#dunlop strings

[lottiette]

Hellooo, can you please make a fic where the reader is a girlfriend who likes listening to jasper talk about his buckets??

Jasper Dunlop X Reader

Authors note: Thank you Anon for requesting! My ideas have been so dry and I needed a push! Thank you for providing it. Please please request more! I love writing these. Jasper never gets enough love. Have a wonderful day/night/evening! I’m sorry this is so short! Any advice or suggestions are always welcomed!

“I’m a bucketeer!”

You were at Junk N’ Stuff. Blissfully unaware of the super hero cave below you. Sometimes the store had junk that interested you. Maybe you like antiques, or vintage, or maybe you like to take ugly things and give them a new life. Whatever the reason was you were never really there for the junk or stuff, but instead for the dashing cashier with a charming smile. You like to come into Junk N’ Stuff to keep your sweet boyfriend company on his long daily shifts. Today Junk N’ Stuff received a set of vintage buckets.

As you approached the cashier he giddily jumped as if he was waiting for you immediately greeting you and beginning to talk about the new vintage bucket set Junk N’ Stuff received today. Of course he knew every story behind every bucket, the history, what it’s made of, what it was originally designed for. He knew it all. You were one of the only people who ever listened to him rant on about buckets. To add on to that you were the only person who was actually genuinely interested in the buckets. “This set comes from Sweden in the 1800s, the Swedish people used sets like this to hold their beer for celebration.” “Really? Tell me more.” He gladly continued on about them. You were leaning on the cashier table both hands supporting your head. You gazed lovingly at him as he went on he was so cute. He’s such a little bucket nerd. It’s adorable.

“And this one is made out of real titanium. It was- ah never mind. You probably don’t care about any of this.” He shrugs it off. You quickly grab his hands in yours “No, no. I care. Please keep going.” You smile at him and his heart feels like it’s going to explode. He continues on about the buckets. He finishes his rant. “That is so interesting. You just have all that knowledge in your head?” “Yeah. I’m a bucketeer!” “Yes you are. I like your head.” “I like your head” “Don’t make it weird.” “What? I said what you said!” “Let’s not play a game of he said she said” “But yo-“ You lean over the counter and cut him off with a kiss. He kisses you back. You lift yourself onto the counter and are sitting on it. Jasper puts his hands on your hips and is standing between your legs. You put your hands in his hair as his mouth works on yours. You let your tongue find its way into his mouth and in return his tongue dances with yours. After a few moments you pull away a thin string of saliva connecting you. You laugh and wipe your lip gloss off of his mouth (if you wear lipgloss). “Mwah!” You give him a final kiss jumping off the counter as someone walks into the store.

…The End!…

[mousemannation]

[x] | so i transcribed the part of Casper's appearance on the Nothing Major podcast where he talks about players complaining about the balls bc i saw many articles using it as clickbait. im so sorry to the four hosts of Nothing Major i cannawt tell u apart so i've just listed them as HOST or H. if someone wants to listen at the link and correct me, feel free!! I'll edit the post !!

HOST: Is the court still really- it’s super fast in Turin, isn’t it? CASPER: Yeah. The two times I’ve played it was super fast, yeah. H: Yeah, I mean, it’s kinda like- like Shanghai fast- was Shanghai fast this year? C: Yeah H: Always C: Yeah. But the balls were fairly slow. I mean… You see players complain about the balls all the time, like it’s getting so tired of like, “uh I feel my elbow this, I feel my this, that, I don’t- I can’t produce power this, blah blah this, suits this player,” it’s like, come on, just play. H: We- we went over this last week actually. And really the complaints really start flowing in right around Shanghai. People start getting real crabby, real cranky, complaining about the balls, complaining about the conditions, this and that; but I totally agree with you, we’re kinda all in agreement there, like, you know, whatever, like, we- I don’t think any of us really cared too much about the balls. C: For me what’s funny, like, with some players, is that, you know, they come like five days in advance to practice- and I do it myself a lot of the time, it’s like, unless you’re going from tournament to tournament- and then, you know, they string like 28 racquets to get the right tension, cause, like, people are super into strings and like whatever, and then they come to like whatever 4th round and they start complaining about the balls, but its been the same balls for the last 9 days. Like what’s the point of bringing it up now? To the umpire? What is he gonna change? Nothing. H: Absolutely nothing C: Like “yeah, let me call Dunlop i’ll have them send over a can for you-” H: (laughs) C: “-if that’s the one you prefer,” like, what’s the point? I mean, just to make drama out of nothing. H: Yeah. We totally agree with you, dude. The tennis players, like, especially the guys in the top 1- top 50 espe- I mean, they just, they get- get psycho about the balls…

[quiltofstars]

The String of Pearls Galaxy, C72 // Patrick Winkler

Discovered by James Dunlop (1793-1848) in 1826, the String of Pearls Galaxy (NGC 55) is one of the outstanding galaxies of the southern heavens. It is located about 6.5 million light years away in the constellation of Sculptor, the Sculptor. It and the Sculptor Pinwheel Galaxy (C70) are gravitationally bound to each other.

[foxes-that-run]

Superstar singer tells of her love for 1D heartthrob

Sunday Mirror - 16 Dec 2012 - EXCLUSIVE by JAMES DAVIES (x)

HARRY Styles’ pop star girlfriend has been opening her heart about the couple’s blossoming romance.

