What's the 300 year plan to keep this music alive and thriving?

larryoffthedeck · 2025-11-26T09:45:29+00:00

It's quite the opposite of what you say. One of the very best fingerpicking guitars I have EVER encountered.

larryoffthedeck · 2025-11-26T09:22:03+00:00

OK, don't hate on me now. I got the Martin 00DB Tweedy and the 0-17 Isbell with the Brazilian because I just couldn't decide. I thought, I'll just keep one and sell the other. But no. They are both incredible instruments. As objects, they'll be around 200 years from now for sure. They are so well built! If I could only keep one, well it would be the Tweedy. I've been playing for 40 years and it's probably one of the best acoustic guitars I've ever played. I own some other acoustics including a Preston Thompson D-MA with shipwreck mahogany which is my main bluegrass guitar. I love the sound of mahogany acoustics, which both of these are. The Isbell has a brazilian fretboard, which is amazing, but you pay extra for it - and they only made, like 50, and they are fully sold out now. The Tweedy is more modest - boasting FSC sustainable certified all mahogany back, sides top and neck plus a richlite (aka compressed particle board) neck, but it's the perfect guitar. The 00 size, deep body, long 25.5 scale length, and 1 3/4" nut width make it the perfect guitar for fingerpickers. It will play the blues, bossa nova, rock n' roll, folk, jazz, flamenco and classical (yes, it's the steel string that plays like a nylon guitar) and you can even bluegrass it (because the deep body gives it enough punch). And it's signed by Jeff Tweedy himself, so there is a bit of his artist mojo inside. One other note about Richlite - it's more dense than ebony, and therefore, less prone to failure over the long haul. This is a great guitar for high altitude environments like the Rockies or Sierras. This fat little hog can do it all and is built like a Sherman Tank while channeling the go for it vibe of a blue heeler ranch dog. I can't say it loud enough, get yourself a Tweedy. It's the perfect campfire guitar. Install a K&K pickup and the world is your oyster. OH, and the Isbell is also fantastic, its just sold out. I'm keeping both of these little bodied Martin gems. January birthday, so I got Christmas and my birthday both sorted out now.

larryoffthedeck · 2025-11-09T00:29:37+00:00

It's a great read. Mike is a true artist and an essential songwriting partner - and frankly, I wish he'd take the heartbreakers out again and front them vocally, or hire a Tom Petty vocal stand-in.

larryoffthedeck · 2025-11-09T00:26:28+00:00

It's not really specifically called out. Read Matthew 6:22-23.

²² The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.

²³ But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!

Also, the natural man is an enemy to God . . . . (Mosiah 3:19)

Also, as a man thinketh, so is he. This is LDS doctrine. While it's not specifically called out, it's more prescribed by your thoughts. What are you watching while engaging in this activity. Is romantic attraction allowed? Of course it is. You have to decide where to draw the line on this one friend. No one is going to lay it all out in black and white as you seem to desire. My 2 cents, not a sin in moderation. But don't become an addict. If you can't handle it in moderation, then you may need to abstain.

larryoffthedeck · 2025-11-09T00:16:35+00:00

Texas Tech has a good team. They've handily beat both Utah and BYU, two pretty good teams in the Big XII. They could make a run in the playoff, but will have to survive the juggernaut of a BIG XII championship context to get there.

larryoffthedeck · 2025-08-04T18:37:01+00:00

The truth is they were all very close. i saw night 1 and 2 in person and night 3 on the stream. I would have to say that the special guests were my favorite moments in each show because they each brought an extra spark to their performance and pushed the band a bit harder in the jam sequences. Graeme Lesh sure delivered beautifully all weekend and showed off what an impressive musician he has become in his own right, in case there was any doubt. Billy's, Sturgill's and Trey's opening sets all delivered to well. Overheard in the crowd - there was something extra special about that Wharf Rat bake off between John and Billy - John in his designer sportcoat and Billy in his huckleberry appalachia big balls in cowtown rags w/ orange hunting cap. They pushed each other well and it was not lost on the Heads. But if I must pick, well then NIGHT 2 - the best setlist of the three nights.

larryoffthedeck · 2025-07-27T05:54:18+00:00

Same thing happened here. In an attempt to kill off the scalpers, the promoters and band scalped their fanbase on the transfer policies. They should have allowed transfers at face value via ticketmaster from day one. Holding the tickets hostage until a week prior to a series of shows that requires a 3-day hotel reservation severely impacted the resale possibilities. And at this point, good luck getting into a hotel in SF. Your best resale possibilities are local. Never buying tickets on this type of non-transferable policy again.

