Messages

1216

Beer Travel / Re: MN Richfield, Minny, and St. Paul

« on: November 18, 2009, 09:06:07 AM »

My weekend is already pretty booked -- taking care of my little guy (wife works almost around the clock this weekend!).  But I can offer some suggestions on local beer joints, if you're interested.

1217

Beer Recipes / Re: Dutch brown ale

« on: November 18, 2009, 09:03:36 AM »

I was going to reply, but it's been so long since I've had that beer, I don't think I'd have any useful suggestions.  Maybe just brew it and see whether you're in the ballpark?

1218

All Things Food / Re: Pizza Fatta en Casa

« on: November 18, 2009, 07:07:41 AM »

Well done, bluesman!  That looks awesome.  Do you use the Lehmann dough formulation for that or something else?

1219

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Whatcha Brewin' this week -- 2009 Nov 18-24?

« on: November 18, 2009, 07:04:40 AM »

Ooh, looks nice Matt.

I've got a Racer 5 clone to bottle, if I get around to it this week.

Thanks!  I've always wanted to try Racer 5.  We don't get Bear Republic in the Twin Cities (as far as I know).

1220

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Whatcha Brewin' this week -- 2009 Nov 18-24?

« on: November 17, 2009, 04:18:04 PM »

If I brew this week, it will be my English-inspired Winter Ale with toasted oats.

Winter Ale

Size: 5.15 gal
Efficiency: 75.0%
Attenuation: 75.0%
Calories: 201.67 kcal per 12.0 fl oz

Original Gravity: 1.060 (1.026 - 1.120)
Terminal Gravity: 1.015 (0.995 - 1.035)
Color: 19.1 (1.0 - 50.0)
Alcohol: 5.96% (2.5% - 14.5%)
Bitterness: 38.7 (0.0 - 100.0)

Ingredients:
8.5 lb Pale Ale
1 lb Light Munich
1 lb British Crystal 55°L
1 lb Oats Flaked (toasted in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes prior to mashing)
.25 lb Chocolate Malt
.10 lb Coffee Malt
.75 oz Magnum (12.1%) - added during boil, boiled 60 min
1 oz Cascade (5.5%) - added during boil, boiled 5 min
.5 ea Whirlfloc Tablets (Irish moss) - added during boil, boiled 5 min
2 L starter of WYeast 1968 London ESB Ale

1221

The Pub / Re: Hey Guitar Players...

« on: November 17, 2009, 03:40:51 PM »

Variac is just the trade name for a voltage attenuator, right?  Variacs would include the THD Hot Plate, the Dr. Z. Airbrake, the Weber MASS, the Bad Cat Leash, and various others, right?

I think (and as someone who has not used either forgive me if I'm wrong) that we are talking about two very distinct devices employed for the same general end....

A Variac is used to drop the power voltage coming into the amps power supply, running the amp at what I guess would be lower wattage for earlier breakup at lower volumes.  As mentioned, EVH was an early pioneer of this technique.  I've heard that in general it is not recommended and can be very hard on amps....they aren't really designed to deal with that kind of trifling, but hey, it worked for EVH.  I don't know anyone still using one of these myself.

An attenuator like those mentioned above are generally designed to be plugged in the signal chain between amp and cabinet, attenuating the volume on its way to the speaker.  In this way, the amp is still running full bore, but its output is bled away and a lower volume is fed to the speaker.

Correct me if I am wrong, though, shan't be the first or last time.

I don't know if you're right or wrong, but your description of what an attenuator does is correct.  I've used the THD Hotplate before and it goes between the amp head and speaker cabinet.  It allows you to drive the amp hard on the front end while maintaining a reasonable (read: lower) volume.

1222

The Pub / Re: Hey Guitar Players...

« on: November 17, 2009, 01:51:02 PM »

I really like bluegrass, but can't play it.  I guess I've never really tried, but it's not easy to flatpick an acoustic as fast and clean as so many of the bluegrass pros do.  My acoustic is a Larivee OM-9. 

1223

The Pub / Re: Hey Guitar Players...

