The Guitar Pron Thread

[noharleyyet 2837]

I simply can't butcher Norwegian Wood or Into the Mystic without a capo.

[Nole-4-Life 800]

9 hours ago, tbone_ said:

I use them all the time. But it’s because I am always having to transpose songs into keys I can sing in.

But yea, just to avoid bar chords? Fuck that. Learn the chord.

This is me...have to use it to transpose for singing. Never considered using it as a crutch for barre chords.

[jimmyjazz 45559]

I struggle with capos.  It's very difficult for me to (for instance) "play" a G but hear an A.  I suppose I could train myself with some effort, but it's just not very high on the priority list.

[Mojo Hand 4580]

9 hours ago, Celery Man said:

of course using capos to avoid a barre chord doesn't even make sense.  You use it to shift up the neck.  If you were using it to avoid barres you'd still be minus a whole bunch of what you need to not suck.

IMO you could actually do a hell of a lot with just open chords.   In the keys of G and Em, you can play open every stable diatonic chord (i.e., minus the half-dim vii), plus the dominant 7th,  the secondary dominant for every stable diatonic chord, and Gsus2 and Gsus4, just to name a few:

G - Am - Bm (x20402) - C - D - Em

G7 - A7 - B7 - D7 - E7 - F#7 (xx4320) 

If you're OK with an occasional F chord (which can be the simplified xx3211), you could do pretty much the same in the keys of C/Am.  And if you wanted to play a song in a major key with major bIII, bVI and bVII chords borrowed from the relative minor scale, you can get all of those open plus the IV and V in the key of E:

E - G - A - B7 - C - D

or A:

A - C - D - E - F - G

I'm pretty sure you could sound pretty good just playing all of those transposed with a capo into whatever key works for your vocal range.  

Edited May 9, 2019 by Mojo Hand

[tbone_ 14025]

I struggle with capos.  It's very difficult for me to (for instance) "play" a G but hear an A.  I suppose I could train myself with some effort, but it's just not very high on the priority list.

Interesting. I have no problem with this at all. I hear everything in intervals relative to the root key/chord. I don’t really hear absolute anything, if that makes sense.

[Mojo Hand 4580]

1 hour ago, jimmyjazz said:

I struggle with capos.  It's very difficult for me to (for instance) "play" a G but hear an A.  I suppose I could train myself with some effort, but it's just not very high on the priority list.

Nice perfect pitch humblebrag

[AnotherUTFan 9681]

I'm like tbone. I've read that. Most of us hear relative pitch, but a small percentage hear absolute or perfect pitch. As much as Ive wished I heard perfect pitch, I've heard it's as mucha curse as it is a blessing; just as jh described for an example.

I dont have an issue with capos, but I'm too lazy to keep up with one and I dont really sing on key anyway.

I often meet a friend at this local bluegrass jam. All those guys have capos. From what I can tell everything they play is in G or D, and if it's not they just use a capo and pretend it is.

[jimmyjazz 45559]

19 minutes ago, Mojo Hand said:

Nice perfect pitch humblebrag

It's not actually perfect, but I've heard it called "relative pitch".  I never bothered to figure it out.  I'm also not as good at it as I once was, which might be related to natural hearing loss as I age (not to mention decades of standing near blaring Marshall amps and chimpanzees, er, drummers bashing away on snare drums and cymbals).

For me it's not as easy to identify a pure tone on, say, a piano as it it to identify an open chord on a guitar.  I think the latter goes beyond the pure tonal memory we call perfect pitch -- the intervals and most likely the imperfections therein because of tempering approximations provide aural cues that help me identify chords.

[Celery Man 20886]

I have good relative pitch, but have really gotten a lot better at identifying chord shapes regardless of their position.  So I can hear an Am or whatever and then identify where on the neck it's being played, adjust the capo, and we're off.  Which also gets to the point that a lot of times (at least for a lot of music) getting the chord right isn't agnostic to how you're playing the chord, so capo : )

[phdhorn 6224]

Perfect pitch is you can hear a piece of music and instantly know what key it's in (or a note and instantly identify that note exactly).  If you have to think about it for longer than a second, you don't have it.  If you take 2-3 seconds and get 7/10 right (which I can do), you still don't have it.  If you've ever seen people with it, it's BAM!  Play any note and instantly they can give you the note (key).

Relative pitch refers to a slush of other things, and can be learned/developed.  Perfect pitch cannot, it's inherent. 

There is absolutely no musical advantage to having perfect pitch (except for maybe tuning instruments).  

Edited May 9, 2019 by phdhorn

[sidis 9754]

look, at the end of the day, i just need one of you fuckers to explain to me how to go from anything to a B and from anything to a Cm without taking 20 minutes to get there and without cheating with power chords.  FUCK!

