Dasein

I was just modding my original X100 last night so I could use a regular 9 volt adapter. I wired up a buck converter to give me the +6.0v/-6.4 volts the pedal requires. The old adapters out there are all garbage and failed (drifted from spec) so this was the best way forward.

https://www.reddit.com/r/gibson/s/38iQTvBCdt

I own (original owner) a fully loaded 2C+ combo.... It's the best amp I've ever played, and the best amp I've ever heard played. Could it be better? Could it have more features (midi switching, and things like a 3rd & or 4th Channel) -- Sure -- but none of that changes the fact that I doubt there's a better sounding amp on the planet. It's that good - the mojo is that real. My issue is - I need to get it recapped and I'm scared to death of losing it in shipping back to Mesa.It's worth about 12 to 15K at this point - so I need to insure it special just for the trip -- but losing it petrifies me. More so than the fact I'm not using it right now (it's disassembled and sitting on my studio shelf at the moment.)

lol - indeed it is. The greatest anti-theft protective measure I've ever taken!!!!

Thanks @cynic for remembering the cover. I'm mid way through my 3rd Zeppelin project for project Stairway (Kashmir)... it's still in play, but I've put it on the back burner for a bit. My own break from playing came in the early 90's when I had to walk away from a music career mid-stream (while in University as a Classical Guitar & Vocal performance major) after suffering nerve damage to my hands (really bad in my left) after a car accident and some surgeries. I dipped my toes in and out through the 90's only to hit the limitations of my injuries every time - a very depressing thing. My real break though came after the collapse of my first marriage - I not only had to take a break from my guitar, but also music itself (from about 1997-2012). Listening to music was just too painful and unpredictably powerful emotionally for me and was too dangerous. I was not in a good place at all and I knew I had to keep that door closed. But it was really my participation here - and you guys - who inspired me to play again. I still have physical limitations, and I am not the professional I used to be - but I love playing and being creative - and recording opened up a whole new world of possibilities which I'm still exploring. I'm even playing with a Dad band.

I used helicoils to repair my original Hamer branded base plate - lasted about a year before it was done like dinner. Ordered a new Schaller branded base plate (with hardened steel inserts) and saddle screws and so far so good though I remain somewhat skeptical about the whole thing...

Nice!!! That's gotta feel really good to be able to do. Obviously you'll share your guitar with us when it's done but please share in the lead up to its arrival too see we can be excited for you.

Every day I play a vinyl album with my morning coffee - so I started an Instagram account about it. I do a little write up about each album too as I listen.... our collection is mostly inherited vinyl so it can be pretty strange but also wonderful to listen to. https://www.instagram.com/morningcoffeevinylside/

Just a heads up: I actually had a rendering error that rendered my drums out of sync on the file I submitted to Kiz - I have since corrected that (and replaced the drums and tweaked the mix further). Anyone who wants a copy of this is free to download here: https://dogsoverlava.bandcamp.com/track/so-the-story-goes I'll keep it free till February. I did give Kiz the tracks as well but I'm not sure if he's doing updates or not. I also released it last week. Anyway - thanks again for listening - I think you'll see this mix is what it should have been in the first place.

Thank you so much for the kind words. Cali-brothers we are! I'm just very pleased to have been able to contribute and participate with you guys who have all been instrumental as an audience encouraging me to make music again. Very grateful.

