The Hermit’s Cave – Page 11

22nd April 202221st April 2022

Short Term Review: Fender 57 Custom Deluxe (aka Tweed Deluxe) Re-Issue Amplifier

The mighty Les Paul with my Tweed Deluxe amp.

Last summer, I bought what is probably the bucket list amp for me: a re-issue of Fender’s legendary Tweed Deluxe amplifier.

Nine months or so later, how am I getting on with it? Was it a good decision, or do I regret paying the perceived Fender tax for an almost 70-year-old amp circuit that’s been heavily cloned?

18th April 202216th April 2022

Short-Term Review: The Fryette Power Station PS-100

Last summer, I bought a Fryette Power Station PS-100 as an emergency purchase, so that I could use my Tweed Deluxe at home volume levels.

Nine months later, how am I getting on with it? Would I buy it again if anything happened to it? And would I recommend it to you? Read on to find out.

12th April 20229th April 2022

Studio Diary #29: Setting Up Superior Drummer 3 In Reaper

I’ve recently switched back from Universal Audio’s LUNA DAW to good old Reaper. Why? Because I need to work on some midi drums, and LUNA doesn’t really support that yet.

This is partly a note to myself, and partly a tutorial, on how I setup Superior Drummer 3 and Reaper to work well together.

11th April 202230th May 2022

Studio Diary #28: Returning To Reaper, After 2 Years Of LUNA

We’ve just started band rehearsals again, after a 2 year break because of the global pandemic. That means that my time with LUNA has to come to an end, at least for now.

12th March 2022

Worth Upgrading To Locking Tuners? My Experience

Earlier today, the fine folks at Andertons posed this question over on Twitter:

Locking tuners – are they a must-have or an unnecessary addition? 🤔 https://t.co/RafkXv5hOV pic.twitter.com/nkmmJnonp3
— Andertons Music Co. (@andertonsmusic) March 12, 2022

I don’t think I’ve talked about this on the blog before, so here’s my take on it.

6th March 20226th March 2022

First Impressions: Fender’s The Bends Compressor Pedal

I recently bought a new compressor pedal: Fender’s The Bends. It has a reputation for being a very boring compressor pedal. That’s good: I’m a boring guitar player, and I like boring gear. The question is: is it too boring?

Read on for my First Impressions.

28th February 2022

New Arrivals: February 2022

This month is a tale of two eras: before land war in Europe, and after the war started.

My plan was to get Hedgehog back in action, and (if they came into stock) pick up a couple of things I felt I needed for some planned recording. And that’s how the month started.

Then Putin launched his invasion of a democratic European nation, while willy-waving his nuclear arsenal at the rest of the world. While we’re almost certainly safe from major consequences ourselves, I decided to bring forward my major planned purchase of the year anyway.

15th February 2022

First Impressions: Bare Knuckle Pickups True Grit Telecaster Bridge Pickup

This photo is an almost top-down shot of the Bare Knuckle Pickups' True Grit Telecaster bridge pickup.

The photo shows that this pickup has six flat pole pieces (all the pole pieces are the same height). — The Bare Knuckle Pickups’ True Grit Telecaster Bridge Pickup

Last year, I picked up Hedgehog (my Squier Esquire 60’s Custom), and it quickly became one of my firm favourites. I’m on a hunt to find the right bridge pickup to bring out the best in it.

I’ve already given the Seymour Duncan Antiquity II a go. Will I be any happier with the Bare Knuckle Pickups True Grit? Read on to find out.

6th February 2022

Second Bite: Wampler Paisley Deluxe

This photo shows two pedals on my pedalboard.

On the left is the Paisley Drive Deluxe, made by Wampler Pedals. It has two foot switches, one to activate each side of the pedal.

On the right is the Forest Green Compressor, by Mad Professor. This just has the one foot switch. — The Wampler Paisley Drive Deluxe and Mad Professor Forest Green Compressor

Back in March 2020, I picked up a second hand Paisley Deluxe (Paisley Drive Deluxe? Even Wampler’s own marketing uses both terms …), and really struggled with it. And that has bugged me ever since.

A lot has changed since then. Will that make any difference, or will it still be a pedal that just isn’t for me? Details below 🙂

31st January 202224th January 2022

New Arrivals: January 2022

The Christmas break is always good for getting me to wire up and fire up the home recording studio, and the end of 2021 was no exception. It was a good reminder of just how much I enjoy making music (rather than just noodling around).

So, this year, I want to at least try and have a bit more purpose when I choose which new (to me) gear to try:

Things that will help me record music.
Things that will help me perform music.
Bucket list items.
Things that will help me learn about the gear I already have.

Last year, we had one month when there were no new arrivals to write about. I wouldn’t be surprised if we have several more this year. But not this month 🙂