Sister Rosetta Tharpe (Rosetta Nubin) - Born 3/20/1915

Happy Birthday to The Godmother of Rock and roll who was born today 99 years ago. Whew! Seems like yesterday to some people. Part sermon, part gospel, part rock and roll. Rosetta was immensely popular and successful. Go to the biography channel to read up on her life. By all means watch her biography if you have the chance. Or check out wiki here.

Rosetta must have known guitars well as I've never seen a picture where she was holder a inferior instrument. I think she might have been able to run circles around some guitar aficionados.

Sadly, diabetes took Rosetta at an early age of 58.

She certainly played expensive guitars! Here she plays a 1952 Gibson Les Paul Gold Top.

You need to check out songs like; This train, It didn't rain to name a few. See here playing a 1963 Les Paul Custom.

Happy Birthday Rosetta!

Listening post - What is inspiring me this week?

What inspiring music am I listening to this week? Well, let me tell you! If I haven't told you before then I'll tell you now! I am all over the musical map! I have been working more on chord melody while also banging me head... Can't help it. Sound and tones are just too much fun and infinitely interesting. The fascination with music is never ending and every thing I hear is essential tuition.

So, enough of the blogger poetry. What is spinning on my player?

Queens of the Stone age - Like clockwork! This is beyond description. Sortof progpunkbluesfolkmetal!
Queens of the Stone age - Songs for the Deaf! See above
Eric Clapton - From the Cradle - Eric's version of a lot of old blues.
Buddy Guy - Rhythm and Blues. Fun fun fun with lots of guest. Buddy plays fast!
Duff Mckagan's Loaded  - Dunno if Duff realizes that he is a game changer?!
The Beatles  - "Re-release" Yellow Submarine, With the Beatles, Beatles - Past masters, Hey Jude, and Help! - It's THE BEATLES FOR GOD SAKE!
North Mississippi Allstars - World Boogie is coming! Some of the best musicians around.
Wes Montgomery - Smokin at the Half note! Buy it. This album is a classic. Just like Kind of blue by Miles Davis.
The Eagles - Yep, these guys make hits and the girls love their music! Besides - Joe Walsh is in the band!
Neil Young - Neil could hang it up and rest in our historical collections but he has brass balls and is going to fight injustice and bad tone! Go Pono!
Bill Monroe - They said he died but his music is immortal and Blue Grass has some of the fastest pickers ever.
John Mayer - Born and Raised. I didn't want to like this album but I surrender! Though he fights hard to be a huge DB there is no denying his talent. But John, ghetto passes aren't transferable.
The Stooges - I can't lie. The sudden death of Scott Asheton inspired me. I love Search and Destroy. But you really need to view Iggy Pop and the Stooges at Austin City Limits!

RIP -Scott Asheton!
The Bang Girl Group Review - I got their first album. Totally reminds me of Motown. Check them out!

The Rides - Can't get enough - And I can't. This a great album. Steven Stills shows why he is badass and Kenny Wayne Shepherd absolutely slays Muddy Waters - Honey Bee.



Blues Breakers John Mayall with Eric Clapton - Classic album. If you play guitar you need to listen.

Paul Butterfield Blues band - Michael Bloomfield rips it up. Another tragic loss..

Now. Shut up and play your guitar!

Buying Guitars; take your pick!

Finding a inexpensive, well made, rare wood guitar is no longer possible and similar to finding the perfect wife/husband - Smart, Good looking, rich - pick two! So pick two and consider yourself lucky if you obtain those objective: well made, rare wood is fine BUT you can bet the instrument will not be inexpensive!!!! That is no longer possible with the economics of modern instruments where the production cost, material cost, shipment cost, and other untold miasma controls the end product of a fine instrument.

On a positive note; low cost guitars are well made and help students advance quickly.

On a personal note: my parents wouldn't buy me a good guitar until I proved that I was interested and that this hobby wasn't just another one of my brief learning experiences. I received a classical guitar for Christmas and was given lessons. It was my responsibility to practice and take care of my instrument. Obviously I am still smitten with the instrument.

Walter Trout Needs a New Liver!

** Update: Walter received a transplant. He is doing better but he was seriously ill; recovery is slow, complicated, and just plain tough. Please put some positive thoughts out to Walter as he fights his way back to good health. Thank you for reading this post and doing what you can! 


Most working musicians do not have health insurance. Most. However, Walter Trout does have health insurance but due to his the nature of his illness he cannot work and his insurance will not cover all the costs of recovery. He cannot tour currently so he hasn't any income but while he is in the hospital - money is being drained from his family. He needs the musical community to help. I don't know Walter but I doubt he would ask for help but if he doesn't get help then the music will stop and a lot of people will suffer. I am donating what I can and you might want to do a good deed and throw down some cash yourself!
I think most of us do not think about our own mortality until it's too late but when you get sick, the bills, collectors show up before you are out of the hospital. Unfortunately, health is a business just like show business. The hospital is a great place to leave but facing ever mounting bills sucks.

Please donate! Go here to donate!

Thank You!

