I was thinking, yes we know John you think a lot but be brief please, in terms of decades & how the main issues of the time affect/affected society.
60's - Viet Nam, hippies, peace & love, psychedelia, & such, and all men elligible for the draft fearing their number would be picked. A challenged generation for sure.
70's - Nam recovery & fallout throughout the nation, I guess Disco music was the main thing I remember as I was 3 to 13 in that decade so I don't know much else than that. I deny all knowlege senator.
80's - The decade that hi-tech began & gizmoids & gadgets at home were becomming the norm, Disco being the norm & then dying to punk & new Wave music, & the Madonna & Divas & rap music mixed with the start of hard rock/metal fronted by Eddie Van Halen restoring the guitar to it's place in rock music in our side of the world. Music videos birthed.
90's - More & more high tech, Metal music & big & even bigger hair peaked & swiftly melted away to hip-hop, gangsta rap, boy/girl groups, & grunge, and even more tech gadgets, birth of cell phones. The generation of "push a button get a response & get angry when the response takes too long." The birth of CGI animation to contribute to the movie experience. The start of email as the norm of communication, thereby speeding up company productivity & helping people be a bit more connected, but at the same time email becomming the only way some communicated & so people started to become disconnected.
2000 - 9/11 & the world stopped for a moment to try & see what is important, and our nation was brought a bit closer together, Iraq's 1st chance at freedom from the unjust & dishonest dictator began but with that birth comes a lot of growing pains that nobody is able to stick around for as our soldiers are there in harm's way to serve our country & to protect the Iragi people who cannot do so for themselves. Reality shows. Hi-tech having a hangover from 20 years of partying & silicon valley going bust, the generation of Instant/text messaging, of DVDs, flat & plasma t.v.s, cell phones & personal portable gadgets that must be had by all, birth of digital media in portable formats, thereby leading society to beginning to become more isoloated & disconnected like never before & everyone fending for themselves. The very gizmoids & gadgets all are seeking contributing to global warming & the call to go green now. Green cars. Reunion tours of bands from the 80's. Paris Hilton being the spokesperson & example that all girls want to be & follow. If we don't live like we first did after 9/11 realizing what is important & that all the other stuff & the so & so who's hot in Hollywood or which celebrity has messed themselves up today, or what's the #1 anything on any chart doesn't matter.
Terra was profound in helping me learn that at about the same time the world was watching Princess Diana having her funeral and the media broadcasting it in celebrity style, the simple woman of love who gave her life to the poor & sick, Mother Theresa was having her funeral with a poor quality broadcast & most people not even aware of it.
In the golf world Tiger Woods is gifted & amazing & is watched & is the one who is hard to beat. The day after losing the U.S. Open, his baby was born. How many are going to talk just about that Tiger should've done this or that differently & he could've of won it with this shot or putt. And behind closed doors away from the media, I'm sure becomming acquainted with new angel & connecting deeply with his wife far outweigh being 2nd in the tournament. The business of golf for him has it place & time of course....just not now.
I find it interesting that two celebrities whom millions have watched, heard, & talked about have undergone life & perspective changing events...
1) Edward Van Halen - Guitar legend, Alcoholic & drug addict, all songs put out since '78 were about sex, drugs, or rock 'n roll maybe with some love schmooze ballad thrown, divorced, father of overweight teen, wanted to go out on the road with original singer with teen son as the bass player. So going out & once again spewing forth the not so great lyrics upon millions, the planned reunion summer tour is cancelled & he checks himself into rehab & comes out looking better & happy. He probably learned that he needed to become the father his son never had. Will his change for the better change anything about any future music or tours? Don't know, but I would hope so & millions would benefit from hearing from him. Doesn't matter if he ever plays live, records, or tours again. What he does with his time with his son & himself does matter.
2) Paris Hilton - Somehow became celebrity & just played & acted stoopid & was the model for fashion, selfishness, greed, etc. Forced into jail for her stuff, & supposedly has changed. Somehow I think her whiny snibbly whatever ways will take longer than a week in jail to make that a lasting positive change.
9/11 was an instant & put the system into shock & was a wakeup call. Perhaps celebrities who undergo such a transformation will somehow have a more lasting & positive influence & impact on society.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Monday, June 18, 2007
I lived in a yellow submarine for a moment
We were at the beach on Saturday hoping the sun would join us there. Brought the life vests for the boys & myself to possibly go out in me kayak providing wind & wave conditions were not too harsh. So after sitting in me chair for a bit & watching the surf it seemed to be kind of small & non-threatening. So I got the yak pumped up & ready to go but I went by myself for the first tour. I stood in the nice cold water watching the set of waves trying to time when to dart out past the surfline so I could just float around. I saw a lull & so I went for it. I have done this kind of entry before at the beach & I know that once you commit to getting out, you go for it as hard as you can until past the waves. I did paddle hard while watching the little bumps of already broken waves coming along that I breezed right through with no concern. Then I saw it. A lump appeared out of nowhere unexpectedly & I knew that I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. The lump got bigger & I paddled harder staring it down. Kind of like the attitude of you won't get me without a fight bucko! As I approached the wave that was forming I realized that no matter how hard I try & no matter what I'm a gonna do, this wave is going to break right on my bow & cause a lot of havoc upon my whole being. I haven't been in such a situation before & all I knew was paddle as hard as I could. I paddled hard & the wave broke just as I had expected on my bow & I sure helped it by leaning backwards, and it just smacked the yak, got it all topsy turvy, & going sideways. And as good as the yak is, it's not built for being pushed sideways by a wave & over it turns in the whitewater. I'm smacked down ma'an! Dude game over. I'm tumbling under water, & tumbling, which is not a big deal as I had my life vest on & such. The wave finally & graciously lets go of me, I get up & grab my soaking wet hat that rose to the surface & put it on my head anyway. I weighed about 20 pounds heavier as my sweatshirt is now soaked. I saunter over to the overturned yak, turned it right side up, grabbed one of it's rope things on the bow & out of breath & wiped out, I put my tail between my legs, my pride crushed, & I wander back to our spot on the beach. I must have swallowed a gallon of saltwater in the wipeout as my stomach was just going yuck for a bit afterwards. My arms were shaking from the unexpected 100 yard dash to compete with el bumpo wave that couldn't have been more than 3 feet in height that couldn't have waited about 5 more seconds to break. I was there ma'an. I had it made. And the wave said NO, you shall not pass. It would have been a hilarious video if Terra had taken one to post up on Stupid Videos.
Where's John? Oh he's enjoying his yellow submarine. ha.
Until later comes turn it up to ah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha wipeout.
Where's John? Oh he's enjoying his yellow submarine. ha.
Until later comes turn it up to ah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha wipeout.
Friday, June 15, 2007
Don't miss out, Free upgrade...
So the PC world is a buzz about Microsoft Vista operating system. All computer makers are only focussing on Vista ready or capable systems now. That's nice...yawn. Don't need a new computer anytime soon. I have XP with service pack 2 at home & at work. Usually no problems & it's pretty stable. You'd think that would be the case with XP being out for the time it has been.
I did have to venture into the realm of testing something in Vista through VMWare. I just think & go ugh. They've done it again. UI totally revamped & changed. I thought the jump from Windows 2000 to XP was odd & hard to get used to at first. Then I tried to do the testing in Vista & to do anything you were used to doing in XP, such as configuring network settings & such, became a very foreign land. Then I had to do the same in testing using a Japanese version of Vista...that was fun trying to guess which icon or button to push. I think I melted in that journey.
So what I'm first getting at is that if I were to buy a new computer today, I would be forced to use Vista because that's all that computer manufacturers are putting on their systems. They are bowing down to Big Brother Gates, controller of Windows. It's the in thing to do & consumers don't get any say in it. And ya probably wouldn't find it easy to find a valid Windows XP installation disk to redo the system to be what you want it to be. I guess you could go the Linux route but no thanks.
The trigger to write this was that a friend bought her daughter a computer that was Vista capable but that was before Vista upgrades for Windows XP were available so HP included that once the Vista upgrade was available it would be sent to them for free. My friend is able to get around computers fairly well & she ventured into the upgrade process & did everything very well in terms of creating recovery disks & such before upgrading. I was impressed. She applied the upgrade which took something like 2 hours to do. Thanks Microsoft. I'm sure your customers really appreciate that. I got a call from her the other day saying that her computer won't start anymore & gets a cryptic message saying Operating system missing. She told me that she had applied the upgrade & soon after this problem appeared. I went over last night to help her with it & I first got the recovery disks to recover the XP that was there & intact prior to the upgrade. Got it all recovered & working fine or even better than fine 'cause I'm good.
In the process it hit me. Hmmm...XP on system for daughter who mainly does some things on the internet, sends emails, & maybe plays some games. I then asked myself "Why upgrade to Vista? What is the motivating factor to do so besides that it was there for free to do?" I couldn't think of any good reason. I asked friend if she did the upgrade based solely on that it was there for free to do. So the outcome was, leave the system as XP & forget Vista upgrade. First time around the upgrade didn't do so well with this particular computer so first impressions aren't that great for a process that takes over 2 hours to complete.
So I queried a couple of co-workers & asked basically what does upgrading to 32 bit Vista from XP gain someone? Basically the answer was, not a whole lot & there's no good motivating factor to do so unless you have 2 GB of memory or something crazy like that. And their responses did include comments about how the UI keeps getting mucked with with each new Windows release.
I can't imagine how many people try to do the upgrade just because their system is Vista capable & the upgrade came for free. What's even more scary is that the instructions that come with the upgrade don't really make it obvious that if you go through a recovery disk creation process, that process does NOT include backing up personal files & data. Step 1 does say "Go backup your stuff first." I guess one would have to know that the term & paradigm of an OS recovery disk does not include backing up your stuff you don't want lost.
I'm wondering how many people do the upgrade without first backing up their own data & personal files because they think the recovery process will do that for them or they don't understand the process enough. I can just hear the thousands of digital photo files disappearing for forever from people's computers. But then it's commonly known that ya should have a backup process planned out on an ongoing basis. And with USB drives getting smaller & with more capacity, backing up is a breeze. I get to enjoy a work provided 160 GB Western Digital USB drive that Costco has been carrying. I like it a lot.
