The Laptop Sessions Cover Songs & Original Music Video Blog » FMP Articles

A/V corner: A review of the LG 32LH30 LCD TV

Jeff Copperthite — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 13:59:34 +0000

Originally posted 2009-10-08 22:13:45.

By Jeff:

Welcome to a title I just made up. The world is always a good place when you show your versatility! It’s quite obvious that Jim, Chris, and myself have a world of interests.

I would like to point out that I didn’t have a very good day today. However, it isn’t because something bad happened to me. But rather, someone’s senselessness caused my friend to have a bad day. Seriously, if you need money, get a frickin job – leave people’s property alone. Also, can the email at my school work consistently? I’m tired of telling my students “email me if you have questions” only to find that the night before they have a test I can’t access my email.

But I digress.

Tonight I am reviewing the TV I just bought. This follows the death of my previous TV. I had a Samsung tube HDTV that I bought in 2004. I mean, it looked fine and had two component inputs and allowed me to play my gamecube/wii, ps2, and TV all in the best possible resolution.

Then one morning I was watching Sportscenter and right in the middle of Stuart Scott’s next highlight, I looked up and saw nothing. I still heard his voice coming through the stereo speakers. I then smelled an electrical appliance burning, which means “unplug that tv”. The fried TV made it to the recycling center a few days later, and my living room was without a TV.

The funniest thing is about two weeks before the old TV blew up (as I say it), I had said to my wife “I think it’s time we bought a new TV”.

Granted, the other TV’s in this house are at least 10 years old, and they work just fine. So it’s a bit sad that this one lasted a mere 5 years.

So of course, I ordered a new TV on amazon.com. I love ordering things from that site due to the credit card rewards that give me gift cards for money spent. So this TV was almost an entire $25 gift card. Plus, I also received free shipping.

Well anyway, I got the TV on a Saturday morning via Fedex and had it set up in an hour. I went shopping for a few cables (namely an HDMI cable) and fired it up.

The LG 32LH30 LCD TV is a 32 inch wide screen HDMI ready viewing machine. Soon as I fired it up I loved it. The screen is so so much brighter than a CRT TV. The fact that I can now actually see the HD channels I get in their native widescreen is tremendous.

The setup on the TV is tailored to HDMI. The back of the set includes 3 HDMI inputs (one on the side, two on the back), 1 component input, 2 composite inputs, optical in/out, and a standard cable input. I would rather it have came with a 2nd component input simply because there’s a lot of devices that do not have HDMI out that people still use. Yes many people still have only component outputs (and still others only composite/s-video), so the sole input makes hooking up all your devices simultaneously a bit trickier. Most people will have to buy a video switcher.

Just to give you an idea of what I have in my setup – I have a Wii, HDMI cable box, PS2, DVD player, Sony receiver, and a 200 CD changer (that’s on its last legs). Of course, the Wii and PS2 are component able, so I lucked out that I can hook them into my receiver, and use it as a video switcher, and hook a third set of cables into the TV.

The bad news is that, when I change video sources, I have to change them both on my TV and on my receiver. So again, if you can deal like me, then that isn’t a big deal.

The picture set up mode is something i’m still tweaking with. A beginner to picture setup can easily set up their TV to an acceptable picture by using the Tv’s “Picture Wizard”. What it does is basically take the user through a series of images that look different depending on the TV’s settings, which includes an “optimal” image that you should try to obtain. With each setting change, the TV’s settings change without the user needing to bother with “What the hell does the contrast do?” I tried it the first try, but again since i’m aware of what these are, I didn’t find it necessary to use. However, I did note that the interface is sort of idiot proof.

For those that don’t need a safety net, the LG 32LH30 offers a tremendous array of picture tweaks. There are presets for “Cinema”, “Sports”, and “Game”. For my video games, I find the “Sports” setting to be quite nice – especially for the Wii games. But if presets still aren’t enough tweaking, there are 6 zoom functions, and a up to 20 level scalable “cinema zoom”, which takes letterboxed DVD’s and stretches them vertically as much or as little as you want. There’s also a setup option that allows you to use the TV as an audio pass through instead of a monitor – that is, you can turn off the video, but keep the audio. This is perfect if you want to put on the music channels most cable companies provide, but don’t need to see the facts on the screen about the music. You can also disable the onboard TV speakers (recommended if you have a receiver like most techies).

