STUDENT NEWSLETTER 21 Aug
2007 
I hope this letter finds you all happy, healthy, cool, and in tune.
Here we are in The Summertime and August half over already. Less than five months till Christmas! Encourage someone you love to play music. If they start now they will be playing Christmas songs by Christmas.
We have a star in our midst. Most folks take guitar lessons for self enjoyment. Some to be a star. Today it is much tougher to be famous than it use to be. Today you not only need talent and ability you need a lot of hard work, luck, and money. You better be young and pretty too! We have just such a student now.
Paige has worked very hard. Piano, voice, dance lessons, finishing school.... She writes and records her own songs. Very accomplished considering she is only in the 7th grade! She has been written about in Texas Monthly and is VERY gifted. An inspiration to us all. Check her out: www.myspace.com/paigerockmusic Go Paige go! Another successful student story.
Student Dave K. and The Fat Cats Band played Poppy's Garden Cafe last Saturday night in McKinney , TX and will be back there again on August 24th 7 to 11pm. Check their website for directions: http://www.poppys-gardencafe.com/index.ht It is good to support local music and fun to know the band. Go see Dave and introduce yourself. You will have a blast. Good food too.
There is only one music store in Dallas worth mentioning. Lowest prices, online shopping, free shipping on orders over $99, great return policy, best selection...
Click here to go there.
I am proud to be affiliated with Guitar Center. Now you do not have to drive across town any more they will bring your gear to your door. If you click thru to their site from mine I get an advertising credit! Guitar Center and Musicians Friend are owned by the same folks. Worlds largest music company. Please click on the link from my website to go there. Thank You.
The trend in music today in Texas is classic blues, country, and rock. More and more the sound has shifted from Telecaster twang and Stratocaster SRV to more of a Gibson/Marshall 70s rock tone. I get asked the questions how do they make the clean note sustain and sing without being fuzzy. My answer is Gibson/Marshall. All the more reason for me to get a BIG ONE! I have enjoyed my Marshall JTM30. It has that Marshall tone in a small package. But lacks the bass end of a real half stack. You knew it was just a matter of time. I have talked about getting a Marshall half stack for a long time. The reason I have not had one in the past is the fact that the cabinet alone weighs 97 pounds and can not be carried by one person. Now it will live in my studio and never get moved. The Marshall JTM-45 is what Angus and Jimi use(d). Rated at 30w. All tube. Only one thing gets this sound and this is it! 100 pound packages are not an issue for UPS. The delivery guy put both the head and the cab on his two wheel dolly and wheeled it right up my driveway and up my front steps with no problem. This is the biggest thing I have ever had shipped to me.
It sounds really really cool. Albeit a little LOUD. As big as a clothes washer sitting in the studio. Only bigger. It is 46" tall and 29" wide. 150 pounds of heart pounding excitement. The clean sound is great, but let's not fool ourselves. This is a ROCK machine. No doubt about it.
The cabinet is the 1960 TV (tall vintage) with four 12" 25w Celestion speakers. I needed something to play my Gibsons through. Don't worry. Also got one of these:
This is a THD Hot Plate attenuator. A post amplifier effect it goes between a tube amp and the speakers. Works like a master volume in a way. Most amps are made to be played on 5 or higher which is WAY too loud in most neighborhood settings. The Hot Plate converts the power from the amp into heat creating a "dummy load" and sending a much quieter signal to the speakers. This way you get the effect of being up loud with all the harmonics and overdrive at a low volume. Also has a built in noise suppression system. This thing gets hot so don't touch the heat fins. If it gets too hot a little electric fan in the bottom kicks on. Since it gets all of the power from the signal it does not require batteries or to be plugged in. What will they think of next?
To go with this half stack the perfect guitar:
On the way here from California is a 1980 Gibson SG in rare artic white with side input.
Here this past Thursday from California is a 100% original 1979 Gibson Les Paul Standard in Cherry Red with T-Top Humbuckers! Finish checking! Fantastic guitar.
Here next Wednesday from New York is a 100% original 1979 Gibson Les Paul Standard in custom color Ebony Black. Scary Black Rock and Roll Guitar.
Oh Boy! LOOK OUT! Just in from Denver, CO is a 100% original 1978 Gibson Les Paul Standard in Cherry Sunburst (aka 'Cheery Burst' or 'Clown Burst'). This is a rock and roll monster guitar. Very good condition. Brazilian rosewood fret board and Tim Shaw Humbuckers! Excellent condition. Plays and sounds perfect. My current number one best sounding and playing Les Paul.
Here next Wednesday from New York is a 100% original 1981 Les Paul Standard Gold top natural relic with one Tim Shaw Humbucker and one T-Top!
The search for the perfect tone never ends. But after years of consideration, trial and error this is my rig more or less. It is not easy to find the original vintage stuff anymore, so this is the new equivalent.
Every bit of my new gear comes from MusiciansFriend.com or Guitar Center for the past eight years. Best prices, selection, and return policy there is. AND they bring it to your door! If you click thru to MUSICIANS FRIEND .com or Guitar Center.com from this web site to buy something, I get an advertising credit and it does not cost you a penny extra! Musicians Friend and Guitar Center is where I get all my new gear. Click on the link below to go there. If the link does not appear on your browser go here and click on the MusiciansFriend or Guitar Center link at bottom of that page.
Always Stay Tuned. A lot is going on around here!
Rock On,
Joe "TheGuitarman" Pacciano, C.G.P.
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