Jean-Luc Pickguard

Reflections 1 — Izabella Khalo

It Wasn't Me — Shaggy

CNC Machines#

I use my trusty Zoom H2n to record gigs & rehearsals. I then bring the recordings into Logic Pro and usually just top & tail the tracks to cut out any the faffing about between songs and apply Logic's built-in mastering. Sometimes I split the tracks into stems using Logic's stem splitter so I can apply processing on drums/guitars/bass/vocals individually before mastering, but that tends to make the process a fair bit more time-consuming. Once I have a folder full of mastered MP3s, I upload them to a hidden page on the band website so the other band members can have a listen.

I'd be looking for an original 70s badass II to go on the bass if it was mine. Then the original bridge could be sealed up in a plastic bag before it gets the chance to spawn a load of evil little rusty porridge monsters like something from Dr Who.

Roll With Me Henry — Etta James

My recording is called 'To The Light' As posted above, this is a poem I wrote based on the pic read over a repeated chord sequence. As outlined above the vocal was recorded using a £3.20 USB condenser mic. I had to record it whilst the builders working on the house next door had downed tools for lunch. The bass is my lovely JetGlo Ric 4003 and was recorded using the Rick-O-Sound output to send each pickup onto its own channel in logic where each was processed with their own amp & fx sims. The Drums were from logic's acoustic 'Psychedelic Rock' drummer, made extra tight by setting the kick/snare to follow the 4003 bridge pickup track.

Shoes — Bobby Bland

Trace Eliott Elf

Whiskey In The Jar Jar Binks — Thin Lizzy

My entry this month is a poem recited over a repeating chord sequence of | Am | D | Am | Em | F | D | Am | Em | For the bass I thought it was time to make use of Rick-O-Sound on my 4003, so I DI-ed it into my mac via a RTS => 2xTS cable to record each pickup onto its own channel in logic. I used a warm B-15 with compression on the neck pickup in mono, and a B-15 with a wide stereo tremolo effect on the bridge pickup. It is quite subtle, but I like the result. There's building work going on next door including shouting, drilling hammering and a a huge truck with a built-in crane delivering supplies. Today there has been a lot of drilling into the other side of the wall where my desk is (with my mac & recording setup). As I was in a hurry to take advantage of the lack of ambient noise during the builders' lunch break, I quickly set up my USB condenser mic to record my vocal. This mic cost me a grand total of £3.20 delivered from amazon a couple of years ago including stand & pop shield. This is the first time I have actually recorded anything with it and now I have used it, I think it is easily worth every penny. I should be able to get the track mixed and mastered soon. I also have an idea for a quick & easy YouTube video which may or may not work.

You Are Too (D2) Beautiful — Thelonious Monk

The Chrome Plated Megaphone Of Destiny — Frank Zappa & The Mothers of Invention

The Man Who Loved Trees — The Mindbenders

Lime Fury — Pure Retribution

What they give with one hand they take away with the other.

Fido, Silver Lining — Jeff Beck

I have acquired an HX. The HX Stomp looked very attractive due to its diminutive size, but the HX Effects won out as it looks like it will be easier to manage at a gig with the scribble strips etc. The idea being that I can treat it as two rows of pedals. I plugged in my 4003 using a TRS => 2 × TS cable. After a bit of a struggle getting familiar with the terminology and using the HX Edit app, I have managed to split the L & R inputs into two parallel chains so I can apply fx to each pickup individually, then the output of the two chains can either exit the machine individually via the L & R outputs if both sockets are used, or both chains are summed to mono if only the L socket is used.

I've just booked my place for the Yolanda Charles Bass clinic at GuitarGuitar Camden on February 27. Who else is going? I'll probably get a bite to eat at the Ice Wharf (W'Spoons — Camden Lock) a short walk away along the canal if anyone wants to meet up before the event. https://www.guitarguitar.co.uk/news/142302/

Mine depends on my mood. I would probably have said my black JMJ was my favourite a few weeks ago, however I'm liking my new JetGlo 4003 a lot more than I had expected to. Then when they come out of their cases, there's the faded peham non-reverse thunderbird and the flamed maple starfire...

I prefer and normally use Fender, Ernie Ball, generic or Grolsch rubbery strap blocks, but the latest version of the schallers work great. I was kind of forced into buying a set as my 2024 ric came with strap buttons to fit schallers which don't work well with strap blocks.

Don't Smoke In Bed — Nina Simone

Prince of Darkness — Miles Davis

Won't fit. That one is for a telecaster neck pickup, which like a strat pickup is smaller than a single coil p-bass pickup.