NYC Journal

5 pull-ups again, and a walk to the downtown and back. Tomorrow and Wednesday a high in the low 60’s. More walking…

I worked on Korina and installed a Brandon wound pickup that is modeled after a Charlie Christian pickup, but is housed in a Humbucker configuration.

Converted over to a wound “G.”

This guitar has a very Gibson vibe and mucho sustain. Likely my heaviest guitar also, a bit of a porker, but the tone is really warm. The African Limba (Korina) is a wood that sounds a lot like mahogany, but with an upper midrange “sheen” or clarity. Mahogany is known for a deep fundamental and a lot of midrange warmth with dampened highs.

On this guitar I adjusted the pickup close to the strings to recover brightness. The bridge pickup I’m using has this clarity that could be considered a bit hi-fi because it has extended range and maintains a lot of definition. On another guitar it might be considered too much of a good thing, but on Korina it is a great-great match.

The Charlie Christian pickup from this maker is underwound when compared to a Lollar version, and that makes for a slightly lower output, but also provides a bit more treble response. Charlie Christian pickups are very dark sounding with a lot of warmth and a deep throaty bass.

So like this guy Danocaster, I build “partscasters” at a very high level. Korina does the blues and Jazz really-really well in a plug and play manner. There is a very vocal quality to this guitar.

I wired it up with a 3-way switch for speed and simplicity, but I added a push-pull pot to provide a switching between the tone control and a treble bleed cap as a preset for a cocked-way sound. I have the tone control only hooked up to the bridge pickup, and on the mahogany like guitar I run the neck pickup with only the volume control. Remember that this is a rather dark sounding pickup.

So another great guitar. This guy Danocaster is a shop of 4 or 5 guys and they kinda do vintage style recreations. I’m kinda doing the experimenting to dial in the perfect combinations with all my modular tweaking. As things evolve I learn a lot, but I also make great discoveries. Korina is a great example of finding the ideal combination.

I am very pleased.

Today I saw that Northern Harrier again. Because of the white belly I think it is a male.

Another name for the Northern Harrier is Marsh Hawk. Slightly smaller than a Red Tail Hawk. The Red Tail has a 4 1/2 foot wingspan, and the Marsh Hawk only 4 feet. They nest on the ground. Seems like I have a Marsh Hawk as a neighbor.

Cal
 
62 degrees expected as a high today. Walking causes bladder seepage at times. Hmmm…

Only a little, but enough to be annoying. So walking is a bit of a challenge.

In digging into Danocaster, here is a guy with 4 other guys, making partscasters at a high level that have the vintage vibe. He states on his web site that lighter ash and alder is getting harder to find. I’m glad that in my stable I kinda have that already resolved.

I have noticed that the body weight has creeped up over 4 1/2 pounds and even approaches 5 pounds on the availability bodies from MJT and Bloom Doom.

I’m thinking of adding a tummy cut and a forearm contour like a Strat onto the one piece alder body I have that weighs in at 4 1/4 pounds. I’d like to get the body down below 4 pounds. It would look cool also. An orbital Milwaukee battery powered sander makes it EZ-PZ.

The black hardtail Strat body is 3 pounds 11 ounces, and certainly this Strat will be light in weight.

Hoping today I can get that PET scan scheduled.

A red screen today, and Bozo is using the word “recession” to further unnerve the markets. Seems like he is bullying workers. About half the working population now has fear of job loss. Of course this kills consumer confidence…

We are all caught in a Trump Spiral…

Last night had the chance to plug in Korina and adjust the pickups. A very vocal guitar, and it has a deep and dark voice. The neck pickup is great for playing single note leads, crazy good. The two pickups together kinda kills, and the bridge is wonderful. The push-pull for the bleed cap scoops rather than chops the treble in an interesting way.

