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My Fender Lead II

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I have been using my Fender Lead II as of late. I only have one guitar stand and I rotate the guitars that I put in it many times throughout the year.

I got this guitar off a exchange student from Japan around 1984-85. Oddly enough, this is a Student Guitar, meaning the body is smaller making it easier to play. He was a little low on funds and he wanted to know if I wanted to by it. At first I started to give him lessons and he was not that bad if memory serves me correctly.

While looking at my black Fender I started to wonder what year this baby was built so a Googling I will go!

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This site was the one that I ended up at. You can normally determine the age of your guitar by the serial numbers. Mine is “E0 09736” so it’s made in 1980, that makes it 27 years old! If you have a Fender guitar just sitting around the house, go and get it and find out how old your is. Get back us on that one if you have one.

I just love the sound of the X-1 single coil pick ups on this one. You can raise the pick ups by turning the 2 screws at either end of the pick up clock wise. This adjustment brings the pick up closer to the strings thus you get a stronger signal.

There is a phase reversal switch that works when you are in the middle position or using both pick ups at the same time. This switch is really nice to have at your disposal.

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I know I will try to get a picture of mine up here soon!It has 21 medium Jumbo frets with a 4 bolt neck piece. It has a “Soft V or C” profile neck, which means the part of the body which attaches to the neck section of the guitar. The neck itself is maple. The small headstock is a nice reminder of the past Fender guitars that were built between 1954-65. Oh, headstock is part where you tune the strings on the “head” of the guitar in case your unfamiliar with guitar terms.

The bridge, where you put the strings on the body of the guitar, is designed after a Fender Telecaster. Keith Richards plays this type of an axe.

As far as I know it was made at the Fender Fullerton California plant. It was also one of the last fender guitars to be made at this legendary location!

So hats off to my 27 year old gal and hope we’re together a lot longer!

Keep on Jammin’




General Information about Glenn Gould

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A little bit of Glenn Gould trivia for all of those interested.

(1) Glenn Gould’s mother played the organ at St. Andrew’s Church, 73 Simcoe Street, Toronto. Central Presbyterian church in Toronto

(2) His childhood home was32 Southwood Dr

(3) His summer home in Uptergrove Ont., near lake Simcoe/Orillia.

(4) Buried in Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Toronto Canada in the Eastern part, section 38, plot 1050 row 1088

(5) His apartment was at 110 St. Clair ave W.

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Keep on Jammin’

The Dream Theatre Rock experience

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I first heard of this band by my buddy Tony when we were standing next to the speakers at the Saga concert that I was at recently.

He had told me that his son that has his own band, loves this type of Rock. He quickly described it as a hybrid of RUSH, Saga, Yes and Heavy thrashing metal. These guys I had to check out!

I first headed off to what in the world is that obscure site called … oh ya, youtube and listened to a few of Dream Theater’s tunes.

This is the one song that really caught my eye. It was everything that Tony had told me about all wrapped up into one song.

The keyboardist sounded like a young Rick Wakeman near the beginning and the bass player sounded a bit like Chris Squire. The guitarist had that Alex Lifeson sound that he had on A Farewell to Kings album one minute then a hint of Permanent Waves the next! The vocalist at first sounded a bit like Jethro Tall then Michael Sadler from Saga.

Todays music in my mind, sometimes lack the feel of musical diversity. There is so much influence out there that bands just don’t tap into. Remember, there is no such thing as a completely new style that has never been heard of before. We may use multiple approaches/styles to create these new sounds but we all use outside influences to create our own individual stamp of music.

I now think that it’s time to let Rick be exposed to this style and see if he can incorporate some of this into his unique approach!

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Keep on Jammin’

Trying out Thumb picks

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While looking for thumb picks to try and spice up my picking style, I came across the regular/traditional plastic ones and the newer look and feel plastic and metal ones.

I know that you’ve all seen the plastic thumb picks before and they all seem to have the same feel to them. When you put them on they have this loose tension to them. It has the illusion that it would slide off my thumb fairly easily and that poses a problem with me. While playing hockey I tend to almost squeeze the sap out of it when playing and I bring that attitude to my guitar game.

