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Visit Seymour Duncan’s Secret Room…

February 4th, 2012 No comments

So… what is “THE SECRET ROOM?

Seymour Duncan's Secret Room

The Secret Room is a website where players will have access to a vast repository of tips, tricks, and techniques — the kind of “secrets” that some musicians jealously protect. But before being admitted to this password-protected site, visitors must contribute one of their own tone secrets — the kind of hard-won musical wisdom that is almost too good to share.

Once players submit a secret, they get access to all the other exclusive secrets. They can also comment on the secrets and rate them. And just to keep things lively, the highest rated secret between now and March 1st, 2012 will receive a Godin Summit CT, a lovely and versatile carved-top solidbody electric guitar that sells for around $1,000. The second and third place prize winners will receive a set of Seymour Duncan pickups of their choice.

Click the link below to submit your tone secret and to discover a world of the best kept secrets:

Take me to “The Secret Room”…

The Guitarists Bucket List

January 31st, 2012 No comments

I subscribe to several Guitar Magazines.

I’m sure you do too.

One magazine I look forward to receiving is “Fretboard Journal“. It’s not your traditional axe-stuff… there’s no tab, no CD or DVD reviews, no stomp-box wiring layouts, very minimal advertising and rarely anything that would appeal to a metal-head or cover band.

Yet, I look forward to receiving it…(and I thank my in-laws for the holiday gift-subscription!)

Recently, Fretboard Journal published the ultimate guitar player’s “Bucket-List”. What’s a “Bucket List?” Well, without seeing the movie… it’s that list of things you absolutely have to do before you kick the bucket… The list includes ninety-nine things that the staff of the Fretboard Journal thought every guitarist should do before they die.

I will re-publish 10 of the items (below) and link to the FULL LIST HERE.

  1. Play a real ’59 Gibson Les Paul Standard.
  2. Join an online guitar forum.
  3. Get into an argument with someone on an online guitar forum.
  4. Get invited upstairs at Gruhn Guitars in Nashville, Tennessee to see the good stuff.
  5. Fire a drummer.
  6. Take a factory tour at C.F. Martin & Co in Nazareth, Pennsylvania.
  7. Have at least two quotes from This is Spinal Tap committed to memory.
  8. Attend Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Festival.
  9. Host a house concert.
  10. Play “Eight Miles High” on a Rickenbacker 12-string
  11.  
    So… How many of these have you done? And what do you think is missing from the full list?

I’m Heading to NAMM – Follow me on Twitter

January 19th, 2012 No comments

Twitter GuitarThere won’t be many blog posts added to the BUZZ over the next few days as I am heading off to Anaheim, California for the 2012 Winter NAMM show! But while the blog activity will slow, the Twitter activity will skyrocket!

The NAMM show (National Association of Music Merchants) is an annual trade show in sunny California. The show is attended by invitation only and I have been invited as a member of the press to cover the event and new product announcements.

Hundreds, make that thousands, of music manufacturers will be represented promoting their current and new products.

While the show is all about music, including all instruments in all genres… guitars always seem to dominate the floor space. I’m all about that! Of course, I won’t be able to tweet them all but I will tweet what I believe are the cool “BUZZ-worthy” stories and products that you may want to check out.

You can follow me at http://Twitter.com/TheGuitarBuzz.

SLASH “Made in Stoke” Holiday Contest Winners

December 25th, 2011 5 comments

Slash Made in Stoke CD-DVD Holiday Giveaway

Congratulationsto the following people who made comments about Slash and were entered into the CD/DVD Giveaway contest!

THE WINNERS ARE:

The winners of SLASH “Made in Stoke” CD’s are:

1) David Vaughan
2) Greg Bodish
3) Andrew

THE GRAND PRIZE WINNER of the SLASH “Made in Stoke” Deluxe Edition CD/DVD:

* Luke *

The above winners will be contacted at the email address associated with their comment to provide mailing address information. Thanks to everyone who made a comment in the contest and Happy Holidays to all readers of TheGuitarBuzz.com!


Happy Holidays from GuitarDaddy and TheGuitarBuzz.com

December 23rd, 2011 1 comment

Happy Holidays from TheGuitarBuzz.com!

Wishing everyone a wonderful Holiday Season and a prosperous 2012!

May all of your Guitar-Related Goals, Dreams and Desires come true in the coming NEW YEAR!

-GuitarDaddy


Ed Roman was The Guitar King

December 22nd, 2011 2 comments

The message below was posted on the Official Ed Roman Web Site last week:

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Ed Roman.

Ed Roman was a big personality. We understand that many people have questions regarding the circumstances surrounding his passing. His death however is still very recent, and is a heartbreaking shock to the family. We ask that you please be respectful of the sensitive nature involved with losing a loved one, and the mourning process that follows.

We will remember him fondly and are keeping his legacy alive. We are conducting business as usual and all orders in process are on schedule, so keep the orders coming, and they will be addressed with the same quality, care and pride you have come to expect from all of us at Ed Roman.

A more formal announcement from Lindsey Star Roman will be forthcoming. Thank you very much for your consideration.

