NYC Journal

Uh Oh.

Ultrawide Sinar Norma 4x5 47mm F8 SA Schneider Center Filter 1 by Nokton48, on Flickr

Morning Devil Cal,

Here is my Schneider Center Filter 1, was $200 from Germany. 40.5mm Step Down Ring require. Schneider never made a Center Filter specifically for this lens, this is as close as I can come. This is the Center Filter 1 Schneider, adapted to 4x5 Ultrawide Norma 4x5 that I leave set up all the time. 47mm F8 Schneider Super Angulon in Compur. Works great on location on a smaller tripod. Full Movements in all ways Front and Back with Norma. A Clockmaker Friend Welded in Aluminum a Special Recessed 47mm Norma Board, so I can easily access the controls. With this lens, you see all four corners of the image circle, there is considerable cutoff, but a unique look just the same. Fun to shoot superwide on 4x5 with full camera movements. A 4x5 Norma Bag Bellows, and Norma Magnifier work great for viewing the image in quadrants. This is kind of pushing the optical envelope a bit.
 
Not only does the grandson eat all my food, he also wants all my guitars. Just like I predicted he loves the Candy Apple Red Strat the most. It suits him well and fits his profile as “Ham.”

“Maggie had thought he would pick “Worm” the kinda weathered Esquire that is made of 1-piece old reclaimed barn wood that features worm-holes. They say that worms love only the best wood.

Cal
 
I lurked on an auction for a butter scotch Tele, and in the last 20 seconds the first bid came in and then there was a flurry of 4 bids and the price surprisingly jumped a lot.

Then you have to add in $25.00 shipping and tax, and by then the body becomes costly. Pretty much I don’t want to go there even though “Tiffany” would be mighty cool to secure. My hope is that the color will not be favored, and the 4.0 pound weight will make Tiffany not too popular.

Anyways I drawing a limit.

Then there is a Bloom Doom option of waiting and securing perhaps a Tele or Strat body and evading paying tax. Pretty much I can likely secure body in “Closet Classic” condition which actually would be preferable.

The rage right now is for heavily distressed guitars. The black Strat hardtail that is incoming has a lot of missing paint and exposed bare wood. On the black guitar is appears somewhat organic, but on many guitars it gets played out as overdone and looks forced.

On Tiffany the distress is limited.

I just got to remember I have the Bloom Doom option…

I think I will go with my strategy and make the initial bid then make an immediate higher bid then just slightly higher to creat a second bid then do a third increased bid at my limit. If I don’t win I’m cool with that.

Cal
 
That cactus shot displays mucho depth. I love it.

The streaks in the background do a lot to add to the composition.

Also a great play using DOF.

Cal
 
The DeMarino became a great guitar. I kinda like the Bigsby over a Strat Trem. It has a look, an unusual vibe, and I dare say sounds better and has a better feel for me.

Perhaps one day I’ll have Cris replace the fingerboard with a 9 1/2 radius to go with a LSR roller nut. Then this guitar would kinda be ultimized and would be killer.

I like the mild reverb like decay, the shimmer of sorts, and it is part of that Strat sound. For Jazz it is great.

The black hardtail Strat body will be delivered Saturday, tomorrow. I secured a set of Tone Specific “Blues” pickups for this Strat. The attack, sustain, and tone of a hardtail supports the blues with increased sensitivity, treble and dynamics. More like a Tele.

Around dinner time today a Tiffany Blue Tele auction will occur. I will lurk to see how this auction ends.

On one hand I like the Strat “Tiffany” a lot for its difference, but soon a faded Sonic Blue Strat will be incoming at Bloom Doom.

I’d like to secure Tiffany the Strat for little money. It features a tremolo, and pretty much this is in anticipation that the grandson will eventually get gifted the Candy Apple Red Strat (Flash) one day.

A faded sonic blue Strat from Bloom Doom would match the Thinline, and it would likely be in “Closet Classic” condition with less distress than Tiffany.