The coolest thing i’ve found so far is the extra HDMI inputs allow me to hook my laptop up to the TV. It’s perfect for me because my DVD player can play DVDs in a very high resolution on my laptop, and I can now send that to the TV! The computer screen on the TV is a bit too “fine” for my needs, but it is perfect if you’re watching a bunch of Youtube videos or, as mentioned, a DVD. I can also play SOME of my computer games on it, and they look really really good.

There aren’t too many drawbacks other than the ones already mentioned. The thing I don’t like is that the provided TV stand is very basic. It allows you to tilt the TV horizontally +/- 20 degrees, but there is no vertical tilt. There also is no vertical height adjustment (sorry Dr. K) allowed, so I had to get a few very thick phone books that were of the same height (harder than it looks!) and drape a black towel over them just to raise the TV to a height I want. In my setup, I was able to put the center speaker on top of the old CRT, but that’s not possible with an LCD. The only options are to put it right below the TV or on a shelf above the TV for optimal sound quality. The speaker I own would block the bottom portion if I didn’t raise the height of it.

Also, the buttons for the TV are located on the side of the TV which is fine, but the one I use the most is the power button. At the very least, a power button should’ve been included on the front of the screen. If you’re like most people, your TV is already in a tight fitting area, and it is a minor inconvenience to reach back behind the TV to turn it off if I don’t want to use the remote.

But for the money I spent for it, this TV is all that I could want and more. If I get another video source, I have space to hook it up to the HDMI connection. The digital out to my amplifier ensures that if there is a Dolby Digital soundtrack or better that my receiver will make it sound the best it can. And while it is certainly geared to today’s HDMI devices, again make sure you buy a video switcher if you have multiple component video sources like I do (or be lucky with your receiver being a good switcher on its own).

And if you are in the market to buy a flat screen, LCD TV’s prices are much much better and more affordable now. I can safely recommend this one to you. If you can splurge a little bit (i.e. more than $300), then this TV is worth it.

The Laptop Sessions: “We have a lot of songs on this site” – an impromptu article by Jeff

Jeff Copperthite — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 00:40:37 +0000

Originally posted 2009-04-30 22:41:25.

By Jeff Copperthite:

Welcome to Thumpin’ Thursday! I have a really cool song to bring you this evening, it is a favorite of mine and one i’ve wanted to cover for a long, long time.

The song is…

Well, that’s how I was planning on starting the post this evening.

But, for the first time in the history of this site, I finally fell for the fatal mistake of being part of a site w/ multiple cover artists posting on it.

I recorded a previously covered song. A song that has been posted for some time now.

Funny thing is when I am going about my business figuring out the list of songs I want to do, I usually check the category of the artist to make sure that song hasn’t been done already. Hell, i’ve even caught myself writing a song on the list that i’ve already covered, let alone one that Chris or Jim have already tackled.

But the more songs that get added, the more likely this mistake is going to be made.

By my guesstimate, we have just about 500 cover/original videos posted on this site. When you get right down to it, assuming 12 songs a CD, that’s 42 CDs and change worth of songs on this single website! Most of them are familiar songs – we don’t delve into the rare album cuts often for the sheer reason that most people don’t know them.

But yet, despite my best efforts, I did it.

I even did the song in one take – and it’s not a terribly easy song either.

I even edited it and slapped on the titles, filters, and effects.

I even started writing the article for it!

So because of this, you have been reading my thoughts.

To be honest, I blame the extremely busy week i’ve had. The prom i’ve helped plan is happening in 3 weeks, and we start selling tickets for it tomorrow. I have to revise and edit the planned format, and print them on cardstock in the morning. I also have to correct a few more Physics quizzes (how fast do you have to throw a 2.4 g dime at a 3.0 kg piece of plywood, such that they have a perfectly inelastic collision and start moving at 2.0 m/s anyway?), finish correcting Earth Science projects, get ready to introduce the next (and probably last) Chapter in the course, since the Seniors only have 13 days left of class (excluding tomorrow).

Oh, and to boot I was at the Doctor’s for two hours today – but I’m not at liberty to say why.

Well, next week I guarantee I will cover, play, record, and post a song that has not already been covered. Until then, I hope you have found some humour and light hearted-ness in this post.

