Thread October 24, 2015 editorial: comments

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Mike Levine

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1 Posted on 10/24/2015 at 10:00:03

Dancing with a Stranger

Until recently, I used my ESP 400-Series Strat, which I’ve had for something like 20 years, for 95% of all my gigging and recording. I didn’t quite realize how accustomed to it — and dependent on it — I had become until I recently bought a Fender Telecaster. The new guitar plays great and sounds great, but the first time I used it in a band situation — at a rehearsal and then a gig — I felt like I was dancing with a stranger.

Somehow, I expected the transition to be seamless (I’m still using the ESP Strat for some projects, BTW), but I realized that I was so used to the sounds on the ESP, and so unfamiliar with the different pickups and pickup combinations on the Tele, that I didn’t have the same comfort level and wasn’t really sure what I’d get when I switched the pickup selector on it to another position. I’m still kind of struggling with it after a few weeks.

Who knew I'd need a transition period for a new guitar? Have you run into similar issues when you started using a new instrument?

Speaking of instruments, you won’t find many on display at the upcoming AES show in New York City (except possibly a few synths), but there will be plenty of new gear and software, and yours truly will be there, along with the Audiofanzine team, to cover it.

I’ll be doing what I always do at trade shows: Running around the show floor all day with a video camera shooting new products, and then spending the evening, and sometimes into the night, editing and posting. It’s exciting, but exhausting. AES starts on Friday October 30, and runs until Sunday November 1. Keep an eye on our news section all of this week — even before the show starts — because there are usually product announcements made in advance. And, of course, look for videos once the show is in progress.

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studio136

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2 Posted on 10/24/2015 at 13:03:46

Its funny how we can become attached to a guitar!

I have a dozen or so electric guitars, fender gibson etc, and all very nice ones too! I even have a couple of guitars I built myself..But I picked up a 1980`s Marlin Sidewinder (strat copy) for 50 euro a couple of years ago, and It is now my main guitar. I routed the ply body and put in a SD JB humbucker as I had one lying around. Its the only pickup I use on the guitar, and/with the vol/tone control.

I began using it at home for practice, simply because of the comfort it provided sitting down. Next it began crawling into recordings, and now its the only guitar I actually use for live gigs. Its an ugly thing, but everything just feels right about it!

Mike Levine

Author

3 Posted on 10/25/2015 at 07:04:15

Quote:

down. Next it began crawling into recordings, and now its the only guitar I actually use for live gigs. Its an ugly thing, but everything just feels right about it!

Cool. What matters most is the feel and sound!

Eric Levin

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4 Posted on 10/25/2015 at 16:53:25

Fascinating discussion.

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