So in regards to upgrading to a major OS revision, what does this new widget give you that you don't have in your stable XP operating system? If the answer doesn't include some major compelling reason, then stick with the motto "If it ain't broke, don't try to fix or upgrade it to a new OS." If it is broke, call your nearest me & I can try to help you take it outside & smash it up. ha.
For those about to endure Vista, may success be with thee but proceed at your own risk & be prepared for the time it will take afterwards no matter the result.
Until later comes, just say no to Vista all you XP users.
I did have to venture into the realm of testing something in Vista through VMWare. I just think & go ugh. They've done it again. UI totally revamped & changed. I thought the jump from Windows 2000 to XP was odd & hard to get used to at first. Then I tried to do the testing in Vista & to do anything you were used to doing in XP, such as configuring network settings & such, became a very foreign land. Then I had to do the same in testing using a Japanese version of Vista...that was fun trying to guess which icon or button to push. I think I melted in that journey.
So what I'm first getting at is that if I were to buy a new computer today, I would be forced to use Vista because that's all that computer manufacturers are putting on their systems. They are bowing down to Big Brother Gates, controller of Windows. It's the in thing to do & consumers don't get any say in it. And ya probably wouldn't find it easy to find a valid Windows XP installation disk to redo the system to be what you want it to be. I guess you could go the Linux route but no thanks.
The trigger to write this was that a friend bought her daughter a computer that was Vista capable but that was before Vista upgrades for Windows XP were available so HP included that once the Vista upgrade was available it would be sent to them for free. My friend is able to get around computers fairly well & she ventured into the upgrade process & did everything very well in terms of creating recovery disks & such before upgrading. I was impressed. She applied the upgrade which took something like 2 hours to do. Thanks Microsoft. I'm sure your customers really appreciate that. I got a call from her the other day saying that her computer won't start anymore & gets a cryptic message saying Operating system missing. She told me that she had applied the upgrade & soon after this problem appeared. I went over last night to help her with it & I first got the recovery disks to recover the XP that was there & intact prior to the upgrade. Got it all recovered & working fine or even better than fine 'cause I'm good.
In the process it hit me. Hmmm...XP on system for daughter who mainly does some things on the internet, sends emails, & maybe plays some games. I then asked myself "Why upgrade to Vista? What is the motivating factor to do so besides that it was there for free to do?" I couldn't think of any good reason. I asked friend if she did the upgrade based solely on that it was there for free to do. So the outcome was, leave the system as XP & forget Vista upgrade. First time around the upgrade didn't do so well with this particular computer so first impressions aren't that great for a process that takes over 2 hours to complete.
So I queried a couple of co-workers & asked basically what does upgrading to 32 bit Vista from XP gain someone? Basically the answer was, not a whole lot & there's no good motivating factor to do so unless you have 2 GB of memory or something crazy like that. And their responses did include comments about how the UI keeps getting mucked with with each new Windows release.
I can't imagine how many people try to do the upgrade just because their system is Vista capable & the upgrade came for free. What's even more scary is that the instructions that come with the upgrade don't really make it obvious that if you go through a recovery disk creation process, that process does NOT include backing up personal files & data. Step 1 does say "Go backup your stuff first." I guess one would have to know that the term & paradigm of an OS recovery disk does not include backing up your stuff you don't want lost.
I'm wondering how many people do the upgrade without first backing up their own data & personal files because they think the recovery process will do that for them or they don't understand the process enough. I can just hear the thousands of digital photo files disappearing for forever from people's computers. But then it's commonly known that ya should have a backup process planned out on an ongoing basis. And with USB drives getting smaller & with more capacity, backing up is a breeze. I get to enjoy a work provided 160 GB Western Digital USB drive that Costco has been carrying. I like it a lot.
So in regards to upgrading to a major OS revision, what does this new widget give you that you don't have in your stable XP operating system? If the answer doesn't include some major compelling reason, then stick with the motto "If it ain't broke, don't try to fix or upgrade it to a new OS." If it is broke, call your nearest me & I can try to help you take it outside & smash it up. ha.
For those about to endure Vista, may success be with thee but proceed at your own risk & be prepared for the time it will take afterwards no matter the result.
Until later comes, just say no to Vista all you XP users.
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Things of guitar kit-dom
Rambles of things about kit guitar-dom. They are an interesting adventure, especially when they are rapidly assembled by stressed out & overwhelmed kit provider prior to shipping.
First thing I noticed was some string buzz on the lower strings in the first couple o' frets. It's got an original floyd bridge clone which doesn't have individual saddles for each string; a saddle allows you to adjust the action of an individual string. So to set action is basically screw bridge all the way down & slowly raise each side so no more string buzz occurs on the 1st 12 frets of each string. It took a bit of tweaking but I seem to have gotten it. Too bad I have to take it all apart. ha. I might upgrade the bridge to something that has the saddles for each string as I use those GHS Boomers that have thicker Low E, A, D strings. With the bridge it has on there, the action would have to be raised higher & it would feel like the strings were in outer space.
The 2nd thing I noticed was that the high E string was very close to the edge of the neck & easily slipped off the neck while playing. It also felt weird to bend or tap on it. I peaked at the back of the neck & sure enuff the locking nut was positioned without much care or attention to detail & gave the Low E more room on the fret board as the nut hung over the neck's edge on the low E side.
The 3rd thing I thought I needed to do was finish the back of the neck & fretboard. I was not feeling too comfortable with learning that process, although it sounds much easier than doing up a body with 5150 or whatever stripes. ReRanch.com has good instruction for finishing a guitar's neck along with a Wood Satin Clear finish. After emailing John G., the paint guy who wrote the book, I realized that I didn't have to finish the fretboard or the back of the neck as the natural wood feel feels great.
I could start taking it all apart & priming the body as the primer isn't too much. But I'll have to wait a while to get the desired paint & chrome paint kit that I'll also be using for it. The chrome kit is like $115+shipping & the needed paint supplies is like $125 + $42 for the primer + $18 for the final rubbing compound. It sure would be nice to walk into a store to get these supplies but there's no store I can find that carries urethane based things. I'm guessing there's some environmental thing in our state that does not allow for these products to be obtained easily. So ya gotta pay shipping if ya want to play the painting game.
Anyway that's the life of this kit at the moment. Strange thing is that I haven't plugged it into me amp yet. Busy busy with boys & such.
Side note: I learned this week that after 10+ years of having this amp, that I've hardly used, the effect return input jack is a stereo, tip-ring-sleeve-jack so I can have major stereo mojo from my Quadraverb 2's output running into the amp. Way cool.
Until later comes, turn it up to kit-dom.
First thing I noticed was some string buzz on the lower strings in the first couple o' frets. It's got an original floyd bridge clone which doesn't have individual saddles for each string; a saddle allows you to adjust the action of an individual string. So to set action is basically screw bridge all the way down & slowly raise each side so no more string buzz occurs on the 1st 12 frets of each string. It took a bit of tweaking but I seem to have gotten it. Too bad I have to take it all apart. ha. I might upgrade the bridge to something that has the saddles for each string as I use those GHS Boomers that have thicker Low E, A, D strings. With the bridge it has on there, the action would have to be raised higher & it would feel like the strings were in outer space.
The 2nd thing I noticed was that the high E string was very close to the edge of the neck & easily slipped off the neck while playing. It also felt weird to bend or tap on it. I peaked at the back of the neck & sure enuff the locking nut was positioned without much care or attention to detail & gave the Low E more room on the fret board as the nut hung over the neck's edge on the low E side.
The 3rd thing I thought I needed to do was finish the back of the neck & fretboard. I was not feeling too comfortable with learning that process, although it sounds much easier than doing up a body with 5150 or whatever stripes. ReRanch.com has good instruction for finishing a guitar's neck along with a Wood Satin Clear finish. After emailing John G., the paint guy who wrote the book, I realized that I didn't have to finish the fretboard or the back of the neck as the natural wood feel feels great.
I could start taking it all apart & priming the body as the primer isn't too much. But I'll have to wait a while to get the desired paint & chrome paint kit that I'll also be using for it. The chrome kit is like $115+shipping & the needed paint supplies is like $125 + $42 for the primer + $18 for the final rubbing compound. It sure would be nice to walk into a store to get these supplies but there's no store I can find that carries urethane based things. I'm guessing there's some environmental thing in our state that does not allow for these products to be obtained easily. So ya gotta pay shipping if ya want to play the painting game.
Anyway that's the life of this kit at the moment. Strange thing is that I haven't plugged it into me amp yet. Busy busy with boys & such.
Side note: I learned this week that after 10+ years of having this amp, that I've hardly used, the effect return input jack is a stereo, tip-ring-sleeve-jack so I can have major stereo mojo from my Quadraverb 2's output running into the amp. Way cool.
Until later comes, turn it up to kit-dom.
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Service, schmirvice #2
Ok so back to service issues. I'm stuck on this. First experience was stopping at Chevy's at Westgate on Sun. to eat mom's day dinner with Terra & her mom & dad & boys as we had journeyed to IKEA to look about. We go in about 8pm & the wait is about an hour. Turns out only 2 servers were available as the manager sent most of the wait staff home early due to a lull. HELLO McFly! It's mother's day & the mother's are out with family & hopefully at play all day. Later dinners are probably the norm for mother's day. Sheez so we bailed & hit Red Robin & Monster Burgers. yum.
2nd) In regards to the previous entry about the one entity who expected me to chase them down for a not so cheap item...
2nd) In regards to the previous entry about the one entity who expected me to chase them down for a not so cheap item...
- Got email last week saying the item was shipping that week.
- No new information by Fri. afternoon so emailed to find out status.
- Get back "The FedEx labels will be printed tonight & things will be shipped out next week"
- So Friday night was the end of the week, for the week the item was to be shipped, & still not shipped. Grumble factor increasing.