Until then…

Buying Music in 2010: Mp3s (Digital Downloads), CDs, and LPs (Vinyl Records)

Jim Fusco — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 16:13:30 +0000

Originally posted 2009-11-18 01:52:19.

By Jim Fusco:

Hello everyone, I’m back with another article, as I still don’t have my HD camera (that’s what happens when you order internationally) and I’m still inundated with work here at FMP Studios. The Traveling Acai Berries are hoping to get a two-song recording session in on Thursday night, but we’ll have to wait and see. Those, unless I get the camera tomorrow, would still be in standard definition.

Anyway, onto tonight’s article:

Today at lunch, I told my colleagues at work (who are all much older than me) that I’m loving using my turntable. A turntable, for those of you who either don’t know or have forgotten, is a record player. And a record player is a machine that plays 12″ vinyl discs with grooves on them, producing sound.

Everyone at the table looked at me like I had four heads. I heard, “He isn’t 25 years old- take off the mask, Scooby and reveal the real killer old man.” But, I told them how much fun it was- having these great collector’s items and being able to just sit back and listen to some great music of yesteryear.

Then, you should’ve seen their faces when I told them I had bought new albums this year on vinyl. They all couldn’t believe vinyl record albums (or long-players, LP) were making a small comeback. Most of them had gotten rid of their collections or even their turntables. What a shame! I know they take up room, but I’m really loving them. I thought I would write tonight about the options of purchasing and listening to music in 2009 that led me to my old-fashioned choice for music.

Let me start off by saying that, no, I do not believe that they are somehow superior in sound quality. For years, it was all I could do to reduce as much hiss as possible from my own music recordings and I love the sound of clean, digital recordings. I even love when companies remaster albums and take away all the hiss, like they did with Elvis’ #1′s album from a few years ago. Listening to the remastered, cleaned-up version of “Heartbreak Hotel”, you feel like you’re in the room with Elvis. And that’s a place I want to be.

So, albums are all but dead now. I am in the vast minority of people that purchase full albums rather than individual singles. And, that cross-section gets even smaller because I’m also the type of person that purchases physical albums rather than digital downloads. You see, I’m a person that wants something for his money. And purchasing an album online for ten dollars (from iTunes or wherever else you may buy them) just doesn’t seem right to me- you get a FILE? No jewel case? No CD? Nothing you can put in your collection? Let me tell you something- my father’s vast CD collection is a heck of a lot more impressive than the 10,000 digital songs I currently have on my iPod.

And with physical albums, you actually own something. I can’t feel ownership of a file on my computer. Call me old-fashioned, but I want something I can hold, something I can look at in the future without wondering if it’s compatible with my operating system.

So, there are three main ways you can purchase music in 2009, now that cassette tapes, DVD audio, and Super Audio CDs have bitten the dust. There are digital downloads (mp3′s, usually), CD’s, and new vinyl albums. Here are some of the benefits and drawbacks of each:

Digital Downloads: Well, the obvious reasons are- they don’t take up any space! Most people don’t want to search through hundreds of CDs to find the song they want, and I don’t blame them. These things are portable and even I have fallen in love with my iPod portable music player. But, for my money, I purchase the physical album on CD or LP and then put it into my iTunes for conversion into mp3 or AAC format. Then, I have a portable copy to take with me, but I also have the physical copy for both my collection and in case something goes wrong with the file. Plus, they haven’t perfected sound quality of these compressed digital files. Sure, mp3s don’t sound bad, but have you ever listened to a song in mp3 and then listened to the CD version right afterward? You’ll really hear the difference. And, they’re coming out with new, higher quality codecs all the time. What does that mean? It means that every time they come out with a better-sounding way of presenting your music, you’ll have to either convert your CD collection again or purchase the songs again in a higher quality. I like to do the job one time and that’s it, so no thanks.

CD’s (Compact Disc): The best part about CDs is the sound quality. They are essentially uncompressed and you simply cannot get audibly better sound quality without moving up to surround-sound audio. CD’s have been our main medium for twenty years now and there’s a good reason. They scratch, but not too easily. They take up space, but about a quarter as much as an old vinyl LP. And they’re really cheap to both produce and to purchase. Stores often offer CDs for $9.99 when they come out and still make a healthy profit. I really have nothing against CDs- they seem to be very archival and I feel great about my collection. There are drawbacks, though- they can skip while playing them if you’re on a bumpy road in the car, they can have digital “artifacts” from not being produced properly, and they’re just a bit too small to reproduce a beautiful album cover with the same effect on a vinyl LP. Plus, they’re portable…if you’re carrying one at a time… You can’t put a CD in your pocket or even dream about carrying 10,000 songs with you at all times. Plus, CD changers are bulky and outdated.

