BigWheeledWagon

So I read on here that Jeff said Bull Black Nova is about a guy who just killed his girlfriend, right? If that's what the song is supposed to be about, then who do you think he's calling at the end? Who is he trying to get to "Pick up! Pick up!"? The police? Doesn't seem like it since earlier he says "They're coming up the shoulders. What have they found? I wonder if they know". Seems like that's the police he's talking about. Maybe a friend or something, since he can't think and can't calm down? I guess my first thought was that he's calling the girlfriend hoping that she'll pick up and he'll come to his senses and find that the murder was just a nightmare or something. I dunno; what do you guys think?

I've thought that perhaps the references to blood and other murderous things could be viewed metaphorically -- perhaps it's just representative of any guilty act that "can't be undone" (infidelity for instance). It strikes me that the song is about guilt and the panic of confronting it and thus the whole "body in the trunk" theme could be a way of examining that, and the phone call could be an attempt to assuage that guilt or confess to the underlying act . . . or it could just be a murder ballad psycho freak-out -- the bastard child of "Via Chicago" and "Spiders."

Hey guys. I've seen Jeff's Board up front from Cincinnati, OH's show a few weeks ago and want to clarify a few things about his pedal board. There is one pedal that everyone is always asking about that is painted all swirly and has 6 knobs and 2 stomp switches. This is a mid fi electronics pedal. It is not a standard mid fi pedal though, I contacted mid fi electronics and they informed me that it is a combination "Pitch Pirate" and "Glitch Computer". Also, he is using a Thorn's Peaker from ooh la la pedals...Kinda like an overdrive. The colorsound Prescription Overdriver was present, as well as the Moog 104 Analog Delay, Electro Harmonix Holy Grail Reverb, Lovetone Big Cheese Fuzz, Scheroder Blister Agent Distortion, Freakshow Electronics Brown Rabbit Distortion, Freakshow Electronics No. 9 boost (x2), Death by audio Sonic Analilation, and Boss TU-2 tuner.

 

As fair as amps go, he was using an early 2000's Handwired Limited Edition Vox AC-30 Combo and an older Fender Tweed Amp of some Kind...I'm not a fender expert, but I think it was a Twin or Princeton. He isn't using the New White Heritage Series AC 30 for this tour for some reason.

 

Hope you guys like my comments. Thanks.

Welcome -- nice first post. Thanks for sharing the info on the mid fi pedal. Sounds pretty cool. I don't know how useful it would be on a daily basis, but it would be a lot of fun to have. I would love to mess around with it in the home studio, though it might be a little unpredictable live (for me, at least). Does anyone around here have the glitch computer pedal?

I guess I'm not paying too much attention to the album threads, but I didn't realize 'Deeper Down' is credited to Tweedy/Sansone. (Brad Paisley stuff aside.)

I noticed that in the album credits -- interesting. I would not have envisioned Pat stepping into the Jay Bennet role (not to say he will). You know, I like the idea of Jeff working with a songwriting partner again -- he seems to do his best work when he has someone to act as a sounding board -- not really an equal partner, but just someone to give him objective feedback and to bring in some outside ideas (like Jay did).

 

The strings below the bridge are fun to play with, some cool sounds there, but more importantly, they resonate ALOT, giving out wonderful harmonic overtones and more than compensating to the lack of sustain (as compared to my les paul)...

 

This quality is perhaps what most intrigues me about the Jazzmaster. I imagine one can get some pretty cool sounds utilizing what is essentially a primitive third bridge -- even without using pencils and screwdrivers like Sonic Youth -- who, by the way, just got their own signature Jazzmasters:

http://www.fender.com/sonicyouth/

It arrived today, and luckily I was home to meet the mailman so the vinyl didn't melt in the 96 degree heat. The mailman did, however, put the package down on the one little corner of the front porch where the sprinkler hit it (he literally could have put it anywhere else on the porch without a single drop of water hitting it -- it almost seems intentional -- it almost seems like I have Jay Farrar as my mailman). Since I was home and heard him knock, I got to it before it got too wet, and the plastic wrap kept the contents dry. I'm glad to have it. It really does make a difference hearing the album in a quality format, as opposed to streaming audio.

Arrived today (damn ups, late, and the day after my record release party)...ill get some pics up...to my surprise, it turned out to be s*** brown, not black, hahaha, kind of cool...

 

I have replaced the bridge with a mustang set up, not sure about the buzzstop yet...its much more resonant than a strat, not as loose feeling as a tele...

