Crafty and Cool Drum Repairs

We’ve been getting a lot more repairs through the store, and we’re starting to get pretty crafty. Pictured here is Norman Westberg, God-Like Guitarist and Drum Repair Tech (go figure) laying up an extra ply on a seriously shattered bass drum hoop. The repaired spot was stiffer than the rest of the hoop, and the original integrity of the set was maintained.
Another cool trick we pulled off was on a major shell ding on a beautiful old Round Badge, Gretsch Silver Sparkle bass drum. After the fracture was fixed, we were left with some some collateral damage in the form of a drilled hole. Doweling with a maple dowel took care of the hole, but we left it just below the finish of the wrap and built it up with epoxy mixed with some Silver Sparkle shavings. This was brought up close to the surface plane, and then finished with a very thin layer of epoxy in the hole to build it up to the surface. It’s really hard to tell that there was a hole!
Repairs like these aren’t ridiculously expensive because we enjoy doing them. Got a weird drum or hardware repair? Challenge us with it!

Old World Craftsman Norman Westberg

Gretsch Visits Main Drag

Yesterday afternoon I had the pleasure of taking John Palmer and Paul Cooper, Product Manager and Production Manager, respectively, through the store. We checked out drums of all kinds and talked for quite a while. For Main Drag, being a Gretsch dealer is an honor and almost a responsibility given the rich, New York history of the company as well as the specifically Brooklyn element – That Great Gretsch Sound was conjured right down the street!

I deal with a lot of drum companies on a lot of different levels, but what amazes me about these guys is that in spite of the magnitude of the Gretsch legacy, as well as the present size of the company, they were both extremely hands on and in touch with the real world of drums, drummers, and music gear stores. Every new brand of drum that we sell has a long history and a story of its own. The legacy of Gretsch is in very good hands with these two guys.

John

Check out the Jerry Fuchs Page NOW!!

This is the best place to go for Jerry info and so far it’s looking like an awesome tribute which will only get better. Check it out:

http://jerryfuchs.net/

The Jerry Fuchs Memorial

Jerry’s memorial last night was very beautiful and a vivid, brilliantly shining reminder of just what an awesome man he was. Enid’s was standing-room-only with friends packed around the windows and doors on the sidewalk, and the love of his friends really raised the roof. The fake Jerry mustaches handed out were a stroke of genius, the wall of photos touching, and his family showed a level of strength, dignity, love, and even humor that was incredibly moving. Our hearts go out to them. Jerry would have been honored to see so many people who cared about him so much.

But now it’s time to enjoy the eternal element of Jerry’s music……while he may be gone his work will live as long as the media that that it’s recorded on. We’re all so lucky to have known this guy, but if you’re reading this and didn’t, it’s time to get to know his drumming because it’s in the present tense and unreal-good!!! This was a man who left behind an incredible body of work, so get busy! Buy, download, share, youtube, whatever, but make sure that you listen to what this incredible musician has given the world, spread the word, and know that his musical legacy lives in perpetuity.

Jerry Fuchs, we miss you already.

For those of you that knew Jerry Fuchs, I’m sure that you’re as in the dumps as we are around here. Writing this helped a little.

Read on and try to feel better,

John Fell
11/9/2009

Jerry Fuchs came into my life back in 1996 or ‘97. I’m sorry to say that I can’t remember which or place the date on a calendar but that period in my life was vibrant and fast and resultantly a bit blurry. We met through a shared rehearsal space containing a shared band. He was the guy who replaced me in a project that I had to bow out of due to a huge label commitment, though I think the word replaced is inaccurate. Jerry was an upgrade to that band. One night I listened through the door of the studio when he was in the room carving it up with my old associates and it became clear that I had been wasting my friends’ time by playing with them; he was the right guy and I was the wrong guy. It smarted a little, but it was cool. I left that night undetected and went home and thought about how perfectly composed and executed his parts and playing were in the very same songs that I had struggled with, trying to concoct what I only then realized he was the better player for. His groove was a mile wide and his ideas and facility were really beautiful. I never mentioned that I had heard him play through the door for those five minutes until later. And he was in his early twenties at the time.

Not long thereafter I was in the same room shedding a brutal 15/16 groove I was really starting to get cooking. When I stopped he walked in and said, “Dude! That’s sick!” Without pausing he sat down behind his little Silver Sparkle Ludwig bebop kit and asked me to play it again. I dug in, feeling a little self-conscious as I really was floored by his playing and expected him to slash into something crazy. Instead, he jumped in on the downbeat of one with a crazy 4/4 part that he managed to superimpose on top of my ridiculously over thought part. I was playing the snare on 2 and 4 with this derivative, Gadd inspired, inverted paradiddle tom thing going on. Due to the offset in meter, our parts resolved every other measure in an eighth note pulse. He was keeping it really simple but his groove was so deep I felt like I was locked in a tractor beam. Then he started comping with his right hand and right foot between the toms and bass drum on our off by a 16th note measure. The effect was of this perfectly controlled wall of drums that had a crazy, ricochet/slapback like quality. We hung on for a few minutes and the feeling was a bit like having a wolf by the ears; I was afraid holding on but also afraid to let go.

