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  1. funny_polymath

    Bye y'all.

    This'll be my last post. Leaving Fractal-land, though I still think it's an outstanding company and product line! If any of you want to get ahold of me for any reason, please go so samuelclaiborne [dot] com or email me at samc1959 [at] yahoo [dot] com. And be on the lookout for my upcoming...
  2. funny_polymath

    Time to say goodbye...

    Honestly, I'm using the ACS1 in mono but with two 'amps' - Fender and Vox - coming out of it, and it's good enough for me - especially because the Golden Boy gives me great touch sensitivity. I guess I'm not that much of a purist anymore - and even my Princeton seems heavy to me these days...
  3. funny_polymath

    Time to say goodbye...

    Hello all. Just dropped in to say goodbye. After a long time with the Axe-FX (and my Liquid Foot Pro+), I've come to the conclusion that I was spending more time messing with menus and patch editors/librarians than I was playing. I started out with effects in 1978 or so, with a couple of boxes...
  4. funny_polymath

    Guitar Pickups Don't Matter?

    GFS's DIRT CHEAP ($35.00) GoldFoil single coils sound SUPER! P.S. I am not affiliated in any way.
  5. funny_polymath

    A 'Frank Zappa Roxy SG' for peanuts

    Sperzel locking tuners are great.
  6. funny_polymath

    A 'Frank Zappa Roxy SG' for peanuts

    008's? UGH! I mean, great he got those bends, but I've tried 009's and hated 'em! 010 is about as low as I can go...
  7. funny_polymath

    Yes, a stupid question

    Howdy. I've mostly written my own patches over the years, but recently I just started delving into the treasure chest that is axe-change. I've gotten some great stuff. However, I also often encounter the 'silent patch' - a patch I download and install and... no sound. I'm sure there are many...
  8. funny_polymath

    A 'Frank Zappa Roxy SG' for peanuts

    Yeah. I love Strats, but hated when FZ changed to 'em. Really liked the Roxy SG sound best of all of his axes. I put locking tuners on mine. Was thinking about a roller bridge and graphtek nut, because it's not perfectly stable, but I had the nut worked on, and with the locking Schallers, she's...
  9. funny_polymath

    A 'Frank Zappa Roxy SG' for peanuts

    I changed it to two mini-toggles, but near the volume and tone controls, rather than routing all the way to the upper bout. The maestro's cool-looking, but not a great trem. I don't use it much. Then again, did Frank ever use his?
  10. funny_polymath

    Back in the saddle at last (Finally loving my Axe-FX again)

    These bodies are both topped with Spalted Maple. The top one is from http://www.spaltking.com/ Reasonable prices and good quality work. Please be aware, though, this type of wood is hard to work with, because spalted maple is essentially a sort of half rotted out wood. Spalting is partial...
  11. funny_polymath

    Back in the saddle at last (Finally loving my Axe-FX again)

    I do healing and body work (Ortho-Bionomy). I have several skeletal models that aid in the work. :-D
  12. funny_polymath

    Back in the saddle at last (Finally loving my Axe-FX again)

    Oh, yeah, we talked about getting together some time. PM me if you're ever in the neighborhood. Cheers.
  13. funny_polymath

    Back in the saddle at last (Finally loving my Axe-FX again)

    The guitar on top is going to get the strat-sized gfs single coils. The one on the bottom is a custom-made guitar made by Manny Salvador at guitarcraft in NYC. The neck is a repurposed Hagstrom I neck (from the first electric I ever bought). The frets have been removed and slim pieces of maple...
  14. funny_polymath

    Back in the saddle at last (Finally loving my Axe-FX again)

    Oh, the guitar is also light as hell, and nicely contoured in back. Love light guitars.
  15. funny_polymath

    Back in the saddle at last (Finally loving my Axe-FX again)

    I saw this beauty in the window of Stockade Guitars, in Kingston, NY. I'm partial to gold foils, so I thoughtt I'd just go in and play it for a second and... love at first note. It has no name and was made by 'a local luthier' - which, I believe, means a guy who bought something like a warmoth...
  16. funny_polymath

    Back in the saddle at last (Finally loving my Axe-FX again)

    I don't. I just wanted to be specific about what I was raving about. And... I am definitely more of a single-coil guy. But I've never tried 'em. They may be great. I did buy a set of strat-sized 'gold foils', but the guitar they're going into is still under construction, so I haven't heard 'em...
  17. funny_polymath

    Guitar Pickups Don't Matter?

