Take your time with a guitar multi-effects processor

Once you know how to modify settings on one of these things, you can make any guitar sound like any guitar.

There's a video of me playing some dopey metal riffs with my Squier Telecaster. I did it for the reason that a lot of guitarists state that a Telecaster "can't do metal". Yes, it can. All it takes is running the guitar through the correct processing and ta-da, metal sound.

However, this is the exact same guitar I got an amazing surf tone out of.

How did I do it? By sitting down with my DigiTech RP360, spending time with it and going over every single thing it could possibly do.

Multi-effect processors can't be learned in a day

Whether you use the RP360, ZOOM G1Xon, VOX StompLab or whatever you use, there is no multi-effect processor that you can learn lightning fast. It's just not possible. These multi-effect units offer tons of ways to modify guitar tone, and it does take time to learn it all.

Actually, it would be more fair to say you learn some of what a multi-effects processor does, because nobody uses 100% of what it can do. Some sounds will be cool, others will be terrible, and you just pick and choose which you like, save the presets and that's all there is to it.

You probably will only use 3 to 5 presets at most, and they will probably be "scratch made"

The standard advice given with a multi-effects processor when creating your own presets is to "start from zero" or "start blank." You either create a new blank preset, or if the unit doesn't allow that, you modify an existing preset and take every effect out of it so you start from nothing and build from there.

When editing a preset on the RP360, the first and only thing I put there (and only because the RP360 requires at least 1 effect per preset) is the amp-cab simulator to initially shape the tone. Nothing else is present. No EQ, no compressor, no delay, no distortion/overdrive, no reverb, no gate, no modulation, none of that. Everything starts with just the amp-cab modeling to keep it as basic as possible.

Once I've found a good amp-cab combo that I like, then I'll start adding other stuff in.

Is this a time consuming process? Yes, but it's worth it.

I only have about 5 presets that I use regularly even though I have over 10 that I customized myself. Having a lot of presets is cool, but I stick to the ones where I can just plug in my guitar, start playing and not worry about fussing around with effects processor settings.

It really is true you can make any guitar sound like any guitar

Mess around with a multi-effects processor enough and you can get any guitar sound you want because that's what the processor is designed to do.

Buyers of multi-effect processors often say the stock presets are terrible. True? Yes! You're not supposed to simply accept the stock sound the unit gives you. You're to sit down with the unit, learn the thing and custom make your own presets that sound best with your guitar.

This is why I say to take your time with a multi-effects processor. You won't learn it in just one day, you will have to experiment a lot with it, and once you find the sound that works, that's when the magic starts happening.

On a final note, can a multi-effect processor be frustrating to use? Yes, because you have to deal with a bunch of menus among several pages of settings. But in the end, this is normal and part of the learning process. It does get easier the more you use it, so if you get a little frustrated with your effects processor, don't just give up. Sit down and learn the thing, take your time and good tones will eventually happen.

Casio MQ24

Simplistic joy...

...that's what the Casio MQ24 is. Whether it's model 7B or any other number of variants of the same watch (there's something like 10 different designs), it's all good.

The price is usually $9 to $12 for one of these, but I scored one for $7 with shipping included, so yeah I couldn't pass that up.

Size: 35mm with crown.

Tick: Almost silent. You can only hear ticking when holding it almost against the ear.

Legibility: Matte black hands against stark white dial = superior legibility. This thing can be read even in a barely-lit room.

Weight: 19 grams, which is next to nothing.

Small but good

I can get away with wearing this watch because I have a 6.75" wrist. And while true the band could fit up to a 7.5" wrist, bigger-wristed folk would be much better off with the MW240, which is basically the exact same watch as the MQ24 except with a bigger 43mm case.

The only "happy medium" 38mm size watch Casio makes that's cheap and shows all the hour numbers on the dial with no date complication is the V001 model. Nice enough watch, but not as readable as the MQ24. The indices are a proper size but the silver hands are too reflective. If the hands were a dark color, that would increase the readability of the watch by 3x if not more.

For what the MQ24 is, it totally gets the job done. The thing cost me 7 bucks so I really can't complain. It fits my wrist, runs very quietly, keeps accurate time and it's easy to read. Can't really ask any more out of it than that.

Casio W213

This may not the watch for everybody, but it is the right watch for me.

