Latest Acquisitions....

[RandallFlagg]

Here's the latest from the RFlagg studios (formerly known as Abbey Road :lol: ):


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v697/rflagg/DSC_0047.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v697/rflagg/DSC_0046.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v697/rflagg/DSC_0070.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v697/rflagg/DSC_0059.jpg

The last pic is just my practice setup at home...lots of "older" stuff...

Anyway....not much I guess, but not a bad start.....


RF

[babayaga]

Hey Randall... cool.

Apart from the desks my kit tends to be inboard and software based, rather than outboard... but is that an Akai tape deck I spy?

Mine's a Sony TC377. I have two of them, but only one of them still works properly (although it needs a bit of TLC at the moment....). I'm using it to archive my tape collection to digital (...when I have time!).

Take care - G.

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t179/babayaga321/STC2.jpg

[RandallFlagg]

Good Eye there!!!

Yep, it is, indeed, an old Akai recorder. I actually took those pics to send to one of my "original" bandmates (we recorded a lot of stuff on that old recorder) to sort of "bring back memories" and to illustrate how far things have come in the last 20-25 years.....

It's a little like the bass in the pic....I have several others that I use on a regular basses (all Fender and all American made :wink: ) But I always go back to my old 1972 Fender Jazz Bass when I need "comfort" - a little old and beat up, but it gets the job done quite nicely!!

And yes, I look at from time to time and think back.........fondly!!



RF

[SilverHamer]

HEY!!! I used to have that same Akai deck!! Mine was all black though, but it was pretty much identical otherwise. I can't remember the model number, I think it was something like 330DB or X-330DB, or something like that anyways. I stopped using open reel quite some time ago, but I, too, have some great memories with it.

Interesting story...sorry for deviating off topic a bit...but one of my co-workers has an old Akai deck that he purchased in Viet Nam back in the '60's...it's still working great, too. A few years ago he was in need of some aluminum sensing tape for the auto reverse function...and it's been so long since anything like that has been in use that he had a devil of a time finding any. He finally found a shop that would only sell it in packages of 12 rolls for $15.00. He tried to get them to sell him a single roll but they wouldn't do it. After wondering what he would do with all that aluminum sensing tape, he decided to put one roll of it up for auction on ebay just to see what would happen. When the auction ended, the bidding was up to $43.00 for that ONE ROLL!!! Apparently there are still a lot of people out there who still use their old open reel decks which require aluminum sensing tape for the auto reverse function...hahaha. As far as I know, my friend sold a few more rolls like that, but none of them brought as much as the very first...but he still made over $30.00 per roll for the ones that I know he sold afterward.

Sooo...aluminum sensing tape COULD be a very worthwhile investment, assuming you can find it like my friend did...hahaha.

I have a Korg D3200 Digital Work Station that I got for Christmas '06. I'm still learning how to use it but you can read all about it here:

http://www.8thstreet.com/product.asp?ProductCode=40008&Category=Recorders

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v354/LarryC/Hawk%20Studio%20Forum/D3200.jpg

I use a Samson OC-1 Condensor mic for my vocals.

LC

[RandallFlagg]

Very cool indeed!!

Yeah, I know what you mean about the tape....really sort of a dinosaur, and, I might add, that as I get farther into this "digital" thing, I am really glad that it is history (emphasis on Hsssss) :) But in all honesty, I wouldn't trade those days for the world. I recall days (and many nights!) in the old Analog studios - sitting on the old couch waiting to do my bass and vocal parts - going out back for...ummm.....recreational purposes....ahh...those were the days....yeah right!! :oops: :oops:

I was having a bear of a time equating the digital manual into my vague memory of analog recording and I was fortunate enough to run across a Yamaha tutorial DVD on good ol Ebay - grabbed that puppy in a hurry - and it has helped immensely!!

I had made my own first succesful attempt shortly afterwards.....6 tracks...but that was because I got bored and said what the heck.

