Another Passing...

 

This is a juvenile post, so if that isn't your thing, move on to the next blog.

We had a monsoon storm last night.  We watched it on radar and it looked like it was going to come right over us.  Then, not.  In the end, it was just an hour or so late.  And then came in like a freight train.  Strong, gusty winds, full of dirt.  Followed by pounding rain.

We had put away furniture cushions and took down the cover over the hot tub.  Closed the windows in the shed.  We did not put down patio umbrellas.  Mother Nature did that for us on one of the umbrellas - we got out there and put down the others.  It was moderately ugly.

Joan went out this morning while I was feeding cats and getting our morning pills put out.  The cover over the patio furniture is apparently no longer waterproof; we won't replace that, since we'll be due for some new furniture within the next year.

And, sadly, the cover over the griddle gave up the ghost.  The sun had done a real job on that, so we knew it wasn't long for the world.  It was a Vine "purchase" - a Chinese-made cover with a brand name that made me laugh: Lick Wang.  I may be in the body of an old guy, but I still have the sensibility and humor of an adolescent.  Who doesn't want some Lick Wang in their daily life?

And now, the Lick Wang is a goner.  I carried it out to the garbage can.  Joan already had a replacement cover, but it isn't sporting a brand name that provides a daily chuckle.

 

The Fast-Paced, High-Paying World of...

 

... amplifier recovering.

"Oh, no, Jim - what is your amp recovering from?"

No, the amp in question isn't feeling ill, but it is looking scrufty.  Not my new amp - that is gorgeous.  This is the Fishman Loudbox Mini that I've had for over a decade.  It is an acoustic amp, designed to faithfully reproduce the sound of an acoustic guitar with an electric pickup.  And, it does a great job of that...

 It doesn't look bad in that photo above, because you can't see the detail in it: the Tolex covering on the outside of the amp is disintegrating.  To the point where I am embarrassed to take it anywhere because it will leave flaking debris everywhere along the way.  Like Pigpen from the Peanuts cartoons.

Joan volunteered to recover the amp.  She ordered Tolex (the heavy vinyl material that covers the outside of the amp) and was waiting for "a good time."  There is never a good time.  But, she determined that today is the "starting day."  I expect that this will be several days in the process - there is going to be a LOT of detail cutting and fitting.  I know she will do a fine job with this, but I did tell her "Don't make yourself crazy trying to make it perfect.  Anything will be better than it is."

The first part of the process is taking the powerhead apart from the amp, disconnecting wires, and putting that aside...

 That was not as straight-forward as I remembered...

 I took the powerhead out 5 or 6 years ago to send it in for repair (one channel completely quit working).  Fishman had a policy at that time: any repair is $50, the customer gets to pay the shipping both ways.  It wound up costing me about $130 for that "$50 repair."

I read (on the internet, so it must be true) that Fishman will replace the Tolex for $100 plus shipping both ways.  The problem with that: they are going to use that same flimsy Tolex.  I don't want to have to mess with this again.  It is a good amp for acoustic sounds.  I do use it and will play out with it... once it doesn't leave a mess behind.

There is a wood trim piece on the powerhead - I took that out and Joan used it as a pattern...

 

Yes, we are working on this on that pretty kitchen counter.  It is way too hot to do this outside or even in the garage.  So, there will be plenty of clean-up throughout the project.  Joan said to give her a week to get through it.

No rush on my part.  Also, no pressure.  I have another acoustic amp.  Plus, I am playing electric more these days.

This amp is Fishman's best selling small amp.  There are thousands of them out there.  And any amp like this that I've seen that is more than 4 or 5 years old has the same disintegrating covering.  Maybe they've improved the Tolex on later builds?  But, the Tolex we picked for this recovering seems to be a lot sturdier. 

Here's a look at one edge - this isn't the worst of it...

 I could live with it looking shabby - I can't live with the mess it leaves behind.

Another Milestone...

 

OK, Jim, what did the cats do now?

No, this isn't about our cats.  This blog just passed 4 million views this morning.  No, I don't know why.  I mentioned this to Joan and she said, "I don't get it - a guy and his cat.  No offense, but what's the appeal?"

"First of all: ouch.  And second of all, it isn't just about a guy and his cat(s) - it's also about a guy and his guitars.  A guy and his motorcycles and scooters.  A guy and his RV.  Yeah, and I don't get it, either."

I do a YouTube video about a new amp and it gets 1,000 views.  I do a YouTube video about Meta Glasses and it gets 12,000 views.  Different interests, so I get that.  "Unboxing videos" - I am amazed that those get more views than an actual in-depth review of something.  I think there is more interest in getting something than using something.