US singer Taylor Swift admitted she found 18-year-old One Direction heartthrob Harry “incredibly good-looking” and said he was one of the most amazing things to happen in her life.

Taylor, 23, told a pal: “It’s crazy. He’s fantastic. I love him. He just puts you at ease. He’s the embodiment of youthful energy. It’s really inspiring.

“He’s opening my mind to so many thoughts. Our relationship doesn’t feel like a weight.”

Taylor and Harry have been almost inseparable since they were introduced by mutual friend Justin Bieber at an awards ceremony.

The relationship cooled briefly when Harry was spotted with New Zealandbased model Emma Ostilly, also 18, while he was on tour Down Under.

Pop-country superstar Taylor, worth an estimated £100million, then began dating 18-year-old Conor Kennedy, a relative of the late US president JFK, but she and Harry were reunited backstage at the BBC Radio One Teen Awards here in October.

She was heard openly discussing her relationship with Harry at last weekend’s Capital Radio Jingle Bell Ball at London’s 02 Arena.

She told a friend: “We do normal things, like go out to eat, take pictures and make videos. He’s cute, incredibly good looking, smells good and I’m enjoying the flirtation. Meeting him is just one of the most amazing things that has ever happened to me.” Taylor was whisked into the venue holding hands with Harry, out of sight of fans who were there to see his band One Direction perform.

She admitted she worries about their future, saying: “The future, the past, the present, where’s this all going? It’s like everything. But things are good”.

Harry has been linked with a string of mainly older women, including TV presenter Caroline Flack, 33, married radio DJ Lucy Horobin, 32, and Made In Chelsea star Caggie Dunlop, 22. But last month he flew to Los Angeles so he could woo Taylor as she got ready to perform on The X Factor in the States.

The couple got to know each other better in New York, where One Direction performed at Madison Square Garden in front of 20,000 fans. Taylor joined Harry at the after-party where they went on stage together to sing karaoke.

LOVELY

They flew to the UK last weekend on Taylor’s private jet before heading to the Lake District with Harry’s parents where they shopped for Christmas presents in Bowness-on-Windermere, Cumbria, and visited the World of Beatrix Potter.

On Tuesday, Harry took Taylor to the Rising Sun near Sheffield for an early Christmas dinner. Pub manager Sarah Walker said: “They were both lovely.”

It was Taylor’s 23rd birthday on Thursday so the 1D star bought her 23 cupcakes, along with a framed picture of them together and a handbag. Then he took her for a meal at the George & Dragon in Great Budworth, Cheshire.

And on Friday night he took her to his local Chinese in Holmes Chapel, Cheshire for a takeaway.

[we-are-houseguest]

"did you grow up lonesome and one of a kind? were your records all you had to pass the time?" ~ the queen of lower chelsea, the gaslight anthem

welcome back, y'all.

first off, i'm stoked to tell you (if you haven't already heard) that you can actually hear what we recorded with all of this instead of just reading about it when our debut ep,

cry about it

is released on january 31st!

(and if you're in/near vancouver, you can come see us at our release show the night before! rumor has it there'll be merch and new songs 👀 (there'll be merch and new songs, it's not a rumor))

now. let's talk about mj's guitars, shall we? he used a LOT more guitars than i did this time around, so let's dive in.

this is mj's fender noventa stratocaster, one of his two main guitars, and hot damn. this thing is unbelievable. i'm not usually a strat girl but changing the standard design is a good way to pull me in and this thing sounds incredible. the p90s are a fender custom design and they really are fantastic - i'd love to see fender making more guitars with these pickups. the thing weighs nothing and has such tonal variety that mj plays it on big aggressive tunes and the quietest, softest parts (this is the only rhythm guitar on pink power ranger, for example). if you find one of these, i really cannot recommend it enough. mj keeps this guitar in his half open c tuning, CGDGBe; something you may notice is that mj, rach and i often play in wildly different tunings. does my baritone sit more neatly with this weird tuning because of a natural eq curve? is this completely psychosomatic and it just sounds good and i'm overthinking it massively?

... moving on! he uses .10-.52 ernie ball skinny top/heavy bottom strings on it!

this is mj's other main guitar, the fender vintera 70's telecaster deluxe. what is there to say about a telecaster in 2025? hopefully lots. this thing is surprisingly light, given that it's just a big beefy slab of wood, and the wide range pickups sound fantastic. still very versatile, but when he goes absolutely nuts on taurus, for example, that's where these humbuckers shine. this thing is fantastic and comfy as hell (tummy cut forever!). he's got one of those d'addario auto locking straps on this thing and WOW is it ever comfortable. hell of a guitar, truly. he keeps this in e standard (for now; i see d standard in the future, though) and uses the same string set.

