Playing A $25,000 Guitar…
Some of you know that I just took a position at Des Moines Iowa’s best guitar shop: Professional Music Center. Pro Music is the one place in Des Moines where you can actually try out and buy the gear you actually want. There always have the best stuff and it is always in the best condition. Needless to say, I was a customer long before I was an employee.
As part of a new redesign for the shop, Pro Music now sells vintage guitars. Many of the guitars are going to be priced somewhere between $800.00 to $3,000.00; however, there is one 1956 all original Gibson ES-335 (Mono) with a Bigsby sitting in the case priced at $25,000.
Our guitar tech, Shane, has been going through the guitars getting them ready to be sold. Yesterday it was time to give The Gibson some TLC. Normally it takes him about a half an hour to forty-five minutes to get a guitar ready. For the ES-335 he spend a little over two hours because he was so nervous something was going to go wrong.
Of course, when he was done he had to give it a test drive to make sure everything was in top condition. He plugged it straight into a Dr. Z MAZ and let it sing.
It was the first time I had heard real PAFs. Not just pickups designed based on PAFs, but the actual pickups that were being produced while the patent was pending. It was like a religious experience. These were the most musical, creamy, articulate pickups I had ever heard.
I’m standing there in a daze as Shane is playing this guitar and feeding me all sorts of gold nuggets of information when suddenly he holds the guitar out towards me.
I was a little surprised, but I wasn’t going to say no.
It felt like I was using china as cymbals. I couldn’t play well enough for that guitar, but it didn’t matter. It was astonishing. Every note was clear, perfectly balanced and beautiful.
After about ten minutes I gave it back (time stops when you are playing that guitar). I realized that I had just played and heard the Holy Grail of humbuckers. From here on out, this is what I will compare every other Gibson too.
Keep sharp,
-Jed
Being A Guest Worship Leader
For the next to Sundays I’m leading worship at a church I have never lead worship for. It is called Real Life Church in Ankeny, Iowa. My friend is a worship leader there but will be on a missions trip in the middle east reaching out to Muslims (that’s a missions trip and a half). So I’m filling in for the next two weeks.
Although some of the people there know me, for most of the congregation this will be the first time they have worshiped with me (or met me for that matter).
This is an interesting challenge. Most of the time when I lead worship it is for people I know very well. It feels like we are family. This time the security of familiarity won’t be there. So I feel like I need a “strategy” (that’s not the right word but it will work) for the next two Sundays.
Here’s what I’m thinking. If you have any other tips I would love to hear them.
1. Select songs we both know. I’m only there for two Sundays and my agenda is to lead them in honest worship, not teach them a song I think is really cool.
2. Start the worship by sharing scripture. The Word of God is one of the best inspirations for worship. It has a way of resetting my brain for worship. Hopefully this will have the same effect on a congregation I have never met.
3. Eye contact and smile. Never underestimate the power of these two acts when leading worship. I won’t be a robot about it. Their will be moments when it is just me and God, but I also need to bring others to that place.
4. Be genuine. It can’t be faked. I can’t lead where I don’t go. I can never expect other to genuinely worship if I don’t first.
Should be a great experience. I’m am really looking forward to this.
Keep sharp,
-Jed
The First Time I Played A Timmy
Last night I was able to steal some time in between work and friends to play the Timmy. I didn’t really know what to expect. I heard so much hype about the Timmy before I ordered one and even more after, I was afraid I was going to be disappointed. You know, like when Star Wars Episode One came. You wait in line for hours then you see the movie and the only thing that comes to mind during the poor dialog and slow moving plot is all the things you could have gotten done instead of being in line.
I didn’t have time to set up my board; I didn’t even have time to get my guitar. Just Q’s Eric Johnson Strat through the Timmy through the Mesa Lonestar Special. No delays at all; already it’s not looking good for the Timmy.
Plugged everything in, turned the standby switch to “On,” pressed on the true-bypass switch to reveal a shiny blue LED and let a monstrous D chord ring out.
My life was changed.
