Edwards sale @ Davis

Ending March on a good note- sale of selected Edwards model now on at Davis GMC. 😁👍

Pic: Kind permission, DGMC

Greens

Now that the pair is complete, it's time to head to Beez's. 👍

Campbell's custom

This was announced recently- Vivian Campbell's Custom Shop signature Gibson LP. The fingerboard is still a non-wood selection (richlite) but I like the fact that there are DiMarzios in there (Super 3/ Super Distortion). It reflects the endorser's choice & not something steered by the manufacturer. In my opinion, Mr. Campbell deserves this deal but for the rest of us, the USD4,999 price tag is prohibitive. But then again, we remind ourselves that, at the rate things are going, they need the money.

The op

I have a limited tolerance for fuzz units. It's down to the fact that the guitar's lower notes sound rather repulsive through a fuzz pedal. I hear lots of ill definitions which aren't suitable for heavy music. However, the fuzz is the preferred unit for doom- Cathedral has loads of fuzz going, Enslaved's Isa album has some juicy, fuzz-laden tones for the solos. It has its applications, not for the picky though. The Op Amp version by EHX you see here- I like. It has 2 channels, one giving me that extra prick for leads & that's what I use it for. That setting is quite repulsive if one sports a Les Paul because it makes the overall tone sounds thin. 

Gio Rims

So Ibanez teamed up with Legendary Pictures for this Pacific Rim limited edition RGs.

If this is of significant fanfare, we wonder why the GIOs were chosen. 😒

Pics: Ibanez FB

Earth Hour 2018

It was a different challenge for me this time round, the Earth Hour 2018 episode (last night) was actually filled with guitar playing. Kept the front door open to enjoy the corridor lighting, brought my Kiesel DC, Blackstar FLY3 amp & an OD pedal to the door vicinity & sat on the floor. The account:

1. Sitting on the floor with the instrument resting on the lap is a numbing experience. The leg  cramped up easily & it necessitated some stretching every other 5min or so.
2. Poor lighting affects fretboard visibility & induced mistakes.
3. Poor ventilation due to the 'dead' ceiling fan meant sweaty palms got in the way of playing as well.

I could imagine those performers struggling to manage themselves on dark stages or other poorly lit venues. Most of the time, I wasn't looking at the fretting hand & relied heavily on feel which didn't pay off because it's not how I usually play. I compelled myself to play for 30min before retiring to the couch with the cat.

Our cat had been a darling throughout the episode, she chose to sleep after this pic was taken. 👍

Anyway, Earth Hour as always, is hype. It's only acknowledged by people who bothered & remained truly committed to the cause. Respecting the ailing earth isn't on everyone's life agenda. The residents here showed no special acknowledgements of what Earth Hour meant to them. Doubt if they even knew it took place. I'm doing this to create awareness for my little girl here especially so when the school shared the event during brief classroom moments just days ago. By doing so, we manifest a concerted effort in addressing common concerns, it should not be a lopsided affair; learning institutions do not bear the brunt entirely when education is concerned. Kids look up to parents as well & we make efforts to ensure  learning becomes holistic. In any case, I do not see  environmental awareness becoming an embraced philosophy in the heartlands. Mind you, even Earth Hour itself has a commercial slant to it so a genuine care for the environment must truly come from the heart.

Wishing everyone a good week ahead- it's the final week of March.