(fun fact I - this was my DREAM guitar when i was like 14-18 years old. I always wanted to like sg's but they never seemed like they suited me but then i saw THIS and that was that. it was my absolute dream to own one of these because justin pierre from motion city soundtrack played one and i was (and still am) just such a huge fan. maybe one day i'll use one, too.)

mj lives in the land of actual pedals as opposed to my digital utopia, but i digress. his pedal board includes:

source audio soundblox 2 dimension reverb

southampton pedals fifth gear (nasty, NASTY little motherfucker, so good)

boss cs-3 compression sustainer

source audio nemesis delay (an incredible delay, this thing is so versatile and powerful. it's like a time machine)

boss ph-3 phase shifter (i actually don't think he's ever used this but i'll check)

mxr analog chorus

ehx linear power booster

dunlop crybaby wah (there's definitely something funky with the switch on this one, hence the AM I ON? reminder tape)

boss tu-2 chromatic tuner (tu-2 forever!!!!)

and the fulltone ocd autism pedal (for the record fuck this guy and fuck his company; as of the time of writing, we've got it (tentatively) replaced with a boss ms-3 multi effects switcher (this thing is very cool. surprised there aren't more multi fx/switcher combos out there))

mj is one of the most creative guitar players i've ever heard and he can coax ANYTHING out of this board (which you'll see when our next songs come around). Big weird spacey things, heavy, nasty distorted things, beautiful math-y things... he gets it. he's got The Pedal Touch.

mj plays all of this through a fender tone master deluxe reverb. you might be wondering, why the tone master model? well.

a) you would never know that this is not a tube amp listening to it. never never never.

b) it weighs HALF and that's honestly a big swing right there

c) digitally recording it is not a compromise the way it was way back when with digital amps

d) built in attenuator??? hell yeah. it's not 1985 anymore, baby. the days of diming an amp to get "the best tube breakup" are dead!

as expected, given that it's emulating one of the most legendary amps of all time, it sounds fantastic, takes pedals incredibly well and can do... essentially anything.

now for the studio only guitars! (all three of which belong to rachael, incidentally - out of all of us, she's the guitar collector for SURE.)

mj played this epiphone sheraton ii on a couple tracks just for some tonal variety - different scale length, different strings, different pickups, semi-hollow... really brought a lot to the table for some tracks. these things are ENORMOUS - mj was less than pleased haha.

(fun fact II - i used to own one of these in black with gold hardware and i LOVED it and i miss it all the time)

we currently have this fender strat in half step down to facilitate some of our new stuff, but mj used this on the ep for some really chime-y cleans on re-run. we used it hyper specifically, but it really did the trick.

i used this prs se soapbar II for some kind of like. extra guitarwork, weird noise stuff, guitar pad-style sounds. not super frequent, but a good jack of all trades instrument that served us well! (plus it's a prs without those fuck-ugly bird inlays so that's a big point in its favour haha)

THERE YOU HAVE IT. all instruments have been revealed. in the next week or two i'll do a quick breakdown of what we used mic wise and in the box to record, as we did this whole thing ourselves, but 'til next time:

au revior/arrivederci/auf wiedersehen/adiós/etc

~ elizabeth

[thehypnone]

Sir hyp i need helpp😭 so my electric guitar string finally broke for the first time and now im put in a situation where i HAVE to actually buy strings 🫠

Im planning to get the elixir brand... but theres like 4 different types??? Which do you reccomend/usually(or if u havent, which would you) get?

elixir is a good (and expensive) brand, mostly because of how they're coated entirely so they last longer, but id say that if you play just for yourself you don't need strings that fancy. I'm not saying you shouldn't get them, tho, do what you want! there's way more than 4 different types tho there's the difference in material, wounding, gauge, etc.

the most typical incase of material and wounding would be nickel roundwound

when it comes to gauge, if you play higher tunings like E standard or D standard I'd recommend something like .011-0.48, but they will work just as good on lower tunings like C drop even. I have Ernie Ball Power Slinky Nickel Wound (2220) .011/.014/.018p/.028/.038/.048 on one of my guitars. slinkies are good for whammies

on my fantomen I have thicker lower strings from a D'Addario Nickel Wound (EXL117) set and they go .011/.014/.019/.032/.044/.056f

if you're curious, aether and ifrit in meliora used Dunlop Nickel .011/.014/.018/.032/.042/.054, but i wouldn't recommend those for at-home playing. they're very rough and stiff

I wouldn't recommend getting anything less than .011 tho because they're like fucking hair and can snap quickly and sometimes even cut your finger

also you said it's your first time, in that case id say take the guitar to a guitar centre and watch as a professional restrings it. it seems simple but there's more details to it than people notice and if you want a smooth sailing it'd be smart to watch a professional do it. they can give you recs too

[karanseraph]

Skatetown U.S.A. (1979). A bad roller disco movie with terrible titles, (allegedly) fueled by cocaine, starring an ensemble cast of television actors in as many subplots as an episode of The Love Boat in which roller-dance numbers are interspersed with T&A, comic relief, and a few scenes loosely stringing together a plot, and introducing Patrick Swayze.

Skatetown U.S.A. is a roller disco owned by father James (Billy Barty) and son Harvey (Flip Wilson). Harvey is concerned about his old man's flirting with pretty staff members (not because of employee harassment which doesn't exist yet) because what if Mom or someone finds out.

There's also a wizard.

The roller disco holds regular roller disco contests. One night the fresh-faced siblings Stan and Susan Nelson (Greg Bradford and Maureen McCormick) come from The Valley with their friend/manager Ritchie (Scott Baio) to compete for the $1000 prize. But that might not sit well with the Westside Wheelers, the local gang whose leader Ace Johnson (Patrick Swayze) is the undefeated roller disco champ.

Meanwhile, a drunken drug dealer (Murray Langston) meets with his client snack bar attendant Ripple (Vic Dunlop) and a handful of unidentified pills are accidentally spilled into a food grinder. Subsequently, the pills are ground into the cheese which is used to make some number of pizzas, which many customers eat.

