Please Help Out My Buddy (The Author): WAHOO RHAPSODY

Como estas?

I know that this has nothing to do with usual music topics, but the best book of the summer is WAHOO RHAPSODY. Well, it is the best book any of my friends have published this summer, but it's still really good. Think Carl Hiaasen funny and Elmore Leonard snappy with a kick-ass mystery woven through.

An American deckhand is smuggling pot from Cabo San Lucas to San Diego inside the bellies of dead fish. He steals from the drug lord and bad things happen. There's a corrupt federal prosecutor from Arizona, a beautiful and fearless P.I., and an expatriated hero with millions in cash hidden away. It's a fast-paced, salty tale that's perfect for the beach or the pool.

Go to shaunmorey.com to read the first chapter for free, and then go buy WAHOO RHAPSODY on Amazon. It is also available for the Kindle for 8 bucks. Trust me.

Mahalo!

Lollar Pickups

Hello!

I have rarely installed aftermarket pickups in any of my guitars, unless the originals were broken or missing, but I could make an exception for a set of Lollar pickups.

Jason Lollar is a first-class luthier, but he is better known for the custom pickups he builds, and he wrote thebook on winding pickups. That is not an exaggeration – he really did write the book (Basic Pickup Winding and Complete Guide to Making Your Own Pickup Winder).

He provides pickups in the usual configurations: Jazz Bass, P Bass, Telecaster, Stratocaster, Gibson Humbucker and P-90, but he also builds steel guitar pickups and pickups for some offbeat applications.

Lollar pickups are well regarded by musicians and luthiers, and manufacturers source them for some or all of their models. These builders include Collings, Nash, National Resophonic, and Sadowsky, among many others.

Looking at the pickups, they are very neatly wound, wrapped and soldered. Lollar stands behind the pickups too, offering a 2-year warranty to the original purchaser.

My experience with their pickups has been positive. I‘ve had Lollar pickups in two instruments over the years: a Sadowsky NYC Original P, and a Fender Telecaster (Vintage T Series). In both cases I found them to be brighter and biting (but not brittle), and stronger in the bottom end than the equivalent Fender factory pickups. They enhanced the sound that was already there, and did not make them sound like a completely different instruments.

For more details on Jason Lollar’s products or to place an order, check out lollarguitars.com

Mahalo!

Stimulus Package: Local Gig Tonight in Lakewood, California

Aloha!

It is short notice, but if you are around the Southbay tonight you should try to catch Stimulus Package at the Regal Inn in Lakewood.

Stimulus Package is a Southern California based 4-piece band, and I have written about them before on this blog, plus had the joy of them performing at my house party last year. They have been “providing your Rock and Roll bailout since early 2009.”

They play covers from every kind of rock band from the 1960s onward, including The Stones, Bowie, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Pearl Jam, STP, Badfinger, Judas Priest, Tom Petty, Black Crows, The Plimsouls, The Cars and Neil Young.

They are great musicians and put on a fun show, so make it out is you can. There is no cover and the drinks are cheap…

The Regal Inn is located at: 6763 Carson Street in Lakewood, just west of Los Coyotes Diagonal (behind the donut shop). Stimulus Package will be playing from 9:00PM until late.

I hope to see you there!

Mahalo!

Pro Sound and Lighting Auction in the Los Angeles Area

Aloha!

I wanted to let my Southern California readers in on a killer auction of pro sound and stage equipment that is going on this week.

R.L. Spear Co. is closing out a business, and looking through the 435 lots they have up for bidding, it looks like there are a lot of gems in there. There are guitars and wind instruments, speakers, monitors, lighting controllers, microphones, road cases, amplifiers, huge stage junction blocks and snakes and much much more.

I have prior experience with R.L. Spear Co., having bid their auction of Sony Studios props and equipment, and they are a reputable firm. They liquidate businesses from all industries and I have seen their auctions for everything from software companies to dental offices. If you can think of it they have probably auctioned it.

Of course, the auction company is not an expert on this equipment, so this is definitely a good time to show some caution. If at all possible you should inspect the items in person before bidding.

To inspect the items the hours are 9AM to 4PM on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and the location is 2200 Fleetwood Drive in Riverside, CA. Bidding is now open, and the auctions start to end at 2PM on Friday, July 8.

This is an online-only auction, and items must be picked up in person from Riverside, California on Saturday July 9 or Monday July 11. A 13% buyer premium applies to all purchases.

You can find instructions, register to bid and check out the wares at http://server2.maxanet.com/cgi-bin/mnlist.cgi?spear6/category/ALL

Mahalo!

1984 Fender JV ’62 Re-issue Jazz Bass

Aloha!