Inevitably, the groove crashed down around us as we were reaching further and further out. We were both completely giddy and I was so full of love for this guy from that moment on and laughing so hard we were crying. What we played was at once so amazing and yet so absurd and we both knew it, but that was the beauty of the moment. We joked about playing double drums in some band and decided if what we had just done was any indication of what would happen that the rest of the band would just walk off stage, and whether or not it would have been in admiration or disgust we weren’t quite sure. While he was packing up some cymbals, I asked him how he had picked up this crazy groove I was playing so fast as he walked in, sat down and nailed me to the wall in seconds. He started laughing so hard and said, “DUDE!!! I”VE BEEN STANDING OUTSIDE THE DOOR FOR LIKE TEN MINUTES!!!!!” I laughed so hard and told him all about standing outside the very same door studying what he was doing. What amazed me about Jerry at that point as both a drummer and as a person was that he just barged in and played. It was that amazing combination of confidence and humility that made him so endearing.

Jerry and I would see each other fairly often in spite of fairly different social circles and there was always the hope of rekindling that fire that we made that night. Whenever I was playing a show and saw him in the audience it always made me want to play my best game, he was just so naturally good. But even after one night when I played like shit, he popped up with serious praise and asked me to break down some fill, then told me I was amazing. And yet he wouldn’t have any of it when I would tell him just how amazing I thought he was. He’s the guy that you wanted listening to you play because you knew he listened to every note of it and was genuinely understanding about the bad ones. Like the person that loves you for your strengths and weaknesses.

A few years ago when I stopped playing and started the Drum Shop, a ‘Drummer Wanted’ flyer showed up on the bulletin board. On it was the usual listing of gigs, empty promises, and a list of drummers who the band liked. Among the more storied names were my own and Jerry’s. I was so honored, not so much by the absurd association with a bunch of household name drummers, but by the fact that he was in the list. We were both at sort of the same point career wise and the juxtaposition with him meant far more to me than any other name on that listing. It was such an honor to be compared in any way to him. Over the last few years we’ve joked many times about getting in touch with the guy that posted the ad and how he could have both of us for his band but only at the same time. The beauty and the horror of that would have really been something, and “atomsmasher” which might have been either the guy’s name or that of his band, we were never really sure, might have gotten a little more than he bargained for. I recently built Jerry a custom snare drum and inscribed in it: Atomsmasher would get a kick out of this, XO John

When I heard the terrible news, I just fell apart. I started scanning the news and blogs for any details I could find to help me get my head around it. It was just so unbelievable that someone so full of life and talent could be gone in a flash. As I read on I was struck by a terrible irony. The building in which he fell was the very same building that I moved into when I first moved to Brooklyn in the mid eighties. I had ridden that damnable elevator many times up and down from my loft on the fourth floor. And ultimately, the reason that I moved out was the restriction of the use of said elevator; moving drums up and down four flights wasn’t really practical. I got so caught up in the irony that my reaction before my brain caught up was that I wanted to tell Jerry just how odd that was. But my brain and heart caught up to reality andI guess that’s not going to happen. We’re all left with the need accept the terrible and irrevocable change that has occurred, and I hope that reading what I’ve written might help someone just as it has helped me just a bit in its writing. I miss you Jerry, there are already a million things I want to tell you, like how the Timpanist’s grip that I saw over the weekend sort of reminded me of yours.

John Fell Interviewed with Buck Nelson

I just had the pleasure of being interviewed along with massively mega awesome rock drumming god Buck Nelson. Over the course of the tour of the store and the interview we talked about his unique approach involving over 30 pedals, 16 bass drums, and 54 cymbals. The guy’s a monster and his ideas about rock are, well, unique. Check it out.

 

 

MOOG Theremin Halloween Contest

CONTEST NEWS: The deadline for posting your entry has been extended to 12:00 Noon EST, Tuesday, November 3, 2009. This gives you the opportunity to film on Halloween night.

In addition to its more serious side, the Theremin has a long history of use in horror/sci-fi movies. In celebration of this history, we’re awarding prizes to the videographers who do the best job of re-creating this experience.

Rules & Regulations:

Videos must be at least one minute in length. Theremin(s) used must be manufactured by Moog Music.

Participating is easy:

1. Create your best Theremin video with a Halloween Theme.

2. Upload it to your YouTube channel.

3. Post the YouTube URL for your video on the Moog Music Forum www.moogmusic.com/forum in the Theremin Forum, under the Halloween Theremin Contest topic by 12:00 Noon EST, Tuesday, November 3, 2009. If you are not already a Moog Music Forum member, you must register.

An online poll will be set up on the Forum On Monday, November 2 at 5:00 EST. Videos judged by Moog Music not to have significant Theremin or Halloween content will not be entered into the poll.

On Monday, November 30, at 12:00 pm EST, the video with the most votes in the poll will be the 1st prize winner. At that time, the judges will also check to see which video has the highest number of views on YouTube. The video with the highest number will be the 2nd prize winner. If a video wins the poll and has the highest number of views, the lucky winner will receive both prizes! Winners will be contacted through their YouTube account.

Moog reserves the right to unilaterally remove any video which it, at its sole discretion, deems to be unsuitable.

Prizes:

1st prize – Best Video – MF-104Z Analog Delay

2nd prize – Most views – MF-102 Ring Modulator

All contestants whose videos make it to the poll will receive a Moog t-shirt. Limit one t-shirt per video.