- So no new information on Mon. am so I left a voice message & in grumpy way stated "I don't care about when 'they' are shipping out. I want to know when MY item will be shipped & to please call me on my cell.
- Monday night came around & still no return call.
- Sent email getting more frustrated at the lack of customer service & stated that if I cannot talk somebody soon about this then I'll consider cancelling my order.
- Response was in a tone of the company who has stated the thing I ordered, & paid for, & therefore mine already, is mad at their customers for getting mad at them. You want customers yet you are going to get mad them for wanting what you're selling them.
- So I wrote back & explained in a nice way how it's very confusing on our end & reminded him of the simple concept of sitting at a table starving waiting for the waiter to show up but never does.
- I also threw out possibly getting a temp. someone to be the one-on-one human voice that is greatly lacking in this process.
- He wrote back stating that the company is struggling & blah-de-blah & that I wasn't the first one to get uppity about the lack of service, etc.
- I could relate to a small company going through struggles because I work for one. I just encouraged him to press on.
- He wrote back an apology for the lack of response & then offered a generous addition to the order. I was actually amazed.
Attention businesses who want customers....Please make available a human being to answer phones & emails in a timely, friendly, & knowledgable way. Dont' make the customer chase you down. Don't tell the customer that you're busy & trying to get stuff out the door or busy doing what's a natural part of your buiness. That's part of your existence & you'd rather be busy wouldn't you? Don't get mad at the customers for being mad at the lack of replies & responses as you have our stuff & we want to know what's going on with it. If you're behind just say you're number 57 on the list so it'll go out Wednesday or Thursday; that's better than us not having any idea at all about status. Regardless if I'm spending 5 cents or $500,000 on your product, treat me the same as if I am gold to you. And please note that how you treat me during my first communication with you will determine if I will be a customer & look at & buy your products. As you know there are many sources for acquiring that which you have to offer. I have no problem looking for another provider or even paying a little bit more money. Now I return you to your process flows & such.
Ok until later comes turn it up to oh servant person come hither.Troops & Iraq
Saturday when me pa was over for the boys game, we drove to Costco for Costco chow. And whilst travelling about I asked him from his wisdom & life experiences about the Iraq situation. The root of the issue is establishing diplomatic order & peace. Many argue, we didn't need an invitation to come in. Why do we need an invitation to leave? Establishing peace seems an insurmountable task. And the process is costing lives of citizens of the region & yes our soldiers. Would pulling troops out solve anything or do anything good for the people there? That to me seems like the adults walking out on a kindergarten class & let the kids do their own thing unsupervised all day long. What you get is mess, disorder, chaos, & most likely kids hurt or crying. I heard this in a moment yesterday on the radio when I was parking at a store & I didn't hear anything before these words
"...To serve & protect & to help the Iraqi people."
I do not know what all the little victories & successes are with troop present there. But I'm sure there are stories of courage, of feeling protected in a time of great fear, Of children seeing the troops there & knowing that there's someone here to help us because they're scared & unsure. When entering the service one is expected to have the courage to put onesself in harm's way for others. And serving the Iraqi people is the mission. I don't like to hear of attacks on our troops and some dying. The most common question is "What are they dying for?" They are simply dying so that others might have a better life than they have had in many years. So they aren't dying for nothing. They're dying for the freedom of oppressed people. There's no greater offering than to lay down one's life for one's friend or for one who you are helping. May the grieving friends & family of those who have died somehow come to realize that they died trying to help others in need.
"...To serve & protect & to help the Iraqi people."
I do not know what all the little victories & successes are with troop present there. But I'm sure there are stories of courage, of feeling protected in a time of great fear, Of children seeing the troops there & knowing that there's someone here to help us because they're scared & unsure. When entering the service one is expected to have the courage to put onesself in harm's way for others. And serving the Iraqi people is the mission. I don't like to hear of attacks on our troops and some dying. The most common question is "What are they dying for?" They are simply dying so that others might have a better life than they have had in many years. So they aren't dying for nothing. They're dying for the freedom of oppressed people. There's no greater offering than to lay down one's life for one's friend or for one who you are helping. May the grieving friends & family of those who have died somehow come to realize that they died trying to help others in need.
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Jammers & Jams that are hidden & lost to time...
We all, well most of those interested in things of guitar players, & jams & such, know the story of Michael Jackson & the solo part of the song Beat It. Edward Van Halen was asked to come do the solo for it & EVH agreed to just do it for free or what have you. Then the solo became one of top leads EVH has ever done & it was probably 1 take or so. Sheez. And it's a song lost to time as well as a 'classic' lead being lost to the wind. I remember way back then Mad magazine did a spoof about it somehow how having funny drawings of Jackson and/or his people calling Edward Van Halen and/or his people to see if EVH would just jam over to the studio to lay a solo down for the song Beat It and how EVH aftwards regretted doing it for free & fun as Beat It was such a huge hit. Guess you had to see the Mad Magazine issue or be there. Those who have ions of time could go try to dig it up somewhere I guess. Onward...
So that reminded of me of solos hidden in the popularity of movies in the industry & how the coolest riffs, music, & total outpouring of the musicians & their talents, etc. just hide. I still have yet to hear in full the song EVH & Alex Van Halen did for the movie Twister which got nominated for a Grammy. I'll have to do the EBay thing to get the sound track's CD I guess. So where I am rambling in all this? I dunno I forgot....uhm...oh yeah...lost or never heard or hidden solos. Sorry, I must have gotten lost for a moment or was it longer than that?
Music/soundtracks for movies are an odd entity aren't they? The music is a necessary part of the movie experience & is only a small miniscule part of the whole movie industry pie & that part of the pie is there for a moment then tossed & most likely unnoticed. I guess as a creator of anything, you learn how to pour yourself into your art in the present & then let it go unto history for those who partake in it from then on, especially those who go into retro mode. Just look at Star Wars & John Williams & all the orchestra members & all that was created for those movies but just it all just hides behind the story lines, action, & effects.
Very scary....Saw a sign in Watsonville for some small giggage of bands like Poison & Ratt. Talk about retro mid 80's. I wonder how many 80's-90's musicians decided to enter into rehab 'cause Eddie just finished his stay in it & came out of it looking much better? I remember a video clip from something about guitar in rock on VH1 thing & Dweezl Zappa said he molded his hair style & length to whatever it is Eddie did. I still remember the metal world being shocked & in disbelief that EVH cut his hair to break the big hair style & image of rock-dom. Hello...focus John...How did I get on this subject? I 'unno. Oh yeah retro things which is pertinent to the below.
So this is one of my favourite lead parts & it's just a few notes-the best leads usually are-with energy, power, & harmonic jammin....Can you name the song? Can you name the guitar player? If yes cool...If no, read on...
http://www.pplministries.org/jam.mp3
- All things of the above belong to somebody's copyright & trademarks.
If you couldn't guess the song yet then, can you name it from this full lead part? I'm sure the ending of the lead gives it away. But perhaps not. It is one of my fav leads...
http://www.pplministries.org/jamfullsolo.mp3
- All things of the above belong to somebody's copyright & trademarks.
Answer cannot be disclosed until later from now.
I wish I had the teacher, I had in mid 90's that showed me I could write songs & record & such, when I was in my teens taking lessons from the nearest Guitar Showcase schmoe in town. I've always been a purist in that I want to get every note & nuance as the original. He just wasn't able to be that for the hard rockin' tunes & leads I wanted to emulate. I wanted to play the above referenced lead, but he just wasn't able to do/be that. Welp now I know better & I realized whilst listening to the above referenced song that started this rambling & wandering blog that I need to venture unto finding someone who does know or can learn the parts & then help me to a) play them as such & b) to get the guitars & equipment I already have to sound like it should or at least as I think I would like them to. I joked with a friend this AM, make me a great sounding amp that has a volume knob & a power button. Knobs & I do not get along well at all! It's almost worse than sibling rivalry between knobs & I.
Until later comes, turn it up to power to the music people
So that reminded of me of solos hidden in the popularity of movies in the industry & how the coolest riffs, music, & total outpouring of the musicians & their talents, etc. just hide. I still have yet to hear in full the song EVH & Alex Van Halen did for the movie Twister which got nominated for a Grammy. I'll have to do the EBay thing to get the sound track's CD I guess. So where I am rambling in all this? I dunno I forgot....uhm...oh yeah...lost or never heard or hidden solos. Sorry, I must have gotten lost for a moment or was it longer than that?
Music/soundtracks for movies are an odd entity aren't they? The music is a necessary part of the movie experience & is only a small miniscule part of the whole movie industry pie & that part of the pie is there for a moment then tossed & most likely unnoticed. I guess as a creator of anything, you learn how to pour yourself into your art in the present & then let it go unto history for those who partake in it from then on, especially those who go into retro mode. Just look at Star Wars & John Williams & all the orchestra members & all that was created for those movies but just it all just hides behind the story lines, action, & effects.
Very scary....Saw a sign in Watsonville for some small giggage of bands like Poison & Ratt. Talk about retro mid 80's. I wonder how many 80's-90's musicians decided to enter into rehab 'cause Eddie just finished his stay in it & came out of it looking much better? I remember a video clip from something about guitar in rock on VH1 thing & Dweezl Zappa said he molded his hair style & length to whatever it is Eddie did. I still remember the metal world being shocked & in disbelief that EVH cut his hair to break the big hair style & image of rock-dom. Hello...focus John...How did I get on this subject? I 'unno. Oh yeah retro things which is pertinent to the below.
So this is one of my favourite lead parts & it's just a few notes-the best leads usually are-with energy, power, & harmonic jammin....Can you name the song? Can you name the guitar player? If yes cool...If no, read on...
http://www.pplministries.org/jam.mp3
- All things of the above belong to somebody's copyright & trademarks.
If you couldn't guess the song yet then, can you name it from this full lead part? I'm sure the ending of the lead gives it away. But perhaps not. It is one of my fav leads...
http://www.pplministries.org/jamfullsolo.mp3
- All things of the above belong to somebody's copyright & trademarks.
Answer cannot be disclosed until later from now.
