling contract is for three years, but understand that maybe I could categorize the first phase was pretty much not working and living off of savings, In January real retirement kinda starts getting staged in because of Medicare and having a pension kick in. Later other entitlements will kick in over a 7 year period like a second pension, and Social Security.
The magic number used by actuary’s is the age of 82. This is a tipping point where life expectancy and entitlements is kind of a break even point. There are tables and math, but pretty much if you expect to live longer than the average person the best bet for the most amount of money is to defer collecting benefits.
A longevity survey suggested that I would have a life span of 106 years if I lived in NYC. I retook this survey when I moved to Peekskill and my life expectancy increased by 5 years to 111. The factor that gave me five more years was not living in a polluted urban environment.
So here I am at a crossroad in retirement: I will shortly begin collecting benefits and enter a somewhat official retirement; but then I have a modeling job that kinda came out of the blue.
My agent is at the top of the game, and with perhaps 3-4 gigs a year I would have a rather huge income.
On one hand I’m retired, or officially will begin a phase in, but then I have a new career and a job.
How crazy is that?
I look in the mirror and I see a man with gowling happening with a lot of grey side hair. His eyebrows are thick and bushy like an old man, his earlobes are big like an old man, his chin is becoming more and more pronounced.
Then I look at a rather sleek skinny muscular build of perhaps of an athletic 15 year old or a rather thin serious Marathon runner that displays mucho muscle tone.
I know I don’t look my age, and in fact I’m defying my age with my looks, but my chin beard is almost all white like an old Billy Goat.
Anyways, “I was just minding my own business.”
BTW “Maggie” has no interest in the modeling life anymore, but I don’t want to travel without her so there may be a limit to the kind of gigs I will do. Part of retirement is staying “underfoot” getting closer, and not going solo.
This NYC shoot seems like a perfect opportunity, and the brand is international as well as a household name that is kinda lux and exclusive.
This is a bit like going back to when I was a performance artist (a decade), but the difference is this “acting” is not really the truth or who I really am.
Cal
So I retired on December 22d in 2021, but my last day of work was the day before Thanksgiving more than a year ago, so technically I have been retired for over a year.
In January Medicare kicks in because I will be 65, and I have to start to take my hospital pension also at 65. My Grumman pension I don’t need, so I figure I’ll collect at age 72 the maximum age, and with Social Security I don’t need that money either so I will be forced to take benefits when I’m 70.
My modeling contract is for three years, but understand that maybe I could categorize the first phase was pretty much not working and living off of savings, In January real retirement kinda starts getting staged in because of Medicare and having a pension kick in. Later other entitlements will kick in over a 7 year period like a second pension, and Social Security.
The magic number used by actuary’s is the age of 82. This is a tipping point where life expectancy and entitlements is kind of a break even point. There are tables and math, but pretty much if you expect to live longer than the average person the best bet for the most amount of money is to defer collecting benefits.
A longevity survey suggested that I would have a life span of 106 years if I lived in NYC. I retook this survey when I moved to Peekskill and my life expectancy increased by 5 years to 111. The factor that gave me five more years was not living in a polluted urban environment.
So here I am at a crossroad in retirement: I will shortly begin collecting benefits and enter a somewhat official retirement; but then I have a modeling job that kinda came out of the blue.
My agent is at the top of the game, and with perhaps 3-4 gigs a year I would have a rather huge income.
On one hand I’m retired, or officially will begin a phase in, but then I have a new career and a job.
How crazy is that?
I look in the mirror and I see a man with gowling happening with a lot of grey side hair. His eyebrows are thick and bushy like an old man, his earlobes are big like an old man, his chin is becoming more and more pronounced.
Then I look at a rather sleek skinny muscular build of perhaps of an athletic 15 year old or a rather thin serious Marathon runner that displays mucho muscle tone.
I know I don’t look my age, and in fact I’m defying my age with my looks, but my chin beard is almost all white like an old Billy Goat.
Anyways, “I was just minding my own business.”
BTW “Maggie” has no interest in the modeling life anymore, but I don’t want to travel without her so there may be a limit to the kind of gigs I will do. Part of retirement is staying “underfoot” getting closer, and not going solo.
