-
NEW!! INT80 integrated amplifier w/ built-in mm phono input - £999 until 30th September
Ziggy Played Guitar ....
- Thread starter Fretless
- Start date
TheMarlin
Well-known member
Sorry to hear about your sight problemabn
Will your sight recover at all?
With regards to pedals, I’m all about drives, boosts, delays and reverb. And, maybe a tremolo from time to time.
Fretless
Active member
Thanks Marlin.
I'll put up the pedalboard soon. Rather pleased with it.
Eyes: left is completely gone, right is at 30%. The problem is glaucoma - permanent retinal damage.
In my case associated with the stress and exhaustion from caring for my wife in her last few years.
The direct cause of this is high internal pressure in the eyeball. So factors like physical exertion, fatigue and tension can worsen this. They did a laser treatment to protect the retina but I have to change my situation as just keeping going here is becoming impossible for me.
I'll put up the pedalboard soon. Rather pleased with it.
Eyes: left is completely gone, right is at 30%. The problem is glaucoma - permanent retinal damage.
In my case associated with the stress and exhaustion from caring for my wife in her last few years.
The direct cause of this is high internal pressure in the eyeball. So factors like physical exertion, fatigue and tension can worsen this. They did a laser treatment to protect the retina but I have to change my situation as just keeping going here is becoming impossible for me.
Fretless
Active member
Pedalboard:
L->R
Top row:
Joyo Atmosphere RV
Sonicake Levitate RV/DL
Ammoon Pockverb RV/DL
Joyo Dr J Shadow DL
Joyo Digital Delay DL
Middle:
Irin EQ
Joyo Maximum (clean boost)
Joyo Vintage OD (tube screamer)
Rowin Dumbler OD
Irin British Sound OD (Marshall)
Joyo AC Tone OD (Vox AC30)
Rowin Tuner
Bottom:
Klon Klone OD
Rowin Time Maker DL
Rowin Twin Looper
Joyo Para-Verb RV
Signal chain is Overdrives through clean boost & EQ, then delays and reverb. The last 3 pedals are all stereo and the stereo output goes to a mixer.
A neighbour gave me this little Behringer desk which is perfect for me. The red unit on the amp is an MD22 USB interface (€30 from AliExpress) that I have yet to get to grips with.
Most of the pedals are from Joyo and Rowin, brands that I find offer excellent quality for a good price. Thomann have rebranded Joyo pedals in their own 'Harley Benton' assortment.
The Irin British Sound is a digital clone of an analogue Joyo pedal and I am upgrading that one to the Joyo version.
Rowin Time Maker has a 4 second repeat with a 'freeze' function that makes it handy for short drone or rhythm loops, then the main looper can be used for Ambient soundscapes.
A personalised trem? Cute.
TheMarlin
Well-known member
It’s more a custom built Bigsby replacement….personalised…
The original Bigsby B700 is now in a box in the loft. This one was made for me by BricksBigsFix.
They order the Bigsby B700 base plate from the manufacturer in Korea, but without the Bigsby branding (hence and exact fit replacement). The tension bar in be standard Bigsby has plastic bearings, they compress and deform under tension, which causes the tension bar to bind, and results in stiffness and poor tuning stability.
They replace this with an adjustable tension bar, with has brass/steel bearings, so no binding, always smooth. You can easily adjust the amount of tension in the tension bar, to corresponded with your playing style and string gauge (I’m 11-50 on all guitars)
They also add a bespoke Bigsby spring, so the whole thing feels smoother and more responsive.
Replaced the string retainer with a string-through bar, and upgraded the bearings.
Then they add their 360 degree rotation arm bracket, and a bespoke 9” arm (as I prefer a longer Bigsby arm), and finally they added my logo, cos why not!
They’ve taken the unloved Bigsby B700, and tuned it into something spectacular to use.
Non of this will matter if you don’t care for a Bigsby, but I’ve got 10 guitars with a Bigsby, im addicted.
Last edited:
Caution, probably contains rambling:
I have a cunning plan, which all started with me seeing what was advertised as a "Levinson Delta Tele Style guitar refitted with Fender Texas Special pickups."
The pickups cost around £125+ new, and the guitar was being sold for £136.15, including postage. Oh, and it comes with a hard case.
