NYC Journal

[Nokton48]

Morning Devil Cal,

HOLY GRAIL 150mm Voigtlander 15cm F4.5 Apo Lanthar Plaubel Maxiflex Auto Aperture by Nokton48, on Flickr

This for me is like finding the HOLY GRAIL of Plaubel Makiflex; I purchased a decent set (just teeniest bit of edge seperation dreaded) LANTHANIUM elements or some such. I've seen a few over the decades, Ken Ruth (famous repair Guy) warned me over very long phone conversation. He got a Maki Apo Lanthar all the way from MILAN to California; he couldn't fix it! He told me to BEWARE seperation in the 15cm Apo Lanthar. This one will not affect optical performance at all I believe. I'll get a Medium Yellow Filter and Rubber Hood to finish this. I bought the cells for 225BP, in a Linhof Compur I put on a Norma board. Recently I purchased this Auto Aperture marked F5.5, I have no idea what it fit. Well it seems to be VERY similar to the Linhof Compur in terma of construction. The image at infinity on the Auto Makkiflex is razor acute sharp on the glass, it appears a perfect match. The F/Stop Band will need to be re-calibrated, that's doable. So HAPPY I bought this for a great deal. I'm so bad. Hee Hee.

 

[Calzone]

Devil Dan,

That Lanthanium glass is radioactive I believe. Am I correct?

Anyways that camera looks “boss.”

What is the format? I kinda want to know how 150 mm translates into FOV.

Also all those side knobs have me wondering. I assume this is a 4x5???

Anyways that camera surely is a standout. Mighty attractive.

Cal

 

[Nokton48]

Yep it's radioactive, some turn yellow, this one is clear. 9x9cm on 4x5, or 9x9cm on 9x12cm, I do both depending on the film.

Truly a camera for the Atomic Age! Introduced 1962ish gone by 1965.

9x9 is my preferred format full frame. But it also takes 6.5x9cm Plaubel Makina Backs, and Makina Plates, too.

150 is slightly longish, perfect for Fashion, for which it was intended. And for reportage.

This works like a European version of the Auto Graflex Super D. Cock the iris, it stops down, then the focal plane goes. These cameras have ODOMETERS on them. This one has been fired 28,000 times, that's no beeg deal. They just go and go.

 

[Calzone]

So in November in Virginia there will be An election for Governor. Presently a Republican is seated, but know and understand that many-many government workers reside in Virginia.

Opps, is this a self inflicted wound that will cause endless bleeding? James Carville thinks so who is a political strategist.

BTW he recommends for the Democrats to stay on the sidelines as protest a opposition builds. Pretty much don’t get hit by the freight train that is building momentum.

He used an expression that suggests keeping your ammo dry, and that the Orange House footing likely will encounter strong foundational damage “sooner than later.”

I would add that the Chinese expression “Time is the best weapon.”

In the news they say that 25% of Americans are being conscious of big companies that were Trump endorsers and supporters. I mentioned Target and them abandoning DEI has cost them dearly. The shareholders filed a lawsuit.

For more than a decade I had profiled Jeff Bezos as being anti labor, immoral, and just a plainly bankrupt person. Meanwhile “Maggie” is an Amazon Prime member…

Maggie cited a writer who wrote something in 2020 that today seems visionary, meanwhile when I pointed out evil over a decade ago it got ignored. I did a “told you so” today but I did not enforce why my vision and profiling held no weight.

So a clock is ticking… This November expect some structural change and damage to occur against MAGA.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

Devil Dan,

I have a Plaubel 69W with a 47 Super Angulon. Pretty much an ultra wide 6x9, only 8 shots per roll of 120.

I love the way this thing loads film. EZ-PZ.

Also has shifts…

Had the opportunity to buy the center-filter, but I passed. Oh-well

Them Plaubels are mucho cool.

Cal

 

[Nokton48]

These cameras tend to go North of a Grand, they are collectables, like Barnacks, but larger format. Plaubel advertised them as "The Rolls Royce of Photography". And also "The World's Smallest View Camera". So very Leica-like in that aspect, I know about eight or ten people that own and use these. They are great fun! And easy to carry around.

 

[Calzone]

Devil Dan,

I like the concept of being a Barnack on steroids. LOL.

In a ways like carrying around Baby Linhofs and getting a free gym membership. Over the top, yet practical.