Ace's gangmembers including Frankey (Ron Palillo) obtain the contestant sign-in sheet and learn Stan has entered. James/Jimmy is pressured into bringing stan to meet The Gang. During their meeting Ace's younger sister Allison Johnson (Katherine Kelly Lang) is revealed to also be at the roller disco and makes eyes with Stan.

As Stan and Ritchie are left to wonder how 'real' the gang and its threats are, gangmembers including Frankey make plans to 'take-out' other contestants. Ace himself goes to the top, meeting discreetly with Harvey in a hallway where he presents blackmail photos of some nature, suggesting, as they are also joined by Jimmy, that it would be a shame if these were shown to any concerned citizens council or to Harvey's mother.

Suddenly, a council of concerned citizens shows up (Ruth Buzzi, Sydney Lassick, and Sandra Gould, I think) saying they hear rumors that Skatetown U.S.A. is a "den of iniquity" and they are conducting an inspection.

Frankey and the Wheelers sabotage the singles event competition taking out other skaters with mirrors to cause glare and some itching powder. They attempt to hit Stan with something ejected from a straw but are interrupted by some of the apparently hallucinating comic relief characters.

At some point, Jimmy brings the concerned citizens a pizza. They eat it.

Ace does a sexy roller disco dance using his belt as a whip.

Stan then does a macho dance in a mask.

Just before the doubles competition, Frankey lures Susan away and they take one of the pizzas to park somewhere in a stolen car.

Ace and his partner Charlene (April Allen) do a couples skate with the belt as a prop.

Harvey announces the next couple is Stan and Susan but they do not appear, as Susan is missing. However, Allison rushes to Stan's side to enter the competition against her brother. Ace is angry and doubtful Stan and Allison can win, having never rehearsed. Yet, the couple are immediately able to do all sorts of stunts together.

Meanwhile, James meets with Harvey's mom (also Flip Wilson) and confesses his indiscretions. She confesses she has also had indiscretions. And the two are contented with their open relationship.

James rushes to the stage as Harvey has already, under the blackmail threat, declared Ace the singles winner. He whispers to his son that he talked with mom so the awards can be given fairly. Harvey then announced Stan and Susan - even though it was Allison - the winners.

Ace acknowledges that Stan and Allison won one contest, but he also won, and no way Stan could beat him out on the streets. He challenges Stan to a race.

The gangs - including Susan and Fankey - meet up at Santa Monica Pier where Stan and Ace prepare to race on motorized roller skates. The two race along the pier. Ace's throttle breaks or some contrived thing (unclear, but they might have gotten switched at some point if his gang had intended to sabotage one of them) and both skaters end up speeding off the pier into the water.

Stan tows Ace with him as they struggle to swim in skates and they share a moment under the pier as Ace asks why Stan saved his life after all his cheating and sabotage. Stan perkily replies "I'm the hero".

Credits roll as the gangs are back at Skatetown U.S.A. all happily roller discoing together.

[spicykaraage]

Tenipuri Complete Character Profile - Jusaburou Mouri

[PROFILE]

Birthday: January 3rd (Capricorn)

Age: 15

Blood Type: B

Hometown: Hyogo

Relatives: Father, older sister, older brother

Middle School: Shitenhoji Junior High School ➜ Rikkai University-Affiliated Junior High School (graduate)

High School: Rikkai University-Affiliated High School

Grade: First Year

Club: Tennis Club (regular)

Committee: Health Committee

Strong Subjects: Sleep learning

U-17 Training Camp Position & Rank: First String | No.10

World Cup Team: U-17 World Cup Japanese Representatives

Favorite Motto: “The beauties of nature.”

Hobbies: Stamp rallies, observing plants (at his home garden [TP])

Favorite Color: Orange

Favorite Book: Travel magazines

Favorite Food: Oyakodon, vegetable tendon (tempura rice bowl) [23.5]

Preferred Type: A gentle girl

Ideal Date Spot: A relaxing hot spring trip

His Gift for a Special Person: “I’ll feed you my homemade veggie tendon!”

What He Wants Most Right Now: Frying pan ➜ Vegetable seeds [23.5]

Dislikes: Hot food (he has a sensitive tongue), hair dryers [TP]

Skills Outside of Tennis: Professional wrestling holds, dislocating his joints at will [23.5], can get along with anyone [23.5]

Routine During the World Cup: Strolling around town with the other representatives

[DATA]

Height: 191.63cm | 6’3.44”

Weight: 83.02cm | 183.02 lbs

Dominant Arm: Right

Vision: 2.0 Left & Right

Play Style: All-Rounder

Signature Moves: REM

Equipment Brands:

Racket: DUNLOP BIOMIMETIC M3.0

Shoes: DUNLOP Hybrid Pro II

Overall Rating: Speed: 5 / Power: 4 / Stamina: 4 / Mental: 4 / Technique: 6 / Total: 23

Kurobe Memo: “During the Niou and Atobe match, he was quite prideful about being a First Stringer and flaunted it to the middle schoolers. He’s still just a first year in high school, so it’ll be exciting to see how he improves. I wonder if he has the persistence for victory promoted by the ‘invincible teachings’ of Rikkai. Should he be paired with various players to learn the value of winning?” <Official Description>

[POSSESSIONS]

What’s in His Travel Bag [23.5]:

Hand-me-down clothes: He has an easygoing personality, so he often wears clothes given to him by the high school third years

[TRIVIA]

The Prince of Tennis II 10.5 Fanbook | Publication Date: 09/04/2013

He is a former student of Shitenhoji Junior High. He had transferred to Rikkai while he was in middle school