LINK HERE

Guitar obsessed…. we found the answer

Check out the newest addition to the ever growing 3G phones available from T-Mobile. A ‘Fender’ matchbooked flame top phone.

From: engadget.com

Check this out. T-mobile has re-imagined the myTouch 3G. They’ve added something that was sorely needed: a 3.5mm headphone jack for a new version of the phone later this year. The other news is that the new myTouch is being released as a special edition thanks to a partnership with Fender.

This baby sports a super nice woodgrain finish, comes bundled with a 16GB microSD card
, and has some preloaded music content. Pretty nice huh?

We don’t have a release date or any price info yet however.

Want to contribute? Are you into gear? Read more…

Main Drag is currently looking for contributors to our blog site. Whether it be gear stories, photos, new music, videos, or even band interviews, we want your help.

Main Drag Music is all about community and what better way than to include our closest friends and family, (aka..YOU) to join in on the fun of our blogspot.

Sound interesting? Sure it does… Send an email to Matt Welsh at: webmaster@maindragmusic.com for more info if interested.

Check out Ludwig’s interview of Sam Fogarino of Interpol

Courtesy of Ludwig.com

Direct Link HERE

LUDWIG HQ: So tell us what it has been like getting back in the studio with Interpol?

SAM FOGARINO: It’s been fantastic this time around. We cut a bunch of scratch tracks, so that I could record alone to fully take advantage of the large room in studio A, at Electric Lady, NYC. We have recorded live, basically, on our previous three LPs – which I have really enjoyed, and felt it necessary to achieve any level of a ‘band feel’. However, this is a different record for us, and the songs lend themselves to a more layered approach to recording. It has also allowed for me to try various tunings, and head types, on both kits that I’m using – Stainless and Legacy.

LUDWIG HQ: Is there anything you are doing differently for the recording of this record?

New drum guy’s feature in Drummer Magazine

Hey all,

Check out this feature on our new drum guy, TJ, in Drummer Magazine.  Not only does he know his drums, he plays in a hot up-and-coming NYC band.  Check em out!

Neil Peart’s first Slingerland drumset up for auction!

CLICK HERE FOR THE LONG AWAITED EBAY AUCTION OF NEIL PEART’S ONE OF A KIND DRUM KIT!

Here’s what Main Drag’s own John Fell has to say about it…

“Up for bidding is Neil Peart’s first Slingerland drum set purchased shortly after he joined Rush in late 1974 and used through the recording of 2112. It’s featured on the subsequent live album, All the World’s a Stage, both as a photographic centerpiece on the cover and sonically on the tracks. Peart’s solo on Working Man/Finding My Way from All the World’s a Stage is one of the most well known Drum solos in the world of Rock Drumming, and was introduced by Geddy Lee saying, “The Professor on the drum kit!” This set was also used to record Fly by Night, Caress of Steel, and as mentioned, their commercial breakthrough 2112. This is one of the most iconic drum sets from the world of Rock music and was highly influential–following the release of All the World’s a Stage drummers everywhere studied the cover photo and copied the setup, not to mention Peart’s style. Again, this is the very same drum set that was used on the record and is shown on the cover. It was played at first without the four concert toms, which were added later, circa 1975.

There are a total of 11 drums and this set DOES NOT INCLUDE THE SNARE. The sizes are as follows: 6, 8, 10, 12” Concert Toms in Copper Wrap, (2)9×13, 10×14, 16×16, (2)14×22 and a 13” Timbale all in Chrome Wrap. There are tom holders on the bass drums; a Slingerland Set-O-Matic on the Stage Right drum and a Ludwig Rail-Consolette mount on the Stage Left drum.

The heads, with the exception of the 10×14, are all-original and in the same tuning as the set was received. They consist of Evans Rocks on the toms (Mirror Glass batters, clear blue, like Hydraulics on resonant side), Ludwig Silver Dots on the concert toms, and Remo CS’s on the Batter side of the bass drums. The bass drum resonant heads are one of the more interesting features of the set in that they have the original silver foil appliqué saying “RUSH” on each head as well as “Neil” on Stage Right and “Peart” on Stage Left.

Prior to this auction, we debated whether or not to restore this set, and the decision was to tidy it up without making any changes to its condition, e.g. replacing heads, hardware, etc.. If the auction winner wishes to have it restored it is their decision solely as this cannot be undone. The set is exactly as it was last used by Mr. Peart; there have been no modifications, head changes (except as noted), etc.. The condition of the drums varies, but all are quite used. They’ve obviously been cased in transport as the scratches and rash are all from contact with each other or adjacent hardware while set up and being played, not from abuse. There is surprisingly little pitting on the chrome finish and they polished up nicely. The shells appear to be round and healthy, though we decided to leave the drums assembled so as to maintain their character as played by Mr. Peart; we can’t say much about the condition internally. The heads are all worn, but intact and still in tune! The Stage Right bass drum resonant head was badly torn and repair attempted presumably by Mr. Peart and crew. The mic holes at 12 o’clock on each bass drum resonant head were framed with silver duct tape, which is now quite brittle and frayed.

There are no stands included in this auction; it is for the shells only, and the spurs are not original Slingerlands, though the brackets are. The floor tom legs appear to be original, as do all of the mounts, lugs, tension rods, and heads, except where noted on the 10×14”

This kit was won in 1987 in a Modern Drummer Magazine drum solo contest as judged by Neil Peart. The winner of the contest is keeping the original copy of the letter Mr. Peart sent him along with the set, but a photocopy will be provided to the winner of this auction.