Gibson releases Government Series

Gibson finally got it's wood. The bottom line is that Gibson did something illegal and that fact is public knowledge. Ultimately Gibson paid a $300,000 settlement. Innocent or not, you be the judge. Their story was that they were unfairly targeted by a hostile anti business oriented government. This recent raid wasn't the first, the first raid was in November of 2009.

So, in a sort of thumb their nose move; Gibson has released a Government series of guitars. The idea proved to be successful, I doubt you can find one of these instruments at any shop currently and the asking price will probably be greater than most can afford, especially since the primary caveat is that the fingerboard is made with recovered rosewood that was seized by but later returned by Federal Customs agents. Nevertheless, it's a part of history and some people will covet these instruments.

Personally, I'd like to see the Gibson Les Paul Custom fret board to be made of Ebony. Now the finger board is made of Richlite which I  do not prefer (you might like it - test and determine!). Some Gibson Les Paul standard fingerboards are torrified maple. Custom Specification link. Try out the guitars before and judge for yourself. We have to be responsible when harvesting wood. Rare wood will drive up the cost. So beware, gone are the days of rosewood and ebony at reasonable prices.

I am glad Gibson is moving past this hiccup in otherwise a hallmark trade name that has been one of the most enduring trademarks since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution.

Effect Pedals & Trap doors

Face it, whether you are a boutique amp snob or not, you've probably bought an effect pedal. The cost to performance value is often low and therefore you get more for your money. It would be nice to have a quiver of amplifiers to call on for each song but that is not practical nor inexpensive. The economy changed in 2008 and is slowly recovering, as a consequence of the world financial disaster, we all started buying effect pedals. Why? You can get a refreshing new sound for $150.00 instead of mortgaging your future with the purchase of a $3000.00 amplifier. The primary proof of this phenomenon is the big box Christmas catalogs that grew from 5 pages of effects to a swath of 40 pages of effects. Enough history; where's the cool stuff??

Enter the trap door. Some pedals, though not all pedals, have niffy adjustments under the panel. Some of the adjustments are obvious and others not. Look up the specifications for your specific pedal or look under the hood yourself.

Some things to beware of:

1. You might need to use a plastic screw driver.
2. Using a proper ground lead is prudent.
3. Note the initial settings on something that can be retrieved easily. 
4. Know your home position.
5. Know that each guitar, amp and multi-effect combo will react independently with your adjustments.
6. Keep notes - Amps, guitars, likes, dislikes and yes - indoor temperature and % R.H. (look up germanium transistor gain drift as germanium performance has some temperature dependence compared to silicon transistors).
7. MODIFICATIONS - BEWARE! - Even the most reputable modification house can screw up and the original manufacturer will not warranty a pedal that has been modified - Nor should they warranty a modification. Be smart.
8. See #3 through #7 and due diligence. 

Modified EXH Memory Man

Modified poorly soldered Ground wire

Nice job!

Cool Trap door adjustments!

Insult to injury - The modifier crushed the pot shafts. NEVER TRY TO FIX in the manner depicted. The shaft will fracture when pried open! 

Unmodified Cool Trap door pedals!

MXR Jimi Hendrix 70th Anniversary Fuzz pedal

Front Plate

MXR Carbon Copy Face Plate

Trap door!

J. Rockett Audio Designs - Josh Smith Duel Trem

  Trap Door - Blue square trim pot!

****Take notes and remember that changing guitars, pickups, amps, foot pedal chains will affect your tone. It would be unrealistic to think you can make changes; then swap out pedals like light bulbs without some affect to the end signal. 

! Don't make adjustments with the pedal plugged into the wall because you can be electrocuted and you can die!

Have fun and hope have fun chasing tones!

Listening Post - What is inspiring me this week?

Hey now!

There is nothing better than listening to some great music to get your creative juices flowing. It's been a while since I posted what I am listening to but I'll do that in the next few lines. First of all; my taste is; for the benefit of those reading my blog for the first time; my taste is all over the map. This eclectic often eccentric taste gives me the eargasmic experience that sparks my synopsis which eventual ignite my fingers. Without further adieu.......... My current listening list:

Queens of the Stone age - Like Clockwork (who isn't listening?)
Nick Curran and the Nitelifes - Doctor Velvet (you don't know who he WAS - Shame!@@#$#)
Gary Clark Jr. - Blak and Blu (my CD player is black and blue now from playing his stuff a million times)
Cream - They were that good. No wonder they didn't get along - monster talent!
The Rides - Steven Stills is over rated? No way. Great Album!
Muddy Waters - We miss him still and owe him a lot.
Johnny Winter - How did he fall off the map. SRV was great no doubt but JW was great before SRV was stealing Jimmy Vaughan's guitar. Johnny is back with a new album (guest appearance galore!) and he rips it up!
Joe Pass - If you don't know who Joe Pass was; fine. You better get your #@$$%T$ together and learn about him now. He might be one of the greatest players to ever pick up the instrument. He was that great!

Be diversified and open because it will benefit you. I learn more from listening than reading music. Afterall, music is fundamentally about listening. Enjoy!