    Actually, I believe that if you changed the body, but it had identical pickups and wiring, you'd hardly hear anything at all. You could have 5 bodies, made from different tone woods, and even plastic, and I don't believe you'd hear much difference in a solidbody at all. A very, very slight...
  18. funny_polymath

    Guitar Pickups Don't Matter?

    P.S. I DO NOT believe that 'tone woods' matter much on a solidbody electric! I've heard great guitars made of plastic, cardboard, tin cans, and milk crates. I think that pickups and scale length are the two biggest determinants outside of the player's hands to solidbody electric guitar sound...
  19. funny_polymath

    Guitar Pickups Don't Matter?

    I own a lot of different guitars primarily for their pups! They make a HUGE difference in sound. From P-90s to Zexcoils to the amazing (and amazingly cheap) GFS goldfoils - the differences are stellar! I mostly play single coils, but when I replaced my Epi-SG's stock humbuckers with 4 conductor...
  20. funny_polymath

    Back in the saddle at last (Finally loving my Axe-FX again)

    These (cheap as shite!) gfs gold foil single coils (not their goldfoil humbuckers) sound so damn sweet! Baked quarter-sawn neck too. Just wish the frets weren't so skinny. Refret, someday. I was going to buy some Lollar goldfoils, but when I heard these, I ordered a set of three strat-sized ones...
  21. funny_polymath

    Back in the saddle at last (Finally loving my Axe-FX again)

    Guess the one I played was one of the good ones: sweet, punchy, responsive, lush. I own a pre-CBS Princeton and... right now I'm enjoying my Blues Jr. patch more! I still need to dial out a little treble harshness to perfect it. One nice thing about this patch: ALL of the guitars I've tried so...
  22. funny_polymath

    Back in the saddle at last (Finally loving my Axe-FX again)

    I created this new patch from scratch in like 5 minutes. I just could not believe how sweet it sounds! Now I gotta save the amp and cab blocks, change all of my old presets, and.. add scenes! Never have played with scenes, but I'm going to need 'em now that I'm getting a new band together. And...
  23. funny_polymath

    Back in the saddle at last (Finally loving my Axe-FX again)

    I've been an Axe-FX user since the Ultra first came out. I now own an original II (i.e. a MKI). I haven't been in a band of late, and had.. sorta drifted into playing my Princeton (and even my Champ), instead of my Axe. It just didn't sound as good as a real amp to me anymore. Guess my ears...
  24. funny_polymath

    Just giving thanks...

    Oh, I'd love to, but I'll be Fire-Keeper at the annual Beltane festival at the Center for Symbolic Studies, in Tilson. Let me know when the next one is, though, and I'll keep an eye out.
  25. funny_polymath

    Just giving thanks...

    Howdy! What kind of music are you in to?
  26. funny_polymath

    Just giving thanks...

    I've been gone from here along while. Lotta personal stuff. I haven't even recorded any music for over a year. So, yesterday, I started working with my nephew, who lives in Korea, shipping files back and forth between our respective DAWs (Samplitude for me, Reason for him). Ain't this an...
  27. funny_polymath

    I love listening to Jeff Beck

    'Cause we've ended as Lovers on Blow-By-Blow is one of the most expressive electric guitar tracks in history. Jan Hammer may be Jeff's favorite 'guitarist', but Jeff is mine! Add Tal Wilkenfeld and oh the heartache!
  28. funny_polymath

    Rip Maurice White....

    RIP. Loved EWF back in the day.
  29. funny_polymath

    RIP Dan Hicks

    Didn't know him, but I love this clip. Reminds me of Bob Wills. R.I.P. Mr. Hicks.
  30. funny_polymath

    It's not always what you say but...

    This one has always brought me to tears. Thanks for reminding me of my and your humanity again.
  31. funny_polymath

    Wish Model My [Insert Effect Name Here]?

