New Humidor “Savoy”

Picked up my new humidor from Windsor Cigar. It’s a Savoy Khaya. May stop by to see if they have a Madasgar one tomarow. Paula was great as she helped pick one out for me.

Gypsy Kings at Keswick

Can’t wait to see the Gypsy Kings hear in two weeks, just picked up my tickets.

New Patio Pavers For Our Yard

Our new paver patio. Kathy ran and drove the truck back to Lowes as well as all the odd jobs like Pizza runs, and Hoagie’s, Ben A was my right hand man who helped from cutting up the ground, picking out and loading and setting up all the pavers. It was a three day project. We were all very happy with the way the pavers turned out. Our backs, knee’s and arms are sore so were looking forward to enjoying the patio this weekend.

Kathys workin

Kathys driving the truck for Lowes

Palm Recording Studio Pic

Palm Recording Studio pic of control console.

Fishman Solo Review

The Fishman Solo just plain and simple ROCKS.  Compared to the Bose L1 which costs 3000 with the Tone Match which is good but for 2000.00 less you can get a Fishman Solo Amp.  I used the Fishman Solo this weekend outdoors and it was just wonderful.  Took about 30 sec to set up.  Outdoors it filled the whole area with sound and I never needed to turn it up past 12 noon, ran it at about 30-50% on power.  Never needed to go past that.  While just playing MP3 it was great as well.  Used the Aux. input and ran a iPod the sound was rich and the bass did come though not stomping but you could feel it and hear it.  I really am very happy with the Solo.

The Lost Ones

DeVoe Clouds

The Drift with a Shure KSM 141 mic

Guitar Stain Glass Window Ornament

When I was visiting with Mike Huber down in Ocean City this week while we were walking on the board walk I passed this ornament and thought it would look cool on one of our windows. Being a guitar thing I had to get it. So hear it is on one if our windows.

Christ: Our Example

Christ: Our Example
May 9, 2009

“For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps.” (1 Peter 2:21)

Some have tried to pattern their lives after that of Jesus, simply by asking in every situation, “What would Jesus do?” But in the context of our text, the primary “example” which He left us was nothing less than His own sacrificial death!

Note the context: “For this is thankworthy |same word as ‘grace’|, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully . . . if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, yet take it patiently, this is acceptable |also the same word as ‘grace’| with God” (1 Peter 2:19-20).

To follow Christ’s example, therefore, is to be willing to endure unjustified suffering–even defamation and persecution–with grace and patience.

But that is not all; we must also do it in silence! “Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not” (1 Peter 2:23). “As a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth” (Isaiah 53:7).

It is a natural reaction to want to strike back at one who has slandered or injured us, especially if such an act was an insulting response to kindness. But such a “natural” reaction was not Christ’s reaction. He could have called “twelve legions of angels” (Matthew 26:53) to His defense, but He chose to suffer in silence.

And why would He do such a thing? First, if He had not done so, we would have been lost in our sins forever. He “bare our sins in his own body on the tree” (1 Peter 2:24).

Second, He left us an example, that we “should follow his steps.” He was not just silent in His sufferings; “He suffered for us!” If we would really be like Him, we must be willing to suffer quietly on behalf of others, even when they are the ones who deserve it. This is acceptable with God! HMM Taken from the Daily Devotion from Creation Institute.

Ocean City NJ

BBQ Tonight

We BBQ’ed grilled onions, garlic, and green pepper. Italian Sausage and Cheese Burgers. Was fun to get the grill going. We washed it down with some Korbel Extra Dry CA Champaign.

Sinoma, Sydney & Molly at the dog park

Sonoma, Sydney, and Molly a day at the doggie park in Mercer County Park NJ was very fun to watch all three dogs run, run and run. It really made me smile watching them play. Wonder why people can’t be like them. The dogs have it made. They don’t care where you come from, what you look like what color or multi clolor or spots you have they just want to play.

Review of Fishman Solo

The Fishman Solo just rocks for 1000.00 compared to the Bose which costs 3000.00 with the tone match. I found the Bose very hard to dial in to get a good sound for the DeVoe and flamenco guitar. The Bose worked well for sound from things like the Line 6 Pod XT Pro. The Fishman however to my ears and others sounds better if you’re trying to use and capture live sound for a Flamenco guitar. In my line to the Fishman is a Shennhizer Mic, and Adapter, then to a mix board and I notch out some frequencies 200k on a Boss Graphic Eq. To me this is a less expensive and more portable system that plainly just sounds great.

Ottmar Liebert & Luna Negra 2 Night

New Live Set Up for Small Gigs (thanks Jason McGuire)

Well, its complete I now have a new live rig to play out when using the DeVoe. The Lester DeVoe Flamenco Negra is picked up by a Sennheiser MKE-40, Sennheiser P48 Adapter then to a Behringer Xenyx 1202 FX Mixer with Effects on #7, Then to a Boss GE-7, off to the Fishman Solo amp. Thats it Hear are some pics… I learned of this set up from Jason McGuire who was kind enough to share this with me during a lesson I had with him a week ago in his studio as he was showing me how he composes music. Thanks Jason.

Behringer 1002-FX

** 5/3/09 Update This little mixer sounds and works amazing. I am very happy with it. I added a bit of reductive eq on the signal out to cancel the 200k-15 and some frequencies around that to compensate for the internal mic on the DeVoe. Works great. Then I run it over to the Fishman Solo.
Picked one of these up today and Guitar Center to use with my new Fishman Solo. This was the rig recommended to me by Jason McGuire a great flamenco guitar player and recording engineer. Will write more after I have played with it some.
Premium ultra low-noise, high headroom analog mixer
4 state-of-the-art XENYX Mic Preamps comparable to stand-alone boutique preamps
Neo-classic “British” 3-band EQs for warm and musical sound
Studio-grade 24-bit stereo FX processor with 100 awesome presets including reverb, chorus, flanger, delay, pitch shifter and various multi-effects
FX send control per channel for internal FX processor and/or as external send
Main mix outputs plus separate control room, phones and stereo CD/tape outputs
CD/tape inputs assignable to main mix or control room/phones outputs
Long-wearing 60-mm logarithmic-taper fader and sealed rotary controls
High-quality components and exceptionally rugged construction ensure long life
Conceived and designed by BEHRINGER Germany
The new XENYX Mic Preamp matches the sound quality, transparency, headroom and even the dynamic range of boutique-style, stand-alone mic preamps.

The XENYX FX mixers incorporate a new studio-grade 24-bit FX processor. Get 100 real-world and awesome effect presets at your fingertips.
Our neo-classic“British EQ”brings back the warmth and musicality of those ‘60s and ‘70s mega-console desks that made music history.
 
With close to one million units sold, the UB mixer series has become one of the most popular mixer series of all times that has no doubt connected musicians all over the world. Our new XENYX mixers will take you to an even higher plane.
The XENYX 1202FX has 12 inputs and a FX Send control for each channel. Additionally, assignable CD/tape inputs have been incorporated for routing flexibility.

Michael Thiele of Hardwood Music Company ” Guatmalan Rosewood/ Maple “PEAKS” ” 2008

When I was out in Big Sur I found this wonderful hardwood drum my most excellant pal Charline “Shapo” said I should get it. Well she helped with half as a early b day present. Thanks it came today.