*CUTE LITTLE INSTRUMENTS AND DEVICES

About a week ago I received a TASCAM DP-01FX/CD in the mail! It is basically an 8-track digital recorder with a built-in CD burner. I have read the manual a couple of times, and now it's time to apply myself and get the thing figured out! I have yet to receive an Alesis SR-16 drum machine I ordered, but it is on the way. I tend to not like drum machines, but I like using them for making demo recordings. I would have posted its picture too, but for some reason my computer won't let me add the picture to this post.

I also acquired a Talman TCM50 acoustic-electric guitar by Ibanez. It isn't a jumbo-size acoustic, and it is probably more useful as an amplified instrument than as a plain acoustic. I have ordered it, but it hasn't arrived yet. I think it will probably get here during the next week or so. I am salivating with anticipation! I have never owned an acoustic-electric, so this should be fun. The acoustic guitar I have been using for about 20 years is a Fender, one of their first acoustics, I think... it has a nice sound, but the action is a bit stiff. This Talman has a neck more like that of an electric guitar. When it comes to guitars, I am a decent acoustic player and a terrible electric player, so this instrument should make for a happy medium!

I also got a very cool instrument I got as a Christmas gift from my most wonderful wife Kit. The instrument is an Epiphone Mandobird-VIII. It is about the size of a regular mandolin, i.e. it is small. I have an old Sears catalog-style mandolin from the 20's or 30's that I can play a bit, although it is not a very high-quality instrument... it has a slight warp in the neck, buzzy strings, etc. This Mandobird, from all indications, appears to be well-made, and it sounds great when it's plugged in! I have been fiddling with it a lot during the last couple of days, playing it through a small Peavey guitar amplifier and using some fun distortion and effects with it, although it also sounds very nice when played "clean". I know it will be fun for adding texture to recordings! It may also have some occasional uses with the band I am in.

Anyway, I will have lots of fun with this music stuff. I promise I will figure out a way to get some of the music onto my weblog for you!

I hope you had a happy winter solstice and enjoyed the various holidays that we associate with this time of year! In other words, Holly Happidays!!!