kdawg2a wrote: ↑Sat Dec 19, 2020 8:28 am
As far as gear goes, this would be the first time I've posted a negative at the end.
I bought a 1968 Jansen Beatmaster.
Then I sold;
1989 Rickenbacker 330,
2003 Bacchus Flying V,
2010 Blueridge BR 163 ce acoustic,
1968 Jansen Beatmaster.
I needed a little extra funds to come to the states, hence the sales.
Man, I miss the Bacchus and the Blueridge. They were superb guitars. I loved the Rickenbacker too but I can never get on with a Ricky neck.
I did gain a lovely vintage Harmony acoustic but I'm not yet convinced it would survive the 4 flights back to New Zealand.
All in all 2020 can eat shit. I'm hoping 2021 will be better but I very much fear that humanity has reached the tipping point towards idiocy.
On that cherry note, merry Christmas to all!
Mate, twas me that bought the Rickenbacker 330. I get what you are saying about the neck, but I'm very much enjoying it
Hey Dave!
I'm really glad the Ricky went to you. If that thing had a fatter, wider neck it would have never left the roost!
1935 Martin D-45, 1942 Gibson Southern Jumbo,1950 Fender Broadcaster, 1954 Fender Strat, 1958 Gibson Moderne prototype, 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard.
1958 Fender twin, 1965 Vox AC30, 1966 Marshall JTM 45, 1977 Dumble OD Special.
Big black garbage bag full of original Klon Centaurs and TS808s.
I'll be seeing 2020 out the same way I saw it in, gigging up in Stillwater. Its a good chill place to play, with a crowd that likes to dance, family friendly, and cheap food and drinks.
Bellbird is still sick, so think I might be rocking the LP and the AFD100 this time round.
Here's some shameless self promotion footage from last year, with songs you've heard way too many times before.
Nice to hear all your stories, good and not so good, to keep everything in perspective.
Gearwise I'm ending the year with all the same guitars and amps as I seem to have got a little set of stuff I like. I added an Infinity 2 loopeer and a new polytune mid year as birthday and post lockdown treats. The young lad added a Bass and amp to his musical instruments.
I've also invested in an HSS set of Mr Glyn's Pickups for my project strat so that's getting to the stage that I need to put it all together.
It was a funny year workwise, nothing stopped here and I just started working from home, and we all did such a good job that the bosses at work have kept us working from home 2 days a week and there's talk of going 3 days from home. Was a bit odd being fully normal while everyone around me was in various stages of lockdown/work from home/furlough etc.
I had an interesting end to the year medically, started with low Potassium scare following a routine blood test and has ended up after various tests with maybe a decent breakthrough to something that could be done next year to actually fix some stuff I've been living with 15 years, so cross fingers the last tests indicate it's something they can operate on.
Finally the kids both had an amazing year all things considered. They both did brilliant at school, they both had fantastic years sports wise reaching 2nd Kyu in Karate each (one junior and one as an adult) and they're both wonderful humans as well.
I have a lot of friends in the UK and in the US and I have to say that I'm blessed to have had a different experience of 2020 than the one they still seem to be having. So I'm hugely grateful for that.
jimi wrote: ↑Wed Dec 23, 2020 9:26 am
I'll be seeing 2020 out the same way I saw it in, gigging up in Stillwater. Its a good chill place to play, with a crowd that likes to dance, family friendly, and cheap food and drinks.
Bellbird is still sick, so think I might be rocking the LP and the AFD100 this time round.
Here's some shameless self promotion footage from last year, with songs you've heard way too many times before.
Are you going to take the river, and ride a pack of dogs?
Aquila Rosso wrote:I don't a mind an iced tea rimjob one little bit
Molly wrote:Trousers are no substitute for talent
druz wrote:I present to you, the whogivesafuckocaster
Didn't lose my job, and really enjoyed working from home, but then my company was sold. Went through a job security scare, made it through the other end, but the culture of the new company is very different. Jury is still out as to how wonderful it all feels and the stress of it all including transition remains.
Second last week of the first lockdown I hurt my back while exercising. I've had a few motorcycle and car related back injuries over the years, and it turns out one of these injuries has ended up becoming an arthritic vertebra. Bone growth is pressing on the spinal cord, and I was in pretty much constant pain for 6 months, chewing down Tramadol like they were Polo mints. Everything has calmed down now, however I've put on a lot of weight because even walking was too difficult and painful. This has shat me off more than anything.
All that said, I'm a hell of a lot more fortunate than many and I keep that thankful perspective. Goal for the coming year is to start getting more active - walking and rowing machines are not awful for me mentally and work with my injury, so wanting to make them part of my daily routine.
Gear-wise, I would like to say I want less than more, but a sub 30 watt Fender-ish head of some type would be lovely...
Gear wise - maintenance stuff only for the most part. Bought a 12 string electric and a Squier CV Strat, plus various bits and pieces for gigging.
Have treated myself to a couple of pedals this month.
Otherwise, it was a fucking odd year.
