my first "good" watch
I've not regularly worn a watch in years. As a kid I used to wear Casio watches all the time but just stopped after a while. Then in 2011 I just felt the need to own a Casio watch again, so I bought two, the F-28W (which I still own) and the W59.
The W59 I returned because I hated the band on it. While true the F28-W and the W59 both use a resin band, the W59's band just has a textured shape to it that irritated my wrist, so back it went. That, and the W59's display - much like the F-91W - does not display weekday, month and day all at once, but rather just weekday and day. That to me is annoying because I prefer weekday, month and day all showing on the face. I ordered a new watch recently, the Casio AE1200WHB-1BV. I don't have it yet, but it should arrive in less than a week.
Did I need it? Actually, yeah I did. And it took a lot of searching before I decided on going with that watch in particular. Lately I've been using the countdown timer in my cell phone quite a bit, because there are things I need to time where I walk away and need a reminder to come back later (such as running a clothes dryer cycle). Using the phone is annoying for this task and it's just altogether easier to have a timer right on my wrist. There are certain things I do that happen at the same time every day, and again, it's easier to have a watch on the wrist beep at me at the appropriate time instead of doing daily alarm stuff on the phone. However, for very-specific stuff that happens on a particular calendar day, the phone is definitely better and I don't deny that (specifically because of the keyboard and the extra space to type up a description). I needed a watch that supported multiple time zones because there are instances where it will be very convenient to see what time it is in other parts of the world from my wrist just from a single button press. The fact the AE1200WHB-1BV has a black nylon strap band is a very, very big deal for me because black nylon watch bands are very difficult to find on a new watch. Sure, you could buy it separate and install one that way, but why bother with the extra cost when you can get it right on the watch itself that fits exactly right the first time?
The best way to wear a watch is so that it fits loosely on your wrist. With resin bands, that feels to "plasticky". With pleather bands, same deal, too plasticky. With real leather bands, yes those are comfortable once broken in, but they have to be thick to feel right, and that thickness is something I don't prefer. With a metal band adjusted by links, that feels too sharp on the wrist. With metal that acts like a strap, too "bumpy". With metal that has spring tension, that pinches my skin. At that point the only option left is fabric, as in nylon. Great material, very durable and can handle pretty much anything - except for the fact the vast majority of nylon bands for watches are any color but black... ...so you can understand now how my eyes lit up once I found out Casio had a watch with every feature I wanted and the black nylon strap band. Casio does do nylon bands correct. The part of the band that holds the watch has an extra thicker stitched "shroud" around it, while the rest of the band is the regular thinner nylon. Very good combo because that's basically the most durable setup you can possibly get. Is the AE1200WHB-1BV large? Not really. The size is 45 x 42.1 x 12.5mm in size. In comparison, the F-91W is 38.2 x 35.2 x 8.5mm in size - but that's considered very small to most people (and the F28-W is even smaller at 31.5 x 32.5 x 8mm). A lower-end G-SHOCK like the DW9052-1V has a size of 48.5 x 43.0 x 14.77mm and weighs a lot for a watch, topping out at 59g (the watch I bought in comparison is 39g).
And after that, any Casio PRO TREK watch is a frickin' monster, size-wise. The PAW1300T-7V (I picked that one just because I like the way it looks) measures as 56.9 x 47.4 x 11mm and with the band weighs 97g. Significantly thinner than a G-SHOCK and even thinner than the watch I just bought, but freakin' chunky everywhere else because of its "Tough Solar" wide casing.
For weight, the F28-W is a feather-light, weighing in at only 14g - and that's with band. No, I'm not kidding. Its extremely light weight is basically the only reason its resin band doesn't bother my wrist all that much. Yes, this does mean the watch I'm receiving at 39g is well more than double the weight of the F-28W - but - it has the proper nylon strap treatment and it's very flat, so it should fit nicely. I do dig the look of the AE1200WHB-1BV a lot. Some Casio watches just look plain dopey, but every so often one is introduced that gets it right, and I'm pretty sure the one I just bought is one of those.
