Rich's continuing Casio watch adventures
Finding "that perfect Casio watch" is a bit of a tall order. But it can be done if you do some research.
I like Casio wristwatches. I've bought a few over the years, and it's a fun hobby because they're cheap and plentiful.
Who wears a watch anymore?
I do, because pulling out a phone just to get the time is stupid when you can get that information from your wrist faster and easier. That, and smart watches at this point are still stupid because at best, they can only hold a charge for about 5 days before needing a recharge. Oh, and another thing. You have to be really, really careful with a smart watch because they are so easy to ding up. It's just a stupid idea to own one presently. I'm sure they will improve, but that's in the future and not now. Presently, the old style Casio digital wristwatch is still the way to go - if you get the right one. And that's where my Casio watch collecting adventures come into play.
What I want out of a watch...
...is something that shows weekday/day/month on the face, has an alarm, a countdown timer and a nylon or Casio-specific metal watch band.
Now as far as the nylon band version of something like this, I already own it:
This watch is loaded with goodies. 10-year CR2025 battery, 5 alarms, over 30 time zone configurations, countdown timer, weekday/month/day on the face, water resistant, amber backlight, rugged construction. The only thing more rugged than this is a Casio G-SHOCK.
My complaint about this watch however is the way the face is configured. The time can be read just fine, but the smaller weekday/month/day above the time (which can alternate between showing that or auto-scrolling between 4 time zones) has one fatal flaw. The small black separator right above it casts a shadow just enough to where it interrupts the display.
My solution to this was to get another watch, this time with Casio-specific metal band (which means one where length can be adjusted by sliding connector and not adding/removing links,) this one:
While this watch does not have as many features as the AE1200 series, it's very, very close to being perfect. So close it's not funny.
Okay. This one has weekday/month/day on the face, amber backlight, a single alarm instead of 5, no time zones, stopwatch and countdown timer - but - it has a few things the AE1200 doesn't have. The alarm can be set to sound on a specific date. Nice touch. The display is far easier to read than the AE1200, yet is slimmer. The watch can be configured to flash the backlight whenever the countdown timer expires or the alarm sounds. Another nice touch.
So what's the flaw? While the band is stainless steel, the case is frost-painted. While the watch looks really nice, it can get dinged up almost too easily. That's the flaw. If this watch had a stainless steel case, it would be perfect.
An example of two watches that supposedly do have the stainless steel case, but almost no features is the Casio A168W-1 and the A158W-1. Both have identical feature sets. The difference is that the 168 is slightly larger and has the "ElectroLuminescence" blue backlight (similar to Timex's "Indiglo") while the 158 has a standard and fairly useless single bulb backlight. However, I'd still buy the 158 over the 168 just because it has more retro flavor to it.
Both these watches only show time and weekday and day on the face, but not the month. They also both have stopwatches, single alarm and that's pretty much it.
If either of these watches had weekday, month and day on the face all at once, I'd buy one in a heartbeat even though neither has a countdown timer.
For some (for many, actually,) the 158 and 168 are perfect because it's metal everywhere but the face, meaning this watch can have the crap beat out of it for years and still look relatively decent with just a little polishing. You can't clean resin cases like that, but you can with metal cases.
However, I wanted something more that had it all, which leads to this:
This, hopefully, will be the watch. I say hopefully because I have it on order right now.
To note, there are two versions of this. The all-silver-face version is the A500WA-7. Same exact watch, except all silver and the top right map is gray instead of blue.
The A500WA series is basically exactly the same as the AE1200, feature-wise. Same 5 alarms, same multiple time zones, same amber backlight, same countdown timer and so on. The difference is the case, the battery (CR1616 instead of CR2025, which lasts 3-5 years instead of 8-10,) the band and the face.
This watch has no plastic dividers on the face, and the little mini round clock seen on the AE1200 (which by the way is useless) is deleted. This means no cast shadows from plastic dividers since it doesn't have any.
Is the case metal? No. It's what Casio called "chrome plated." I don't know if that means chrome-like plastic or real chrome. But what it does mean is that it can take a beating more than paint can, so I decided to have a go, buy the watch and see what I get.
While the band is significantly wider than the B640WD-1A's is, I already know this watch and have a good idea of what it will feel like when on the wrist.
Am I totally done buying Casio watches after I get this one?
Easy answer. Yes.
I didn't buy all my Casio watches all at once. My watch buying adventures has been something that's been going on for years. When I do buy one, I make sure it's as close to what I want as possible.
I really meant it when I said the B640WD is very close to Casio watch perfection, which is why I kept it. Same with the AE1200 I have. That one is also close to perfection.
This time around, it's the A500WA, and it's my last try at trying to score that watch that I'm totally satisfied with. I'm sure Casio will introduce some new models later that I'll check out in the future, but for now, my hopes are riding on the A500WA. I hope it's a good one.
