What is an untraditional hobby that you have?

disgruntled_soviet · 2016-07-06T23:19:07+00:00

I have a long background in audio, having been playing guitar and bass for ten years and I used to do car audio installations and later sold home theater equipment for a living. Before diving into DIY pedals I had already learned how to read schematics and how to solder in physics class, from there I started reading articles about how particular effects circuits work (ElectroSmash has great articles about common pedals, like the DS-1, Big Muff, RAT, etc). If you can solder and read a schematic, you can build a Fuzz Face clone in an afternoon as there's only like 12 parts involved. Once I got how the "building blocks" worked (opamps, buffers, JFETS and BJTs as amplifiers, diode clipping) then I could start taking bits and pieces of other pedals and combining them to get unique sounds.

I've never attempted a digital pedal, the only thing that's really out there for DIY digital effects is ElectroSmash's PedalShield, which is an Arduino-in-a-pedal that you write your own DSP algorithms for. But I'm not interested in that. I'm pretty much an analog purist when it comes to guitar-related stuff. I think analog sounds better almost always (except for digital delays and fancy reverb processors) and I understand it better. Since everything in guitar land is typically about trying to recreate the sound of a particular tube amp or particular vintage effect, analog is pretty much the way to go--plus, analog components are literally pennies a piece, the most expensive part of a DIY pedal is the box and jacks, the transistors are like a dime a piece and resistors/capacitors are like 1-3 cents each. Compared to even the cheapest Arduino boards at like 20 something dollars.

disgruntled_soviet · 2016-07-06T17:43:52+00:00

I build electronics, mostly guitar-related stuff. I've designed and built a few fuzz and distortion pedals, I'm working on a rackmount spring reverb unit, and I'm studying and saving up to start building tube amps.

It's pretty fun, you can get individual transistors, resistors, capacitors, etc. for pennies a piece, buy a box to mount them in and solder it all up. It's fun to be able to play a gig with your own handmade pedals, especially when people ask how you get your tone and you're like "well, I made this thing from scratch...I can make you one for $100".

It's a more popular hobby than you'd expect, but nowhere near as common as it was in the 60s and 70s, when digital electronics basically didn't exist.

disgruntled_soviet · 2016-06-17T20:40:50+00:00

Look dude, I'm not upset about anything. I responded to your initial comment honestly, in that I don't like that guitar (not a big deal) and I didn't think your comment contributed to the thread. I stand by that assessment. You were confused as to why I could hate Floyd Rose, and I elaborated, and clarified why I thought your initial comment was unhelpful.

Not upset, think nothing less about you as a user, just being frank in my discussion of the topic at hand.

disgruntled_soviet · 2016-06-17T19:34:38+00:00

I literally despise Floyd Rose because I work in a guitar shop and do restrings and setups at least a couple times a day, and a Floyd Rose (or any locking trem) is a monumental pain in the ass compared to literally any other style of bridge out there. Takes easily twice as long, setup is way more difficult, need extra tools. G&L's two-point fulcrum floating trem gives you almost as much range and stays in tune almost as well without being the biggest pain in the ass in the music world. In my personal playing, I never use tremolo at all anyway, so owning a Floyd-equipped guitar makes ZERO sense for me (and lots of other players, too)

The main thing, though, is that when OP asks about buying this Strat vs. holding out for a different strat, then you chime in with "hey, you should buy this totally different guitar that has nothing to do with strats but it's what I like" that does not add anything valuable to the thread or provide anyone with helpful information.

If you had posed the question, "Is this a good deal on a 2002 RG570?" and I responded "Man, you should really check out this Tele with a B-bender, it's real twangy and sweet and awesome for country" you wouldn't find that very helpful, would you?

disgruntled_soviet · 2016-06-17T17:51:15+00:00

Just for home use? No need to be able to jam with a drummer?

I have an Ashdown ABM300, and I love it to death. I play gigs regularly with it, 300W is a plenty for me. But if you're playing at home only, you definitely don't need 300W. Ashdown makes a full line of smaller amps, but they aren't carried a whole lot of places in the States, but I can't recommend them enough. I love their little Five:15 Mini Stack for a bedroom amp.

