Thursday, Take Two!

Hey!  Look!  I did it!

Isn't it three times, and it's a habit?  One more week, and I'll be a regular Thursday blogger!

I don't have long.  My brain is on shut-down mode, and it's almost past my bed time.  There's a huge conference at The Haw River Ballroom tomorrow (Switchpoint, I believe - someone correct me if I'm wrong), so I'm getting up early to help for a few hours, before heading to the repair shop, then back to Winston-Salem to teach, then BACK to Chapel Hill to play the Cave.  Dinner happens somewhere in between, I promise.

And my car has started to idle funny (miles, maybe?  Hmmm, clearly my car didn't ask for my lifestyle).  Not looking forward to checking that one... but I'll figure something out.

What's happened in the past week?

I have new contacts!!!! HURRAY!!!  I can finally see again!  Thank you Downtown Winston Eye Care Center for being so gosh darn convenient.  I didn't have time to navigate Stratford Road (yay traffic) but the new location is pretty sweet.
 
I'm also super excited because I finally have dual P-90's in my Les Paul.  YEEEEHAWW!  I didn't get the chance to crank up The Evil Twin at my studio, but I did get to hear it on a clean setting, and, boy... those pickups don't mess around.

May I guitar-nerd for a moment?  You can sit back and let your eyes glaze over for a second until I get this out.  This won't take long.

So, I ordered the pickups from Lindy Fralin (they're the best I've heard out of the repair shop so far... the Lollars are pretty spectacular too), but Lindy's 1950's P-90's are my favorite for the chainsaw grind and high end scream I'm going for.  It looks like he even baked them for me after I gave him the description of wanting to sound as much like Johnny Thunders on LAMF without losing some 50's retro-ness.  Nicely done, Sir!  The only thing I miss on the Fralin's is the fact that you can get the Lollars with your name inscribed on the back of the pickup, it's a pretty cool touch, I must admit.  Kind of reminds me of getting one's ipod engraved.  :D  Oh, and they hum cancel if you put it on the middle pickup setting.  Awwww yeah.  For those extra quiet moments.  (Bwah?!  In a punk band?!)

Through the routing process (no, that part I didn't do... I don't trust myself to rout my own guitar.  Plus, if I mess up I'm the one that has to look at it and curse myself forever - no thanks!) the discovery was made that, indeed, I luckily obtained one of the maple top/mahogany bottom-ed Studios.  MEGA score.  Take that, Les Paul Standard!!!

Back to other things, besides my really beautiful, awesome sounding guitar - (Hey, I've waited on this mod for a loooooonnnng time, I have to boast just a little - he's my little sports car I'm gonna drive around town on Sunday just because I can) -

THIS WEEKEND'S SHOW REPORT!  (cue theme music... I'm envisioning the Star Wars opening theme...)

Friday -

The P-90's are back at The Cave with The Pheurotics (our other band had to cancel, so they stepped up to the plate!) and the rock starts at 10:00 PM.  New pickups included.  Come make a fool of yourself and have a blast - that's what punk shows are for.  We're here for you.

Saturday -

RECORD STORE DAY!!!   Whoopie!  John Howie Jr. and The Rosewood Bluff are doing an in-store during the day at SchoolKids Records in Raleigh as part of the festivities, and I'm too tired to remember the exact time.   Keep an eye on The Rosewood Bluff facebook page for up to the minute details.  It's an entire upright bass set, so it's a rare Bluff moment indeed.  And... my first record store in store.  I'm elated.

Apparently, John is taking me on a date Saturday evening.  We're going to see a real live movie and a have a real live night to ourselves.  Rare!

Sunday -

Band pictures for the Rosewood Bluff (FINALLY HAPPENING, if it doesn't rain on us) and a show at The Nightlight with Joe Fletcher and the Wrong Reasons.  This should be an absolute blast.  Come join us!

Then, it's back to normal on Monday.  Normal being working in a guitar repair/building shop.  Not too bad.

It seems like everyone in Chapel Hill who owns a Taylor guitar had decided to smash through the back of them, or at least that's what I've been doing a lot of lately - so fair warning for all you Taylor owners... :)

BEDTIME.  Gotta go.

Love to you and yours, wherever you are.

~Billie.  (and her rekindled love affair for her Les Paul)