It's been awfully quiet around here lately.....

[VelvetGeorge]

Everyone must be shopping for the holidays.

Cheers,

George

[bluefuzzguitar]

Not me, George. But where IS everyone else?

Mike

[Country Boy Shane]

Yeah i've been extraordinarily busy. All this Christmas mumbo jumbo, handing over press packets to booking agents from Ann Arbor to Detroit, researching record companies for the band.... it's been crazy. Nothing really to talk about amp wize because our amps our obviously running well and hot! I played some Doug Flutie befefit show last night at Rosie O'Grady's just for the hell of it (it was one of the only shows we could snag because all the bands are hounding to the end of December positions because that where lots of people in clubs like to get drunk this time of year) and it was a f***in' joke. They promised that the best band over 3 nights would get brand new equipment from jc's custom instruments. My band was all psyched about this because anything free is good but to be honest with you i've got my dream set-up and i would have sold any of those give-away instruments on eBay for some USEFUL cash!
The place was packed with a bunch of collared business men/women that were there to gab about stocks and other corporate bowl. The first band up was this bunch of four 16 year olds playing Christian/acoustic rock. They were managed by their parents and i felt sorry for them. NEVER GET MANAGED BY YOUR PARENTS, especially since they probably worked for Ford Motors or something around that. After them we got on and blew out some rock in everybody's face. I received numberous ques from the soundman to turn it down so i did. Half-way through the set i said screw it and blasted the joint with my sick vintage tone!! It was wild. The happenin' people loved us but the old folks wanted to hear some Jimmy Buffet. So we got off the stage.
It turned out that the only thing that was going to be one that night was a Piece of Shit Squier Stratocaster. The announcer was naming it a genuine Fender Strat and i wanted to pound him in the nuts with the tip of my Doc Martens. I yelled out they were made my enslaved Korean children and it was a hoax. Needless to say we sold 4 CD's, gained about 5 new fans from the group of jerks in that place and left with a smile on our face.

[Hassan Chop]

You know, Country, one time you thanked me for not saying you were crazy for having the opinion that a guitarist can get a good SRV kind of tone out af a Marshall Plexi. I said that there was no need to thank me, I'd made up my mind about whether you are crazy or not long before. And the message you posted just above this one is a confirmation and prime example of why you are JUST SICK IN THE HEAD. You have definitely gone 'round the bend. There's bats in your belfry. You're psycho, wacko, ga-ga. You aren't rowing with both oars.

If I didn't live thousands of miles away, I'd say we HAVE TO JAM!

Crazy-ass bastard!

[Country Boy Shane]

I thought i would just post a story of one of the crappiest gigs i've ever done. God that was the most ill gig ever. The only good part was me jumping up on one of the restaurants tables while soloing. I pissed of the couple that was sitting there because they were probably talking about Pumpkin Pie and white satin. I have to get a picture of me doing this since i seem to like to do it any place i can. I need my drummer's girlfriend to be there from Grand Rapids to start taking photos again. Not really any good ones on our website but i'll promise to get some. Oh yeah did i mention that this stage was about 8ftx8ft. I can't wait to rock the I-Rock January 10th. That stage is humungous and LOUD. A must play venue fellow michiganders.

[Guest]

been spending all the money on the wife!!!happy holiday guys!!
stan

[dirtydeeds22]

Happy Holidays fellas!! Been working too much, spending too much time traveling, definitely spending too much money on gifts, and finally spending too much time thinking about that '58 reissue Les Paul I got my eye on. The last one is the most fun, except that I gotta find the money. I played one and it was sweet through the plexi, but is it worth the dough? Les Paul experts send me your opinions. Standard model or reissue?
Eat, drink, and be safe this crazy time of year
Jeff

[Country Boy Shane]

Les Paul expert - that's me. I hear that the reissue '59s from Gibson this year (2003) are the best ever. They hired some Gibson collector to go over all the details like wiring, neck tenon,...etc. So no doubt they are damn good guitars compared to previous years where anyone with a 2002 Les Paul Standard could gloat how their twanger sounded better than the reissue. The main thing is the pickups. We're talking BurstBuckers here. The closest reproduction PAF's you can find today made by the original company that made 'em famous - GIBSON! I've got BurstBucker Alnico Pro's in mine and couldn't be more satisfied. Great vintage tone. The new 2003 reissues have the BurstBucker 1/BurstBucker2 in them. They are extremely similar to the Pro's. The top is as realistic as they come to the '59. Past years they were doing the over-the-top AAA flame and the tops ending looking disgustingly flamed out and gaudy! This year is back to the AA top that is more balanced with the grain of the wood. I WOULDN'T order this out of a catalog. Make sure you see the one you are buying in person because not all of the tops are the same. I was lucky to have my AA top on my Standard being chosen by a top Luthier in Texas where i bought it from. The top on mine is damn close to the new '59 reissues.

My main thoughts:
-If you wanna spend the extra 1000, it's close to what it's worth with the new 2003... the best reissue '59 ever.
-If you are an agressive guitarist and you gig out a lot you might wanna go with a Standard. You don't wanna get dents and awesome belt wear in this beauty that fast and harshly.
-I know you were looking at the '58, but i'm sure everything internally applies to the same quality as the '59 except the top.
-MERRY CHRISTMAS!

[Country Boy Shane]

I'm correcting myself here. I know i said that the BurstBuckers were the main thing that give the 2003 reissues their sound. That isn't all. It's the whole construction of this juggernaut. It's been painstakingly reproduced under the highest quality control.