It was described further as a "Levinson Blade Delta standard" and the seller mentioned that he'd lost the original pickups ...and the electronics(?)
On even closer inspection, there appears to be a hole in the control plate between the volume and tone controls. That's where a 3-way switch would fit, were this, in fact, a Delta Standard T3 Pro, as opposed to an ordinary "Standard", so that's what it must be.
I've purchased the guitar via eBay, and last night I got onto the Blade website, where I ordered the electronic gubbins, and a replacement switch from Switzerland. Fortunately, the electronics come with a wiring diagram.
This, apparently, is how the "Variable Spectrum Control" (electronic gubbins) works
Hopefully, I've just picked up a £700+ guitar, with upgraded pickups, for around £250 and a bit of hard work. Why the guy didn't slot the new pickups in as straightforward replacements and leave the electronics where it was, I do not know. Still, his loss, my gain, hopefully. The only downside I can see at the moment is that it's boring old black.
Damn! I forgot to factor in the price of a 9v battery.
I have a cunning plan, which all started with me seeing what was advertised as a "Levinson Delta Tele Style guitar refitted with Fender Texas Special pickups."
The pickups cost around £125+ new, and the guitar was being sold for £136.15, including postage. Oh, and it comes with a hard case.
It was described further as a "Levinson Blade Delta standard" and the seller mentioned that he'd lost the original pickups ...and the electronics(?)
On even closer inspection, there appears to be a hole in the control plate between the volume and tone controls. That's where a 3-way switch would fit, were this, in fact, a Delta Standard T3 Pro, as opposed to an ordinary "Standard", so that's what it must be.
I've purchased the guitar via eBay, and last night I got onto the Blade website, where I ordered the electronic gubbins, and a replacement switch from Switzerland. Fortunately, the electronics come with a wiring diagram.
This, apparently, is how the "Variable Spectrum Control" (electronic gubbins) works
Damn! I forgot to factor in the price of a 9v battery.
The good news is that, after a quick email chat with "Christian" in Switzerland, I believe what I'm attempting to do will work, as their VSC unit is designed to work with "any passive pickups". He even described the Fender Texas Specials as "excellent pickups".
I've paid the invoice he expedited, so it's hurry up and wait time now. Evri has my guitar (God help me), so I'm keeping several fingers crossed.
I've paid the invoice he expedited, so it's hurry up and wait time now. Evri has my guitar (God help me), so I'm keeping several fingers crossed.
Guitar arriving today (according to eVri
), and the electronics package left Switzerland at 04:40 this morning; Royal Mail are expecting it.
I've been reading up on and listening to (on YouTube) the Fender Custom Shop Texas Special Pickups that are installed, and it's all very positive stuff, and that's before I start using the electronics to mess with them.
), and the electronics package left Switzerland at 04:40 this morning; Royal Mail are expecting it.I've been reading up on and listening to (on YouTube) the Fender Custom Shop Texas Special Pickups that are installed, and it's all very positive stuff, and that's before I start using the electronics to mess with them.
The case is not exactly pristine, but it's solid, and it's not like I'm taking it on the road. The guitar itself has had a couple of knocks, but nothing large or really noticeable. Fck me! It's a weighty beast! I haven't weighed it myself, but according to Google, it's 3.56kg (approx 7.85 lbs). It feels heavier. I had a brief play into my little Blackstar, and it twanged really nicely, although it needs (for me) a set of .09s, maybe even 0.85s. Yeah, I know, I'm old and weak ...the arthritis doesn't help either.
To be perfectly honest, for £136.15 (inc case and postage) it's a stupendous bargain as is, so it'll be interesting to see just how much "extra" I get from the £109.53 worth of electronic innards.
To be perfectly honest, for £136.15 (inc case and postage) it's a stupendous bargain as is, so it'll be interesting to see just how much "extra" I get from the £109.53 worth of electronic innards.
Hey Fret. I'm very sad to hear of your worsening eyesight troubles. I hope it works out for you. You are one of the best people I have had anything to do with in online hifi nerd land.
I know bugger all about guitars so can't join in this conversation. I haven't been hanging around here much either.
I know bugger all about guitars so can't join in this conversation. I haven't been hanging around here much either.