This NYC shoot seems like a perfect opportunity, and the brand is international as well as a household name that is kinda lux and exclusive.
This is a bit like going back to when I was a performance artist (a decade), but the difference is this “acting” is not really the truth or who I really am.
Cal
PaulW128
Well-known
Cal
thanks again for your response. What you say about your SL and SL2 make perfect sense. As a matter of fact, pretty much everything you write makes perfect sense to me. I guess that's why I enjoy reading your musings all the time; they click so many buttons for me.
Paul
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
What I glean is that I try to act crazy, but in fact I am not. LOL.
So this modeling gig is the big time. I post about retirement, but they say that 2/3rds of Americans don’t have enough money to retire. I post about my new home when the cost of housing is leaving many-many people behind. And now “Maggie” points out that at this level I basically can’t play the oppressed minority card ever again because I an an elite at this point.
WOW. How did that suddenly happen? I see the truth in what Maggie suggests, but what about all the hate I experienced?
Pretty hard to get my head around all this. Kinda like saying because President Obama held office for two terms that our country has no problem with racism.
So I’m thinking a lot about this opportunity that is exclusive and elusive.
Anyways there also are fraught dangers that can get carried away, and pretty much I have to buffer and protect myself from the world I am entering.
My friend Dan I know from my Peekskill commute. At one time he was a professional dancer big time. Bob Fosey took him under his wing. Dan’s dad was in the entertainment industry, and he told Dan to keep a safe distance, don’t date anyone, or have friends at work or else bad things will happen. Most of all keep your private life separate.
Today Maggie pretty much gave me the same advice.
Dan mentioned that Bob Fosey really liked Dan, and Bob Fosey purposely kept Dan at a distance to protect him from himself. If you know anything about Bob Fosey’s life he hurt and destroyed many people.
So laying low is just the opposite of what I do here, yet I understand that the world I am about to enter is mighty big and powerful.
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Harvested leaves from a public mulch pile down the block from my house. Basically a group of my neighbors use leaf blowers to make a massive pile of leaves along a fence on public property.
I moved the wet leaves today using what I call a Jeff Bezzo’s Bag which is a flat folding box that Amazon workers abandoned all over Manhattan instead of reusing or recycling them. So pretty much I only have one left and it pretty much is only good for trash now.
Used my Gorilla Garden cart to wheel my bounty into my back-backyard as clean fill. In about a year the leaves dissolve and become top soil.
Did not get enough to cover the chain link fence, but as the wind blows the leaves there is actually maybe enough to cover and hide the fence. I’ll see and keep you informed. I know the Knotweed does not like a thick cover of mulch, and if any appears it usually comes out root and all when I weed.
Right now the slope looks like the table section has been extended, but over time the leaves will compact, but I can see how things will eventually develop.
Last year the city sent their vacuum truck and crew around just after Thanksgiving, but this year there are still trees with leaves. Maybe this year’s roundup will be delayed, and I might get a chance for another round of harvesting which I hope will happen.
Also there are piles of leaves uphill that might migrate if there are any strong winds. This might cause my leaf blowing neighbors to redo their yards.
Anyways I use manual labor and harvest this resource that is free. The back-backyard slope is an environmental restoration project, and is also my way of controlling erosion from the stronger storms that are happening due to global warming.
Maggie tells me it is not uncommon to get “optioned” and then suddenly dropped at the last moment. I’m cool with that if it happens. Oh-well I say. I’m not going to get anxious over this.
My guess is they assemble a pool of “options” and then do a rough cut and then a final fine cut near the event or shoot.
I am told that I have a “look” whatever that means, but I do kinda stand out. Perhaps even in the same way that Steve Buscemi in the film “Fargo” was called “the funny looking one.”
Did you know that Steve Buscemi and I were Frat Brothers and that he lived two houses away from my house? Kinda funny is that Steve in real life is pretty much the same as when he is acting to the extent that perhaps he is not acting at all.
So my agent now knows I’m open and interested in this gig, let’s see if I get “optioned” and then let’s see if I actually get the “call” meaning I made the cut that usually happens near the event or shoot.