Eventually at some point I will buy an analog dress watch, because as far as style is concerned, analog always looks classier than digital. I will either get a Citizen or a Seiko, with white dial and calendar on the face. Probably a Citizen. When you're seen wearing something like the Citizen AO9003-16A...
...you're the man. There is no ifs, ands or buts about it. You are the man when you wear a watch like that because it just screams style and class. And you'd be surprised at how people treat you differently when they see a ritzy timepiece on your wrist - even if you're dressed in just jeans and t-shirt. Citizen is one damned fine brand of wristwatch and it does get noticed. Casio does have expensive timepieces as well, and they're nice and all that, but they don't come anywhere near the style and class that Seiko and Citizen have. Heck, even a $90 Seiko just says "luxury" all over even on their basic models.
So yeah, I'll get the dress watch someday. But for now I wanted function, and the Casio I bought fits the bill nicely.
Top 5 classic electric guitar looks
There are certain guitars out there that when made with certain woods (just for appearance) and colors define the classic look for that particular instrument.
#5. Olympic White Fender Stratocaster with maple fretboard and large headstock
The guy who made this particular Strat look famous was Jimi Hendrix. Although Hendrix played many different Strats (sunburst, black and red to name a few), it is the 1968 Strat (hence the big headstock) in Olympic White with the maple fretboard that's the most-recognized as the "Hendrix Strat".
You might look at the above and think it's an Arctic White. No, it's Olympic that's been yellowed with age.
#4. Olympic White Fender Stratocaster with rosewood fretboard and large headstock
This is a look of guitar that many famous players have used (with Ritchie Blackmore being one of them). No, it's not the late-60s Strat with a different fretboard but rather something that is "very 70s". Olympic White body, white pick guard, rosewood fretboard, large headstock with truss rod on headstock side with a "bullet" truss rod cover.
Fortunately, this guitar can be bought new easily, as it is one of the configurations for the Fender Classic '70s Stratocaster, so there's no research required. Like the guitar? Then go buy it; it's as simple as that.
#3. Butterscotch Fender Telecaster with black pick guard
Many famous musicians play Telecasters, but the guy that sticks out in my mind that plays a butterscotch Tele is Bruce Springsteen.
This particular guitar is very easy to get. On the Squier side there's the Squier Classic Vibe Telecaster '50s in the exact look shown above. On the Fender side there's the Fender American Vintage '52 Telecaster.
Whether you go Squier or Fender, you can't go wrong with this Tele as it is the total classic Telecaster look - and the easiest to acquire new.
It also should be noted that of the Squier Classic Vibe series, the Tele in particular has been reported by many players to be "the one that Squier got exactly right". Like I said, you really can't go wrong with this Tele.
#2. Fiesta Red Fender Stratocaster with maple fretboard
Whether you love or hate this color combo, it is a classic Strat look that many famous players (Buddy Holly and Dick Dale to name a couple) used.
Oddly enough, the Squier is the easiest way to get one of these classic Strats. In particular, the Classic Vibe '50s Stratocaster. Or just get the Fender-branded version.
Before you go looking, a few notes about this configuration:
No, you can't get this in a Fender Standard because the color offered there with the maple fretboard is Candy Apple Red and not Fiesta Red.
No, you can't get this in an American Standard either because the color offered there with the maple fretboard is Mystic Red (a newer color from Fender).
Yes, you can get this in a Fender flavor by specifically seeking out the Fender Classic Series 50's Stratocaster - however it's probably true you would have to order it online only as you will never see this particular configuration of Fender Strat in a guitar store.
#1. Gibson Les Paul Standard in Heritage Cherry Sunburst
Out of every electric guitar that exists, this is the one that is recognized the most.
To achieve the absolute classic Les Paul look, the Heritage Cherry Sunburst must be there, along with nickel-covered humbuckers, gold knobs, bound body and neck and trapezoid inlays.
Gibson, of course, offers one along with variations on the same theme. Can you go cheaper with Epiphone in this same basic configuration? You sure can.
There are also many other guitar makers that offer this Les Paul look for real cheap while still being a great-playing/sounding guitar. Agile AL-2000 comes to mind.
