Alesis finally comes in handy after 8 years

So after ye many years of the Alesis products completely destroying my impedance chain (its not their fault... it's the fault of us low brow guitar rig apes trying to use studio equipment as all purpose multi effect units...) I have finally found it's purpose at my home... well, basically - as always I need to get a few custom cables but yes, it's in use right now.

On the Mackie Satellite I am plugging the laptop's headphone out into input set #1, a spare 1/8" (ipod usually) setup on inputs #2, high-z inputs (microphone preamps) are switched between the Line6 POD XT balanced outs (cool eh?) and my microphones (which I dont use much any more) and the instrument in is left idle. A few things to note - if the firewire integration was all square (have to install the mackie drivers or something) then I could use inputs #1 for something else (line6, maybe).

The outputs on the Satellite are very flexible and have (2) independent control room outputs as well as 2 headphone amps. I use the headphone amps to monitor but they can cause tinnitus sensations so I change it up to the Altec computer speakers often but in particular for when I am watching "TV" (the video out on the laptop is hooked up to the TV so I watch youtube, netflix streaming et al this way instead of paying outrageous amounts for cable).

"Ok, how does the Alesis play in?". Well, the issue is that due to no seeming demand to the manufacturers that EQing your output on a computer, ipod or otherwise is actually pretty well missing (I dont count the presets on the ipod - they dont have 'cut' settings). In essence for my studio apartment the Altecs have WAY too much bass, even after I stuffed a sock in the port!

Enter the Quadraverb 2 - I was about to send it off to the great graveyard in the sky (aka my friends basement where a lot of my other gear lives) but I found a use for it. I am using the parametric abilities to shape the output to the speakers inline. Oops! There we go shaping odd impedances with the Quadraverb again (headphone in)!!.

And that's why I said 'basically' - the Mackie Satellite in all it's genius (and super low price point!) has included an 'insert' per channel. It's more or less an effects loop for things like... well, I assume needs like mine. Lets hope its after all the mixing circuitry... of course, I need those cables now to try.

Happy gear hacking.

Summer updates and more

Well I rearranged my studio^2 (recording and apartment) and realized that the marshall isn't really half bad for playing in a small space. Sure, I bet a 100w JMP cranked with some overdrive in the front is better but in San Francisco who the hell can sort out when to take advantage of that except at a venue? I buy 50w amps for a reason - if I really get attached to how they sound, they are loud enough for most any venue and should keep up with the band well enough. You know, I say this and true - my 50w Marshall 2550 couldn't keep up with drums at all with a straight cab. But boy, my Dual Rectifier with cab could melt any band haha.

Off the digression - the TSL 60 pretty well rocks. Throw the TS-9 in front of it (I never tried it with that pedal...) and its very nice.. I also have it on top of my Boogie now which seems to sweeten it up too.

Overall - with the PRS tuned down to D# I can hang tone for tone (well nuff) with EVH. Of course, I saw a guy using a dual rec recording preamp to do the same - what can I say, nice pickups do it 80%. Get some.

Daily Gear Player

* 2007 PRS McCarty Vintage Yellow - no birds, not a 10 top but a very very nice top nonetheless. When I picked it up at GuitarCenter I was really into it from the get-go. I was playing their SE series and decided to compare it to the McCarty in hopes that the SE would be 'almost as good' for less than 1/4 the price. I was wrong - the McCarty I chose and bought sort of chose me - it felt alive in my hands instantly and the contour / color / setup was ideal from the start.
* Mesa F50 - very very solid cleans, an 'orange' (Marshallish) tone, a very solid 'red' tone (modern heavy). For $550 for the combo it is almost certainly one of the best deals in guitar gear I have been party to. The new Mesa express series came out - they have a class A option switch and all the other options. Ultimately they dont compare with the F50 for flexibility and a bent towards rock / hard rock on the lead channels. The express series is more in the Mark series - brown, very midrange and meant to be turned up for the best tone. The F series seems to be meant for the audience looking for a nice compact amp that has some semblance of a Fender clean and a dual rectifier distortion. This amp might be as close as one can get in a single amp box (with the same transformer et al).
* Boss pedals: Lots of them. I have underestimated pedals.. with a great guitar and amp pedals are just as great.

Gear

Well, some of the collection has slid out of my daily playing and I wanted to perhaps throw it out to auction. I am being 'optimistic' right now, in that, possibly things would start selling for decent prices on ebay and then I would be inspired to clear out more stuff. That said, here we go:

* 2002ish Gibson Les Paul Plus AA Flame top with 50s neck. Price: $1300ish (paid $2000).
* Mesa Original Dual Rectifier with 'triple rectifier' cab vintage: $1400 should be fair.
* Marshall TSL 60 combo / 1x12": bought it and never really used it. It's used and yet it came with all it's stuff (cover, etc.). I think I got it for $650 and since they are $1500 new I would want about what I paid 3 months ago.
* Ibanez JS1000 : If someone wants this item I would part with it for a slight loss. It's nearly new (just a single hairline 1" scratch on the back from a zipper). Paid $1000 out the door 4 months ago, best offer.
* Alesis Quadraverb2: Best offer - $50? I paid $400 7 years ago before modeling and stuff took off. It's still pretty high fidelity, though.


Or, will consider trade on PRS McCarty Hollowbody with piezo system. :D it's pretty specific but I really sort of think I have everything else.. that blog entry is next in fact.

Cheers,
zed