Vinyl Record Albums (LP): “Everything old is new again.” Again, I’m a collector. I really don’t buy too much new music anymore, as my back-catalog collection is essentially complete. So, when my favorite artists come out with a new album, it’s not a big deal to purchase a vinyl copy. Buying four albums a year won’t take up much space and I’ll be able to see those great album covers and read liner notes, etc. Plus, the actual vinyl record albums themselves are a sight to behold. And there’s something strangely serene about playing one- putting the needle on the record and watching it spin while you listen. It just calms you down. Plus, I get a nostalgic feeling when listening to records- like I was alive then. You’d even catch me listening to stuff I normally wouldn’t, like “Sinatra at the Sands”, that I listened to a couple days ago. It just felt right. Of course, records went obsolete for a reason. In fact, most people that used them long ago really don’t miss them that much. They complain about the dust, the needle cartridges, the scratches, and how easy it was to make them skip. Plus, they take up a ton of room when you have a bunch. So, they’re a nice novelty to me right now. And, most new albums out on vinyl come with either a digital download code or a copy on CD so you can still have the clean version of the album and keep the vinyl as a collector’s item.

There’s only one recording medium that’s dead now that everyone agrees was a good idea to kill: the 8-track player. I never had one of these and don’t plan to.

I hope you enjoyed this article and hope that you’ll contribute to the conversation- how do you prefer to buy and listen to your music? Are you considering the switch to vinyl again? Do you think they actually sound better? We’d love to hear from you!

Where has the summer gone?

Jeff Copperthite — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 16:13:28 +0000

Originally posted 2009-08-20 22:21:17.

By Jeff:

A couple of months ago, I was going into school to clean out the classroom. I had had the busiest of my 3 years at my school, being a coach, a moderator, and of course a teacher. Thankfully I didn’t have to move too many things, or take much down. I even arranged the desks in a configuration i’d like to try for the new school year.

But after that last day, I had a field trip to Boston with the Saturday Program students the next Monday. That was fun and busy, but exhausting.

Then a week later, it was off to UNH for 2 weeks of training. Training for a course it doesn’t look like i’ll be teaching this year. It really is a shame, though. This past year I taught a Saturday program at Fairfield University for high school freshmen. It was like a TAG program (Talented and Gifted). The students were very smart, with-it, and fast. The course was a lot of fun to teach, and the kids loved it. Attendance was exemplary for a saturday program that draws from the inner city.

But it looks like we are unable to continue the program this year because G.E., who was the source of our funds, decided to cut our grant – despite basically giving a 4 year commitment.

So these poor kids who had such a good time with the first year, cannot continue.

Despite this, if the program DOES continue at some point in the future, i’ll be ready to teach it.

So after that, I had a couple of weeks off which included a trip to the ever famous and heavily reported Jim Fusco’s wedding. And it lived up to expectations.

Then a nice week-long vacation at an all-inclusive resort (see my post last week for a couple of thoughts about that).

But I am realizing that, holy crap where has the summer gone? I go back to school in 2 weeks. It really goes by way to quickly.

It almost (emphasis on almost) makes me want to work all year so I don’t have an extended break to look forward too. I think I’d appreciate vacations a little more.

I didn’t get a chance to record a whole bunch of videos and I have not gotten any writing done. All my time spent playing guitar has been for the purpose of learning and recording songs for this site.

Unfortunately for me, while I feel relaxed and energized, I still feel like I’ve got nothing done. It’s a terrible feeling.

And my immediate future is going to be busy as well. This semester I’ve been asked to teach 4 classes instead of the usual 3 (for a nice pay boost), and at some point during this semester my life is going to change forever.

Yeah it’ll be a very exciting next few months.

But in conclusion, I really dislike the fact that time feels relative. The upcoming year, while it will be exciting, will move at a much slower pace, as opposed to the breakneck speed of summer I have experienced.