By now you probably know about my fascination with Japanese Fender instruments, and this is a rare one. It is a 1984 ’62 re-issue Jazz Bass with a JV-prefix serial number. It is one of the only ones I have ever seen, and it seems like JV Precision Basses outnumber Jazz basses by about 20 to 1. This one is a model JB62-60, and it still has the 60 sticker on the headstock, meaning that this bass originally sold for 60,000 Yen.

This one is finished in its original 3-tone sunburst, and it is in very good condition considering that it is 27 years old. The rosewood fretboard and frets show very little wear, and the truss rod still turns easily.

The hardware is original too, with the serrated bridge saddles and the non-reverse tuners that later JV basses were equipped with. When I bought it, the bass came with the original leatherette Fender gig bag, which you never see with these.

But, despite its rarity and the collectability of JV instruments, this one is an uncollectible outcast. How come?

Well, that is because when I got this bass it had no electronics in it, and the original pickups and pots were long gone. I put it right (more than right), and it sounds great, but it is not an untouched classic anymore.

I installed Fender USA vintage pickups with CTS pots, an Orange drop capacitor and a Switchcraft output jack. This is all strung together using Belden Silver Coated Copper Wire (with cloth covering) and WBT silver solder. It was the least I could do.

It plays well, and sounds good. It has a bright and cranky tone with the new roundwounds I put on it, but it does not really work for me. Over the years I have become more comfortable with the fatter Precision and Stingray bass necks, and a skinny Jazz neck feels alien to me now.

This one will be going up for sale soon, so let me know if you are interested.

Mahalo!

Inventory Update: Third Quarter of 2011

Hi there!

What is in Rex’s newly remodeled garage/studio today? Inquiring minds want to know, and the second quarter ukulele frenzy has changed up the mix a bit. Here is a snapshot of what is around today:

1. 1982 Fender JV Precision Bass. The oldest Japanese Fender I have ever seen. I recently had this one strung with D’Addario tapewounds. This thing is sexier than Face’s Corvette.

2. 1982 Fender JV Precision Bass. Ditto the above, but with Jamerson flats.

3. 1984 Fender JV 62 RI Jazz Bass. This bass is on its way out because I hate the neck on it. Maybe I am not a Jazz Bass guy anymore.

4. 1999 Fender 75 RI Jazz Bass. Ditto the above, although it is dead sexy.

5. 1997 Fender 52 RI Telecaster. A heavy thing, but the best Tele I’ve ever owned, and that says a lot.

6. Kala Tenor Ukulele. Cheap, but a very good ukulele.

7. Kala solid mahogany soprano ukulele. I am in love again, and this one make the other ukes hide in dark corners (and Chris’ house).

8. Simon & Patrick Songsmith dreadnought. Still a very popular subject on my music blog.

9. 2008 Martin D-18V. It is good to have a really nice acoustic back in the fold. Hopefully I will not be so hasty to off such things in the future.

10. Genz Benz Shuttle 6.0 with 2 12-inch Shuttle cabinets. The ironmen of my collection.

11. Cave Passive Pedals. These are the only products on my pedalboard besides my trusty Boss tuner.

12. Fender Vibro Champ XD. Cheap, but it has a 5-year warranty.

On August 1st things will look completely different. Trust me.

Mahalo!

Sean McConnell’s The Walk Around EP

Good day!

I finally had to give in and buy Sean McConnell’s EP The Walk Around because my friends Jack and Brian would not stop talking about it. I imagine them listening to it in the background as they sob at each other on the phone each night.

Sean McConnell is originally from Boston, but seems to tour endlessly around Texas. His music is sort of a countrified rock, and has a strong songwriting pedigree, having penned songs for Brad Paisley, Meatloaf and Tim McGraw, among others.

He has two full-length albums out as well as The Walk Around EP, and in my opinion, this EP is best of the lot. And it comes down to how well the songs are written – these are six gems squeezed into only 23 minutes.

”Hold On” kicks off the EP quietly, and then builds into a strong melody with intelligent lyrics: a killer combination.

The next two tracks: "Say, Say, Say" and “The Walk Around” are both slickly written as well, and have to be great additions to his live show.

My favorite track on the EP is "Reckless Love", which is not only well-written but also shows that Sean’s singing is no joke. There is pure passion in this song, my friends.

"Bob Dylan (They Say No)" is more progressive/indie than the other tracks on the EP, but it still fits in well with the package. This is the tune that has the best chance of making it onto radio, in my opinion.

The last song on the EP is "Our Love And Our Souls" which is very good and has enough emotion to make me wish there were a couple more songs in the mix.

The Walk Around EP is only $5.94 on iTunes (the price of a large drink at Starbucks), and I consider it an essential part of any music collection. Download it today, and keep an eye on his touring schedule, as I hear his live show is not to be missed.

Mahalo!