#shittyguitarist

[tbone_ 14025]

Your guitar probably isn’t hanging low enough. Lengthen that strap about 9 inches and you should have it no problem

 

 

 

[sidis 9754]

3 minutes ago, tbone_ said:

Your guitar probably isn’t hanging low enough. Lengthen that strap about 9 inches and you should have it no problem

 

 

 

I knew that was the issue. 

[noharleyyet 2837]

Prehensile wrist, radius/ulna. 

[Jograves 357]

I heard Rockin' Robin in Houston is going up for sale. That's too bad. Probably turn it into another Starbucks or something.

[Celery Man 20886]

bummer.  not the right thread but I also saw a thing that demolition had started on Fitzgeralds.  Sad Houston music week.

[Chad Fuck 17566]

54 minutes ago, tbone_ said:

Your guitar probably isn’t hanging low enough. Lengthen that strap about 9 inches and you should have it no problem

 

 

 

[gasman 114]

1 hour ago, Jograves said:

I heard Rockin' Robin in Houston is going up for sale. That's too bad. Probably turn it into another Starbucks or something.

That sucks. That place was like a mythical destination that my parents would never take me to because it was "all the way in Houston". It was only 30 miles away... I was stuck riding my bike to Mr. G's music to look at Yamaha's and Washburn's while dreaming of Ibanez and Fender. Hopefully I can get down there before it is shuttered for good.

[tbone_ 14025]

I loved that place. And all other places like it.

Charley’s in Dallas is cool too.

[Foggy Notion 1202]

I grew up a couple hours north of Houston. I never made it to Rockin Robin, but one of my guitars ended up there. When I was about 16, a friend gave me a hand-me-down black sparkle Silvertone Jupiter like this one...

I was playing bass in a band, and didn't really play the Silvertone. Our guitarist drove down to RR with some cash and ended up falling in love with a LP goldtop, one of the early Classic 1960's models. He came back empty-handed cuz he was about 150 bucks short. He drove back down the next week with the cash and the Silvertone to trade-in and came back home with the goldtop. 

A couple years later, a little piece of binding came off the goldtop so my buddy shipped it to Gibson for repair. While in transit back to East Texas, the goldtop got crushed on a FedEx conveyor belt.

[jimmyjazz 45559]

I first came to Austin as a college sophomore, and ended up with a roommate at Jester via the lottery.  He was a Spring kid and as deep into music as I.  We hit it off like gangbusters and were fast friends for probably 15 years, and still stay in touch.

He told me about Rockin' Robin, and it became a bucket list place for me to visit.  I never did.  He had all kinds of stories about a couple of artsy sisters in the area -- Robyn and Crystal Bernard (Happy Days, Wings, etc.).  My roommate and Robyn were pals, but never quite got "the band" off the ground, although I think Robyn played for years and years in various pre-riot grl bands.  Rockin' Robin was their gear nexus.

[Foggy Notion 1202]

Any of y'all ever play any of the Robin guitars?

I've always thought the Robin Ranger was kinda cool. Fender pretty much ripped off Robin's design when they came out with the Squier 51. But then again, Robin was copying Fender with a lot of their guitars too.

[Deej 76568]

1 hour ago, Foggy Notion said:

I grew up a couple hours north of Houston. I never made it to Rockin Robin, but one of my guitars ended up there. When I was about 16, a friend gave me a hand-me-down black sparkle Silvertone Jupiter like this one...

I was playing bass in a band, and didn't really play the Silvertone. Our guitarist drove down to RR with some cash and ended up falling in love with a LP goldtop, one of the early Classic 1960's models. He came back empty-handed cuz he was about 150 bucks short. He drove back down the next week with the cash and the Silvertone to trade-in and came back home with the goldtop. 

A couple years later, a little piece of binding came off the goldtop so my buddy shipped it to Gibson for repair. While in transit back to East Texas, the goldtop got crushed on a FedEx conveyor belt.

[noharleyyet 2837]

1 hour ago, Foggy Notion said:

I grew up a couple hours north of Houston. I never made it to Rockin Robin, but one of my guitars ended up there. When I was about 16, a friend gave me a hand-me-down black sparkle Silvertone Jupiter like this one...

I was playing bass in a band, and didn't really play the Silvertone. Our guitarist drove down to RR with some cash and ended up falling in love with a LP goldtop, one of the early Classic 1960's models. He came back empty-handed cuz he was about 150 bucks short. He drove back down the next week with the cash and the Silvertone to trade-in and came back home with the goldtop. 