I will save more detailed descriptions for a Pedal Profile but I loved what I heard. It lives up to all the hype. I almost forgot about the friends I was suppose to meet.
Needless to say I put Velcro on this pedal as soon as I could and it is sitting proudly on my board, where it will stay for quite some time.
My conclusion is: if you don’t have one, get one.
Keep sharp,
-Jed
The Arrival
Last September, my gear broker-code named “Q,” ordered two Timmys from the legendary Paul Cochrane, one for me and one for him. For many who have been waiting for this holy-grail-of-tone-in-a-box it has been a painfully long one. We were first told if we would get around January of 2010. That didn’t happen.
Apparently, Paul decided to redesign the pedal. The power plug in thingy (this is what happens when I’m in a rush) has been moved up to the top of the box (I don’t understand why more pedal makers don’t do this.) The button has been moved farther down towards the bottom of the box so it is less likely that the knobs will be moved when the player presses down on the switch (love this). Also the clipping switch has been put on the placed outside of the box. This is really sweet for me because I wouldn’t touch it if I had to unscrew the bottom just to switch it.
The redesign and a issue with the paint added to the waiting time.
I friend of mine asked me if it was worth the wait. I don’t know yet. It just came yesterday and I haven’t had a chance to play it. Be sure that a formal Pedal Profile will be made on this pedal.
Keep sharp,
-Jed
Putting Log In Blog
Posted by Jed in Uncategorized on April 27th, 2010
Some of you may have noticed a mysterious absence of my on the site. Good news is I haven’t been kidnapped by “Spectre” (British spelling…I think). Bad news is I have been I haven’t had a decent internet connection in about a month. This has made it increasingly difficult to write and edit articles and posts.
My solution: putting the Log back in Blog. I’m going to be writing in more of a journal format for some posts. What is a “journal format” you ask. It’s a fancy way of saying that there will be more spelling errors, post will be more varied in length, and I will just write about what I’m thinking about at the time concerning worship, guitar playing and gear. Please give me grace.
The articles and Pedal Profiles will come as I get more time and figure out what I’m going to do about choppy internet access. In the mean time, I hope little rants, blurbs, and tweets not on twitter will interest you…hmm…this site may be doomed.
Keep sharp…even if my writing isn’t.
-Jed
Pedal Profile: Xotic Gold AC Booster Limited Edition
Posted by Jed in Gear, Pedal Profile, Uncategorized on March 31st, 2010
BACKGROUND: Where the BB Preamp is supposed to be a cranked Marshall, the AC is supposed to be more like a cranked American amp (Fender). The Limited Edition Gold AC Booster is the same thing as the regular, just gold with only 500 in existence.
GUITARS: PRS Standard 22, 1986 Fender MIJ Tele ‘62 Reissue
AMPS: ‘97 Rivera R-55, 65 London
FIRST IMPRESSION: When Q brought it over the first thing I thought was “It’s gold!” I like the way it looks. Gold may be the new silver. It has really good-sounding low end, not too punchy and not too sloshy. It just sounds natural and you can feel it through a wood floor.
It is a very smooth-sounding pedal, very Tube Screamer-esk. It emphasizes the mid-range of the guitar tones;this characteristic is always welcomed in my book.
PROS: When you roll the bass down and turn the treble up (3 o’clock), it doesn’t sound brittle. It is still a very usable tone.
When set to a clean boost setting (volume maxed, drive at its lowest), it gives the tone more attack and a pinch more sustain than the clean tone.
CONS: Q tried the Booster through the 65 London and said the two didn’t play well together. For whatever reason, when I plugged it in through the R-55, it sounded amazing. Through the London, it was less smooth and more sterile.
FINAL THOUGHTS: This pedal is like a top quality Tube Screamer that won’t sound bad. I messed around with the EQ and couldn’t get it to sound bad. Obviously I preferred some settings over others, but for the most part this pedal was just giving me usable to amazing tones. This pedal doesn’t play favorites with its settings. If you’re sick of the Tube Screamer you bought at Guitar Center, seriously look into this pedal.