    I'd always hoped that they'd come out with an upgrade wherein you'd see your modeled effect's controls on screen and get to adjust them as in the original (using knobs and/or pedals). I used to perform back int he 80's with a table full of stomp boxes in front of me. The fun you can have...
  32. funny_polymath

    Wish Model My [Insert Effect Name Here]?

    YES YES YES YES YES +1000 Plus: Foxx Tone Machine (octave fuzz)
  33. funny_polymath

    Clr or Mackie

    I LOVE my Neo CLR! Wish I had two. Note: I don't do a lot of high gain, but some. Mostly Fenderish tones. It sounds great, and having two inputs with separate levels coms in very handy sometimes - esp. where there are no stage monitors and I can fold some FOH into my wedge. Spring the extra $...
  34. funny_polymath

    Neil and Promise of the real

    Cobbler, I couldn't agree more: the hyper-fast 'stunt guitarists' haven't written any songs as memorable as Neil's B sides, and I LOVE his primal channeling when he plays. I actually feel bad for folks who cannot connect to the power and glory and simple (but not unsophisitcated) thrust of his...
  35. funny_polymath

    Please recommend me monitors for live use

    A pair of Atomic CLR Neo Actives would kick butt! You can even fold FOH and your signal together into each of them and control volume on each signal independently.
  36. funny_polymath

    All views, experiences and opinions much wanted - Matrix GT-800 vs. GT-1000

    I had an 800 and a 1000 (2U quiet version). Truthfully, they were good, and I was using some great FRFR and guitar cabs with 'em. But for me, once I tried the Atomic active neo CLR, there was no going back. And I hear there's new gear that gives the Atomic a run for its money...
  37. funny_polymath

    The Humbler...

    Just saw this and had to share. Day-Am!
  38. funny_polymath

    Hans van Andel (Vafam Sound, Rack Panels)

    A very sweet man. I'd been worried about this, and now it's come to pass... RIP Hans.
  39. funny_polymath

    Hungering for Strange, from my new album, Love, Lust, and Genocide

    First solo is on my Epiphone Wildkat into my Axe-II straight into the converters. Outro solo is on my Zexcoil-Equipped Mexi-Strat through my Axe-FX II straight into the Rosetta A/D... Oh, riddim is also my strat through the AXE-II (and my trusty PCM-70).
  40. funny_polymath

    Help on Rust Never Sleeps/Rockin' in the Free World sound

    I'lll just have to get off my fat ass and upgrade to find out. Maybe I'll record a little before and after... Thanks again for the superb patch. I use it quite a lot, though more often with just one of the two drive blocks on...
  41. funny_polymath

    Help on Rust Never Sleeps/Rockin' in the Free World sound

    Well, it only took me forever, but here's the song that started me on a quest for a RNS tone. THANKS to iaresee, and the P-90 on my Epiphone Wildkat, and a little pre-distortion from a morley volume/wah/distortion pedal, I got what I was looking for. The sound is on the outro solo, starting...
  42. funny_polymath

    Cab and Amp (or patch) to work with an acoustic guitar (Fishman Ellipse Blend system)

    Took the Silk&Steel strings off the Martin 000-C and put phosphor bronzes on in preparation for some gigs. I'll be doing some 'unplugged' gigs, which, as you know, often are plugged in, and I'll also being adding a couple of acoustic numbers to my mostly electric show. I've been playing...
  43. funny_polymath

    A pair of powered CLR's or a pair of Adams?

    Equator D-8's
  44. funny_polymath

    A pair of powered CLR's or a pair of Adams?

    Bethrecords: I agree totally! I could not afford to soundproof my 'studio' (15X15), but I did a full Auralex room treatment with absorption and diffusion. It made a MASSIVE difference! I used some of their panels, and some of their corner thingies to kill some bassy spots. Just don't overdo the...
  45. funny_polymath

    A pair of powered CLR's or a pair of Adams?

    Not sure. ADAM and Genelec are pricey. I've heard things on my Genelecs that I've never heard on any other speaker - low level RF interference on the original recording, all sorts of stuff. Their granularity is very fine and they're great for audio 'archeology' and restoration. However, my...
  46. funny_polymath

    A pair of powered CLR's or a pair of Adams?

