name, city, instrument, years of playing, current band, gear
 #146892  by Mines of Moria
 
Howdy folks,

I am a newbie here looking for some guidance on a rig that I am planning on gathering. I am sure that the title of this thread has raised some curiosity, so let me begin by offering a little background information. I will try to keep this brief....

I am currently finishing out a prison bid for manufacturing drugs. At the time of my bust I was going through some very dark times and was caught tightly in the chains of addiction. I never sold drugs... I reasoned that it would be healthier to make my own drugs rather than buy them from the street (junkie justification at its finest, here). Everything was going fine until my roommate turned out to be a confidential informant and I woke one morning to a HASMAT team- complete with their space suits and fully loaded automatic weapons- knocking down my door.

To make a long (and very strange) story short, I pled guilty and was sent to prison. I lost the home that I owned and did a fairly good job at destroying what was already a tarnished reputation (you better believe that I saved all of the hate mail and garbage the press put out about me.) In the end, though, I halted what was to be a fatal trajectory and am all the stronger for the experience.,

Prison sucked. But now, with only two months left until freedom, I am in a work release program and living in a half-way house. I h ave already managed to save three thousand dollars, and expect to double that in the coming months. After I pay what's left of my lawyer fees and restitution (yes, you do get billed for having your home raided), I plan, with your kind help, on spending some serious cash on a Jerrycaster project.

I began studying music in elementary school. By the time I reached my teens, I was a serious guitar player and Dead Head. I went to college for jazz studies and studied at Berklee College of Music for some time. At this point I was focusing primarily on learning jazz. The time and dedication needed to become proficient in this style is comparable to becoming a doctor. It seemed like I was practicing all the time, eight hours a day, usually, but playing little. I no longer jammed or played Dead tunes like I used to. I was starting to become a jazz snob, and music was starting to loose its fun.

After college I spent some years travelling the country. I lived in San Francisco and Vermont, and all places in-between. My drug use started to get more heavy, and I eventually overdosed and nearly died. After this incident, my life took a complete one-eighty. I sold all of my music equipment and moved into a Buddhist monastery.

Dang... My laptop is about to die. I am going to stop here for now and pick up the story when I get some more juice...
 #146898  by Searing75
 
Kazad Dum!

I think that's what The Mines of Moria was originally called?

Anyways, good luck man. Maybe you should focus your time, money, and energy into getting a job, an apartment, and a decent, healthy partner before jumping into the Jerry gear. You need a foundation to build a healthy life on before you can play the music you love.
 #146911  by Staemius
 
Welcome to the board and all the best bud - looking forward to hearing more of your story.
 #146922  by Mines of Moria
 
Sorry, I must have fallen asleep... Actually, being in the half-way house and all I don't have internet access, so I sneak about to the library when I can between work shifts. My posts, therefore may be a bit sporadic. The Mines of Moria is, I believe a Tolkien reference. It is also the name of a very old and challenging aid rock climb on Cathedral Ledge in New Hampshire. I always had dreams of aid soling it. I actually tried once... I made it about two pitches up before I bailed after a good six hours of scaring myself to death. There is a climb nearby called the Bridge of Kazam Dum so yeah, they must be connected somehow.

I already have a job and a house lined up to live in when I get out. I never thought that I would be leaving prison with six grand in my pocket; the transitional program they have set up here is actually a really good thing for prisoners who are ready for it. A lot of people can't handle it. You are technically still a prisoner, but you have a lot of freedom given to you after being locked up, and all it takes is one screw up to get lugged back behind the wall. I work over seventy hours a week in a super busy restaurant. Its actually a pretty stressful situation, and between the gruesome schedule and the fact that I just made it out of prison in one piece, I am definitely going to treat myself to some gear. I suppose I could be doing worse...