But at least you’ve got us for entertainment all 52 weeks of the year!

Insight on acoustic video covers for the Laptop Sessions

Jeff Copperthite — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:00:29 +0000

Originally posted 2008-05-24 22:10:18.

By Jeff Copperthite:

When the idea came across to do The Laptop Sessions as a free video series, Jim started it all off by watching a video of Let It Be that was covered highly incorrectly, and Jim recorded himself playing it correctly. He wanted to put a good name to music covers on Youtube – especially covers of one of his favorite bands The Beatles. Also, in spirit of “The Bathroom Sessions”, which was a free music video series by two members of Barenaked Ladies, I helped coin the term “Laptop Sessions”, since Jim was using the camera on his laptop to record the video.

After the positive response to sessions that Jim put out, Chris and I decided to help Jim with the “Session a day” project starting in 2008. Initially, Jim enlisted Chris to put up one video between each of them, so that the site had a new music video each day. I had tried ten sessions in late 2007, but I had stopped doing them due to the low quality web camera I owned. In general, I was still new to the realm of video as well.

After nearly 60 new video sessions recorded for The Laptop Sessions this year, I have recording videos down to a science. Here is a typical rundown of what it takes for me to make each session.

1) Practice the song

This is the obvious one. As a songwriter, I know the more comfortable I am with the song, the better the video will come out. I grew up hearing a lot of music in the 90’s, so I tend to be most comfortable when I decide to do a song by bands such as Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots, and Radiohead. However we do try to diversify our recordings across the years, and I know I cannot limit myself to alternative music bands. Therefore, some songs require up to a week of practice. Others I can learn and play comfortably in an hour or two. I will usually begin practicing the song regularly up to two-three days before I record it.

2) Set up the video recording station

Lately I have four common locations for my videos. The biggest problem I have is that I do not have a tripod for my camera (yet – I do plan to buy one). Therefore, I have to rest my camera on a makeshift stand. I also have to make sure there is enough light. Even during the day, I have to have at least one lamp on so the video doesn’t come out dark. After that, I position the camera, set the zoom, tune the guitar, and do a practice run of the song on the acoustic. Music tends to be easy for me – it’s singing and remembering lyrics that is the most difficult. For this reason, I have to put a small sheet of “notes” that remind me what verse or line to sing next. Sometimes, I have to include the entire lyric sheet, but that is rare. “Round Here” comes to mind as a song I just needed that entire lyric sheet by the camera for.

3) Record the video

When I am satisfied that I can record the song, I psych up for the performance. Lately, I have been able to record the song in about three or four takes. I don’t worry about what happens before or after the performance, since I can edit that out in the next step. As you have seen on our site, recording acoustic guitar video covers is real easy some days, other days you want to throw your guitar against the wall because something minor keeps messing takes up. “Jane” comes to mind with this (despite it being a piano cover). I had played it on the first take and was very happy to have satisfactorily made it through the song. That is, until I discovered the battery had died in the middle of the recording. I charged the battery, and then it took me another 20 or so takes to get it again. Other times, the performance comes so naturally you wonder why you practiced the song so much beforehand.

4) Edit the Video

This is probably the easiest step, despite it taking up to 30 minutes. I transfer the video to my laptop (as you can tell, I don’t own a laptop with a built-in camera, so technically I should be doing “The Powershot Sessions”). Once the video is transferred, I split the clip to the parts I want (usually this involves trimming out the beginning and end of the clip), then add on two title screens and a credit roll. Then, depending on the length of the performance, I render the video, which can take up to 12 minutes for long songs.

5) Write the description, and upload the video.

While the video renders, I write the Youtube description and tags. Usually I will comment on the song I chose, why I chose it, the album it is from, and any comments on the performance itself. I will also usually throw in some current news and other tidbits of info. My descriptions tend to be at least 100 words long. I can usually get both descriptions on the blog and Youtube before the video finishes rendering. Then I upload the video, copy the embedding information onto the blog, and publish!

What keeps me fresh for the sessions is when I try to listen to new music that I may like to cover. I found on Chris and Jim to introduce me to bands and songs I’d otherwise not know, but some people I know also help me out in that department. It is also fun to use this as a springboard to get people to hear our independent music. That is why we do “Original Wednesday”, and slowly we are building up some excitement from our subscribers when that day rolls around. At least we know everyone watching will be listening to something they’ve never heard before.