I wish I had the teacher, I had in mid 90's that showed me I could write songs & record & such, when I was in my teens taking lessons from the nearest Guitar Showcase schmoe in town. I've always been a purist in that I want to get every note & nuance as the original. He just wasn't able to be that for the hard rockin' tunes & leads I wanted to emulate. I wanted to play the above referenced lead, but he just wasn't able to do/be that. Welp now I know better & I realized whilst listening to the above referenced song that started this rambling & wandering blog that I need to venture unto finding someone who does know or can learn the parts & then help me to a) play them as such & b) to get the guitars & equipment I already have to sound like it should or at least as I think I would like them to. I joked with a friend this AM, make me a great sounding amp that has a volume knob & a power button. Knobs & I do not get along well at all! It's almost worse than sibling rivalry between knobs & I.
Until later comes, turn it up to power to the music people
Thursday, May 03, 2007
Service, schmirvice...pleah...
Long ago when I was at SJSU-dang that was a long time ago-I worked in the electronics/computer dept. of the Spartan Bookstore. One day out of the blue the dept. manager decided that the male employees in that dept. needed to wear ties & the thinking was that selling Mac's to students & teachers was like selling cars to someone. They wasn't cheap & customers were making a huge investment. So the sales persons should look appropriate for such a sales environment. Why do I mention this? Because good service is just not very dominant these days. Restaurant service & food quality is not so great more often than not. Terra went in to a store to get a very specific shampoo product to make sure cat Emmitt doesn't get any fleas as the temps warm up. The person helping her just basically gruffed at her & said something like "It would be over there" and just pointed. I've emailed two different guitar body/neck makers to inquire about some specifics of what they offer as well as seeking some suggestions. Not one reply. And so now I take you to the journey of this week...
So I get a newsletter email about a particular item & the provider mentions ordering by May 1, by midnight. Yeah, it is a marketting ploy to get people to buy now rather than later. They are mostly a net of inter seller & therefore want & probably expect most people to pay via PayPal. I Try to call on May 1 & no answer. No replies to emails I sent. That is very confusing...You want customers to hurry & buy your something so you can get it out of your warehouse, but you're not available by phone or email for customers on the day you advertised as the "Come & get it day." So I create an email stating what I want, the billing & shipping addresses & such, with a request to call so as to give the payment information. The reply I get the next day, yesterday was, "Call us after 9:30 am EST." Hmmm, so I have to try & chase you down in order to buy the item I'm interested in that you want people to buy sooner than later. So I try to call & email on May 2. Nobody avaiable by phone or email again. Boy they really must want to sell stuff to people. They didn't even return a voice message I left yesterday. So I constructed, basically a resend with some ranting included, of what I sent the previous day. Reply I got this morning was "We're in the warehouse packing things all this week. Call back & blah blah blah or use PayPal, etc. HELLO, Not everyone wants to use the all powerful PayPal system or has a PayPal account to use for every purchase in their lives. Yes I do have a PPal account but for this one matter I didn't want to use it for private reasons. I can understand possible treatment for a cheap item. But for something that's not as cheap you'd think the seller would do whatever they could to make things easier for the buyer. The net of inter has made things very strange. Computers & e-commerce systems have become the sales people. Or should I say Big Brother is becomming more prominent, only about 23+ years later than the book.
I've made it a point, & not just for tax write off guitar painting biz reasons, that when I go into a Starbucks or whatever, that when they ask for my name to write on the cup or what have you, I say something like "But now you have to tell me your name." They usually tell me & laff & probably find it odd that someone would do that. I then s'plain something about how people are becomming more & more disconnected. Then I show my biz card really quick & happily write the person's name on the receipt so I can write off the food stuffs & miles. This reminds me of the story circulated many a time about a nursing teacher querying her students in class to see if they even knew the name of the lady, the students saw day after day, who cleans the floors & such in the hallway just outside of the classroom door. Not one of them knew the lady's name. The teacher's point was that ya gotta connect well with people & get to know them if you're going to be their nurse in their health needs.
I guess it becomes if you want to do something or know something specific, about what is offered, it's probably easier, faster, & better to just pick up the phone & call as emails & electronic blah-de-blahs can so easily fall into the ether of their realms & go unanswered. But I wonder how many customers go elsewhere because some bizness didn't reply to the customer's email or electronic communication in a timely manner. My motto, if you don't want to or cannot reply to someone's electronic inquiry, don't provide an email address or way for customers to communicate with you that way.
Until later comes, turn it up to people & the internet are strange.
So I get a newsletter email about a particular item & the provider mentions ordering by May 1, by midnight. Yeah, it is a marketting ploy to get people to buy now rather than later. They are mostly a net of inter seller & therefore want & probably expect most people to pay via PayPal. I Try to call on May 1 & no answer. No replies to emails I sent. That is very confusing...You want customers to hurry & buy your something so you can get it out of your warehouse, but you're not available by phone or email for customers on the day you advertised as the "Come & get it day." So I create an email stating what I want, the billing & shipping addresses & such, with a request to call so as to give the payment information. The reply I get the next day, yesterday was, "Call us after 9:30 am EST." Hmmm, so I have to try & chase you down in order to buy the item I'm interested in that you want people to buy sooner than later. So I try to call & email on May 2. Nobody avaiable by phone or email again. Boy they really must want to sell stuff to people. They didn't even return a voice message I left yesterday. So I constructed, basically a resend with some ranting included, of what I sent the previous day. Reply I got this morning was "We're in the warehouse packing things all this week. Call back & blah blah blah or use PayPal, etc. HELLO, Not everyone wants to use the all powerful PayPal system or has a PayPal account to use for every purchase in their lives. Yes I do have a PPal account but for this one matter I didn't want to use it for private reasons. I can understand possible treatment for a cheap item. But for something that's not as cheap you'd think the seller would do whatever they could to make things easier for the buyer. The net of inter has made things very strange. Computers & e-commerce systems have become the sales people. Or should I say Big Brother is becomming more prominent, only about 23+ years later than the book.
I've made it a point, & not just for tax write off guitar painting biz reasons, that when I go into a Starbucks or whatever, that when they ask for my name to write on the cup or what have you, I say something like "But now you have to tell me your name." They usually tell me & laff & probably find it odd that someone would do that. I then s'plain something about how people are becomming more & more disconnected. Then I show my biz card really quick & happily write the person's name on the receipt so I can write off the food stuffs & miles. This reminds me of the story circulated many a time about a nursing teacher querying her students in class to see if they even knew the name of the lady, the students saw day after day, who cleans the floors & such in the hallway just outside of the classroom door. Not one of them knew the lady's name. The teacher's point was that ya gotta connect well with people & get to know them if you're going to be their nurse in their health needs.
I guess it becomes if you want to do something or know something specific, about what is offered, it's probably easier, faster, & better to just pick up the phone & call as emails & electronic blah-de-blahs can so easily fall into the ether of their realms & go unanswered. But I wonder how many customers go elsewhere because some bizness didn't reply to the customer's email or electronic communication in a timely manner. My motto, if you don't want to or cannot reply to someone's electronic inquiry, don't provide an email address or way for customers to communicate with you that way.
Until later comes, turn it up to people & the internet are strange.
Monday, April 30, 2007
Growing pains...
So I literally have perhaps .5 to an hour to tweak or do things on weekdays on guitar painting things. The things I was struggling through a few to several weeks ago were a sure beacon of oops, & back up & try again. But at the time I probably wouldn't have known how to do so. I was trying to take what was & make look better. But no matter how I tried I seemed to only make little to negative progress, ie the 2 steps forward 3 steps back kind of thing. I reached my end. It's probably no different than someone drafting a story, book, or essay & deciding to scrap it all & do it right. I've found myself doing that with operating systems during dev or QA things as well & either reinstalling the OS from scratch, using Ghost to get OS back to known good state, and now using the simplicity of VMWare for things. I reach a state & say enuff of this, I'm starting it over to get back to a known good stable state.
Thursday night I reached my end with the things I've been trying to make look well on the back of Fender. But the things I was trying to correct stemmed from way way back in the process of using cruddy masking tape & poor bleed through corrections. I wouldn't have sold or given the thing to a flea let alone keep it for self & play it. So on this day, the stripes exist fairly well for the most part on front but are covered with blue tape & some paper. I quickly sanded down the back & the body now sits with, I think, 4 coats of primer as a base & 4 coats of white. No regrets in choosing to redo the back now that I know better what I'm doing. So by tonight I should have enough coats of white on the side stripes to clean them up & make sure that there's a good even flow from the sides to the back. Then I'll have to wait 4 days before taping & then doing red. Three days is the suggested time to wait but my unfun has been that the side stripe paint peels really easy when trying to remove the tape & the peeling really ticks me off. Again, knowing that it will look way better was worth the backing up. Job satisfaction is needed from the creator even though the area being redone is the back.
I'm not sure I'm going to pour much oomph into putting things on the backs of guitars. Not many will see the backs when guitar is just hanging around or being played. Streamline the creative processes is my thoughts regarding the backs. But any time I do a 5150 design for my own fun or for whatever reason in the future, I'll put the back stripes on just because EVH was there.
Until later comes, I continue to vent out the steam of the growing pains.
Thursday night I reached my end with the things I've been trying to make look well on the back of Fender. But the things I was trying to correct stemmed from way way back in the process of using cruddy masking tape & poor bleed through corrections. I wouldn't have sold or given the thing to a flea let alone keep it for self & play it. So on this day, the stripes exist fairly well for the most part on front but are covered with blue tape & some paper. I quickly sanded down the back & the body now sits with, I think, 4 coats of primer as a base & 4 coats of white. No regrets in choosing to redo the back now that I know better what I'm doing. So by tonight I should have enough coats of white on the side stripes to clean them up & make sure that there's a good even flow from the sides to the back. Then I'll have to wait 4 days before taping & then doing red. Three days is the suggested time to wait but my unfun has been that the side stripe paint peels really easy when trying to remove the tape & the peeling really ticks me off. Again, knowing that it will look way better was worth the backing up. Job satisfaction is needed from the creator even though the area being redone is the back.