    I own a NEO CLR and it is PLENTY loud and sounds GREAT! That said, I'd still rather record and mix on a pair of studio monitors. If you can afford both, get both (and get Equator D8's, they are AMAZING for the money = like, a year later, I still can't believe how good they sound - but remember...
  47. funny_polymath

    New family member... help name her!

    I thought Plexi was a good one.
  48. funny_polymath

    My album drops 7/28 but the advance reviews ROCK!

    Yeah, tooting my own horn. Someone's gotta! :lol Scallywag Magazine musicexistence.com
  49. funny_polymath

    The Flexiblilty of the JM45 combined with a SuperReverb

    Great, but I'd hardly call that a 'clean' tone...
  50. funny_polymath

    Choosing a "Fender-ish" clean tone

    I use the Fender Super Reverb myself, but my cabs are a pair of 4X12 Recto V30's (and RH and an OH), each mic'd with a u86. Should not give me my ideal 'Fender' sound with those cabs, but it does! Certainly the Super Reverb (Superb for short) is this shite, IMHO, for Fender.
  51. funny_polymath

    NGD Custom Emerald Steampunk Carbon Fiber Electric

    The whole thing is insanely beautiful. Pure Guitar Porn. But that Volume knob is about the coolest thing in the known universe!
  52. funny_polymath

    How do you track with your Fractal?

    I track in mono and stereo, depending. Mono gives me cleaner transient response. Stereo lets me print with stereo effects (yes, I am in the minority: I actually like to print with effects). Of course, I'll do multiple passes and comp tracks if I have to as well. I track straight from the Axe...
  53. funny_polymath

    Hum Problem Unlike Any I have Read About Others Having

    Simplify: Put your Axe and JC on a non-conducting surface (if the axe is in a rack, take it out). I use my bed. Plug them both into the SAME outlet (i.e. a two-plug standard wall outlet). Plug a cable from the Axe to the JC only - no guitar, no other cords. Turn them on medium volume. If, under...
  54. funny_polymath

    My cover of Hurt... getting some nice reviews.

    My cover of Hurt has dropped, as part of the True Groove All-Stars Fully-Recovered covers album (my album is scheduled to drop in May). The album and my song are both getting some great reviews, and I'm a happy camper... except that no one actually purchases music anymore :nightmare: Spotify...
  55. funny_polymath

    A 'Frank Zappa Roxy SG' for peanuts

    Annotated image:
  56. funny_polymath

    A 'Frank Zappa Roxy SG' for peanuts

    Update: I forgot to mention: the push/pull pots turned out to be too ungainly to make fast tonal changes. The Zappy Roxy guitar has the mini-toggles in a place I also find ungainly - I am afraid they will interfere with strumming at times. I am thinking of routing the body and putting the...
  57. funny_polymath

    A 'Frank Zappa Roxy SG' for peanuts

    It's really a great sounding mod. I used the Gibson 57 Classic (neck) & 57 Classic + (bridge) 4 conductor pickups, which appeared to be the same as or very close to what's on the Zappa Roxy Guitar: "The new Zappa SG features two ’57 classic humbuckers that are routed through a pair of mini...
  58. funny_polymath

    The Ridgewing Guitar - this thing is CRAZY cool!

    I just lost my job; not a great time be be all GASsed up, but hey:
  59. funny_polymath

    Eddie Van Halen Interview at the Smithsonian

    I've never been a giant fan, mostly because I didn't liek the frat-boy sensibility of the band. But I remember hearing Eruption on a local radio station when I was in college and being blown out. To hear him playing here on this video, I got a new appreciation of him, because I admire...
  60. funny_polymath

    Any RME Babyface Users here?

    I own a digiface and a fireface. I've always found their gear to be robust. I've had them for years, gigged extensively, never a MOMENT of problems with 'em. My stuff doesn't sound as good as my Apogee Rosetta 8, but it still sounds damn good. And the digiface has the best MIDI throughput I've...
  61. funny_polymath

    Acoustic Guitars for around $1000

    I love martins (I own two, one built in 1903), but I gotta say, I hope your quality is better than mine on the newer ones. That 'limited edition Steve Miller Pagasus', while sounding great, needed a bridge re-set. Some friends have had similar problems with Martins bought in since about 2003. I...
  62. funny_polymath

    Acoustic Guitars for around $1000

    You may call me crazy (wouldn't be the first), but I bought an Epiphone Advanced Jumbo sunburst for $220.00 without case. It sounds GREAT! And it's very playable too (I slightly adjusted the truss rod and she was good to go). This piece has my quite expensive Martin Steve Miller limited...
  63. funny_polymath

    Everyone agrees...