I hope you enjoyed getting some insight on the process on my end. As always, if you have questions please email admin@fusco-moore.com, and direct your questions to me, Jeff Copperthite. Have a great evening!

Finish-up Those Christmas Lists: A Musician’s Guitar Collection, Wish List, and Recommendations

Jim Fusco — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 06:33:46 +0000

Originally posted 2009-12-16 03:25:21.

By Jim Fusco:

Christmas is almost here and that means your list is probably complete and you’re just waiting for the big day- and hoping that you’ll get that special guitar you’ve always wanted! Well, if you haven’t made your Christmas list yet, or if you’re looking for an idea for the guitar player in your life, then look no further. I am here to take you on a journey through my guitar collection and my wish-list, which will hopefully give you some ideas. Below each guitar will be a description and reasons why I have it and what makes it different from the others. I’ll even give you tips on what to buy for each type of guitar player! So, let’s get started…

My Guitar Collection:

Ibanez Artcore AM73T Semi-Hollow Body Electric Guitar

Without a doubt, this will always be my favorite piece of hardware. It’s just perfect- the styling is classic, there’s great symmetry, and it has that wonderful Bigsby tremolo. If you’re a classic rock’n'roll fan, this is definitely the guitar for you. I channel Chuck Berry when playing this axe and the semi-hollow body style is perfect for a much fuller sound than you’d get from a solid-body. So, I purchased this guitar for three reasons: a) it was literally a tenth of the price of a Gibson that looked exactly the same, b) it’s simply beautiful, and c) it has that great old-fashioned guitar sound.

I will note that I ended up changing the pickups on this to make it a “hotter” (louder) sound. I put in some serious Gibson pickups and now this thing really rocks!

Ibanez ARX320 Solid-Body Electric Guitar

The Ibanez above may be my overall favorite guitar, but this one is my favorite electric to play. It’s much lighter than the Artcore guitar above (which induces a large amount of back pain) and is beautiful, as well. The guitar doesn’t have a ton of features- no whammy bar, no tremolo or anything like that. But, when I need to rock and it needs to be loud and “cutting”, I pick this guitar up. It’s a really good multi-purpose guitar.

The guitar is even prettier in person than in the photo- trust me on this one. There’s good sound and this guitar is a good one for any type of rock music, as it can play both clean and with a lot of distortion. I asked for this guitar because it looked great, was very inexpensive at the time (it has since gone up for some reason over $100 to $449!), and gives that straight-ahead electric guitar sound without sounding as retro as my Artcore.

Dean Boca 12-String Electric Guitar

Ah, the newest weapon in my arsenal- this guitar is a great value. Try looking for a 12-string electric guitar online for less than $1,000. It’s just about impossible, other than the Dean Boca. I really wanted a new guitar (I had three in mind) because Musician’s Friend had a 20% off sale going. So, I chose this guitar over the other two because I would get a different sound. That 12-string sound, used on songs by the Byrds, the Beatles, and many, many others, is so distinctive. I know I’ll be using this in almost every song I record in the future. I hope to make it a signature sound of mine, especially because 12-string electrics really aren’t used much in today’s popular “rock” music anymore.

This guitar is definitely for the throwback musician or a guitarist that has tried everything and needs a new sound. And I would highly recommend this one in particular, as it plays great, sounds great, and looks fantastic. At around $300, you can’t go wrong, and it’s a guitar I’ll have for life.

Fender Jazz Bass Special Edition

How I got this one? Well, let’s just say I got it from a desperate person that just wanted to get rid of it. And, boy am I glad he did! Let me begin by saying that I had an electric bass already (a really good one, too), but when someone offers you a new Fender Jazz Bass Special Edition for $125, you DON’T say no. You hand over the money and grab that guitar as quickly as possible.

And that’s what I did! This thing weighs a ton, but the sound is great- it even smells great due to the quality woods they used. They style, which is just a natural wood finish, is really beautiful. Unless I break down and buy either a Hofner bass or a Rickenbacker bass in the future, I really don’t see myself needing anything more than this Fender Jazz Bass. This one’s good for all types of musicians from rock to blues to whatever!

