Friday, January 25, 2008

Getting "Geared" Up...

I get a lot of questions about guitars, effects and amps...even though I'm the least savvy person when it comes to the latest gear, much less how it works. 99% of what I do is emotion and sweat, which is a really artistic way of saying I'm not very bright when it comes to the technical stuff.

Like everybody else, I usually am continually tinkering with my guitars, effects and amps, but I've carried the same guitars for the past several years, which IS highly unusual. For the record, they are (in no particular order of preference):

Guitars:
a. Epiphone 335, stock except for Bigsby
b. Early Reverend Rocco, HOT humbuckers
c. Custom Telecaster, SD Little 59/Rio Grande
d. Fender Stratocaster, USA, '82, Rio Grandes
* I have others, but these are the "players."
** YES, that IS WD-40 you see me spraying on my guitar necks/strings!
*** I DO have my eye open for a cool gold top...

Amps:
a. '80s Fender Twin (Evil Twin)
b. Roland Cube (backup)
* TheTwin is hard to beat. I fell in love with these "red knob" twins when I saw Rev. Horton Heat playing through one in Memphis. The Evil Twin is the precursor to the reissues and VERY underrated. I use the Cube as a reliable "backup" I don't have enough money or muscle to carry 2 Twins. If I ever get to the point where I can pay someone to haul my amps, that might change! :o) Sometimes, when I have to use a backline, I look for Twins or Super Reverbs, although Marshalls are ok.

Effects:
I use an AKG Wireless System, partly because I walk around a lot, but mostly because I have a bad tendency to wrap myself up in cables and trip and fall. Sometimes I run it into a pedalboard, and sometimes I run it straight. When I run it into a pedalboard, I go into a Stage Tuner-Boss Blues Driver-Boss Stereo Delay-Boss Chorus- Amp. (Very basic)

I use the tap on the delay quite a bit, but mostly leave it set for a short "Sun Records" Scotty Moore type sound.

If any of the aforementioned or other manufacturers wish to make me an endorser, feel free to e-mail me. As many will attest, I CAN be BOUGHT, and cheaper than most!

Odds and Ends:

It's been more than 3 months and I have still NOT had a cigarette. I can't figure it out either. Perhaps it's a tribute to how high the tobacco tax is now!

While going through some old files, I finally found the picture of my favorite Christmas Decoration of All Time: The 30 Ft Elvis in Kenton, Tennessee!!!



Is that homeowner the luckiest person in America or WHAT!!!! Dang! What I'd give for that!


2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Can a bloozman use a HiWatt 50 and be a bloozeman?

Lew Jetton said...

Of course! When all is said and done, it's in the hands, not the circuits. Man, I haven't seen a Hi Watt since Styx in the 70s and Pete Townsend with The Who....so it has the "vintage" thing going 4 it!