I mentioned earlier in a post that I am going to build a guitar kit, I've found it to be fun and challenging. The kit is a Stu Mac ES-335 and I am only using the body and neck, all else is upgraded from the kit, bit by bit have been working on this, nice kit, decent veneer, so far so good ..read more

Last weekend I was asked to make a guest appearance at a friend's 40th wedding anniversary party. I sat in for one song with my old keyboardist's band to play Comfortably Numb, which was the first song the happy couple danced to 42 years ago. I was playing in that band 42 years ago, as was my old keyboardist. But this post isn't about Comfortably Numb, or me playing it. The friend who was celebrating the anniversary is also a former bandmate (different band), and he's strictly an acoustic... Read more ..read more

I went to the local guitar shop on Wednesday to buy a set of strings. (That's always how it starts, lol.) They had a barely-used guitar on the wall that caught my eye. It was a brand I'm very familiar with, since I already own several other models of the brand. Told the friendly guy behind the counter I thought it was a beautiful guitar. He reminded me that they take trade-ins. On the drive home, I'm saying to myself "Self, does a guy really NEED 5 Stratocasters? How about some of the other... Read more ..read more

As I mentioned in this week's Friday thread, some bandmates and I are re-recording a song that we originally recorded and released on a record in 1982. I'll add more to this thread as the process continues, but here are a couple of teaser pics from Day 1. Here's a look at one corner of the main room of the studio, looking toward the control room. In the left-hand window you can see Tommy (drummer) and Jeff (bass player and singer) hanging out, and Michael (studio owner and engineer) sitting... Read more ..read more

Been playing around with setting up my other guitars enough and had a decent couple of days of weather. Opened up the box yesterday. One of the first steps in the instructions is that I need to let the wood acclimate for a week or so. That's fine, I've got a few jigs and more shop cleaning that I need to do before I'm really ready to start. The kit comes with a way of making a jig with cardboard cutouts for joining the sides, but I opted to buy the premade guitar mold to make it easier... Read more ..read more

Well, That was a weekend for the record books. My Buddy/Rhythm guitar player got our band Off Yer Rocker a gig at... Read more ..read more

This week end marks Willie Nelson's 90 Birthday. Here is Willie with his Son Lucas doing Blue eye crying in the rain... Read more ..read more

I am sure I am the only person in the world who has not seen this video before but I thought it was worth sharing. This young man, Mark Kroos, plays both parts of the song Dueling Banjos on one guitar. I am amazed but when it comes to music it does not take a lot to impress someone who flunked out of 3rd grade recorder ..read more

Reading up on all the birthday wishes you folks left for me reminded me that my youngest daughter gave me the latest Willie Nelson album for my birthday. From the onset of the first song I thought he sounded kind of old...then I looked up the album. "A Beautiful Time" is the 72nd solo studio album by Willie Nelson, released on April 29, 2022 on his 89th birthday.! I thought that was the coolest thing ever! Do any other musicians have an album... Read more ..read more

Went to home depot the other day and picked up a sheet of MDF (Holy cow, MDF Prices!) and some 1" electrical conduit and 3/8" all thread. Managed to get the tablesaw and workbench cleared off and made my Go-Bar deck today. Now I just need to figure out how to make some go bars. I've seen commercial versions that use fiberglass sticks, but having a bit of a problem sourcing those right now, or I don't want to pay what they want for them. I figure worst case scenario, I can rip some strips... Read more ..read more