happy to see the fret is back!

[helliott57]

I stumbled across this place and will be happy to contribute in a small way to its rebirth. I joined the original Fret around 2006-7, user name at the time helliott. (I re-registered as my email etc changed with my retirement a couple of years ago. ) I fondly recall the many interactions, jams, shared music posts and discussions about gear.

Since my retirement from journalism a few years back I have devoted most of my time to playing, learning to sing better, and generally letting guitar and music play the sort of role in my life that wasn't possible in the working years. Having sworn off the bar scene it's tougher to find opportunities but they're out there, and I have seized them as much as possible.

I've downsized the guitar herd and rely mostly on the ones pictured here -- two PRS SEs. Happy to discuss them if there is interest. I will keep an eye out and hope to post when there is new activity. Best wishes to all...

 

[Brian Krashpad]

Welcome back!

 

[Alan]

Thanks for posting and showing those beautiful guitars. I am partial to the blue one.

 

[helliott57]

Thanks for posting and showing those beautiful guitars. I am partial to the blue one.

Thanks. They are both great and the lake blue CE 24 has a Baggs piezo in the bridge which delivers pretty guys acoustic tones

 

[helliott57]

Thanks. They are both great and the lake blue CE 24 has a Baggs piezo in the bridge which delivers pretty good acoustic tones

 

[stingx]

Hey now! I remember you. I was surprised to see this place back in action too. Nice guitars, by the way...

 

[helliott57]

Howdy Stingx. I recall you from the old Fret community. Hope you are well. Sure is quiet here. Perhaps in time more visitors will join.
Thanks re guitars. I am very happy with them. They seem to suit this part of my life -- as in the older part. These are light -- 7.5 lbs. No more 10 pounders for me, so my back tells me. These are nice wide, flatish fretboards with fairly thin necks and 24 frets, which suit arthritic hands and fingers. And each is quite distinct. Blue has very smooth pickups (I don't play past edge of breakup), plus has an LR Baggs piezo in the bridge, which can be used separately or blended with the mags.
Tobacco burst is quite different, but neck and fretboard are pretty similar, just 22 frets. And the two buckers plus a narrowfield in the middle make for a range of tone options -- 5- way switch makes decent Strat-style tones easy.
All in all very pleased and fortunate that I stumbled across these. Between them and my old-man pedalboard plus three amph options, I'm pretty much set to twang through my twilight years.
Take care and all the best ...

 

[stingx]

Wow! We both joined all the way back in 2006!
I'd like to see more of the old school guys make it back here - Swede, the lawyer dude from Sun Valley, too many to keep going.

 

[marnold]

Good seeing you Helliot! Do you ever have any feedback issues with those guitars since they seem to be semi-hollow?

I joined in 2005. I remember joining because of Robert's Vox Valvetronix videos.

 

[helliott57]

Thanks marnold. Back at you. You're more of a real oldtimer than me (Fret-wise, that is) but I'm happy to reconnect with some of the crew.

No, these guitars are not feedback problems. The semi-hollow is really just a chambered body as opposed to fully hollow. I can get feedback, but have no problems controlling it, and since I play just edge of breakup I can go feedback free. The PUPs are buckers, but not too hot. At low volumes, with my TS9, I can get Santana style sustain, and manage any feedback with the volume and tone controls.

 

[Robert]

Hey I remember you as well. rules.

 

[helliott57]

And I you. strong and free

 

[Tig]

Welcome back! I didn't join until 2008. I don't play much anymore, thanks to osteoarthritis in my hands. I had surgery on my picking hand's thumb 4 years ago, but I'm putting off the same surgery on my fretting hand. After getting laid off a few years back, my creative side vanished. I see Robert's runs on Strava, plus I see Sunvalleylaw and Brian Crashpad on facebook.

I still ride, but not as much anymore. That arthritis is a be-otch.

 

[helliott57]

Sorry to hear of your health challenges, and wishing you all the best

 

[stingx]

Hey Tig, sad to learn of your affliction. You can still hang and still enjoy music. It's all about the company.