Comfort...

 

Is this going to be a shoe discussion?  Always trying to second-guess me, aren't ya?

I have been going through a guitar transition.  Again.  It happens now and then.  Not looking to swap off a bunch of guitars... or even add a bunch of guitars.  I have been having some issues with my hands.  Might be from 60+ years of playing guitar; or as Joan has suggested: a few decades of using computers.  I don't think it is a carpal tunnel kinda thing; I'm guessing more like I've worn out some thumb joints and toss in some arthritis.

Over the last few months, I find myself picking up my electric guitars more often than the acoustics.  The action is lower on the electrics, making it easier on my hands.

Joan looked into it and found some gloves that hold the lower joint on your thumb in place, and don't restrict your fingers.  When they came in, they do kinda help my thumb... but it hurts to put 'em on and take 'em off (snug).

This is the reason I put the Gibson ES-335 back to work: it is the easiest to play of all my guitars.  But, it needed a better amp.  Yeah, that Fender Tone Master Deluxe Reverb that I posted about yesterday...

 The amp is really nice.  Good tone.  Plenty of "headroom" (meaning: you can control that tone as you increase the volume).  Great clean tones, crisp crunchy tones.  Working with it last night, it is also a good platform for pedals.  I also gave it a try with a variety of guitars, electric and acoustic.

As you'd expect, each of the electric guitars sound great.  The acoustics?  It depends on the pickup system in the guitar... the Emerald X7 and X10 were decent; the X20 and the Taylor 814, not so much.  But, each of those could be better with a pedal designed for acoustic guitars.  Not that it matters that much... I got this amp to use with the electrics.

One thing that became very apparent while switching between all these guitars: the neck size and shape makes a big difference on hand comfort.

I decided to "put a number on it."  I put a caliper on the nut width and thickness (depth) of the neck at the first fret...

    Guitar                        Nut Width        Thickness        Comfort Rating
    Gibson ES-335            1.57"                    0.97"                    1
    Taylor T5                     1.68"                    0.93"                    2
    Emerald Virtuo            1.71"                    0.88"                    3
    Emerald X10               1.78"                    0.83"                    4
    Emerald X7                 1.77"                    0.93"                    5
    Taylor 814                   1.76"                    0.95"                    6
    Emerald X20               1.79"                    0.90"                    7

The Comfort Rating is my opinion - no "scientific measurement."  Just based on how my hands felt while playing it.  I've never looked at this information before, based on a digital caliper.  What this tells me: the narrower the nut width (measured at the nut on the fretboard), the more I perceive it to be comfortable.  I was surprised that the X20 "feels" more chunky than the others.  And that the 335 "feels" smaller than the others, even though it isn't the thinnest (from the fretboard to the back of the neck).

Of course, as any guitar player will tell you, these measurements don't take into consideration "the carve" of the neck; i.e. how thick or wide the neck becomes as you move up the fretboard.  Guitar neck carves are often described as "a C-shape, a D-shape, etc," when viewed from the side.  And, that curve may be "compound" - many variables.

A couple surprises: the Taylor T5, Emerald Virtuo, and the X10 are all advertised as "1 11/16" nut width"... the Emerald X7, the Taylor 814, and the X20 are all advertised at "1 3/4" nut width."  The Taylor T5 and 814 are closest to their advertised nut width.  The Emeralds are all wider than advertised.  The first 3 in my comfort rating are all electrics; the X10 is a hybrid: an acoustic with "a humbucking pickup and a thinner, more electric shaped neck; the last 3 are acoustics that have an electric pickup added.

Conclusions: well, if I was using a Magic 8-Ball, it would probably say, "Ask again later." But, going by the measurements and seat of the pants (turn of the hand?) feeling, if I decide to do the "one in, one out" formula, it would be an electric coming in and an acoustic going out.  IF an electric option, it needs to have a comfortable neck.  Preferably 1 11/16" nut width and a slim carve.  Scale length matters, too... the X7 has the shortest scale length at 24", the X20 and the 814 are the longest at 25.5."  Yep, a lot of variables.

Did I mention: I sure do like that new amp!

 

NAD...

 

Is this going to be about testicles?  Definitely not.

I have mentioned a new amp to be arriving soon.  Today is the day... New Amp Day!

 That is a Fender Tone Master Deluxe Reverb Blonde.  I really like the blonde Tolex covering with oxblood speaker grille; to my eye, a striking appearance.  There is a sound reason for the Blonde version: it uses a Celestion Neo Creamback speaker instead of the Jensen speaker that comes in the standard (black Tolex) version.  It is a bit warmer (some say "darker") tone.

After getting it out of the box and looking it over, I took it to my music room and tried it out with my Gibson 335, the Taylor T5, and the Emerald Virtuo... it sounds good with each of them.

 

An unboxing and first impressions video...

 This evening, I put the cover on the amp...

 Back in the good ol' days, the covers used to be a heavy vinyl.  This feels like a denier, as in a light backpack material.  No padding, but it will make a good dust cover or possibly provide some protection if you have to load it in light precipitation.  That said, it is good that it comes with a cover.

 

That Is Heavy, Dude...

 

Emotional load or an actual burden?  Making music with the guys yesterday, I asked Mark if I could try one of his solid body electrics (he has a good selection).  I had my Taylor T5, which weighs about 5 and a half pounds.  I tried out his new Paul Reed Smith Fiore HH guitar - it weighs about 7 1/2 pounds.  You notice the difference.

Then, I tried one of his Fender Stratocasters.  I think it weighed about 160 pounds... I may have missed that by an ounce or two one way or the other.  Yeah, I am kidding.  That guitar was just over 8 pounds.  When you have that strapped across a shoulder, every pound counts.

