I Been Sparrow-lized

Gorecaster #1

I just got my Twangmaster back from the Sparrow Custom Shop and I’m loving the TV Jones Classic pickup they put in the neck position.  The guitar sounds much thicker and although it’s not a high output pickup, it is alot louder than the original tele  neck pickup. The TV Jones breaks up nicely and sounds good with the Kent Armstrong bridge pickup. Thanks to Skinny Tim for taking care of it personally. It must have been a pain routing that pick-guard.My camera sucks, but you get the idea.My favorite, disposable strap-lock; the red plastic Grolsch beer bottle ring(25cents, 1 size fits all). Courtesy of Dans Homebrewing Supplies “What would Jesus brew?”

These guitars are a great deal. A basic Twangmaster Pro is about $550 Here’s the Sparrow of Canada site

You can also get a Sparrow Guitar from Phil, at Bonerattle Music, East Van’s coolest little music shop

I’ve had this Guitar for 7 or8 months now, but the new neck pickup makes a huge difference.

You can look at some better pics of Sparrow Guitars here

Yes, the Deadcats are endorsed by Sparrow of Canada. I prefer working with a  local company where I can actually talk to the people that work on my guitars. Sparrow Guitars are used by Necromantix, Danny B Harvey, UK Subs, DOA, Switchblade Valentines, and Horrorpops.

Intelligence and Rhythmic Accuracy Are Connected

Check out this article in Science Daily

It’s Official, Teens and the I-Pod Have Killed Music

Guess what? Surveys show kids actually prefer the sound of sampled, compressed music! They have gotten so used to music with no dynamics, that they actually like it. Convenience is a great thing, I grew up with cassette’s and skipping walkman-disc players. Here’s the link at Gizmodo. Maybe the prevalence of MP3’s will make people appreciate the sound of live music more.

There has even been a confirmed kill, a helicopter landed on some kid in Cranbrook BC who was listening to his Ipod instead of watching where he was going. Link I read that 1/2 of the drivers under 30, use an Ipod while driving.

Easy Walking Bass Riff in A

If you are new to playing Rockabilly or Blues Guitar, this riff is one of the most commonly used. There are many variations but this is the basic no-frills model.

This riff uses the same notes but in open position. Learn both and try to build up speed.

Here’s a common variation. The Stray Cats use it for “Sexy and 17″.

Once you get used to the the fingering patterns, try to work on making the rhythm “swing”. This means coming in early and accenting the first beat of the bar.