OK so I like guitars......
The Guitar Page started out here when I'd just got the Jackson, after selling all the gear before leaving Cape Town. I've now got back to much the same as I had over there (with a few more guitars). (quite a few more guitars!)
The
Keyboard Stuff has moved to it's own page ...
Guitar Repairs and Setups can be found HERE ...
The New (?? 4 years old!) Jackson Guitar! Luverly isn't it? The guitar has 3 pickups (HSH), 24 frets, double locking Floyd-Rose trem, Flame Maple top with transparent red finish and Rosewood fretboard for those that are interested. The picture doesn't do it justice. A worthy successor to my old Hofner Galaxie I think!
The 60's Hofner Galaxie
The Hofner
was really falling to bits - I don't think it would have survived the journey
from Cape Town. Served me well for many years it did - surviving many mishaps
(like the maid continually knocking it off it's stand with the vacuum
cleaner!). Learned to play on this one. Think I had it for about 10 years.
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1975 Ibanez 2350 Les Paul |
Mid 70's - about 16 years old - and discovering the joys of pubs, live music etc. Around that time I remember seeing several Les Pauls being played, and the bands were of course playing the 70's top20 stuff (Abba, Rod Stewart, Wild Cherry), along with Deep Purple, Uriah Heap, Led Zep, Queen, Peter Frampton, Bad Company... and a guitar that frequently turned up was the Ibanez. Haven't seen one of those for absolute ages. Anyway was browsing thru the classifieds in my home town a while back, and there it was - Ibanes Les Paul good condition etc etc so phoned Andrew and asked him to take a look, and basically if it was in one piece then buy it. It arrived here with Andy last month, and upon opening the case found that it's a black custom with P90 pickups made in late 1975 - so chances are I'd have seen it being played back then. I've stripped it down to the last screw to clean out 25 years of puke, beer, ash and shredded fingers and basically it's in good nick apart from a cream P90 in the neck which is not original and the neck bolts were a bit loose (and the airlines broke the selector switch). Could this become the favourite axe and push the Jackson into 2nd place? Just maybe - but in any case it'll be around for a long time. |
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The Fender Tele The black Fender Tele. Built like a tank - you can throw it against the wall and it won't go out of tune or drop it off the stage and the neck won't break off, unlike those Gibson things. OK so the latest guitar is a USA Stratocaster - Lake Placid Blue 1989. Thought I'd never buy a Strat!! OK well you have to try these things out, don't ya? Pic will follow when I have the time to take it. |
"Every guitar player, regardless of his or her style should own a Telecaster" |
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Also own an Ibanez SR800 Soundgear bass and a Fender BXR Bass Amp. Getting to thinking that there are too many guitar players in the world and I should play more bass. |
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Fender Stratacoustic
For those 'unplugged' moments - a Fender Stratacoustic! Handy for carrying around and playing anywhere. Sounds rather good plugged in. See the mods down the bottom of the page.
Epiphone '58 Korina Flying V
The 2nd to latest addition to the guitar line-up. Re-issue of the 1958 Gibson Korina Flying V, with Seymour Duncan 'Distortion' pickup installed in the bridge position.
New arrival is the Marshall MS-2 Half Stack. Best $35 I've ever spent! OK this is a 1W (yes one watt) battery operated little Marshall with a belt clip. Sounds Damn Good for it's size and fits in your guitar case.
I don't get much time here to play but still enjoy watching others. Here's a pic of the band at the Hard Rock Dubai showing off on the beach. The dude playing the fly appears to have only one arm, but is actually just having a quick scratch...Click for a bigger image.
Another ALL TIME FAVOURITE Dubai band is The SONIC AVENGERS - currently ending the 2002 season at Rock Bottom. Leaving for Ramadan (most of November) then back at Rock Bottom Bahrain for the next season. New pics of Halloween and the Elvis Night 2002 - click on the centre and right hand pictures.
New(ish) band in town The Stompers - a bunch of old rockers out to enjoy themselves - currently playing at various venues around town - Ozzie Legends, 49ers ...
Yes Vanessa, I have a link to Carmel, Sax player, played at Savage Garden and Harry's, now in NZ.
New Link – Gaelle Cardoso and her band. This young lady ROCKS! Watch for her new cd.
Also getting together a page of Uncle Jam pics. Another great Dubai band. Be here soon.
Link to UAEMUSIC featuring bands around Dubai, shops and other odds and ends.