Some final words about buying for looks over function
My advice is simply this when buying for looks:
- Buy as cheap as you possibly can.
- Purposely buy multiple guitars if you have to just to combine into one look.
An example of this is recreating #4 above, that being the Olympic White Strat with the rosewood fretboard and big headstock, in a Squier flavor.
First, buy an Olympic White Squier Affinity HSS.
Second, buy any other Squier Affinity with a white pick guard and white-cover pickups and knobs.
Third, transfer the white pick guard and all electronics from one guitar to the other, and you're done.
Now you've got a classic Olympic White Strat with the neck that has a rosewood fretboard with big headstock, and white pick guard with white knobs and pickup covers. Not a bad deal if you asked me.
True, you could simply order an aftermarket pick guard and pickups, but that may be more trouble than it's worth because the pick guard screw holes probably won't line up correctly. With buying two Squier Strats, it's easy-out and easy-in. No drilling or refitting or soldering required. And yeah, that is worth the extra money just for the convenience.
And remember, you can take the HSS config and put that in the other guitar, so after you're all done you do end up with two complete, functional guitars.
Again, not a bad deal if you asked me. And fairly cheap to do.
Analog vs. Digital Reverb
Confession: I'm not really a fan of analog reverb and never have been.
Analog reverb to me is just clunky, clanky garbage for the most part. Yeah, it's cool for vintage surf tones but not really much else as the video above I did explains.
This of course means I'm a big fan of digital reverb. I personally think nobody does a better job at digital reverb than Lexicon (it's emulated quite well in my GSP 1101). However if I had to have reverb in a pedal for whatever reason, I would get the BOSS RV-5 because it's one of the few reverb pedals in my experience that gets the job done right.
I am however very anti-reverb when it comes to live music, and if I had to have a "distant" sound on stage, I'd use delay. Namely, the DD-7. Looks like a complicated pedal but it's not and has a low learning curve.
The Epiphone "E" truss rod cover installation
The "E" truss rod cover that I ordered was received today. Total cost + shipping was $8.50. And yeah, I know that's a lot to spend for a little piece of plastic (even though it is cheaper than a Gibson cover), but I'm very happy with the result.
Installation was easy. First, I loosened the 5 string (as in the A string in standard tuning) so I could move it over as it was the only string blocking a screw, then it was three screws out, old cover out, new cover in, three screws in, tighten appropriately, put the 5 string back where it was, tune to pitch, done. It doesn't get much easier than that.
Was the cover an exact fit? Yes. My Epiphone Les Paul Special I P90 was made in China, as was the truss rod cover, so the screw holes lined up perfectly.
The only thing I didn't do was use the new screws. I purposely used the ones that came with the guitar originally because the threading on the new screws didn't look the same as the old, so I played a safe card there and just went with the old ones (which look fine anyway since the guitar isn't old).
The color of the E is actually not white but rather a very light silver. This is actually better than if it were stark white because it has a more regal appearance to it.
Does a cheap piece of plastic with a logo really make the guitar look that much better?
In fact, yeah it does. Instead of the guitar looking like an $89 axe, it now looks like a $350 axe. I'm not kidding.
You know how much people like that Fender logo on the headstock for Fender guitars? Well, the same can be said for the Epiphone logo. While not as much of a storied brand as Fender is, that E is still a very distinctive thing.
Why E and not a Gibson cover?
Well, first of all, a Gibson cover won't fit on an Epiphone at all. But even if it did, my Les Paul is not a Gibson, and I don't want it to be a fake Gibson, because you get no respect playing a guitar pretending to be a brand it isn't.
The guitar, even though cheap, is a real-deal Epiphone, from the logo on the headstock to the stamped bolt plate where the neck meets the body.
Epiphone truss rod covers are almost exclusively used on Epiphone archtop guitars, and other than just one very cheap model, you never see them on Epi Les Paul guitars.
Do I feel the truss rod cover is worth what I paid for it? No (it's not worth more than 50 cents at best), but with it I now have some exclusivity and bragging rights with the guitar. That little cover distinctively says "I'm an Epiphone" even from a distance, which I don't consider to be a bad thing. The logo works very well with the shape of an Epi Les Paul headstock (which is distinctively different than a Gibson as it's much more "curvy").