Why bother going through all this crap?
It's like I said at top, collecting Casio watches is a hobby of mine. It's easy, fun, and most importantly, cheap. :)
On a final note, you'd be surprised how good a metal band watch can look. A classy timepiece with a metal band never goes out of style.
And if you think the metal look is good, Casio of course also has gold with band color to match.
The gold version of the A158 is the A159WGEA-1EF and A159WGEA-5EF.
The gold version of the A168 is the A168WG9.
And, of course, the gold version of the watch I just bought is the A500WGA-1 (black border) and A500WGA-9 (gold border).
Yes, the gold versions always cost more, as they are produced in limited numbers. But Casio arguably does make the best gold-look digital watches that exist. Depending on your taste, that means you may spend over $40 for one. For some, it's totally worth it just for the look.
Cheap guitar of the week #32 - Epiphone Les Paul Special II Rocksmith Bundle
This is the way people learn guitar these days, so you might as well get off to a good start.
Being that Christmas is just a tick over two months away, now is the time to buy a beginner's guitar, guitar pack or bundle, which is what this post is about.
Take an Epiphone Les Paul Special II. You can buy the guitar alone or as a beginner pack with extras like case, amp, picks and so on. There's also a "Slash" beginner's pack that costs a little more, but I admit does look pretty cool.
When you want to get it all in a single bundle that covers everything, that's where the Rocksmith bundle makes the most sense.
Now before continuing, neither Fender nor Squier has a Rocksmith bundle (and they really should), so when shopping for something like this, it's basically all Epiphone Les Paul. Sure, you could piece together a bundle if you wanted to, but in the end it's better to just get the whole thing all at once.
Here's some of what's out there so you know what this bundle costs.
- Playstation 3: Epiphone LP Special II Player Pack Bundle with Rocksmith
- Playstation 4: Epiphone LP Special II Player Pack Bundle with Rocksmith
- Xbox 360: Epiphone LP Special II Player Pack Bundle with Rocksmith
- Xbox One: Epiphone LP Special II Player Pack Bundle with Rocksmith
Okay. Now that you've seen the price, it is true if you bought the guitar pack itself and then Rocksmith for PS3, for PS4, for the 360 or for the One separately, the price is basically the same when put all together.
However, it's decidedly inconvenient to buy it that way.
The only time I would say to buy the guitar pack and Rocksmith separately is if the person you're buying it for is using a PC or Mac and not a gaming console. In that case, you buy the guitar pack and then buy the PC/Mac version of Rocksmith separate since there is not a Rocksmith bundle for PC/Mac users.
Is this Epiphone Les Paul any good?
Yes, but these are the questions buyers of this guitar bundle really want to know:
Is it an adult-size guitar?
Yes.
Could my kid use this in a band?
Yes.
Is the amplifier the bundle comes with loud enough to play with a band?
No (which to any parent is a blessing,) as this is a starter bundle we're talking about here. For a band, you'll need something louder. A Fender Mustang II V2 40-watt would do the job. And if the kid wants something louder than that, make him or her buy it with their own money.
Would this guitar be good enough for taking lessons with a human guitar teacher?
Yes. If you send your kid to take guitar lessons, this Les Paul is plenty good enough for that.
Is the guitar "upgradeable"?
That's a bit of a loaded question. The simple answer is yes, any guitar can be upgraded with better pickups, better tuners and so on - HOWEVER - if buying this as a first guitar for a kid, I strongly suggest not messing with the instrument. If the kid "gets the bug" for wanting to tear apart a guitar and modify it, the better option is to buy a second cheap guitar (preferably a used one off Craigslist) solely for that purpose.
Why do I recommend that method? Because you never get another first guitar.
I still have my first guitar that my father bought me when I was 15. I'm obviously older now. And the reason the guitar still works properly is because other than replacing things on it that just wore out over time, I was smart enough not to mess with it. Other guitars I've messed with, but not my first one.
My suggestion is to specifically instruct any kid you give this guitar to not to modify it in any way. Don't take off the knobs, don't take out any screws, don't do anything except set up the action (or take it to a guitar store and have a tech do it,) change strings and NOTHING ELSE. That will make the guitar last a long time.
Oh, and one other thing. Again, if it's a first guitar, DON'T let the kid trade it out. Like I said, there's never another first guitar. Keep it.
Is there any other choice besides this bundle?
No. Only Epiphone has the Rocksmith bundle option. Fortunately, it's a good bundle for what it is that isn't missing anything. The bundle is designed to be a no-brainer purchase, so even if you know absolutely nothing about how guitars work, you can still buy with confidence, give it as a gift and not worry about it.
The only thing I would do is something I just mentioned a moment ago. If the kid sticks with the the instrument, it is a good idea to take the guitar to a guitar store for a proper setup, which shouldn't run you more than $25 to $30.
