New Gallery Photos: Suitcase Pedal Board.

March 12th, 2013

Check out the new gallery I have put up on a project that has been lying around my shop for far too long. Finally got the spark to complete it by placing all the pedals in the right order, wiring it all up, and turning on the power. Only had one bad cable, otherwise it went smooth.  The heart of it is the Voodoo Labs Pedalpower and  the Radial Loopbone. The Loopbone lets me route the tuner separately, buffers the input signal, gives two separate loops that allow me to remove pedals from the signal chain and even has a boost function.

here is a photo, check out the gallery for more pics.  Let me know what you think, and if you dig it, head to your thrift store, but a cheap old suitecase and make your own.

Happy New Year!!

December 22nd, 2012

Hello Everyone, I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season and you are ready for a great 2013.  The shop is open again and ready for all your guitar repair needs.   We hope to hear from you soon.

Learn to Restring Your Guitars: New Course Available!!!

September 27th, 2012

As the ONLY guitar repair shop in Southern California to offer actual one-on-one workshops to teach how to do your own repairs including: setups and fret dressing, I’ve now added another basic level hands-on course on proper and efficient restringing.   Yea, it seems basic (and it is) but I am constantly amazed how many customers come in and they don’t really have this skill down yet.

I know from experience years ago when I started learning guitar that restringing was a dreaded time.  You either had to pay the music store an additional fee to take care of it and have them look at you pathetically for not knowing how to do it yourself, or sit in your bedroom for two hours and still mess it up.  Well honestly, EVERY guitar player should know how to restring their own guitars efficiently, correctly and without any teeth nashing.

This course will show you the basics of restringing either an acoustic, electric or classical guitar. You can also bring in two different style guitars if you wish to really make sure you have this skill down.

Call For More Details.

Foonspeeders New Album/Music Available

September 19th, 2012

http://foonspeeders.bandcamp.com/

Check out this link to the complete songs on our new album from the Foonspeeders, Open Your Mouth.  Completed long distance between myself and the other two members of the Band who reside in Cleveland, Ohio: Scott Martin and Michael Adams.

Our first album since 1997, it mixes a few newer songs with some which we have been working on and recording since I moved to LA, and even a few updated versions of songs we wrote and played even just as we were starting out together.

Overall, its a mix of blues-rock, power-pop, and just some good old fashioned fun. Hope  you dig it, and I have CD’s available in the repair shop too.

BB King Concert – Hollywood Bowl, September 5th

September 9th, 2012

BB King Live at Hollywood Bowl

Enjoyed an incredible evening of blues and soul music last Wednesday evening with my wife and two very good friends.  Opening act really cooked: Tedeschi Trucks, with Derek Trucks from the Alman Brothers Band.  Then up came the legend B.B. King and he didnt disappoint.  Even weeks away from his 87th birthday he was still playing that guitar, singing and just into being on stage and having fun.  Guest appearance by John Mayer, sitting in on one song, topped off the night and left the crowd rowdy and pleased.

Check out video link above that I have put up on Youtube.  Just a few minute’s sample of the evenings festivities.

Heading to Brian Setzer Orchestra concert on Sunday September 16th, Hollywood Bowl Finale weekend!!!  Perfect follow up show to B.B.

 

DYI Road Case Video Series available online

August 13th, 2012

This great company up the road from us in North Hollywood now has a full series of videos online and FREE for those who wish to learn how to build their own music gear road cases ( or even non music gear for that matter I guess).

http://www.reliablehardware.com/diyroadcasevideos.aspx

They have the full line of hardware that you will need to complete the job also.  I have purchased from them directly for a couple guitar amp projects.  Earlier this year they were at the NAMM show in Anaheim.

So if you are on a budget and always wanted that cool road case for your Marshall amp head, are handy with the tools, or just want to learn a new skill, check out their website and these videos.

Shop Closed July 26th-August 1st

July 25th, 2012

Our shop will be closed the above listed days and will not be available to work on repairs, return phone calls, or answer emails.  Sorry for the inconvenience.