I’m a bit excited, but then again not too excited where if I get cut I’m cool with “Oh-well.” The thing about this industry is that everything is kinda last minute and fly-by-wire.
For people that are anxious this is bad. I know from experience that you often find out you got the “call” on a full day’s notice or at times less than a day like around dinner time the day before the event or shoot. Pretty much these last minute calls would cause a panic in “Maggie” because she would have to bring stuff on the call list and often I would have to lug clothing, shoes and bags for her.
This is the real world and it is not so glam.
Cal
I moved the wet leaves today using what I call a Jeff Bezzo’s Bag which is a flat folding box that Amazon workers abandoned all over Manhattan instead of reusing or recycling them. So pretty much I only have one left and it pretty much is only good for trash now.
Used my Gorilla Garden cart to wheel my bounty into my back-backyard as clean fill. In about a year the leaves dissolve and become top soil.
Did not get enough to cover the chain link fence, but as the wind blows the leaves there is actually maybe enough to cover and hide the fence. I’ll see and keep you informed. I know the Knotweed does not like a thick cover of mulch, and if any appears it usually comes out root and all when I weed.
Right now the slope looks like the table section has been extended, but over time the leaves will compact, but I can see how things will eventually develop.
Last year the city sent their vacuum truck and crew around just after Thanksgiving, but this year there are still trees with leaves. Maybe this year’s roundup will be delayed, and I might get a chance for another round of harvesting which I hope will happen.
Also there are piles of leaves uphill that might migrate if there are any strong winds. This might cause my leaf blowing neighbors to redo their yards.
Anyways I use manual labor and harvest this resource that is free. The back-backyard slope is an environmental restoration project, and is also my way of controlling erosion from the stronger storms that are happening due to global warming.
Maggie tells me it is not uncommon to get “optioned” and then suddenly dropped at the last moment. I’m cool with that if it happens. Oh-well I say. I’m not going to get anxious over this.
My guess is they assemble a pool of “options” and then do a rough cut and then a final fine cut near the event or shoot.
I am told that I have a “look” whatever that means, but I do kinda stand out. Perhaps even in the same way that Steve Buscemi in the film “Fargo” was called “the funny looking one.”
Did you know that Steve Buscemi and I were Frat Brothers and that he lived two houses away from my house? Kinda funny is that Steve in real life is pretty much the same as when he is acting to the extent that perhaps he is not acting at all.
So my agent now knows I’m open and interested in this gig, let’s see if I get “optioned” and then let’s see if I actually get the “call” meaning I made the cut that usually happens near the event or shoot.
I’m a bit excited, but then again not too excited where if I get cut I’m cool with “Oh-well.” The thing about this industry is that everything is kinda last minute and fly-by-wire.
For people that are anxious this is bad. I know from experience that you often find out you got the “call” on a full day’s notice or at times less than a day like around dinner time the day before the event or shoot. Pretty much these last minute calls would cause a panic in “Maggie” because she would have to bring stuff on the call list and often I would have to lug clothing, shoes and bags for her.
This is the real world and it is not so glam.
Cal
PaulW128
Well-known
I'm familiar with Fosse. I remember seeing "All That Jazz" starring Roy Scheider and Ann Rankin and I loved it. Then again, I have always been a Roy Scheider fan but I not actually know Fosse's back story other than he had some major character flaws.
I mostly love when you talk about your guitars and amps. That stuff fascinates me. I play a little but not well. I'm trying to fix that! Same goes for my photography. Considering how many years i've been taking pictures, I should be better!
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Paul,
I am not a good guitar player. I struggled with anxiety for a good part of my life. People would run when I walked in a room because they were scared of me. I display some talent, but I mostly play guitar to be alone, relax, and be in my own universe.
The guitar for me is an anti-social tool.
Cal
raydm6
Yay! Cameras! 🙈🙉🙊┌( ಠ_ಠ)┘ [◉"]
Nothing wrong with that. Although I don't play like I used to when I was younger, I felt the same when I was practicing or playing for my own enjoyment. And for the times I was on stage (mostly top-40 cover bands or stage bands), I was cognizant of the audience, but usually zoned them out. I certainly wasn't moving around a lot.
