NYC Journal

[Calzone]

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

 

[Calzone]

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

 

[Calzone]

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

 

[Calzone]

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

 

[Calzone]

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

 

[Calzone]

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

 

[Calzone]

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

 

[Calzone]

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

 

[Calzone]

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

 

[Calzone]

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

 

[Calzone]

I confirmed that I saw a Northern Harrier roosting in a tree on my walk to CVS. I stood 20 feet away so I had a good long view before he or she flew off.

On my way home I spotted the Harrier again roosted high in a tree.

From the coloring I think it was a male, which is smaller than the female. It had a white belly.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

Tiffany the Strat is gone. Oh-well…

Right now doing 3 pull-ups and 50 pushups in one set is enough to beat me up after my layoff.

Pretty much now will be just doing one max set of each every day. Maybe tomorrow I’ll add in a max set of squats with two 30 pound dumbells for ballast.

The tension and tightness in my torso is gone, so something positive.

My guitar room has about 10 electric guitars laying around. looks mucho cool. The 2-tone tele will be a looker.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

I like the afterglow and the tautness after doing a max set of pushups and pull-ups, but even though I only takes a few seconds or about a minute it still takes a lot of motivation to do it.

Pretty much with pull-ups you kinda need to do them almost every day because there seems to be a rather fast decay in strength otherwise.

Doing a max set of pushups is kinda intense. It kinda stresses the body.

Call me vain, but I like what I see in the mirror.

Like I said my body feels great all day after I do this, so why do I lack motivation? Should be EZ-PZ. I guess I’m in retirement mode and now I really don’t want to work hard at anything except maybe the guitar…

Oh-well…

Leo Fender was a mucho cheap bastard. In the 50’s he did very thin lacquer finishes just to save on paint. The finishes were so thin that they were translucent, and pretty much you saw the grain of the wood underneath the finish. So particularly in the 1950’s these finishes got worn though rather quickly.

The thing is today that look is getting overplayed, and people extended that mucho heavy wear into the 60’s when the finishes got a bit thicker. The pre-1965 finishes were still thin, but thicker than 1950’s finishes.

In 1965 CBS bought Fender, and they made a change to Polyester finishes that are more durable, but thicker. They kinda seal the wood so it cannot age or breath the same as the nitro finishes, and they don’t age as pretty.

So MJT is criticized for perhaps having too thin a lacquer finish, and that it wears very quickly. I also read a review that suggested the polishing was kinda incomplete. I kinda would agree with that, and on the 2-tone burst I had to spend some time polishing the body with 3200 grit optical polishing cloth.

So I expect the same with the black hardtail Strat that is incoming. Oh-well. The relic’ing on the Strat is kinda advanced, maybe more than I would like, but I got this guitar body at the opening bid price. Oh-well. I like the 3 pounds 11 ounce weight, and since it will be a hardtail without a mucho heavy steel inertia block it could be perhaps a 6 pound Strat. Pretty light…

So the MJT bodies kinda have a 50’s vibe because of the thin finish. Then I have the Snakehead that pre-dates the development of the Telecaster from 1949.

This body has a distressed white lacquer finish, and the body is made from old barn wood that I think might be Douglas Fir. One-piece body that is a perfect slab cut, but it displays a dramatic cupping so that although a flat Tele shape, it really is an arched top guitar. This in itself is mucho cool. This guitar kinda plays itself, and the tone “honks” and speaks with authority.

So in total I kinda have these three distressed guitars. Since Tiffany sold at the BIN price, before the Monday auction, I think I’m done with MJT.

I think I love more the Closet Classic finishes at Bloom Doom. There are some up and coming bodies that are Sonic Blue which would work for me to create a baritone.

So a lot of style is developing as my playing advances.

One thing I have under my belt is strong hands and fingers. While I might not be the fastest player, I can play mucho heavy strings for tone and dynamics. I limit my bends to a whole step, so pretty much I’m not a rock and roller. My thick strings likely would be unplayable for other guitarists.

So now I’m thinking of advancing to setting up all my electrics with 12-52 gauge with a wound “G.” Not the best for bending, because of even more added string tension, but no real handicap for me. A wound “G” has a better tone and also added warmth.

So pretty much this reverts back in time to the early days of Jazz and Blues of the 1930’s and 1940’s. Pretty much that old school retro sound. I’m kinda there, and that’s a pretty big accomplishment. I have the amps that support “plug-and-play” also like they did in the old days. No pedals or effects.

So I am mighty pleased and happy. I have my path, and I’m kinda far along. Kinda impressive…

Cal

 

[Calzone]

Went to Shop Rite to load up on that Scott pleated/ribbed toilet paper and other groceries. One thing I rudely learned that lifting heavy bags leads to bladder leakage. Oh-well…

The strength exercise takes off the edge, and I do feel like an old man, kinda lazy.