This drumset is being sold as is. Bidders are responsible for asking any questions that might pertain to the value, perceived or otherwise during the auction. This is a one of a kind artifact; its authenticity is unquestionable, and the final sale is non-refundable.

Winner of auction is responsible for shipping or pickup, FOB 330 Wythe Ave, Brooklyn, NY. The seller will aid the winner in any way possible, but will not be responsible for the packing or shipping of the item. Upon release of the item to the winner, a shipper, broker, or third party authorized by the winner, the seller ends all responsibility for the safety of the item in shipment. We can refer the winner with a shipping company that specializes in high-end insured transport of instruments and are happy to do so at the end of the auction.

Thank-you for your interest.”

up for auction on ebay 8/2

Two new bitchin boxes from Electro-Harmonix! New unto you!

The “Riddle: Q-Balls” is a nuanced envelope filter/follower. It’s the evolution of Q, everything you need with tight precision controls for the auto-wah type of thing. Check out the video demonstration; you’ll be impressed with what an acoustic guitar sounds like through a Q-Balls.

The Enigma is the Bass-orientated Riddle. Come try one out with your bass babe.

New Electro Harmonix 22 Amp!!!

The 22 Caliber is a versatile 22-watt guitar head that fits in the palm of your hand. Just plug it into any 4-, 8- or 16-ohm speaker, and you’ll get a big, sweet musical sound.

Crank the 22 Caliber’s volume, and it’ll go into overdrive – like a vintage amp with a single volume control. Flip on the Bright switch to add some bite and definition.

It’s not just a guitar head; it’s a shrunken head, with all good voodoo.

Interesting product from Electro-Harmonix, all you need is an overdrive pedal to add a bit more gain and you’re all set!

Come check one out now at the only place in Brooklyn with this amp! MAIN DRAG MUSIC

For more info check out the Electro Harmonix site.

The Yamaha CP-60M… We’ve got one… shouldn’t you?

The Yamaha CP-60 isn’t as popular as the Fender Rhodes or the infamous Wurlitzer 200…    Could 20+ years really be the issue?

The Yamaha CP-60M came out around 1984, roughly 20+ years after the famed Fender Rhodes and Wurlitzer’s 200 model which most know simply by, “Wurly.”  Yamaha had done pretty well with an earlier, larger model, the CP-70 which was geared toward large touring bands that wanted a real mic’d stage piano worthy of the rough life on the road.  The CP-70 was essentially an electric baby grand.  Similar to the 70’s Helpinstill, it had a full sound board and double voiced strings, a real piano at that point.  Under each string was an independent piezo-electric pickup that was used to amplify the sound. This custom design eliminated any possibility of ‘howl around’ even at high volume and for most, this was more than adequate.

With a full range of pickups and onboard eq that gave far more range than the Fender Rhodes, it seemed like the perfect touring piano. 

Yamaha spent ten years perfecting their little oyster and made the CP-60M.  Unlike the CP-70, the CP-60M was smaller, more compact, and easier to load due to it’s slim stance and folded keyboard.  It was also dressed in a protective armor-like shell.  But wait…   what’s the “M” stand for?  Midi!   Holy sh$t!

The CP-60M is the ultimate stage piano.  An electrified REAL double voiced upright piano with full electric eq with midi and vibrato.  The midi really makes this instrument shine.  With any midi brain you can turn this organic instrument into anything you can dream up.  Synths, organs, voices, triggers, etc…. all at the touch of a hammer-weighted piano. 

The interesting thing about the CP series is that you rarely see them up for sale.  This is our third in ten years.  I’ve seen a CP-70 twice in my travels.  Do people just never let these babies go?  It has been used in the past by  Peter Gabriel and also Abba, U2, Simple Minds, George Duke, Bruce Hornsby, Genesis/Tony Banks and countless others. More recently, the UK band Keane have adopted the Yamaha CP as their primary piano sound.

Due to the push for a more average, consumer-friendly, mass-produced keyboard, Yamaha pushed production on much lower priced, lighter digital pianos towards the end of the 1980’s.   The CP-60M was only made for a short period in the mid eightees making it a hard instrument to track down.

This particular one has been modified to accept a modern AC-adapter unit.  Why?  The CP’s had a very specific power adapter with a pronged cable similar to the Vox’s.  Once lost, a trip to Japan may get you a new one.   We’ve taken the liberty to convert it for you so while on tour and your bandmate leaves the utility box behind, a trip to Radio Shack will calm your nerves.

-Matt Welsh

$1300 only at MAIN DRAG MUSIC

What Could it Be? (a new pedal from EH on this day)

a Polyphonic poly-octave generator with presets (Hazarai!?); Sweepable Low-Pass filter with variable resonance (“Q”); sweepable unison-continuum (detune); and transient shaper (“ATTACK!”). Dial it in baby. POG2 on the shelvings.

(it's the new POG2 from ElectroHarmonix

Stylophone makes any dull moment more exciting than a Snickers bar…

What is it with Rolf Harris and wacky instruments? If he’s not assaulting our ears with his wobble board, he’s blowing into his jumbo didgeridoo. And let’s not even talk about those weird ‘ahoo-aha-ha’ breathing noises. Let us instead talk about Rolf’s finest musical moment (yes, even finer than his recording of the smash hit Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport): his association with the legendary Stylophone. Why? Because the brilliantly bonkers Stylophone is back and it’s just as entertaining as you remember.

