By now we all know that I love Marshall amplifiers but I also love my Fender and my Vox.

Of course boutique amplifiers are incredible too and I’ve really enjoyed my Dr. Z, Clark, and Mesa amps. Then there’s Lloyd with his Saldono, Reason and Naylor… and Jason’s Carr… So many…

But what amps do we need? Why would we need more than one? Is every amp competing with Fender? What classifies something as a bedroom amp? How does wattage factor in? What if we take modeler’s off the table for discussion? How do you decide what’s essential? Does nostalgia matter? Are Dumble amps even all that special? Can I narrow it down to just one amp? And half stacks… who are they really for?

Well we will discuss this, and more on this group therapy session with Lloyd, on the Tweed Couch.

My first overdrive was a tube screamer circuit. It turned my solid state amp into a broken up tone machine. A few years later I went with a tube amp, and although I could get it driven, nothing beat the tones I got with an overdrive pushing the front end. 

Of course tone is subjective. Some love the colors an EQ or clipping can give.  Others prefer something more transparent or with a slight bump in a certain frequency. Either way, overdrives are necessary and overdrives are inspirational.

But which overdrive is king? Do they all sound the same? Why would you want more than one? Does the price matter? How many is too many? Is a fuzz considered an overdrive? Which should I try? Is there anything original out there? And Robert Keeley… What does he have to do with all this?

Well we will discuss this, and more on this group therapy session with Lloyd, on the Tweed Couch.

I’ve seen the gear reviews. I’ve joined the Facebook fan pages. I’ve updated and updated and updated software. I have captured with it. I’ve owned it for about three years and use it at least twice a week in a live setting. So I guess it's time I finally talk about it.

Of course it's pretty amazing but I wouldn’t call it perfect. Being a beta tester for the last three years has only proven that there is room for growth. On top of that there have been new modelers that have come out since, that do very similar things.

But… Does it really sound like the amp? Does it really sound like the drive pedal? What gear did it replace? How do I use it live? Can I run a vocal through it? Can I use 2 guitars through it at the same time? Why did Fender make a modeler? Why did kemper make a smaller modeler? And soon… what in the world does that mean? 

Well we will discuss this, and more on this group therapy session with Barber, on the Tweed Couch.

Who doesn’t like getting a package in the mail? The excitement. The anticipation. The dopamine release… Now add to it that what you ordered is a surprise and you’ve essentially doubled down on all of these emotions.

Of course, “doubling down” is an interesting way to put it. The Premier Guitar Mystery Stocking is kinda like gambling. Some people get guitars. Some get pedals. Others get GloKnobs and output jacks… It is those people who have dubbed this similar form of guitar gear roulette as receiving a “Box of Sad”.

But… Where is Jason? Did he participate this year? Where does Premier Guitar get this stuff? Does the Grinch pack the boxes? Why did a drummer buy one? Was it worth the $40? Expensive or not, will we even use this stuff? And… Box of Sad… will we do it again next year?

Well we will discuss this, and more on this group therapy session with John, on the Tweed Couch.

Drummers are awesome. Their ability to use every limb of their body to create syncopation and energy is astounding. A seasoned drummer with finesse and dynamics can take a song from meh to amazing!

Of course they do have their quirks and downfalls to us guitar/vocalists. Their high volume and massive footprint create such a confined space in a mix and on a stage that it is easy to become annoyed… but then again we aren’t perfect either. Our quest for perfect tones and tendency to push tempo can drive a drummer to their breaking point. We noodle, we tune and retune, we switch out gear, we sometimes use their gear as a platform to jump off of… I mean… I can see we have our issues too.

But what are the drummer's pet peeves about guitar players? Do we even care? What are the guitar players' pet peeves about a drummer? Do they even care? Could we have the same issues with each other? Is it okay to tell them to stop it? Are these issues even solvable? And… collections… John said he owns how many drum sets and how many guitars?

Well we will discuss this, and more on this group therapy session with John, on the Tweed Couch.