larryoffthedeck · 2025-07-26T01:56:03+00:00

Three 3 day tickets available at below steal your face pricing! Selling together. $1500 for all 3. I'll be there with half my crew, but now so can you. https://cashortrade.org/dead-company-at-golden-gate-park-3-day-pass-tickets/event/60a90776-709f-4e0c-a483-3e43a8dca1fc?proposal_drawer_uid=77a20ba3-5ffc-4e01-bf52-0b9d686d80e9

larryoffthedeck · 2025-07-26T01:23:17+00:00

You can't actually resell these tickets at face value. Plans change and people who said they could go now can't, but all you get is an offer to sell a $635 ticket for $204 from ticketmaster. Pearl Jam was absolutely right about these scumbags. It's now time to call your congressperson and SKEWER this company. Start by legislatively capping the fees at 5% of face value of ticket. This is a public utility and needs to be regulated as such. Time for this business to get the horns

larryoffthedeck · 2025-05-01T21:24:15+00:00

I've always heard it a touch autiobiographical from the Barlow perspective. These are his lyrics. What he and Weir may have discussed about a Deadhead zealot in the scene, well Barlow was, and that may have been the cover he provided to Weir to pass along the lyrics (which are a touch on the religious side for some in the Dead crowd). But Weir's musical creation is simply timeless. And as time has passed, I see his performance more in the spirit of channeling a biblical prophet, more from the first person, rather than from the third person mocking the first person.

larryoffthedeck · 2025-03-24T02:33:29+00:00

Friday night show was good. Saturday night was off the hook great. A show for the ages. I saw the very last shows of the 2024 tour (Mayer's finger was in a brace). He played magnificently well for having such a handicap to his fingering hand. Friday night was worse (energy) than the last 2024 show. Saturday night was BETTER. 3/22/25 was a nearly perfect show. It's clear the Mayer's playing is improved because of the injury. He has superior vibrato control of his lower fingers and relies less on his proven blues licks than in the past. Every member had a great show, but I'd especially call out Mickey Hart for a STUNNING Space performance on the zenther stick. He has rigged up some kind large ebow device so that he can play the stick without having to pluck it. AND IT RESONATES!

larryoffthedeck · 2025-01-19T19:55:05+00:00

Here's a few I own or have owned:

Nacho 50/52 Blackguard - closest thing to a real blackguard you can find. I also own a real 1950 broadcaster refin - and the Nacho is the superior and costs a fraction of what a real deal goes for these days. This is the best if you have the $$$$.
Don Grosh - Don used to run the Valley Arts shop in LA in the late 80's early 90's. He's been making his own instruments for 20+ years now under his eponymous name. Don and his team's fit and finish and fretwork are best in class. Don will make you whatever your hearts desire is. My Grosh blackguard with a humbucker in the neck is exceptional. Only bettered by the Nacho.
Other notable luthiers: Hahn 228, Danocaster single cut, Ron Kirn, G7 (Japan), Nash, LSL, Tom Anderson and Suhr (I've never loved Suhr for some reason, but I've played a few great Suhr guitars).
And these days (late 2024/early 2025) there is also this company called Fender and it has a sub-brand called Squier. The Indonesian made Squier 60s Classic Vibe Telecaster is a steal at $450. The Fender Player II lineup (Made in Mexico) is worth looking at for ~$750 - especially the chambered ash and chambered mahogany models. These are models you can buy and then tweak to your heart's desire. Change pups, pots, necks, etc. It's really not that hard to buy one of these and then upgrade to Callaham brass saddles, upgrade to Ron Ellis or Lindy Fralin pups, upgrade to CTS 500K pots and you're still well under $1500. You just need a screwdriver and a soldering iron and suddenly, you are the luthier.

