Finding the One

[Zoltan]

Ok. This write-up probably doesn't make much sense, and most of you aren't even interested in reading it anyway. It's about a journey. The classic "boy meets girl" story with some twists.

I had met that special one. I had dreamed of her, and although at first she seemed like an unattainable dream, I managed to get her.

Things were going fine for a long time. At first, I thought I might not have the money to keep her, but turns out she wasn't high maintenance at all. Actually where it all started to go wrong was when the maintenance was needed.

I had put my faith and passion towards her. I spend most of my waking moments with her. Even when I went out to party, or took part in any event, she was there. Some of you might think this was unhealthy, but for me and for us, this was how it was meant to be. Without her, I would have felt like a fish out of water. And I'm sure even the people I was around with wouldn't have wanted me there if I didn't have her by my side. You might say I was obsessed, but I had a dream, and it was with her.

Things evolved, and life got in the way. I was living the dream. But like in any good story, things started to go south. Tensions arose. Suddenly I started feeling that she wasn't all there. She was having issues, and I started looking for answers. At that point, I don't think I ever entertained the thought that grass would be greener on the other side, but later I did.

Out of respect. With a mutual agreement, we chose to take her for an operation. To get some work done for her. Nothing drastic. Just a nip and tuck here and there. I should have known.

After the operation, things felt okay for a while. I thought the changes were for the better as she felt and looked shiny and new. Like in that Madonna song. But like Madonna, she started losing her appeal quite quickly. Some minor annoyances turned into big things, and after a while, I felt like giving up on her. I'm sure she understood that too. I mean, I hadn't really changed. It was all her.

I know I'm starting to sound like a madman or a cold-hearted beast, but life is for living, and sometimes you have to make tough decisions to keep going. I knew I had more in me than I would ever get out while in her company.

With a mutual agreement, I still kept her. I knew I wouldn't ever really part with her, and I'd probably be comparing others to her.

This resulted in a long spell of soul searching. I even gave up on this part of my life for a while. I almost went into playing in the wrong team(* too! But guvnor, I've never touched a flute in my life, and I never will. Nothing against anyone. Not just my thing. 

This led into all kinds of threesomes, pan, and poly situations where I felt like I was still searching for the right one, and although I learned a lot about things... nothing really stuck.

The experience did teach me that I need to have some options, and although I'd rather dedicate most of my time being with the one... It's good to have others at hand's distance. I still have a situation going on that some could see as keeping a "harem," but I'm not looking for anyone's approval. I do feel I could do with less, but currently I don't have to.

I searched high and low. I made detours into things I knew wouldn't be for me(**, but I wanted to make sure. I tried to be someone different, yet I always gravitated towards things that felt like home(***.

Eventually I did find the one. At first, I wasn't sure about her color. I mean, color doesn't mean that much to me, but it's still something to consider. The color might suggest different things and vibes. The kind of which I wouldn't necessarily want to be having while having a good time.

I also wasn't sure how she'd work with my friends. I mean, I have made some friends that have gone through the ringer and survived several rounds of "which one of these I'm going to lose"-type situations. She actually gets along even with the types i don't usually like to associate myself with(**

It turns out my best Fender isn't a Fender at all.



* Keyboards/Synths. I dabble with those, but they never feel like home.
** Big Muff
*** Fuzz Faces/Tone Benders

[AndyR]

Ummm... 

My best Fender is a Fender.

Actually, not true...
My best FenderS ARE Fenders (and two of them are American)

And...
My best Gibsons are Gibson.

Not so sure about Gretsch yet, all my Gretschs are Gretsch, though

I do know what you're getting at, though

I've decided I can afford to keep several, they're all different, I love them all.
I'm too old for threesomes, though... so it's "one at a time girls"

[Zoltan]

I do know what you're getting at, though

Andy! I was thinking about you and you were the one who replied to this You're making me think i have magical powers so i'll put that into a test immediately: SNOW BE GONE! (by tomorrow hopefully as i still have summer tires!).

Yeah, the latest one you got is a real gem so you shouldn't be singing any other tunes As for thinking about you. I was wondering if you're using those UAD pedals in stereo, or mono? I'm so used to being in mono with guitar that i first tried it both ways and got confused once it got down to mixing the tracks. Now i'm running in mono again. In mono on loses some of the "2 cab" stuff and the room reverb folds quite ugly (compared to stereo).

Without putting you into the ringer... Would you use stereo instead of mono? I'm fearing that i might be missing out...

[Zoltan]

Oh, and here's the One.

[AndyR]

- it read like something I'd have tried to write!

"Yeah, the latest one you got is a real gem so you shouldn't be singing any other tunes"

I am wondering what you think the "latest one" might be here - can't remember what I've posted about.

I'm up to 3 UAD pedals now (or 4, but I've retired the OX Stomp, don't need it). I've got the Woodrow, the Lion, and now a Ruby as well. They're all fabulous, but for different reasons.

I use them in mono most of the time. Unless I'm using one with headphones and nothing else - you can get a splitter cable and plug the L and R of a headphones into the two outputs.