PaulW128
Well-known
Nothing wrong with that. Although I don't play like I used to when I was younger, I felt the same when I was practicing or playing for my own enjoyment. And for the times I was on stage (mostly top-40 cover bands or stage bands), I was cognizant of the audience, but usually zoned them out. I certainly wasn't moving around a lot.
It's funny reading both your responses. I was so tough on myself, and was so self conscious that I was embarrassed to even play in front of anybody. It was so deep seated that I sold a few nice guitars because I felt I just wasn't worthy of owning them!!
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Ray and Paul,
It is hard putting yourself out there.
When I did performance art the best part was when I was done and the performance was over.
Pretty much I would do a hundred pushups to try and get back into my body right before going on stage. Pretty much pure terror for me.
Anyways I struggle to be in the moment.
Anyways this modeling is bringing out some of these issues.
My talent lays in my hands. I enjoy great dexterity and can get great tone playing clean with just my hands. On electrics I play 11’s on a Fender scale length and 12’s on a Gibson scale. On an acoustic I can pound out a lot of volume where I could likely gig an acoustic in a small setting without any amplification.
If I play with distortion it is just from a tube amp as I plug just right into an amp. (1960 Brown Super, 1994 Matchless Spitfire, 1995 Matchless Lightning). I also have the blackface 1965 Pro Reverb I found in Manhattan being thrown out, but I need to work on this amp to get it playing.
Lately I’ve been working on smoothness. Not a fast player, but I have tone.
Now that I’m older I have calmed down a lot. Perhaps I’m no longer the scary guy I use to be, and I have a lot better control of myself. Took decades and a lot of work to calm down. In other posts I mentioned how biking and my friend Mike saved my life because I had to learn how to relax. I learned how to relax in my thirties.
On a side note many people thought I was a drummer because of the way I jumped around and constantly was moving.
Cal
It is hard putting yourself out there.
When I did performance art the best part was when I was done and the performance was over.
Pretty much I would do a hundred pushups to try and get back into my body right before going on stage. Pretty much pure terror for me.
Anyways I struggle to be in the moment.
Anyways this modeling is bringing out some of these issues.
My talent lays in my hands. I enjoy great dexterity and can get great tone playing clean with just my hands. On electrics I play 11’s on a Fender scale length and 12’s on a Gibson scale. On an acoustic I can pound out a lot of volume where I could likely gig an acoustic in a small setting without any amplification.
If I play with distortion it is just from a tube amp as I plug just right into an amp. (1960 Brown Super, 1994 Matchless Spitfire, 1995 Matchless Lightning). I also have the blackface 1965 Pro Reverb I found in Manhattan being thrown out, but I need to work on this amp to get it playing.
Lately I’ve been working on smoothness. Not a fast player, but I have tone.
Now that I’m older I have calmed down a lot. Perhaps I’m no longer the scary guy I use to be, and I have a lot better control of myself. Took decades and a lot of work to calm down. In other posts I mentioned how biking and my friend Mike saved my life because I had to learn how to relax. I learned how to relax in my thirties.
On a side note many people thought I was a drummer because of the way I jumped around and constantly was moving.
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
In building out my Cabronita (Tele with Gretch style pickups) I have been listening to lots of sound clips to figure out a pickup for the guitar’s bridge position, and also thinking forward if I ever decide to get the body routed for a neck pickup.
My Snakehead is basically a Fender Esquire with only a bridge pickup. I seem to favor playing neck pickups so I’m kinda doing the Bob Fossey thing and trying to make my weakness my strength.
The Cabronita is another guitar to further this struggle, but understand that the TV Jones pickups I’m looking into have a bit more output, less twang and a bit more mids.
So I pay most attention to the clean sounds, and I find that the compressed distorted sounds I really can’t listen to. Don’t get me wrong, I love the recording of Metallica playing “Sweet Jane” with Lou Reed at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Brutally great and I love it, but pretty much I love a clean tone that is almost like an acoustic guitar.
I find the distortion fatiguing… Is my hearing that damaged?
