Totally agree that Tony Rice is a flat-picker of the highest order. Some of the work he did with Dave Grisman back in the late-70's / early-80's really showcased his versatility, stepping outside of his normal bluegrass place and into the world of jazz fusion.
3,827 2013-03-29 01:36:25
Re: Ability to Sing (37 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)
To the point about "singing like you mean it", what else could account for the success of singers like Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Ozzy Osborne, etc.? Other components like songwriting, subject matter, musicianship, showmanship, etc. are part of their success, but let's face it ... they really aren't very good singers. Yet they put heart & soul into what they do, and that in itself is one of the most engaging aspects of enduring talent everywhere. If YOU enjoy what you're doing, who else really has a valid opinion ... unless of course you're trying to sell tickets to an audience. 
3,828 2013-03-29 01:25:27
Re: GIBSON custom 1968 (6 replies, posted in Electric)
Instrument value can be sooooo subjective, as the value is in the eye of the beholder ... depends a lot on whether or not it's being viewed as a guitar to play or a collectible to own.
3,829 2013-03-27 23:45:01
Re: Icame into some luck, but how much? do u know? (19 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)
Just looked up your 2 Gibson SG's on Long & McQuade's site:
Gibson SG Special (SGSPEBCH) ... $1,025.00
Gibson SG Standard (SGSEBCH) ... $1,250.00
Of course there are variations of both that affect the price, but you obviously scored big with these acquisitions! Two more classic rock guitarists who favored SG's were Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath) and Mickey Box (Uriah Heep).
3,830 2013-03-26 16:30:38
Re: I'm learning and just mastering Bm (24 replies, posted in Acoustic)
All great ones, Beamer! And who could forget:
Mal: "The 'verse iz gittin' too crowded for us naughty men to hide anymore."
Or ...
Mal: "You wanna run this ship?"
Jayne: "Yeah!"
Mal: "Well ... ya can't."
3,831 2013-03-26 16:25:44
Re: Early Birthday pressy and new guitar day... (14 replies, posted in Guitars and accessories)
Happy Birthday, Happy Tax Refund Day, and Happy New Guitar Day ... life's good, eh?
3,832 2013-03-26 16:10:37
Re: danger in washing dishes (24 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)
Now that's a cool piece of info I'd never heard before, Phill ... thanks!
It's inspiring to learn how artists have overcome personal adversity to rise to the top of their profession. A Nova Scotian bluegrass/folk guitarist named Moe Brown lost a finger on his fretting hand years ago (ring finger, if I recall) and subsequently reinvented his playing style. He was already very good before the accident, and most would say he's even better now. Ian Anderson's deformed pinky on his right hand also comes to mind, which he's said made learning the flute challenging.
3,833 2013-03-26 01:17:50
Re: New Generation of Progressive Rock? (7 replies, posted in Bands and artists)
Thanks for the link, Beamer ...
I found a few YouTube videos of Circadian Frequency, and although they're more aggressive than my usual taste, there's no arguing with their creativity or skill.
Much obliged!
3,834 2013-03-26 01:09:17
Re: danger in washing dishes (24 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)
Didn't Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath) used to wear metal thimbles on his fretting hand? It probably wouldn't be wise to use these in conjunction with Super Glue ... just a thought.
3,835 2013-03-26 01:04:16
Re: I'm learning and just mastering Bm (24 replies, posted in Acoustic)
Glad to be of some help, Beamer (love the quotes from "Serenity", by the way) ...
The Chordie transposer + a good capo = numerous possibilities for all abilities. I find a lot of music written for a tenor voice (I'm a natural bass) so transposing down is the only way stuff works ... except of course for Crash Test Dummies. This is a great site with great tools to use!
3,836 2013-03-25 01:51:30
Re: 2nd time (2 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)
Sounds like a blast, Fire Art!
My brother recently sold his electronic drums for a set of Gretsch all-maples, and we've been whacking away at everything from Dire Straits to Rush. He's no Pick Withers or Neil Peart, and I'm no Mark Knoplfer or Alex Lifeson, but there are moments when we actually sound half-decent, and we're ALWAYS having fun ... the main point!
3,837 2013-03-25 01:47:00
Re: What is your favorite song. (23 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)
"Supper's Ready" by Genesis is first, but there are lots of seconds.
3,838 2013-03-25 01:44:14
Re: New Generation of Progressive Rock? (7 replies, posted in Bands and artists)
After listening to the nice growls coming out of the PRS guitars that Porcupine Tree uses, I got to try one Saturday at a music store about an hour's drive away. It was the SE 245, which is on the low end of their scale @ $650 CDN. However, I was very impressed with the build quality, sound, and feel of the guitar. It was the first time I'd had a PRS in my hands, and it's easy to see why they're making a solid name for themselves.
3,839 2013-03-25 01:32:25
Re: I'm learning and just mastering Bm (24 replies, posted in Acoustic)
Welcome to Chordie, Sharkin ...
Looks like you're going about learning the various chords in a terrific way, by learning songs where they're used. "The Sounds of Silence" by Simon & Garfunkel is normally written in Dm, but if you use the Chordie transposer to take it down 3 semitones, it comes out in a more comfortable singing key ... OR ... use a capo to key it back up. A nicely paced song also, to allow you time for transitions. You can also play "High Hopes" by Pink Floyd in the same way.