I’m not sure if you’ve ever been in this place for gear? Content. You love what you have. It inspires you to play. Simply put, you have found your voice and you have found your mojo… 

Of course, you’d love some vintage gear. Or a custom built instrument. Or a signature artist’s piece of gear. Then there are pedalboards, amps, modelers, straps, mics, interfaces… You know, maybe no one is ever done. And if you only knew the amount of change that has occurred in Jason’s gear over the last 2 months… well your jaw would drop.

But… What new gear has Jason recently purchased? Did he sell anything off? How many custom guitar orders does he have in que? Did he sell a guitar to me? How many G’s are in the name Gregg? Why is he quoting sir mix-a-lot again? And drive pedals… is it possible that he’s overcompensating for something?

Well we will discuss this, and more on this group therapy session with Jason, on the Tweed Couch.

How do you describe tone? Seriously… how do you describe guitar tone? Lush, responsive, meaty, throaty, organic… its a never ending thesaurus of adjectives to describe the feeling we have when we hear it.

Of course tone is very subjective and opinions may differ. Some like a tone that is flabby and others like it tight. Some like it scooped and others want it in your face.

But… Why do we use these terms? Do they have an origin? Is it okay to use them with the band? Can 2 people have a different meaning for the same tone word? When is the right time to use them? Are there naughty words of tone? Can you describe tone to a beginner? Can you describe tone to a sound engineer? When is it better to just talk in frequency? And… words like Transparent, Quack, Sag, Ballsy, and Trashy… are these good things? 

Well we will discuss this, and more on this group therapy session with Chris, on the Tweed Couch.

The magnificence of a big stage. The PA, lights, smoke, and the size that allows you to be able to move and perform with high energy.

Of course a small stage has its charm too. Generally it means a more intimate crowd, more accessibility to the audience, and less pressure to perform visually. 

But which stage is better? Does it affect your gear choices? Is there more pressure on a certain stage? Should you use inear monitors or wedges? What is a thrust? Can I walk on it? How do you get a big stage gig? Should I turn down small ones? Can an amp sound different on different stages? And nostalgia… oh we have lots of stories.

Well we will discuss this, and more on this group therapy session with Lloyd, on the Tweed Couch.

I love this festival! I love playing music at this festival. I love bringing my family. I love the community. I love this festival!

Of these 25 years of Lifest, I have been to 17 of them in Oshkosh, WI. In 2000 I was there to play with Echelon. 2004 - 2007 I played with Second Adam. 2008 I played with Echelon & Lynn Stoneking. And from 2012 - now, I have driven the 1300 miles up to play with Echelon, Lynn, Swen & Dean, and Jonathan Cain of the Hall of Fame rock band Journey. I’ve played Electric, Acoustic, Mandolin, Bass, and Drums. I ‘ve been an artist on their Grandstand, Edge, Pit, Kid Zone, Prayer Journey, Expo, and Bonfire stages. I have been the most used artist every year I’ve been there… and I love doing.

But what shenanigans happened this year? Is it okay to teach your kid how to do a B & E? Why was Matthew West throwing Cheese Curds? Does Lifest hate TV’s? How awesome was it to play on the grandstand again? Is there a reason we need a keeper of the keys? What does it mean to pull a snake? And… sketchy trailers… Well, we’re not going to Mexico.

Well we will discuss this, and more on this group therapy session with Owen, on the Tweed Couch.

The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Yardbirds, U2, Queen, Brad Paisley. What do they all have in common? They are part of the story of the iconic tone that is Vox Amplification. Starting out, I was a Fender guy. Early professional, I made my way to Vox Modeling amps. Professional, I rocked a Marshall half stack. Now I play them all when I can but when I fly into a gig I generally ask for Vox.

Of course, over time I had a lot of trial and error but it wasn’t until I played a cranked Vox AC15 or AC30 that I realized that I had missed the boat and there is something special… even magical about a Vox amplifier.

But what era is the best? Who do we know that plays these stellar amps? Where did the name Vox come from? Is there a difference tonally from amp to amp? What is a warfdale? Are Greenbacks or Blue’s better? Can you still find an AC30 for less than $500? What do the numbers mean? And settings… how do you find your Vox tone?

Well we will discuss this, and more on this group therapy session with Lloyd, on the Tweed Couch.