The one that Tim Cameron directed me to was the National “L” one. nationalthumbpick.jpg

This one has a different feel to it all together. It has a nice firm feel all the way around your thumb, but the exposed pick maybe a little bit too big and clunky for my liking.

The next one that I was shown was a little bit unique from your everyday thumb pick. This one is called the PROPIK.

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The one to the left is called a Good Grip Thumb Pick.

I liked this one because it allows me to adjust the tension of it to my liking. The best feature of this one is that the exposed pick that I will attack the strings with is smaller then most thumb picks.

I do not need a big clumsy thing on my thumb that is not as precise as a regular guitar pick. Therefore I give this product one thumbs up! Get it?

If you use any of these picks, please let us know the pros and cons of each one!

Keep on Jammin’

The Guitarist

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Mark Goffeney is definitely in the running for my vote for the most unique guitarists to have come around in quite some time.

I saw this somewhere and when I saw it I knew that I had to post about it.

I mean have you ever tried this feat, no pun intended!

It is hard but this guy makes it look just plain old easy? Check out his site and enjoy the show!

Mark also has a great myspace account.

Keep on Jammin’ indeed!

Saga, 30th Anniversary Tour

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I was made aware of the Saga concert on the morning of the show.

Tony, God bless that guy, called me on Saturday morning and asked if we were going to see them that night. I had told him that I knew nothing of the show and hung up to get some tickets on-line.

My wife was not feeling up to going to the show so I naturally decided to contact my keyboardist friend Rick to drag him along.

The tickets were $20.00 Can. the seating was in general admission. We were one the first one’s there so we decided to stand beside the stage. We waited for a long time until Tony,the old keyboardist from Pylis and his beautiful wife Laurie to meet us there.

Last time we saw Saga live was around 2 years ago at the Hard Rock Cafe in downtown Toronto. That night we stood on the right side of the stage were Ian Crichton the guitarist traditionally played. Tony wanted us to be on Ian’s side of the stage so I could be amazed by his wizardry. At this point I was recovering from a heart problem and I thought that it was really nice of my old buddy to be thinking in this way!

This time I thought we should be on the keyboardist Jim Gilmour’s side because of Tony’s nice gesture the last time we saw the boys in the band.

We were around 15 feet, yes 15 feet away from him and it was wonderful vantage point to see the band from. Tony couldn’t have been happier.

Here is the set that they played that night!

Trust
That’s as far as I’ll go
Wind him up
Your not alone
The one
The Perfectionist
Conversations
Scratching the surface He did this solo and it was dedicated to a married couple that he knew.
The Flyer
The Perfectionist
The Runaway
See them smile
Compromise
Careful where you step
Don’t be late

Don’t be late is my favorite Saga of all time! It really was the best song that I have ever played then and now!!!

Encore
Humble stance
On the Loose

The end of a Rocking Roll/Progressive Rock era ladies and gentlemen.

Keep on Rockin’ Saga!

Tonelab LE

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I was introduced to the Vox Tonelab SE peddle by a guy who I was playing with this past weekend at the Arlington Hotel’s Capron’s Cavern, Paris Ontario.tonelabse.jpg

The event was being held for a dear family friend who was celebrating his 50th birthday. Craig Peeler was the guitarist who played a wide variety of tunes. I brought along my Larivee and he graciously let me jam with him on stag that night.

Wow, I was at Steve’s Music on Queen St. in Toronto today and I was looking at a Vox ToneLab SE. This thing looks HOT! Unfortunately they did not have this in stock but was getting them in this week.

John Boldt was the rep. that I was talking to and he was very up to date on his pedals. He was saying that 12AX7 dual triode vacuum tube is used at the end/output of the inside mother board of the floor peddle. This has quite the warming effect on the sound. The tube is not used for the power of this system! He said that most pedal companies are using the vacuum tube at the beginning of their process but Vox was using it at the tail end instead. This makes sense because you would always want a warmer tube sound coming out the speakers.

I would recommend this little piece of equipment heaven for anyone’s collection!

