One In, One Out...

 

It hasn't always worked for me, but I try to follow this policy with guitars.  I have been considering another solid body electric with good pickup options.  I don't need a top of the line (read: $$$) guitar for this use - something that plays good and sounds good.

I have been researching and narrowed it down to a couple models.  The one out?  Thanks for asking - that will be the Traveler Speedster Deluxe...

 

 

I picked this one up to take along in the van; that didn't work out so well.  So, the last trip out, my venerable Emerald X7 came along with us.  With the cargo pod on the back of the van, that works much better; and the Emerald being carbon fiber means no concern about the heat or humidity.

So, a solid body electric would not be for use in the van.  I have been enjoying the new Fender amp and looking for another option to go with that.  The Paul Reed Smith (PRS) SE models are well-made and moderately priced; a good working guitar.  That's where I'm leaning...

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A few hours later... 

I like it when a plan comes together.  The Traveler Speedster Deluxe has been moved on.  A good price on an "open box" (mint condition) PRS presented itself.  No one in the Phoenix area had the model I am interested in in stock.  Ship it, Danno.  (If you said, "A take-off from the Hawaii 5-0 TV series from 1968 to 1980, where Steve McGarrett (Jack Lord) would say 'Book 'em, Danno' when they caught the bad guy," you get 15 bonus points.

More on the guitar when it arrives, sometime next week.  Probably.

 

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.

 

 

Kinda Eerie...

 

Like the canal?  No, that's "Erie," and nothing like that.  I got out on the scoot this morning.  It has been a while... it felt great.  Life got in the way: the cold, the root canal, and (of course) the miserable heat.  Today, the high is supposed to be in the 90s.  Well, 99º, and that is mostly psychological.  It was 87º when I got into the hot tub last night at 9:30.  That's a major drop in temperature, as most evenings it has still been in triple digits.

I was expecting a cooler morning.  Even better than I expected: it was 76º when I got up about 6:15.  That is a bonus.

The Burgman 200 is the most accessible right now.  One of these days, we'll rearrange in the garage and get the bikes back into diagonal parking so they are all accessible.

The Burgman fired right up - I geared up and headed out.  Traffic was light on my way east on the surface road.  I was surprised when I got to South Mountain Park and Preserve that there weren't a lot of cars in the parking lot.  Even more surprising: no vehicle traffic.  Not all the way up the mountain.  Nor coming back down - not a single car or pickup.  I passed about a dozen people on bicycles either direction.  One small motorcycle heading out of the Preserve as I was heading in.  I have written about light traffic before, but this was nada.

Considering that this is the coolest morning in the past couple months, I expected more people out enjoying this brief break in the heat.

I was careful on my ride up the mountain.  OK, to be fair, I am always careful.  But, I was expecting sand and gravel washed onto the road with the monsoon storms we've had (we actually got some precipitation at our house last night).  My expectations were correct.  Nothing terrible, but some sand across the road right at a couple tight curves.

A good ride.  And it felt like I had the road pretty much to myself.

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Here it comes...

A nasty cell with wind and rain coming at us.  We have been fortunate that the monsoon storms have mostly gone around us.  We are not going to get missed today.

Around 5:00, the first of the gust front ahead of the storm blew in - we were strapping down patio furniture covers, patio umbrellas, and the last thing was taking down our US flag... it was really flapping in the breeze while I was rolling it up.  

Then, the pounding rain...

 It came down solid for about 45 minutes.  The rain gutters we had installed did what they were designed to do, but we still have water pooling in the yard.  It will filter down, but the ground is hard here, so it takes time.  This is part of the reason why flash flooding is a concern all around Arizona.

On the bright side, we really need the moisture, and everything not under a cover received a thorough rinse courtesy of Mother Nature.  There is no doubt that there will be flooding in some parts of the Valley.  The weather has been very active the last couple weeks; reports each morning on the local news of damage around the Phoenix area.  The higher elevation parts of the state (north around Flagstaff and east along the Mogollon Rim - all over 7,000') have seen flooding.  A reason we haven't gone to those places for any get-aways in the van.

 

Cool Change...

 

If you said, "Little River Band, 1979," you get 10 bonus points.  If you said, "Another weather discussion?" you are correct, but no bonus points.

It was only 86º when I took Murphy outside at 6:30 this morning.  When we came in, Joan was up and said, "It is only supposed to be 99º today."  Only.  Another monsoon storm is supposed to roll in this evening.  These storms are not massive in size like the hurricanes we used to watch for when we lived on the Gulf Coast.  Parts of the Valley here get damaging winds, rain, and hail, and other areas in the Valley get a light breeze.  The last 5 mornings, there have been reports on the local NBC channel showing damage and power outages.