I'm not sure I'm going to pour much oomph into putting things on the backs of guitars. Not many will see the backs when guitar is just hanging around or being played. Streamline the creative processes is my thoughts regarding the backs. But any time I do a 5150 design for my own fun or for whatever reason in the future, I'll put the back stripes on just because EVH was there.
Until later comes, I continue to vent out the steam of the growing pains.
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
A letter from the stripes
So 1) be sure to read Well Done ramble below this one.
Dear John,
I am your Fender stripe-i-fied guitar. I did look great as I was & then you came along & just stripped me down to bare nothing. I knew not why you were doing that. What did I ever do to deserve such treatment? I've looked good in my blue all these years. I've sounded well. I stayed in tune for you. I stood by silently watching you play your other guitars wondering why you wouldn't play me too.
I've had to endure the coats of sealer & more sanding. Boy that was sure a lot of fun. Really appreciated that. Thanks a lot...sheez. I've never felt so embarassed when you just hung me out in the open air all exposed like that & with you taking pictures of me. What are you some kind of perverted freak? Oh I know it's guitars gone wild isn't it? Well I'll strike the pose for you buddy. You like that? How about this? Lemme show you my killer backside cause baby I got back!
I was relieved to be coated with primer & white. But I lost my identity in that I had no idea what you were going to do with me. Why couldn't you just let me stay as I was in my great blue? Then you stuck all that sticky stuff all over me. I wondered what the heck are you trying to do to me? Let me tape you bucko so you can see how it feels. So I'm there in my white underwear with tape all over me. Great! What am I a model for underwear & tape or something.
Next thing I know I'm being covered with red spooge. Great now I have red spots all over me. Can I just be blue again please?! Leave me alone already! So once again I hang there in my taped up underwear looking like I have the measles or something. And then more red spooge comes at me. Did I ever tell you all these things you've put on my really stink & smell. I bet you I'll be damaged in some way for having to sniff all this stuff. When this is all over I'm calling my lawyer. I never consented to this. Why am I...uh....white...wait a minute, now I'm red all over. What the? You actually clothed me in red. Cool. But...hmmm....I still have all this tape all over me from your freakazoidal photo shoot & strange fantasies of guitars in bondage gone wild. Well at least I'm covered up now. How nice of you to care so much that after days of just hanging out & around you decide to cover me up. Thanks for thinking of me. Don't let me swinging about in the breeze hit you on the way back in. I hope this hook you have me stuck to breaks & I fall on your head & I knock you out or at least bring you to your senses. You must dislike me immensely or something to do this to me. Why don't you just smash me up instead? Get me down from here!
Hey! Ouch! What are you doing! That hurts. Oh, great, now you think of taking the tape off. What took you so long to realize that it was on there? Well I sure hope you get the tape off of me quick & I hope you get all tangled up in it. Ha! That would be a laff. Dang that hurts though. Ouch! Can't you be more gentle? What'd you have to put the tape on in the first place? It burns! It burns! Get it off me now! Owwwwwwwwwwwwwww! (time passes)
Finally! Man, lemme put that tape on your hairy arms & then yank hard & see how good that feels to you. Oh great, you're just going to leave me hanging here with my unfinished red and whaaaaat!? Stripes? What the? How'd that... Hey wait a minute, I'm red with crazy white stripes! Check me out world! Take that you dumb Ibanez that gets played more than me. I'm stripe-i-fied & look at you just sitting there in your plain dull Jewel blue. Man, this suit makes me look good. Hey! Ouch! That really hurts! Oh, so now you're going to cut me up with that blade huh. What kind of sicko freak are you anyway? You make me look cool & then you start scraping me up. What gives? Can I have some anesthesia please? Or at least a couple of shots of Jack Daniels. I'm bleeding, I'm bleeding! Someone call 9-1-1! Oh wait, it's dried stuff. Heh, heh, I guess I bled already. Oh so now you think you're this great doctor & surgeon & you're going to just fix up all these red marks. You just watch it bucko! You so much as poke me with that thing I'll....OUCH! Dang-narn-it! That hurts! Be careful. You don't know what you're doing do you? Let me take that dry sharp blade to your stuble on yer face & see how that goes for you. (More time passes)
Well gee thanks for that acupuncture torture that I never wanted or asked for. I bet you've really messed me up now. See that stripe there...huh? Where'd that dry red stuff go? I'm still red. I still have white stripes. And I look better than before the acupuncture carnage. Whoa dude, thaz kinda cool. But you need to cool it with that blade thing. Am I done yet? Can I please be done now? Can you just put me back together now? Wait, let me guess, there's more. Why else would I just be hanging around still?
Oh joy, more sticky tape. Aren't I good enough for you? Haven't I had enough. You always want more from me. You always want me to be someone I'm not able to be. I'm red & white. That's who I am now. At least I know that much. I at least have some dignity left. What the? Hack hack cough cough choke choke. What gives now! Now your spooging me with black. You need to figure yourself out ma'an. First I'm naked. Then I'm in my white underwear. Then I'm red & white. Now you want me to be black. Make up your crazy mind you fool. I don't know who or what you want me to be. Stop! Enough! Aren't I good enough for you the way I am? Why are you always trying to change me? Why don't you change yourself first? Spray yourself with paint & leave me be.
Blast ye my new found foe. Why dost though yank upon the tape upon my being yet again by taking off that tape. First I'm in bondage. Then I'm not. Then I am again. Now I'm not again. Can't you make up your mind? You know I'm just going to end up with bruises from such rough treatment. This is abuse! You need some serious help bud. See I'm black and blu....black stripes? I'm still red with white stripes & now black stripes. Whoa did you see that Ibanez? Ha! Beat that! You know, it's better to look good than to feel good. Dude! I be looking crazy insane. Now am I done? Please tell me I'm done. Dude? Dooood! Where'd ya go! Come on, don't just leave me hanging here! Yo! Freakinator! I've given you all that I can. What more do you want from me?! Oh the humanity! You dress me up & then you leave me high & dry. Yo barkeeper? Martini, shaken not stirred! Someone! Anyone! Bueller? Bueller? Anyone! HELP ME! I'm hungry! Can anyone give me some burned up brown burgers that were burnt all over town?
- Stripey
(And the story pauses there. What will happen next? Why is stripey still hanging there? Will there be more tape? Will there be more scraping with the blade? Will the striped crazy one get free? Will someone come to help him. Stay tuned to this same stripey channel at the same stripey time in the nearly insane future.)
Author's note:
And now for something completely different. Any similarities between this story and any persons, entities, or groups, is entirely coincidental. No animals were hurt during this writing. Do not try any of the stunts portrayed in this journey as they are performed by specially trained crazy incompetent fools who don't know what they are doing. This story is based upon actual events in the life of a Fender guitar but some events were modified at the author's creative discrection. The guitar was not harmed in the writing of this story. The guitar still needs some minor touch ups due to many factors beyond the painter's control, peeling paint under tape here & there & gravity being a couple of those factors. The guitar apparently made an attempt to get away from it's hanging place last night in the dark but instead just fell to the carpet & received a couple of minor fixable dents from obstructions during the brief travel. The incident was investigated & it was determined that darkness combined with a female person stepping the wrong way in the dark caused a disturbance in gravity thereby causing the guitar to have a short trip during the fall. The aforementioned female was not injured. The guitar threatened to sue the author for hanging him so carelessly on a top heavy clothing drying apparatus but negotiations between guitar & author created a simple repair plan. The guitar deemed that it was in his best interest to be completed instead of getting tied up for months in legal processes. Guitar does demand being completed as soon as possible however with no more mistakes during the touch up processes that have held up progress. Author was placed under surveillance two nights ago after threatening to give up & burn guitar due to guitar maliciously & purposely shedding paint in various locations. Author has since learned to go slowly & be more calm & is learning to make peace with the ensuing issues. Guitar is not available for comment. Please direct all inquiries to the crazy insane author who doesn't know what he's doing at times & writes very long rambles.
Until later comes, turn it up to Get On With It
Dear John,
I am your Fender stripe-i-fied guitar. I did look great as I was & then you came along & just stripped me down to bare nothing. I knew not why you were doing that. What did I ever do to deserve such treatment? I've looked good in my blue all these years. I've sounded well. I stayed in tune for you. I stood by silently watching you play your other guitars wondering why you wouldn't play me too.
I've had to endure the coats of sealer & more sanding. Boy that was sure a lot of fun. Really appreciated that. Thanks a lot...sheez. I've never felt so embarassed when you just hung me out in the open air all exposed like that & with you taking pictures of me. What are you some kind of perverted freak? Oh I know it's guitars gone wild isn't it? Well I'll strike the pose for you buddy. You like that? How about this? Lemme show you my killer backside cause baby I got back!
I was relieved to be coated with primer & white. But I lost my identity in that I had no idea what you were going to do with me. Why couldn't you just let me stay as I was in my great blue? Then you stuck all that sticky stuff all over me. I wondered what the heck are you trying to do to me? Let me tape you bucko so you can see how it feels. So I'm there in my white underwear with tape all over me. Great! What am I a model for underwear & tape or something.
Next thing I know I'm being covered with red spooge. Great now I have red spots all over me. Can I just be blue again please?! Leave me alone already! So once again I hang there in my taped up underwear looking like I have the measles or something. And then more red spooge comes at me. Did I ever tell you all these things you've put on my really stink & smell. I bet you I'll be damaged in some way for having to sniff all this stuff. When this is all over I'm calling my lawyer. I never consented to this. Why am I...uh....white...wait a minute, now I'm red all over. What the? You actually clothed me in red. Cool. But...hmmm....I still have all this tape all over me from your freakazoidal photo shoot & strange fantasies of guitars in bondage gone wild. Well at least I'm covered up now. How nice of you to care so much that after days of just hanging out & around you decide to cover me up. Thanks for thinking of me. Don't let me swinging about in the breeze hit you on the way back in. I hope this hook you have me stuck to breaks & I fall on your head & I knock you out or at least bring you to your senses. You must dislike me immensely or something to do this to me. Why don't you just smash me up instead? Get me down from here!