Rouge Lap Steel Guitar

This one’s just for fun- my parents are always looking for new instruments for me to try and they thought this would be a good idea. And I love it! I’ve always loved that lap steel/pedal steel sound. There have been some great solos done in rock music on these lap steel guitars. And I’ve already come up with a couple of solos for some new songs I’ve been working on. This particular one is a quality instrument, as well.

This is a great guitar for “classic rock” (70′s) fans and country-rock players. But, I’m going to attempt to use it in some creative ways in my music, so I hope you’ll stay-tuned!

Ibanez AEG10 Acoustic-Electric Guitar

I asked for this acoustic-electric because we were playing more live shows and I needed something that was easier than using a microphone or an acoustic pickup. This isn’t the greatest guitar in the world, but it does have a nice Fishman pickup…that blew out on me and I had to have repaired. Alone, I wouldn’t play this as a normal acoustic, but when plugged-in, it definitely gets the job done, especially for the price.

Ibanez AW100 Acoustic Guitar

This is my first real guitar. I wanted an acoustic that was around $300 and I asked the guy at Guitar Center which one to get. And then my love for Ibanez began. This guitar is great- I will admit that the frets are now worn-down, but other than that, it’s a great solid-top acoustic that sounds bright and stays in tune well.

Laurel Mandolin

I was given this guitar as another “see if he likes it” gift- and this one was a real home-run! I love playing the mandolin and this is a quality instrument, as well. If you know someone that plays in an acoustic band, really recommend one of these- it adds a great folky dimension to the sound and can be great for soloing, too.

Arrow ST-369 Classical Acoustic Guitar

If you’ve ever seen my acoustic cover song music videos on the Laptop Sessions music blog or on YouTube, then you’ve seen this guitar. Coming in at about 45 Euro and making the trip across the Atlantic home with me is this nylon string acoustic guitar. It’s small, so it’s very portable. It’s not very loud, but in a nice room, the tone is really great. It’s SO easy to play- I honestly play this guitar more than any others because I can just sit down and feel like I’m a pro. It’s fun to solo on this, as well- I really think everyone should have a guitar like this!

Wish-List of Guitars (Relatives, please take note!)

PRS Soapbar Semi-Hollow Electric Guitar

I’ve always loved the look and quality of PRS guitars, but most are very, very expensive. This one combines good looks with a kind of Rickenbacker styling, plus it’s semi-hollow, which gives that great warm sound I like. Problem is that it’s not going to be much of a different sound. I’m just hoping it plays really nicely…

Gretsch Double-Jet Solid-Body Electric Guitar with Tremolo

Okay, so I really want a Gretsch. I really would like a Duo Jet (which George Harrison is holding on the cover of “Cloud Nine”), but this guitar is so classic-looking…and costs about $2,000 less… Has the Bigsby tremolo, but this one is solid-body, which should provide a different sound.

Cordoba CK-25 Ukulele

While in Hawaii for our honeymoon, I really wanted a real Koa wood ukulele that was made in Hawaii. Starting at $700, I figured it was out of my price range for an instrument I’d use so rarely. And even though I had the opportunity to purchase this Cordoba all Koa wood uke for only $170, I passed on it because of how little I’d use it and the fact that it wasn’t made in Hawaii. Maybe when we go back for our 25th or something…

Fender Player’s Deluxe Stratocaster Solid-Body Electric Guitar

My brother Mike has this guitar and I LOVE it. It plays so well- I need to have it. He has the natural blonde maple fretboard that’s so much easier to play than rosewood, so it’s great for soloing. Plus, I can’t believe I don’t have a Fender electric. I want the blue model with the blonde maple fretboard, but I’d change-out that ugly-looking pickguard. This is a must-have for me someday.

Finally, I’ll say that I would love to get a Martin like my Laptop Sessions partner (and fellow Traveling Acai Berry) Steve. His guitar is BEAUTIFUL and plays like a dream. I understand now why Martin guitars are so expensive. Also, if you’ve seen some of my recent acoustic cover song music videos, you’ve seen my colleague Noreen’s amazing Gibson 12-string acoustic guitar from 1967. Just put that on my “yeah right- not in your lifetime” wishlist!

I hope you’ve enjoyed this trip through my guitar inventory and my wish-list. I hope this gives you some great Christmas, birthday, or any other holiday ideas! And, of course, I would love to hear about your guitars and why you got them- hey, maybe one of your guitars will make it to my wish-list, too!