"The One Where I Make Changes"

It's been a little while since I last posted something. I guess life caught up to me a bit! After joining the new band and getting my studio up and running on all cylinders, we came up on the holiday season. I was fully prepared to plow through, just like usual, record, teach, and come home to all the stuff we've grown to love. Well, a few weeks ago, I was recording, when the world started spinning, literally! I had my first major spell of vertigo, and if you've ever had it, it sucks!!! I've had to make some major changes in life, like my diet, my exercise, my sleeping habits, and even my guitar rig. It knocked me off of my feet, but it has been a wake up call on multiple levels. Sometimes what kicks your butt and is completely unexpected actually helps you in the long run. Over the last 2 weeks I've lost 22 lb. drastically changed my lifestyle, started Physical Therapy for treatment of vertigo, and have a general different look at things. 

I even decided to go back to the drawing board on my guitar rig and how I approach things. I have been lugging around a giant pedalboard and bending over a million times to tweak stuff a rehearsals, etc. Now I am running a direct to P.A. system that allows me to have one small 2 space rack bag on my shoulder to take to gigs. It is all pre-programmed and I set it up on a small stand so I can just tweak it as I please without bending over and messing around too much. I am much happier with this set up and it is much more consistent from rehearsal to rehearsal and from gig to gig. Sometimes you just have to let go of some obsessions and even preferences, and follow the much needed changes that need to be made. Most often times this will lead you to a happier situation, at least it did for me! 

Since being back in the studio this week, I decided to make some fun changes/updates to some of my guitars. I started with my 1996 PRS. Some years ago I modified it and changed the pickups to Holdsworth H22 pickups out of a Carvin HF2. Great pickups, but I wanted something different as my tastes, and needs have changed over the last few years. I decided to take my '57 classic humbuckers out of my Gibson Les Paul. This was a great change! Much more vintage, smooth, and even. They look great in the PRS too! This left my Les Paul without pickups for a couple of weeks until I decided what to do. I have always loved a company called Mojotone out of NC. I decided to put in a Mojotone Les Paul wiring harness, and a matching pair of their '57 classic hot humbuckers. Man, what a great improvement!! I strongly recommend this upgrade to any Les Paul. Mojotone definitely has it going on in the pickup and wiring department! I used my favorite solder also, which I believe makes a difference over generic low grade solder. I use Cardas Audio Tri-Eutectic Silver Solder. I use this solder on all of my patch cables, studio cables, and guitar wiring projects. With these two updates, I feel like I have 2 new guitars and have re-fallen for both in general. This all goes back to some of my earlier posts that have to do with not being afraid of your gear and making it exactly what you want. Most of the time you end up with a cool project that gives you just the boost you were looking for!

This post is just getting me back into the swing of things and getting the last few weeks off of my chest! I promise to keep more regular post coming in the future. Oh, and thank God it's 2021! I am looking forward to a great new year, and hopefully a lot of things will adjust in our lives to lead to a more fun, and prosperous year with less worry! Thank you for checking out my blog. Check back next week for more on music, life, recording, and gear!