I am by no means a keyboard player, but was able to lay down a base...to get me going, then added bass, drums and 4 part harmony and lead vocals...all in all, took a couple of hours, and I must admit, I was like a proud Dad, calling my Wife and Grand Son in to "check it out"...

Man, I have to get the old bandmates to get started on their stuff.....

Oh, and as a footnote....your Korg seems pretty much like my Yammy, except that you have 32 tracks whereas mine is stuck on 16, although you can record 32 "virtual" tracks plus drums then mix down to either 8 tracks or go the stereo route....alas, you have already got me gassing for a "better" system........


RF

[MarkE]

Randall / Graham / Larry...
Nice pics of the equipment guys. Thanks for posting them. If I ever get my room cleaned up I'll shoot some of mine. I can be a real slob sometimes, especially when I spend several days in a row in there :) Coffee cups, dishes, wires and crap everywhere.

[RandallFlagg]

Randall / Graham / Larry...
Nice pics of the equipment guys. Thanks for posting them. If I ever get my room cleaned up I'll shoot some of mine. I can be a real slob sometimes, especially when I spend several days in a row in there :) Coffee cups, dishes, wires and crap everywhere.

Brother let me call you attention to this pic:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v697/rflagg/DSC_0070.jpg

That "red" blanket thing you see in front of me is a very technical piece of equipment. My Wife and I have labeled it as our $900.00 clothes rack. It is, in all honesty, a treadmill that I bought my Wife 3-4 years ago....we were going to get "fit".....now, we are trying to figure out a way to get it out of my "studio" and transported to our house in Colorado.......go figure!! :lol: :lol: :lol:

Oh!! Forgot to ask!! How's the latest "acquisition" working out!?!! Man! New basses are SO cool!!

RF

[babayaga]

RF - know what you mean.

My 'studio' until recently contained a bed which had to remain there on the off chance that my son Peter, might visit us on occasion, from Uni in Bradford. The fluff getting into the mixer sliders was a pain to vacuum out...!

I finally convinced Milady that on the (very rare) occasions that he might come home, he could slepp on the couch!!

The wayward fluff is a hell of a lot easier to contain, and the son is made comfy when he comes home! :lol:

G.

[MarkE]

HA HA...Im not the only one :)

RIght now Im in the middle of designing and building my new rack DSP. Unfortunately my electronics shop shares space with my music stuff. I have boxes and tools everywhere! And also...I havent finished unpacking yet since moving to PA. I have boxes of patch cords and my unassembled drum set still lying about :(

Randal....THE CARVIN IS JUST GREAT!!! Between this and the Jazz bass Im hooked up!!!

It plays really nice....check it out...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSjPioY8XAk

This is the first video I made so far with it.

BTW...I got a treadmill once. It sat in my garage for about 8 years before I finally sold it :)

[RandallFlagg]

Mark - you're having entirely too much fun....I'll have to call Chris Squire and report you!! :o

Sounds really good, though....

You know, I've never had much of an opportunity to "get acquainted" with Carvins (they were all the rage in the 80s) and I got a lot of evil looks because I didn't have Carvin equipment.... :wink:

Isn't it cool to get new gear!?!?!?



RF

[MarkE]

Yeah.. one day I got a real hair in my ass about getting a new bass. I obsessed for weeks trying to select one. I almost went with an Ibanez that I had been eyeballing for some time. I then realized that it was the neck-through design with multilayer neck that drew me towards Ibanez.

Then I found Carvin (again) and decided to go with something custom made instead of off the shelf like usual. Then I obsessed over the wood/color/finish etc. I had to wait nearly 9 weeks but it was well worth it.

Im so happy with it that Im alrready planning another one, this time a Carvin Icon 4P. Here we go again with the wait, colors, etc etc. Im thinking all white.

I cant speak for their guitars but Im tempted to try one. I dunno...if I were to buy a new 6 string, Larry's Hamer is pretty sexy.