Keep Sharp,
-Jed
My friend is sick…and I’m okay with that…
Posted by Jed in Announcements on March 30th, 2010
Some of you (like me) suffer from GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome). I have a friend who seems to be particularly infected. His name is Q. I call him Q for two reasons. First, that is the first letter of his name. Second, it makes me feel like James Bond when I call him that.
He is spending an irrational amount of money on gear. I like this. It means I get to try out some pretty cool (and sometimes just plain pretty) gear, tell you about it, and not have to hurt my check book…too much.
I’ll use his gear a lot for Pedal Profiles. When I list a 65 London or an Eric Johnson Strat in the Pedal Profiles…yeah…they aren’t mine. They are Q’s.
Q has supplied me with a couple new pedals to profile, so here is a hint of what is coming in future gear posts:
-Xotic Limited Edition Gold AC Booster
-Xotic BB Preamp Andy Timmons Signature
-Love Pedal Kangi
-JTK Alchemy
When Paul Cochrane finally sends me a Timmy, that will go up, too. Until then, Q’s gear will be work for some great material.
Keep Sharp,
-Jed
Some of the Best Worship/Guitar Online Recources
Posted by Jed in Uncategorized on March 23rd, 2010
We can’t stay sharp on our own. Some of us may not be in a local community of guitarists who would teach and challenge us. Enter the internet. It has a wealth of information to keep us up to date, informed and motivated. Here is just a sample.
How To Play It
1.Chad Tipps (Tippys) is one of the guitar players for Desperation Band and New Life Church. Starting with Desperation’s “Everyone Overcome” release, Tippsy has been featured alongside Erik Todd in every New Life Church album. His tones and parts are rich http://www.chadtipps.com/
2.So it’s Saturday night and you still don’t know the riff for Hillsong’s “God One and Only” yet. It’s late; it’s crunch time. That is when you just need someone to show you how the riff is actually played. No sketchy tab, no vague chord chart–you need an actual video. Go to http://guitarpraise.blogspot.com/ for a wide range of songs. If it is modern worship, it’s on this site.
3. http://www.verticalmusic.com/-is a website produced by Integrity Music. This is a great place not only to find out about the latest music Integrity is putting out as well as finding authentic chord charts. Check it out.
Making Life Easier
4.http://www.planningcenteronline.com/ is a web service that my church discovered last year and it has changed everything for the better. Transposing chord charts just takes a couple clicks. Scheduling, a couple clicks. Getting plans, set lists and order of services…you guessed it, a couple of clicks. If you or your worship leader is stressed out keeping everyone on the same page, show them this site and video.
Introducing Planning Center Online from Planning Center on Vimeo.
Heart Checks From A Musician And Pastor
5.Glenn Packiam is a worship leader/song writer/associate pastor/author/New Life School of Worship Director/Former Desperation Member and lucky for us, he blogs once a week. He can be deep yet simple and has an honest motivation to seek the heart of God. Go hear for a good heart check. http://www.glennpackiam.typepad.com/
Good Old Guitar And Worship Talk
6.http://guitarforworship.wordpress.com/ is run by Karl and his blog is splendid (hehe). He is prolific, honest, thoughtful and funny, and his blog is worth reading regularly. His posts range from useful how-to information to great gear demos to humorous yet thought-provoking posts. Give this blog a read, unless you become insecure every time you see a bigger pedal board than yours; then don’t visit here ;). To see even more links visit Karl’s post http://guitarforworship.wordpress.com/2009/12/03/bringing-back-the-blog/
When You Want To Kill Time
7.http://pedalboardplanner.com/ I have spent way too much time on this website and I hope you do, too.
If you have some other resources, please share them with us by telling us in the comments.