- Lindsey Star Roman and the Ed Roman Crew

Ed Roman and Billy Gibbons

Yes, Ed Roman was controversial. But Ed was also a passionate visionary who who turned his passion into his life’s calling. He was the consummate guitar builder, making guitars for household name rock stars…and guys like me too.

He ruffled a lot of feathers with his “Fabulous Fakes”, guitar replicas that looked exactly like many of the high end guitars on the market, except that Ed’s were even “higher” in quality…according to Ed’s standards of guitar construction.

His “Rants” about the guitar industry and it’s business practices were legendary and entertaining. Ed Roman believed what he believed, and for that I respect him.

If you have never visited the Ed Roman web site, this is a great time to check it out. I have spent hours there perusing the articles and photos.

Sadly, for many, the legacy Ed is leaving behind is not positive. A quick Google search for “Ed Roman” today will take to you multiple guitar sites, chat rooms and forums where people are using this time as an opportunity to bash Ed Roman. I realize I am opening myself up to some backlash, but I think it’s totally inappropriate to post some of the things I have read over the past few days. Ed Roman was a man who built a lot of guitars for a lot of people and operated one of the largest guitar stores in the world and to speak ill at this time is, in my opinion, out of line.

He made a lot of dreams come true when he built the guitars that others imagined. Watch the video below to see what I mean.

He was a son and a father and leaves a family in mourning.

R.I.P. Ed Roman.


New Olympus® LS-100 Linear PCM Recorder

December 14th, 2011 No comments

New Olympus® LS-100 Linear PCM Recorder Features
Best In-Class Microphones, XLR Inputs and Multi-Track Capability

An ideal device for anyone looking to capture the highest quality audio recording

CENTER VALLEY, Pa., December 14, 2011 – Olympus, the world’s number one manufacturer of portable digital voice recorders and professional dictation devices, has created an ideal tool for musicians and audio enthusiasts with the new LS-100 linear PCM audio recording device. The latest edition to the popular LS series features two internal 90-degree directional stereo condenser microphones that capture lower-bass frequencies and louder sound with less clipping, two quarter-inch XLR/standard phone combination inputs and multi-tracking with two-channel simultaneous recording and eight-channel playback. Packed in an attractive, well-built portable device, the Olympus LS-100 combines these new features with uncompressed 24 bit/96 kHz Linear PCM digital recording to offer users incredible audio quality in a multi-track recorder.

Olympus LS-100

“The Olympus LS series has been a favorite of musicians, artists and music lovers, and the LS-100 is an evolution in this series designed with the working musician, specifically, in mind,” said Amy Leslie, Sr. Marketing & Business Development Manager, Olympus Imaging America Inc. “For songwriting sessions, band rehearsals, live performances, broadcasting, or really anything that requires the highest quality of audio recording, the LS-100 is an ideal, all-encompassing recording solution.”

Supersonic Sound
The hallmark of the Olympus LS series has always been superior sound quality, and the LS-100 takes that reputation to a new level. Two internal 90-degree directional stereo condenser microphones with a frequency response of 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz allow the user to capture all audible lower-bass frequencies. Engineered to capture sound at a wide range of decibel levels, the Olympus LS-100 is an ideal recorder for an incredibly loud environment. Its microphones support sound pressure levels down to 140 decibels, more than enough to capture extreme sound from a rock band without experiencing clipping issues.

With the new high-quality microphones comes new high-quality amplifier circuitry. The audio and system circuitry are separated on the Olympus LS-100 to minimize sound degradation and keep the signal true. A switchable low-cut filter enables users to eliminate low-frequency sound at two different settings, 100Hz or 300Hz. Unwanted background noises like talking or the rumble of a distant car, can be greatly minimized.

Plug N’ Play
The Olympus LS-100 features two quarter-inch XLR / standard phone combo jacks, which support phantom power at 48/24 volts to power a variety of high-quality external microphones.

These inputs can hook into any line-output device, including guitars, soundboards and keyboards. Both the microphones and XLR inputs feature independent recording levels. This allows the user to reach the right balance or blend on the fly. A balanced line provides a noise-free signal.

Eight Track Heaven
The LS-100 is the first Olympus recorder with multi-tracking capabilities. Whether you want to record in just one take, or you prefer the versatility multi-track recording offers, the LS-100 provides the power and flexibility to meet all demands. Up to eight tracks are at users’ disposal. Each can be separately volume adjusted and panned, then mixed down to create the complete composition.

Musician’s Toolbox
Other essential tools easily accessible on the LS-100 include a tuner, metronome and Lissajous measurement. The metronome feature allows users to keep perfect time, and the tuner function ensures accurate tuning for each musical instrument selected. Users can also invoke the Lissajous function, which detects and displays the phase difference between the left and right external microphones from the sound source on the 2.0” backlight LCD – ideal for broadcasting studios. When burning a CD, the Olympus LS-100 can be connected directly to a CD drive for fast and easy mastering.