Pretty much wisdom, free bonus, and pretty much a cult like quality that is mighty cool.

So I have to ask because we are pretty much seem to have the same personality and DNA. Were you born in January? I wonder if we are like Danny Divito and Arnold in that film “Twins.”

We even have similar taste. Same backyard layout. We feed birds and foster wildlife…

Cal

 

[Nokton48]

Nope I'm a Libra/Scorpio born in 1958. We built a stone patio last year, looking forward to using it, so doggone hot it was.
I call my feeder "The Taj Mahal". It gets swarmed, thanks to the woods. Started modestly, then I got tired of replacing stuff.
Plumbers pipe and concrete from Home Cheapo, planted it extra deep, the winds here could knock it down and break things...

 

[Calzone]

Devil Dan,

Same age: 1958…

So we are not twins.

Anyways you have a lot of style.

BTW “Maggie” has said that I don’t have any style, and my response is “Having no style and not following trends is a style indeed.”

So you know that baritone neck I got a deal on: muy cheapo… Well that led to me finding another deal on mucho expensive Tone Specific pickups like the ones I love that are in the Candy Apple Red flashy Strat that I just built used sold at a huge discount. I’m in love with that new Strat, “Don’t tell Maggie.”

So I think I will name the new Strat “Flash” because it is flashy. The grandson I think has his eye on this guitar, so one day I might have to give it up. He is 2 1/2 years old, so in the meantime I get to enjoy it.

So I discovered a MJT strat body that has a lighter treatment of aging on it: Tiffany Blue. The baritone neck has Arizona Turquoise fingerboard inlays, and if I add a gold anodized aluminum pickguard, “Tiffany” with kinda look like a piece of jewelry.

Know that Fender did not offer this greenish blue.

So you see how things snowball.

So looks like it is “Divine Intervention” beyond my self control, that led to a lucky and odd string of either bad behavior or odd and strange luck.

A baritone Tiffany Blue Strat is a crazy idea, and it seems like I’m being led by outside forces that are not evil. Hmmm…

The entire idea of a baritone Strat is kinda crazy, even bizarre.

Know that the baritone neck not only came with the turquoise inlays for free, it also comes with bird’s eye for free. Then the headstock is a reversed righty al la Jimi Hendrix.

So pretty much I am a weak man guided by pure impulse. Call me “romantic.” I am suspicious though that some odd force though is guiding me. This gets kinda crazy.

Soon Maggie will go shopping for a Communion Dress for the grand daughter. The grandson is like me in that he annoys people. LOL.

So kinda like Devil Dan and me it is not genes. Perhaps it is unique bad behavior.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

Devil Dan,

I have to say that Plaubel is rather haunting and charming. Mighty good looking…

I wonder if you too are a vain guy like me. LOL. I know profiling is wrong, but…

So to honor my grandfather who was executed in China, who was a murderer who killed the loan shark that burnt down his store and ruined him because of his gambling, I too will take a risk and do a double gamble.

Or anyways perhaps do a three way approach.

One thing is I could hit the BIN and secure the MJT Tiffinany Blue body for $399.00…

I could also let the guitar go to auction with a starting bid of $250.00…

Then I have a backup plan to exploit buying a custom ordered Sonic Blue Strat body in a “Closet Classic” condition. This would cost $xxx.XX, there would be a delayed gratification, but the sonic blue would echo and be well matched against the sonic blue Thinline that also has a gold anodized aluminum pickguard.

In the end the third option might be the best, but it is also the costliest. Hmmm

Maybe worth the gamble to bid at auction, because I have a backup plan. Then I have a few days to see how much that body is worth to me. I kinda love the Tiffany Blue because it is different and novel… Hmmm Saving money seems wise, but I also want to be happy…

The aging on the MJT is kinda on the light side, which I kinda like.

So I kinda have three ways to proceed. I’m kinda hedged with two backup plans. My thinking is to avoid surprise, but is it worth the gamble? Is time my friend? Is being impulsive or cheap worth the bother? Should I just bite the bullet and pay extra to move forward since I more than made up on savings in other areas? Should I be greedy or cheap?

So I calculate the risks…

Am I making you dizzy with my spin of thoughts?

Anyone want to bet on the outcome? Remember my grandfather was a gambler…

I guess there is still a big part of me that is a child. I like playing games, and my curious mind loves to dream and calculate. Also know that I am gifted in pattern recognition.

