I’ve been searching the web for replacement tubes for my vintage Ampeg Jet J12-T. I was suprised to find that the recommended tubes on the web did not match what was printed on the inside of my Ampeg amp. Some folks on the web were saying that the amp only had 4 tubes (it really has 5) and they were saying that one would need (2) 12AX7 and (2) 7591 tubes.

So for anyone out there wondering, the documentation inside of the amp says this:

Tubes (from left to right):
6BK11 or 6C10
6C10
7591
7591
5Y3

I finished burning the first 3 copies of The McKees’ performance DVD. It contains performances in Chapel Hill, Greensboro, and Mebane, NC. If you would like a copy, please send me an email at jw@unc.edu. Make sure to include your mailing address and I will get one out to you as soon as possible. Supplies are (somewhat) limited, so act now.

So the trip to Ellicott, MD was a success! My good friend, Jason B., went with me. We had a blast! Toured some local breweries, drove through downtown Baltimore, went under some sound there, traveled through the outskirts of our nation’s capital, saw the Washington monument, played the VA lottery, lost big, ate good, talked about everything, and made it home safe!

I plugged the Rhodes in to the Ampeg Jet J-12 when I got home and it sounds GREAT. I’ve been playing to Hot Rooster this weekend, a local Hillsborough group that plays rock and roll jams. I’m going to be playing with them this Wednesday, and I expect it will be a ton of fun….I’ll be bringing the Rhodes!

Oh wow. It doesn’t get any better than this! A very nice fellow contacted me through email the other day responding to my WTB (wanted to buy) classified on the Fender Rhodes Super Site. I’m leaving tomorrow morning to go buy this beautiful instrument from him. He took some photos, which I’ll share here:

A view from the front of my Rhodes Mark V:

A view from the back of my Rhodes Mark V:

In efforts to prepare for the Esspaul 2006 Fall tour, I’ve started sketches of the enclosure that will become the “Esspaul-o-tron”. The “Esspaul-o-tron” will be a multi-function unit. It will 1) Serve as a platform for keyboard, computer, PA amp and controls, and effect units, 2) Be an advertising unit to display the Esspaul brand name and 3) generate a near-field, high-energy, teleportation interface, capable of transitioning large crowds and objects to spatially-bound, bordering universes.

Here is the initial design (minus the teleporation hardware, as I’m having some trouble figuring out how that will exactly work, but I’m pretty sure duct tape will be involved):

Click this image for a larger version.

If any structural engineers or particle physicists happen upon this design, please let me know if I’m going to cause any serious damage by activating this thing…

This past week, my family went up to Walton, NY, home of the Delaware County Fair. We spent the week visiting with family, walking in the fields, and having a blast at the fair. While I was up there I was told about an old amp that Anna’s grandfather used to play fiddle through that had been sitting in the family barn for over 15 years since he passed away.

Uncle Frank took me out back to look at it. It was covered in dust and grime but I could tell that it was an Ampeg:



It was so dirty that I couldn’t even make out what the knobs did on the thing:



I figured it might still work so I brought it home and it cleaned up very nice:



Turns out that this is a vintage tube amp, the Ampeg Jet J12 (with tremelo). It SOUNDS FANTASTIC! The tremelo is soooo old school. As you turn the tremelo knob, there is a slight delay as it catches up, just adding to the analog experience of it all!

Sean mentioned that the company he is doing part-time work for, MOJO, can supply me with factory original parts for vintage amps, like this one! Wow. This amp is a keeper.

Rumors are floating around, and seem to suggest, that the two members of EssPaul, Paul Coleman and Joe Waddell, are secretly planning an eastern seaboard tour for the fall of 2006. Apparently it will just be Paul and Joe playing aqoustic-esque versions of their songs. I can only guess that this means Paul will play on a stripped-down drum kit and that Joe will exclusively play Fender Rhodes piano with minimal effects.

I can’t wait! I’ll let you all know more as it approaches.

Well we went down to the Daily Grind in Walton, NY last night. We saw an old friend, Joe Chinnici, and the new band he has formed, The Wankers. They were a blast! They had just finished their opening act for Sara Evans at the Delaware County Fair, when they hiked over to The Daily Grind and started setting up on the stage. Joe said they were exhausted, but they put on a great show regardless. Thanks, Wankers!

Wow. I recently saw some footage from The McKees’ shows in Mebane, Greensboro, and Chapel Hill. They were amazing. My friend Jason B. is recording them to his computer from Hi8. I’m going to then run them through some EQ tweaks and offer them up for download, or for anyone who writes I’ll send them a DVD over snail mail.

I’ll let you know when they are ready!

After many months, it looks like skebrown will be coming to visit. I’m frantically putting together a tentative schedule….restaurants, meetings, entertainment, recreation…the whole 9 yards.

He is planning on setting aside some time to play some guitar at my house. Perhaps we’ll have some friends over to listen. I’ll try to put some recordings up after his visit.

Wheeeeee!!!