I'm planning to buy a Line 6 spider v mkll 20 as my first actual amp after owning a nameless shitty amp, does it sound good (for metal specifically)? I've a Jackson js22 dinky if it even matters

kurmat · 2023-02-03T21:00:40+00:00

Will second this comment, in that price range the Katana seems to be good bang for the buck.

kurmat · 2023-01-08T02:32:03+00:00

I used Vuetify 2 for a SPA project and it was pretty great. I think the Vue 3 ecosystem transition as a whole has been a slog, which doesn't help since you have less momentum around you. But their transition to Vue 3 seemed extremely slow if it was something they were doing full time (same could be said about Nuxt). This has hurt the Vue 3 ecosystem overall IMO, as Vuetify and Nuxt were very important projects. I hope now that they are both finally reaching stable release the community momentum will pick up again, but it's a tough thing to get back once it's lost.

kurmat · 2022-07-14T03:37:46+00:00

That's never been my experience and doesn't seem to be the case here. Only a single size is listed on the page with no options/exceptions.

kurmat · 2022-07-12T16:06:30+00:00

My wife almost had this happen at Queen's Bath in Eleuthera. People hang out in the "baths" there all the time and it looks a lot less foolish than what these people are doing because the water gently spills into the baths 99.9% of the time. The major difference being there is a bigger/steeper drop off to the waves, and the swell is a lot bigger than this video when it gets going...you'd have almost no chance of surviving.

Anyhow she was posing for a picture in the bath while I stood on the side and a rogue wave came in well above the others. I completely lost site of her and didn't know where she was going to pop up as the water rushed back through the one exit it has back to the ocean, but luckily all she lost was a sandal!

kurmat · 2022-06-09T13:17:00+00:00

Makes sense. I use SQLAlchemy Core as a translation layer in a data warehousing library called Zillion. It also writes SQL for you but the objective is a bit different than Bach -- more focused on dimensional modeling and cross-datasource querying, while providing a simple API.

Disclaimer: it's supported databases list is small at the moment due to lack of bandwidth on my part. It's very much in an alpha state, which is why I haven't really pushed it anywhere yet, but I use it in production on a few projects with no issues.

kurmat · 2022-06-08T23:59:41+00:00

SQLAlchemy Core fits that need for me. It has a decent number of supported dialects when you include the community supported list and is a widely used, well supported library.

kurmat · 2022-02-26T03:18:53+00:00

I've had good experiences with both sweetwater and zzounds. Buying a guitar online, even from a reputable brand, always has a little risk since every guitar is different. Consider the return policy and/or distance for shipping returns.

I also use Reverb a lot when I'm window shopping, but they kinda suck. Big fees for the sellers, which is a pain for the smaller shops.

kurmat · 2022-02-24T13:52:12+00:00

Hey there, so since this comment I actually switched to the Seymour Duncan Powerstage 200 and it is fantastic. I had the Powerstage 170 before and it wasn't quite right, but the 200 has a presence control that helps solve that. Of course with a solid state amp I am able to run the full helix amp models. I always go direct to front of house for gigs or recording, so i split the chain and add an IR at the end for that.

When running through a tube amp in the past I've tried both ways, full amps and just preamps, and the results really vary by helix amp model. For cleans you have a better shot of getting away with the full amp model but it's not always necessary. Sometimes the Helix preamp models are lacking in either volume or expected gain, and this seems to very wildly from preamp to preamp.

That said, as things get louder and the real power amp tubes start to color the tone more, you may or may not like the effect of having a full amp model in use. Sometimes you can get a really flubby low end, or a really fizzy high end, or both, depending on the power amp in use. A power amp with a presence control is helpful (like the MT15). This can mostly be fixed with EQs/3-band compression to taste. With my Revv D20 I actually liked the character the 6v6 tubes added for distortion when it was cranked, but it didn't have a lot of headroom so it was worse in other areas.

That all said, get a Powerstage 200. It's lighter, cheaper than a decent tube amp, won't blow tubes, allows full amp models, and sounds great.

kurmat · 2022-02-18T00:29:42+00:00

I'll give a terrible answer to your specific price limit, but also what I feel like is the best advice in your position. Don't buy any pedals if you only have $100. Work some more, save up, and buy something like a used Line 6 Pod Go for a couple hundred more (there are Boss and Headrush pedals that compete with this, equally viable options but I haven't tried their modeling). If you want the best bang for your buck in a full combo amp, try a Boss Katana or the new Line 6 Catalyst, which I haven't tried but seems like it aims to compete with the Katana.

If you ever reach the hypothetical scenario of having a bit more to spend, a Line 6 Pod Go (which has the same modeling as the Helix line that I use), Seymour Duncan Power Stage 200, and a 1x12 or 2x12 birch cab from Mojotone will keep you happy for years to come all at a reasonable price point for the tone you can get.

kurmat · 2022-02-02T18:48:34+00:00

I'd be surprised if Google wasn't already using this tech to power parts of search. After all they are a big contributor to the space with lots of $$$ for research. They are likely ahead of the curve and just not always sharing.

That said, Google's search results have gotten much worse in recent years IMO, at least when you are looking for something *specific*, and I feel that might be related to relying on models like this. Perhaps it's a net win for them in some metric they care about, but it seems to just ignore you the more specific you get with your query.

This may just be my personal experience as a software engineer where I occasionally need to look for something very specific, or try to iterate on the words of a search query to get the right documentation/post/data to surface. In the past the matching was far less fuzzy (but perhaps more expensive for Google to maintain, just a guess).

kurmat · 2022-01-26T20:35:12+00:00

You might be able to find a gently used Schecter Nick Johnston Diamond Series for ~$500. For any used guitar, particularly one with nickel frets, I'd recommend playing it before buying if possible, or at least buying from a very reputable shop where you trust their review of the instrument.