So off to my studio to plug in while “Maggie” is off with the kids.

Cal

 

[Nokton48]

No Money is Good. My Olde Boss always said "There is always a better deal down the road".
I buy parts and create partial projects, for as little as possible. Especially now this seems to me a very smart strategy. Stuff falls from the tree. During Covid I bought a lot of Sinar Stuff, nobody was doing much so it became a sub project.

 

[Calzone]

Devil Dan,

Good advice.

Thanks.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

I’m in love with my assortment of tube amps. Pretty much tone heaven

I don’t like the Victoria though with just one tube to go low power. The sound to me gets thin in the bass. Woof tones in the bass if you play like me with heavy attack and big strings.

But with a pair of 6v6’s and a low voltage 5Y3 rectofier mucho great. Kinda has a tweed flavor, meaning lots of warm mids. Muy bueno.

The two new custom color guitars, the Strat and the Thinline, love the three amps currently set up in my studio. Does not get much better than this.

Had a lot of fun plugging in.

So my strength didn’t fade too much. Can still do 50 sloppy push ups in a set. My chest is puffy again.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

The U.S. gets 28% of its motor vehicles from Japan. Since October there has been a surge of imports from Japan. Rueters reports that this is likely automobiles trying to get imported before tariffs are implemented.

Then I see that these are the many of the cars that the big three automakers in the U.S. don’t build. I’m talking compact cars and sub compact cars.

I bought a “last one” 8-hole Fender 50’s style Strat gold anodized pickguard for the blue Strat (Either Tiffany or Sonic Blue).

Hardware, bridge and tuners are no bottleneck…

I contacted Warmoth and added to my order to save on shipping. Ordered some nuts of which one will be another LSR roller nut for the baritone neck.

So things are moving right along.

I kinda learned that there is a limit to the Victoria Regal for me, but that limit is either a pair of 6v6’s or a pair of 6L6’s. To me Victoria builds beefier more durable mostly tweed Fender clones. Surely I could use other octal output tubes, but pretty much that really isn’t the Fender sound. At least the Fender sound I want to hear.

Cal

 

[Phil_F_NM]

No bike ride to work yesterday.
Got up as usual, morning routine, etc.
Checked the train schedule and the 7:04 train on the Doylestown line was cancelled. Turns out there was a fire at an aircraft parts manufacturer just two blocks away from a major hub/choke point on the regional rail. The fire led to an explosion (that's what happens when you pour water on burning aluminum and magnesium) which caused it to continue all day. There was an evacuation order within a few blocks and a shelter in place order for a mile radius.
Anyway, the trains were all stopped and there was no way I could get to work, and more importantly, no way I could get home.
The fire and its aftermath have closed three train stations in that mile radius, but they are back to a modified schedule.
So today I'm going to try to finish building my Miyata 610 in it's third iteration, as a medium touring bike, so I have something to use in case public transit has me stuck again. I think that was $300 lost. If I had started riding at 6:11 AM when I was heading out the door to 30th St station, I would have made it to work on time. Frozen, but on time. I can't be riding the fixed gear Rotrax path racer 22 miles, at least not at my current level of fitness. There's a 600 foot climb from the Schuylkill River up to Cheltenham, so I need the ability to shift. So today I'm hoping to finish the Miyata, my old faithful touring bike, just to be prepared.
Phil

 

[Calzone]

Phil,

Go with the flow. That’s all we can do…

How steep is that 600 foot climb? Blue Mountain BTW has a 600 foot peak.

Always good to have a plan “B.”

Cal

 

[Calzone]

Tariff talking placed the indexes in the red, but gold and oil are up as uncertainty is a concern.

Nikola the EV maker filed for bankruptcy/Chapter 11. Separately the other day Southwest Airlines announced 1750 senior management layoffs.

Slow motion is happening…

I feel the tightness in my upper body. I also feel the late day warmth in my body as my metabolism increases to rebuild tissue from the exercise. A certain glow of sorts that is consuming calories. I know my body.

Seems like an evolution is going on, it looks like my bladder has a capacity that is increasing. I have less urgent needs to pee, and when I do I’m surprised by the increase in volume. I feel less urgency, and there seems to be less leakage. Know that during the day I poop a lot, and this can aggravate the accidental leaking.