Classic Stylophone box!

This “electronic organ in your pocket” was all the rage back in the 70s, and thanks to Rolf’s (over) enthusiast ad campaign, most of us assumed the beardy paint-chucker had actually invented it. He didn’t, but he should have because the Stylophone was as inexplicably enthralling as Rolf himself!

Original vibrato feature

So what exactly is a Stylophone? Well, basically, this bizarre little battery-operated instrument is a box packed with transistors, resistors, diodes and other old-school electronic thingamajigs. The idea is to press the integral stylus against the various metal keys in order to close the circuit and emit a peculiar but unique squeal. Weeeeeeiii!

Control the volume, Change the sound, Plug in your mp3 player or headphones

Tweak your wacky sounds even more!

This re-issued version is just the same as the original except you can now control the volume (phew!) and play along to your MP3 tracks (bizarre). There are even a couple of all-new Stylophone sounds and a vibrato knob. Bonus! And if you think the Stylophone is unfit for real musicians, think again. Luminaries as diverse as Bowie, Pulp, Kraftwerk and Marilyn Manson have all used the Stylophone to add a touch of whiny ethereal lunacy to their recordings. Whether you owned one as a kid and can’t remember where your mom hid it, or you’re a first time fiddler in need of an ironic retro fix, the Stylophone Original is guaranteed to bemuse, amuse, irritate and fascinate. Skweeeall!!!

New EH PEDALS are here!!!!

Come in and try out the newest creations from Electro Harmonix! The good news is Electro Harmonix has realized that good things DO come in small packages. Check out the newest Holy Grail Reverb housed in a nano case! Now you can have the amazing qualities of EH’s Reverb used by so many live, in a pedal the size of it’s boutique counterparts.

Other pedals to check out are the new Voice Box for on stage vocal manipulation, as well as the new smaller White Finger!

Gian Carlo Calorie Count

Four ham and swiss sandwiches and counting….

MAIN DRAG on Coolhunting.com

Thanks to Emily for crediting us in Coolhunting.com’s review of EH’s memory man delay.   Check out the article HERE

Roland RE-201 Space Echo

You asked for them, and they have arrived – the original and the imitation.  Like every other toy we collect for you, we’re offering free test drives of this magnetic interstellar explorer deep into the outer regions of your sonic space.

SXSW Day three continued

Glasvegas and other fun things…

SXSW day three…..

So last night ended up at the most insane lineup ever which included Tori Amos and L.A.’s Steel Panther….. Wow. While backstage i found our ad in the Vice Magazine’s Sxsw picks. Austin’s last call is 1:30am which sucks. We moved the party ti the Marriot pool.

Day three has been another scorcher. I caught the new Columbia ‘it’ band, Glasvegas at Stubb’s. The free tallboys of High Life definitely helped last nights effects blend into the day.

Hopefully tonight I will catch the long awaited Primal Scream show. Stay tuned….

Sxsw day two cont..

Caught Tim Easton play with long time customer Aaron Tasjan on guitar.

SXSW day two

Well we had a great first day here in Austin. My total tally so far for being tagged as, “hey… Your the dude from Main Drag!”: 14.

The finally of day one was catching Gary Louris and Mark Olsen of the Jayhawks at a private acoustic show put on by New West records. Simply stunning!

Today is started off once again with a tall cup of overpriced joe and a bonus morning cig. I will try to sqeeze in a dirty projectors show as well as seeing Tim Easton and The Waco Brother’s Bloodshot showcase. Stay tuned…

Sxsw brooklyn’s ‘the states’

Good fellas and Main Drag Music customers playing a slew of dates this week.

More SXSW

Brad from brooklyn outfit ‘This Frontier Needs Heroes

Elvis perkins

Amazing! Not to mention main drag customer Matt from Nada Surf enjoying the show!

Gringo star

These guys are about to go on a European tour with Trail of the Dead in April. Great fun band and Main Drag Customer!

“Is that a Nagra?”

When I first noticed the Nagra IV-L in the front counter display case, it didn’t really catch my eye.  As a teenager, I had indulged an obession with tape and tubes and all things analog, but these days I’ve grown more and more comfortable with the digital world, and an old tape machine just didn’t spark much interest at first.  I completely overlooked its existence until customer after customer would bring this relic from the 1960s to my attention on a daily basis.

“Is that a Nagra?  Wow, that’s awesome, those things are amazing – can I check it out?”  Hmmm.  Why all the fuss, I wondered.  A quick google returned this statement from Wikipedia:

“Nagra is a generic term referring to any of the series of professional audio recorders produced by Kudelski SA, based in Cheseaux-sur-Lausanne, Switzerland. The machines were initially designed by Polish inventor Stefan Kudelski, and his company won numerous technical awards for their precision and reliability.”

Our drum guru, John Fell, gave me a proper introdruction to the Nagra one day, asking me if I’d care to see “under the hood.”

Opening up most electronic devices is a pretty boring, ugly, and/or frustrating enterprise for the average human being.  And who opens up their electronics just to admire the beauty of the care and skill that went into the soldering and bundling of wires?  John Fell showed me the guts of the Nagra like we were poking around in a vintage muscle car.

