Nick's Magical Mystery Tour

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Comments

  • nicholaspaulnicholaspaul Posts: 1,005Member
    Thanks Kevin. Alright I will! One more at the mo. I’m practising a couple more.

    Be My Enemy (The Waterboys cover)

  • nicholaspaulnicholaspaul Posts: 1,005Member
    This isn’t a cover, or involve looping, but I had to try some jazz with my Rickenbacker and Vox AC4 just for fun.
    Fun, imagine that...

    Rickenbacker 360 > Vox Stomplab (for EQ and reverb) > Blue Snowball mic > GarageBand.
    Video is shot on an iPad Pro and synced in Premiere. (I knew you were all going to ask...!)

    Megi, is this enough reason for you to get a Ricky? I think the tone could have been a little warmer. But it’s close.

  • MegiMegi Posts: 7,207Member


    Megi, is this enough reason for you to get a Ricky? I think the tone could have been a little warmer. But it’s close.

    That's great Nick, terrific stuff! I love the contrast between the last 2 clips, both with the same guitar. ("tone is in the fingers" - yes I know... :D ).

    Wish I could re the lovely Ricky - a beautiful looking, classic guitar design there, and yes, seeing you do that bit of Wes stuff there does make me think it would be fun to take to a jazz gig. But, certainly at the moment, with the number of guitars I've bought/made over the last few years, plus recent Helix purchases, not to mention a few others - well, it would get me into so much trouble if one of those arrived at the door... :smiley:


  • Kevin PeatKevin Peat Posts: 3,232Member
    Seriously good stuff, Nick. I don't know how you remember it all.
  • nicholaspaulnicholaspaul Posts: 1,005Member
    Thanks Graham! Yup, Ricks really are more versatile than many people believe. I’m sure you could sweet talk Mrs Megi, take her out for dinner, buy her a car...that sort of thing !

    Thanks Kevin. Well, to be honest, it’s five choruses, repeated, but I did play it over and over a zillion times. Maybe two zillion. But thanks for noticing the memory exercise. I have a nine page version of Autumn Leaves iby Achim Kohl that is a bit tough to memorise. But I like the challenge!
  • MegiMegi Posts: 7,207Member
    Afraid there is a limit Nicolas, a line that must not be crossed, and I'm right up against it... :D
  • nicholaspaulnicholaspaul Posts: 1,005Member
    Oh I hear ya... no worries!
  • nicholaspaulnicholaspaul Posts: 1,005Member
    edited March 2019
    The amount of time between posts here is really embarrassing.
    Anyway, I’m still at it...

    Last November I had a milestone birthday (rhymes with nifty) so I had a few friends over for a house concert and jam. Jamming didn’t work so well, but I played a set of about a half dozen tunes, mainly originals. I also sang “Spread Your Wings”, a Queen tune that means a lot to me, on piano.

    One thing I did learn is that you need to practice in front of people, not just in your practice room. I could play a tune a thousand times but until I’m in front of an audience, I haven’t practiced at all. So more gigs is what I need!

    This week I got a new keyboard and set it up with my looping rig. I use my iPad with Sampletank for synth and bass sounds when I’m not playing an electric bass. I thought it sounds ok tonight,
    And the neighbous didn’t complain.

    I have friends who say the same thing - playing live is terrifying but it’s the thing to do. Once I’m behind the mic and in the middle of a song, I’m in my element. I’m me. Finally.

    So more practicing, more synth parts to setup... oh and I need to work on my voice too. I had the flu over Christmas and my voice hasn’t fully recovered. Besides, my wife said my vocals are the weakest link, which isn’t a surprise because I practice guitar thousands of times more than I practice singing, which is wrong. So even more to practice!

    Still, I’d be even more miserable if I gave it up!
  • nicholaspaulnicholaspaul Posts: 1,005Member
    edited March 2019
    Oh and I got another guitar.... A birthday present from my lovely wife!