 

ok what i am hating is the trem bar...it is too close to the body to push down much, i really can only use it by pulling it up and vibrating it...i cant pick and hold the bar at the same time either...part of it might be that im used to a bigsby on my les paul, but i cant use it worth dick...do they custom make these somewhere...theres no bending this thing to where im used to having a bar

I'm pretty sure there are lots of custom trems out there for jazzmasters, jaguars, and mustangs as they are notoriously , , , um . , , , temperamental. I think it's sort of a rite of passage to owning a jazzmaster to mod the floating trem or the tailed bridge. I'd love to hear your thoughts on the guitar once you've had a chance to get used to it -- although it may be a few years down the road, it's on my list of guitars to acquire.

I'm in the same position...email came Monday and no record yet. The tracking thing is odd, giving me no info about when to expect it.

My tracking page finally updated. It arrived here in Nashville this afternoon, so it should come tomorrow. Luckily, I should be around for much of the day, so I probably won't have to deal with melted vinyl.

Impossible! Germany!?

 

/ducks

It had to be said.

I got an email on Monday night saying it had shipped, but the mail came today, and it still isn't here. I even came home from work at lunch to check because I didn't want the vinyl to melt in the 95 degree weather we're having. Maybe it will come tomorrow. For a record I've already heard, I'm having a lot of trouble waiting for it.

Congrats -- looking forward to pics. The next electric guitar I purchase will likely be a Jazzmaster (though that should be quite a long time from now). When it comes to electric guitars, I'm already a bit of a Fender guy as it is (52 Tele Reissue; rebuilt Strat project), and although I would love to bring a Gibson electric into the family (perhaps an SG), I've developed such a fascination with the Jazzmaster that it will have to be the next electric addition.

I was just looking for that quotation to post in reply -- well done. I really don't understand why folks take it so personally when a band they love changes. Let's say you absolutely hate "Wilco (The Album)." Does that make the albums by Wilco that you love any less great? There's a lot of talk these days about how one of the biggest problem with certain younger generations is a certain feeling of entitlement to, well, pretty much everything. It seems that certain Wilco fans feel that they are entitled to a new Wilco album every 2-3 years that they love as much as their favorite Wilco album. I also suspect that some of the disappointment is just a sense of melancholy about getting older and not being able to relive those experiences from younger days when they discovered Wilco.

Note: for some reason the quotation isn't showing up, but I'm referring to Crow Daddy Magnus's quoting of Jeff's recent interview: "I get bullshit from old fans from damn near everything that happens! [Laughs] Some people, I swear to God, just stick around for the sake of having a dissenting opinion and thoroughly enjoy being disheartened by us! So yeah, there probably are people waiting around for us to make a country record we never made."

Old Maid was released on the 2003 compilation, You Can Never Go Fast Enough. Totally fair game.

I thought it was out there somewhere but couldn't remember where and decided I had just dreamed it up -- thanks. Too bad there's not an official recording of pre-Krautrock spiders, too (not that I have anything against the version of Spiders on AGIB) -- I would put that ahead of Old Maid.

1. Not For the Season

2. Tried and True

3. I'm Always in Love (live acoustic)*

*the number 3 spot would have been occupied by the pre-Krautrock Spiders (not sure if it was ever demoed in this version) or Old Maid (I'm pretty sure I've only heard live versions -- I guess no demos ever got out from Being There), but I'm pretty sure neither are eligible for this list under the rules set out in the first post.

yup got here late again...been touring

 

build one eh...am i that hardcore?

 

well 2 things in your favor i reckon...

 

first, $500 is pretty good place to be looking, and i have gotten to the point where i will never buy a guitar new again...just like a car you loose resale value and inherit a crappy or difficult warranty...yet, unlike a car, most acoustics get better with age...

 

secondly, you live in nashville, a city with more music stores per citizen than anywhere in the us, save LA...you have alot of places to look and test drive

 

so, having put that out there, id be looking for a used Yairi (a super value), guild, takamine (the japanese ones), or maybe higher end seagull (good stuff, youll want the spruce top one, not cedar)...you can some times find a used larrivee for about that, which would be a steal...the epiphone masterbuilt series gets good reviews, but i never played one, so caveat emptor...breedlove atlas series are in you range and are pretty good ( i have a 12 string model which is solid)

 

one problem youre likely to run into is there arent too many builders that make anything but dreads in your price range...so if youre looking for something more on the crisp and middy side, could be tough...

 

FWIW the martin suggested is about as far away from a 'martin' as you can get....its laminate except its top, too much glue for me...you can however usually find a d16gt for around 5 bills...i wouldnt bother with Ibanez, Dean, Fender, really most of the asian factories are tuning out good looking guitars that sound like shit...but one man's garbage is anothers gem...