Know that the tone control and bleed circuit are only hooked up to the bridge pickup. Pretty much all that is needed. I think I might change out the tone cap to a 0.02 uf for more swing and less roll-off. The tone knob basically likes to be turned all the way up. Maybe even a 0.015 uf cap for a woman tone…

Cal
 
The losses on the red screen in the Pre-Markets just went deeper. Could be an ugly day…

Meanwhile I found an available neck for the 3 pound 11 ounce hardtail Strat body. Initially I was fixed on getting another roasted maple neck, but I found one that is in stock that meets my size requirements, but appears to be quarter sawn. Somehow the upgrade to quarter sawn is not reflected in the price for my savings.

Quarter sawn wood is more stable, and stronger in one direction. Pretty much wood is a bit like a graphite composite where long fibers are aligned and glued together. On quarter sawn necks the strength is aligned directly against the string tension, so the neck is stiff in an optimal way.

The roasting process is a lot like making charcoal: high heat in an oxygen deprived oven to prevent combustion. The volatiles and moisture is removed and a sort of petrifaction takes place. The glue (cellulose) becomes stronger and brittle. The result is stability and added strength, bit the trade off is likely chipping when having to refret.

The work around from this is have a rosewood or other wood as a fingerboard, or use stainless steel frets that have mucho long life and wear like iron.

In my experience this stiffness adds in a layer of articulation and brightness. A guitar with a quarter sawn neck seems more responsive, more articulate. And with a stronger bolder attack. The downside over a roasted maple neck is that a finish is required, and of course this is a different feel than a “naked” neck.

Oh-well.

I am pleased… I saved money… I used patience to get what I wanted, and I ended getting to preview the somewhat finished product. I could tell by the grain and experience that it certainly is quarter sawn.

This neck has a rosewood fingerboard, and the hardtail Strat is getting built out as an early transitional 1959. The single ply pickguard has 1959 style pickups for blues, and in a period correct manner I have a gold anodized aluminum pickguard loaded with my 1969 Jazz style pickups.

The idea with 2 loaded pickguards is to have one guitar be convertible between blues and Jazz.

Lacquer finish can be very thin, and it will wear in fast even though it is a hard finish. Won’t take long to match the beat up finish (black) on the body to look played in. Should be awesome.

Cal
 
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Seems like the “trap-door” I predicted is happening with the DOW down over 1000 points and breaching 42,000.

There goes the wealth effect… With lower markets Americans will feel less rich and affluent… Did consumer sentiment make a nose-dive?

Very unlikely that the FED or the Orange House and BOZO will come to rescue the markets.

So how likely is it that the slowdown in first quarter of 2025 continues for another quarter. Pretty probable, and there is momentum and uncertainty, pointing to a probable second quarter of 2025 being a further contraction of the economy. Two consecutive quarters of negative growth defines a recession.

How long will it last? Bozo has more than 3 1/2 years in office… Then American households hold a record amount of debt. 1.2 Trillion in credit card debt alone held by consumers. Then there is the Federal debt and deficit…

Then there is the possibility of a looming government shutdown…

Is Bozo ready to default on the U.S. debt obligations?

***************

So I now have an appointment for my PET scan: March 21st. I have to set up an appointment to see my urologist for after the scan.

***************

Went for a longer walk today. Lots of weeping of the bladder. Seems like walking aggravates something, so it likely is a good exercise to do for bladder control. A key thing that helps prevent weeping, is to try and have an empty bladder. Sloshing of liquid seems to lead to leaks.

Now I’m doing repeated max sets of pull-ups. Did a set of 5, then 3, and another 3. Will likely do more untill I can’t do 3 anymore in a set.

Tomorrow I’ll do max sets of pushups.

Another day I’ll do max sets of squats with a pair of 30 pound dumbells.

The idea here is to deplete all the glycogen stored in my muscles, so energy/calories go to restore these reserves. The idea here is to “starve” the Cancer.

I know from working in a famous Cancer Hospital that Cancer needs lots of food/energy/calories to grow. Sugars are the worse thing you can eat. There is a lot of vascularization and blood vessels to supply a tumor food.