So my playing is pretty much kinda pure: guitar and fingers mostly, and sometimes the warmth and flavor provided by a great tube amp.
Cal
My Snakehead is basically a Fender Esquire with only a bridge pickup. I seem to favor playing neck pickups so I’m kinda doing the Bob Fossey thing and trying to make my weakness my strength.
The Cabronita is another guitar to further this struggle, but understand that the TV Jones pickups I’m looking into have a bit more output, less twang and a bit more mids.
So I pay most attention to the clean sounds, and I find that the compressed distorted sounds I really can’t listen to. Don’t get me wrong, I love the recording of Metallica playing “Sweet Jane” with Lou Reed at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Brutally great and I love it, but pretty much I love a clean tone that is almost like an acoustic guitar.
I find the distortion fatiguing… Is my hearing that damaged?
So my playing is pretty much kinda pure: guitar and fingers mostly, and sometimes the warmth and flavor provided by a great tube amp.
Cal
PaulW128
Well-known
Cal,
What you write makes perfect sense to me. Let me give you a bit of background info since you're so generous and brave with yours. My close friend decided to sell some mint Olympus film equipment and a couple of mint lenses. He also had a mint, hardly used F3HP!! I told him I would sell it for him here on RFF. So I start taking pics of his gear, I start composing ads, etc. I love doing this, it's fun to do. I know his equipment truly is mint and functional and anyone lucky enough to buy it will be very happy.
But then I realize, that since I haven't really posted here, let alone place an ad, I'm so rusty that I had no idea how to go about placing an ad. So I reach out to the lovely Helen Hill. We are not close friends, we have chatted back and forth here on RFF. I remember feeling terrible when I learned her partner passed away. So I message her and I explain my situation, Without hesitation, she jumps in to help!!
I then place the ads and sit back to see what happens. Peter Yeh is the first (and only) member to show any interest. He's interested in the Olympus gear. Long story short, he buys it, and has me ship the gear to his daughter in San Diego. As I interact with Peter I start to realize what a kind, gentle soul he is, Peter tells me that if and when he comes to the states, he'd love to finally meet me and I agree.
Then Peter tells me that A NYC Meetup would be a great way to not only meet him, but Calzone and some of the other members of RRF as well. I tell him that I would feel totally out of my depth, this guy Calzone shoots Leicas, I have never shot with or have owned a Leica and besides Peter, i'm not so sure about that guy. I see his lengthy posts all the time, i'm not sure who he's trying to impress!! Peter assures me that he's not like that at all and you would really enjoy his company. At this point in our growing friendship, I trust Peter's instincts enough to agree to attend a Meetup. When Peter recently informed my that the NYC Meetup was finally going to happen, I was upset that due to circumstances beyond my control, I was unable to attend!
So with tail between my legs, I emailed Peter back and said I was unable to attend. But then I start reading your posts and I do so with a brand new perspective. I start to realize that Peter was absolutely right. Not only aren't you a jerk, you play a really important roll here on RFF. You're an open book, you're not afraid to to bare your soul and there's no telling how many RFF members you help by being that person you are.
Thank you Cal, please keep doing what you do, I'll be sure to keep reading your posts!
Paul
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Paul,
I kinda do this as a Public Service. On so many accounts I have not only had a great life, but I also have been fortunate.
At times though there are some jerks. Read through the thread. Also know that I actually have meaningful and close relationships here.
With Covid we all struggle in a very different world. I am glad that I could help people and my friends manage, but know in the end that I actually get more back than I give.
I try to share my wealth, I’m not a Bill Gates or a Jeff Bezos. Just trying to support others and help.
In life I had many strangers offer me kindness. You are correct that Helen is a kind soul.
Unfortunately there are some that are not so kind that prefer to be mean spirited.
It is a matter of choice.
Spiritually I do think a lot of my luck and good fortune is due to a positive mental attitude, and in the end you kinda get what you give.
I seriously doubt that some of the mean spirited individuals are happy, they have little to offer, and they like to spread their bitterness.
Here on RFF there are only about 1700 members, but with the modeling the audience will be much broader and larger leading to a lot less control and many more possibilities. One scale is small and the other vast. I will have little control…
Cal