I figured out what I like/love a Fralin Blues Special in the neck and a Fender Custom Shop 49 No Caster in the bridge. The Blues Special has Alnico 5 magnets (stronger) for a more defined sound with more girth and beef than the No-Caster in the bridge position that has Alnico 3 magnets (weaker). The bridge pickup has a sweeter softer attack and because of it’s vintage winding it has a low output.

For me having a stronger pickup with more output than the bridge is just the right balance. Also know I raise the neck pickup height close to the strings to maximize treble output and volume. Pretty much both to emphasize articulation. A vintage pickup in the neck position would be too wimpy for me.

In this manner I guess I could be called “brutal” because I play an electric guitar not with a light touch. I play an electric as if I’m playing an acoustic guitar.

Charlie Christian hit the strings hard, he mostly used down strokes as I do, and he played in Jazz orchestras that had horn sections. It is also said that his phrasing was also very horn like. Hmmm…

Things are evolving. I’m going to restring a guitar that has a plain “G” string to see how big a deal it will be to intonate (get it to play in tune as you move up the neck). Otherwise I may revert to using 11’s on some guitars for bending. A worthwhile experiment.I have 2 Tele’s set up already with wound “G’s.” This will be just adding a third to give me direction.

I also learned that the medium length Strat tremolo arm is too short because it does not provide enough leverage against the tension of the 12 gauge strings I use. Perhaps using 11-48 strings is an answer, especially if I want to “float” the Trem.

The above might lead to using 11-48’s also on the DeMarino because it features a Bigsby. This might involve making a new nut. I just replaced the nut. Oh-well. Let’s see how big a deal it is to just set up a regular Tele first with a wound “G” set of strings…

That third guitar likely will be “Worm,” the Snakehead Tele with only one pickup that has a body made of reclaimed barn wood.

So more growth and development of a style of my own. Things are getting quirky… Pretty much getting more quirky, and likely more annoying. Kinda funny building out some cool guitars that other players likely won’t be able to play because of the heavy strings. LOL.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

The guitar known as “Worm” honks a lot louder now with a wound “G.” Overall sound is much bigger.

A wound “G” physically has a bigger diameter, so the first thing I had to do was raise the “G” string height to prevent it from rattling against the frets, then in turn I had to raise the “D” string in conjunction to get both strings to intonate.

Understand that a standard Tele like bridge only has three string saddles for each pair of strings, so the G and D interact and kinda have to get adjusted together.

Then the next pair of wound strings, the “A” and ”E,” had to get raised to follow the arc that traces above the fingerboard to avoid being wonky.

So pretty much all 4 wound strings, the heavier ones, all got raised to be able to intonate Worm. Raising the action adds clarity, and the stings vibrate more openly and freely, so sound got louder, fuller and richer in an amazing manner.

The added height though requires more hand and finger strength, as well as good form and technic to avoid overuse of muscles and injury. A high level of fitness is required, and not so many can do what I’m doing.

The tone even unplugged is of a new dimension. Pretty much to die for or to trade your soul at the crossroads. I have the Devil’s weapon, and as my friend Billie says, “The Devil has the best tools.”

So I have not practiced too much today, but my playing seems to have advance mucho by this development. I have about 2 dozen sets of DR’s 12-52 with a wound “G.” Seems like most or many of my axes will get converted and upgrade to a wound “G” for enhanced tone. Definitely more warmth, and I also think clarity. The four wound strings really ring now.

Perhaps the DeMarino and the Candy Apple Red Strat will get 11’s because they have tremolo’s/vibrato’s for blues playing and mucho string bending. Kinda makes sense now. Maybe I’ll do that to the Strat tomorrow…

I imagine all my electrics that get this enhancement will be more open, louder, have more mids, better balance, and a bigger sound.

I guess an analogy if say a Sax player jumped up to a stiffer reed.

So know that by now I’m not a typical player. Plug and play, heavy strings, aggressive hard attack, and an approach of perhaps a piano player. Something big is happening, and I am really inspired because I’m starting to build my own concept.

Worm is a unbelievable guitar. Crazy great…

Cal

 

[Calzone]

“Tiffany,” the Strat reappeared. Someone added it to their cart, and maybe this is why it disappeared. The person who has it in their cart did not pay for it, so the listing and auction came back.

So tomorrow in around 21 hours the auction will end.

When someone puts in a bid the BIN price disappears, so maybe I could place a bid and steal it from the cart. I kinda know how much a Sonic Blue Strat at Bloom Doom would cost, so I also would do a higher bid and then my highest bid.