Keep Sharp,
-Jed
Pedal Profile: Xotic EP-Booster
BACKGROUND: The EP-Booster is yet another offering from the Xotic, a company that seems to have a knack for coming out with the right pedal at the right time and making it a top quality product. The EP-Booster is based on the “legendary echo machine EP-3″ (I’m told this is the Maestro Echoplex) which the likes of Van Halen, Jimmy Page, and Eric Johnson (I’m assuming Eric Johnson, perhaps it is another Johnson) have all used as preamps -ecause, of course, who wouldn’t think to use an echo machine as a preamp. The EP-Booster is the reincarnation of EP-3 as a peamp (no echo here). This pedal is not only a boost but seems to have an aura of being that almost mythical tone-enhancer-in-a-box we all look for, a pedal that doesn’t change your tone but somehow makes it better.
GUITAR: 1986 Fender MIJ ‘62 Tele Reissue
AMP: 65 London Combo, 1985 Mesa Mark III
FIRST IMPRESSION: For such a small pedal it is heavy and feels very sturdy. If you were to throw it at someone’s head you would knock him out cold. I’m not sure if there is a single Boss pedal that can boast that. It has a silver black tint, which is always good.
PROS:It is probably one of the most sturdy pedals I have ever played which gives me quite a bit of confidence as a guitar player when I step on it. I have replaced one too many (truth be known, three too many) switches in my Line 6 DL-4 so that is a big issue for me.
It does everything a boost should do. That is, it boosts the signal. It does a very good job of this, but I wouldn’t expect anything less. After all it’ as boost. If you screw that up, maybe you shouldn’t be making pedals. Fortunately, Xotic should be making pedals.
It does kind of feel like a “tone enhancer.” I say “kind of” because it is so abstract that it is hard to put concrete words to. Nevertheless, I played my church’s worship set with it turned on (set as low as possible) the entire time.
This pedal is also an impecable paper weight.
…and it has a nice hint of silver…I’m a fan.
CONS: This pedal is so simple I would be worried if there were cons to it. It doesn’t suck tone, feels sturdy, doesn’t take up a lot of space, and does everything it promises. Even the LED is blue. Nothing to complain about here.
FINAL THOUGHTS: The Xotic EP-Booster is everything a boost should be and then some. Sturdy and durable, this pedal is like a little tank on the board that doesn’t mind sharing space with other pedals. This pedal is not only an exceptional boost, it is also that highly sought after yet very allusive tone enhancer.
Keep sharp,
-Jed
The Elements Of A Great Worship Guitarist
What separates the good worship guitarist from the great worship guitarist? The mastery of not just musicianship and technique, but also character and attitude. Here are some elements of a great worship guitarist.
Humility: This doesn’t mean a lack of confidence, or worse, false humility. This does mean you can take constructive criticism well. It means you are not afraid to admit your shortcomings. You know you have a lot to learn and you can learn from anyone. Furthermore, you are not personally offended when someone says to turn your volume down (I pray it doesn’t happen to you). Your primary motivation is to serve your worship ministry and church, not to showcase your own talent and amazing tone.
Dependability: From getting to practice on time to knowing your parts, your worship leader needs to be confident in every aspect of your playing and habits. This means you show up on time, your gear works, you consistently sound good, and you know your part. When a worship leader is looking at a set list for a worship service, they will feel the pressure of any “unknown factors” or “X Factors.” To be a great worship guitarist you must remove yourself from this list of X Factors. Starting now, create a reputation of being dependable and giving your worship ministry consistent quality not just in music, but also in attitude and habits.
Musicianship: Know where you fit in the grand scheme of things and in the grand scheme of things we’re not all that. A great worship guitarist knows how the guitar needs to work in worship music. Guitar isn’t everything. Use your guitar to complement the worship service and don’t let your ego convince you it should be more showcased than needed.
Technique: You may not be able to play Van Halen’s “Eruption” but that’s okay. What you can do is play the licks, riffs and signature solos that your worship leader throws at you. Maybe your need some time to practice it, look it up on youtube, find tab, etc., but when it comes to rehearsal time you can play the riff evenly, smoothly and clearly.
There are two things we can take away from this: First, a great guitarist in secular music looks a lot different from a great guitarist in worship ministry. Second, you are probably closer to being a “great worship guitarist” than you think.
Keep sharp,
-Jed
P.S. This isn’t a complete list. If you think of some other elements, please share with us in the comments.