I wrote and recorded my song (So the Story Goes) specifically for the project. As such I made sure that I used only my Hamer Cali with the J.O'C graphic. Recorded using NI's Guitar Rig Pro 5 through my M-Audio Profire 610 interface into Reaper. I've recently re-floated my Floyd Rose after having it blocked with the Tremol-No for years so I knew there would be some whammy bar action. I wanted a deep groove with some sex appeal and played a lot of diads and triads instead of full chords trying to capture a really early 80's rock sound and vibe. The main guitar part (left side) is a single continuous take as is the bass. Solo was improvised and a comp of two takes - I kept the lines strongly melodic but put a little speedy run in there to let you know I could, and used the whammy in a very traditional early 80's way as a nod to EVH. Bass was my Fender P - also through GR5 Pro Drums were going to be real but ended up being Superior Drummer 3.... but I'll talk about them later Vocals all triple and quadruple tracked and slightly thickened with an Eventide plugin via micro-pitch detuning - only one vocal harmony part in the pre-chorus section to allow the guitars to dominate that section (3 guitar parts in that section where you first hear the wha and it gets super full... Wha was my Dunlop Crybaby -- slightly modded with extra shielding to help with noise Keyboards were all done on my Arturia mini-lab using various keyboards from the Arturia V collection and other soft synths. Used them more as sound effects and as pads to add some depth to the mix again keeping with an early 80's rock style. Since I mixed this and released it here I've continued to tweak a few things -- removed one keyboard part on the instrumental verse sections before the second verse and after the solo before the 3rd verse., It stopped sounding good to me... basically at lower volumes that part (which is slightly detuned as a patch) doesn't sound right - it sounds better cranked, but the ear hears it differently at lower volume so I 86'd it on later revisions. Drums: I really wanted to work with a real drummer for this as I am starting to feel more confident in my playing and production to allow myself to surface a bit in my music community after being AWOL for almost 30 years. In my past I was fortunate to work with world class drummers so my first call was to my friend Zoltan - probably the best technical drummer I ever played with (Jazz and Rock) - a total straight edge dude who turned his back on the rock star calling in the 90's despite being heavily recruited by Canadian Rock royalty for years..... I was too late -- found out Zoltan had passed away suddenly 2 years ago from a heart attack at the age of 49/50. Huge shock. He was an amazing guy and a totally healthy straight living guy.... that was a gut punch. My second choice (If Zoltan wasn't to be available) was going to be is another drummer friend I used to play with who did play and tour for years with some A list Canadian recording acts.... I knew he had a studio and did regular session work -- but COVID had forced him to give up his studio this summer so he just wasn't available to take the gig and there was no time to book sessions anywhere...... So I went with plan C in the end -- Superior Drummer. Song Theme: Boy meets girl - open question about life and timing and will they last - love perseveres.... a Universal theme slightly based on real life. Hopefully Universal enough - innocent in keeping with the early 80's rock theme of my adolescence. I really wanted the guitar to shine here in keeping with the Hamer theme - so I hope I accomplished that. I still struggle with the Musician I used to be vs the one I am today --- but I love music and I am tickled to death to be able to record like this in my bedroom. It was you guys here at the HFC that inspired me to try to play again - and it was sharing stuff here that helped me overcome my fears of being judged as less than I used to be -- you guys were such a great audience and your encouragement really drove me forward to finding a creative outlet where I could call myself a musician again. I am eternally grateful for that kindness and was happy to contribute to the project - it was an honour and privilege to do so.

Strong tracks all round - good flow on the running order too. Thanks to Kiz and everyone who organized and contributed to this. I love hearing you guys play but I'm as equally tickled to hear those Hamers in all their sonic diversity. Well done - inspired and inspiring.

I walked out of my house today and was almost immediately approached by a guy on the street... my first though was "Wow - the HFC has a long reach - this guy must want my autograph." but it tuns out he was just looking for his missing cat. But in that brief moment before he asked about his cat I knew what it was to be a Hamer Rock God.

that is positively bad ass! Like hurt-me momma bad ass.

No lie -- I put a peavey powered sticker on my Boogie roadcase to deter theft.

How common is the route under the fretboard vs from the back for the truss rod? Any pluses or minuses there?

If I wasn't tied to my mom (who is in care here in Canada) I'd be long gone with my wife, my guitars and my books/music collection... Hawaii maybe.

Oh Gawd --- that blue one....

For Christ's sake - I want a full body shot of that Tobacco Burst -- It's been DAYYYYYYYYYSSSSSSSS!

You guys are piecing these out like a methadone dealer....