    The early Talking heads CDs are a great example of nasty, brittle, dead transfers to digital. They sucked compared to vinyl...
  64. funny_polymath

    Everyone agrees...

    It's true. Listen to an old Billie Holiday album. Hell, listen to an old Rufus album! This 'noise wars' crap of compressing the living sh#t out of everything has really ticked me off (and in the end, even my stuff gets more compressed than I'd like - the powers that be say it's necessary for...
  65. funny_polymath

    Is this true?

    All of the pro studios I've recorded and worked at over the years left all of their gear on all the time, except tube gear (and some left that on all the time, a bad idea, I think). The rationale was that there's less thermal stress with a near-constant temperature, rather than the fatigue to...
  66. funny_polymath

    Sneak Peek at my new Album...

    The album, "Love, Lust, and Genocide" will be out in March. Meanwhile, here's a sneak peek. Enjoy. Just a good time rock song. I play both solos. First is my Epiphone Wildkat, 2nd is my Zexcoil & S1 equipped Mexican FSR Strat, both through the Axe. The only cover on the album, NIN's...
  67. funny_polymath

    A 'Frank Zappa Roxy SG' for peanuts

    It's really not a 'strat-like' sound, it's something else, but it DOES have that 'spanky-planky' single coil sound, just a sound all it's own.
  68. funny_polymath

    A 'Frank Zappa Roxy SG' for peanuts

    Well, I finally got around to recording something with it. This is off my upcoming album on True Groove Records, "Love, Lust & Genocide". It's not mastered yet, but you'll get the idea... The album features songs and spoken word pieces. This is a moody, atmospheric spoken word piece. So, this...
  69. funny_polymath

    Ok wish me luck last chance for my CLR today with the full band

    My preference is on the floor facing me in tilt mode, so I can use it for feedback and just the general 'vibe' that strings interacting with the speaker gives me, then FOH from there. This is, I believe how I saw Dweezil using it, but whether I'm right or not, in seems to work best. When there's...
  70. funny_polymath

    When a famous band's first shows are freaking awesome

    WOW. Just day-am WOW! Thanks.
  71. funny_polymath

    Pray

    My prayers for your father, you, and your loved ones.
  72. funny_polymath

    Adrian Belew rig rubdown

    Liquid Foot - alright AB!
  73. funny_polymath

    Anyone else having issues with Sperzel tuners?

    I put locking Sperzels on all my axes. never had an issue.
  74. funny_polymath

    Rocksmith for practicing?

    Didn't work on my PC at all (though the PC did meet requirements). Tech support blew. And they wouldn't refund my money and I STILL bought it for Playstation (or was it Xbox - I dunno, I bought it for this game alone, I'm not a gamer). Latency is not an issue if you use the analog outputs from...
  75. funny_polymath

    Buy Dweezil's Fractal Presets

    I think I'd learn a TON from Dweezil's ZPZ presets! A LOT of time was invested by FAS & Dweezil, and others, to get those sounds. I can make patches I like, but why reinvent the wheel with these? It'd take ages and need audio of a good concert too (or does he have a live CD?). I am interested in...
  76. funny_polymath

    Be sure to vote!

    Not much point anymore. We are a Corporate Oligarchy, not a democratic republic. A noble experiment, but the Supreme Court Citizen's United decision was the final nail in the coffin for our democracy. Both parties are owned by big $. One is a little more liberal on social issues, the other...
  77. funny_polymath

    New Dweezil Zappa Album in the works...

    It is galling to me that when I click on the 'more detail' for the $200.00 Axe-FX Presets deal, there IS NO MORE DETAIL! Yes, a complete list of presets should be there. And, since the majority of people who've seen Dweezil perform have seen him doing Zappa Plays Zappa, I also think that we...
  78. funny_polymath

    Buy Dweezil's Fractal Presets

    So, are all the Roxy presets on there? If so, I will probably pony up, with gritted teeth.
  79. funny_polymath

    Buy Dweezil's Fractal Presets

    8's? And yet he sounded so good! Maybe it's time to swallow my pride and move down to 9's (I used to use 11s and moved to 10s 2 years ago). I certainly could play some stuff I can't handle with 10's
  80. funny_polymath

    Name Your DAW!