When I look at the guitar now, it has a bit more class to it. And now that I think about it, yeah, I guess that was worth $8.50. :-)
Expensive guitars that I would actually spend the money on
This is a list of guitars that had I the money, yes I would spend the money to get them, and I have very specific reasons why.
Prices listed at those at the time I write this in June 2013.
G&L SC-2This is a dirt simple guitar, very similar to my Epiphone Les Paul Special I P90. Two pickups (both single-coil), one master volume, one master tone, a 3-way selector and nothing else. For a two-pickup guitar, that's as simple as it gets.
The SC-2 is not a vintage design but rather something that came about originally in 1982. It's just a smaller, compact shape with meticulous attention to detail. Weighted right (it's alder), bolt-on "C" shape neck, and hot G&L MFD (Magnetic Field Design) pickups. Players who swing their picking arm hard would really love this guitar design because the knobs and switch are set away from the pickups and put further back on the body (again, similar to the Epi P90 Les Paul).
The pickups basically have a hot sound that's a cross between a Strat single-coil and a P90. It's a sound that would very much agree with my tone style.
I would not treat this guitar gingerly and would readily play the crap out of it, as it's the type of axe that just begs you to rake those strings and bang it around proper.
Epiphone Les Paul Ultra IIIThis is absolutely loaded with tech goodies. In addition to the Probucker 2 and 3 pickups, there's a third "Nanomag" for acoustic tones. It's a chambered guitar so it doesn't weigh a ton either. In this guitar is also a built-in tuner plus stereo output along with a USB port on it as well.
The Ultra III is one of the most techy electric guitars that exists, but has tech in it that's actually usable and is in fact priced correctly for what's in it - and one of the very few where you get absolutely what you pay for. Sometimes on rare occasions, Epiphone releases an upper-end guitar that's priced right, and the Ultra III is one of them.
Gibson SG Tribute '50s Min-ETune
Gibson's original Robot Tuners just plain sucked and were way too complicated to operate. But the Min-ETune system on the other hand actually works correctly. Where the original robot tuners failed, these succeed.
I would have a genuinely good use for this as I could quickly switch from standard to DADGAD tuning to open G tuning and so on in just a few seconds rather than a few minutes when tuning by hand.
I specifically prefer the Tribute '50s over the Tribute '60s because - you guessed it - P90 pickups. Most other players would want the '60s because of the humbuckers, but I just really dig the sound of P90 pickups and single-coils in general. And besides which, for humbuckers I'd have the Ultra III as mentioned above.
Oddly enough, the Min-ETune I want in the '50s version is actually the lowest priced guitar Gibson makes that has it. All others go up in price from there.
Do I need any of the above guitars?
No, I don't need them. All are "nice to have" guitars.
The SC-2 in particular is the one I need the least. I just like it because it looks cool and has great-sounding pickups.
The Epi and the Gibson on the other hand have stuff I currently don't have - all of which are techy things. I wouldn't buy them for tone at all (other than the Ultra III's Nanomag for acoustic stuff) but rather just for the goodies.
Do I have any idea how any of the above guitars play? Nope. I've never tried any of them. But if I had the money, yeah I would go try them out and potentially buy all three, because with those three I cover the spectrum of just about every possible tone I want. Well, except for Strat and Tele tones, of course.
Some players dream about owning a Fender Custom Shop Strat or Tele, or maybe some super-expensive Gibson reissue or something along those lines. I don't. With me, if I had the cash to blow on expensive guitars, I'd be sure to buy axes that give me something I don't already have now. The SC-2 would basically be my "workhorse" guitar as it's a nice smaller-bodied comfortable player, the Ultra-III has the tech goodies for easy connection to my laptop along with the Nanomag for acoustic stuff, and the SG allows me to quick-change tunings while at the same time having a cool P90 guitar that should (keyword there) sound good.
Like I said, I don't need any of the above guitars. But they'd be nice to have.