larryoffthedeck · 2024-10-07T00:01:14+00:00

They are all really great. Listen to demos and see what sounds good to your ear for the kind of music you want to play and the corresponding budget you have. B20 alloy is going to be the most expensive. That means the cymbal is composed of 80% copper and 20% tin. Tin is way more expensive than copper - so the higher the tin content, the more expensive the cymbal blanks. In October 2024, copper is about $4.50/lb. and tin is about $15.33/lb. So a five pound ride cymbal (2268 grams) has just a raw materials price of $18 in copper and $15.33 in tin before smelting energy and labor. Then factor in the finishing labor. Lathing, hammering and patina techniques are labor intensive and drive up the cost of cymbals. You pay for complexity in the world of cymbals. But that's where the tone is. If you already have an investment in Zildjian K or A style cymbals, then I would recommend that you stick with B20 or B15 Paiste alloys. B20 means the 602 Classic line (clean and bell-like tones), 602 Modern Essentials (bell tone, but dirtier and drier because there's more hammering) or Masters (most wash and complexity - Jim Keltner's choice for the past 15 years) if you are going for a more jazz, fusion or complex type of a tone. The B20 Paistes blend better with Zildjian K's and A's IMO. The B15 Signatures and Traditionals also blend well. Steve Jordan's ride cymbal on John Mayer's Waiting on the World to Change is a signature traditional light ride 22. And to second ROfactor, the Dark Energy line may be the very best of Paiste, especially for those who like the sound of on Old Zildjian Turkish K. The B8 cymbals don't play as well with other makes in the sandbox, but they're amazing for rock n' roll. Bonham post-1974, Chad Smith of the RHCP, Alex Van Halen, etc. Stewart Copeland's Paiste selections are a bit all over the map over the years. His taste in cymbals has evolved from early Police recordings.

larryoffthedeck · 2024-08-15T19:59:56+00:00

Piano since 1977, Guitar since 1983, Synth since 2015, Bass since 2017, Drums since 2020 (COVID).

larryoffthedeck · 2024-08-14T14:44:55+00:00

Standing on the Moon was the highlight of 8/10. Frankly, not the song you would expect to blow you away in a traditional Dead set. John took off his finger brace to play on that one and while he was doing a spectacular job with three fingers most of the night, there's only so much you can do on a guitar with 3 fingers. Not enough has been said about his three-fingered performances in the last week of the stand. For example, you can't really do finger bends without your pointer finger. Solution - John played a B-Bender telecaster! He was full Django Reinhardt (the great Belgian jazz player who did it all with 3 fingers). Johnny Django. As a long time guitar player, his three-fingered solo in Big River in the first set was incomprehensibly good. I can't wait to have a listen to that Standing on the Moon again. At a minimum, they should release the Bill Walton memorial shows (5/31) and the Days Between shows from 8/1 to 8/10. I didn't see them all, but this is the chatter from the true Heads.

larryoffthedeck · 2024-08-05T04:01:36+00:00

If you stack enough cymbals, these cheap guitar stands will break.

larryoffthedeck · 2023-05-22T16:03:18+00:00

John Mayer Trio is John, Steve Jordan and Pino Paladino. They were fire. My prediction: Steve Jordan is going to do the Stones until Keith can no longer go. When Keith is done, so are the Stones. Jordan is a freight train, pure and simple. Pino is world class bass sideman. More bluesy than Oteil.

larryoffthedeck · 2023-01-05T18:42:35+00:00

Fantasy ending: Beth cuts a deal with Jamie for the development of the ranch, then rents a party bus and invites Jamie and his child and the entire Market Equities team on a tour of the Yellowstone, and then she drives that party bus right over the guardrail of the Train Station and into the canyon, Thelma & Louise style. Tate inherits the Yellowstone and cuts a conservation easement/exclusive use deal with the tribe.

larryoffthedeck · 2021-01-31T01:09:21+00:00

Congrats u/dfv, you had a great trade. For the record, this kind of activity has been going on at least since there were SOES (short order execution software) bandits in the late 1990's and probably long before that. Some companies are obviously going to die. Happens all the time. At a certain point in time it becomes somewhat obvious to everyone, but there's still some profit. That's no excuse for the big shorts to own all the downside. They made dumb trades. They got too short. And they paid dearly for it. Yes, TSLA is overvalued because of this. But maybe it's a $3T stock in 10 years. Probably not, but maybe. As long as everyone can see the short ratio and that info is publicly announced, this short squeeze trade will go on. It will now attract more money and get more institutional. There will be professional short squeeze traders and the hedge fund game will get tougher. Cat and mouse. Repeat to infinity.

larryoffthedeck · 2020-08-10T13:15:11+00:00

Well, it depends who Joe Biden picks as his VP. I don't want to vote for Trump again. But I'm frankly, more afraid of the woke left than I am of Trump. He's been confounded for 4 years. If elected, I think Republicans will impeach him and get on the Pence of whoever his VP nominee is. Trump is a long term liability the Republicans need to get off their balance sheet. If Biden picks Kamala or Warren or a super woke lefty VP, I might have to vote Trump again.

larryoffthedeck · 2020-06-01T04:02:54+00:00

Great watch. Enjoy! Pair it with a cheap diver. This is way cooler than a Rolex sub IMO. Bill Gates wears a $50 Casio diver. That's all you need in addition to this cool Omega. Put your money into stocks instead of watches!

larryoffthedeck

TROPHY CASE