Then, see the national news and reports on violent weather all over the country.  Reports from the Sturgis Rally showing hail that piled up like snow.  Tornadoes across the Midwest.  Heat alerts in much of the country.

And, here in Phoenix, it is going to be "cooler than normal."  I have music with Mark and the guys today; I am hoping to get home before the storms hit... people here don't know how to drive when it rains. 

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A good time with the music at Mark's house today.  Mark, Danny, Gil, and Carl were there.  Making music for the fun of it.  Danny brought pizza; Cindy provided cookies.  What's not to like?  ;-)

As we were picking a last song, Mark picked Pretty Woman by Roy Orbison.  I feel compelled to put on some sunglasses when doing anything by Roy; the sunglasses today were my Oakley Meta Vanguards.  No one here knew they had a camera built into the glasses - I demonstrated...

 Mark above; Danny, Gil, and Carl below...

 Cindy (Mark's wife) and Pat (Carl's wife) provided the applause...

 Yes, the lens on the camera is pretty wide angle.  But, handy!

 

 

Luke, I Am Your Father...

 

Darth Vader never actually says, "Luke, I am your Father," in the Empire Strikes Back.  The real line is, "No, I am your Father,"but people add "Luke" when quoting it to make the reference clear out of context. 

I say this line when Joan puts a long black cape over me when she is about to cut my hair.  I'm guessing she doesn't know why I say this.  I am further guessing she doesn't care.

But, today was haircut day for me.  Outside.  In the breeze.  There is always the qualifier: "No guarantees about how this will turn out with this wind."  (7 mph)  It always turns out fine.  I was due for a haircut - I believe it has been 7 years.  Or, perhaps, a month.  It will look better with my new cap, without hair sticking out around my ears.

The cape...

 

 

No, it doesn't look quite like that, but that is how I image myself.  There is no hood, and it is open in the back.  That doesn't stop me from doing the Darth Vader voice.

Semantic distinction.  In fashion, the word "cape" usually refers to a shorter garment and "cloak" to a full-length version of the different types of garment, though the two terms are sometimes used synonymously for full-length coverings.  Cape sounds cooler than cloak.  Unless, of course, we are talking about the "cloak of invisibility."  But, that is a different movie.

I believe the word you are now looking for is: nerd.

 

Singing In The Rain...

 

If you said, "The film from 1952, starring Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor, and Debbie Reynolds - and the title song from that movie," you get 30 bonus points.  Mostly for being more of a geezer than I am.  ;-)

 

This particular post has nothing to do with me.  Steph and Dan went to see John Mellencamp in concert last night.  At an outdoor concert venue.  In August.  During monsoon season.

We got a text from her, saying "Lightning all around them."  I let her know that, checking radar, rain was coming their way.  A few minutes later: "We are soaked to the skin!"

The concert was stopped and attendees were told to "Shelter in place or go to your cars for safety."  There is a cover over the main seating, but a lot of open "in the grass" seating.  When the storm passed, Mellencamp came back on again.

I asked them this morning how the concert went.  "We felt like youngsters - most of the crowd was older than us."  They have seen Mellencamp in concert quite a few times in the past - he is one of Steph's favorites.

I did mention to her that "Mellencamp is older than me."  She had to look it up: yep, he is a year older than I am.

They both said that he was showing his age during the concert.  "Ahem - only a year older than I am."

Dan said, "You are a young 73; he is an old 74."  A life of rock 'n roll will do that to you.

 

Well, it's about time...

 

You got a new watch, Jim?  No, but thanks for asking.

The last few weeks have been less than productive.  First a cold, then a root canal, then two monsoon storms blew in and made for "hazardous" air quality.  Yeah, that's a thing.  The last several days have been 114º +/- with higher than normal humidity.  Swamp-Ass Season.

We haven't gotten out much.  This morning, I was determined to get out on two wheels... the choice today was the Lectric ebike.  I was feeling the need to move.

It was 94º when I left the house at 7:30.  The humidity was only around 20%.  So, hot and sweaty, but a good ride.  Photos, or it didn't happen...

 It was a good ride.  And then a soak in the hot tub to ease the aches.  ;-)

 

 

More Music...

 

... And Les(s) Nessman. 

If you said, "From the sit-com WKRP In Cinncinnati: what Johnny Fever would say when introducing reporter Les Nessman," you get 30 bonus points.

No reporters on this one - today was music day with Allan and his bunch.  I didn't get any photos, but all 6 of us were there.  Allan's "wee little sister" (that's how he described her.  Good description - I'm guessing she was about 4'10"... she looked up at me when I met her and said, "Goodness, you're really tall."