« on: November 17, 2009, 12:16:50 PM »

No one remarkable.  I played in my own band, Lume, for about 6 years.  You can listen to our stuff on iTunes (album title is Burn it to the Ground).  Sadly, it never quite matured into what I think it could have been.  We were sort of a Jeff Buckley meets Radiohead band.  I did session/touring work for a lot of local rock acts in Nashville.  One of the bands I toured with was called The Daylights, who subsequently moved to LA and apparently signed with Epic.  I also did some demo work for a band called Sixpence None The Richer, who had that single "Kiss Me" back in the late 90s.

Most recently, I've been doing some session work for my brothers' band, White Light Riot.  Their new album is going to sound something like Muse meets Phoenix.

You ever play with anyone we would know, skotrat?

1224

The Pub / Re: Hey Guitar Players...

« on: November 17, 2009, 11:30:05 AM »

Nice gear, mrbowenz!

1225

The Pub / Re: Hey Guitar Players...

« on: November 17, 2009, 10:27:00 AM »

Variac is just the trade name for a voltage attenuator, right?  Variacs would include the THD Hot Plate, the Dr. Z. Airbrake, the Weber MASS, the Bad Cat Leash, and various others, right?

1226

The Pub / Re: Hey Guitar Players...

« on: November 17, 2009, 09:25:01 AM »

After owning it for 12 years, I decided to sell my '74 Marshall JMP 50-watt head last year.  I don't tour anymore and don't have a trailer to haul it around in.  I barely even played it for the past several years.  I started favoring 1x12 combo amps instead.

Here she is (was) in all her glory though:

1227

The Pub / Re: Hey Guitar Players...

« on: November 17, 2009, 08:15:12 AM »

I have a feeling that this is one of those discussions where we'll to agree to disagree. 

I belong to a music gear forum too and this debate comes up every once in awhile.  It's always a stalemate.  Best to agree to disagree now.     Cheers!

1228

The Pub / Re: Hey Guitar Players...

« on: November 17, 2009, 08:14:19 AM »

From what I've read, the new SS amps do a great job of emulating tube amps, so now you can have your "characteristic" sound and have the reliability of SS.

Are you guys still listening to LP's, because they sound better?

A buddy of mine has a Line 6 Pod XT.  We were playing about a 500 seat venue not too long ago and decided to pit the Pod's AC-30 patch against my Bad Cat Cub IIR (essentially, a hot-rodded AC-30).  His Pod was obviously going direct through the house and my amp was in a sound-proof enclosure underneath the stage.  My signal was patched through the house via a Shure SM-57 mic.  He went first with the Pod.  I have to say, I was really impressed.  It sounded pretty great -- natural and harmonic without much digital iciness, if any.  Then it was my turn.  It was night and day -- no contest.  The tube amp blew the modeling amp away as far as harmonic/dynamic richness.  My buddy agreed (to be fair, he doesn't play the Pod as his main "amp" -- he's also got a Bad Cat).  This has been my experience with comparing modeling amps to tube amps...YMMV.

1229

The Pub / Re: Hey Guitar Players...

« on: November 17, 2009, 07:56:30 AM »

Lets not forget all of the down sides to tubes, such as heat, weight, buzz and warm up time. Each to their own, but I'm living in the 21st century and I'll stick with SS.  

Do the major manufacturers even make SS amps anymore?  Most boutique amp builders certainly don't.  The only ones I can think of are modeling amps (e.g., Line 6) that are, incidentally, designed to emulate the sound of tube circuitry.  I think you'd be hard pressed to find many players in the 21st Century (especially pro players) using SS amps anymore.  What's old is new again!  

1230

The Pub / Re: Hey Guitar Players...

« on: November 17, 2009, 06:34:02 AM »

Without Googleing it, I'd have to bet that tubes are getting hard to find or very expensive if you do find them.

Well, New Old Stock (NOS) tubes (the actually ones made the 60's and 70's) are becoming more rare and are certainly getting more expensive.  But new tubes (which probably comprise the majority of the tube market these days) are usually carried by just about any local music store.  They're incredibly easy to find online.  In fact, I buy all my tubes from an online source (http://www.kcanostubes.com/content/).  I haven't found them to be too expensive, but I suppose that's all relative.  

And I agree with what nic said re: tube amps; transistor amps just can't really do what tube amps can.  It's just a player preference thing in the end, but if you're into rock -- especially classic rock -- or blues, I don't know how you'd survive without a tube amp.