Canadian into blues and wiring.

[BlackAngusYoung]

Hi Everyone,

I found this forum while Googling some guitar wiring questions I had. The thread I happened to find featured a new member being somewhat rude to a couple moderators and then several members telling him what a nice and friendly forum this is and that he should chill out and just introduce himself. Aside from the info available here, that's why I joined. I like the idea of a forum with decorum. I've seen too many scenarios where someone with questions and interests is met with condescension from people who have the answers. Usually, I've seen this attitude on computer forums and not guitar forums. Musicians usually seem pretty cool and very sharing.

I usually spend my time at the board Guitar Nuts 2, which is an offshoot of the original Guitar Nuts site. The emphasis there is usually about rewiring and other mods, as the original site has great info about shielding and alternate wiring schemes.

I'm not much of a guitarist but I'm working on my playing skills and repair skills at the same time. My guitars are modified and improved (IMHO) way more than my playing skills should normally dictate... but I'd bet I have some better repair experience than a lot of decent players who don't study how the instruments actually work.

I have a secondhand shop in a little village in Ontario Canada with a music shop section. It's weird for someone to open a music shop in this tiny town, but since it's in the back of a business that's doing ok, it seems to be working. I meet a lot of interesting people and have access to an endless supply of new and used gear and various hardware items to use creatively. We've only been open a year and a half, though... so nothing too cool yet. I hope to expand the music department as demand grows and eventually have some real Martins, Gibsons and such to play with. For now, we're doing well with Beaver Creek. Most of our customers are beginners or hobbyists.

I like most styles of music, usually ignoring things that are too popular. I've always been heavily into researching musicians and styles.... always collecting several versions of the same song and making comparisons between different approaches. When I was a teen I was mostly into folk, folk-rock, classic rock and avant-garde music. Lately (I'm 28 now,) I'm mostly into the blues and realizing that most of the things I've always liked are heavily blues influenced. I'm always seeing things in the blues I listen to that reminds me of non-blues music I've always listened to. I have a lot of respect for artists who are true to themselves and for their influences, which are usually pretty vast with great artists. My favourites are always a little unconventional and unique, not always in ways the mainstream appreciates.

Some of my biggest favourites are Howlin' Wolf (& Hubert, of course,) Marc Bolan, Peter Green, Dion and Diamanda Galas. Not that she's strictly blues or even a guitarist, but I think listening to her a lot when I was a teen helped me get into the blues later on. Anyone into the blues and open-minded about more avant-garde music (and not afraid to risk nightmares) should check out her versions of blues standards like "Reap What You Sow," "Insane Asylum," and "The Thrill is Gone." Pretty intense stuff.

I used to be only into singers and lyrics. I listened to a lot of Judy Garland and Leonard Cohen. I guess I like listening to people who sound like they have something to say. Also, I really like older music like Al Jolson, Vera Lynn and the Andrews Sisters and people like Tiny Tim who help bring attention to the great and not-so-great American songbooks.

I'd like to understand composition and songwriting. I bought a mixer and such equipment to see if I can figure out how musical arrangements are made. It's mysterious to me... but I think within reach. I think.

I have 5 guitars:
-An Epiphone Les Paul I've changed pickups and everything cosmetic on. It now has Wilkinson PAFs. I am currently thinking about adding a master volume control to the regular setup. (I found The Fret while researching that.)
-A strat-style guitar I put together from secondhand parts from my store, plus Fender Original '57/'63 pickups. I wired it in my own design with assistance from GuitarNutz2. It is basically wired like a 2 pickup guitar, Neck and Bridge each with a Tone control. The Middle pickup is open (no Tone control) on a separate switch so it can be added to one or both of the others or used alone. The Volume is a Killpot, so it's totally mute when pushed in.
-An Ibanez Jumbo acoustic/electric. It's not solid top or anything special, but has a nicer sound than any acoustic I've played. It's mellow and delicate yet powerful but not punchy. I haven't had it long but I think I really like the Jumbo style. I used to want guitars to be compact as possible, but I'm almost always deciding that bigger is better when I try them.
-An Ibanez Talman acoustic/electric with magnetic pickup. A thin/small acoustic marketed to city people and chicks. (There are many girly finishes available somewhere but I've only seen pictures online.) I bought it to pretend it was a hollowbody or semihollow electric, but I haven't found a really great tone from it yet. So far, it seems to sound best coming through an acoustic amp and tube amp at the same time. Unplugged, it's quiet and lame or great for practising, depending how you look at it.
-An Ibanez Gio 4-string bass. An entry-level, nice but simple bass with one big-*** humbucker. I'm not really into bass yet but I bought it in hopes that I can record some guitar stuff and add some bass.


I hope that's good for an intro. (I'm a bit of a compulsive typist.) I haven't really looked around the site much yet. Looking forward to seeing what's here and hoping I can add something new!

-BlackAngusYoung

[guitarhack]

Welcome to Fret! You'll find a lot of helpful information here on both your repair and playing skills.

[bcdon***]

Welcome aboard! There are plenty of Canadians about so make sure to keep an eye on your timbits! :-)

[Spudman***]

Welcome. Make yourself comfortable.

[Robert****]

Welcome! Lots of Canucks on here!

[Tig***]

Nice intro, BlackAngusYoung. You'll enjoy The Fret and it looks like you'll find much in common with the good people here.

[FrankenFretter***]

Welcome aboard! Great intro, by the way.

[Algonquin]

Welcome to the Fret fellow Canuck!
Cheers
David

[oldguy]

Welcome to TheFret!
Thank you for the introduction, very well done.

[Brian Krashpad]

Welcome! As others have noted, lotsa Canucks here.

So, good day, eh?

[Monkus]

nice intro !!! Welcome !!!!

[marnold***]

I'm not much of a guitarist but I'm working on my playing skills and repair skills at the same time. My guitars are modified and improved (IMHO) way more than my playing skills should normally dictate.

Heh, sounds like about 95% of The Fret membership, myself included. You should fit right in.