A couple years later, a little piece of binding came off the goldtop so my buddy shipped it to Gibson for repair. While in transit back to East Texas, the goldtop got crushed on a FedEx conveyor belt.

...gonna need a Paul Harvey here foggy. 

[Moby Ric 2058]

1 hour ago, Foggy Notion said:

I grew up a couple hours north of Houston. I never made it to Rockin Robin, but one of my guitars ended up there. When I was about 16, a friend gave me a hand-me-down black sparkle Silvertone Jupiter like this one...

I was playing bass in a band, and didn't really play the Silvertone. Our guitarist drove down to RR with some cash and ended up falling in love with a LP goldtop, one of the early Classic 1960's models. He came back empty-handed cuz he was about 150 bucks short. He drove back down the next week with the cash and the Silvertone to trade-in and came back home with the goldtop. 

A couple years later, a little piece of binding came off the goldtop so my buddy shipped it to Gibson for repair. While in transit back to East Texas, the goldtop got crushed on a FedEx conveyor belt.

One of the saddest days in my young life I ever had was in Rockin Robin.  I was broke, on my own and struggling to make any ends meet.  I ended up selling them my tuxedo black Ric bass which was the only thing I had of value to pay rent.  I was actually in tears when I walked out.  It took 20 years to replace that bass, but I did it.  They will have to pry it from my cold dead hands now.

[Foggy Notion 1202]

29 minutes ago, noharleyyet said:

...gonna need a Paul Harvey here foggy. 

Haha, the rest of the story isn't much better. 

FedEx ended up cutting him a check for the LP. And I believe they gave him more than he originally paid for the guitar.

But instead of going and buying another Les Paul, IIRC for some reason he went and bought a cherry red Guild acoustic. That was a nice guitar too, but not quite the same as an LP. 

This particular model goldtop ended up being kinda rare. Instead of having the traditional mahogany sides and back, it was gold all over like the one in this link.

https://www.creamcitymusic.com/rare-1992-gibson-les-paul-classic-all-gold-electric-guitar/

[BoomMF 1398]

One of the saddest days in my young life I ever had was in Rockin Robin.  I was broke, on my own and struggling to make any ends meet.  I ended up selling them my tuxedo black Ric bass which was the only thing I had of value to pay rent.  I was actually in tears when I walked out.  It took 20 years to replace that bass, but I did it.  They will have to pry it from my cold dead hands now.

Username checks out. All of it.

[DougO 5239]

Intradesting guitar pron. Maybe I should do a sculpted vagicaster.

 

 

[DougO 5239]

And for the after-party you can use it to hold an assortment of tasty snacks.

[DougO 5239]

7 hours ago, phdhorn said:

Perfect pitch is you can hear a piece of music and instantly know what key it's in (or a note and instantly identify that note exactly).  If you have to think about it for longer than a second, you don't have it.  If you take 2-3 seconds and get 7/10 right (which I can do), you still don't have it.  If you've ever seen people with it, it's BAM!  Play any note and instantly they can give you the note (key).

Relative pitch refers to a slush of other things, and can be learned/developed.  Perfect pitch cannot, it's inherent. 

There is absolutely no musical advantage to having perfect pitch (except for maybe tuning instruments).  

When I did the test to get into school marching band I got a perfect score on their pitch test. But I still usually don't know what key stuff is because I suck at reading music and knowing stuff like that.  I just know what it sounds like. I use to be able to sing a a high e with my friend holding a tuner cold and nail it within a semitone every time. The only thing that messed me up is that I used to tune down a half step.

Didn't do me that much good, though. I still suck and never really learn a whole song. A good ear helps a lot, but it also lets you know how much you really suck, so it can be discouraging.

Edited May 9, 2019 by DougO

[DougO 5239]

I just miss the hell out of the old Heart Of Texas music store in Temple. I spent so much time there back in the day most people thought I worked there, or was a really good player, wrong in both cases.

[Chad Fuck 17566]

14 hours ago, DougO said:

Intradesting guitar pron. Maybe I should do a sculpted vagicaster.

 

 

What exactly is the point of fret markers if every fret has a marker? 

[noharleyyet 2837]

31 minutes ago, Chad Fuck said:

What exactly is the point of fret markers if every fret has a marker? 

...embellished hideousness.

[noharleyyet 2837]

Freeze frame for this strat and tele....

 

[tbone_ 14025]

My old boss claimed Joe Walsh went to his church in Solana Beach. I told him I’d forgo a year salary if he could get me one lesson with that man.

Never came through.

[Foggy Notion 1202]

The guy who I bought AUTF's Marshall from a few weeks ago was a roadie back in the 80s for a well-known American rock band. During that time, he met and became friends with a bunch of other bands and musicians. 

