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3/4 $$$

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Watching Breaking Bad

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Finally took out that pesky volume knob! I always have my Strats set up with just a master volume and tone, but I finally got around to just taking that first knob out of there! I think they put the volume knob in such a dumb place on Strats. Just my two cents, I know some cats love that super duper close knob. $$$

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FENDER CUSTOM SHOP MANIA $$$

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Two very cool, but very different Jazzmasters! 

1. The traditional route. Classy. 

2. The more modern route. I know some people hate on these so hard, but I actually think they're really cool. For my own personal tastes though, I would put in some more PAF styled buckers instead of the wide range Fender buckers. SPACE AGE JAZZMASTER $$$

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So one gig that I played back in Chicago was particularly memorable in that THERE WERE PEACOCKS ERRYWHERE! I felt like I was in Jurassic Park. It was both terrifying and fascinating. $$$

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This is a video that I wanted to make about correct right hand technique for the plectrum style guitar. This was the kind of video I was always looking for when I first started flatpicking, so hopefully it can be of some use to any of you out there! $$$

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The lovely and talented L Baby modeling a Fender Wayne Kramer Stratocaster. Purdy. $$$

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For some reason, people let me play their cool guitars all the time, and for that I am thankful. 1954 Fender Telecaster. BOW BABY! $$$

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I have such a love for early Solid State amps. There are some really incredible sounding ones, and this Sho-Bud is one of the baddest I've played! I plugged a Heritage 335 into it and was transported to a beautiful world where everything was Grant Green and nothing hurt. $$$

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One of the incredible highlights of my time in Chicago was seeing Julian Lage and Chris Eldridge at Space in Evanston. I have seen a lot of shows (like a ridiculous amount), and this was hands down the best live music I have ever seen. For the love of all that is good and holy, please do yourself a favor and go download their album here. It's only 4 dollahs too. THAT'S LESS THAN THE PRICE OF ONE OF YER FANCY COFFEE DRINKS! $$$

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So when I went back to Chicago, I didn't bring ANY GUITARS OR AMPS. Instead I relied on the kindness of friends for all of my equipment needs. Needless to say, I have the coolest friends. 

1 & 2. For one brief shining moment in history, I was THE RED ROCKER. This 345 through the Screamin' Chickenz Firebird was pure, unadulterated RAWK! Glorious feedback and sustain were mine for the taking.

3. This Deluxe really sounded nice and snappy. Les Pauls aren't exactly my cup o' tea, but this was a winner, no doubt. 

4. Of course the majestic Less Paul was out in full force. This was the one that I used on around 75% of my gigs.

5. The first guitar to fall in my hands during my adventure back home was this totally rad Gretsch Brian Setzer model. Cool V neck and nice twangy pickups.  A win in my book! $$$

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A little bit of flatpicking on my beautiful Martin HD-28LSV! My great friend and brilliant luthier John Lynch went through this guitar and really got it dialed in for me before I brought it back to the Motherland. $$$

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Semi-Hollow Delights from Chicago Music Exchange! 1. Props to Chris Cornell for going the route of the Lollartrons instead of standard buckers! I think this is actually the first time Lollar pickups have ever been offered on a factory Gibson guitar! 

2. I LOVE the smaller bodied semi's like the 339's and 336's!!! 335's always felt a little bit too bulky for me and I think these are just perfect! Seems like you can get a little bit more twang out of the bridge pickup on these too. 

3. I don't really play Rickenbacker guitars too much, but this one was just too cool looking to ignore. $$$

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In case you were wondering what the Less Paul sounds like with an awesome germanium fuzz, HERE YA GO! $$$

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One awesome thing about being back in Chicago was that my Papaw's awesome 1962 "Less Paul" was my main guitar! This guitar is such a pleasure to play and it has two of the best PAFs I've ever heard in my ENTIRE LIFE.The neck pickup is super clear and fat and the bridge pickup is nice and twangy, just how I like it! A total beast of an instrument. $$$

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Two of my favorite oddballs from my trip back to Chicago! 

1. I love aluminum guitars and Electrical Guitar Company makes some of the coolest ones I've ever seen! This was the signature model of Melvins guitarist King Buzzo, who I'm a huge fan of, so I had to check it out. It's crazy how thin their necks are! Like freaky thin. I guess because they're made of aluminum they can do that. You gotta check one out, trust me. 

2. I remember seeing one of these crazy slanty pickup ES-300's in a guitar book that belonged to one of my teachers, but I had never seen one in REAL LIFE before. It was just as funky and cool as you would imagine, super rad sounds and it played great! Plus one of the most amazing looking tort guards I've ever seen. CLASS! $$$