And if you don't want to take your kid into "the danger zone" with all those expensive guitars everywhere in the guitar store to drool over, pick a day to take the guitar to the store while your kid is at school, have the store do the work, then take it back home.
5 things that only guitar players believe (that nobody else does)
If you play guitar, the sooner you get what I'm about to say out of your head, the better off you are.
Being I just featured a vintage Fender Mustang recently, I should also say the best looking Squier Mustang is one in Vintage White. You'll like that one. I'm also saying this for another reason, and you can guess what that is when you read the list below (hint: it's the first reason).
1. "The logo on my headstock matters."
Non-musicians absolutely do not care what brand of guitar you play. In the mind of the guitar player, everyone knows the difference between a Fender and a Squier or a Gibson and an Epiphone. Wrong. Only guitar players care and nobody else.
I've said this before and will say it again. DO NOT play for other guitar players. What other guitar players think of the brand of guitar you play DOES NOT MATTER and never did.
2. "Old, beat-up guitars look cool."
If you're in a restaurant and are handed a dirty, rusted spoon to eat your soup with, do you say, "Hey, thanks! This is the coolest looking spoon ever!" Of course not. You recoil in disgust.
Only guitar players think that dingy, grimy, busted-up, nasty looking guitars actually look good. Everyone else thinks they look like total crap, and in fact, the non-musician would believe that since you own a beat-up guitar, you must be too poor to afford a proper, clean one.
Yes, I am saying that a shiny new under-$300 Squier makes you look like you have money while the $over-3,000 Fender "relic" makes you look poor. Let that sit in your mind for a moment.
3. "People like guitar solos."
People hate guitar solos. In fact, there's a fair amount of people who hate guitar solos so much, that even if you play a single note with the slightest bit of vibrato to it, they wince.
A guitar player thinks a solo sounds great. A non-musician thinks it sounds like a cat in heat. I'm not kidding.
4. "I am the most important musician in the band."
Not unless you're the lead singer.
The lead singer is the frontman. Always. If you're not the one singing the lead vocals, you are never top banana. Get over yourself.
5. "Jimi Hendrix was the greatest guitarist ever."
No, he wasn't.
Aside from that, nobody, and I mean nobody outside of guitar players even know who Hendrix was. You ask any girl under the age of 30 if they know of him, and she'll reply right back with, "Jimmy who?"
The same can be said for any famous guitar player you know. Non-musicians don't know who Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page or Eddie Van Halen are. They do however know a good song when they hear one if it has a catchy beat and good lyrics to it. It's the song that matters most and not the artist.
Vintage guitar of the week #15 - 1971 Fender Mustang in Competition Red
Ah, the Mustang. A weird little guitar. But cool.
Let's talk about the '71 Fender Mustang in "Competition" Red.
The Mustang is one of the most affordable (if not the most affordable) vintage Fender electrics you can buy. You'll see that the price is surprisingly low for a Fender that old. It's not because the guitar has anything wrong with it other than a few minor cosmetic issues. Mustangs just don't command high prices.
Said another way, if you want to collect a vintage Fender electric, check out Mustangs. Believe me, there are always plenty to choose from, even for models made in the late 1960s.
What about new?
There's the Fender Classic Series '65 Mustang on the expensive side, and the Squier Vintage Modified Mustang on the cheap side. I would actually prefer the Squier if buying new because the truss rod adjustment is at the pegboard and not the heel.
How come vintage Mustangs don't command higher prices?
There are several reasons for this.
The "Dynamic Vibrato" system
What you have here is a plate with strings installed on it that rest on saddles that do not have adjustable height (the bridge's height however can be adjusted, thankfully.) This system is like a cross between a Stratocaster and a Jazzmaster, and to be honest, most players find it completely unusable..
..but then again, I've never known anyone to use a Mustang vibrato system, so that's really not a big deal.
Small
The Mustang is a little guitar. It qualifies as adult-sized, but just barely. The neck is a short scale 24.0-inch just like the Jaguar, but it's the body where you really feel the smallness of the instrument.
The advantage of the smallness is that nearly all Mustangs are very lightweight guitars.
"Phase Slider" switches
Some players just don't like these switches. I've wrote about this at length before, but this is how the two switches above the pickups work:
There are 4 possible combinations. Front pickup only, rear pickup only, both pickups in-phase, both pickups out-of-phase.
I'll label these as F, M, R and list below the 4 pickup combinations.
FM or RM: Rear pickup only.
MF or MR: Front pickup only.
FF or RR: Both pickups on, in-phase.
FR or RF: Both pickups on, out-of-phase.
What happens if both switches are in the middle position? That's both pickups off, and you would hear nothing.
The out-of-phase sound is a "nasal" or "honky" type of tone, while in-phase has somewhat of a Telecaster sound to it. I say 'somewhat' because the pickup spacing is different on the Mustang compared to a Telecaster.