My Casio W213 arrived in the mail and I've been wearing it for a few days. Do I like it? Yes. Will this be my new daily wearer? Also a yes.

Rather than get into the features of the watch and whatnot, instead I'll just concentrate on this stupid little hobby I have of collecting cheap Casio timepieces over the years and why the W213 might be the end of The Search.

Way back in 2011 (6 years ago at the time I write this,) I bought two Casio watches, the F-28W which is no longer made and the W59 which I later returned just because I didn't like it all that much. I bought them for the reason they were retro styled and reminded me of my childhood. I still have that F-28W.

In 2013 I bought an AE1200WHB-1BV. I realized that I actually liked digital watches but needed more functionality, so I sought out that very specific model because I thought it would do everything I wanted. It did. Sort of.

Since that time I've acquired a bunch of cheap Casio watches in the hunt for a digital timepiece that would do everything I wanted. What I came to realize is that I wanted a very specific set of features. I wanted something cheap with time/weekday/month/day on the face, multiple alarms, stopwatch and countdown timer with auto-repeat. Those specific features cover everything I want out of a digital watch.

Three watches fit these requirements. Timex Ironman 30, Casio F201WA, and Casio W213. I went with the Casio W213.

Side note: I did in fact own the F201WA at one point but returned it. The display was great but the case a bit too small, even for me.

It is nice to have one watch that does it all

I used to have to swap watches just to get the things done I wanted to do on any given day. Now I don't have to. The little W213 has all the stuff I've been wanting in a single watch.

The watch measures 45.5mm long by 40mm wide by 11.7mm thick. On my 6.75" wrist it looks fine, but for larger-wristed folk the Ironman would be the better option, especially considering Timex offers an oversize version.

Why is the W213 not for everybody?

Certain Casio watch models are just "kinda there," and the W213 is one of those kind. It's a model originally released in 2009, so it's not old enough to be retro or classic, and it's not the most stylish thing in the world.

Most people would go for the Ironman over the W213, and that's fine. For me, the Casio is the better choice.

Playing guitar in E flat does more than just save your wrists

Not only does playing in E flat put less strain on your hands and wrists, but it also opens up a sonic palette that sounds very different from E standard.

E flat, also spelled as Eb, is when you tune lower by one-half step. Eb tuning is also known as D sharp (also spelled as D#) tuning.

If tuning Eb, the characters for each string is Eb-Ab-Db-Gb-Bb-Eb. If tuning D#, the characters are D#-G#-C#-F#-A#-D#. Are both these sets of characters the same notes? Yes. Which you use directly depends on what your digital guitar tuner displays.

The easiest way to tune to E flat is to use a digital tuner with a flat switch for stupidly easy and fast Eb tuning, which of course is the Korg GA-1. You'll see the "FLAT" button right on the front; it doesn't get any easier than that.

I may tune my Telecaster to Eb permanently

The strings in standard tuning felt too tight on my Tele, so I pitched it down to Eb. When I did that, the guitar felt much better, so I just left it that way.

Now that I've been playing in Eb, I actually quite like it. It's distinctively different compared to E standard.

The looser feel of the strings makes string bending much easier, and snapback (a finger pull on a string where you pull, let go and let the string purposely strike the frets) has greater attack.

Bass frequencies are heard more clearly, certain chords sound fuller and the guitar seems to stay in tune much better when a capo is attached.

Who uses Eb tuning?

The most famous Stratocaster player I know of that used Eb tuning pretty much always was Stevie Ray Vaughan. Fans of his tone who study it believe his tuning preference was a huge reason his guitar sounded the way it did.

Other players and bands who use Eb regularly are Jimi Hendrix, Guns N' Roses, B.B. King, Danzig, Disturbed, Extreme, Green Day, Journey, Slayer, The Smithereens and many others.

Does Eb tuning work on all guitars?

Your #1 enemy with Eb tuning is string flop. Flop means "to fall heavily due to lack of energy." When tuned a half-step down, string tension is lessened and your strings may literally flop around in an unwanted way.

The general rule of thumb is that the shorter the scale, the more you have to accommodate for string flop when tuned to Eb.

On 25.5" scale guitars (ex: Stratocasters and Telecasters), you can usually get away with Eb tuning without having to adjust anything.

