Biz Prof

Imagine that...the tonal and tactile bliss of playing through real amps cooking at high volume. That's the stuff.

Honorable "highwater" mention goes to Chris Pinnick.

I've always worn mine mid-riff height. The extremes always looked goofy to me. Porcaro wore his bass so high, he could almost play it with teeth without lifting it up. Steve Clark often looked like he could rest the lower bout on the floor at his feet.

Problem is, they abolished critical thinking years ago. They simply tolerate Jason because they find him entertaining.

I'll pop in to add this. Having purchased well over 50 items via Fb Marketplace, I've run across a fair share of aged posts that the listing user had forgotten to remove. Thus, my opening salvo is always, "I'm interested in your ______. When are you available for me to take a look at it?" A reply will tell me if it's available. A non reply will tell me the same.

This. I've had really great experiences as a buyer. Not so much as a seller. Idiocracy is upon us.

That's some Mississippi shit right there.

Those are actually sourced directly from Gene--the Kiss Kranium Kover.

I'm right there with you. I outgrew both their shtick and music by the time I was 14. Many, many others had a similar experience. Some still see them as great innovators and artists. To each, his own.

"Corinthian White". I can hear the commercial in my head.

I haven't bought a "new" guitar since '93 when I purchased my first Hamer USA from Kim at Fat Sound. I have acquired nearly 30 guitars since that time. USA quality tends to be excellent, except that the big two brands (F and G) have wildly inconsistent QC. USA-made Hamer, PRS, G&L, Dean, EBMM are all stellar. Not a dog in the bunch. PRS SE and G&L Tribute are the best US label imports by far. Early Slammer Series imports are typically nice. MIM Fenders are good and MIK Fenders are fantastic. '80s MIJ Charvels are superb. Imports can be excellent instruments. As for MIC? It's a mixed bag in my experience. I agree with others here that recent higher end Indonesian builds are probably superior to anything MIC.

These, I thought, looked much better than the short horned XPL models. Chris Hayes of Huey Lewis and the News played them before migrating to custom built superstrats.

Saul, it's just a fantasy. Can you live this fantasy life?

Jim was not a Hamer investor (Hamer, Dantzig, Monty, and Walker were the OGs). He was the owner of Wooden Music and was a friendly competitor of Northern Prarie in the pre-Hamer days. He fabricated bodies and necks of Explorer and V style guitars and sold the guys a very small number of husks that became the earliest Monty-built guitars. IIRC, the unbranded Akkerman V and the branded #0000 prototype Standard were built using Beach parts. https://www.oakpark.com/2012/08/14/jim-beach-63-musician-and-craftsman-sailing-and-biking-enthusiast-entrepreneur/

And the SMG Electraglides.

None more black.

A very common practice in the skilled trades over the last several years. In a state like North Carolina, where there is massive positive migration, tradespeople can take their pick from sometimes hundreds of jobs. It's always better to at least give a quote so as to avoid developing a reputation of ignoring potential customers. Commercial/industrial hvac and electrical provide some of the best examples. The quote sheets on the repairs that I have to consider at my place of work can be downright comical. In addition to parts and hours of labor are these ridiculous line Items: "truck fee", " fuel surcharge", "travel surcharge", "shop supplies", etc. These make an eight thousand dollar Hamer custom order look like child's play.

Certainly possible. I had not considered that angle.

Definitely sounds like a nuisance quote.

Oxbow Music. Shitfire, I haven't thought about that place in decades. Tried out a couple of Seymour Duncan Convertible amps there and eventually bought a Kitty Hawk M3 from them. Store was in an old clapboard house. Now, AL&M was THE place during the hair metal era. First Jackson USA and JEM 777 I ever saw were at that store beside the rails on Beryl Road near NCSU. My mom bought my Kramer from them in '86. Good times.

And to think his main guitar was a Norlin era Les Paul Custom.

Thanks. Very good to know.

My son is at UNC-Charlotte, Jay. Do you still do repair work?

Jesus H Christ, has there ever been a more gorgeous finish on a Centaura?