The Guitars of OKen Part IV/Gibson

Gibson guitars are goddamned expensive...the soup is fucking ten dollars...The most I have ever spent on a guitar has been a Gibson. I've only ever had Les Pauls and SGs. I have detailed a few of them earlier. Here are the rest...

22. Gibson Les Paul Studio (Burgundy)
Gold Hardware (Yuck) 490R and 498T pickups(sounded good) My hand kept getting stuck up and down the neck when it got hot.  I never really bonded with it.

23. Les Paul Jr.
Got in in a trade, I discovered that I don't like p90 pickups (goddamn HUM) plus I noticed it had a repaired neck crack (which I found out they knew that at the Sam Ash I got it from...fuckers!)

24. SG special 60s Tribute
P90s again...sometimes it only takes me 36 times to learn...

25. 2014 SGJ(J is for Jr)
Good knock around guitar, the anniversary logo on the 12th fret is stupid, but it was only 400 bucks! I sold this one for 300 cash. (Forrest Gump enters) ..and that's all I have to say about that...

26. 2013 SG Standard
Gorgeous...WOULD NOT FUCKING EVER STAY IN FUCKING TUNE! There is an inherent problem with Gibsons, especially SGs. The angled headstock, coupled with the 3 x 3 nature of the tuning pegs causes the strings to take an unnatural bend, especially the D and G strings. With the G being unwound and less stable, AND the inferior nuts Gibson puts on their guitars(I mean, Jesus Christ! We're paying a shitload, put a good freaking nut on ALL OF THEM), this causes that tuning instability, thus making it virtually unplayable.
Didn't want to get rid of it, but it drove me nuts (and clearly to walk up short ladders) THANKS OBAMA!!!

Next up...FENDER!!!!

The Guitars of OKen Part III/Basses and Smaller Brands

Most of my guitars were either Gibsons, Fenders, or Epiphones. I did, however, dabble in some other brands, and owned some Basses, because I'm all about that...(gets kicked by teenagers)...ow...

14. Fender Precision Bass
It's the one you get when you don't know what you should get. Had it for so long it became unplayable.

15. Squire Jazz Bass
Squire is the budget version of Fender. This bass was $199 and it was great. Jazz basses have thinner necks so they are great for assholes with small hands like me! Wish I kept this one...

16. Ibanez RG 220B
My metal/shred guitar...except, I don't shred. GREAT neck! This was the only guitar I had with a Floyd Rose tremelo (those should be called vibratos but I digress) I had 400 bucks from various birthday gifts and I went and bought it. I liked it fine, but changing strings on a Floyd Rose is a pain in my ass!

17. Paul Reed Smith SE
DAMN IT! I got rid of this one and they don't make these types anymore. A very simple, well built guitar I could play anything with! STUPID OKEN for trading this one in. I HATED every PRS I have played since!

18. PRS SE Custom 24
Looked cool, hated it...had it for less than a month

19. PRS SE Santana
HATED this guitar! HATED it! Never stayed in tune and it was SOULLESS! It was a pleasure to trade in!

20. Gretsch G5120 Electromatic
I love Gretschs. I currently own two (more on the my present ones later) This one was beautiful! It was the best piece of ass I ever had..and I had 'em all over the world!!!!!! Wait..got carried away there. It was a looker but I did not like the non secured bridge. It was a reluctant trade, but the right move

21. Gretsch 5124T Electromatic
The big brother of the last one. Better pickups, looked a little slicker, and I got that plus a case on a trade in that exchanged zero dollars, so I pulled the trigger...then got rid of it 2 months later, because I have issues...

Goddamn! Are you ready for my Gibsons?  Be on the lookout for The Guitars of OKen Part IV/Gibsons!

The Guitars of OKen Part II

Guitar # 9 The Gibson Voodoo SG

Goddammit...I had this one for a long time. It was freaking GORGEOUS! It sounded amazing and with the addition of locking tuners, it stayed it tune really well, which for an SG is next to IMPOSSIBLE! Many, Many gigs/rehearsals with this beauty. I traded it in with another guitar to get a large amp..which I traded in later anyway. This was during my OCD Guitar Acquisition Phase. It's a thing...look it up (don't) If I had the undo button this is DEFINITELY one I would get back. Where's that sharp knife I keep around?

She's a looker....

Guitar #10 Gibson Les Paul Mahogany

Les Pauls are goddamn expensive. A 2015 Les Paul Standard is almost $4000 bucks!
This was under $1000, so I had the cash at the time and bought it. It was my other go-to axe! It started to need more and more work, so I let it go, let it go...couldn't hold it back any..(is smacked in the face by 6 random people)...sorry...

Those were the first 10 I owned and they were long players. I then went thru a shitload of axes starting around 2008 until now. These are all gone now. Chronology is out the window...let's start with the acoustics...

11- The Ovation Celebrity Elite
Sounded great, but I like a medium shell (thickness)

12. The Ovation celebrity
Medium shell, didn't like it

13. The Fender Stratacoustic (first time around)
Yep, some of these I bought, got rid of, and bought the same model again. Know why? Only a clinical Psychiatrist can answer.  It sounds weird, but it's easy to play and I like the neck.