Anyway, I was trying to keep this tale short, so I will try to actually get to the point here. It was about 13 years ago when I OD and sold all of my gear. I guess I went from one extreme to the other. I was only 21 and I went from living a totally reckless life to one where I purposely isolated myself from almost everything and everyone I was once involved with. In the end, what I needed was a sense of balance, but that lesson had yet to come.

So, no more guitars. No more sex, booze, or coffee, either. I totally immersed myself in the practice of Buddhism. I became very involved with this monastery and lineage and was studying Tibetan language. At one point I wanted to become a monk, and I ended up taking genyen vows, which are the basic vows that ordained Buddhists adhere to. My lama sent me off in the world and told me to see how I could handle living with the vows. At the time I wanted to jump right into being a monk, but he insisted that I wait and develop a relationship with the vows that he had given me.

So off I went, this time landing in the great state of Montana. I eventually realized that it would have been a disaster if I had become a monk. The whole process was acted like a teaching for me, and when I gave the vows back it felt like the right thing to do. At this point I just wanted to be a normal twenty something year-old; I met a girl, blah, blah, blah, and slowly started integrating myself as a more social person.

Ok, so some years past, blah blah, blah. I moved back east, bought a house, blah, blah, blah, and eventually became a junkie again. There's some gaps there but I think you guys have enough of a back story to work with here. My whole point in telling this yarn is to give you an idea of the relationship that I have with the guitar. About three months before I got locked up, I took a hard look at my life and thought about all the years that I lost to addiction. Nobody wants to have regrets, and although I was facing prison, the loss of my home, and what has been the hardest possible situation that I have ever endured, I wanted to use this as an opportunity. So, I bought a Strat and dedicated myself to playing again.

Although it had been thirteen years since I had played, everything came back to me fairly easily. I couldn't play as fluidly as I used to, but I could still sight read and knock off scales and arpeggios.

Dang, here we go again, the computer is going to shut down. I guess that's all for now. I promise that next time, I will actually finish this up. I actually do have some concrete questions that I would like to ask.

Thanks, all.
 #146925  by tcsned
 
Welcome aboard! It sounds like you're getting your life on a good track.
 #146927  by Mines of Moria
 
OK, so music.

I have decided that this time around I am going to have a more relaxed and balanced approach to music. When I was in school, I had this idea drilled into me that anything other than straight-ahead jazz was somehow inferior. I have realized that I don't want to just play bop or stupid chord solos my whole life. I also got into this rut where all I would do was practice. I believe in intense and focused practice, but I want to balance that with playing. But mainly, I don't want to neglect my true love, the reason I started playing music in the first place, the Grateful Dead.

I still plan on playing some jazz (of course, my jazz training has been an immense value). I will always play certain jazz tunes, like Take Five, Equinox, Unit Seven, Goodbye Porkpie Hat, Mr. PC, Afro Blue... (there are so many). Mr. PC and Afro Blue are two tunes that everybody here should try playing. Afro Blue in particular is super fun to play. Go on Youtube and check on Carlos Santana John McLaughlin playing it. Mr. PC is a cool minor blues by John Coltrane that is pretty easy. He plays it fast, but its one of those tunes that is fun to play as a medium/slow funk. There's a lot to learn from playing songs like that...

So I have this Mexican Strat. I don't know how much exactly I am going to dump into gear, but I do have a few things that I will be ordering soon (within the week.) Like I said, I do have bills to pay, and as much as I would like to, I can't go too nuts.

I found a used Hot Rod Deville 2x12 that I am definitely going to buy. New pickups are a must, and I think I am going to get a SD Lil 59 for the neck (for jazz), a DAllen Voodoo for the middle (can you get those as a single unit, or do they just come in a set?) and I am not sure about the bridge. I would also like to get a Waldo Buffer. I will probably buy a few pedals- the Earth box, the OCD, and some sort of envelope filter (possibly a noise reduction type box for the amp if necessary). I would also like to get a Warmouth neck with an ebony fretboard, locking tuners, a new bridge, new pickgaurg, and knobs, but that stuff may come later. The biggest thing is getting the amp and pickups and going from there.

