My experience with no-smartphone Garmin traffic reporting
In early 2022 as I write this, I now have decent experience with the best non-smartphone traffic reporting for Garmin GPSes. I have used both the regular RDS traffic reporting using the TA20 and GTM35 (which is the same as the GTM36), and the HD reporting using the GTM60.
When using an older Garmin nuvi or DriveSmart model in the United States, traffic coverage only exists in major metro areas. At the time I write this, I happen to live in an area that has full RDS and HD coverage.
The Garmin models I've used with traffic support: nuvi 265T (RDS w/GTM35), nuvi 2250 (RDS w/GTM35), nuvi 2455LMT (HD w/GTM60), nuvi 2555LMT (HD w/GTM60), nuvi 2457LMT (HD w/GTM60), nuvi 56LMT (RDS w/TA20), nuvi 2599LMTHD (HD w/GTM60), DriveSmart 50LMTHD (HD w/GTM60), Drive 52 ("fallback" RDS w/GTM60).
Does it even work?
Yes. The RDS-TMC signal at best starts receiving in a few seconds, and at worst takes 2 minutes to receive if I'm parked in a place where the signal is blocked by something (garage, carport, etc.)
Ordinarily, I'm either using the Drive 52 or nuvi 2599, either of which can be set to automatically reroute around traffic during navigation (as in the "Optimize Route" option is set to "Automatic") when it knows about it. I have both set this way, and yes, it works.
Is it accurate?
This literally depends on where I'm traveling.
On major highways and interstates where traffic coverage exists, yes, accurate. Major highways and interstates are patrolled routinely and have cameras in many places, hence why the traffic reporting is so good on those roads.
For everywhere else, traffic reporting is usually slower or nonexistent. I have encountered traffic instances (mainly due to road construction) where it wasn't reported at all to the RDS-TMC system, and therefore never appeared in the Garmin. I have also encountered traffic reports the Garmin said were there but were already cleared when I passed through. Neither happens due to a fault of the Garmin but rather those who are supposed to make timely traffic reports and didn't.
Is it annoying to use?
No. On most Garmin models you can change the frequency of how often you are notified of traffic reports. You also have the option of just shutting off traffic reporting at any time when you don't need it (but you do have to remember to turn it back on).
Is the traffic coverage decent?
As noted above, traffic reporting coverage is only for major metro areas, which is arguably the only place where I would ever need it.
Is traffic reporting even necessary?
In all honesty, no, but it's still better to have it than not.
Where the traffic reporting works best for me is in unfamiliar areas or areas I infrequently drive in. The last thing I want to worry about whenever going somewhere unfamiliar is how to get around traffic on roads I don't know.
RDS or HD traffic reporting on a Garmin does work, and I hope it continues to work for a good long while.
Squier Affinity Stratocaster is a "cheap '69"?
This guitar is arguably the cheapest way to get a "Modern '69 Fender Stratocaster".
The Squier Affinity Stratocaster model has been around since the '90s and always had the big headstock. It took a very long time before they finally got it right with the current version.
With the big headstock there are basically three style choices to go with for logo treatment. Mid '60s, late '60s and '70s.
The one Squier used and stuck with for the longest time was the worst of the three, the mid-'60s. If you look up a '66 Fender Stratocaster and look at the headstock, you quickly understand why most Strat fans hate that design. That's the one Squier chose to use.
Squier used a flat black logo and it just looked terrible. The logo then had a minor refresh where it changed to gold with black outline, but still looked stupid.
In the late '60s however (and technically very-early '70s also), Fender had a much better design going on, and in fact is my favorite Fender logo treatment of all time, the 1969 Fender Stratocaster.
The reason this design works so well is because of the larger logo, much larger STRATOCASTER "swoop", and there are wider, flatter mounts at the base of each tuner instead of skinny rounded edges. The combination of large logo and larger bases for the tuners suit the large chunk of wood nicely.
Squier, after all these years, finally redesigned their logo the right way for the Affinity model and copied the '69.
Obviously, it's not an exact copy of what Fender used, but for the large headstock, it's a genuinely a good looking design and far better than anything the Affinity had before this.
What I mean by "Modern '69 Fender Stratocaster" is that the Affinity has what most players want. There is tone control wired to the bridge side pickup, it does have medium jumbo frets, the back of the neck is satin urethane finished and the front is glossed, the bridge is a modern 2-post, and color choices are good.
There are two things about this guitar players don't like, but I'm totally fine with. First is the slim body, meaning it won't fit a full sized tremolo block replacement. Second is the ceramic magnet pickups. I actually prefer ceramic, but Strat purists like the alnico.
Is there such a thing as a "Modern '69" in a Fender flavor? No, but you can get one that's very close to it, the Fender American Performer Stratocaster. You'll see SSS and HSS versions available from that link.
The reason I don't call the American Performer a Modern '69 is because that guitar takes styling cues from '70s models. On the headstock, you see two string trees and fully rounded oval tuner buttons. The late '60s has a single string tree and tuner buttons with rounded top but with flat sides - which is what the Affinity has now.