Pretty much comes to a price point. I would be happy with either color blue, but Tiffany I would value lower in price because I don’t really value the distressing so high, even though for MJT the level of wear is mild when compared to other guitars.

I don’t beat up my guitars, and they display honest wear. Any dent or chip I performed. Pretty much organic and not forced.

So more suspense. Tiffany is a 4.0 pound body, not a Fender custom color, so it kinda has freak appeal. The sonic blue that in the future is of an unknown weight, hopefully could be lighter than 4 pounds and will be more akin to being a closet classic.

Executive decisions…

Cal
 
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Morning Devil Cal,

Sinar Norma Handy Test 65mm F8 No 4 by Nokton48, on Flickr

Sinar Norma Handy 4x5 Test Ilford HP5+ 65mm F8 Super Angulon at Fll. Kingwood Gardens Mansfield Ohio, waiting for the Solar Eclipse to occur. HANDHELD camera focused hyperfocally. The cosine effect causes corners to be darker, could be improved with my 65mm F8 Schneider Center Filter. Silver image 8x10 print Omega DII 180mm Rodagon laser aligned, Arista #2 RC paper processed in Dektol 1:2. Print copied with Sony Nex 7 30mm Nex Macro Lens.
 
The grandson is Peacock like. He does not have my blood, but somehow he has mucho “Calzone-Factor.”

Perhaps I’m a bad influence. LOL.

The knicknames “Ham” and “Hollywood” are appropriate. He also is a drama queen…

Cal
 
Another red screen today, and as yesterday the question and doubt about the consumer having strength.

I say the consumer lacks dry ammo, and actually this is compounded by record level debt loads. Sooner or later this was bound to happen and it seems the time is now.

I called my friend Cris to inquire about my electric archtop that is getting updated and refurbished. I gave this guitar to Cris over 5 years ago, paid for inlays, but he wanted to update this very early Mirabella with a new modern headstock, new neck, new tail piece, new bridge, new pickguard, new binding and refinish the complete guitar for free.

Pretty much only the “box” is getting recycled, and I decided to have a new Lollar Charlie Christian pickup to be installed.

Basically my old 2004 guitar will be updated and upgraded. Pretty much now a 21 year old guitar. Wow.

Then I inquired about changing the fingerboard on the DeMarino so I could enjoy better tuning via a LSR roller nut, and Cris mentioned the idea of contacting Steve who likely has NOS neck blanks for this 25 fret neck. Less work and pretty much I retain the vintage neck. Hmmm.

I have to call Cris Tuesday or Wednesday…

So this is a kinda major breakthrough. The neck likely though won’t have all the flame figure though that is on the vintage neck, but I’m cool with that.

Then I asked Cris about his preferred set up for a Strat with Trem: floating bridge for that reverb like shimmer; or fixed against the body. He says he likes/loves the fixed against the body that only allows dipping in pitch because of the added sustain, attack, and broader tonality.

Hmmm. Not bad to have two Trem Strats to exploit the difference.

I’m doing max sets today to advance strength. I lost a lot of pull-up capability, but this can recover rapidly. Only able to do three pull-ups, and then a set of 2. Will do more through out the day. After the next set I’ll do max sets of push-ups. Those too after three sets will lead to max sets squats with two 30 pound dumbels.

I’ll do a protein shake to aid recovery.

Have to get my Eliquis prescription refilled. Hope it goes smoothly. My hematologist was suppose to approve the refill.

So more good news.

Cal
 
A steeper drop into the red for the stock indexes: consumer sentiment deteriorates.

So now I wonder about a fuller tone and more sustain… I will have two alder Strats with tremolo, and both will have Tone Specific Jazz pickups. Mighty wonderful.

No problems with my refill of Eliquis.

Only able to do 2 pull-ups for the third set, but let’s see how many more sets of two I can do.