So I know I can deplete and divert energy from the tumors through strength exercise. A high priority for my body is to replace the stores of glycogen.

**************

I’m really happy with the old school sound I get from Korina. Very thick sound with mucho warmth. I’ll try it in the Vintage 47 amp next with all octal tubes. Should be even more of a throwback in retro sound like the old blues records. Think Chess Records from the 30’s, 40’s, and 50’s.

Playing this guitar, named Korina, is more akin to playing a horn or a sax. This guitar “honks.” Another way to describe the sound is thick and greasy. Playing up the neck the note kinda howl. Makes for a great blues sound that is mucho old school. Very much driving the amp without an overdrive, fuzz, or any pedals.

The sound comes from my hands. What a great tone.

Cal
 
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Canada is imposing a 25% tariff on electricity exports. This is reported to effect about 1.5 million households in northern border states like New York and Minnesota.

The average American household that will be effected by this electrical energy tariff is said to cost an additional $100.00 to each monthly bill.

Worse is if Canada decides to stop exporting this electricity.

Go Canada. Go full blown hockey mode.

Pretty much I see voters who voted for BOZO taking the hit. “Ha-ha,” I say.

I say, “When you have someone by the balls use a vice-grip and don’t forget to twist.”

Cal

POST SCRIPT: The third state effected is Michigan.
 
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How-Weird Lutnick says, “There will be no recession in America.”

This is the Commerce Secretary on Team Orange.

Where do they find these people? We already have one bad first quarter, and if you see the clear trend in consumer debt levels, the amount of uncertainty and lack of job security, and likely continued inflation…

“Look out below…”

Cal
 
Calzone said:
Is Bozo ready to default on the U.S. debt obligations?

Cal
Click to expand...
Of course he is! Look at the obligations which Congress approved last year for services already rendered! All those bills are going unpaid. Of course this mass of chewed bubblegum will lean to default. Look at his lawsuits in the private sector from before he took office the first time, many were about not paying for work already done.

Phil
 
CitiBank downgrades U.S. Stocks.

A CPI report comes out tomorrow, Wednesday. How bad is inflation, and the real question is can and will the FED do anything?

Some headlines suggest a watch and wait… Pretty much that is my guess, and I would think the CPI is a bigger number suggesting inflation increased.

Of course food and energy are not included, but Premium gas at my Moble station is a dime more a gallon than a month ago. Of course eggs are at crazy prices.

Cal
 
Almost 480 points down on the DOW today…

Some saber rattling over trade tariffs between Canada and the U.S. involving doubling the 25% tare-if? From the U.S. on aluminum and steel, and Canada imposing a 25% tariff on exported electricity.

Canada is playing the “tare-if?” Game also. The electricity tariff has been rescinded already.

So now a poker game…

The grandson was with us today. Used child labor and exploited his fascination with tools to do some yard work at a child’s pace. Raked out some beds, trimmed some brush, pruned back a bit some evergreens.

Uncovered a 10 foot by 3 foot bed of Daffodils that was buried under my leaf mulch that was over a foot deep. I uncovered rather advanced yellow leaves, so the bed of mulch encouraged early growth. There will be a huge early bloom. Last year was a feast.

“Maggie” has the Pulsatile Tinnitus, and pretty much it is due to an elongation of the Corota artery with either a bend or curve. We need the follow up, but the Internet suggests an increased possible risk of stroke in some cases.

So we have another medical issue to tackle.

Cal
 
A little stiff, but not sore from 5 pull-ups and gardening. Looks like a rainy weekend coming along with milder temperatures.

At 8:30 AM today the CPI report. Currently the pre-market futures are mildly positive. The halving of the Education Department is indicative of further slow downs. Expect also future funding costs in education, all part of the slowdown that is happening in slow-motion.

People don’t realize how it takes time for things to add up and filter into the real world and economy.