[MarkE]

Here is the Icon bass that currently has me drooling. A guy on Carvin's board recently had this made for him...

http://www.thehawkstudio.com/images/b2.jpg

http://www.thehawkstudio.com/images/b5.jpg

http://www.thehawkstudio.com/images/b6.jpg


I'd get it in a 4 string as Im a 4-banger only guy. I think Id also opt to leave out the fret markers to improve the contrast. I like the Icon....it has a more jazz bass style body.
I can get it made out of any wood I like. possibly maple neck with either swamp ash, koa or alder body wings. Koa is pretty expensive.

[RandallFlagg]

Gorgeous!!

Back in the 80s, I played these pretty much exclusively:

http://home.att.net/~daion/daion1.jpg

Kind of a weird story how I came into them. I was in a music store I frequented in thos days and a good friend of mine (saleman) told me that he had a couple of guys he wanted me to meet. They were Doctors (actually Dentists) from Waco Texas and were Jazz freaks. They introduced themselves and proceeded to show me their line of new "basses"and "guitars"....whoa!! They were (at the time) the neatest and easiest playing basses I had come into contact with. I liked them ALOT!! They immediately signed me as an endorser and I played them for pretty much the rest of the 80s.

Somewhere along the line, they weren't selling enough of them and they eventually sold out to a Japanese firm..........

If I ever come into a great deal of money (yeah, right!) I will purchase the rights to them and bring them back......(wishful thinking)....

They were called Daion and they were sweet!!! You can find them every now and again on Ebay, but that's it....Trust me on this...the could comptete EASILY with Alembic....they were that good...

These guys spared no expense when building them. Neck through-string thru body-ebony board- beautifully figure 9 piece maple-mohogany bodies- P and J PUP configurations- brass dot markers and nut - the workmanship was second to none......I have kicked myself in the butt a million times for getting rid of mine a few years ago.... :cry:


RF

Hey Mark, this looks like it would make a great sister for your bass:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v354/LarryC/Hawk%20Studio%20Forum/carvin01.jpg


But this is more my style...I love this quilted maple top and the colors!!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v354/LarryC/Hawk%20Studio%20Forum/carvin02.jpg

If I was in the market for another axe I'd probably be looking into trying one of these.

[SilverHamer]

Damn...I was not logged in for some reason when I made that post...grrrr.

I really like that matching headstock on the second one...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v354/LarryC/Hawk%20Studio%20Forum/carvin02.jpg

[MarkE]

Yeah...the CT6 is hot! CT for carved top. There are some stunning pictures of some CTs in the players galleries on the Carvin Museum site.

I was never a real fan of tops until recently. Some of the tops with burst paint are awesome...like blueburst etc.

Check it out..

http://www.carvinmuseum.com/playersgallery/carvedtop.html

I really like the one labeled John's CT6M

Tempting isnt it????

[MarkE]

I restrung two basses today. The yamaha got a new set of DR black beauties and a full tweakout.

The Carvin got a new set of DR Marcus Miller's, truss rod adjustment, bridge height, intonation etc etc. I worked on it all afternoon. I have it perfect now. Man, can I ever cruise on this thing.

Carvin is the sheeeaaattttt!

[RandallFlagg]

Damn you guys!!

Now you've got me gassing for a Carvin.......... :D


I'm gonna have to go and play one now.....


Gawd!! New Equipment is neat!!


Whoa!!! I call your attention to the pic at NAMM with the nubile young lady.....are my eyes deceiving me, or is that an "ACOUSTIC" logo!?!?!?

If they're coming back..........I'm ALL IN!!!


RF

[RandallFlagg]

Like you guys, I was never really a fan of the figured/quilted tops until I purchased this puppy a while back:

http://img310.imageshack.us/img310/6533/bass14pc.jpg


These are my two "babies"........greatest sound in the world.......


RF

[MarkE]

Woooaaahhh...nice pair baby!!