He thinks of himself and Kaji as the “Curly Alliance,” albeit in secret since Kaji would get angry if he told him

He was randomly paired with Ochi by the coaches

He almost never attended his club activities while in middle school

He is from the Hyogo Prefecture and speaks in Banshu dialect

The Prince of Tennis II 23.5 Fanbook | Publication Date: 05/02/2018

While he was attending Rikkai in middle school, he would bring a sleeping bag to the tennis club room. He once tried sleeping overnight in it since he felt that going home would be too much of a hassle, but Sanada stopped him

The Prince of Tennis 20th Anniversary Book: Tenipuri Party | Publication Date: 08/02/2019

He and Ochi are nicknamed the “Twin Towers”

His ideal relationship is a sweet one, where he and his partner will flirt with each other all day and make each other feel excited

Despite barely attending his club activities at Rikkai, he attended them more at Shitenhoji. He would still only show up when he felt in the mood to, and once skipped with Hara to visit 551 Horai

The Prince of Tennis II Rikkai University Junior High School Tennis Club Guide: “STRENGTH” | Publication Date: 04/02/2021

He was significantly shorter when he was in middle school. Konomi states he may have grown taller from skipping his club activities and sleeping a lot

Konomi describes him as “Sleeping Jusaburou”

[donutwares]

This is really cheap and intriguing. An elastic band capo… I am ordering one for my old Yamaha C40. I learnt to play on the nylon C40, with its softer string action and always (gut) felt that hard, metal capos were not the best thing in terms of sound and feel. Tho with my steel-string, the Dunlop alloy capo really shines. May do a YouTube video on these next if this capo works better than expected.

[bubblesandgutz]

Hello again, Brian! New album is dope and on heavy, heavy repeat. So, thanks for that. Was wondering, now that we're a year out from you and the guys getting robbed, how are you liking the changes to your gear? I noticed your rig is predominantly Darkglass, do you still have the Meatsmoke? We're you able to rebuild your board with the same gear? New preferences? Thanks!

Hey y'all... big apologies for not getting through my inbox with any degree of regularity. This message is from last year, so I've obviously been slacking. Sorry! And thanks for the kind words regarding Gnosis.

Russian Circles were robbed in Chowchilla, CA back in October '21. Our box truck was parked at a hotel parking lot and we woke up in the morning to find the majority of our gear, merch, and a bunch of miscellaneous personal items gone. Personally, I lost two speaker cabinets, a synth, a MIDI keyboard, a baritone guitar, a bass, pedalboard, and a bunch of accessories (DI, strings, cables, multitools, etc). Oh... and they took a really nice pair of boots from me. Assholes.

It was an unusual tour for us because it was only a handful of shows and it was on the West Coast, so we flew out and Mike and Dave rented/borrowed a bunch of gear. I had just purchased three speaker cabs from Darkglass, so I had driven my rig down from Seattle. I was fortunate because my amps weren't stolen (they were in a beat-up cardboard box that the thieves must've missed) and I still had my Meatsmoke back in Chicago. But I had JUST bought those cabinets, so that was a very big bummer.

We were unlucky in that our gear insurance had lapsed. This was because the renewal email from the insurance company was sent to a label employee that had gotten a new job during the pandemic. However, because so much of the gear was rented/borrowed, it likely wouldn't have covered much of the loss. But we were very fortunate that fans were generous via GoFundMe and several instrument companies immediately offered to help us out (thank you Darkglass, Electrical Guitar Company, Dunlop, Fuzzrocious, and Keith McMillen). It was also a big turning point for us because Hiwatt loaned Mike a backline for the remaining shows, and Mike has never been happier with his sound now that he's playing Hiwatts.

Ever since the robbery, I've been cycling through a lot of different gear options. I was able to rebuild my pedalboard, but my new bass and baritone have slightly different sonic characteristics from the instruments that were stolen, and as a result my sound changed slightly. Most of my first shows back after the pandemic were nowhere near Chicago, which meant I didn't have access to my 8x10 and Meatsmoke. So I used the Darkglass amp and cabs for the TAAS shows, SUMAC shows, and remaining stateside RC dates in 2021 and early 2022. Russian Circles went back to Europe in Spring '22 and I rented a couple of Ampeg SVT3s for the tour just because they tend to be the amps that I'm most comfortable dialing in. I felt really confident about the sound I got in Europe... felt like it was closer to my pre-robbery sound... so I got back to the States and bought two cheap used SVT3s for our Fall tour. By the end of the tour, both amps were broken beyond repair. I finished the tour using my Meatsmoke on bass and Darkglass for synth stuff. The Meatsmoke is still an excellent amp but I'm nervous taking it on the road now that Verellen isn't making amps anymore.

My Meatsmoke and 8x10 are still in Chicago. Most of my Darkglass stuff is in LA. And since most of my musical activity this year has been in the PNW with Botch and SUMAC, I've had to cobble together a backline from borrowed stuff here in Seattle. Been using a pair of cabs that belong to Cory from Minus the Bear and have been borrowing amps from Science and Hiwatt. Both amps are fantastic. I actually bought the Science amp after recording the new SUMAC album on it, and am currently talking with Hiwatt about getting one of their DR201 amps.

So that's where I've been at with gear. If you've been wondering why every picture of my backline on Instagram is different, that's the reason.