Keep on Jammin’

Ashley Holt the singer

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This gentleman was the singer with Rick Wakeman at the concert that I attended on Sunday August 19th, 2007 at the Danforth Music Hall. He was a short and portly man with a full bodied voice. An average looking guy with average attire. His stage presence was like a common guy with regular looking attire.

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I was told by the guy who bought my ticket not to be too judgmental by his appearance.

Yet at the end of the show, he seemed like just an average guy off the street. I am now aware of his resume of the bands that he played with and how important he is to Rock & Roll but I guess that I was looking forward to the music and not the singing.

This legendary singer was a mainstay with Rick during 19 of his solo albums. Now that’s nothing to sneeze at is it? Just being in a band with the caped crusader speaks volumes but for some reason I was not all that impressed.

I hope that the Ashley Holt fan club with be lenient with me on this one!

Keep on jammin’

Canada’s band plain and simple – no debate needed

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Well ya know, men have this saying about women and here it is for all to ponder! “Women may not always be right …….but their never wrong!”

This statement certainly rings true for the many music aficionados that contemplate “who is/was” the finest Canadian Rock & Roll music of our time. We are the ones who still hold the torch high from the glory days gone by. And we pledge an undying allegiance to the band that is/was “truly Canadian”.

These guys helped convey the thoughts and dreams of a youthful country desperately looking for it’s identity! They held and cherished us as a mother would her child. They are “MAX WEBSTER“!!! Or for the more refined followers, THE TORONTO TONTOS. Ah those little Rascals!

While going up as a young lad in Brantford, I had seen some of the best bands of my time! Pink Floyd, Yes, The Band, The Rolling Stones, the Who but the only band not to reach those lofty heights are Max Webster.

maxwebster.jpg I’ve talked to a number of Canadian music aficionados who ramble off the bands that they have seen in action and the Mighty Max is among them. Even most passing acquaintances have told me that they have witnessed Canada’s premier band as matter of fact!!! This I much admit REALLY PISSES ME OFF!!!

Why not me God! What the purgatory did I do to deserve this cruel and un-Canadian punishment!

Keep on Jammin’

Toto – the early stuff I mean

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As you are more then well aware I am a huge lover of Prog Rock or you could even say challenging music to play!

Prog Rock is better known as Progressive Rock. Examples of this is YES (the four-part “Close to the Edge” or “The Gates of Delirium” from the Relayer Album), RUSH six-part “Hemispheres”, Klattu, early Genesis, Jethro Tull or Saga. If you think that just listening to this style is enjoyable then you you should try playing it live!

Of coarse there are always bands that I strongly feel that should have placed in there but have not for some reason or another. The one band that comes to mind is Toto, SOME of their earlier stuff that is.

albumcovers-toto1978.jpgTheir first album Toto, is the greatest one that they have put out and the only vinyl one of theirs that I have ever bought. As a matter of fact, I just bought CD version on-line a couple of minutes ago. This album really brings back memories of the my early years of playing rock guitar/music.

I had just been let go by Phylis and I was a little bit bummed out to say the least. I had just found out only last year by the keyboardist Tony, still a great friend to this day, that my parents were quite worried about my playing with them on the road in bars. I think they believed that I might be influenced by the rock & roll life style that accompanied being on the road at such a tender age of 15.

Anyways, during this period I was desperately trying to get out of my funk and at the time was desperately looking for another musical genre to put under my belt. This band had it all.

They were challenging to play live, a bit jazzy and a little bit of pop to round it out. Yes I did say pop. My great wife Tricia has always thought of me as a player who was a rocker at heart but for some reason loved pop music. She always has that look on her face when I play some great rock tunes only to be followed by some popish sounding stuff.

I fell in love with Child’s Anthem as well as Girl Goodbye because they have that Prog Rock like progressions to them.

I found I’ll Supply The Love, Georgy Porgy and You Are The Flower to have this Earth Wind and Fire feel to it. “Taking it back” has influences of Gino Vannelli’s Brother to Brother album, I also happen to know the brother of the drummer on this particular album.

So I hope that this post helps you better understand my childhood influences that I had growing up and the styles that has helped my playing of today.

Keep on Jammin’

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