He told me that he went to a guitar shop back then with Joe Walsh, who was looking to sell one of his 1970s Les Pauls. The shop lowballed Joe, who then offered the LP to the roadie for the same price. The guy bought it and still has it, but he's not playing much anymore and has been selling off a lot of his gear. 

I have no idea how much he would want for it, but I think he would sell it. He said he's thought about calling up Joe to see if he wants to buy back his Les Paul, but said it's been years since he talked to him and figured Joe has all the Les Pauls he needs.

Provenance might be an issue since it was a cash and a handshake deal made before vintage guitars were a thing. But if anyone is interested, I can ask the guy for a price and some pics.

[jimmyjazz 45559]

2 minutes ago, Foggy Notion said:

The guy who I bought AUTF's Marshall from a few weeks ago

Wait, what?  Did I miss this?

[Foggy Notion 1202]

It's a newer model 50 watt Plexi head I found on Austin CL. AUTF picked it up from me while he was in town a few weeks ago and flew back to SF with the Marshall in the overheard bin.

Pics are on page 13 of the amp thread, I believe.

 

[noharleyyet 2837]

10 minutes ago, Foggy Notion said:

The guy who I bought AUTF's Marshall from a few weeks ago was a roadie back in the 80s for a well-known American rock band. During that time, he met and became friends with a bunch of other bands and musicians. 

He told me that he went to a guitar shop back then with Joe Walsh, who was looking to sell one of his 1970s Les Pauls. The shop lowballed Joe, who then offered the LP to the roadie for the same price. The guy bought it and still has it, but he's not playing much anymore and has been selling off a lot of his gear. 

I have no idea how much he would want for it, but I think he would sell it. He said he's thought about calling up Joe to see if he wants to buy back his Les Paul, but said it's been years since he talked to him and figured Joe has all the Les Pauls he needs.

Provenance might be an issue since it was a cash and a handshake deal made before vintage guitars were a thing. But if anyone is interested, I can ask the guy for a price and some pics.

.More rep Foggy....I rarely swear on the net but that's a great fuggin' story. 

[jimmyjazz 45559]

7 minutes ago, Foggy Notion said:

It's a newer model 50 watt Plexi head I found on Austin CL. AUTF picked it up from me while he was in town a few weeks ago and flew back to SF with the Marshall in the overheard bin.

Pics are on page 13 of the amp thread, I believe.

 

Ah, I don't pay much attention to that thread.

I thought you were saying you bought AUTF's old Marshall from some dude who had bought it from AUTF.  Carry on.

[tbone_ 14025]

I might be interested in that Les Paul. Especially if it really is what it is.

 

[Chad Fuck 17566]

1 hour ago, Foggy Notion said:

The guy who I bought AUTF's Marshall from a few weeks ago was a roadie back in the 80s for a well-known American rock band. During that time, he met and became friends with a bunch of other bands and musicians. 

He told me that he went to a guitar shop back then with Joe Walsh, who was looking to sell one of his 1970s Les Pauls. The shop lowballed Joe, who then offered the LP to the roadie for the same price. The guy bought it and still has it, but he's not playing much anymore and has been selling off a lot of his gear. 

I have no idea how much he would want for it, but I think he would sell it. He said he's thought about calling up Joe to see if he wants to buy back his Les Paul, but said it's been years since he talked to him and figured Joe has all the Les Pauls he needs.

Provenance might be an issue since it was a cash and a handshake deal made before vintage guitars were a thing. But if anyone is interested, I can ask the guy for a price and some pics.

You have to ask.  We all want to know.  Get pics, of course.

[Foggy Notion 1202]

I just called the guy. He said that he doesn't want to sell it just yet. But he said he would send me some pics of the guitar later and that I can post them on here. He said that if he does decide to sell it, he will let me know. So all hope is not lost. We might just have to be patient. 

I had the wrong year. I thought he had told me it was a 70s LP, but just now he said it's a 1980 Heritage LP, which he said was Gibson's first reissue of a '59 flame top. I'll post pics as soon as he sends em.

[Deej 76568]

18 minutes ago, Foggy Notion said:

We might just have to be patient.

Edited May 10, 2019 by Deej

[Mojo Hand 4580]

Did he say how much he paid for it? 

[Foggy Notion 1202]

Pics are in...

[Foggy Notion 1202]

6 minutes ago, Mojo Hand said:

Did he say how much he paid for it? 

$600

[tbone_ 14025]

He should never sell that but if he does I’d be all over it.

[AnotherUTFan 9681]

That's a gorgeous Les Paul. I was hoping it would be in the chainsaw case like celeryman's.

[Chad Fuck 17566]

In.

Mother fucking in.