So I’m not really dealing with incontenence here, but leakages…

The report is that the grandson is a bit of a persona. With his mom and dad or sister, or in public he has a strut and an attitude. When alone with “Maggie” an me he is a good boy, but will his parents he is a bit of a hell-raiser.

He has natural rhythm and is a great dancer. I could name him “Hollywood” because he is that good looking.

He is a big pest to his sister who is now 10.

We will have the kids tomorrow. Will be interesting to see which of my guitars is his favorite. I think it is between the guitar known as “Worm” that is kinda beat up and is made of old barn wood, or the new Candy Apple Red Strat newly named as “Flash.”

Let’s see…

Cal

 

[Calzone]

I’m following Devil Dan’s advice and am thinking about going the saving money, which is different than “cheaping-out.”

Cheaping-out often leads to remorse and at times later upgrades. I try to buy things in a “one-and done” manner so that actually less is more, and to kinda future proof possessions so they have a long-term future.

So with that in mind the idea of perhaps building out a Strat hardtail, meaning a Strat without a “Tremolo” makes a lot of sense. I have a vintage Strat Callahan hardtail bridge on hand and in house. A new Callahan tremolo bridge is mucho expensive, and the “Flash” already is a Strat with a Trem.

A hardtail generally is a lighter in weight Strat because of the lack of steel inertia block. The strings mount through the body like Tele, so pretty much it has a Tele like vibe, the tone has more of an attack, and hardtails also sustain more and have less decay.

Pretty much a hardtail is a different animal…

So the baritone neck has Arizona Turquoise inlays/position markers, and needs a blue bodied guitar. The Sonic Blue Thinline fits the ticket, although if I secure the body known as “Tiffany” it would be mucho cooler, but that auction is about 5-days from now.

Meanwhile later this afternoon a black Strat hardtail is being auctioned just after lunch. The gold anodized pickguard would look great on this Strat. Hmmm…

Then the surplus neck off the Sonic Blue Thinline could get recycled to the 2-tone alder burst Tele that will be deliver either today or tomorrow.

The Thinline would become the baritone guitar; Sonic Blue body (a light baby-blue); turquoise inlays.

So let’s see how destiny plays out…

Cal

 

[Calzone]

Devil Dan’s advice paid off. It made me rethink things.

So I am the owner of a lightweight black Strat hardtail body, that will utilize a bridge I have on hand and in house. This will save money

Bonus is that this body only weighs 3 pounds 11 ounces, and because of no inertia block I expect it to be about 7 pound Strat or maybe under.

The initial bid was $275.00 and that’s what I paid. Add in the tax and shipping and it adds up to be $325.00. Oh-well…

So I like the idea of a hardtail, the likely total half pound or more in weight savings is a big bonus, that held a $25.00 surcharge on the initial bid. Oh-well, I’d pay for this anyday.

There is a great amount of missing paint on the forearm contour and a generous amount of edge chipping to make the body look like it has decades of abuse/wear. The gold anodized 50’s era pickguard will be an eye-popper.

So looks like the baritone neck will go on the sonic blue Thineline. The bonus here is that the roasted maple neck with rosewood fingerboard will get recycled to the 2-tone burst body that now will be delivered this Saturday.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

The Economic Boycott dates for “No-Buy” are: February 28th; and now April 18th.

Just like I thought: a monthly event.

Not so hard to at least show unity. Then there are separate economic boycotts that target some companies during certain weeks.

A new form of economic protest and democracy is forming, and it exploits capitalism.

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

Took a ride to do some shopping and get more bird feed. We don’t mind the ride up past Fishkill to Wappanger. Adam’s Fair Acres has great whole bean coffee, and we were critically low.

$8.00 a dozen for Jumbo eggs. Ouch…

I enjoyed coffee and had no bladder issues or leakage. This is another rather dramatic advancement. I wonder if this is because I started doing strength exercises. Hmmm…

If tariffs on cars is more than bluster it will be big trouble. Food from Mexico if tariffed is another big problem. Still the markets are “La-La-La…”

When will the music stop? Pretty much it is like a child’s game of “Musical Chairs.”

From my view the FED and Powell are propping up the stock markets. Pretty much I expect eventually a “Trap-Door” effect, then a “look out below” moment where things are good, until they are not.

La-La-La, will be followed by a reality check, then the oh-well moment.

Then a slow-motion economy with likely stagflation. Dumb Americans voted for this…

Cal