[velmas-guitar-shop]

New project guitar: Jet JS300

Jet Guitars is a newish brand originating in Slovenia, a sister brand to the well-regarded Flight Ukeleles line.

Designed in Europe and manufactured in Asia, their line offers tremendous value for money. Their entry-level Strat-style, the JS-300, retails for about $210 USD and has been getting enthusiastic reviews - many calling it better than comparable Squiers. I recently sold my Fender Japan short-scale Strat and decided to take a plunge on one.

What you get at this price is really nice - way better than the heavy, plywood budget guitars of my youth.

Central to the JS300’s value proposition is its roasted maple neck, which comes with well-dressed frets and slightly rolled fingerboard edges. Finished in a clear satin, it’s fast and comfortable, with a bone nut, modern C profile and 9.5” radius. There’s a dual-action truss rod with access at the nut. (What would put it over the top for me would be a truss rod adjuster wheel at the heel of the neck instead.)

Roasted maple is treated with heat in a low-oxygen environment to drive moisture out of the wood and crystallize its resins, creating greater resonance and stability, and reducing the propensity of the wood to twist or shrink with seasonal temperature and humidity changes. Getting this on a guitar in the sub-$500 price range is phenomenal.

The body is basswood (common at this price point) which is not too heavy, and it has a shaped carve on the lower rear horn to facilitate upper fret access - a feature you usually see on guitars like the $999 Charvel Pro-Mod DK24.

The pickups are single-coil ceramics, and the electronics setup is a standard Strat-style 5-way switch with Volume-Tone-Tone controls. The pickups and knobs are cream-colored and set in an aged-white, not-quite mint green pickguard.

The gold metallic finish is gorgeous - I couldn’t see any flaws.

The hardware is ok at this price range, but you’ll probably want to upgrade the tuners and restring it; out of the box I had a lot of problems getting it to stay in tune. Most of the reviews mention the tuners being an issue; they’re generic Gotoh clones. The string tree is a cheap bent-metal kind prone to binding, so that’s another item to improve.

The bridge is a generic chrome vintage 6-screw Strat type with bent steel saddles; it’s fine.

That said, it’s zingy and resonant, even unplugged, and it feels really easy to play.

Here’s a review video from Trail of Sound:

The Upgrades

I’m going to upgrade it with:

Gotoh staggered locking tuners

Two roller string trees to further improve the string break angle

Gotoh-Wilkinson VSVG bridge - this is a six-screw drop-in replacement for vintage Fender-style bridges with a modern take on bent-steel saddles.

Dunlop Super Pots - sealed, lifetime warranty potentiometers. Using a 250k master volume pot with a treble bleed to maintain brightness at lower volume settings, and a 500k master tone pot with an 0.47µf Sprague Orange Drop capacitor - this will make it darker sounding when fully rolled off, but still maintain brightness when fully open.

An SPDT (single pole, double throw) toggle switch in place of the second tone knob, to enable the ‘Gilmour mod’ - being able to add the neck pickup to the 2nd and 1st switch positions to get all three pickups together, and the bridge & neck pickups together (Tele style).

A new white pearl pickguard and knobs

Finally, Zexcoil Z-Core Vintage Hot pickups - these are hum-cancelling with one coil per string, and the best I’ve heard for that glassy / quacky Strat tone.

[we-are-houseguest]

"i remember moments of happiness; endless summer, acoustic guitars" - SRXT, bloc party

hello again!

today we're gonna talk about my guitars for the new ep! buckle up, this is gonna be a long one.

first off, i've done a about half of this ep on my stock fender classic player jaguar special hh. it's a 24" scale and it's actually tuned b to b and it sounds SO good. like. it's kind of unreal how well it holds a baritone tuning. generally, i have the neck pickup rolled off to coil split (i generally don't love a neck humbucker, honestly) and the bridge is whatever it needs to be, song by song. i don't really use the tremolo arm ever unless i'm just messing around - i try to put this thing out of tune as little as possible during a show. this guitar can do ANYTHING. it's so tonally versatile it's fucking stupid, truly. i am a lucky girl to own this.

next up is the other half: my squier classic vibe baritone custom telecaster! this is also tuned b to b, but it's got a 27" scale, so it's got a much more traditional baritone sound. i have always always ALWAYS loved the versatility of a telecaster and when they put out an affordable baritone version, it was an absolute no-brainer for me. i love the range and the tonal differences that a baritone brings to indie music - thrice is one of my favourite bands of all time, and their use of baritones (and their gear in general [duh, for those in the know]) REALLY inspired me. i've been using this on a lot of the really wet stuff and the really clean stuff, but also just for some stereo guitars to lean into some tonal differences or just because it flat out feels right. i love this thing, too. it really is so flexible and fun to play (and it weighs NOTHING, which is kind of unique for a tele lol). i've replaced the output jack and jack plate and i've flipped the control panel because i'm notorious for punching my pickup selector while playing.

both guitars are strung with d'addario medium baritone strings (.14-.68).

finally, for amps and pedals... well. the future is here and i, for one, welcome our modeller overlords.

this is gonna seem like a lie based on what you're looking at here, but i'm really pretty simple with my setups - i am a set it and forget it kind of woman.