I don’t know much about art, or electronics, but I think anyone can appreciate the visual impact of the amazingly neat, compact, and even colorful work inside this Swiss marvel.

First day….

Well the only saving grace waking up this morning was the starbucks in the lobby. I will be playing in an hour and within two hours will be severely drunk over at mohawk seeing atlanta band Gringo Star and my fav, Elvis Perkins. Stay tuned.

Freddy Nightliker: greetings

as you would that it were… erstwhile knob twiddler and electro-acoustician at your server.

What it is

This just in… Prophet 5

Sequential Circuits Prophet 5 Rev 3.2 with midi retrofit – very clean and just fully serviced.  Everyone who’s come in and fired up this thing has left smiling.  There’s very little this analog, polyphonic, and programmable monster can’t do.  Rev 3s are known for their reliability – toss that troublesome Juno one-oh-sh** in the trash and pick this up before someone puts this thing in a museum.

I am Garth

Hey fellow tragic hipsters! I am Garth, the new Drum guy (ed: a new drum guy – John Fell is still THE drum guy) at Main Drag Music. I will help you with your sonic needs or punch you in the face for being uncool.  But seriously, you guys got any vintage drum kits you wanna sell?!! Give us a call or bring them by! We’ve also got some new ultra knowledgeable staff on board to help you pinpoint whatever ridiculous sound you are looking to make. Cheers and happy fuzzing.

-Garth

SXSW ‘09

So once again I am heading down to SXSW to partake in the yearly tradition of playing unpaid shows while trying to stay sober enough to be operable. Lucky for you, I will be blogging about it while drunk and full of BBQ on a live, daily, up-to-date, basis… so stay tuned….

This year I will be playing guitar along side Main Drag Music customer “Tim Williams.” Every year I run into our entire customer base on 6th street in Austin. I will surely be approached again this year as…”HEY! IT’S THE DUDE FROM MAIN DRAG!” Yes, Yes…. indeed I am….

As an added bonus this year they will be having a Vintage Guitar Show at the convention center… pretty amazing! If it didn’t cost me $100 for every extra piece of gear I bring on the plane… I could do some damage down there. Anyway… stay tuned because the next six days will be exciting.

-Matt Welsh “AKA: THE MAIN DRAG DUDE”

The elusive Chamberlin Rhythmate

So while on the road this week I was fortunate enough to find a piece of gear I have only heard about around vintage guitar geek camp fires and sparklehorse chat room sessions.. (kidding….not really)

Now, being that I am no stranger to strange gear in my own musical quests, I have already used this piece of gear in my own music. The problem…. I had to use samples of said gear. Like catching “the big one,” on a man’s weekend fishing trip, no one ever expects to see it.. just talk about it their whole life.

So now I have a record with samples of Chamberlin Rhythmate drum loops plastered beneath my songs and will never be able to change the tempos or organically recreate it live…… till now!

Little Drummer Boy

Congrats to our drum raffle winner! We’re glad that our Gretsch rental kit is in good hands! Stay tuned for more exciting events at Main Drag Music

Been a long time since I’ve rock n rolled….

Well friends… here we go. I haven’t written here in a while. Main Drag Music has been busier than ever and I have found myself working more and more on an upcoming music project. But in my time off of the blog-o-sphere… I have been finding some amazing examples of what other people spend their time on…. (all music related of course) ENJOY!

Here is a guy that is completely fed up with being older than he “should be.” He doesn’t have time for music anymore and he sure as hell doesn’t have time to list all of his gear individually…..

Casper Electronics now available at MAIN DRAG

Check out Casper Electronics here at MAIN DRAG MUSIC.  Currently we are selling his circuit bent speak and spells but will be getting more things soon.  Stop on by and check one out.  Here is a recent interview with the man himself, Pete Edwards. CLICK on the image below. 

You can find more about Pete and Casper Electronics HERE

Doppleganger appears…

4 beers in and right before Christmas and my Ghost from Christmas future walked into the store to buy pedals….

Hey, Good Lookin! A Hank Special!

Hank Williams, Clarence White, Elvis, Johnny Cash, the list goes on of highly regarded historical music figures who have played these guitars.  This 1957 Martin D-18 looks like they all played on it at some point… and we dig it. When this guitar came in it had seen better days but one familiar tone rang through the back hallway here.  It was that unmistakable Martin sound that we have heard on countless records.  Well…. like an old dog we brought her in, washed her ears out, and gave her a new home on our wall. 

The thing I love most about old acoustics like this one is that with all the years of playing, drying out, cracks, etc… they still sing in a way you cannot replicate.  Many of my own acoustics, mainly my 60’s Gibsons, sound amazing with 6 to 7 repaired top cracks in them. With this one we were happy to see that there were no replaced parts or poor repairs. Tom did a neck reset on this D-18 and repositioned the original bridge.  When it came out of the shop, the staff all took it for a ride. Within seconds there was a honky tonk ho-down in Brooklyn.  Take a look at some up close pictures HERE

We’re feeling in the giving mood….

For the first time ever, Main Drag Music is proud to give you NO RESERVE auctions on some very rare vintage pieces.  This is the first round of auctions we are running and will be adding more pieces up until Christmas.  Many of these items were never offered in our store.  Check out all of our auctions for a chance to win that vintage piece for less this week.