 

have fun shopping man...always a ball for me...ill keep my eyes open for something that might suit you here in memphis

I was wondering when you would show up -- it's good to get your two cents. Great advice. I don't really know much about Yairi, so I'll have to check some out. I've already got used Guilds on my checklist -- back in the day, a guy I was in a band with had a Guild that I loved the sound of, even if it was as ugly as it could be. Agreed about the Ibanez, Dean, Fender, etc. -- never even crossed my mind. I don't know why Fender even bothers with acoustics, but if there's money to be made . . . You're certainly not the first to mention Seagull, so that's something I'm going to have to keep an eye out for.

I am definitely finding that most things in this price range are indeed dreads, so this could be a long process . . . which is fine with me. It just gives me an excuse to play a lot of different guitars.

My first acoustic was a Seagul S6. I still have it. I think I payed $299 or maybe low $300s for it in the early '90s. It's a very nice guitar, but it is a little bass heavy which seems to be one of the things you're hoping to avoid. Maybe the newer models are more balanced. Definitely worth checking out a Seagull.

I am indeed looking to avoid anything bass-heavy, not because I have a problem with that, but because I've already got that covered. Like I've said, I love the acoustic I have, even if it has its quirks (the '67 Gibson Dove has an adjustable bridge, something that Gibson pretty quickly abandoned -- luckily, I don't have much of a problem with rattling). I'm just looking for a little sonic variety, and I'm also looking to put a little less wear on a family heirloom.

Anyway, I really appreciate all of the great suggestions so far -- I knew the good folks around SST would come through (like I always say, this is the most helpful and civil area of Via Chicago by a long shot). It's great to have all of these suggestions bouncing around as I begin the long (and incredibly fun) process of trying out guitars around town -- it will really help focus the search.

Even within these models, no two guitars sound or "feel" alike. The odds of ordering/buying a guitar sight unseen and being 99.44% happy with it is 0.56%.

 

Play a lot of 'em and one will jump out at you.

Don't worry, I wouldn't dream of purchasing a guitar I hadn't played (though I have had one purchased for me by someone else, and it through sheer luck, it worked out okay). I've given that same advice often. Years ago when I worked at a music store, I was amazed at the number of people who would come in and buy a guitar without playing it. They would say something to the effect of, "Well, I want an SG, that's an SG. Ring it up." Amazing.

Well, now that I've been living with the album for a week, I finally feel like I have a grasp on it . . . and I like it. It's really grown on me. The songs I wasn't sure about at first have grown on me, and the ones I loved from the start haven't faded on me. For me, this has been the opposite of SBS, which came on strong and then faded into slight disappointment. My favorite Wilco albums have been growers, and this one is a grower. I don't think I'll ever grow to love it the way I do Being There, Summerteeth, or YHF, but it's my favorite out of the last three albums. I don't think I'll ever rank it up there with the other "growers" I mentioned, but I do think it bodes well for Wilco's future, which, I'm ashamed to admit, I had begun to question (in part because as much as I love Nels, I worried that Wilco would never be able to incorporate him into their sound the way they did with Glen, but they're getting there, even if I don't really care for his slide playing). Folks can call it dad-rock if they want, but I imagine a lot of those people think of the late Beatles stuff as dad-rock, too. Anyway, I've been surprised how much I've been listening to this album -- pleasantly surprised.

I would highly recommend blueridge guitars. A friend of mine bought one because he was going on tour and didnt want to bring his old expensive handmade guitar (dont know the builder, but it is from the early 70s). His blueridge is a great guitar, and I have since played a few more of them that were equally impressive. He paid 500 for his, and they have some cheaper than that as well.

About five years ago, my dad went through a little phase where he decided he wanted to take guitar up again (even though he hadn't played in over 20 years), so he asked to "borrow" my Dove. Well, it was originally his, so I couldn't really refuse. My step-sister had briefly taken guitar lessons and quickly given it up, and she had a beginner level Blueridge laying around that she let me use while my dad went through his phase (which luckily only las a few months). I've got to say, I was really surprised by that guitar, and I ended up being pretty happy using for recording. In fact, when I got the Dove back, I didn't bother to re-record any of the guitar tracks I made using the Blueridge.

Hmmmmm . . . I've always wanted a Martin, but I was unsure about their lower end models. I may have to check one of these out. It sounds like this might be just what I'm looking for.