3,840 2013-03-25 01:20:43
Re: Here comes that A/C# again... Any tips? (8 replies, posted in Acoustic)
Another way is to simply cover all 3 strings in the normal A chord with your index finger, leaving enough slack by inverting the first knuckle a bit to mute the high E. Then your ring finger should reach over for the C# on the A string without a lot of trouble which would look like:
X4222X
Hope this helps.
3,841 2013-03-20 21:14:27
Re: Long lost photo found (21 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)
That's a sweet pic, Russell! Old pics bring up lots of good memories, and a few bragging rights here and there. That was quite the amplifier setup you used ... whew!
I wish I had one of the High School dance band I played in (4 gigs only). I was the only white guy amongst 5 black guys, and we played mostly funk that was fun and easy to dance to. It was great fun, and they were a great bunch of friends who made me feel right at home, as "the honky on guitar" (LOL). The name of the band was (supress gag reflex here) "Soul & The Bad Ones" ... I swear I had nothing to do with that. I was just subbing for their regular guitarist, who had broken his wrist playing basketball.
3,842 2013-03-20 21:03:21
Re: Stand up (6 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)
I agree with you that Levy's makes great straps, Beamer. I use a 3" wide black leather one with my Les Paul, and although it has no padding it distributes the weight just fine. I was having a laugh at the store where I bought it, because they had at least 100 various straps with assorted KISS logos on them ... must have been expecting a convention or something!
3,843 2013-03-20 10:52:12
Re: String pop (6 replies, posted in Electric)
Hard to say for sure, but it may be that you're removing your fingers from the strings at an angle rather than straight off, which will cause your fingertips to "pluck" the string a bit. This is often a desired technique for some songs / styles.
3,844 2013-03-20 10:44:42
Re: Stand up (6 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)
I personally find that how a guitar is held affects playing style & ability to a fair degree. I'll play the acoustics while sitting, and usually have the neck angled upwards at about 25-degrees. Most classical guitarists will sit with the lower bout of the guitar between their knees, and the neck angled up much further than that.
When standing to play the electric, I find I have to maintain that same angle in order to play comfortably, so that the wrist of the fretting hand isn't bent too much. And I also discovered right away that I needed a strap lock on the peg nearest the neck ... fortunately without damage. I agree that a Les Paul is a tad heavier than some guitars, but a good strap certainly helps with comfort.
3,845 2013-03-19 21:30:32
Re: pick advice (17 replies, posted in Acoustic)
I'll cast another vote for Dunlop Nylon picks with the bumps on the grip end. I tend to favor a thinner pick for the steel string acoustic, but use fingers on the classical and a heavier pick on the electric.
On the side, I recall a New Year's Eve get together many years ago, where I was constantly twanging picks into the sound hole. The problem turned out to be that my guitar had too much eggnog in it. 
3,846 2013-03-19 21:23:37
Re: Newbie here (18 replies, posted in Guitars and accessories)
Welcome aboard, Russell ...
I also just joined at the start of the year, and have really enjoyed the considerable level of "humble expertise" from the members of Chordie. Have gotten great advice here for making several choices, and there have been some enjoyable discussions on a whole variety of things.
3,847 2013-03-19 21:18:39
Re: How many do I need (36 replies, posted in Guitars and accessories)
Love your post, HarleyJim ... I'll substitute fly fishing gear for motorcycles, but the principles of addiction are the same.
3,848 2013-03-16 11:37:16
Topic: New Generation of Progressive Rock? (7 replies, posted in Bands and artists)
Judging by a lot of the posts, many in the Chordie Universe enjoy what used to be called "Progressive Rock". My 27-year-old son has challenged me to stop living in the 70's, so I've been looking for new Prog Rock bands that have a similar style to the Pink Floyd / Genesis / Rush / Yes / ELP / Wishbone Ash / etc. groups that I've enjoyed for decades. Some discoveries have been awful, but this group "Porcupine Tree" is quite good! Does anyone else listen to them?
"Anesthetize" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKeTD8E8Nkg
"Dark Matter" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQIKODPk4rU
These guys are very creative, and I'm especially impressed by their drummer (Galvin Harrison) who also does a fair bit of jazz performance with some other groups. It's also interesting that they're all using Paul Reed Smith guitars, instead of the either-or / Gibson-Fender line up that's so usual.
Excluding Prog Metal and some of the other variations (too aggressive for me), who else is out there that fits the Prog Rock description?
3,849 2013-03-16 11:24:03
Re: Treble Bleed? (9 replies, posted in Electric)
Thanks, BGD ...
My amp has a "Treble Boost" knob in the Pedal Effects section, for which the level can be controlled as well as on/off with the foot switch. I expect it's something similar:
http://www.voxamps.com/images/valvetron … us_top.jpg
I've noticed that muddy effect when the guitar volume knobs are low, so usually lower the power output of the amp without cranking the actual guitar knobs down.
3,850 2013-03-16 11:11:26
Re: What`s in your toolbox? (9 replies, posted in Guitars and accessories)
JJJ ... looks like your ready for the long haul!
I have a little tool kit I use for maintaining my fishing reels, and most of what's in there applies to guitar hardware also. It has mini screwdrivers & pliers, and I also keep a peg winder, chamois, extra strings and daily stuff nearby. Also have a truss rod wrench nearby, just in case. A really good lubricant for the tuning heads is Quantum Hot Sauce. It's made for fishing reels, but it also has a sticky additive to keep it from dripping. And last year, I gave my Les Paul (black) a layer of Nu-Finish polymer car polish on the advice of a guy at a Halifax guitar shop ... and oooo-wheee does it shine! The water beads off it in the rain just like the TV commercial depicts (kidding!!!).