The Guitar and Other Machines

[CN211276]

My Xmas present to me in December was a tiny little Bass-guitar practice amp. 15W and with useful tone controls, it's loud enough for me to mess around without getting the neighbours upset and so small that it can just sit in a corner of the lounge for when I feel the urge.

Hardly touched my bass for the last 2 years and it feels like I've found an old friend again.

[slinger]

Nice presents, Fret.

[karatestu]

Are the licks coming back to you yet ?

[Firebug1]

Hi Stu. Yes, it actually is coming back reasonably easily. I have this weird rheumatic trouble still but seem to be able to play with normal dexterity.

Also because the bass is now just sitting within reach I can just grab it when I feel like it.

[slinger]

Some of my guitar-ish new toys







The controls are a bit fiddly, - the whole thing is incredibly tiny - but I'll be running it into the PC as a recording interface and I'll be controlling it via its PC app. I also bought an expression pedal to go with it. Stupidly you can buy a version of the GiT Core with a built-in pedal, but my way not only works out cheaper be allows me to have the unit on my desk and the foot pedal on the floor, where it should be. The unit itself though is stupidly inexpensive, £75.00 (and that's the "proper" list price at Thomann) plus I paid £18.90 for the expression pedal.

I won't bore you with the two new guitars.

[slinger]

Ooooh ... Nice!


I seem to have rediscovered the joy in playing instruments again.

New toys on the way!

[TheMarlin]

I’ve got quite a few guitars and a bass, plus various amps, pedals, and other gubbins

On my my favourite bits of kit is my Nux Mighty Plug Pro. It’s a tiny practice amp that plugs into your guitar or bass, plug in your headphones, and you can make a wonderful noisy racket without disturbing a soul.

It connects to your Phone/tablet where you can tweak amp models, pedals, cabs etc to your hearts delight. It sounds fantastic too!

I take ig on holidays with my little Steinberger, perfect travel setup.

https://amzn.eu/d/g0aJmZ2

[TheMarlin]

Being on your own (after 34 years) does take some getting used to and I haven't found it too pleasant.

But .... with my energy returning and crawling out of a period of depression, I can make as many horrible noises as I like without disturbing other folks.



Here, my trusty Line6 DL4 delay pedal (green) which defines my sound. I love this unit.

Next to that I have just put in the tiny Hotone Wally+ looper pedal. Now I got this some years ago but never really mastered using it; when you are laying down the basic line of a loop it can be tricky to tap the switch at exactly the right moment so that the rhythm carries on uninterrupted.

With practice, then you get the knack for it. However practicing takes time and a lot of repetition which would drive any normal people within earshot insane.

Messing about with an E-Bow last night, I got something that sounded like Fripp & Eno's 'No Pussyfooting' and was pretty pleased with myself.

[TheMarlin]

Being on your own (after 34 years) does take some getting used to and I haven't found it too pleasant.

But .... with my energy returning and crawling out of a period of depression, I can make as many horrible noises as I like without disturbing other folks.



Here, my trusty Line6 DL4 delay pedal (green) which defines my sound. I love this unit.

Next to that I have just put in the tiny Hotone Wally+ looper pedal. Now I got this some years ago but never really mastered using it; when you are laying down the basic line of a loop it can be tricky to tap the switch at exactly the right moment so that the rhythm carries on uninterrupted.

With practice, then you get the knack for it. However practicing takes time and a lot of repetition which would drive any normal people within earshot insane.

Messing about with an E-Bow last night, I got something that sounded like Fripp & Eno's 'No Pussyfooting' and was pretty pleased with myself.

The DL4 is a great pedal. They reissued it a while back, as used prices were shooting up.
My favourite delays are the Strymon El Capistan (tape echo simulator), and the Old Blood Noise Effects - Black Fountain.
The Strymon for when I want to do a bad Brian Setzer covers (I’m a Gretsch fanboy), and the Black Fountain for late night shoe gazing syrupy ambient noodling.

I tried a Helix HXFX (pedal modeller), but found it to be a soulless experience All the right noises with none of the magic. I sold that, and went back to pedals. A friend who uses a HXHX exclusively says I’m addicted to the mess, cables, and inconvenience of pedals, I’d take that over his soulless box of digital nonsense any day.

Unlike your delay pedal, most Line6 product used prices go into free fall the second a ‘new and improved’ model is launched. For the Helix range, that’s got to be coming very soon!

[slinger]

I’ve got quite a few guitars and a bass, plus various amps, pedals, and other gubbins

On my my favourite bits of kit is my Nux Mighty Plug Pro. It’s a tiny practice amp that plugs into your guitar or bass, plug in your headphones, and you can make a wonderful noisy racket without disturbing a soul.

It connects to your Phone/tablet where you can tweak amp models, pedals, cabs etc to your hearts delight. It sounds fantastic too!

I take ig on holidays with my little Steinberger, perfect travel setup.

https://amzn.eu/d/g0aJmZ2

That reminds me, I bought one of these too a while back, for "quieter" practising



And this is my current pedalboard setup