Again I come to you good folks here at SST seeking advice. I have only ever owned one acoustic guitar -- a '67 Gibson Dove. I absolutely love the Dove, which my dad handed down to me, but I am starting to want another acoustic. I mean, I have multiple electrics for different sounds. Why not another acoustic (because, really, can a man own too many guitars?)? Also, as much as I love my Gibson, it can be quite difficult to record. It's got a big booming bottom end that can come off a little muddy if one isn't careful. For purposes of variety, I'm thinking I could use something a little brighter and crisper. To make things a little more tricky, however, I'm not really in a position to spend a lot of money. Last year, I spent a good bit of dough making my custom strat and made some upgrades to my recording rig. I'm also about to buy a new car. Not too many years ago I bought my '53 tele reissue. So, I can't swing more than about $500. Now, I realize that I'm not going to be buying anything great for that paltry sum of money (paltry in terms of buying a guitar -- I by no means consider this a small amount of money). However, I feel fairly confident I can get something I enjoy playing and that adds some much needed tonal variety to my recording (until that day years in the future that I can afford a Gibson Super-Jumbo). I mean, I've got a lower-end hollow-body electric (Epiphone Dot) that I enjoy despite it being of lower quality than some of my others.

So, I'm asking for suggestions. I've had my Dove for so long that I haven't really considered any other acoustics outside of the kind of pie-in-the-sky daydreaming about guitars I'll never afford (you know, heading down to Gruhn Guitars and drooling over 50-plus-year-old Martins and amazing old Gibsons). Thus, my knowledge of guitars in the low end of the spectrum is extremely limited. More than a decade ago I worked in a music store and sold lower end guitars, but I'm out of the loop now. Like I noted, I'm looking for something crisp, bright, and punchy. I'm looking for pure acoustic, no electronics necessary. So, what lesser-priced guitars do ya'll recommend that I give a strum at my local stores?

Oh, and before some of you folks (rowboat, a.miller -- I know what ya'll are thinking) suggest it, I'm really not up to the challenge of making my own acoustic -- that seems like a huge step up. I unfortunately don't have the time right now, and I suspect that the cost would end up being quite high. I perhaps would consider restoring something, though. Anyway, I have no doubt I'm going to get some great suggestions, and I look forward to hearing them.

Sometimes an album grabs you on the first listen, but I find that to be a rare thing. I haven't been prepared to declare my love for any Wilco album on first listen, and I'm not sure how I'm ultimately going to feel about this one (thought I am optimistic that I will like it better than SBS, which strangely enough I found myself liking less upon repeat listens). Still, I certainly wouldn't be willing to declare my disappointment with less then 24 hours of listening to this thing under my belt. Hell, I remember feeling a little disappointed with Summerteeth on the first few spins, and it's now one of my all-time favorites. So, I'm going to go get back to listening to the new record -- I think I'll have a better feel for it after living with it (you know, listening in the car, at work, etc.).

No way. Everyone on here is an expert in entertainment law.

 

 

A bit more info here: http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/musi...-050409.article

Now that's a little more informative. I'm too lazy to get out my old entertainment law textbook, but this seems to be a little more substantive. I still suspect he's waited a little long . . .

Lawsuits often occur years after.

Hence the enactment of many and various statutes of limitations. While there could be various factors at play that could toll any applicable statute of limitation in this case, 8-9 years is a dangerously long time to wait (though, it's not clear how long it's been since the time of the last payment he claims to be due or what he is claiming Jeff's contractual obligations were to him). It also seems a little strange that he's suing Jeff personally. I would have assumed that Tony would have organized Wilco/Jeff into some sort of corporate entity (an LLC or something -- not really sure, I suck at anything related to business/business law) so that Jeff wouldn't be personally liable for business issues.

Also, it doesn't look like Jay's trying to claim any copyright issues (these are the suits that usually pop way after the fact due to the lengthy term of a copyright) -- he's looking for straight-up performance royalties. Tony seems to know what he's doing (and we know from the film he has what appears to be a pretty good lawyer), and performance royalties tend to be handled contractually (the contract with Nonesuch was obviously just with Jeff, so he's figuring out the cut with the band -- not sure what the deal was with Reprise, but I imagine it was the same). So, again, 8 or 9 years is a long time to wait to try to enforce a contract.

If someone organizes some sort of fund to help Jay with the costs of this surgery, please post a link so that we can help with donations. Lack of health insurance or being underinsured are major problems for far too many Americans -- especially musicians. Sadly, it's one of those things one has to consider when deciding whether to take the risk of being an artist of some kind or to settle for lesser and/or more realistic goals. Jay has helped create music that is far more important to me than paltry sums of money I have exchanged for the pleasure of listening to it, so I would be more than happy to contribute whatever small amount I can to a legitimate, verifiable charitable fund to make sure that Jay can get the kind of medical care that a lot of us (including me) take for granted.

Anyway, best wishes to Jay -- thoughts, prayers, and whatnot.

Gibsons (at least electric ones) aren't really my specialty, so I don't have much to offer for getting a more Gibson sound our of your new pickups (except to suggest using actual Gibson pups, but I don't know about the coil tap feature). I was actually just surprised no one around here had any advice for you and wanted to bump the topic to see if some of more experienced gearheads had any ideas. Anyone?