for rhythm parts, i am using a fawn vox ac30 (blue alnico) and a fender deluxe reverb (oxford) in tandem, generally being pushed by an earthquaker pillars and an xotic ep booster (bruises uses a klon, just depends on the kind of push i need). little bit of compression with the xotic sp compressor, then, as necessary for wetter parts: line 6 echo park, line 6 space chorus, a boss ce-1, a boss ac-2 and a fender vibratone (lol). in terms of helix-only effects, i'm using the line 6 heliosphere delay and hot springs reverb.

for LEADS however, we're all over the place. all kinds of shit. i generally run a higher gain amp, like a bogner shiva (uberkab t75) or a marshall jcm-800 (jensen p12q [grammatico amp]/marshall basketweave g12 m25). I was actually really pleased with how good the shiva is for lead work in our sad queer indie rock songs - this is an amp that like alice and chains and korn use and it really adds the right amount of twinkle and beautiful bummer to our songs about autism and queerness and millennial disillusionment and i just think that's such a funny juxtaposition. anyways.

for taurus, i'm using the bogner and running the xotic ep booster again, way huge red llama, dunlop mxr timmy, mxr phase 90, and auto-volume echo from the line 6 dl4. simple stuff.

for re-run, i'm using the jcm-800 and pushing it with a tube screamer when it gets huge. boss tr-2, boss dm-2 with adrian mod, tc electronic 2290, tape eater from the line 6 mm4, simple tube comp, and the line 6 feedbacker. i also have a looper set up so I can include some post-rock tremolo picked yumminess without it taking up all my focus. this is definitely my most complex rig in the helix, but even still - not too wild. like i said. set it and forget it.

so yeah! that's pretty much it for my guitars this time around. i'm gonna guess that we'll do mj's guitars next but who knows! life is a mystery and it is for living! see y'all soon.

~ elizabeth

[thehypnone]

Hellooo, popping in for gear talk if you’re still goin!

I was wondering if we know what strings Dew is using on his strats? And if we DO, what are they and why could he be using those ones specifically instead of a different kind?

Hi, I'm always going at gear talk, you can literally pop in with an ask any time, I just "announced" it because no one does it without it LMAO

anyway, nope, we unfortunately don't know what string he uses now, on the stratocaster, BUT we do know what was used on the fantomens in 2017!!!

it was a custom set of dunlop nickel strings, 11-14-18-32-42-54. what can I say about them, hm, I love dunlop strings, here the gauges of the lower strings are perfectly thick for not too harsh but still heavy enough sound, perfect for ghost, and the high strings are thin enough to sound beautifully soft and melodic for solos, for example. good set, I plan on ordering this specific gauges for my next string change (which should happen soon) LMAO

we also know what strings Rain used on bass in the prequelle era, which is cool, but I'm PAINFULLY curious about dew's😣

[giseleharvey]

Check out this listing I just added to my Poshmark closet: Vintage Dunlop Jacket with Hood Large Green Blue Large.

[music-industry-updates]

Budget Guitar Accessories: Top Picks for Under $50

Enhancing your guitar setup doesn't have to be expensive. There are numerous budget-friendly accessories that can improve your playing experience and instrument care. With the right tools, you can take your guitar playing to the next level without straining your budget. This article will highlight the top guitar accessories you can buy for under $50, ensuring you get high-quality gear at an affordable price.

Accurate Tuners

Staying in tune is essential for any guitarist. A reliable tuner ensures that your guitar sounds its best, whether you're practicing, recording, or performing. Digital tuners are particularly useful because of their precision and ease of use.

Recommendation: Boss TU-3 Chromatic Tuner The Boss TU-3 Chromatic Tuner is a highly accurate and durable pedal tuner. Known for its reliability, it features a bright LED display that is easy to read in any lighting condition, making it a staple on pedalboards around the world.

Why You Need It:

Accuracy: Provides precise tuning for your guitar.

Durability: Built to withstand heavy use, ideal for gigging musicians.

Affordability: Available for under $50, offering professional-level tuning at a budget-friendly price.

Effective Capos

A capo is an essential tool for any guitarist. It allows you to change the key of your guitar quickly and easily, enabling you to play songs in different keys without altering your chord shapes. This can be particularly useful for beginners and for exploring new musical ideas.

Recommendation: Dunlop Trigger Capo The Dunlop Trigger Capo is known for its ease of use and reliability. It features a strong spring mechanism that holds it firmly in place, ensuring consistent pressure on the strings for a clean, buzz-free sound.

Why You Need It:

Ease of Use: Quick and easy to attach and remove with one hand.

Reliability: Provides even pressure across all strings, ensuring clear sound.

Affordability: Priced under $25, making it a great value for a durable and reliable capo.

Quality Strings

Strings are a crucial component of your guitar's sound. High-quality strings can enhance your guitar’s tone and playability. Regularly changing your strings ensures your guitar always sounds its best.

Recommendation: DR Strings DR Strings are renowned for their bright tone and longevity. The DR Strings Tite-Fit series offers excellent playability and durability, making them a favorite among many guitarists.

Why You Need It:

Sound Quality: Delivers a bright, consistent tone.

Durability: Long-lasting strings that withstand frequent playing.

Affordability: Available for under $10, providing great value for high-quality strings.

Versatile Picks

Picks are small but significant tools for guitarists. The right pick can improve your technique and tone. Picks come in various shapes, thicknesses, and materials, each offering a different feel and sound.

Recommendation: Dunlop Tortex Picks Dunlop Tortex picks are popular for their durability and comfortable grip. They come in various thicknesses, allowing you to choose the perfect pick for your playing style.

Why You Need It:

Variety: Available in multiple thicknesses to suit different playing styles.

