So on day 9 now and up to level 2, wow! I still haven't been approved yet which is a shame because I was hoping to serenade you all with my first track posting. I recorded it using my trusty Gibson Dove which I loved.

Unfortunately it had to make way for a 1958-60 reissue Gibson Les Paul Classic pictured in the banne above.

What a guitar, what a guitar! As with all guitar tests in the shop you can play one that's exactly the same model but feels and sounds different. This was much the case with the Les Paul. Its funny because I've been playing mainly Fender Telecasters for the last 15 years and was very surprised at how much I'm now smitten with my newhoney axe. Its just fab, the overdrive through my valve amps has just come of age. For tracks by the Stereophonics, Ash, Free, Clapton and alike it just makes the whole darn experience more enjoyable.

What I have found moving from Fender to Gibson has meant that my live settings need to be completely re-tweaked due to the higher output ceramic pickups. I have a couple of live set ups as follows:

Guitar > Boss GT 6 > EHX2ube > Hughes & Kettner 20th Anniversary and Marshall AVT 50 Stereo Pair - Power Amp Only

or

Guitar> Boss GT 6 > EHX2ube >Marshall EL84 20/20 > 2 x AVT50 Speakers Stereo Pair

I replaced the stock AVT Speakers with Celestion 75 Watt G12s. I'm thinking of replacing them with some Greenbacks so I'll be interested to hear if anyone else has any views on them.

So I've booked a session in the band room to try and setup the EL84 rig at high volume ready for our next gig on 14thDecember. It will be our first Christmas doentertaining 100 or so drunken people.Should be fun as long as they don't come to near my new axe! See I'm getting all protective of it already so it must be good.

Fingers crossed then that I get approved then.

Hi,

Just set up my MP3.com account. I'll be posting more stuff in here very soon. I'm planning to get a field MP3 recorder to start recording the band and other items I write from time to time.

Thanks for reading.

Cheers

Mike