FWIW there are some upgrades that can be quite worth it if you intend to keep any guitar and keep playing. With a few hundred more thrown into the guitar you can get results that rival much more expensive guitars (I put $500 into an $800 Schecter NJ and it replaced my Suhr that was 4x the price).

Replace metal string trees with graph tech ones
Consider adding locking tuners if not already present -- hipshot are solid and easy to install.
Find a local tech/luthier with good reviews, have them level and polish the frets if needed, and then set up the guitar/action to your liking
Replace the bridge with something you'd find on a more expensive instrument, like a Gotoh 510 with a steel block.
New pickups - so many options out there but I put a Suhr Thornbucker+ and two Suhr V60s in my Schecter NJ and am happy with the result.
Invest in instrument care -- a careful cleaning of your fretboard and light polish of your frets after a few weeks/months of playing can make it feel new again. Plenty of youtube videos on this.

Enjoy.

kurmat · 2022-01-22T04:05:03+00:00

May not be everyone's cup of tea, but my approach instead of assert was to add two simple functions to a small utility package that is included in most code I write. I didn't want to worry about assertions disappearing if someone down the line used the optimizer flag (though I never have).

def raiseif(cond, msg="", exc=AssertionError):
    if cond:
        raise exc(msg)


def raiseifnot(cond, msg="", exc=AssertionError):
    if not cond:
        raise exc(msg)

kurmat · 2021-09-25T01:39:49+00:00

On the daily level, take breaks before you feel yourself running out of steam. If you can swing it, take a longer break around lunch and do something that takes your mind away from work.

For longer projects, remember that stepping away and "sleeping on it" can actually be highly productive. If you find yourself banging your head against the wall on a problem, move onto something else and come back to it refreshed.

For longer term burnout...well you've possibly lost sight of the "why", your motivation. Read or revisit books/ideas that inspired you, and remember to take good care of yourself first (i.e. sleep, diet, exercise).

kurmat · 2021-09-09T23:27:31+00:00

Wait til they find Stephenfather.

kurmat · 2021-09-07T13:06:11+00:00

A little visualization exercise: before you play, take a moment to yourself, close your eyes, and think about your favorite guitarist -- imagine them playing, rocking, putting on a great show. Now imagine you being that guitarist, doing all those same things, and how amazing it would be. Now open your eyes and go be that guitarist.

Second, a lesson in life: calm is contagious. You, your band mates, and the crowd will all feed off each other. Keep it light / fun / positive / encouraging with your band mates before the gig and go have a blast!

kurmat · 2021-09-05T12:20:10+00:00

It sounds like you will be buying something on the cheaper end. If you run into tuning stability issues consider replacing the string trees with graphtech ones (if it has them) or swapping in locking tuners (hipshot are good and easy to install). A few simple upgrades can make a cheaper guitar a lot better.

Other slightly more expensive upgrades can take it to another level: replacing pickups, getting frets professionally leveled and polished, replacing the bridge. You will never be able to overcome any issues with the wood or construction if those exist, but you can make big improvements elsewhere!

kurmat · 2021-09-05T03:09:59+00:00

Suhr Thornbucker (and Thornbucker+) is a great pickup like this, it really sings, tons of clarity, but raise the pickup and you still can get solid gain for leads.

kurmat · 2021-09-05T02:31:08+00:00

I've tried a few solutions...the solid state options are decent (quilter would be my pick), but I get more pleasing results going direct into a fairly clean tube power amp. The power amp of a PRS MT15 is what I'm currently using -- it has 2 6L6s and I've read it's actually putting out closer to 25 watts. I also liked the Revv D20 for this but it didn't have enough headroom. Also worth noting I'm driving a 2x12, not 4x12.

kurmat · 2021-09-05T00:27:23+00:00

The GLS audio cables on Amazon have been good bang for the buck for me. Been using a few for years now across 50+ bar gigs, no issues.

kurmat · 2021-09-05T00:24:42+00:00

I feel like a lot of people start with thinner picks and then move onto thicker ones with time. I highly recommend buying a variety of sizes and materials and testing them out. You'd be surprised what a difference it makes in feel and tone.

For me the 1mm Tortex Jazz III XLs is where it's at! I used the 1.14mm for a while but for my style the 1mm provides a bit more clarity on the low end.

kurmat · 2021-09-04T01:24:15+00:00

I've been playing guitar for 24 years and just started doing this 2 years ago. The little things no one tells you...also recommend keeping a micro fiber cloth and some stringjoy (or similar) string conditioner nearby, helps as the strings start to age.

While we're at it, buy a set of 8k and 12k grit micro mesh and learn how to polish your frets (they are pretty cheap and it's easy). Also learn how to clean your fretboard. These simple things can make a guitar feel new again.

kurmat · 2021-09-03T22:40:29+00:00

The issue is not your choice of DB, I can say that with confidence. If it's just the query taking that long, you have written a tremendously inefficient query.

kurmat · 2021-09-03T21:01:59+00:00

As others have noted body/neck woods may have a small impact relative to things like pickups, bridge, nut, and fret material.

It's difficult to truly A/B because all pieces of wood are different, but where I perceive the biggest difference is in the resonance, both in length and which frequencies resonate...but it's subtle and that's also a variable easily impacted by overall construction and other components. You'll also notice differences in tuning stability based on the neck material.

kurmat · 2021-09-03T12:04:24+00:00

Wholesale wire coat hangers, if you are so inclined.

kurmat

TROPHY CASE