My heaviest guitar is the Gibson ES-335, which is also around 8 pounds.  The Emerald Virtuo is my lightest electric at just barely over 5 pounds.  All my acoustics are lighter than that.

Does weight make a difference?  Thanks for asking.  Guitars are made from different woods, which means different weights.  That PRS Fiore has a body made of swamp ash.  That's a dense wood.  There will be variations in each individual piece of wood, so the weight of any guitar of a particular model may vary within a half pound or so.  Different woods will have different resonance; so even on a solid body guitar, the type of wood will make a difference in the sound.

Acoustic players seem to be more particular about what kind of wood a guitar is made from.  Rosewood, maple, spruce, koa - it makes a difference in tone.

This is a generalization: carbon fiber guitars are can be lighter than wood, but the production process (type of epoxy used, how many layers of carbon fiber, whether sheets of fiber are laid up or sprayed in with a chopper gun) makes a difference.  Since RainSong closed up, Emerald seems to be the leader in keeping their guitars light. 

I have been considering another solid body electric.  Not sure my shoulder would be happy about that.  There is no "rule" about heavy guitars being better, or lighter guitars being better.  But, you wouldn't know that if you visit internet guitar forums.  ;-)

Anything you can do about the weight of a guitar?  If you play standing, the strap you use can make a significant difference... a wider, padded strap will spread the weight out, making a real difference in comfort.  Or, you could switch from a Gibson Les Paul (generally around 9 pounds) to a Gibson SG (usually between 6 and 7 pounds).  But players are drawn to a style or model of guitar visually... and that's a whole 'nuther debate.

 

* If you really want to delve into guitar weights, here's a link: https://guitargearfinder.com/faq/electric-guitar-weight/

 

It's Still Rock 'n Roll To Me...

 

If you said, "Billy Joel, from the album Glass Houses, 1980," you get 12 bonus points.  Partial credit given for partial answers.  And, speaking of Billy Joel, there is a good documentary about him on Max, "Billy Joel: And So It Goes."

We watched it last weekend - very interesting.  If you are a Billy Joel fan, I recommend it.

Today is a rare Monday music day.  The Hip Replacements haven't all been in Phoenix at the same time for over a month.  And Ron will be leaving for another month+ trip to the Pacific Northwest.  Mark and Cindy will be in New York and the northeast for half of August and September.  Podge is always traveling.  And me?  I never go anywhere, never have any fun.

But, today we are all here and will be making music.  The amp I ordered is supposed to arrive at the store today, so it won't be in time to use it today.  Maybe tomorrow.  It still took me 4 trips to the car to get my gear in. 

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A fun practice with the guys today - we work well together, so even though it has been over a month since we've all been in town at the same time, everything came together nicely.  We have some gigs booked after we're back together again - more summer travel plans.

Cindy surprised me today with cookies from Crumbl.  With my birthday coming up, this is the only opportunity with us all together.  She put a candle on one of the cookies - is that "a candl on the Crumbl?"  ;-)

  And, the obligatory Birthday Song.  BIG cookies, btw; and my favorite: chocolate chunk.

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This evening, another nice thing...

 It wasn't a lot, but it has been 105 days since any measurable precip, so we'll gladly take it.  Of course, before the rain came down, a gust front full of sand and dirt blew in first.  Here's a photo from one of the TV stations, taken east of here...

 Thunderstorm on the left, a haboob on the right.

 

Can't See the Forest For The Trees...

 

Meaning: you can't see what's right in front of you.  No, I'm not going to say anything about guys looking for stuff.  This morning, you can't see the mountains for the blowing dirt/sand.  Monsoon season in the desert.

Looking to the southeast...

 On the far right side of that image, you can see some of South Mountain.  You would normally see that on the left side, as well.  Not today; it is shrouded in blowing dirt.  25 miles southeast of here, they had 20 foot visibility, rain, and hail.  Looking to the west, you can't see the Estrella Mountains; no point in a photo, just dirty air.

Yes, Murphy still wanted to go out.  It is not blowing here.  In fact, the wind is forecast for single digits here for most of the day.  In anticipation, the patio umbrellas have been put in the shed, along with the flag and the canopy over the hot tub...

 There is a 30% or greater chance of precip for the next week.  We can use the moisture; it has been over 3 months since we've had measurable (greater than .01") rain.

 

Everybody's Working For the Weekend...

 

If you said, "Loverboy, 1981, from the album Get Lucky," you get 15 bonus points.  If you said, "Not everybody is working," you may have been looking in our windows... and that's just creepy.

As we roll into the weekend, the feline family members are not working...

 

There was some "scurrying" happening before these napping photos.

Joan and I will be working (sorta) before the day is out: Mother Nature is supposed to be giving us some wind the next few days, and a chance of precip (about 30%) for much of this next week.  Yeah, this is "monsoon season" where the desert experiences humidity to go along with the heat.  So, that's fun.  Not.  We will be putting stuff away on the patio: furniture cushions, securing umbrellas.  

Ride, Captain, Ride...

 

If you said, "A song by the band Blues Image, 1970," you get 10 bonus points.

It has been hot.  As in: above 90º by the time I get up in the morning (usually around 6:00ish).  Daytime highs above 110º.  The last couple of days have been daytime highs around 114º.  This morning, it was 89º at 6:00... yeah, that's just a psychological 1º difference.  Still, it gave me the push to get out on my ebike, after I got my morning chores done.  And by that time, it was 94º.  Moderately crappy air quality.  Good times.

Still, a good ride...

Hardly anyone out and about.  It is amazing to me that you can find some solitude in the big city.  

Hey, it's only supposed to get up to 112º today - that's what the local weather lady said this morning.  Yes, she used the word "only."  Like that makes a difference. 

A few short video clips with the Meta Adventurer smart glasses... 

  

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Shared from my friend Danny...