Gearbuds

Who likes games? We do, we do!

This week your buds play another round of hypothetical gear hunting, this time to replace our live rigs after a catastrophic geartastrophe. Can the buds find their rigs online, and more importantly, can they even afford them?

Also discussed: Lewitt’s exciting new LCT1040 microphone system, Big Ear partnering with The Tone Mob for a pizza pedal party, Alchemy Audio, Elk Audio going Live, NFTs = still bad, SOPHIE being honored in outer space, Pentagram, and Hank getting flamed for selling a TV.

It’s pronounced Euro-PINE.

Happy February, friends. In passing Dave mentioned how he thought $3,000 was the perfect amount to buy a guitar, so Hank decided they should put it to the test… via The $3K Challenge.

To leave it open to play again in the future, we decided to keep it specific - 6-string electric guitar with humbuckers. What do you think the buds chose? And will Hank ever follow rules?

Also discussed: Dave’s new Chicago Stompworks Grey Spec, getting RANDYED, Akai MPK Mini Mk3, fuzz first, the Mike Ness signature Gibson Les Paul, HitPiece doing more stupid stuff with NFTs, flagging gear on Craigslist, Willie Dunn needs a doc, and Buddy Holly.

Podcast bros have feelings too.

Here it is buddies: the thrilling conclusion to the Tolkien-esque saga that was upgrading Dave’s vintage Fender Jazz bass with concentric stackyboy pots.

We called in Big Guns, (space)hogged out old wood, and let our blood sugar levels drop to semi-dangerous levels in the name of tone. We also somehow made it all the way to the end of an episode about new pots before Hank yelled fresh pots. :-|

Also discussed: our friend Carlos Lopez and his new venture Castedosa Guitars, Dumbleflation, Fender’s new Hammertone pedals and refreshed guitars, Peace Poti knobs, Roadie Coach, Gibson NFTs, Reverb’s My Collection, and The Liverbirds.

Randy.

No, we haven’t finished working on Dave’s Jazz yet… GET OFF OUR BACKS. It’ll be done next week, promise.

Anywho, this week we’re going to talk about some famous missing instruments and where they might be. Could one of them be in your collection?

Also discussed: swapping Lego for an automobile, Steve Vai and Ibanez creating THE HYDRA, Walrus Audio updating the D1 Mako delay, Gibson unveiling the new Maestro pedals, Dave’s gear-hunting tips, RIP Meatloaf and Alexander Dumble, JoBo complimenting Hank’s licks, tips from EVH’s tech Tom Weber, and All Things Must Pass: The Tower Records story.

Grey sweatpants.

This episode was originally going to be all about Dave’s Jazz Bass. Things did not go exactly as planned…

Instead, this week we dig deep into Chicago’s underrated guitarist Terry Kath, the documentary about his life, and posthumously tracking down his favorite guitar. We also get into Part One of a two-parter with Dave’s early 60s Jazz Bass - how badly will Hank mess this one up? We talk a bit about the history of the Jazz and what we hope to have accomplished by next week’s episode; hint: stacky bois.

Also discussed: Terry Kath’s Fender Custom Shop Master Built run of Teles, Walrus Audio’s Slotva, Orange’s Guitar Butler, Ibanez’s Ruby Red TS9, NAMM’s Believe in Music, Gibson teasing the return of Maestro pedals, Fender’s longest tenured employee, and Linda Lee’s ’53 Gibson Gold Top Les Paul.

Let’s make music ugly again.

What makes something vintage?

Inspired by a recent Reverb post, the buds examine the state of vintage gear and what that even means. Is vintage really anything 30 years old and up?

Also discussed: Gibson acquiring case company GWW, checking in on our buddy Dave, humidity talks, the Nirvana baby, David Bowie  getting the Sony 360 Reality Audio treatment, The Runaways, Samsung’s Zamstar and Zamstring light up fretboards, Fret Zealot, the PRS Silver Sky SE, and AIAIAI & Richie Hawtin’s headphone collab.

If you’re gonna drop the cash, make the dash.

Wow, it’s 2022. Happy New Year, Dave got The Rona.

Your buddies are back in quar for the first time in months, so bear with us as we compare flipping Lego to flipping guitars and deep dive into the gear that got away - the stuff we miss, and the stuff we don’t miss at all.

Also discussed: Yngwie’s Ferraris, Mad Max: Fury Road’s Doof Warrior guitar, St. Vincent building Josh Homme’s secret weapon into a pedal, Asleep at the Wheel and the dawn of the Acoustasonic Tele, NAMM’s Believe in Music week, Acustica Audio’s Eminence plugin, Redisen’s Senstroke, Freedrum, and Kenny G’s bad rap.

There are many ways to skin a jazz cat.

Whatever or however you celebrate, Gearbuds wishes you and yours a happy and healthy holiday season and turnover into 2022.

This week’s holiday potpourri episode runs the gear gamut, discovering new drops from SSL (the game-changing Big SiX), Red Witch’s new limited edition custom overdrive pedals, and Tascam getting back into the cassette game. We also dissect an open letter from Brian T. Majeski, editor of Music Trades, who has written an extremely rosy outlook on the future of MI via sales trends, import numbers, and consumer behavior.

Also discussed: being that guy at a party with an acoustic guitar, car radio history, free plugins from Hornet, Native Instruments, Izotope, Arturia, and Klevgrand’s Russel, Macca’s bass breaking auction records, Brad Pitt reopening Studio Miraval, Brian Eno hating on NFTs, Tinder’s new music mode, and Nowhere Boy.

I didn’t know John Lennon was JACKED.

Happy holidays, buddies. This week Hank and Dave get into some vroom vroom by exploring the intersection between cars and music.

On top of discussing Alpha Piano’s MIDI controller co-designed with Porsche, we talk through the crossover between car folk and music folk at both the musician and song level. Is there a stereotypical car person? Or car person music? Find out along with us, grease monkeys.

Also discussed: Les Paul scams, Eric Clapton going full(er) shitbird, The Boss getting rich(er), and a deep dive into Kiss’ late 70s stinker of a TV movie Kiss Meets the Phantoms of the Park.

Beep beep, who got keys to the Jeep? Vrrrooooooom.

Sorry for the late Monday post - it’s a travel week for your buddy Hank.

This episode we played ourselves a little game; the gig’s tonight, your gear got stolen, and you’re not allowed back in any of the local shops - time to put together a full rig only from the Chicago Craigslist. What do Dave and Hank settle on? And (how badly) will Hank cheat?

Also discussed: JOB’s sick little kicker lawsuit Mosrite, Beatles stuff, our buddy Carlos Lopez stepping down from his Master Builder post at Fender, Megadeth jumping into the weird world of cryptocurrency, more bands that made movies, the Alanis Morrisette documentary Jagged, and Sire’s Larry Carlton signature guitars.

My armpits are sweaty.