CLICK

 

One piece in particular is the super rare Schumann Lion Pedal by our old pal John Schumann. This is an early one being #13 and getting it from the original source is a rare chance. Schumann’s small run of pedals (2003-2006) have been swept up by such bands as Radiohead, The Melvins, Interpol, and others. Don’t let this opportunity to bid on it with absolutely no reserve get away.  These pedals were made by hand at our old location on South 5th St. here in Williamsburg.  

All mic’d up and ready to roll…

So as I slowly made my way into the shop this morning, wondering if I already had my third cup of coffee or not, I noticed something new in the drum department. The Kelly “SHU.”  Is this what my band had been looking for ever since our drummer and drum purist refused to put a hole in his front heads?  The answer… it sure f*cking is.

They say that the best designs are the simplist.  Well that’s definitely true with the new Kelly Shu drum mic mount.  With no drilling required it makes it an amazing touring/recording mount for even the most vintage purist in mind.  It utilizes the existing lug mounts to secure the floating shockmount.  You can then pass the mic cable either through the vent hole of your shell, or make a small hole in your head and use a grommet.   Once set up, you are able to have a consistent kick mic placement and sound from gig to gig.  This would be a great piece for venues with a house kit as well since it speeds up set up time between bands.  I say A++ on this one.  

Available in composite for $48 or Aluminum for $98.

http://www.kellyshu.com/

What’s going on with the guitar market?

Some of you here in the states may have noticed that our economy is in the the congressional toilet.  People are losing jobs, companies are going under, banks are being bought out, and musicians are still broke.  I won’t be slinging any political poop in this forum but I will show you some relationships to the guitar market.  YAY….

 

New Moog Controller MP-201

We finally got in the newest edition to MOOG’s arsenal.  The MP-201!  Besides the new slicker look, this pedal allows the user to create new sounds out of old pedals. 

A Pic of Patrick Carney (The Black Keys) with his MP-201 Multi-Pedal

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

So every year I try to do my best to dress up for halloween.  This year I went as my good friend and Main Drag Guitar Tech, JJ.  We had a blast since it was the same day that Tim brought his camera equipment to shoot the new gear for the website.   

New stuff should be up soon and I will be posting about some rare gear we’ve had soon… 

 

Enjoy..

Small Sound/Big Sound new Fuzz pedals

Just Arrived from our local friends at Small Sound/Big Sound, the “Team Awesome Fuzz Machine!”   Right on I say. Here at Main Drag Music, we really love to support local artists.  Here’s a prime example.  The builder of these pedals had brought in a prototype about a month and a half ago for me to check out.  I liked it but it needed a little tweaking in user friendly Feng shui.  Sure enough he came back to me this week with a much more usable pedal with some great graphics and of course……  an amazing take on the germanium fuzz.  Read more below for details….

Check out the new repair pages

Be sure to check out the new repair pages at Maindragmusic.com.  Photographer Timothy Herzog took documentary style photographs of our staff in their respective shops.  This one didn’t make the website but I thought it was really cool. 

Tim Herzog’s “JOHN AS ATLAS”

Online Guitar Lessons…

One thing, among many, that the internet has helped in aiding musicians with is online guitar lessons.  I for one love ‘em.  Whether I want to find new scale lessons, learn a particular song, or find a new country lick to steal, it’s all on YouTube…. and it’s all FREE!

Unwillingly, I wake up at 7am every morning to walk my two bulldogs.  When I get home I have exactly one hour before my wife wakes up and we start our day with nine cups of coffee.  If you’re married or live with roommates, you may concur that this one hour period is about as precious as any government holiday.  Sure, I could use that time to learn how to speak japanese, lift weights, check stocks, or even do laundry.  Of course if I had any of these passions, I wouldn’t be working in a guitar store and touring in a van with other grown men with similar aspirations.  So… I learn guitar licks.  

The benefits to online guitar lessons other than that they’re free, is the fact that they are visual.  I always had problems learning any instrument from a book.  Without getting the visual and audio support to the teachings, I was lost.  Now I can choose the lesson content whether it be jazz, country, blues, etc… and learn at my own pace, in my underwear, and in my own home.  

There are even free sites to get started by tuning your guitar.  We’ve been nice enough to provide you one on our front page.  You can see it down on the left hand side of Main Drag’s Site.  Now that you’re tuned up, you can choose from over 183,000 “guitar lesson” vids on YouTube.   

The best part is… when you’re done you can watch videos like the one below…  enjoy and good luck.

Back in it….

Sorry for my lack of posting. I have picked up another webjob and the band is finishing a record. Ah… the life of an artist living in New York City.

Today let’s talk about the new pedals by MXR. The company, in many vintage inspired players’ minds, lost their mojo after the seventies. (Not being biased but they were based in New York) Slowly as Dunlop took over, their focus was moving further away from their roots. And just as many companies do as they “progress,” they make higher quantities of units with cheaper components.

Now as many of you know, or should know, good components equal better signal path. Companies like Fulltone, Klon, Zvex, Keeley, etc… picked up on this and thats why they sound and sell better. I am not going to start a pissing war so thats all I am going to touch on here.

Many of us (ocd tone obsessed gigging musicians) could seldem find a decent Dunlop-made effects unit through the years. Yes, there was one or two pedals that would pop their heads up now and again. I for one still love the purple Dunlop Tremolo pedals as well as the MXR blue box from the 90’s. But not until a couple weeks ago did my MXR radar perk up and salivate.