    I have some pictures - I’ll upload them soon - until then this link will be ok

    https://strandbergguitars.com/product/boden-original-7-natural/

    I played one a couple of years ago and just fell in love. What’s most odd is that it isn’t odd to play at all. The fanned frets and the three sided neck are amazingly easy to play. In fact, it is very comfortable, probably the most comfortable guitar I’ve ever played. The seventh string is quite intuitive as it’s just down a fourth from the low E but I still have to think about it sometimes. As in, oh yes THATS the E. But when I want to go lower, that extra string is so good!

    Weighing only 5lbs it is very easy on the shoulders. In fact, all the ergonomic features make it easy to forget about the mechanics of playing and think more about the music. That’s how I see it anyhow.

    The pickups are very different from anything else, but versatile. The single coil mode is very single coil like, and the other switch acts like a vintage/modern switch, as if it lowers the output by mimicking fewer windings. Actually, that would be like a coil tap, I suppose. The pickups are quite hot so that switch helps tame things down a bit.

    The frets are just perfect. Like the rest of the guitar, they are engineered immaculately and amazingly smooth. I wonder if stainless steel is easier to get perfect?

    The lack of head makes it balance well, and makes it easier to walk around the studio with bashing things. I haven’t hit this on the ceiling yet!

    So yes, I’m happy. Very! Even if you’re not crazy about playing a headless, if you happen to see one in a store, I would highly recommend the experience.
  • MegiMegi Posts: 7,207Member
    That Strandberg looks to be an absolute beast Nick, congrats on that one - I am a bit envious I'm afraid... :)
  • LesterLester Posts: 1,730Member, Moderator
    Something about the shape of that guitar reminds me of a waistcoat. You make it sound like you have found a keeper, as the saying goes.
  • ESBlondeESBlonde Posts: 980Member
    Lester said:

    Something about the shape of that guitar reminds me of a waistcoat. You make it sound like you have found a keeper, as the saying goes.

    I agree, and the guitar is pretty impressive too!
  • nicholaspaulnicholaspaul Posts: 1,005Member
    Megi said:

    That Strandberg looks to be an absolute beast Nick, congrats on that one - I am a bit envious I'm afraid... :)

    Thanks Megi. I don’t like to stir up envy. But that guitar has made all my others look a bit unneeded. Although im starting to find sounds the others can do the .strandberg* can’t, more to make me feel better i think!
  • nicholaspaulnicholaspaul Posts: 1,005Member
    ESBlonde said:

    Lester said:

    Something about the shape of that guitar reminds me of a waistcoat. You make it sound like you have found a keeper, as the saying goes.

    I agree, and the guitar is pretty impressive too!
    Never thought of it like that, Lester, but I see what you mean.
    Yea it’s a keeper!

    Haha blonde. I feel very lucky.
  • nicholaspaulnicholaspaul Posts: 1,005Member
    edited March 2019
  • nicholaspaulnicholaspaul Posts: 1,005Member
    Here it is in front of my Marshall 4x10 (I love that cab!). If you want to stand it up you have to get the bespoke stand. It won’t fit on anything else.

    image
  • nicholaspaulnicholaspaul Posts: 1,005Member
    The attention to detail is second to none.

    image
  • Kevin PeatKevin Peat Posts: 3,232Member
    All my wife got me was one lousy dog for my *cough*tieth.
  • nicholaspaulnicholaspaul Posts: 1,005Member
    Aww.... I wish I had a dog (no really, I can’t go near em without feeling teary eyed! ).
  • nicholaspaulnicholaspaul Posts: 1,005Member
    As part of the ongoing tour, or plan for life, I’ve recorded an EP of sorts. It does feature the .strandberg* shown here quite a bit, as well as my Rickenbacker 360 and a couple of my home builds.

    Stylistically, it’s a bit prog, bit rock, bit shoegaze, bit electronic.

    Hope you like it. Download for free from Bandcamp:

    https://nickburman.bandcamp.com/album/moat
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