Time to do a max set of push-ups.

So my mid section I feel residual tightness from the surgery still. The exercise seems to be loosening things up. Residual something. Been almost a month and a week since surgery.

I’m dropping off “Maggie” downtown. She is meeting up with a friend. Time to plug in. Maybe I’ll bring up another amp from the basement.

I’m enjoying my recovery. Lots of relaxing, and I am moving forward and steadily advancing on the guitar.

A new neck to exploit the Bigsby on the DeMarinio is a Godsend. EZ-PZ and not a big deal. This will be a mighty cool Esquire.

When I drop off Maggie, I think I will get some strings. Thinking of doing a pickup change on the DeMarino. Also there are the incoming bodies…

Cal
 
DOW is now down 750 points: consumer sentiment dropped.

A second wave that will reinforce the negative consumer sentiment is a “reverse” wealth effect that happens when the stock markets drop.

I expect more dropping…

The set of used Jazz Tone Specific pickups were delivered today. The leads for the neck and middle pickups might be a bit of a challenge because the hot signal leads might be a tad short. No big deal…

I managed to find parking downtown, so I stopped at my local music store and bought some picks and strings. The brand I use are “DR’s” Pure-Blues that are nickel strings for that old school sound. The heaviest gauge they had was 11-52, but know that I play 12-54’s.

Tomorrow I expect the baritone neck, and I figure the added 3 1/8 inch scale length with 11-52’s will have more tension, so going down a gauge likely will be good.

Take note that 12-54’s are mucho heavy strings for an electric, except for Jazzer’s who want more bottom end and midrange. It is a bit crazy setting up a Strat or Tele with 12’s. Not many do this, and if they do like Tim Lerch, they tune down a whole or half step to relieve tension.

I play 12’s at full pitch.

Cal
 
The DOW closed down very close to 750 points. Between yesterday and today a big slide. Ouch. Could be a turning/pivot point of sorts built on negative consumer sentiment, then the wealth effect of a overly bullish market rackets down like a staicase.

Then there is a slowdown, FED firings, and layoff announcements…

Tomorrow I should be getting a Strat gold anodized aluminum pickguard delivery. I can mount the Jazz pickups that got delivered today. I like moving forward.

Seems like the max sets takes me down a few notches. I could use a nap. Abusing coffee as a medicinal treatment to speed up and enhance bladder control. Evidently coffee is a bladder irritant and it is recommended to lay off or quit coffee for a while until bladder control is regained.

Pretty much my bladder capacity and stream force have both increased.

Today’s first set of sloppy/fast pushups remain at a ceiling of 50. I’ll do my second set shortly, and because of mucho rest I expect another 50. The third set maybe only 45, but I’ll try and get to 50 again.

Might not do squats today with weights. I don’t want to go to bed too early, and I need to get a few more hours of practice in on the guitar.

Cal
 
Just over a month into his second-term and the markets look to be in a serious downturn. The futures today look to a more than 750 point drop on the DOW. Monday looks to be another red screen.

People voted for this…

Bozo figured out Russia invaded Ukraine. It is funny, and also not funny. Madness…

Yesterday only did a second set of 45 pushups and called it quits. My body is taunt today. I lost a lot of strength during that month of recovery.

I missed lurking on that auction for the Tiffany Blue Tele. Oh-well…

Another idea is just utilize the Sonic Blue Thinline with the baritone neck, could be a bridge until this sorts itself out on its own. A bonus is the roasted maple Tele neck can be recycled for building out the incoming 2-tone burst Tele.

Also figured out that if I stuff the anodized pickguard with the Jazz pickups, that the white single ply pickguard can be stuffed with the Blues pickups. Both pickguards are 8-hole so pretty much modular so they could be easily exchanged in perhaps the relic’ed black hardtail Strat. This is a very cool idea.

No urgency, and a relaxed manner is always enjoyable. Pretty much a clever allocation of resources.