So steal Tiffany from his lame buyer, and force Tiffany to go to auction, and pretty much see what happens. I have a chance, but also I might get out bid, and I’m cool with that. In an earlier post today I laid out why I was favoring a Bloom Doom Sonic Blue Strat over another MJT body.

Oh-well… a second chance. Fate is tempting me… Passion…

Hmmm…

POST SCRIPT: I’m going to sleep on it, and see how I feel tomorrow. Sweet dreams.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

“Tiffany” the Strat is posted as an auction that ends about 9 hours from now. My approach is I don’t really need another Strat body, and the black hardtail Strat can have two loaded pickguards and can be easily converted from Jazz pickups to Blues pickups along with a string change.

Basically have just two Strats: one with trem; another a hardtail. The other cool thing is one is a closet classic, and the other a relic.

So my intent is a low ball try to secure the first bid close to the auction end, and then do two higher bids with my highest bid still at a modest price. Tiffany if secured would have to under cut by a pretty good margin a Bloom Doom body.

If I miss out, I’m cool with that. I still kinda have a full plate. Also the baritone neck can be utilized on the sonic blue Thinline, also freeing up a Tele neck for the 1-piece relic’ed 2-tone burst body. Things kinda flow and I love that. A no-brainer, unless fate delivers Tiffany to me.

Off to a doctor’s appointment for “Maggie.”

Lots of deliveries expected over the next few days.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

“Tiffany” the Strat disappeared again. Perhaps the person who put it in his cart secured the purchase. Oh-well.

All the tiny nicks would of echoed the bird’s eye in the baritone neck that now is scheduled to be delivered tomorrow.

I’m not at a loss. Pretty much was not meant to be.

An idea is to have that black hardtail Strat as a convertible with EZ-PZ exchange of pickguard assemblies along with a string change I kinda love. Having a hardtail and a Strat with a trem is enough.

The baritone neck on a sonic blue Thinline frees up a Tele neck to be recycled to the 2-tone burst. Nice and efficient. Pretty cool.

“Maggie” needs a series of 3 MRI’s and some blood work to rule out things. She suffers tenitus, and also hears her pulse.

Could be nothing, but we are getting everything checked out. More testing and uncertainty…

Cal

 

[Calzone]

Stagflation worries in the headlines.

On the home front the Tone Specific pickups and the two 8-hole pickguards were delivered along with the shielding plate of aluminum. The holes line up exactly, both were made by Fender, although one in the U.S. and the other in Mexico.

Kinda perfect to make the black hardtail Strat a convertible from a Jazz to a Blues guitar. Mucho awesome…

I changed the pickup in the DeMarino and upgraded to a wound “G.” Raised the action at the bridge and the notes really ring.

Another great guitar for me.

Things are advancing. Big steps. I can feel the acceleration.

Bye-bye “Tiffany.” Oh-well…

Cal

 

[Calzone]

They say that 47% of adult Americans have high blood pressure. “Maggie” and I don’t have that chronic condition. Wow…

In some medical spam they mentioned that 30 year olds are now having strokes due to their sedimentary lifestyle. Wow again.

In the waiting room today at an ENT doctor’s office I saw all the adults online via their cell phones. I pretty much was the exception. Not good. I was cool just waiting doing nothing.

So now the DeMarino joins the wound “G” string club. Another outstanding guitar. While I was at it I changed the pickup back to a Harmonic Design S-90 high output pickup that has the tone of a Gibson P-90 (mucho output and mids), but fits in a Tele bridge pickup position.

I had this mounted before, and I really liked it, but I continued to experiment… Now, I think this guitar is done. It is a crazy guitar. This guitar has the Bigsby. I learned from an online video that Sperzel tuners are so modular that they are reversible, so I converted the two reversed tuners on the 4+2 headstock to lefty. Mucho better ergonomically.

The DeMarino is a hot sexy guitar that plays and sounds great. Only one pickup, but that’s all that is needed. Jeff Beck in the early days with the Yard Birds played a Fender Esquire with only one pickup.

Jimmy Page on Led Zepplin I and II also played an Esquire.

In Top Gun they say it is the pilot, not the plane…

Had the time to mount the two sets of pickups onto their pickguards, and I dressed out the leads using shrink tubing to bundle the wires. Came out really neat. One set of Jazz pickups I bought used, but the leads seem long enough. The Bues set has mucho long leads.

I have 4 guitars now set up with wound “G’s” with slightly raised action. The tone is to die for, really brutal. The Single and double Cabronita’s will be EZ-PZ to do. Pretty much just a string change and just reintonating just the “G” string.

I have a dozen sets of 12-52’s left I’ll have to order more.

Tomorrow the baritone neck will get delivered with some small parts. The hardtail Strat body could come at anytime, perhaps also tomorrow.

Kinda worked out: no Tiffany…

Cal