Wednesday 31 July 2013

Peavey T-40 Controls and Switches - Sounds from a T-40. . . .

More "Forty" stuff!

I was put onto these by a fellow "Forty" owner and someone who
now has one of my Sunburst Blades.

Very informative, well thought out and very well demonstrated.
The demo is on one of the early "Toaster" models.

Enjoy!








 Cheers. :)

Friday 19 July 2013

Ibanez RB-650, Hot Marquee and Davy Knowles. . . . .

Ibanez RB-650, in White!




















 I have two of these - a red one and this one.

These basses, like the Blazer, punch way about their weight - ask
anyone who has played a Blazer or a 650!

I gigged the red one quite a bit, a couple of years ago and it went 
out with another Ibanez, as a matched pair, for the night.
Lots of punch, plenty of bottom and enough brightness to cut 
through the mix, without sounding too brittle.
Perfect!

























This one has done 3 gigs, in the last 8 weeks - rotating it, with 
another favourite of mine.

The last gig was a week ago, during this spell of hot weather we 
are currently having - in a 4000 square foot marquee, with two
small entrances and a rear access point, the size of a normal door.
HOT! You bet!
I don't think I have ever drunk so much water, in such a short
space of time!

Anyway, the RB performed faultlessly - as you would expect.

Something a bit unusual on these, and it must be on all of them,
as the other one is the same - the blend between the two pick-ups,
is very gradual, not like many other 2 pick-up basses.
You can take the blend down to around 7 on one of the pots and
hear a subtle difference, all the way to that point.

A neck that is just about right, for almost anyone - a little bit
slimmer than an average Precision - great balance and weight,
all add up to something that is really nice to play.

Here it is, in it's starring role - not the best of pictures but good
enough to show that it is "at work".

























On the way back home, slightly cooler at 1.00am, I popped
a CD into the player - Davy Knowles "Sessions" - turned it 
up loud, rolled down the windows and "Headed out on the 
Highway!
Brilliant!

Cheers, :) 

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Wednesday 3 July 2013

Antoria 12 String. . . . . . .

Antoria twelve string acoustic guitar.

As I am on a run, with some of the guitars - I thought now would
be a good time to feature this one.




















This is the only acoustic guitar that I have and I have had this 
old fella for a very long time - since the 70's!

This was the only the second twelve that I had played - the first
go was on one that a friend of the family had and I fell in love
with the sound of it.

In the old days. . . . . pre internet/mobile phone/tablet. . . . .
the only way you could put things up for sale, was a card in the
local shops or in the local newspapers.
I used to read the musical column, every night - drums for sale,
violins, trumpets and. . . . the odd guitar.

After looking for a 12 string for only a few weeks, this one came up
and it was in the village that I lived in - bonus!
Tried it, liked it, bought it!
I think it was either £24 or £34 - it was a very long time ago.

The short journey home was full of excitement and when I got
there, that was it for the night.
Woke up in the morning with VERY sore fingers - I can still 
remember it, as I couldn't play it again, for a couple of days. :(

So, what is it like to play?

Since I bought it, I have played loads of 12 strings but to date,
I have never found one as sweet.
The action is so low and up until around ten years ago, no fret 
buzz - there is just a little fret wear, now but you can hardly
notice it at all.

From what I understand, from when I bought it, I think is was
made in 1973 or 1974, just at the time when Japanese instruments
started to be be taken seriously - some, very seriously!

The top, around the bridge, has bowed very slightly, as a lot of 
acoustics do, as they get older and as legend has it, this improves
the tone.
I can't say that it sounds any different to me but I don't suppose 
it would, as it would be a very gradual process.
It also has a beautiful Rosewood Fingerboard, that looks very
nice, indeed.

There you have it - Antoria Model 628 - 12.





























Next time, another bass - in fact another Ibanez, that I have gigged
a couple of times in the last few weeks.

Cheers. :) 

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