Category Archives: Guitar

Dan vs. Zazzle (or, The Curious Case of Schroedinger’s Calendar)

Zazzle, I always liked you. You saw what a lousy job CafePress was doing with on-demand one-off publishing, like hats and mugs and shirts, and said, “Hell, we can do that, and we can do it better.” So you took … Continue reading

Posted in Etc, Geek, Guitar | 10 Comments

Emma

I sold a guitar yesterday. And that comes with another story.

Posted in Guitar | 2 Comments

Les Paul

Les Paul died today, at the age of 94. Gibson’s announcement is as nice a retrospective as any. I actually had him in a death pool, and he’s the only guy on the list I was not looking forward to … Continue reading

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How not to sell me a guitar

Since I have no good guitar store near me on the Peninsula (no, B Street does not count), going to Guitar Center is always something of a treat. I was visiting friends in the East Bay on Saturday, and those … Continue reading

Posted in Guitar | 5 Comments

Amelia

In high school, I told my parents I wanted to learn how to play guitar. Of course, that means getting a guitar — but they called my bluff and said “use your sister’s.” It was a nylon-string folk guitar by … Continue reading

Posted in Guitar | 6 Comments

Dan vs. The POD xt Live Squeak

My repair history is spotty. Taking things apart, I’m an ace. Making them work the same, if not better, afterwards? Not so much. But when the volume/wah pedal on my POD xt Live started sticking and making a horrible squeak, … Continue reading

Posted in Guitar | 3 Comments

Fleabass

Spotted this in a recent issue of Guitarist, my favorite UK guitar mag: Flea is starting his own company, Fleabass, to produce bass guitars for his students. He runs a music conservatory, trying to pick up where public school music … Continue reading

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Gibson Grabber II…fail

Remember the Gibson Grabber bass? No? Chances are if you do, it’s because it showed up in one of the Guitar Hero games as an unlockable bass. Design-wise, it’s pretty clearly a response to the Music Man Stingray (visually) and … Continue reading

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The Esquire GT Project

A few weeks ago I mentioned that my holiday haul included several cool parts for a Fender Esquire GT I’ve been wanting to modify — improve the looks, mellow out the tone. A reader even contacted me to see how … Continue reading

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No longer a prime number

Today I turned 38. I have to admit, it looks frighteningly close to 40. I had the Monty Python “I’m 37!” joke, and I’ll have Jack Benny’s 39 joke next year, but 38 just looks like “old.” Didn’t really get … Continue reading

Posted in Etc, Guitar | 4 Comments