I don't have a specific tone that I am trying to nail. I love the sound of Jerry's early 80's set up, but I also want something that is going to be versatile. I guess I am just going to hope for the best and see what happens. I don't have much time to go through the whole forum, so it anybody has any ideas or suggestions, especially with the pickups, I would be all ears. I would really like to build a whole new guitar with Warmouth parts but I need to keep things somewhat in perspective. What do you guys think I should do with the amp? I have had a couple of tube amps in the past, but I have never modified them before. I want to do whatever I can to get the best sound possible from it. Again, I don't have a specific sound I am trying to nail, but I would love to be able to get something close to an 80's Jerry or even Kimock sound. I know that there are countless factors that contribute to tone, and that nothing happens on accident. I am really open to anything and want something that is going to sound cool.

I should also say that I will be playing with a drummer when I get out. I hope to pull a band together and start playing out at some point. I was able to get a crappy Washburn acoustic when I was in prison so I have been working on my chops (although I foresee a lot of woodshedding in my future.)

Anyway, I will appreciate your input. I am sorry if I am not more specific in my goals. I really am open for anything. I will try and check in here when I can. Hopefully I can contribute to the forum. I may not have played seriously for over a decade, and am somewhat of a caveman when it comes to equipment and technology, but my music theory skills are pretty sharp. I used to teach lessons when I was in college, and have given a lot of thought about how to present theory in a way that can actually be of use to guitarists. So if there are any discussions on chord/scale relationships, practice routines, sight reading, crap like that, I will try to contribute.

OK, I'm out. Thanks again for the ears.

Peace.
 #146928  by Smolder
 
Hey man. Welcome back.

Not to lecture, but I wish someone had explained it to me a long I've ago... I've been down dome of those roads, and have a few friends that didn't make it back. Maybe you know this. The drugs aren't the problem, they are the symptom. Look deep, get some help, and be super picky about who you hang with. Clear up skeletons and the world can be a much better place.

Hope you continue to kick ass, find full freedom and thrive. All the best.
 #146929  by Staemius
 
You already have great ideas - and you will find tons of suggestions here. The strat and deville will be a fine and versatile platform for ya to build on. Lots of love here (me included) for the SMS classic pre-amp if you ever want to go that route. I like your pickup choices and ebony boards are my preference as well. I was primarily playing a Troy Post Wolf clone until I picked up an Ibanez Cowyboy Fancy clone a few months back - love it (love that Wolf as well). I play Jerry and Bobby parts in my band and it hits both nicely. Good luck - there's always something else out there - my guitars, amps and pedals seem to always be changing.... - thanks again for your story - I love Buddhism (my brother is a Buddhist priest).
 #146942  by Mines of Moria
 
So a little update here.

I was walking to the library today and passed an older gentleman wearing a schematic of a tube on his shirt. After stopping and talking to him for a bit I learned he was a boutique amp builder. He told me that the Devilles were basically crap. I ended up going to his place and he's got a lot of nice stuff for sale. His homemade amps sound great, but they are only 5 watts and a little pared down for me. He does have a '68 Twin that is basically gutted that he would be willing to customize for me. He can get parts for me for wholesale and after checking out his work it seems like that this is going to be a good way to go.

I wish I had some more time to search through this site, because I am sure that all the answers I need are already here. Are there any schematics that you guys could point me to for a Jerry-fied Twin that I could give this guy? Any help you guys could give me would be great.

Thanks, all.
 #146944  by paulinnc
 
Searing75 wrote:Kazad Dum!

I think that's what The Mines of Moria was originally called?