Talked with a friend who had prostate Cancer 4 years ago last night. The hormone treatment in him created breasts. He is overweight though… Sometimes this happens naturally in older men as a product of aging. He is 65.

So I might become really a skinny bitch from the ADT. No joke…

Cal
 
It is 10:20, and the DOW made the turn into the red, as the other indexes moved lower.

I suspect traders are selling into the rallies to unload.

Realize that “smart money” knows and understand how slowdowns and recessions take time to become evident.

Panic and uncertainty still persist…

In another report they noted how defaults on car loans are getting worse, and how late payments on credit cards have advanced and are not limited to just the poor anymore, they extend well into the middle class. This report suggests that the average unpaid balance on credit cards is now $10K.

Wall Street and the markets in the past discounted defaults on payments and loans, because in the past it was mostly the poor, who don’t really count in a Capitalistic economy, but today that extends well into the middle income class.

Pretty much financial stress…

Cal
 
In the Pre-Markets the DOW was up only 11 points, and the other indexes mildly in the red. Another day of turmoil, and I suspect more selling if there is any rallying to take down the markets further.

While D-U speaks of mental illness, don’t forget the influence of a drug that has the street name “Special K” that is used to maintain a maniac that is out of control (Elan Musk).

Yesterday, I used Reverb to locate a Fralin set of Blues Special pickups used that happen to be at my local guitar shop. I negotiated a lower price, saved on shipping and also avoided sales tax. Being patient works, and I love recycling. Pretty much saved money and found a bargain.

Then the speculator in me found a Fender Duo-Sonic guitar for the grandson at the guitar shop at an attractive price point, a real guitar that has a short 24 inch scale with 2 pickups.

I too negotiated the price lower, and avoided sales tax with a cash deal.

The guitar has a neck stamp of Dec 2019 and was made in Mexico. It has a gold anodized pickguard that is a mighty cool feature, and changed/upgraded tuners and a three saddle bridge to make it resemble a 1959 Duo-Sonic.

Know that 1959 Duo-Sonics though had UBER short 22 1/2 inch scales, and they sell $2K-$4K depending on condition and originality.

In the past I owned a 1959 Fender Music Master. It was basically the same as a Duo-Sonic, but came with only one pickup, but mine someone upgraded to add the second pickup. Boy do I have remorse and miss my Music Master. If I remember correctly I bought it for $300.00. It would be the ideal guitar for the grandson.

So the grandson is only 2 1/2, so pretty much I will save this Duo-Sonic for him and hide it, perhaps for a few years. Julian Lage, a great Jazz guitarist, started playing at the age of 5, and by the time he was 8 he was playing gigs.

This kid has the personality to be a “frontman.”

Cal
 
A red screen persists. Interesting to note that all the indexes “gapped” lower than yesterday’s close. Also none of the indexes breached today yesterday’s close so far and it is close to 11:00 AM.

Not too encouraging, even though the losses are not so bold. This could trigger something later in the day…

In February inflation did moderate. Two spins on this: first is the consumer is either tired or retrenching after the 2024 year end binge; and uncertainty, job loss, job security worries, and worry are slowing down the economy.

I think the main real explanation is the economy is slowing down, by the two above spins.

Don’t forget the adage “A rising tide raises all ships.” This is true regardless of wealth or income, but also the converse is true. Surely an inverse wealth effect is happening as the stock markets either enter or approach correction territory.

Cal
 
You can’t have Capitalism without capitol.

So a headline is where to invest when the U.S. is failing.

A few years ago, China had a flight of capitol, and it kinda crushed them.

Here we are in the same situation, but this is not geo-political, but a self inflicted wound.

Who will invest here, surely not the Canadians. Who will buy our debt/bonds?

So when this happens, to attract buyers, bond rates have to go up. Do you think interest rates are high now, just wait…

Can you see how stagflation is cultivated.

Cal
 
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