I basically describe the Mustang's tone as a mix between a Jaguar and a Telecaster. Yes, it is a very usable sound.
What's a "competition" Mustang color?
To the best of my knowledge, any Mustang labeled as "Competition" means it has the racing stripe on the body. Of the Competition colors, I've seen Dakota Red, White, Lake Placid Blue (which for real-deal vintage sometimes turns to green), and the rarest - and also ugliest of the bunch - yellow (which over time turns to orange).
Now if you take a look at a yellow Competition Mustang and think, "Oh, wow, cool, I like that!" Trust me, you don't. The Competition Yellow Fender Mustang is one of those guitars that looks better in pictures compared to real life. I guarantee that in person you would hate the look of this guitar. While in pictures it looks cool, in person it looks very toy-like. Or go ahead and get one if you want, because I'm not the boss of you.
Think of it like this. The Mustang is already a smaller guitar. Slapping a "wild" color on it doesn't help make the guitar look any better.
Dakota Red and Lake Placid Blue with the stripe are the two best lookers of the bunch.
Does the stripe work on a Squier Mustang?
There are three colors of Squier Mustang. Fiesta Red, Sonic Blue and Vintage White.
Of the three colors that would take to a stripe properly, there's only one. The Vintage White version. That guitar comes with a tortoise shell pick guard. If you swap out the guard from that to parchment ("aged" white,) then apply a dark blue stripe, you've then got the look of an early-1970s Fender Mustang, around 1973 or so. It's a good look for the guitar. Yes, you can get this out of a Squier, but the guard has to be changed out to a solid parchment color first.
In the end, the competition stripe can work on the Mustang, but it all depends on the color choice. Dakota Red + off-white stripe works, Lake Placid Blue + silver or sky blue or off-white stripe works, and Vintage White + dark/navy stripe works. There are probably other color combinations that work too, but those are the three biggies, so to speak.
Is a cutaway acoustic guitar worth the bother?
Not really.
Take two dirt cheap acoustic guitars, the Jasmine S35 and the Jasmine S34C. And when I say dirt cheap, I mean it. (And surprisingly, both guitars get really good reviews.)
The S35 is your standard dreadnought acoustic shape, and the S34C is the cutaway shape.
The only reason the cutaway shape exists is to have fret access above the 13th fret.
On an electric guitar, it makes total sense to use a cutaway shape so you can access all the frets on the neck.
On an acoustic guitar, it makes no sense at all to have access to the high frets since you will never play there anyway.
Now you might think to yourself, "Oh yes, I would play there all the time!" No, you wouldn't. If you own an acoustic now with the cutaway shape, try playing notes on those frets. Yeah, sounds pretty terrible, doesn't it? That's because it's an acoustic and not an electric. There are no pickups compensating for that "bitey", nasty tone that sounds like a kid's toy piano up there.
On the acoustic, it is very unlikely you will ever play anything past the 7th fret, or maybe the 9th fret if you're adventurous. When you want your notes and chords to ring loud and true, you don't play anywhere above the 7th fret so you can keep as much definition out of the sound as possible.
You can't apply electric guitar thinking to an acoustic. Many try, all fail.
Of course, there's always That Famous Acoustic Player someone will mention that plays really high on the fretboard with his cutaway acoustic guitar. Here's a news flash for you. You're not that guy, and you will never be that guy.
The standard full size dreadnought shape always sounds best
Take this beginner's bundle, Yamaha FG700S "Folk" Bundle. While costing more than just the guitar itself (which by the way gets a top 5-star rating even though it's cheap), it's a darned good deal.
Why do cheap full size dreadnoughts get such stellar ratings? Because they're built traditionally. This style of guitar was around way before the electric was, and through literally centuries of building them, companies with modern machining and modern materials are able to build these things so well that even the cheapest models play and sound incredible these days...
...as long as it's a full size. Stick with the full size shape, and yes, it will sound good and project well. With a cutaway shape, you take your chances and usually lose.
"I want something I can plug in to an amp"
No, you don't.
Acoustic guitars always sound better from a microphone and not an on-guitar pickup. Remember, a standalone microphone (or a pair of them) is more close to what your ears hear.
If you absolutely have to have a pickup, get a Seymour Duncan Woody. Yes, I've mentioned this before and will mention it again. The Woody goes right in the sound hole and sounds great - but - I guarantee you will like the miked sound better.
Stick with the full size dreadnought
Sounds the best, plays the best, rests the best on your leg when sitting and it's not any heavier than a cutaway is since an acoustic dreadnought is lightweight to begin with.
You're not going to play solos on high frets with your acoustic. Get that electric guitar thinking out of your head. Stay with the full size shape. It has been proven for longer than you've been alive that it's the best you can use for a steel string 6-string acoustic. What more proof do you need?