Anyways, good luck man. Maybe you should focus your time, money, and energy into getting a job, an apartment, and a decent, healthy partner before jumping into the Jerry gear. You need a foundation to build a healthy life on before you can play the music you love.
Very good point. I don't know what your recovery is like or if you are even involved with a fellowship, but I would definitely work on getting yourself together. One of my good friends and colleagues did over 10 years in prison for all sorts of drug and habitual felon stuff. He did work release and works with a bunch of currently incarcerated people and former prisoners alike and he is also a deadhead taboot. What is amazing is that when you meet this guy you would never guess in a million years that he spent almost half of his adult life incarcerated. If you want any info or advice how to navigate being free after incarceration I can put you in touch.
 #148708  by Mr.Burns
 
I think OP has a pretty good grasp on his life, maybe you all noticed how he was asking about gear and not for advice on how not to get high after you get out of prison. Props to OP for taking all the bullshit advice in stride, it's probably all the guy hears on a daily basis, about how almost everyone else knows better than him what he should be doing.
OP has obviously worked his program. Props for that too.
This is not advice. I know a guy that did time for a half ounce of coke. He's out, he's a traveling welder, he banks. He smokes weed. He does what he wants and everyone should trust him to because he's much better off now than he was before his stint. Just saying. I've ranted about the Recovery racket elsewhere so I won't do it now, but anyone that takes your $ while they give advice does not have your best interests at heart.
 #148801  by Staemius
 
The recovery "racket" is not a racket. If you have a counselor that is just giving 'advice' for $ - then get out - that's not how it's done.
 #148802  by Smolder
 
Mr.Burns wrote:I think OP has a pretty good grasp on his life, maybe you all noticed how he was asking about gear and not for advice on how not to get high after you get out of prison. Props to OP for taking all the bullshit advice in stride, it's probably all the guy hears on a daily basis, about how almost everyone else knows better than him what he should be doing.
OP has obviously worked his program. Props for that too.
This is not advice. I know a guy that did time for a half ounce of coke. He's out, he's a traveling welder, he banks. He smokes weed. He does what he wants and everyone should trust him to because he's much better off now than he was before his stint. Just saying. I've ranted about the Recovery racket elsewhere so I won't do it now, but anyone that takes your $ while they give advice does not have your best interests at heart.
Did not mean for my words to sound preachy. I've not been there, but have friends that have. In a couple of cases I think I could have done more. I regret that... And just thought more was better than not enough. You just never know. My intentions were solid.
 #149031  by RiverRat
 
Mines of Moria wrote:The Mines of Moria is, I believe a Tolkien reference. It is also the name of a very old and challenging aid rock climb on Cathedral Ledge in New Hampshire. I always had dreams of aid soling it. I actually tried once... I made it about two pitches up before I bailed after a good six hours of scaring myself to death. There is a climb nearby called the Bridge of Kazam Dum so yeah, they must be connected somehow.
Khazad Dum was the the original name for Moria prior to the awakening of the Balrog. It was renamed to Moria after the dwarves fled.

My wife and I went and check out all the aid climbs below the overhang after doing Thin Air and we walked away shaking our heads saying "No freaking way, maybe some day." I even went out and built up a decent aid climbing rack and all the extras but never went back to tackle that wall. Your post tickled that interest and now I'm thinking about giving it a try.

Mines of Moria,the rock climb, was one of the first routes put up on the Mordor Wall section of Cathedral Ledge. The Bridge of Khazad Dum is the 4th pitch of the Mines. I met one of MoM's first ascenders, Joe Lentini, years ago on Mt Washington. He was working NH MSR that winter and was hiking up with another climber to Tuckerman's. Unfortunately, I did not take the time to chat Joe up because he was hiking with Mark Synnott. I was more interested in hearing about Mark's successful attempt on Solar Sun Spire in Baffin a few years prior. You think 6 hours for 2 pitches in bad, The PSS ascent team spent spent 36 days on the wall, sleeping in portaledges, to send the upper 25 pitches of a 34 pitch Grade VII A4 nightmare of a climb.

Anyways... welcome to the boards.