Hey! Ouch! What are you doing! That hurts. Oh, great, now you think of taking the tape off. What took you so long to realize that it was on there? Well I sure hope you get the tape off of me quick & I hope you get all tangled up in it. Ha! That would be a laff. Dang that hurts though. Ouch! Can't you be more gentle? What'd you have to put the tape on in the first place? It burns! It burns! Get it off me now! Owwwwwwwwwwwwwww! (time passes)
Finally! Man, lemme put that tape on your hairy arms & then yank hard & see how good that feels to you. Oh great, you're just going to leave me hanging here with my unfinished red and whaaaaat!? Stripes? What the? How'd that... Hey wait a minute, I'm red with crazy white stripes! Check me out world! Take that you dumb Ibanez that gets played more than me. I'm stripe-i-fied & look at you just sitting there in your plain dull Jewel blue. Man, this suit makes me look good. Hey! Ouch! That really hurts! Oh, so now you're going to cut me up with that blade huh. What kind of sicko freak are you anyway? You make me look cool & then you start scraping me up. What gives? Can I have some anesthesia please? Or at least a couple of shots of Jack Daniels. I'm bleeding, I'm bleeding! Someone call 9-1-1! Oh wait, it's dried stuff. Heh, heh, I guess I bled already. Oh so now you think you're this great doctor & surgeon & you're going to just fix up all these red marks. You just watch it bucko! You so much as poke me with that thing I'll....OUCH! Dang-narn-it! That hurts! Be careful. You don't know what you're doing do you? Let me take that dry sharp blade to your stuble on yer face & see how that goes for you. (More time passes)
Well gee thanks for that acupuncture torture that I never wanted or asked for. I bet you've really messed me up now. See that stripe there...huh? Where'd that dry red stuff go? I'm still red. I still have white stripes. And I look better than before the acupuncture carnage. Whoa dude, thaz kinda cool. But you need to cool it with that blade thing. Am I done yet? Can I please be done now? Can you just put me back together now? Wait, let me guess, there's more. Why else would I just be hanging around still?
Oh joy, more sticky tape. Aren't I good enough for you? Haven't I had enough. You always want more from me. You always want me to be someone I'm not able to be. I'm red & white. That's who I am now. At least I know that much. I at least have some dignity left. What the? Hack hack cough cough choke choke. What gives now! Now your spooging me with black. You need to figure yourself out ma'an. First I'm naked. Then I'm in my white underwear. Then I'm red & white. Now you want me to be black. Make up your crazy mind you fool. I don't know who or what you want me to be. Stop! Enough! Aren't I good enough for you the way I am? Why are you always trying to change me? Why don't you change yourself first? Spray yourself with paint & leave me be.
Blast ye my new found foe. Why dost though yank upon the tape upon my being yet again by taking off that tape. First I'm in bondage. Then I'm not. Then I am again. Now I'm not again. Can't you make up your mind? You know I'm just going to end up with bruises from such rough treatment. This is abuse! You need some serious help bud. See I'm black and blu....black stripes? I'm still red with white stripes & now black stripes. Whoa did you see that Ibanez? Ha! Beat that! You know, it's better to look good than to feel good. Dude! I be looking crazy insane. Now am I done? Please tell me I'm done. Dude? Dooood! Where'd ya go! Come on, don't just leave me hanging here! Yo! Freakinator! I've given you all that I can. What more do you want from me?! Oh the humanity! You dress me up & then you leave me high & dry. Yo barkeeper? Martini, shaken not stirred! Someone! Anyone! Bueller? Bueller? Anyone! HELP ME! I'm hungry! Can anyone give me some burned up brown burgers that were burnt all over town?
- Stripey
(And the story pauses there. What will happen next? Why is stripey still hanging there? Will there be more tape? Will there be more scraping with the blade? Will the striped crazy one get free? Will someone come to help him. Stay tuned to this same stripey channel at the same stripey time in the nearly insane future.)
Author's note:
And now for something completely different. Any similarities between this story and any persons, entities, or groups, is entirely coincidental. No animals were hurt during this writing. Do not try any of the stunts portrayed in this journey as they are performed by specially trained crazy incompetent fools who don't know what they are doing. This story is based upon actual events in the life of a Fender guitar but some events were modified at the author's creative discrection. The guitar was not harmed in the writing of this story. The guitar still needs some minor touch ups due to many factors beyond the painter's control, peeling paint under tape here & there & gravity being a couple of those factors. The guitar apparently made an attempt to get away from it's hanging place last night in the dark but instead just fell to the carpet & received a couple of minor fixable dents from obstructions during the brief travel. The incident was investigated & it was determined that darkness combined with a female person stepping the wrong way in the dark caused a disturbance in gravity thereby causing the guitar to have a short trip during the fall. The aforementioned female was not injured. The guitar threatened to sue the author for hanging him so carelessly on a top heavy clothing drying apparatus but negotiations between guitar & author created a simple repair plan. The guitar deemed that it was in his best interest to be completed instead of getting tied up for months in legal processes. Guitar does demand being completed as soon as possible however with no more mistakes during the touch up processes that have held up progress. Author was placed under surveillance two nights ago after threatening to give up & burn guitar due to guitar maliciously & purposely shedding paint in various locations. Author has since learned to go slowly & be more calm & is learning to make peace with the ensuing issues. Guitar is not available for comment. Please direct all inquiries to the crazy insane author who doesn't know what he's doing at times & writes very long rambles.
Until later comes, turn it up to Get On With It
Monday, April 23, 2007
Well Done Eddie
Not much to say other than this bit of long rambles...
http://www.pplministries.org/WellDoneEddie.htm
Until later comes turn it up to eat some lunch.
http://www.pplministries.org/WellDoneEddie.htm
Until later comes turn it up to eat some lunch.
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
A 2nd email to person @ ELVH Inc. I still laugh.
I am writing to offer an unsolicited suggestion that stems from the confusion that many write about in forums & such about the evh stripe designs. Perhaps you are already aware of the confusions that exist.
If ELVH Inc. is out to protect the stripe designs, it seems to make simple sense to have a website that describes simply & clearly in very easy to understand language about the copyrights & trademarks & what constitutes infringement. There are many a confused person throughout the world in regards to the infamous stripes. Some have written that they've turned their backs on EVH because of auctions being pulled, rightly so of course. There are many people who are angry with Edward in regards to stripes on guitars & alienation is occurring. If the aforementioned website was easily found by search engines, more people would be educated more quickly. And it seems that would reduce the workload upon those at ELVH Inc. I did many a search on the net & found nothing about Frankie 1 & 2. I did learn quickly about the 5150 design being trademarked however but not from searching the net.
I've found many a picture & many videos on YouTube that would most likely be considered infringement upon all things Van Halen. And none of what I found have any notice of copyright with them.
The web has created a huge, if not impossible, challenge for those seeking to protect their intellectual/artistic property.
The reality is people are going to set out to paint evh stripes on their own guitars. There's nothing that is going to stop that throughout the world. The stripes in of themselves are a legend & people want to have them. I know I won't do so, but many who paint guitars will set out to paint the stripes for profit in secret. Many will try to find loopholes to do so. Why? Solely because they cannot afford what is offered via manufacturers. It's hard to understand how any entity who paints guitars for $250 to $400 for profit is infringing upon the Fender $25+ thousand dollar market or the $2k+ Charvel artist series market. People seeking such paint jobs cannot afford more than $400-$600 for a guitar.
But unlike many, if not hundreds, I do & will respect the copyrights & trademarks in place.
Until later comes, turn it up to let freedom jam.
If ELVH Inc. is out to protect the stripe designs, it seems to make simple sense to have a website that describes simply & clearly in very easy to understand language about the copyrights & trademarks & what constitutes infringement. There are many a confused person throughout the world in regards to the infamous stripes. Some have written that they've turned their backs on EVH because of auctions being pulled, rightly so of course. There are many people who are angry with Edward in regards to stripes on guitars & alienation is occurring. If the aforementioned website was easily found by search engines, more people would be educated more quickly. And it seems that would reduce the workload upon those at ELVH Inc. I did many a search on the net & found nothing about Frankie 1 & 2. I did learn quickly about the 5150 design being trademarked however but not from searching the net.
I've found many a picture & many videos on YouTube that would most likely be considered infringement upon all things Van Halen. And none of what I found have any notice of copyright with them.
The web has created a huge, if not impossible, challenge for those seeking to protect their intellectual/artistic property.
The reality is people are going to set out to paint evh stripes on their own guitars. There's nothing that is going to stop that throughout the world. The stripes in of themselves are a legend & people want to have them. I know I won't do so, but many who paint guitars will set out to paint the stripes for profit in secret. Many will try to find loopholes to do so. Why? Solely because they cannot afford what is offered via manufacturers. It's hard to understand how any entity who paints guitars for $250 to $400 for profit is infringing upon the Fender $25+ thousand dollar market or the $2k+ Charvel artist series market. People seeking such paint jobs cannot afford more than $400-$600 for a guitar.
But unlike many, if not hundreds, I do & will respect the copyrights & trademarks in place.
Until later comes, turn it up to let freedom jam.
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Big Brother found me...I have to laugh
I have to laugh at both myself & ELVH Inc. Big Brother found me, aka ELVH inc. Someone from there wrote me an email & I quote:
"I am writing to you from the Van Halen office. It has come to our attention that you are offering your services to paint in the EVH designs onto unlicensed VH guitars.
Please be aware that the three artistic striped EVH designs are copywritten by ELVH, Inc.- Edward Van Halen.
The red, white and black design: (Copyright: Frankenstein design- VAu 505-308).
The white and black design: (Copyright: Original Frank design- VAu 558-125)
The yellow and black design: (Copyright: Franky design- VAu 544-060).
Please note that all three designs are copywritten by ELVH, Inc (Edward Van Halen), and that it needs to be noted that all three designs are owed by ELVH, Inc on your website.
Also, please know that making a profit off of these copyrights is a copyright infringement.
Your website has been forwarded to the Fender Music Corporation for review."