Durability: Made from durable materials that last longer than standard picks.

Affordability: Available in packs for under $5, providing great value.

Reliable Strap Locks

Preventing your guitar from falling is crucial. Strap locks secure your guitar strap, ensuring it stays in place during performances. This is especially important for electric guitars, which can be heavier and more prone to slipping.

Recommendation: Fender Strap Blocks Fender Strap Blocks are simple yet effective. They fit over your guitar’s existing strap buttons and provide a secure fit, preventing your strap from accidentally slipping off.

Why You Need It:

Security: Keeps your guitar safe from accidental drops.

Simplicity: Easy to install and use.

Affordability: Priced under $5, making them a budget-friendly way to secure your guitar.

Comprehensive Cleaning Kits

Maintaining your guitar is essential for its longevity and performance. Regular cleaning keeps your guitar free from dirt and grime, which can affect its appearance and sound. A good cleaning kit includes everything you need to keep your guitar in top condition.

Recommendation: Gibson Guitar Care Kit The Gibson Guitar Care Kit includes polish, cleaner, and a microfiber cloth. It’s designed to keep your guitar looking and sounding great by removing dirt, grime, and fingerprints.

Why You Need It:

Complete Care: Provides all necessary tools for regular guitar maintenance.

Ease of Use: Simple to use, even for beginners.

Affordability: Priced around $20, offering great value for comprehensive care.

Sturdy Cables

Reliable cables are a must-have for any guitarist. High-quality cables ensure clear signal transmission and reduce noise and interference, which is especially important for live performances and recording.

Recommendation: GLS Audio Instrument Cable GLS Audio Instrument Cables are known for their durability and clear sound transmission. They are designed to minimize handling noise and provide a reliable connection.

Why You Need It:

Sound Quality: Ensures clear, reliable signal transmission.

Durability: Built to withstand frequent use and wear.

Affordability: Available for under $20, offering great value for high-quality cables.

Efficient String Winders

Changing strings can be time-consuming. A string winder speeds up the process and makes it more efficient. Many string winders also include additional tools like string cutters and bridge pin pullers.

Recommendation: Planet Waves Pro-Winder The Planet Waves Pro-Winder is a versatile tool that combines a string winder, cutter, and bridge pin puller. It’s ergonomically designed to make string changes quick and easy.

Why You Need It:

Convenience: Speeds up the string-changing process.

Versatility: Includes multiple tools in one compact design.

Affordability: Priced under $15, offering great value for its functionality.

Conclusion

Investing in budget-friendly guitar accessories can greatly enhance your playing experience and instrument care. The items listed above offer high quality and functionality without exceeding $50. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned player, these accessories will help you get the most out of your guitar.

[existentialmagazine]

Review: Blair Dunlop ‘I Wanna Be Running’

Returning to the music scene for the first time since his live album release in 2021, Blair Dunlop is back to bring his fans the folk americana they know and love. With even longer since his 2018 album release, ‘Notes from and Island’, it’s an exciting time for return as he brings a brand new album and UK tour announcement hand-in-hand.

As the album’s debut single ‘I Wanna Be Running’ releases, Blair sets the stage for what’s to come, alongside a striking music video to match. Delivering drawn-out country twangs with a gorgeous acoustic guitar riff, stunning strings and easy-going beats right from pressing play on ‘I Wanna Be Running’ , Blair embraces you with a comforting palette of sound like a cosy blanket by the fire, making every second worth your undivided attention. Whisking you up between the warmth and ease of every delicate instrument, the track continues to softly shift into the verse, losing the strings and carrying through it more of an intimate moment to hold near and dear. Blair’s words gently rise through it, mostly smooth but with a light rasp to his occasional words, bringing out emotion you can’t help but feel in the soul.

The chorus continues to grow back to the beginning’s more orchestrally blooming momentum, building on the returned strings that were slowly brought back in the latter half of the verse amidst the other layerings of sound. Blair’s vocals rising through it in a range bolder than ever before, soaring and weaving between some of the most gorgeous heights with a naturally stunning tone to his every word. His most poignant lines yet are thrust unavoidably your way too, achingly delivering a narrative that carries through themes of existential anxiety. With lines like ‘you’re holding, then it slips through your fingers’ , Blair carries that sense of everything feeling completely out of your control, one second in charge and the next life’s unpredictability reminds it’s all out of your hands. Continuing into the hook ‘I wanna be running, but we can’t shake these shackles’ , Blair lingers on his yearning for freedom and escapism, but no matter how much he tries to forget he’ll always be limited by the knowledge that there’s really no purpose to it at all.

Written as a cathartic exercise, while much of ‘I Wanna Be Running’ feels weighted in reality, Blair finds humour in the absurdity of it all. The video matches that sense of bizarreness with scenes like Blair sleeping on the floor, spinning round office chairs, singing as part of a mug of tea, standing in of crowds of his duplicates and floating across the ground, all while maintaining a serious sense that just makes it that much more confusingly hilarious. It perfectly toes the line between something that holds meaning, and something that wants to remind you to live in the present and let go of those fears, as no matter what happens all we really have is right now.

Give a proper listen to ‘I Wanna Be Running’ here to really understand the way Blair has mastered his craft, and check out the video below for even more of a whirlwind experience.

Written by: Tatiana Whybrow

Photo Credits: Unknown

// This coverage was supported and created via Musosoup, #SustainableCurator.