What triggered such a reaction? The new Carbon Copy Delay. WOW. Now I felt like writing this post because I have a personal connection to the history of this pedal. For years I would carry around three original green 70’s MXR Delays with me. Why? They were the best sounding delays I have ever heard… but they would break…. a lot. Not to mention, after my fifth studio experience of having the engineer tell me that the delay was just too noisy to record with, I felt at a loss. Well not anymore!

Like sleeping with an ex-girlfriend who got hotter with age, the experience of playing the new MXR Carbon Copy was amazing. Just as simple as the old version, having only three knobs keeps you focused on what’s important. Regen, Mix, and Delay time are all you get. And just like the original, there are internal bias pots to open or close your pots. From warm slapback to an all out shoegaze bonanza… this thing is a pocket sized space echo.

At $150 you can’t go wrong with this pedal. I even used it on rhodes and it’s glorious. Thank God, MXR is back…back….back….back… back….back…. (couldn’t help myself)

1965 Blackface Fender Deluxe Reverb… The Holy Grail?

Just arrived… one of THE nicest original ‘65 Deluxe Reverbs we’ve seen. All original except for the new 3 prong power cable and a some coupling caps. Check out the pictures for yourself. This one isn’t going to last long…

What’s It Worth? Determining value…

When customers come into the store there is always one thing looming in the back of their brain…. “Is this a good deal?” Well, a good deal to one may not be for all. At least emotionally. When dealing with collectables or any “vintage” item, how does one really know the monetary worth? Answer: Supply and Demand.

Years ago, before EBAY and the internet in general, instrument buying was a game of wits and brazen sales tactics. Buyers would hunt down garage sales like weekend warriors looking for that sought-after piece. Although we kid ourselves today and think that an obscure ad in the local paper or a country garage sale is going to warrant a ‘58 Telecaster on the cheap, most likely you are going to pay what it’s worth.

The reason for this is the glorious world wide web. The internet has completely leveled the playing field for instrument buying and selling. Now you can log-on and see exactly what others are paying for a similar item and why. The internet is always current which allows the market to express immediately any change in interest, dollar value, and market waves.

Ebay has become the closest form to a buyer’s price guide in comparison to previous physical price guides released. The reason? Immediacy. A lot of the price guides in the past were compiled months if not a year before they hit your local store. They were automatically outdated. The other flaw is that these books are based on what individuals were paying at a vintage guitar show…aka…collectors. A minority at best in the newly flooded market of guitar buying. Now potential buyers can simply search “completed auctions” on Ebay and see exactly what the market value of instruments are by averaging what the last four similar pieces sold for.

What do I mean?

If 24 people bid up to $1600 for a player’s grade 1965 Fender Mustang….. guess what, that’s what it’s “worth.” Now of course the “vintage” market is fickle and filled with obessive fine tooth combed collectors. But for “players” instruments (anything less than NOS or Mint yet containing all of its original parts) Ebay has become the general rule for “actual value.”

There are plenty of good online resources to help date and identify your instruments, which we will get to in another segment. In the meantime, become an educated buyer by seeing what others value your instrument at and trust the buying community. This will help you in determining whether or not you are getting a “good deal.” The emotional part… well, I am sure you can find help with that online as well….

-Matt Welsh MAIN DRAG MUSIC

Deagan Vibes… a warm approach to hip

The model is the Deagan 1100, Aurora II

It is probably from the mid to late 60’s (they were produced from ‘64-’75) and is generally considered one of the best vibes ever made. There is some separation in the end panels though this is only cosmetic. The bars are in amazing condition and in good tune, damper smooth and well felted, the cording is good and the motor quiet. Overall, it could use some cleaning but it’s really nice.

Priced at $3400 come in and play ‘em…

1966 Fender Jazz Bass Just Arrived… Players Delight

Just in is a 1966 Fender Jazz Bass. Its all original with the exception of the paint being stripped. The pickguard could go either way so I can’t confirm or deny that its the original. Here are some great pictures of the inside so you can see for yourself. Check out the extreme flame on the headstock. Its glorious. This one is a late (Dec. ‘66) so the pickups are Jan 67’s. Enjoy.

Player’s price of $4000 with Hard Shell Case.

SOULDIER… THE NEW OLD STRAP

June 20th, 2008

NEW SOULDIER STRAPS HAVE ARRIVED. These are all hand made in Chicago by good friends of ours and are some of the best straps we’ve seen. They’re based on the old 60’s ACE design and we love them…. apparently you do to because we can’t keep them in stock!

AMP SHOP IS CRUISIN

July 13th, 2008

We’ve stepped up our amp department last week and cranked out a bunch of new vintage amps for the sales floor. Come on in and check out the new batch of Ampegs, Sunn’s, Fender’s, and Marshall’s.

CLICK HERE FOR AMPS

ELECTRO HARMONIX RECOGNIZES THE FUZZZZ

July 27th, 2008

Electro Harmonix has finally come out with the pedal all bass players have been waiting for, the Big Muff Bass. We have them before others and you need to come in and check it out. EH is slowly introducing a whole new line of bass effects pedals in the coming weeks and we are always the first to get them…. even before Big Brother “G.C.”