So I removed images of concern & updated webpages as such. Then wrote the person back & stated that I had done this & to forward the revised site to any entities as desired. I also stated that I have not painted the designs on anyone's guitars. And then I apologized if I had offended anyone's intellectual property. Then I sent the email & then I laughed. I couldn't & didn't resist stating that I respect the copyrights & trademarks but I do agree with one entity's statement:
"...there are still fans that want a guitar in the style of their guitar hero...and not too many fans want to, or can, for that matter, pay over $2k or for a guitar....the individual in question might consider rethinking their market strategy and provide an affordable graphic guitar that the "true" fans can afford, not just the collectors!"
Copyrights aside for a brief moment, no schmoe painting guitars for $250-$400 is infringing upon Fender's 25k market nor upon the 2k Charvel artist series things. So I laugh. I laugh at my feeble attempts to put said designs on my website. I laugh at E... Inc's efforts to protect the precious especially in that what is protected is not being used to advertise Halen other than the occasional guitar manufacturer's offerings. Heck the 1st is now almost, if not already, 30 years old. Let it go already. Sheez. I laugh because at the moment it's like "Van Who?" And I laugh because many have posted many copyrighted & trademarked things related to evh on the web.
Reinstating the copyrights now, I must bow & cower in secret to the powers/laws that be. And I put this on my status site as well:
"The following pictures show what has been created on my own personal guitar which will not be sold. Please note that the design I’ve painted on my own personal guitar is copywritten by ELVH, Inc (Edward Van Halen), I’m not the only person or entity in the world who has posted pictures of work they have done on their own personal guitars & wanted to share it with their friends & family. To those who might find this to be infringement upon intellectual property, I challenge you to provide a public offering of guitars of good quality that are in the $500-$800 price range. I do not know one regular simple person who could afford the Charvel artist series offerings nor the Fender offerings."
So I continue to just touch up me crazy #1 & not worry about Big Brother. Stripes is as stripes does I guess & they can only be duhzed by the one who created them in the 1st place.
Until later comes, turn it up to a good "oh well" laugh.
"I am writing to you from the Van Halen office. It has come to our attention that you are offering your services to paint in the EVH designs onto unlicensed VH guitars.
Please be aware that the three artistic striped EVH designs are copywritten by ELVH, Inc.- Edward Van Halen.
The red, white and black design: (Copyright: Frankenstein design- VAu 505-308).
The white and black design: (Copyright: Original Frank design- VAu 558-125)
The yellow and black design: (Copyright: Franky design- VAu 544-060).
Please note that all three designs are copywritten by ELVH, Inc (Edward Van Halen), and that it needs to be noted that all three designs are owed by ELVH, Inc on your website.
Also, please know that making a profit off of these copyrights is a copyright infringement.
Your website has been forwarded to the Fender Music Corporation for review."
So I removed images of concern & updated webpages as such. Then wrote the person back & stated that I had done this & to forward the revised site to any entities as desired. I also stated that I have not painted the designs on anyone's guitars. And then I apologized if I had offended anyone's intellectual property. Then I sent the email & then I laughed. I couldn't & didn't resist stating that I respect the copyrights & trademarks but I do agree with one entity's statement:
"...there are still fans that want a guitar in the style of their guitar hero...and not too many fans want to, or can, for that matter, pay over $2k or for a guitar....the individual in question might consider rethinking their market strategy and provide an affordable graphic guitar that the "true" fans can afford, not just the collectors!"
Copyrights aside for a brief moment, no schmoe painting guitars for $250-$400 is infringing upon Fender's 25k market nor upon the 2k Charvel artist series things. So I laugh. I laugh at my feeble attempts to put said designs on my website. I laugh at E... Inc's efforts to protect the precious especially in that what is protected is not being used to advertise Halen other than the occasional guitar manufacturer's offerings. Heck the 1st is now almost, if not already, 30 years old. Let it go already. Sheez. I laugh because at the moment it's like "Van Who?" And I laugh because many have posted many copyrighted & trademarked things related to evh on the web.
Reinstating the copyrights now, I must bow & cower in secret to the powers/laws that be. And I put this on my status site as well:
"The following pictures show what has been created on my own personal guitar which will not be sold. Please note that the design I’ve painted on my own personal guitar is copywritten by ELVH, Inc (Edward Van Halen), I’m not the only person or entity in the world who has posted pictures of work they have done on their own personal guitars & wanted to share it with their friends & family. To those who might find this to be infringement upon intellectual property, I challenge you to provide a public offering of guitars of good quality that are in the $500-$800 price range. I do not know one regular simple person who could afford the Charvel artist series offerings nor the Fender offerings."
So I continue to just touch up me crazy #1 & not worry about Big Brother. Stripes is as stripes does I guess & they can only be duhzed by the one who created them in the 1st place.
Until later comes, turn it up to a good "oh well" laugh.
Friday, March 30, 2007
S'tar & other yakking bits
So hit the SC harbor with yella thingy. Just headed out to the harbor lighthouse thing & decided to head into the incoming high tide & paddled, from start, 1.4 miles, to the end of the SC Wharf where there were a couple o' starfish hanging on pilings & a sea lion barking constantly at nothing in particular. Theyz just gotta lot to say I guess. Turned around & just let the tide drift me inward & back towards the harbor. Other than a few moments of paddling for course correction, I got a free ride back to harbor mouth. Then paddled up into the back end of the harbor towards where Frederick St. Park is. No otters this journey. It sure took my mind off of bleed throughs & stripes & the state of do over.
Until later comes, turn it up to drifting along with the tide.
Until later comes, turn it up to drifting along with the tide.
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
DRM Ramble - Jobs made some good points
So many dinners ago brother Glop sent along a link to Steve Jobs writing about digital rights media, DRM. T'was interesting to read. I found it amusing that, according to Jobs, most music is still purchased on CDs which is totally unprotected content. Each consumer has the ability to post the unprotected content, illegally of course, on the web for others to steal. I also found it interesting that if the major music giants were to discontinue requiring DRM, that Jobs & Apple would happily embrace that paradigm shift & remove the DRM stuff that's in place. I just have to laugh at the comedic irony that many strides are taken to protect digital music but at the same time the companies that require the DRM to be in place make available the same music, in unprotected form, on CDs. And I've probably repeated myself somehow in this ramble but hey why not. But hey why not. Wait I just said that.
Anyway...until later comes turn it up to protected content that for the most part remains unprotected.
Anyway...until later comes turn it up to protected content that for the most part remains unprotected.
Monday, March 19, 2007
S'otters...aka saw the otters...
So I S'otters yesterday at the Elkhorn Slough. The night before I had a Caleb & a Noah wanting to go to the Slough with me. But come yesterday morning I get "Dad, I don't want to go." Sheez. Anyway...Went out about an hour before the predicted high tide. T'was easy to head out. There's a pack of otters that hang out about 1.5 miles from Moss Landing Harbor. I did observe something this week. When I was at the harbor last week there was the otter I called Flip. Flip was much more used to boat traffic & noises & such as Flip just laid there chopping on his/her food whilst I drifted nearby & watched. The otters at the Slough however are quite skiddish & if you so much as look at them they go hide under water not to be seen again for a long time. Till the wind picked up the Slough was smooth as glass.
Until later comes turning it up to drifting.
Until later comes turning it up to drifting.
Friday, March 16, 2007
iYak - 1st yakkage of spring...
So hit the harbor with the yella water craft last early evening. Paddled out .8 miles from launch spot. Harbor entrace light house is about .5 miles from launch spot. So went out .3 miles from the entrance. Saw two otter friends during the journey whom I will call Flip & Flap & they will be my squisshies? huh? Nemo reference. Flip was in the harbor. Flap was out past my .8 miles. Some boater comin in mentioned that the CA grey whales are out there headin' north. I didn't see any this time around. T'was nice to float about & be bounced around by the oceans lumps & bumps. Paddled back in & saw Flap on his/her back chopping on some delicacy found on the harbor bottom. Did a power paddle from launch ramp to Crow's Nest & back which is about .25 miles 1 way. So all in all paddled & floated 2.1 miles. Need to build some stamina so I can do a paddle from harbor to Capitola beach. The Harbor is nice to train in because you don't have to worry so much about high & low tides along with head winds like you do at the Elkhorn Slough.
Until later comes, turn it up to drifting.
Until later comes, turn it up to drifting.
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Rock fame...
1) So watched the DVR recording of the rock hall of fame induction. Skipped through most of it. Watched the Van Halen part of it. And what I find amusing is that the two people that contributed very significantly to the band & who were cast away & no longer part of the 'drama' were the ones present for the induction. The others, exluding the obvious reasons for EVH, were where doing what? Who looked better to those watching on? They had every reason not to come but their presence there showed more courage & more maturity. And then they indicated that if a future tour opportunity for them to participate in came along they would just jump right in. Sammy mentioned "When we all grow up, myself included..." Perhaps Michael & Sammy have already done so.
2) I've noticed this in two different things. First is a show I recorded about how guitar & guitarists have influenced rock. Eddie was interviewed & he said that instead of pursuing the social life as a kid/teen, he'd just spend hours playing & learning. And then last night in one of the clips Eddie said something like "All I know how to do is play. I don't/can't talk to people very well." DING! LIGHT BULB! Why does he have any influence then on decisions made in the band then?
3) Why Velvet Revolver? I had to skip the song they did 'cause the singer was just plain strange wiggling around how he did. I did enjoy hearing Slash though. I wonder if the red stripe guitar the guy was playing was one of the Fender relics or the actual Frankie. Who knows.
2) I've noticed this in two different things. First is a show I recorded about how guitar & guitarists have influenced rock. Eddie was interviewed & he said that instead of pursuing the social life as a kid/teen, he'd just spend hours playing & learning. And then last night in one of the clips Eddie said something like "All I know how to do is play. I don't/can't talk to people very well." DING! LIGHT BULB! Why does he have any influence then on decisions made in the band then?
3) Why Velvet Revolver? I had to skip the song they did 'cause the singer was just plain strange wiggling around how he did. I did enjoy hearing Slash though. I wonder if the red stripe guitar the guy was playing was one of the Fender relics or the actual Frankie. Who knows.