My YouTube videos are similar to this blog, where I write about (or talk about) what interests me.  Or, as Joan puts it: a very public diary.

But, let me tell you how cute the cats were this morning...

 

Another Day, Another Ride...

 

I got out a bit later than usual, around 8:00 am.  It was already 94º.  Heading out on the ebike.  I rode through the park - the sprinklers were in full force... I didn't mind the cool spray as I rode. 

 By the time I got home, I was a sweatball.  I took a few minutes to wind down - checked and filled tires in the car.  Then a bit of sit-down before getting into the shower.

I pushed a little harder today.  It showed.  And now we can take on the rest of the day.

 

String 'em Up...

 

You're acting in a bad western movie, Jim?

Wait - what?  That's what you came up with?  String > Strings > Guitar...

OK, that makes more sense.

I was playing my X20 yesterday and noticed that the coatings on the Elixir Nanoweb strings were showing some wear.  It still sounded decent.  I do appreciate the longevity of these Elixir strings.  They are more expensive than most, but they last a long time, while keeping a good sound.

There is a reason Taylor Guitars puts Elixir strings on their guitars: they sound good, and if I guitar hangs on the wall for a while in a guitar shop, it's still going to sound fresh.

I recently ordered some Elixir Attune strings - it's a new line from Elixir.  I think these will make you run faster and jump higher... no, wait, that's Keds Shoes.

Elixir Nanoweb: Features a balanced, bright tone with a smooth, slightly slick feel that reduces finger squeak.

Elixir Attune: Designed to feel and sound much closer to an uncoated string (offering more tactile grip) while providing high volume, immediate attack, and enhanced brightness.

In keeping with my goal of making things easier on my aging hands, I went with a lighter gauge of strings (10 - 46, Custom Lights).  While I notice the lighter feel to the strings, I don't notice much difference in tone and volume; I guess that is a good thing.

Changing the strings is only part of the job - it also is a good opportunity to give the body and fretboard a thorough cleaning...

 Even though I wipe my guitars down after each playing session, grub builds up along the frets.  It takes time to clean that up.  Emerald uses stainless steel frets - these are showing no sign of wear.  Nice years old, and the X20 looks as good as new.

With the lighter strings, I took a very small bit of relief out of the neck...

 And then played the heck out of it for an hour or so.  Even with fresh strings, these Emeralds hold tune better than any of my wood guitars.  This one is good to go for a long while.

 

Two... Seems Like More...

 

I have said that about the cats in our family.  Add three more to the mix and it seems like a LOT more!

I am taking care of the grandkitties while Steph and Dan are delivering Dicha in California and picking up a couple more puppies for their Phoenix Guide Dog group.

Last night, we had an "open door policy," and let the grandkitties come to visit at our house.  Everyone is good together, but Stella did hiss at Alfie when he got too close.  Alfie is a special needs boy, so he wasn't being aggressive (he is very passive).  He shrugged his shoulders and moved on.  We just like all the kitties to have some human interaction when Steph and Dan are gone.

Stella and Tango sharing some space...

 

This morning, I got our two fed, then went over to t"he neighbors" to take care of food and meds for their cats.  I always send Steph photos at each feeding so she can see that everyone is doing fine; eating and getting attention...

 Proof of life.  And feeding.  ;-)

Good-Byes Are Tough...

 

This post is another about "the neighbors"... or as you may know them: Steph and Dan.  Today, after work, they are headed to California.  Tomorrow is the day that Dicha goes back to the Guide Dog For The Blind campus for more intensive training on her journey to potentially be a Guide Dog.

She has been with them for over a year, so as you'd expect, they are very attached.  They do this good work raising a Guide Dog puppy, knowing that is isn't "a pet."  They put a lot of their time, effort, and money into the training and raising.  They attend weekly meetings and participate in Guide Dog group events. 

Dicha was just 8 weeks old when they first picked her up...

 A size comparison...

 And, currently...

 This, from Steph, written for the Guide Dog Newsletter...

 "In Spanish, la dicha means happiness, joy, or good fortune. It describes a deep sense of bliss or the lucky privilege of having something good happen. This name was a perfect choice for our girl! She finds joy in the little things and brings her big personality everywhere she goes. What a privilege it has been to watch her learn and mature. She is ready for this next step, and we are so excited to follow her journey!"

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Steph just sent me this photo...

 Yeah, that is Murphy nose to nose with Dicha... and he is bigger.