But on the rig/recording board it's all lined up in mono.
I need to get a decent switching/routing thing. I've got a Joyo A/B pedal that is really good but takes a load of space. At the moment I've got it set to A/B/Bypass... The Lion is on A, the Woodrow on B. Both are configured so their left hand footswitch is Boost On/Off. The Ruby is after the Joyo pedal, with its left hand footswitch configured as ON/OFF... so I've got no switchable boost on the Ruby at the moment, and it's a bit of a dance to get from one amp to another.

One thing I've learnt though... bi-amping is cool like this. I watched a rig-rundown with Charlie Starr (Blackberry Smoke). He has a tone to DIE for. And it's quite simple: a Super Bass Plexi and a Tweed Deluxe, both on all the time.... WOAH! I got that capability... Joyo Switcher running as an A+B/Bypass, Lion on A, Woodrow on B. Yep, sounds just right.
I haven't tried any other combinations yet.

FINALLY - I'm so relieved that "the one" really was a guitar... otherwise I'd completely misunderstood!

Interesting what you say about the Room reverb folding to mono not so good...

Thing is, I've never regarded it as a "reverb"... I think of the guitar "amp" output as a mono mix of "close mic" and "room mic". Also, it kind of helps that I think of all instruments as mono things. Eg I always record keyboards in mono. It seems to make stereo mixes easier and clearer.

[Zoltan]

I am wondering what you think the "latest one" might be here - can't remember what I've posted about.

Interesting what you say about the Room reverb folding to mono not so good...

That guitar that you had been wanting for so long that finally getting it brought tears into your eyes...
Are you telling me that you're already into other things?

I guess the main problem with the Room reverb folding down is that it gets excessive. One has to really pull it down in mono. Otherwise i feel it muddies up the sound. Which is probably the way it should act

In stereo one can hear the difference between the sides. Especially on those presets. Which i don't use btw except now that i'm making use of that Hall reverb that's baked into three of those patches in Uafx Lion.

In general i like to use just that (Lion) and just one pedal. Having a somekind of reverb in there is a good thing and i'm too lazy to use additional reverb pedal.

[AndyR]

That guitar that you had been wanting for so long that finally getting it brought tears into your eyes...
Are you telling me that you're already into other things?

   

First there was a quiet little one of these:
Gretsch G5210T-P90 Electromatic Jet Two 90 Single-Cut with Bigsby Laurel Fingerboard Mako

Doesn't really compete with the Gibson ES335 for "let's pick up a guitar for a bit of a cuddle", but it's a nice recording guitar with a Bigsby, and looks very pretty. And it's very VERY rock and roll.

And then, month or so back... another "wanting for so long" happened:

Fender American Vintage II 1961 Stratocaster Rosewood Fingerboard 3 Colour Sunburst

I've got strats like it, but this thing is "omigod".

In 2009 or so I got one of the original 60s Roadworns, it was my #1 for years.
But I kinda wished it wasn't "roadworn".
I tried the original AVs around the same time... didn't really grab me...
Then when they replaced the range with the American Original, I tried one, didn't like it.

When they brought out the AVIIs I wanted to try one...
But I needed a Precision Bass.
So I bought the AVII Precision instead (been using it ever since).
The moment it arrived I realised I'd want the strat if I touched one.

A new batch came in a few months back... we'd paid off the mortgage...
We decided it was safe for me to go and try one...
It was OBVIOUSLY mine (to me and Mrs R).

It doesn't actually retire the Roadworn, they're different.
But if I had to keep only one, it would be the AVII.
I got the Ruby the same day.

There's two guitars getting polished and played a lot at the moment (not including the acoustics for song-writing and the bass for the bottom-end on the demos), they both make very righteous sounds through Plexi, AC30, or Tweed Deluxe... They're the 335 or AVII Strat....  fab fab fab

[Pete C]

That's a beautiful Jazzmaster Zoltan. Tell us more about it !

Pete

[Zoltan]

And then, month or so back... another "wanting for so long" happened

I should have known... You're worse than me At least in your capable hands they're getting into a good use!

I get the idea of not wanting the guitar to be roadworn (anymore). I'm kinda going towards the opposite direction. Not relic'd, but nitro.

That's a beautiful Jazzmaster Zoltan. Tell us more about it !

Pete

Thanks Pete! It's made in Japan Van Zandt. The pickups are Van Zandt (USA) Hornet Jazzmaster pickups. The wiring is such that in rhythm circuit both of the pickups are in series.

The radius is 8.5 so it's between modern (9.5) and vintage (7.25). It has a Mastery bridge and vibrato. It weights nothing! Which was a huge surprise as i was expecting it to weight about as much as Jaguar, or at very least heavyish Strat.

I can't really comment on the neck profile other than that i like it. It's not sticky and it's not glossy. It has a slight "orange peel" feel to it which i read is a hip thing in Japan. On paper that sounds a bit odd, but in real life it feels really great.

It has nitro finish which is the way i like it at the moment. Expect to hear me bitchin' and moanin' about that topic in the future. Hopefully not too soon

[Pete C]

The specs sound great Zoltan ! Japanese guitars are top quality too. Never had a nitro finish so it'll be interesting to see how it ages.

Pete