That one-piece vintage Tele body I placed by the radiator in my guitar room. Instead of roasting, I’m kinda toasting the bare wood body driving off moisture and I figure in a small way speeding up the aging process. Can’t hurt. There is no finish to help seal the wood.
Cal
 
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The local real estate market is soft. Asking prices are getting negotiated downward. Time on the market is not so long though, which I perceive that also the availability is tight at the same time.

Likely not the best time to sell, and seasonally this is the slow part of the year for home buying.

Cal
 
The 2-tone burst Tele body will get delivered today. Happy-happy.

I have a lot of the hardware, and I just need a neck pickup to complete the body assembly.

This is a vintage 50’s style and has a moderate amount of distressing.

Some sad news is that DR a string maker I favor for their retro nickle strings no longer makes the heavy 12-52 gauge set with a plain “G” string. A plain “G” is easier for bending, and pretty much I have to modify the saddles on a Tele to get the G-string to intonate, meaning play in tune up the neck.

On the other hand the tone from a wound “G” string has more depth and warmth. I have a stockpile of these, I kinda loaded up the truck.

Have to look into possible other brand for the a plain “G” set. The blues…

I still feel residual tightness from the surgery in my torso. I’m being careful not to strain or overdo the strength training. In other words I’m not really fully recovered yet. I’ll see what I can do today.

That cheap 1-piece body is exciting. Pretty much aging t without a finish is a cool thing. I was day dreaming last night of adding a tummy cut and a forearm contour like a Strat that would add some comfort, be visually different, and lighten the body.

I have a Bakelite black pickguard that promotes the idea of making an evil black on black Tele or Esquire. A nice back burner project.

Cal
 
I checked out D’Addario and they offer a nice nickle set, but the guages on the wound strings are a tad lighter, and also the “G” is wound.

Seems like I have to devolve to a 11-48 set to get an unwound “G.” By luck the other day bought three sets of my DR’s 11-48 as a hedge, but now it seems that it was foresight.

So another evolutionary step and advancement. I’ll use 11-48 on some guitars for blues and bending, and 12-52 with a wound “G” for Jazz for the increased richness and warmth.

EZ-PZ. Moving forward and advancing a lot every day.

The D’Addario’s I will revisit. Perhaps their 11 gauge nickel set is worth trying out. I think there also could be some cost savings.

Cal
 
Pretty interesting that Bozo the President took 3-years to learn that Russia invaded Ukraine. Pretty much Bozo is a slow learner.

How dumb are Americans that voted for this clown. Don’t forget that McDonald’s supported him in campaigning. I guess Ronald McDonald and hime are friends, and both have orange hair.

Around 10:30 the 2-tone Tele body was delivered. I am pleased. My only criticism is that the buffing out was a quick job that still displays the swirling. Pretty much a down and dirty that is just a production job. A finished buffing is really needed. Not a problem since I have abrasive optical polishing cloth from Grumman that is 12,000 grit.

Just use some water as a lubricant, and I can hand polish out the swirl marks leftover from the rough buffing. Oh-well.

This body was cheap. “$261.00. The opening bid was $250.00. I got lucky and no one really competed against me.

Cal
 
I only used 3200 grit optical polishing cloth to polish the 2-tone burst Tele. I didn’t want to gloss it up like a new guitar.

Installed the hardware I had on hand. I need a neck pickup, and then I can wire it up. This Tele is looking mighty cool.

Went to CVS to use some coupons that will expire in two days, Saved around $4.50. Got a new coupon for 30% off a single item. We needed toilet paper, and when I went to pickup my refill for Eliquis they didn’t have the Scotts that is pleated, but today I secured the last one on the shelf.

Shop right will have a sale on this beginning Sunday. Limit of four 18 pack rolls. I’ll load up the truck because the price is about half.

Today still only able to do 3 pull-ups as a set.

Cal
 
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