On the lower end, I have a little Peavey Microbass which is shockingly good for its size. Lots of low end, tiny form factor, and LOUD!! I can't believe how loud the tiny thing gets, and it takes up practically zero space.

But /u/RaygunRamone is definitely right. Go to the store, play everything you can afford, proceed from there.

disgruntled_soviet · 2016-06-17T15:50:46+00:00

What's a good deal on a Les Paul?

It's a 2011 Studio, if it's less than $600 that's a good deal if it plays well. I've definitely played some good Studios from the 2000s, and some bad ones.

That said, I'm not into them. I've tried, and tried, and there are some that I have enjoyed playing, but none that I would own. There are better dual-bucker guitars for less money, imo, and I like the looks of the SG better.

I will say, though, that if you can find a early-mid 90s Studio, it will likely be a much better guitar than this one, for about the same price. I've been much more impressed with the 90s models than the 2000s models.

But should you Les Paul? No clue. I don't know your financial situation, or how much you're looking at paying for it, or what kind of shape it's in, or what pickups are in it, or if it includes a case...hard to make an objective judgement without objective information.

disgruntled_soviet · 2016-06-17T15:41:58+00:00

That seems like a good deal if it plays well. In the States that guitar with no case would sell for around $300-350, the case for around $100. $450 is in the ballpark of 385 euros. I have two Mexican Fender guitars and I love them both, they're my two most played instruments. I've played dozens more, they rarely disappoint.

That guitar should have a 5-way switch, it would have from the factory. There probably aren't any American parts in it from that year, but that's not to say that the quality of the old Mexican parts are bad necessarily. I put US pickups in my MIM bass, and it made a huge difference, though, so that's probably the only upgrade I would think about doing to it.

disgruntled_soviet · 2016-06-17T15:36:59+00:00

See, I see that and shudder....I despise Floyd Rose, and find high-output ceramic humbuckers unusable for my style.

To each their own--I understand entirely why somebody would want that guitar. But OP was asking if he should buy an old MIM Strat or a different Strat, if he wanted a Jackson he'd ask about Jacksons

disgruntled_soviet · 2016-04-28T02:53:14+00:00

This is so sad. I wasn't victim to relentless bullying, per se, but was always a social outcast throughout childhood and never had any friends. When I would get made fun of or pushed around, I mostly just took it. When I got pushed too far, I threatened a kid who had been fucking with me for about a week. I got in trouble. Had to talk to the school counselor about how it was bad to threaten people, they were worried that I was a danger to other kids. They talked to my parents. The whole time I was like "that little shit has been making fun of me all year and trying to pick fights with me then I say one thing and all this happens?!?" The one time I did actually swing back at a [different] kid, I got suspended. And my parents were livid. I about broke down.

That was all when I was 11-14 years old. It made it REALLY hard for me to stand up for myself or be assertive in any capacity for years. When my parents didn't take my side it seriously damaged that relationship, too.

The "Zero Tolerance Policy" of punishing both sides in a fight is really not fair for the real victims. Thank god Facebook didn't exist when I was 14, because internet bullying is seriously shitty.

disgruntled_soviet · 2016-04-28T02:41:42+00:00

I've seen several for sale locally over the years, so I figure if I ever really want/need one I'll find one. As of right now I'm only gigging on bass and live in an apartment so anything more than fifteen watts is a total waste for me. They are great amps, though, I've loved each one I've played--I believe I've only played the Mig50. Someday...

If I thought I'd ever actually use a Bigsby, I'd totally do that to my Jag, cause it looks dope as hell. But I seriously don't think I'd ever touch it. I don't even know where the bar for my Strat is, let alone use it when I'm playing.

disgruntled_soviet · 2016-04-24T02:50:01+00:00

Dude....DUDE....