On 24.75" scale guitars (ex: Les Pauls and SGs), a bump up in string gauge is usually necessary (such as increasing from 10-46 to 11-49 or a "bottom heavy" set such as 10-52) and possibly a small truss rod adjustment.

On 24" short scale guitars (ex: Jaguars and Mustangs), this is where you would have to put in the most effort to get rid of string flop. Short scale guitars already have string flop even in E standard tuning, so when tuned to Eb, a bump up in string gauge, reintonation, adjustment of string saddle heights and truss rod adjustment is pretty much mandatory.

On any guitar that uses a vibrato system, that absolutely has to be set up again for use with Eb tuning. Whether it's a Stratocaster "tremolo" system, Jazzmaster or Jaguar vibrato system or whatever you have, the tension set either by screw(s) and/or claw springs will have to be tightened slightly.

How will you know for sure if your guitar needs adjustment or not in Eb tuning?

Tune to Eb and check for buzzy frets, fretted out notes (i.e. when the string "squeaks" on a note bend), strings that go out-of-tune easily from your fret hand grip (thicker strings usually fixes that), and so on. Also check your vibrato system to make sure that's working the same as before.

Believe me, it will be very easy and obvious to recognize if your guitar needs adjustment while in Eb tuning.

If however you tune to Eb, play the guitar for a while and think to yourself, "this guitar pretty much plays and sounds the same in this tuning, just with slightly looser strings," then you probably don't need to adjust anything. But I'd still check the neck relief to be on the safe side.

Does Eb tuning affect songwriting?

Yes.

The entire tonal character of your guitar changes when tuned to Eb. It may be only a half-step lower than usual, but it makes a huge difference when coming up with guitar riffs.

Think of when you first tried drop D tuning. That only required the detuning of a single string from E to D, and it made a big difference of how things sounded on the low end.

Think of when you first tried a capo (and if you haven't used one yet, get one). Your guitar sounds like a completely different instrument when using one of them.

I consider Eb tuning the same as using a "capo in reverse," so to speak. In Eb, you will play things differently and riffs will sound different. It does affect how you write songs.

Eb tuning does save your wrists

There are many guitar players who detune to Eb simply for ergonomic reasons. Easier to hold chords in Eb? Yes. Easier to solo in Eb? Also a yes.

Lastly, if you've been bouncing around string gauges where one gauge set feels too thin, the other set too thick and you can never seem to find that happy medium, sometimes a thicker gauge set tuned to Eb is just the thing you need. But mind that scale length. If you own multiple guitars of varying scale lengths, Eb may work fine on your Strat but feel awful on your Les Paul. Fortunately, it's easy to try, so give it a go and see how it feels. You may like it.

Incoming Casio watches, MQ24 and W213

Two cheap Casio watches are inbound.

Neither of these have arrived yet, but I'll explain why I purchased each.

Casio MQ24-7B

I wanted the MQ24-7B because I sometimes like to wear a minimalist watch that only tells the time. I only spent 7 bucks on it. The price usually bounces around from $9 to $12, but I saw one for $7 and jumped on it because it's probably true I'll never see the price for one new that low ever again.

The Casio MQ24 is a minimalist runner that's simple, analog, cheap and super-legible. It's a 35mm timepiece that comes in many styles. The bigger 43mm version is the MW240.

Casio W213

The W213 (which cost me $16) is intended to be my new daily wearer.

Right now what I do every day is put on the G-SHOCK DW9052 (which does have a timer auto-repeat function) for my morning workout use, then switch to the AE1000 for the day, then switch back to the DW9052 again for my evening workout.

Basically, the W213 is the AE1000 without the "world time" stuff, which is fine. The face shows time, weekday, month and day, it has 5 alarms (one with snooze,) timer with auto-repeat, stopwatch and dual time. It should, hopefully, eliminate the need to switch watches just to get the specific functions I need.

Do either of these score style points?

Not really, as these are just cheap watches.

I suppose the MQ24 being a minimalist timepiece has a little bit of style to it, but not much. And as for the W213, that's obviously a tool watch i.e. a sports watch, so style isn't the concern for that one.

In my experience, you can't have tool + style at the same time with a watch. You have to go with one or the other. I already have a few fashion watches and don't need any more of those, so both of these were bought just for function. One for simplicity and the other for functionality.