The Jackson Mission Statement
Since day one, Jackson has epitomized the unconventional. In fact, when Grover Jackson and Randy Rhoads designed that first guitar together, it would have carried the Charvel logo if not for the fear that the design was too radical and would hurt the Charvel name. As a result, it became the first Jackson. The rest is history. This event more or less set the course for Jackson for years to come. Today Jackson is recognized as much for what it isn't as what it is. What it isn't, is a "middle of the road guitar". What it is, is a guitar with an ego and an identity that is as huge as it's sound. Let's face it. There are a lot of ways you can go when choosing an instrument. You can follow the masses, or you can wind your way through the myriad of possibilities with the hope of finding a guitar that's meant for you. Obviously a Jackson is not for everyone. The truth is, you probably either love us or hate us and quite frankly, we wouldn't have it any other way. Our goal is not to try to appeal to every last guitar player on earth but rather to offer the most unique and individually styled instruments in the world.
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And as for me ... - I've been playing for a while. Initially started playing keyboards but moved on to guitars really to see how they worked, and because they're a bit more portable. First lessons were with an old chap in Cape Town for a few months then on to a young Metal-Head. I'll have to admit the old chap was a far better teacher. I still don't play wonderfully due to lack of practice time and like-minded people to jam with, but I'm working on that one (yah Jeremy you missed out, and the beer 'fridge is full). I listen to everything from jazz to rock to metal, e.g. Aerosmith, Pink Floyd, Eric, Herbie, Jimi, GnR, REM, Miles, Stone Roses, Counting Crows, Lenny Kravitz, Creed, Manic Street Preachers, Travis, Coldplay, Zappa - the list is too long really. All time best guitarist? somewhere between Gilmour and May. Current set-up: This has just changed. I now play everything thru a ZOOM GFX8. Still strewn about is an assortment of stompboxes (see the picture) - Jim Dunlop Crybaby, Boss CS-2 compressor, Boss CS-3 compressor, Ibanez Tube Screamer, Boss OS-2 Overdrive/Distortion, Boss GE-7 Equalizer and an AD9 Delay. From there into a Laney TubeFusion amp (Which ooozes with Creamy Overdrive!). For practice I use a Korg PX3 Pandora with headphones or a Boss Jamstation, and for recording mainly Cubase, running on a P4 2.8 with M-Audio Delta44, (4 in, 4 out). On the keyboards side there's a Yamaha EX5 sampler/synth, an Alesis QS7 Synth, a Korg Prophecy Analog Modelling Synth (Cult Synth), a Roland MC-505, Korg M1 ans Wavestation, a Yamaha DX7iiFD and a Korg Poly800 all going thru a Behringer 2442 mixer and 4 really really big speaker cabs. Started off in the early 80's with an old valve organ which I scored from the church down the road, with a Korg MS20 on top (with a 24-note analog sequencer - weren't those the days!), and a Jen SX2000. Suddenly everything turned digital! thanks to Yamaha, so the setup changed to a 3-tier rack with Korg digital piano, Roland D20 LA workstation and a Yamaha DX7 topping it off. Hayley and I each had a full size (real) piano - mine being more of an art piece - painted purple and black with paintings and decoupage all over it. Learnt to play at an old lady's place in Cape Town city bowl, then went on to the Jazz Workshop in Cape Town (with Merton Barrow) for Jazz Piano. Hayley's drum kit (Yamaha) is now sitting in the corner of the room, and yes she plays it every day. |
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ZOOM GFX8 |
So what does my room look like? ... click HERE!
Reliability Mod for Fender Stratacoustic
Reliability Mod for ZOOM GFX-8 Footswitches
How to sound like Stevie Ray Vaughan!
Read the Guitar World Stratacoustic Review.
Some words on Equipment Reviews!
Music Shops around Dubai and Sharjah
You can reach me by e-mail at: My Hotmail Address - vic77@hotmail.com
Thanks to Leo for developing the Strat, and to Grover for taking it so much closer to perfection.
Oh yeah - just to finish off here's a circuit diagram of the original 'Crybaby' Wah Pedal.
"When I open my eyes, I can only
sigh, for what I see is contrary to
my creed: and I must despise the world for not perceiving that music
is a higher revelation than any wisdom or philosophy. It is the wine
that inspires new creations, and I am the Bacchus, who presses out
this wine for men, and makes them spiritually drunk; when they are
sober they bring to shore all kinds of things which they have caught.
God is nearer to me than to others. I approach him without fear, I
have always known him. Neither am I anxious about my music, which no
adverse fate can overtake, and which will free him who understands it
from the misery which afflicts others."
LUDWIG VON BEETHOVEN