Overdubs are also in the repertoire of the Olympus LS-100, allowing sound recording to take place over the original sound while simultaneously monitoring it. Meanwhile, the Playback Synchro Recording feature enables recording of an additional track while listening to another.

Files are saved to the internal 4GB memory or on SD (up to 2GB) / SDHC (up to 32GB) / SDXC (up to 64GB) cards. The LS-100 operates on one rechargeable lithium-ion battery – ideal for lengthy recording sessions.

Never Miss a Note
The first vital sounds of a recording will never be missed thanks to the innovative Pre-Recording function, which lets the two seconds prior to hitting the record button be captured. Additionally, with Voice Sync, users can set the Olympus LS-100 to automatically commence recording to file once sound hits a certain level. Index marks can also be placed at specific points on a track letting particular sections to be located more easily later. And various repeat modes, including A-B Repeat, allow users to listen to precise track sequences at will.

Making Recording Accessible for Everyone
Another key LS-100 feature is voice guidance, whereby the recorder can provide audio prompts for users with assistive needs. This helps the user operate the device without needing to see the menus or buttons. Artists with visual or learning disabilities have long been faithful Olympus users, and the LS-100 was built with their needs in mind.

Professional Look and Feel
The durable and compact Olympus LS-100 Multi-Track Linear PCM recorder bestows musicians and broadcasters a high performance, mobile multi-track recording studio to fulfil all their needs – from a single track to a complete composition – boasting highest possible audio qualities. Jam-packed with cutting-edge technology and ready-to-use hands-on features, this metal-bodied masterpiece will hit stores at a recommended price of $399 in February 2012.

Gary Moore “Name The Painting” Contest… And the Winner Is:

December 14th, 2011 1 comment

After receiving over 80 name suggestions, Tom Noll has selected the WINNING NAME in the Name The Gary Moore Painting Contest.

Here is the message I received from Tom:

AND THE WINNER IS:

A big THANK YOU to all of you and your heartfelt suggestions that came through while I was swinging the brush…bringing Gary to life on my canvas.

Wow…talk about making a naming task “tougher”. I’ve wrestled with a number of these great ideas along the way.

The original requests for a Gary Moore painting came from a few different clients of mine in the UK a couple of years ago. I was saddened to learn of his death in February and decided I’d waited too long already to paint him. I feel this portrayal of Gary just nailed his emotion and I thoroughly enjoyed creating it for his followers.

I’ve been a giant fan of his soaring blues, and when I saw this title for the painting, it just grabbed me and I felt it was fitting. It speaks instantly of his heritage, and I think Gary would be proud to hang on your wall with this tag.

Congrats to John O’Grady of Wrexham UK for the “Belfast Blues”. I’ll be shipping John’s print across the big pond this weekend, back to Gary’s homeland.

The 27″ x 19″ prints at that intro price of $217 are in the works and will start shipping this Saturday. For those of you who haven’t reserved one yet, contact me (tom@tomnoll.com) and I’ll arrange to get one coming your way too.

Thanks again.

Tom

"BELFAST BLUES", Painted by Tom Noll, Named by John O'Grady

Tom Noll
22236 W. Hillcrest Dr.
Waukesha, WI 53186 USA
cell 262-844-7499

http://www.tomnoll.com/
http://stores.ebay.com/Creative-Bone-Artworks-Art-Prints

RIP Steve Jobs 1955-2011

October 5th, 2011 No comments

Steve Jobs 1955-2011

TheGuitarBuzz.com is a guitar blog, but it would be totally inappropriate for me to let this day pass without making a statement about Steve Jobs, founder of Apple, and the genius behind the iPod, iMac, iPod Nano, iTouch and what I believe to be the single greatest technology invention in my lifetime…the iPad.

I admit…in addition to being a guitar nut…I am a computer nerd…and an Apple fanatic, addict and evangelist…rolled into one.

Steve Jobs embodied the spirit of American innovation and entrepreneurship and to me he will always be the consummate example of creativity and passion. His dreams became our reality. His ideas and his products changed the course of portable computing and music distribution.

At last count, I have eleven Apple products in my home and I very well may go and buy number twelve tomorrow…simply to honor the man himself. If you do not have an Apple product in your house today, it’s only a matter of time before you will.

RIP, Steve Jobs.

Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.
-Steve Jobs

UPDATE: 10/6/11 – Make it twelve… I put a deposit on an iPhone 4s this afternoon.

Follow TheGuitarBuzz.com on TWITTER

September 27th, 2011 No comments
Twitter Guitar

TheGuitarBuzz on Twitter

I am active on Twitter. Follow me at: http://Twitter.com/TheGuitarBuzz.

I send regular “tweets” about recent posts to the guitar blog, product reviews, contests, videos and other guitar-related stuff.

I also “re-tweet” from other guitar-related twitter members that I follow when I think the information is worth sharing.

I don’t automatically follow everyone who follows me on Twitter simply because it is too hard to keep track of everything that comes across my email, RSS Feeds and twitter inbox. Instead I stay focused on the latest guitar happenings and use my free time to write new posts for TheGuitarBuzz.com!