Went something like 4-5 months with out managing to work at all.
New business I started in lockdown has started going well though, and next year I have every chance of earning a reasonable income from it.
I went on a short tour and playing covers, even in a year of covid, must have done close to 20 gigs.
Kids have done really well in a challenging year, making friends, trying hard at school and happy at home, what more matters to kids?
Wife had a crazy year in politics, working long long hours which meant I had to take up the slack at home which I did fairly successfully and (I think!) with pretty good grace. We didn't spend ANY quality time together in 6 months, but we were both supporting each other and making each others' life possible. I'd probably say that my highlight of the year was that we made it work and still managed to achieve stuff.
On the negative side I didn't work, I drank and smoked too much, and I got pretty unfit. That has turned up in a variety of back and neck problems that I'm working through. Overall, it's been stressful, a bit shitty, but far better than I thought it would be when I was in the middle of it.
I 100% raise a glass to the guys here who have dealt with genuine chaos this year and are surviving and still smiling.
Gear-wise I sold off an american ash tele and SA-700 - both of which I regret a little - to help justify a motorbike purchase. My only electric now is my (ex-bender) jazzmaster which I still love to bits and can't see myself ever parting with.
Work-wise I'm very lucky to work in IT which was largely unaffected. I'm unhappy with my job and still trying to figure out what I want to be doing with my life but for now I'm fortunate to have a stable career.
At home my wife and I are heading into year 3 of fertility treatment. Been a lot of up and downs but I think we have both reached a level of acceptance and while it's been frustrating and painful I think our relationship is stronger for it. We went to a couple of therapy sessions which we never would have done under 'normal' circumstances, which brought some underlying issues to the surface in a way that we were able to deal with. I'd recommend it to anyone.
Hope everybody gets a decent break before plunging back into 2021.
Gearwise, I got a Helix and and swapped out an LTD for an Ibanez semi-hollow in an excellent trade.
Workwise, I nearly lost my job, kept my job, made shit happen and fixed a bunch of dumb crap that had holding everyone back there, and somehow accidentally convinced a cashed up govt agency that they should hire me and got a $30k pay rise. Former boss said to talk to her if it ends up going pear shaped because they’d have me back in an instant.
Made some good mental health gains, changed church from being fluffy feely one to a thinky grunty one where the pastor has tatts down to his knuckles, smokes a pipe and drinks whisky, and is working through his Ph.D. (From a pentecoastal to a reformed baptist for those who care)
I think it was a good year but I sure did a lot of living.
GrantB wrote:Tony, your taste is, as always, very refined. Or as HG would say, "bloody awful".
Just like everyone else, it was an odd year but not necessarily bad.
Made quite a few amps and pedals. Still using the guitars I put together. Rented a lot of studio time to just jam with cool people and play my amp at loud volumes otherwise my amps would never see past 0.5 on volume. Helped 2 of my mates with their GAS. Sent roughly 20 pedals to NZ this year. Definitely helped them to their financial crisis.
Workwise - still lucky to be in working in the architecture industry. Still a little tiring due to the long work hours but getting used to it day by day. Still working in the office though.
Moved twice this year due to COVID closing apartments. Spent a month each to find the right house that would let me play my guitar. That's a loss of $$$$nzd that I'm never getting back. BTW Deposit in Japan is non-refundable. Lost more later on with a surprise k "youve been here for 2 years here's $2k you need to pay off" tax. Could've made 8 more amps with the amount. Probably would've lost my mind if it wasn't for my partner.
Anyway I'm ending the year with a freshly completed ODRS for myself and 3 amp orders for next year (Japan).
I ended the year owning a '63 strat that is a simple pleasure to play. I didn't see that coming. But gear-wise, any other ins and outs are kind of irrelevant compared to that
Marshmallow wrote: ↑Wed Dec 23, 2020 9:49 pm BTW Deposit in Japan is non-refundable.
Unless the rental legislation has changed since I was there you must have come across some hard-arse landlords. I got the majority of my deposits back from the two rentals I had in Nagano and Tokyo. Apart from that and the shitty tax hit, it sounds like you are kicking goals! Your posts always have my mind drifting back to Japan...
Marshmallow wrote: ↑Wed Dec 23, 2020 9:49 pm BTW Deposit in Japan is non-refundable.
Unless the rental legislation has changed since I was there you must have come across some hard-arse landlords. I got the majority of my deposits back from the two rentals I had in Nagano and Tokyo. Apart from that and the shitty tax hit, it sounds like you are kicking goals! Your posts always have my mind drifting back to Japan...
Haha thanks! Yea it's been great apart from the tax and apartment thing.
Oh man I wish rental it was like that now. They have this weird cleaning fee even if the apartment was brand new, key money, 1-2 months of agency fee and the actual deposit. Ends up being $4000-5000nzd non refundable. They also only have me 3 months notice to move out. It's almost impossible to look for a house when you work 12-13 hours a day.
Definitely helped them to their financial crisis. 