The bass on the right looks like a hybrid. It has jazz bass controls and PB pickup and bridge covers. Did Fender really release a jazz bass like that? Unless there is a second pickup under the bridge cover Im betting a P bass configured pickup under the other cover. Exactly what is that. I really like it! Fretless too?? Man...

Also, the one on the leaft is really beautiful. Fender style headstock... what is that???

By gassing do you mean Gear Aquisition Syndrome hehehehe

[MarkE]

Carvin Acoustic BABY!!!! I'd almost kill for this. A Carvin AC40


http://www.thehawkstudio.com/images/ac40.jpg


I've never played an acoustic bass.

[SilverHamer]

I LOVE quilted maple...I have 4 guitars with quilted maple tops.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v354/LarryC/Hawk%20Studio%20Forum/quilt_hamer.jpg
Hamer SATQ

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v354/LarryC/Hawk%20Studio%20Forum/quilt_catalyst.jpg
Johnson Catalyst

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v354/LarryC/Hawk%20Studio%20Forum/quilt_LTD.jpg
LTD by ESP

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v354/LarryC/Hawk%20Studio%20Forum/quilt_galveston01.jpg
Galveston Double Neck

There are so many really rich-looking tops to be had out there.

[RandallFlagg]

Woooaaahhh...nice pair baby!!

The bass on the right looks like a hybrid. It has jazz bass controls and PB pickup and bridge covers. Did Fender really release a jazz bass like that? Unless there is a second pickup under the bridge cover Im betting a P bass configured pickup under the other cover. Exactly what is that. I really like it! Fretless too?? Man...

Also, the one on the leaft is really beautiful. Fender style headstock... what is that???

By gassing do you mean Gear Aquisition Syndrome hehehehe


Oh yeah!! GAS!!!

OK....The bass on the right is a Fender Custom Shop 62 RI that I had built a few years back....it's pretty much stock except I had them re-wire the PUPS into a Mono configuration (the same thing Geddy Lee did with his Jazz). As far as the PUPS go...no, standard 62 J-Bass pickups under those ashtrays. The only thing that I left off was the thumb rest...but I have since added that .

The Bass on the left is a 2004 Fender American Deluxe QMT. It's active with an 18 volt preamp and noiseless pups. They don't make so much as a whisper! It's their "top-o-the-line Jazz".....Fender eventually discontinued the Quilt top - although they commissioned Fender Korea to make a piece of junk they call the "Fender 24". Basically their first 24 fret model....and I reiterate...it is junk...

This is my main "player"...I've always loved this beast!!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v697/rflagg/DSC_0004.jpg

It's an ealry 70s Jazz that I have made numerous "modifications" to over the years.....custom pickguard and bartolinis....

and, finally:

http://img174.exs.cx/img174/6936/8bigger8io.jpg

My baby....the 4003 Midnight Blue Ric.....

That's it for my axes.....


RF

[RandallFlagg]

Ahhhh....I see that they (Fender Custom Shop) has discontinued the 62 RI, but here's an example of the 64 RI:

http://www.fender.com/customshop/instruments/search.php?partno=0151300800


Costs are relatively expensive, but again, you pretty much "get what you pay for"....


RF

[RandallFlagg]

Well, Mark, you did it to me......Dang it all to hell!!

Played a Carvin today over at our local "music store" called "Guitar Source".....damn! Now I'm trying to figure out a way to "gently" ask my Wife for yet another bass.......it was the bb70 and it literally blew my mind!!

Not sure about the price, though. They were asking $979.....sound right to you??



RF

[MarkE]

Yeah...just playing a carvin one time will sell ya hehehe

yes, Bunny Brunel bass. The price seems right.

here is a link to the bb70 on carvins site with the base price and pricing of all the options. This way you can compare. also, you wont have to wait 8-9 weeks for it


http://www.carvin.com/products/guitar.php?ItemNumber=BB70