This is just a post to for us to discuss whatever bit of gear you find extraordinarily useful...

I'll start off with my current find: The Planet Waves "Silent Cable", the best friend a multi-instrumentalist ever had...used to be, when changing from one guitar to another, I had to walk over to the amp or PA and turn down the channel, have the soundguy/gal do it, or assault the audience with a loud sonic "burp"...no more, 'though, because this cable has a little button that turns the cable OFF before you unplug it, then you can turn it back on after you plug into the next instrument!

Yeah, it' a small thing, but small things get noticed!...And the owners of the venue I performed at last night noticed and praised me for "not making that horrid sound"...and booked me again for several dates through the remainder of 2005!

Who else has a "gear that improves my life" story?

I too appreciate the "silent" cable thing.They will eventually go bad at the switch, at least mine always do. Doesn't keep me from using them though.
"IntelliTouch" tuner. You know, the one that attaches to your headstock and looks like a rear view mirror? I don't keep it on during gigs but I love the fact that it doesn't need to be in line, batteries last about a year, so far it's very accurate, programmable tuning mode, fits in my coat pocket, bright orange back lit display. I don't leave home without it.

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Originally posted by klasaine:
I too appreciate the "silent" cable thing.They will eventually go bad at the switch, at least mine always do. Doesn't keep me from using them though.

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Do you use the old type, with the little "button" by the shaft that engages when you plug/unplug, or the newer type w/ the button on the side that you can turn on /off yourself?

I always had problems with the older type, but none so far with the new ones.

Very cool Terry, thanks for the tip!

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Originally posted by Terry Allan Hall:

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Originally posted by klasaine:
I too appreciate the "silent" cable thing.They will eventually go bad at the switch, at least mine always do. Doesn't keep me from using them though.

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Do you use the old type, with the little "button" by the shaft that engages when you plug/unplug, or the newer type w/ the button on the side that you can turn on /off yourself?

I always had problems with the older type, but none so far with the new ones.

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Yeah, the button version always goes bad and worse than that, I have a Tele that has a weird after market jackplate that doesn't allow for a complete connection with the little button switch. I've had better luck with the "sleeve around the shaft" style switch. I'll try the button on side version ala "planet waves".

I guess the bit 'o gear that I can't play without, would have to be the volume pedal. I've had my foot on one since at least 1967, and literally can't play without.
I found a picture last night of me playing at an outdoor concert in 1967, when I was just 13, and noticed that I had my foot on a Vox Volume pedal way back then.
Today I have a Morley volume pedal mounted on each of my pedalboards, and I also carry a 'floating' pedal in my cable bag, just in case.
I can remember only one time, in the last 5 years of so, when my volume pedal quit working in the middle of a set on stage, and I found it almost impossible to finish the set without it. Until then, I didn't realize how much I've come to depend on that pedal.
So, for me, that bit o' gear I just love would have to be the 'volume pedal'.

If you look closely, you can see that I (the guy with the Gretsch) am using a volume pedal with my right foot.

Mesadude

Mesadude that is 'THE' most classic picture ever on this board. Is that a Vox organ in the back?

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Originally posted by klasaine:
Mesadude that is 'THE' most classic picture ever on this board. Is that a Vox organ in the back?

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Nope. It wasn't a Farfisa either. I'll have to think about it and see if I can remember just what Jim (our keyboard player) was using. He did have 2 big 'Gibson' speakers, which you can see on either side of him. When I got in my next band in '68, the keyboard player had a Vox Jaguar.

Notice the 'huge' wall of amps? This was the 'pre-Marshall' era, when, in order to be cool, one had to have a Fender Dual Showman, or two. I was using a Standell amp with one 15" Altec Lansing speaker, AND a Dual Showman (I still have the Showman cab)to play my Gretsch Country Gentleman through.

The bass player was using a Fender Jazz Bass through a Fender Bassman. The other guitar player was also using a Bassman, I believe.

Also notice the 'very groovy' PA cabinets, complete with horns! One of those cabs was a Vox, the other was homemade with an Ampeg logo on it.

Our drummer was complety hidden behind the 'stacks'.

This band was called, The Family. We were held in fairly high regard in Santa Rosa back then. We actually opened for Country Joe & The Fish at the Santa Rosa Fairgrounds that same year. I was only 13, and could play pretty good by then (having started at 10), and so I was something of a novelty, being so young and able to play lead. Living just 60 miles north of San Francisco in 1967 was quite something musically. All of the big-name bands played in town, since most of them were based out of SF at the time. I spent many afternoons wandering around the Haight-Ashbury district in SF. I also attended a ton of concerts at Bill Graham's Fillmore West, Winterland, The Fillmore and the Avalon Ballroom. Needless to say, those times were a BLAST.

So, today, when I play guitar, I feel like I really haven't grown up, and am still a young guy. All of that energy returns, etc. Music is so cool...(I wish I still had that hair though...)



Mesadude

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Originally posted by klasaine:
Mesadude that is 'THE' most classic picture ever on this board. Is that a Vox organ in the back?

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Klasaine, the organ in question was a Lowery portable organ.
Mesadude