Guitar Setup Course Has Been Updated: See Details

July 8th, 2012

The very popular Guitar Setup Basics Course that I provide to area guitarists has just been updated.!! The content is still the same but now you also recieve included in the price of the course your very own set up tools.  These tools are the Cruz Tools brand Guitar Tech Guitar Player Setup tool package that not only has most of tools you will require for proper setups and string changes, but it is housed in a very nice, convenient, clear front zip up pouch.   This is perfect for bench top or taking along to the gig for those spot, emergency string changes.

For more details check out this link: http://cruztools.com/products/mitools.html

Groove Tech Guitar Setup Tool Pouch

So if you would like to learn how setup your own guitars and never pay me for another setup, bring two of your own guitars in and get ready to learn!!

New Gallery Added: My Les Paul Junior Build

June 13th, 2012

Check out the Gallery section of the website when you get the chance. I have finally put up a number of pictures chronicling somewhat the steps to build the Les Paul Junior I completed in 2011.  Technically with the two pickups its actually more like a Les Paul Special, but since most people are not familiar with that model, its easier to say Junior….junior.

Body is two piece mahogany from a furniture shop.  neck is one piece of mahogany.  Fingerboard is Rosewood.  Pickups are TV Jones P90s set.   I completed all aspects of building and finishing except the final clear coat spray finish.  Props to Pat Wilkins in Van Nuys for the clear coat.  Check him out in the Links section.  After lots of trial and error on some scrap wood, I finally went for a dark cherry style sunburst that includes vintage amber in the middle to cherry and then to a mahogany on the edges.  The back of the headstock is just sprayed with three coats of cherry for a darker red look.

For the electronics I did use Bournes 83 pots for the volumes.  The front pickup was so dark whenever I turned down the volume that I added a treble bleed cap to that potentiometer.  For the tone caps, i went with 0.022 on the bridge pickup and only 0.01 on the neck pickup.  Again, the neck pickup(front) got far too dark with the standard tone cap, so this allowed that knob to have some more useful range and only slightly roles off the highs until about 2 or 3.

The guitar turned out incredible, not perfect, but incredible.  Its plays very well, has the neck size I prefer, and sizzles with those P90′s rockin’ the house. It is perfect for some rock, blues or funk sizzle.   It only took me a year and half from start to finish on this project, but once it was done, strung up, and set up, just plugging it and hearing the tone made me smile.

Guitar Collection: Back to Bass-ics

May 30th, 2012

Okay, after a long hiatus we are back to another entry in my guitar collection. As I had mentioned previously, I do not have an extensive amount of guitars,(although non guitar players always think I do when they come to the house…), but each guitar I have seems to have a story behind it or at least a place and time it makes me remember.

Up this time we are going back to Bassics. (Har Har).  Like most guitar players, I do fancy myself a part time hack bass player. I mean, shucks, you only have to play one note at a time, and its tuned just like a regular geetar. How hard can it be?  Plus those guys never seem to be without a band or a gig.  its just not fair!!

In all seriousness though, many of us guitar players end up obtaining a bass guitar somewhere along the way in our travels for a variety of reasons.  In my case I have used it mostly for recording scratch trax during songwriting before I bring someone in who really knows what they are doing and can lay that groove down like nobody’s business.   A few times I have played bass backing up either a solo musician or sitting in with a band for mostly original music projects since I have absolutely no cover song repetoire on bass.

This guitar I actually was given, for free, from a repair customer of mine probably 6 years ago or so.  Customer came in and handed me the body and neck that had virtually no hardware or electronics. He said I could probably put it to better use than him. I vaguely remember it had the pickguard, and maybe the bridge at most.   It is a Fernandes brand, but otherwise has no other markings to distinguish what model.  Well, seeing a fun assembly project, I immediately ordered all the parts online that I would need to put this badass bass together and make low end history including: tuners, pickups, and electronics.

The guitar was already routed out for a combo of the P-bass pickup in front and Jazz Bass pickup in back so I kept it that way, and added volume, tone, and a blend knob.  Although I usually NEVER put stickers on my guitars, for some reason this guitar seemed to beg for it.  So the stickers came later when I was playing in some band along the way; combo of Guns N’ Roses and Southpark.

Not much else to say about it;  does the job, I actually dig the color(maroon) and the neck is relatively straight.  Funny thing is I never did see that customer again. Oh well.