I know, YOU CAN'T WAIT FOR MORE!!!!!! Never fear, stay tuned for The Guitars of OKen Part III/Basses and smaller brands!

The Guitars of OKen Part I

I have owned 56 guitars in my lifetime. I currently own 6.  These may be close to my favourite 6 that I have owned...close.
You may be thinking "OKen, what the hell? You make zero freaking dollars, how could you have owned 56? LIES!"
Nope. Many I have traded for others, some were dirt-ass cheap, others I was stupid and bought them when I had no business doing so. I'm going to talk about them because I want to. It makes me happy, and Sheryl Crow says it can't be that bad.

I do not have pics for the first few, but I will for most. I will start chronological, then perhaps go by brand...let's see how it turns out.

Guitar #1 Del Rey Strat copy.

This was the guitar I learned to play on. I bought it from my friend Tom Swietlik in, I think, freshman or sophomore year in HS.  I purchased it for $25...all in one dollar bills. It was an electric, I had no amp, and no case. I would take the bus to Tom's house so he can teach me chords. I used a garbage bag as a case. If I had a DeLorean, I would go back in time and punch me. My buddy Len Mandro took it apart and painted it green...because I am dumb.

 Guitar #2 Some jackass homemade Les Paul Copy.

My parents got this and a homemade amp from this small electronics store on Irving Park 2 doors down from the Patio Theater. This place sold car stereos and 4 guitars. Some guy made them. They were under the tree at Christmas and I went nuts. I knew enough how to play, so this was a good upgrade for me.  I used that guitar for quite a few years when I first started playing in bands. It served me well. Needless to say Guitar 1 and 2 are long gone.

Guitar #3 The Epiphone SG (don't worry, I'm not doing a paragraph on all 56, just the important ones)

The first decent guitar I had. I saved up $315 dollars. That's how much it cost...crazy. It was a weird one because it had a Gibson shaped headstock with Ephiphone in Gibson font labeled on said headstock. I remember when I finally had all the money, I had to wait until the next Friday until I could get it and it's ALL I thought about...still wish I had that one.

Guitar #4 The Gibson SG

1980s White SG. I was an SG man (still am), played the shit out of that one. It kinda wore down at the end.

Guitar #5 Gibson Les Paul Studio

Black w/gold hardware. This is when I realized that I did not like gold hardware. That goddamn thing played like a wet dream. THICK!

Guitar # 6 Squire Stratocaster

It was like $150. Lent it to someone for like 5 years, then used it for a wedding in Vegas, then it fell apart. I still have the neck.

I then started trading things in...

Guitar #7 Epiphone BB King Lucille

I got this one and Guitar # 8 by trading in my two SGs. I was in the mood, I wanted something new. This was a beautiful guitar, but I never really played it. It sounded ok, not great.

Guitar #8 Texas Lone Star Strat

My first Fender...used this for a LOT of gigs for a long time...PIC!!!!

Well that takes you through the early OKen years! Next comes a whirlwind of guitars coming in and out! Stay tuned for Part II!

Gotta start postin' again!!!

Refreshin' the blog!

Time to start posting my music musings once again!

Coming soon: THE GUITARS OF OKEN!!!!

Fuzz Box reviews: Part 2!!

5. Swollen Pickle
FROM: Way Huge
PRICE NEW: $ 129.99
WHAT'S GOOD: This is basically a Big Muff with some more bells and whistles. There is a small scoop knob which boosts the mids and a crunch knob which can push the box towards a more classic distortion. It sounds great, and it's plenty loud, and the versatility is a major plus
WHAT'S NOT SO GOOD:  I don't think you're getting much more for the price you're paying. It has a HUGE footprint and will take up a lion's share of your pedalboard.
RECOMMENDED BUY? This one is all on your personal taste. I say try it out. Compare it to the Big Muff w/tone wicker and I'll bet that you buy the Big Muff
LINK:  http://www.jimdunlop.com/product/swollen-pickle

6. Filmore Thunder
FROM: Elite Tone
PRICE NEW: $177.00
WHAT'S GOOD: This one gets you that classic "psychedelic 60's" fuzz sound, plus it has a separate switch for an octave up, so you can totally get the Jimi Hendrix "Purple Haze" sound. It has four knobs with the bias knob the most interesting. If you go completely counterclockwise, you get your basic, "bare-bones" fuzz tone. If you go clockwise you get the completely psychedelic, almost fading in and out fuzz sound.
WHAT'S NOT SO GOOD: Quite a bit, actually. The Fuzz and Gain knobs are worthless unless cranked. It's really only good for two sounds, the octave up 60's sound and the "over under sideways down" type of sound, and for that price point. It should be better.
RECOMMENDED BUY? Not for that price. It's simply not worth it and NOT versatile enough. What it does, it does well, but it needs to knock about $75 of the price.
LINK: http://www.elitetone.com/fillmore.html