Yes, Squier does have the Classic Vibe '70s Stratocaster, but that is a much different guitar compared to the Affinity. The CV '70s headstock treatment is "very '70s", has the fully rounded oval tuner buttons, the entire neck is finished in tinted gloss urethane, the frets are narrow-tall style, the bridge is the older 6-screw style, and the pickups do have alnico magnets in them.
My preference is the Affinity over the Classic Vibe, even though the CV is technically the "better" guitar, specification-wise.
I played an FMT (Flame Maple Top) HSS version of the Affinity, and I liked it.
The Affinity, at least in my hands, just felt better compared to the CV. But I will admit on the HSS that the volume punch when using humbucker-alone is just too loud for me. This doesn't mean the guitar is wired incorrectly, because it's not. Unless there are some fancy electronics inside to compensate for the greater output of a humbucker in an HSS guitar (like on the Fender American Ultra Stratocaster HSS), that humbucker will always be louder as that is the nature of how HSS guitars work...
...but don't let that stop you from trying one out. Most players of HSS guitars get used to the volume punch that happens when humbucker-alone is selected and come to appreciate it.
Class for cheap, Casio MTP-V005D-2B5
Casio charges under $35 for what others charge over $200 for.
It is rare to comes across a steel 3-hand no-date watch that looks this good for under 35 bucks, with the MTP-V005D-2B5.
When I say other watch brands charge over $200 for something like this, I am not kidding. You may be thinking, "Others charge $200 plus for a quartz steel analog no-date? Seriously?" Yes, seriously, and routinely.
These are the things that make this particular Casio an absolute knockout watch:
Dial color. Blue burst. Absolutely gorgeous.
The dial does not have WATER RESIST printed on it. All you see is a logo at top and a small JAPAN MOV'T at bottom, and that's lovely. With that text not there, it makes the watch look much more classy. Any time you see QUARTZ or WATER RESIST on a dial, that makes it look toy-like cheap instantly. Better to just have nothing there to keep it classy.
It's thin. Just 8.1mm.
It's light. With all links, it's 90 grams in weight. With links removed to adjust for wrist size, the weight starts dropping real quick. If you switch out to a leather strap, the watch weighs next to nothing.
The case is strap friendly.
It was a no-brainer to get this watch. I've been waiting for Casio to release something without that dopey WATER RESIST at the bottom in a simple 3-hand no-date variant. They finally did, and I'm happy to own it.
On a final note, Casio was even smart enough to make a numbers no-date version, so if you have to see numbers for hours, you're covered. Same great blue dial.
If you haven't tried a guitar pick variety pack, you should
A pick I never would have bought outright is one I actually like.
Every now and then I will try new guitar things just to see how I feel about them. My latest venture into this was something very simple, the Dunlop Variety Pack of guitar picks.
Ordinarily, I play medium thickness celluloid picks, i.e. the "flappy" kind. The sound I get from those works for my playing style and I just like the feel of them.
Out of the entire variety pack, the one I liked the most was the Dunlop Ultex Sharp 2.0.
The last time I tried Ultex picks, I didn't like them. But for whatever reason, a 2mm thick version of it actually feels great to play with. The pick has barely any give (it will bend but not easily) but the sound I get from it is good.
Before trying this pick, I never would have bought a 2mm thick pick. I usually stay firmly within the 0.70mm to 0.90mm thicknesses. But this 2mm in particular felt right. I also never liked a sharp tip pick before either. But I liked the Ultex 2.0...
...and it was all because of the variety pack of picks. Had the Ultex not been in there, I probably never would have tried another.
If you haven't tried a variety pack of picks lately, get a pack. It showed me that thick sharp-tip Ultex picks is something I can actually work with. I'm not saying that's the one you'll like, but you may have a similar experience where a certain pick you wouldn't think would work for you actually does.
Unapologetic: Jackson X Series Soloist in Multi-Color Camo
This guitar is so loud in appearance that it screams even standing still.
Back in the early '90s when I was in college, I met another guy who played guitar. He was big (as in overweight) and very plain looking. But this guy absolutely loved "neon" color Ibanez electric guitars thought that was The Best Guitar On Earth.
Said again, this was back in the '90s when "loud" looking guitars were extremely out-of-fashion where most wouldn't want to be caught dead with one. However, that guy, somebody who if you saw him playing a loud-color guitar you would say, "Dude, why are you playing that ridiculous thing? Seriously?" Guys like that are who the Jackson Soloist in Multi-Color Camo are made for.
This guitar isn't just multi-color camo on the body. Oh, no. The camo is all over the front and yes, also on the headstock.
To be honest, if Jackson didn't match the headstock, I would have accused them of copping out and not going all the way with this. But they went all the way, and I applaud them for it.
Guitars with this type of appearance are for players who know exactly the type of look they're going for. And that look can be summed up in one word, "mine".
Absolutely nobody will have a guitar that looks like yours should you get this particular Soloist, and that's the whole point. You will be known as that dude with the crazy looking guitar. It becomes part of your identity because it has such a brash and in-your-face look.
What's the specs? It's a Jackson Soloist. Speed neck, ballsy dual humbuckers, Floyd-Rose tremolo. That's all you need to know.
If the look grabs you, then you grab it and play happy.