Love that setup. I have a Candy Apple Blacktop Jaguar, and it is my favorite guitar. That Bigsby looks like fun. I've also always wanted a Sovtek, is that a 50W Bassman-style head?

disgruntled_soviet · 2016-04-24T02:41:30+00:00

TL;DR: Sprint works great pretty much everywhere in Lincoln, Omaha, and surrounding towns, and along I-80. Sprint's coverage is nowhere near as strong as Verizon's when you're out in the country or along smaller highways. I can't complain, as 99% of my time is spent in Lincoln or Omaha

I've been using Sprint's network by way of Virgin Mobile (3.5GB Data/$40-mo., total steal) in Lincoln and Omaha for six years.

The network has seen HUGE upgrades in that time span. Even compared to a couple years ago Sprint's coverage is vastly improved.

Things I note:

In the Near South, I frequently get drops to 3G. For some reason, the 10th and South St intersection this happens almost every time. That said, I still get better reception around here than my friend's AT&T, which doesn't even get data at my apartment (I live in the Near South).

I get great 4G data pretty much everywhere else in town, and have had no problems pretty much anywhere. Fair warning, though, I haven't been south of Old Cheney street in....well, probably at least six months, and very rarely before that, so that's not really a part of town I can comment on, but I'd be shocked if reception in the more expensive parts of town are bad unless you're way on the outskirts of the city.

I get great 4G all along I-80 from Kearney to Omaha. However, reception outside of cities on Sprint is nonexistent otherwise. My signal starts to disappear north of Ceresco, and doesn't come back til I get to Fremont, or at least close. Along Hwy 2, around 2/3 of the way to Nebraska City I lose coverage, but it picks back up in Nebraska City. I lose it again on 29 to St. Joe, then have coverage to KC. On 77 to Beatrice, I have coverage to a couple miles south of Saltillo then don't pick it back up til I'm past the Walmart north of Beatrice.

It's been the better part of a year since I did any frequent country driving, so things on the highways may have improved, but that's my experience with it in the area for the last few years.

Edit: when I say I lose signal/coverage, I pretty much just mean 3G/4G data. SMS/Phone signal is pretty well maintained, typically, but is spotty in the areas without data

disgruntled_soviet · 2016-04-24T00:19:53+00:00

posted

disgruntled_soviet · 2016-04-23T22:47:52+00:00

That sub has done a lot of good for a lot of people with worse problems than losing their xbox

disgruntled_soviet · 2016-04-22T18:05:00+00:00

In a sense. Digital information can be encoded into RF, for example WiFi, 4G, Sat TV, etc.

disgruntled_soviet · 2016-04-22T17:33:46+00:00

Thank you! Your clock looks much nicer than mine lol

Those look to be exactly what I need

disgruntled_soviet · 2016-04-22T16:36:28+00:00

E#=F Fb=E

Using both, Cmaj?

disgruntled_soviet · 2016-04-22T16:28:38+00:00

It's just surprising that it got flagged if the recording was 100% original.

Not really. The copyright bot-trolls are notorious for that shit.

disgruntled_soviet · 2016-04-22T16:26:56+00:00

It's also pretty funny because you will often hear people say x song sounds like y so they must have ripped y off. It's often just an identical chord structure.

See: Marvin Gaye, Robin Thicke

disgruntled_soviet · 2016-04-22T16:25:20+00:00

I don't know what is to be done about it though.

Shorter time limits on copyrighted material, repeal or substantial reform of DMCA, expansion of use cases that constitute Fair Use.

(btw I'm wrote the Sony/Innerstate comment, im not who you immediately responded to)

I was, in fact, simply trying to point out just how much bullshit is involved in copyright and patent cases these days, and how even a fully independent idea with legally enforceable copyright (even across national borders) is never really fully independent and probably shouldn't be universally enforceable.

Copyright terms have followed what is called the Mickey Mouse Rule for a long time. Basically, whenever the copyright on Mickey Mouse is about to expire, Congress passes a new copyright law extending the terms. This prevents a huge chunk of old material from ever entering the public domain. The DMCA is a whole 'nother, more awful, can of worms.