"I'm guessing from your perspective, most people are... tall is not a descriptor used with me.  But, thanks."

I had a good time making music with these guys today.  A completely different experience from the Brothers MIM or the Hip Replacements.

 

Another Day, Another Monsoon Storm...

 

Well, overnight.  Before going to bed, we checked the hourly forecasts: nothing of any significance.  Not the way it played out.  A dust storm overnight woke Joan up and she went out to take down the cover over the hot tub.  I didn't hear any of this until she came back into the bedroom.

Yesterday late afternoon, Joan hosed off the furniture and patio while I added some water to the hot tub.  Everything was covered with dust again this morning.  'Tis that time of year.  Fa-la-freakin'-la.

I did take Murphy outside this morning.  The dust doesn't seem to bother him.

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Hello, my friend...

Yes, I have friends here.  Many of them are music related.  Some are neighbors or HOA related.  But this friend is one who hasn't received much attention lately...

 

Yes, I am talking about the RoadTrek.  It has been weeks since we've even visited it.  With the monsoon storms we've had lately, I felt the need to go check on my friend.  As you can see from that windshield cover, that's the direction the wind has generally been coming from.  The covered storage keeps it out of the sun here, but there is no stopping the blowing dirt with these storms.

The RoadTrek could use a bath, but it has been hot and humid.  And, with no plan to go anywhere anytime soon, it doesn't make sense to clean it up, just so it can get dirty again.  The interior is nice and clean; batteries are in storage mode and are strong.  The tires have the right amount of air in them.  It is ready to go when we can come up with a place within a day's drive that isn't on fire, smokey, getting localized flooding, or is just too dang hot.  Seems the higher elevation places in the state have been getting rain.  Fun places like Laughlin or Palm Springs are even hotter than here.  

Still Crap Air Quality...

 

I took Murphy out this morning - we didn't stay out too long.  The visibility is better, but you can feel the grit in the air.  A Category 5 dust storm moved through the area early yesterday morning.

That said, cabin fever is setting in for the humans in our house - Joan asked if we could do lunch out.  I suggested it yesterday, but... nope.  I think we are both in for today.

In a response to a comment from Earl on yesterday's post, I mentioned that we have put off any short trips (3 to 5 days) because of smoke from wildfires, hot temperatures, and even localized flooding in a couple places we considered.

On the way to Mark's on Monday, I recorded some rambling with the Oakley Meta Vanguard Glasses.  Finally got around to uploading it today.  This is "unlisted," so this blog post is the only place you'll see this clip...

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NHD...

New Hat Day.  It pays to advertise - I have been seeing ads on Facebook for "vintage" hats/caps.  I've had a version of these from Taylor (Guitars).  I called it a "driving cap" rather than vintage.  Some call it a "flat cap."  This one is denim - casual, but goes with most apparel that I wear.  I like it...

 More stylish than a ball cap... for guys of a certain age.  :-)

 

 

The Heat Is On...

 

If you said, "Glenn Frey, 1984, from the album The Allnighter," you get 15 bonus points.

Yes, I am talking about the weather in the desert again.  I think this is day 16 of "Extreme Heat Warning"... I may have lost track.  Interestingly enough, the high today is supposed to be only (??) 109º.  I guess the warning is because the humidity is relatively high, as expected during monsoon season.

To add to the fun, the wind came up last night and the air is full of dirt.  Murphy likes to go out after his breakfast - I put on a mask to take him outside.  The mask to help filter the dirty air.  I had forgotten how unpleasant it is to wear a mask.

How bad is the air?  Thanks for asking; South Mountain is visible (but diffused), the Estrella Mountains to the west are not.  The Air Quality Index in Phoenix is 104.  I have no idea how that scale works, but 104 is in the Hazardous range.

So, that is fun.  Not.

 

Still Rock n' Roll To Me...

 

If you said, "Billy Joel, 1980, from the album Glass Houses," you get 15 bonus points.

Music at Mark's house on Monday.  With everyone having different travel/vacation schedules, we have permutations of the 7 of us, depending on who is available.  For this session, it was Mark, Danny, Carl, and me.  Carl brought lunch (Jersey Mike's), Cindy provided cookies.  We had a great time making music.  First opportunity I've had for using the new amp with the guys, and it sounds great.

Before we were done, I asked Cindy if she would take some photos of us playing - nothing particular, just some photos for each of us.  She did a fine job - here's the results...

 And some individual shots while we were playing...

 

A good time!  Cindy and Carl's wife Pat were a good audience for us.