    I used Performer 1.0 (before Digital Performer, when it was just a sequencer). I loved it, but never quite liked it once it went into audio recording/editing. Then again, that was a long time ago, and I'm sure it's much hipper now. At the time, it felt like audio was an add-on to get market...
  81. funny_polymath

    Name Your DAW!

    Just curious., ever tried Samplitude? First Object-oriented Daw on the market, first with internal 16 and 32 bit math on summing etc., first with true noise removal and convolution reverb. Sometimes it does drive me up the wall, but it is hands down the most powerful DAW I've ever used, bar none...
  82. funny_polymath

    Musikraft/Warmoth Replacement Necks

    Alabama humidity? Don't go one piece! A laminated fretboard (especially of different density and grain, but any laminated board) will most definitely make your neck more stable, and is MUCH nicer to play than a poly-sealed neck. Oh, and I just bought a Warmoth. Haven't finished the build yet...
  83. funny_polymath

    My Ormsby Hype Build

    Gorgeous. That fingerboard is to die for... I've never even touched a multiscale. Are they hard to play? Is it hard to switch back and forth from them to standard guitars? Do they sound all 'microtonal' - or can you still do things on them like Barre chords and have them sound in tune?
  84. funny_polymath

    Name Your DAW!

    Samplitude Pro X Suite, 64 bit on Win 7 64. I use Ableton Live a bit too, but mostly for live mixing.
  85. funny_polymath

    Scared SH$$LESS Help!!!!

    I bought my Ultra in 2007 (now have a II). I would not have bought it without the free 2-week tryout period. Does FAS still offer that? That said, within 1/2 hour, I was sure I was gonna keep it! And it's just gotten better and better over the years. Some things still annoy me: the Looper is not...
  86. funny_polymath

    ARE YOU A OPEN MINDED GUITARIST? 100%?

    All I can say is that White was the star of that movie to me, and the people he cited as influences too. Page was cool. The edge was totally outclassed - no balls compared to Jack White. Like him or not, White's real - he writes and sings and plays from what I believe to be an authentic place -...
  87. funny_polymath

    ARE YOU A OPEN MINDED GUITARIST? 100%?

    I like a LOT of different kinds of music, and people are astounded that I'm putting out a basically rock-song album soon, since my last was quiet, meditative piano music. I love a lot of jazz, blues, various eras of 'classical', including some modern classical, a lot of world music (especially...
  88. funny_polymath

    Cab Packs - are they necessary?

    Nope. I'm back a few FW releases. Will upgrade and try it! Thanks
  89. funny_polymath

    Cab Packs - are they necessary?

    I'm about to drop the dime on my first pack, the Ownhammer Producer Pack. Hope it's worth it! Trying to get closer to a new Fender Blues Deluxe open-back amp I heard recently. I think a more germane question is: is Cab Lab necessary? Maybe for the tweak-a-holic, or someone who shoots his own...
  90. funny_polymath

    What I think FAS is really doing for players and how the industry.....

    Well put. I've been a happy FAS user since I got my Ultra in 2007 (whew, over 7 years!!!). New FW and finally finding the perfect FRFR solution (Atomic CLR Neo Active), has only made it better! I have no time for cab-lab, though! I am amazed people mess with that! I figger, there are lots of...
  91. funny_polymath

    Wife's NGD: Emerald Bass (carbon fiber)

    Beautiful. Cool henna too.
  92. funny_polymath

    Das Metal - HOLY HELL!

    I will give it a go. I tend to hate gates in general and globally have it off, but I will try.
  93. funny_polymath

    VH Panama 16.02

    Fantastic tone, and playing.
  94. funny_polymath

    Das Metal - HOLY HELL!

    This makes no sense to me: I have the volume pedal off. There's NO SIGNAL going into the Axe. Therefore the source of the noise is within the gain stages of the patch, not from the guitar, so an input gate isn't going to help. A gate after all the gain might. Please explain.
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