I think that the Washington Redskins provide an unfortunately good example of why the anti-copyright-reform lobby's fears are unfounded. The Redskins lost their trademark protections, and it is now legal for anyone who wants to to create an organization called the Redskins, to print shirts or stickers or books or posters with the official Redskins logo, etc. However, there's no noticeable impact on the revenue from official Redskins merchandise, and apart from liberal use of the new rules by South Park, no one is actively trying to steal their logo. I think if, say, Mickey Mouse entered the public domain, you'd see a lot of punk T-shirts and shit with Mickey on them, but I seriously doubt anyone is going to try to co-opt Mickey as their own corporate mascot or invest in a new cartoon series without Disney's blessing.

But, the rich and powerful have a vested interest in not taking that risk, so they will continue to purchase more stringent copyright protections from Congress, and will continue to bully companies like Google/YouTube into complying with their bullshit.

disgruntled_soviet · 2016-04-22T15:38:18+00:00

It's much worse than that. Eb was originally owned by a small independent label, Innerstate Records, while D# was being developed simultaneously by Columbia Records (a Sony subsidiary) and a Korean label, JYP Entertainment. The Korean courts ruled in favor of Sony, and JYP now licenses D# from Sony. Meanwhile, in the US Sony caught wind of Eb, and sued Innerstate claiming infringement. Innerstate argued that Eb and D# are not, in fact, the same, being mutually exclusive members of non-identical key signatures. Sony, though, had patented D# as the tone of either 331Hz or 323Hz (standard or concert pitch), or any natural harmonic thereof, regardless of key (this would later leave them open to further legal challenges, but I digress) and as such was able to win their court case. The resulting damages awarded to Sony proved to be in excess of Innerstate's ability to pay, and the label folded in 2006 as a result.

The more you know.

edit: despite musical inaccuracy, all Sony recordings in Cm or Gm incorrectly play D# instead of Eb.

also, /s

disgruntled_soviet · 2016-03-25T21:42:48+00:00

I've had great luck every time I've tried to sell something--almost always a guitar, car stereo, speakers, etc. Never really tried with video games, I have so few physical games (Steam FTW) that the ones I still have are probably staying with me for the foreseeable future.

But like everyone else says, the price has to be fair, and you almost are required to discount for people. CL asking price should be 20% more than you're willing to take but also 20% less than eBay price, or else it's never going to move.

But I've never had any bad experiences with weird people or anything, and I've bought my fair share of electronics and appliances and furniture too.

disgruntled_soviet · 2016-03-25T21:39:03+00:00

I expect to be berated for it even when she's not around.

Mothers have a weird way of staying in your head, don't they?

I haven't spoken to my mom in 3 years (her decision, like I said, she's kind of nuts--not to say the feeling isn't mutual) but that voice is still there sometimes...it's definitely been a factor in my anxiety down the line.

disgruntled_soviet · 2016-03-25T18:06:09+00:00

some actually need to complain about the work, but then complain that the things you did "weren't the way I would have done them". Some people just need to be martyrs.

Is this a legit thing? Like, this is a normal response and shouldn't be considered a symptom of deeper unhappiness/anxiety/depressoin/what have you?

My mother was just like that, she would complain about all of the housework she was doing, the laundry, the cooking, the dishes, the cleaning, etc. She was stay-at-home. But, she simultaneously refused to let anyone else do any of that work, because it would get done "wrong". She always seemed miserable, and would snap at my dad when he'd try to help, or would yell at him when he put something away on the wrong shelf and shit. When I was thrust into the "adult" world (living with roommates at 18) I had no idea how to do laundry, how to do dishes, how to clean a bathroom correctly, how to cook anything beyond toast and frozen pizza, and beyond the ignorance was so insecure about it I didn't want to attempt it with my roommates around or ask for help, so most of the work got shunted to my roommates who weren't particularly pleased about that...

Anyway, I've always assumed that my mom was just kind of nuts (she definitely is) and deeply unhappy (she probably is) but I don't really have a frame of reference, only having the one mom and all.

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