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Post by kiwi on Jan 19, 2022 7:30:26 GMT
Over the Christmas and New Year break as a Christmas present to myself I tried to negotiate an MM Blues from 12th Fret in Canada, their dollar is very close to ours. It didn't pan out as shipping and duty put it over NZ$2000. Our dollar is less than 50 cents to the UK pound. So I bought a Republic steel body single cone. A lot less dollars and I have had a few of their guitars before. Very happy with it, plays very well and has the steel punch I was looking for. IMG_2192 by Laurie Franks, on Flickr IMG_2194 by Laurie Franks, on Flickr
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Post by kiwi on Aug 27, 2020 7:51:13 GMT
Had a couple of friends over here that loved the Wangs sound but had them burn out in fairly quick time. I have a 5 watt Princeton copy that works well and a Tweed Deluxe clone with global scaling that I play 90% of the time, does a really great job at low volume, retains the drive of full volume.
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Post by kiwi on Nov 29, 2019 9:54:26 GMT
All of the above advice is spot on, but definitely explore the channel jumping, it really thickens up the tone. I have been playing this all night with my Jazzmaster rhythm channel Neil Young dirt ala Powderfinger. 20191129_223605 by Laurie Franks, on Flickr
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Post by kiwi on Nov 25, 2019 8:24:07 GMT
I am currently having this built for me by Modulas Amplification ( no affiliation) on the East coast of Scotland. it is designed around the Fender Tweed Deluxe 5E3 circuit but with a Dumble" type modification on it that gives it more headroom its 20w max and has an attenuator on it select anything between 1w and 20w. looking forward to trying it out .. That sounds great pretty sure you will love it. I got hospitalised 29/7 and was in for 6 weeks very ill. As a homecoming gift I commissioned a hand wired 5E3 with built in global volume attenuator, switch to use normal gain or less gain,and a hand built cab from friends in Auckland on the NZ Guitars forum. This amp has kept me finding different tones since, absolutely wonderful amp, the interaction between the 3 controls is amazing. Good luck on yours IMG_1899 by Laurie Franks, on Flickr Tweed Deluxe 2 by Laurie Franks, on Flickr
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Post by kiwi on Apr 3, 2019 6:21:45 GMT
As an Environmental Health Officer here in New Zealand, I have the dubious pleasure of enforcing noise laws, used be 24/7 but now we use security firms at night. I also live in what would be called a semi detached. I have no problem as there are 2 bedrooms and a hallway between my neighbour and me on both sides of the party wall so playing even electric late at night is no problem.
Most noise call outs here are with regard to loud parties that occur regularly. Complaints re playing of musical instruments is generally drummers practising even during the day. People are really intolerant at times and a lot of people just think if they can hear it it should be shut down no matter the volume. Having said that I have seized band equipment a couple of times but that was way over the top in residential areas at very high volumes and having ignored noise abatement notices that had been served.
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Post by kiwi on Mar 18, 2019 7:54:23 GMT
PD that does seem improperly spaced, this is my '66 Stella which has a 51mm nut. I would definitely look at a new nut and saddle. IMG_1829 by Laurie Franks, on Flickr
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Post by kiwi on Feb 24, 2019 4:44:25 GMT
I read that the crossroads thing was originally attributed to Tommy Johnson. I think it was in David Evans biography of Tommy Johnson and was from his brother LaDell.
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Post by kiwi on Jan 7, 2019 6:24:22 GMT
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Post by kiwi on Oct 26, 2018 5:02:39 GMT
I bought one nearly 2 years ago direct from the factory. The guitar arrived in 8 days China to NZ and was very well packed, guitar wrapped in pod case and large cardboard shipping box with good packing to stop it moving around. I payed US$400 plus US$120 shipping for it (vs $780 plus 120 shipping for the 2 Republics I have owned). This is a photo they sent same day I payed for the guitar Tricone 3 by Laurie Franks, on Flickr They have been selling their Aersi brand for a while and mine has their brand punched into the headstock. IMG_1539 by Laurie Franks, on Flickr I believe most of their sales are branding for folks like Republic and 1959 Guitars here in NZ, and I think Icarus and others in the UK. After I set it up and most importantly removed the black paint from the T bridge it plays and sounds great. Contemplating a steel body single cone from them.
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Post by kiwi on Jul 24, 2018 7:48:37 GMT
I owned one of these for the last 5 years (see my avatar), sold it just before Christmas. Never had a problem with the tuners on that one. I have owned 4 Republic tricones and I only replaced the tuners on one, and used the Stewmac Golden Age tuners.
I used 15 - 56 strings and never had a problem. I have also used those tuners on half a dozen old Harmonys and can say they are great replacements.
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Post by kiwi on Jul 8, 2018 2:25:40 GMT
Practicing a little on mine right now in G, Write Me a Few Lines (McDowell) and Feel Like Going Home (Waters) - both based on lessons from the Michael Messer Cuppa Sessions 2014-6 (MMCS 2014-6)... I found this page on the Harmony site very interesting for research. François Demont who developed the database and maintains the site says hits his collection - about 300 guitars and if you hover over a picture it will give details like the scale, materials, nut width etc. harmony.demont.net/myguitars.phpHarriet Francois was a friend of mine, I stayed with him in 2008 while traveling the USA and Europe. He had a massive collection of Harmony made guitars and ukuleles. He was in the process of writing a book on Harmony guitars and the history of the company. While a lot of the photos on the site were his guitars, he also collected photos on the web and ebay auctions. Sadly, Francois died of a heart attack in 2014. He was a man of many talents, photography and audio (he was a sound engineer for a TV station). The site is now maintained by his partner Poleth and a friend.
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Post by kiwi on Feb 27, 2018 6:06:28 GMT
Harriet as others have said the switches are easy to find. The hardest are often the rivets Harmony used to attach things like this. They were an odd size, the ones holding the pickup covers on and mounting the pickups are near impossible. I had to replace some in my Airline Meteor and had to use aluminium ones. Take it to your repair guy, they will be able to replace and check grounding.
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Post by kiwi on Feb 16, 2018 7:31:16 GMT
I replaced the cones in an Amistar tricone with the National cones and swapped them back. Just wasn't a wow rare moment like swapping the pressed cone in a very early Regal single cone.
Did it again with a Republic and honestly, it just sounded a little different, no better no worse. The Continental cones are fine. Just bought a few weeks ago an Aiersi tricone (they make Republics and others), and with a decent set up and tweak sounds great.
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Post by kiwi on Feb 5, 2018 5:30:06 GMT
If you are prepared to post to New Zealand at my cost I would love to buy this. I have an all regions DVD so no worries. PM me if good to go.
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Post by kiwi on Jan 24, 2018 7:34:10 GMT
Republic and a couple of importers here from the Aersi factory have been offering this style for a few years now. Republic calls it the Clarksdale Special. In my opinion it just looks wrong. There are a few reviews on youtube of the Republic. For me it loses a bit of bass.
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