7. Peppermint Fuzz
FROM: Analogman
PRICE NEW: $195 Goddamned dollars!!!
WHAT'S GOOD:  I think that this is a more streamlined version of the Elite Tone Filmore thunder. It has a smaller footprint, it can run on a 9-volt forever, and it really captures that psychedelic 60's sound. It also is pretty versatile, as it can get a lot of classic 60's and 70's fuzz tones with the tweaking of the knobs.
WHAT'S NOT SO GOOD: If this thing were $100 less it would be my #1 recommended fuzz, but it's just WAAAAY too goddamned expensive, PLUS you have to wait for-friggin'-ever to get one. I know Analogman is a  holy grail of stompboxes, but that guy needs to hire some people so he can service his customers. The Elite Tone does the same thing for $20 less. You can get any number of Devi ever pedals that can easily stand side by side with this for 1/2 the price!
RECOMMENDED BUY?  Only if you have lots of disposable income. I mean, it is a good pedal, but it's not a $195 pedal, then again, few of them are.
LINK: http://www.buyanalogman.com/Peppermint_Fuzz_p/am-peppermint-fuzz.htm

That's all I got for now, more pedal reviews coming soon!

Long time, no see...time for some Fuzz reviews!!!

Oooh, been gone a long time. I've been doing a lot. One of those things is jammin' out to some fuzz boxes!!!
Let me review some for you.
1. Big Muff Pi w/tone wicker
FROM: Electro-Harmonix
PRICE NEW: $89.25
WHAT'S GOOD: You get a great range from your classic harder edged distortion to the "buzzy bee" style fuzz. It has a toggle switch that shuts off the tone knob and it becomes louder and more of a classic distortion. The wicker toggle switch boosts the mids and let's you cut through the mix better. If you had to get one fuzz and were on a tight budget, this is the one. It will not let you down!
WHAT'S NOT SO GOOD: Nothing, really, it is your basic fuzz box and if you are looking for some of those insane death-type fuzz tones, you won't get those here, but then again, that's not what you're paying for.
RECOMMENDED BUY?  Absolutely
LINK: http://www.ehx.com/products/big-muff-pi-with-tone-wicker

2. Torn's Peaker
FROM: Devi ever
PRICE NEW: $97.50
WHAT'S GOOD: Everything...Devi ever consistently makes the best pedals for the money, if you're looking for some insane ass fuzz! This pedal has a range from hardcore metal distortion to a knock-your-balls-off "oh, shit, the cone on my speaker exploded, but it rules" sound. All of Devi's pedals are LOUD!  If you put the volume anywhere past 9 o'clock, you will blow anyone out of the room. This is a good thing.  This pedal is really, really versatile, and I think can do the job if you only had room for one fuzz on your pedal board. The small footprint is a plus as well.
WHAT'S NOT SO GOOD: My only beef is that the DC plug is on the side, and that's a pain in the ass when it comes to plugging in your pedals on your board. MXR does that too. It drives me nuts.
RECOMMENDED BUY? If you have the cash this is WELL worth it.
LINK: http://www.deviever.com/fx/bigfuzz/torns-peaker/

3. U.S. Fuzz
FROM: Devi ever
PRICE NEW: $97.50
WHAT'S GOOD: This one is an acquired taste, but once you acquire it, you won't go back! This has a sputtering , velcro-type fuzz that trails off hard once you start to mute it. It's also gated so when you're not playing, you hear nothing! This really is such a different sound from the other fuzzes out there and it ads a great flavour to your sound if you switch it up now and then. Once again...LOUD! This is a great second fuzz to put on your board.
WHAT'S NOT SO GOOD: You have to get used to using it. There are times it could sputter out on you before you want it to. It's good to use a compressor along with this if your playing rhythms. This is also not a fuzz box that you would have exclusively on your board. You could not use it on every song. This is more of a change of pace pedal (there's nothing wrong with that). Once again the plug on the side...AAAHH!
RECOMMENDED BUY? If you have the cash and are buying up fuzz boxes, this should be the second one that you buy!
LINK: http://www.deviever.com/fx/gated-fuzz/us/

4. Trumpet Fuzz
FROM: Mellowtone
PRICE NEW: $82.99
WHAT'S GOOD: This little ditty gets you kind of a lo-fi fuzz tone and as you turn the attack knob all the way clockwise, you get that "octave up" type of tone. Good for a change of pace, "coming thru my old Zenith Allegro speakers" type of tone. The price is right as well.
WHAT'S NOT SO GOOD: This is very limited in tone, and it is NOT that loud. You have to crank the level up all the way to keep it the same as your amp. It's also just not up to par with many other better fuzzboxes out there.
RECOMMENDED BUY? If you like that lo-fi sound and have expendable cash on hand, it's not bad, but I think your money could be better spent elsewhere
LINK: http://www.fattoneguitars.com/Mellowtone_Trumpet_Fuzz_Effect_Pedal_p/mel04.htm

Stay tuned for part 2!!!