Monday, March 05, 2007
Prose...Gifted Man...
Gifted Man
Written by John Brooks 3/5/2007. Copyright (c) John Brooks. All rights reserved.
A rambling about Edward Van Halen after hearing of the cancelled tour, one news article commenting on Eddie being a recluse like other stars of recent years, and of hearing about the 'delicate politics' in Van Halen that might lead to the absence of the Halens at the Rock Hall of Fame induction.
Other similar items of prose about him -> http://www.pplministries.org/DearEVH.htm
You rocked insanely hard as a younger lad
Now you wither away not able to regain what you had
Did your fame & stardom & even cancer drive you mad? (1)
Saw the YouTube clip of you playing Fender relic at NAMM
I see a clip of you now & I think eghads!
A talent & a legend, yes you bet; you are a very gifted man
But you just can't seem to hold together the infamous band
Why do I care so much for I shouldn't give much of a damn
Too me it seems simple, pick up guitar & find a jam
Let fingers do their thing upon the fretland
Rock till duhn with them gifted hands
And just do what ya love to do for the fans
Rock wherever & whenever because you can
But everything has to be a big show & full of image, acting, spotlights, glitz & glam
Why do you have to try to only hit a grand slam?
Perhaps it is better that you hide away instead of touring the lands
For you seem to be very unstable & it's hard to see & it is sad
You probably ought to just focus on writing & playing for yourself & being a dad
Rock on Edward whether it be on stage, or in yer 5150 launch pad
And if you don't then you'll just be remembered as the one who rocked hard with Frankenstrat
Written by John Brooks 3/5/2007. Copyright (c) John Brooks. All rights reserved.
A rambling about Edward Van Halen after hearing of the cancelled tour, one news article commenting on Eddie being a recluse like other stars of recent years, and of hearing about the 'delicate politics' in Van Halen that might lead to the absence of the Halens at the Rock Hall of Fame induction.
Other similar items of prose about him -> http://www.pplministries.org/DearEVH.htm
You rocked insanely hard as a younger lad
Now you wither away not able to regain what you had
Did your fame & stardom & even cancer drive you mad? (1)
Saw the YouTube clip of you playing Fender relic at NAMM
I see a clip of you now & I think eghads!
A talent & a legend, yes you bet; you are a very gifted man
But you just can't seem to hold together the infamous band
Why do I care so much for I shouldn't give much of a damn
Too me it seems simple, pick up guitar & find a jam
Let fingers do their thing upon the fretland
Rock till duhn with them gifted hands
And just do what ya love to do for the fans
Rock wherever & whenever because you can
But everything has to be a big show & full of image, acting, spotlights, glitz & glam
Why do you have to try to only hit a grand slam?
Perhaps it is better that you hide away instead of touring the lands
For you seem to be very unstable & it's hard to see & it is sad
You probably ought to just focus on writing & playing for yourself & being a dad
Rock on Edward whether it be on stage, or in yer 5150 launch pad
And if you don't then you'll just be remembered as the one who rocked hard with Frankenstrat
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Good giztarage paintage wiz-doh-uhm
So I emailed an inquiry to one of the paint dude's customers, Jim at www.strict9guitars.com who was interviewed on John's www.paintyourownguitar.com site. Mainly I inquired about his wisdom about the value that painting a guitar adds to a guitar's value so that I can offer something for our kids' school's annual auction next year. Had I started this venture about 3 months ago I would've gotten a Star Power Guitar painted for this year's auction on the 10th. Oh well. Better to have some experience & practice behind ya with backing photos & videos to help people see that this me did do it....Hopefully I will be able to "Do It My Way."
My 2nd reason for inquiring is possibly doing paint things for other people to make money on the side, but keeping it a hobby & fun, to help the cause of feeding the 3 bottomless pit boyzages as well as the even more hungrier fuel tanks on two cars with increasing fuel costs.
Anyway, I thought I'd share the wisdom from Jim as it's helpful.
"I'm painting a guitar for a raffle right now so I'm kinda in the same boat...
The value of a paintjob is very subjective. Basically it's worth whatever you can get somebody to pay for it, haha. That said, as a hobbyist (which I am) I can basically charge whatever I want for my labor above and beyond what it costs for supplies. Let's say the paintjob is gonna cost me around $80-$90 for paint/supplies, then maybe I want to change the color of the knobs or the pickguard so it looks a little cooler with the chosen finish, now I might have another $30-$50 into it, bringing me a cost of around $110-$140, so let's say it's gonna cost $125 to acheive the finish I'm looking for. Then you grab a StarPower project for about $250 and you're in it a grand total of $375
Then you gotta ask yourself "what could I sell it for, your market might be different in your area than in mine, but let's say you could get $600 for it. Would you be willing to paint the guitar for $225 and if so, then do it, and have fun, remember when you treat it like a job, it's not as fun as it was when it was a hobby! haha
As far as painting guitars for other people...
Do some internet searches as well, there are places that'll actually show you right on their website how much they'd charge you for a single color finish on a strat. They have a bit of a reputation and can crank 'em out faster than you and I can, so they might get a few bucks more for their version, but it'll get you started.
And of course theres what usually happens to me, and that is "man, that's gonna be a cool finish, I'd REALLY like to do it", so I go a little lower on my price just because I REALLY wanna do the finish. I'm working on a checkered Firebird right now, just for that reason.
When you finish yours you'll have an idea of how much time is involved, my first 4-5 guitars I actually kept track of how long it took me to do each step, so I'd be able to see how long each thing took seperately, and to be able to add up those little tasks to help me get an idea of how much to charge. It's not an exact science, but it'll get you close.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, have fun and just enjoy painting guitars. Enjoy setting them up, enjoy taking pictures of them, getting to play them before anybody else, the whole thing, otherwise it's kinda like a job and then the money just doesn't seem to add up. I mean let's face it, if you have a real job, your hourly overtime rate is going to be more than the amount of money you make an hour painting guitars, but if it's fun and you make a little who cares.
I never ship a guitar back without insuring it for the amount that it would cost me to replace it for the customer, and I always make them spring for the shipping, as a seperate cost from the paintjob. I also never send a guitar home without a case, even a cheap universal from Musicians Friend. I have folks sending me parts to build them a guitar then paint it, and I always tell them to send an extra $40-$50 and then I go grab them a case to send it home in. I thought you might find that useful.
Remember to tell them you are a hobbyist and that it might take a little while, otherwise they may try to hurry you, and don't be afraid to tell somebody "no". If you don't have time, or you're not sure if you can pull off the finish their looking for, whatever. If you do it anyway it can stress you out and it goes back to feeling like a job.
Have fun man, and send me some pictures, I always like to see what other people are doing, keeps the PYOG spirit alive!" - Jim
Until later comes turn it up to...Rock On! Yo....Duh....Mon.
My 2nd reason for inquiring is possibly doing paint things for other people to make money on the side, but keeping it a hobby & fun, to help the cause of feeding the 3 bottomless pit boyzages as well as the even more hungrier fuel tanks on two cars with increasing fuel costs.
Anyway, I thought I'd share the wisdom from Jim as it's helpful.
"I'm painting a guitar for a raffle right now so I'm kinda in the same boat...
The value of a paintjob is very subjective. Basically it's worth whatever you can get somebody to pay for it, haha. That said, as a hobbyist (which I am) I can basically charge whatever I want for my labor above and beyond what it costs for supplies. Let's say the paintjob is gonna cost me around $80-$90 for paint/supplies, then maybe I want to change the color of the knobs or the pickguard so it looks a little cooler with the chosen finish, now I might have another $30-$50 into it, bringing me a cost of around $110-$140, so let's say it's gonna cost $125 to acheive the finish I'm looking for. Then you grab a StarPower project for about $250 and you're in it a grand total of $375
Then you gotta ask yourself "what could I sell it for, your market might be different in your area than in mine, but let's say you could get $600 for it. Would you be willing to paint the guitar for $225 and if so, then do it, and have fun, remember when you treat it like a job, it's not as fun as it was when it was a hobby! haha
As far as painting guitars for other people...
Do some internet searches as well, there are places that'll actually show you right on their website how much they'd charge you for a single color finish on a strat. They have a bit of a reputation and can crank 'em out faster than you and I can, so they might get a few bucks more for their version, but it'll get you started.
And of course theres what usually happens to me, and that is "man, that's gonna be a cool finish, I'd REALLY like to do it", so I go a little lower on my price just because I REALLY wanna do the finish. I'm working on a checkered Firebird right now, just for that reason.
When you finish yours you'll have an idea of how much time is involved, my first 4-5 guitars I actually kept track of how long it took me to do each step, so I'd be able to see how long each thing took seperately, and to be able to add up those little tasks to help me get an idea of how much to charge. It's not an exact science, but it'll get you close.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, have fun and just enjoy painting guitars. Enjoy setting them up, enjoy taking pictures of them, getting to play them before anybody else, the whole thing, otherwise it's kinda like a job and then the money just doesn't seem to add up. I mean let's face it, if you have a real job, your hourly overtime rate is going to be more than the amount of money you make an hour painting guitars, but if it's fun and you make a little who cares.
I never ship a guitar back without insuring it for the amount that it would cost me to replace it for the customer, and I always make them spring for the shipping, as a seperate cost from the paintjob. I also never send a guitar home without a case, even a cheap universal from Musicians Friend. I have folks sending me parts to build them a guitar then paint it, and I always tell them to send an extra $40-$50 and then I go grab them a case to send it home in. I thought you might find that useful.
Remember to tell them you are a hobbyist and that it might take a little while, otherwise they may try to hurry you, and don't be afraid to tell somebody "no". If you don't have time, or you're not sure if you can pull off the finish their looking for, whatever. If you do it anyway it can stress you out and it goes back to feeling like a job.
Have fun man, and send me some pictures, I always like to see what other people are doing, keeps the PYOG spirit alive!" - Jim
Until later comes turn it up to...Rock On! Yo....Duh....Mon.
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