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Randy120

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Posts posted by Randy120

  1.  

    I had a Taylor GS Mini Mahogany, but I traded it for a Grand Pacific. Mine was one of the first Mini's so it didn't have the pickup. The add on pickup was easy to install, but the sound was noisy so I traded it. I decided I still liked the small travel guitar for many purposes. I found this nicely upgraded Mini so I grabbed it. 

    I just received my new Taylor GS Mini-e 50th Anniversary. This model has several upgrades to the standard model. It has a layered Rosewood back and sides, torrefied Sitka top, diamond inlays, gold tuners, upgrade nut/saddle. 

    If you are looking for a smaller acoustic guitar the GS Mini should be on your list.

    Taylor GS Mini 50th Anniversary (1).jpg

    Taylor GS Mini 50th Anniversary (6).jpg

    Taylor GS Mini 50th Anniversary (8).jpg

    Taylor GS Mini 50th Anniversary (13).jpg

    • Like 3
  2. @matonanjin Yes, Beato is a great resource. I watch his YT videos each week. The Beato book is a very deep supplement to the music theory Steve is teaching. The Ear Training program is excellent with real time testing and feedback. Of course it isn't good to overload yourself when focused practice on your current material is the best course.  

    • Like 1
  3. Are you looking for new learning materials? Rick Beato is selling The Beato Ultimate Bundle for $99. These are online products. There is a lot of learning here. 

    You get the following:

    The Beato Book Interactive

    The Ear Training Program

    The Beato Beginner Guitar Course

    Quick Lessons Pro - Guitar Course

    I am spending my time with his ear training course now. This is one of my big weakness. 

    The sale goes on for 2 more days. 

    The Beato Ultimate Bundle

    • Like 1
    • Thanks 2
  4. It never hurts to work on a technique that pushes you. I have explored some of the exercises myself. 

    For myself I play a lot of fingerstyle which is mostly me winging it, and it still sounds great. On the other hand I would not call my technique precise. If you want just a certain sound you need be precise. If you want to play Stairway to Heaven then there is a very specific path to follow. I know because I have the Led Zeppelin Box Set Authentic Guitar Tab which shows the magic. I took the time to learn the fingerstyle for Stairway along with the 6 other sections, it was challenging and great fun to hear that sound come from my guitar. 

    Steve taught me several other fingerstyle songs including If, Hallelujah, and Dust in the Wind. 

    I play fingerstyle to change up song sections too. 

    Have fun with it!

    • Thanks 1
  5. Yes a bass! I think it is a natural addition for guitar players. The skills overlap in many ways. I doubt my bass skills will ever catch up to my guitar skills. Guitar is still my main instrument.

    Too late! I just purchased the Ampeg Rocket Bass RB108. I wanted a dedicated bass amp. I have the Boss GT-1 multi-effects pedal so I have plenty of amp modelling and effects,

    • Like 1
  6. My new guitar is a bass. We had some sad news here recently. Earcraft Music in Dover, NH is closing after 50 years. Earcraft was a Taylor Preferred Dealer, and it had a wide selection of musical instruments. If I had more money I would have purchased more. As they say in the biz "Everything must go"! 

    I wasn't planning on buying another instrument, but I figured I would buy one more instrument from Earcraft. My first choice was an F-Style Mandolin which was gone by the time I arrived. My second choice was the Yamaha TRBX304 Bass guitar. It was $90 less than the current Sweetwater price so I purchased it. It is a very cool little bass, handsome, with some nice active pickup EQ too. I don't even have a bass amp yet, but I have my eye on the Ampeg Rocket Bass RB-108. 

    I played bass with Rocksmith 2014 on the Xbox Series X with a full surround system. I took the basic bass lessons and my guitar skills had me to 90% note accuracy in a hurry. I had a blast playing along with Lenny Kravitz and the Ramones. I was a little sore after playing. Big bass strings are definitely a challenge. 

    I mainly purchased the bass to add some new sounds to my recordings. Next up an electronic drum kit then we be rocking. LOL!  

    Yamaha TRBX304.JPEG

    Yamaha TRBX304 back.jpg

    • Like 4
  7. Vinny makes great picks. I personally would not spend $35 on a single pick. I purchased his acoustic and electric sample packs years ago and they are still in service.

    My V-Picks are all clear; nothing fancy. I think their best feature is they slip less than most other picks I have tried. A pick that stays firmly planted works best. One of the pointed picks is now rounded, other than that the picks are still going strong for 10 years. 

    I recommend V-Picks for anyone. They are not all expensive and they last a long time. 

    V-Picks

     

     

     

    • Like 2
  8. I recommend not thinking you will learn fast. You will learn based on your effort.

    Stay focused on Steve's course. Minimize the temptation to grab every piece of guitar info out there. Steve is enough for the next couple years if you just focus on the course. Say the notes like Steve recommends, it will help in the end.

    Learn and play songs right away. There is nothing better to learn and encourage you then hearing the sounds coming from the guitar.

    Don't stare at your hands all the time. It is ok when learning a new form, but not for playing. Pro's look at their hands only during something technical. You should be a strumming chord monster in the next year.

    Don't stop because you think you are stuck. You are still learning. Move to something else then come back to what you think you couldn't do. You might be surprised. 

    Let it rip. Play with reckless abandon after you learned the basic technique of course.

    Feel the music and have fun with it!

    Perseverance.jpg.bac0004c2e7fa167320ca005d92f05c1.jpg

     

    • Like 2
  9. I don't have the pedal, but I have the Polytune clip-on tuner which is great. I love the fact you can see all 6 strings at the same time. I agree with Eracer_Team-DougH the Polytune pedal or clip-on is hard to beat. 

    Boss makes great pedals including tuners. 

    Peterson has a strong reputation for its tuners also. 

     

    • Thanks 1
  10. That is a lot of money for a no name guitar. It looks nice enough, but for that kind of money you have a lot of choices. Epiphone has some great choices in that price range. I just purchased a nice MIM Fender Player Stratocaster for that price. The no return policy should be a red flag especially since you haven't seen the guitar. Good luck with your choice.  

  11. I looked at a lot of different guitars before I made my purchase. I even purchased a pretty nice PRS P20E acoustic and returned it because I didn't like the cheap plastic tuners. I wanted to add single coil sound, so I finally decided to just purchase a Fender Player Stratocaster. Of course, I couldn't resist going with the HSS model to add a humbucker. The guitar is beautiful and well put together. I am impressed with this MIM Strat. I was shocked that it didn't even come with a gig bag, but I added a nice modern Fender composite case.  

    Fender Player Strat 2.jpeg

    Les & Leo.jpg

    Fender Player Stratocaster 3.jpeg

    • Like 8

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