Bob-Dubery
Hi all,
The evening will kick off at 20:00. Arrive early, book your slot. Usually they plan for 15 minute slots, but if not all are taken or somebody does a very short set you may get more time (implied in all of this is that if you want to do less than 15 minutes then that's OK too).
Venue: Marks Park club, Judith Road, Emmarentia. Not the same room that Keira performed in last night - a smaller, cozier room. The guards at the club gate will direct you.
Drinks and meals can be ordered.
R20 admission (TJs have to hire the room).
TJs provide mikes and PA. You have to provide the rest.
I should be there - assuming I don't get struck down by a comet, lose a finger in a fight with a dog etc etc.
Bob-Dubery
Bob Dubery wrote:
I should be there - assuming I don't get struck down by a comet, lose a finger in a fight with a dog etc etc.
I have just been informed that I WILL be playing. Whilst it is an open mic night, they do like to have a couple of performers who are not too unbearable lined up. So the Smoothtalker will probably get it's live "plugged in" debut. Mike Burger should be playing too (he was half of the finger-style/slide act that Keira reported on recently) and he should have his equally new Smoothtalker baritone on display.
Squonk
Good luck Bob, make sure someone takes a photo ?
Will be joining you guys when I eventully get my driving licence. Yep, 46 and no licence yet, been going for lessons so hoping end of July :-[
Bob-Dubery
Squonk wrote:
Good luck Bob, make sure someone takes a photo ?
Will be joining you guys when I eventully get my driving licence. Yep, 46 and no licence yet, been going for lessons so hoping end of July :-[
I was 30 when I got mine. Good on you for rising to the challenge.
Carmen
I've also only got my learner's. I'm 20 going on 21 this year. Don't know if I'll be able to get my driver's before the end of this year... :-\
Heath
hell i did my license twice , once when i was 19 . then never converted my ID license to a credit card style , drove for 4 years without one , and re did it when i was 29 . but atleast got my bike license at the same time .
[deleted]
Yay TJ's.. I'll be there ?
Bob-Dubery
Brentcgp wrote:
Yay TJ's.. I'll be there ?
Bring that Larrivee along and have a go.
Lethe
ill try pop in... could prob use a drink on thursday ?
Bob-Dubery
Lethe wrote:
ill try pop in... could prob use a drink on thursday ?
Anybody wanting to play should get there early. TJs have to hire the room and have to finish at a certain time. Thus there is a finite number of spots available. So the earlier you get there the better your chances of picking a spot that suits you.
Heath
i am gonna be there on thursday night at marks park installing some new computers and will make a turn . hopefully meet some of the gfsa members aswell
Riaan-Combrink
Bob Dubery wrote:
So the Smoothtalker will probably get it's live "plugged in" debut.
Good luck! Let us know how she went (compared to the Morgan) on Friday.
[deleted]
Bob Dubery wrote:
Brentcgp wrote:
Yay TJ's.. I'll be there ?
Bring that Larrivee along and have a go.
My baby is in Pretoria this week, don't like to travel up and down with it. Used to, until I canceled the insurance on it. Only got my Strat with me, TJ's wont appreciate that as much ?
I'm so keen to hear the Smoothtalker tho! I mailed Mervyn the other day and I am planning on making a trip down to meet him as soon as, he and I have Saturday free. YUM YUM
Bob-Dubery
I'll take along my Taylor (strung with 12s and easy to play) just in case some GFSA member has the urge but not the means.
Keira-WitherKay
hello Bob ... a question how busy are their open mic nights???
as ussual i'm always keen to play and so far i am off this thurs ...
but if it's ussually busy i also don't wanna take a slot from someone since i am invited to play at their other featured artists night think they said 18th ..... so a dialemma...or maybe just bring the gear and see... ???
what you suggest? oh i do hope you bring the smoothtalker to play on....
peace and light
keira
Bob-Dubery
Keira WitherKay wrote:
but if it's ussually busy i also don't wanna take a slot from someone since i am invited to play at their other featured artists night think they said 18th ..... so a dialemma...or maybe just bring the gear and see... ???
Won't be a problem. I've PMed you with more info.
(Now THAT will get them talking)
[deleted]
Went to watch some performances at TJ's last night.
Bob is a fine guitarist, plays some wonderful fingerstyle. His smoothtalker is very interesting. I'm still trying to wrap my head around the unique sound. It's not 'normal'. It an extremely pleasing way ? feels so raw still.
There was another guy there whom I met as "Mike" has a baritone Smoothtalker.. Haunting is all i can say. The sound is superlative, dark, almost... more emotional. I think i found my next love/want/need
Keira is a wonderful performer too. enjoyed her 15 minutes so much, great player. Those of you who have not seen her ? Like me... until now. Well worth it. What can I say? Keira has got the groove ?
Heath
I got to meet Bob and Keira last night , that smooth talker is a sexy beast . sadly i didn't get to see any of them play as i was installing a new system for the club , but nice to have a face to the names now .
Keira-WitherKay
helo , TJ's was a great evening last night and like you can see from previous post from forum, Bob, Brent and Tailon and myself were there.... sadly brent and Tailon did not perform, pity well next time i hope........
yeah the line up was fab, and fun and like with every open mic you get a mixed bag and get to hear a wide cross section of music.... personally i love open mic's cos you get to see what people love doing.... and all on the same instrument, huge diversity in what inspires us....
heheh Bob initially was only going to play just one song on his new smoothtalker ..and then play his Morgan which was tuned and standing by......but ended up playing his whole set on it.... unfortunately for us the sound guy had Bob's guitar a hint softer than i would have.... but it had a gorgeous tone...and as Brent said in his post ...for those who arn't familiar with these guitars it has a unique tone.... somewhat of it's own voice ...... something like how a strat and a les paul sound different but both top of the line electric guitars........
i'm overjoyed that a south african luthier is making these guitars cos this could be the "next" big thing in acoustics.... lol like steinberger did for guitars and bass's.... a radical design with it's own voice ...
if marketed correctly this design could be destined for the history books.... as this is the 1st alternate design acoustic that delivers the goods..... and with the body shape will stick out ....and be recognised.... this is not a subtle adjustment to traditional acoustic design, but a total redisign to get the same result a beautiful sounding highly playable instrument ..............
and after that glowing write up on the smoothtalkers i must add,...... i am not their marketing manager heheheheh and
in fact even if mervyn gave me one ......... it would stand in my studio and be admired
However i just couldn't play it professionally for the kind of music and percussive style i have..... it's just does not work for me and is way too heavy (don't i just sound like a strat player talking about the weight of a les paul) but i can see and admire the workmanship and the possible history in the making here ...watch this space as they say........
peace and light
Keira
Bob-Dubery
Well I'm blushing ?
Keira heard more of the Smoothtalker than I did, I think. For a start I find things sound very different when you're playing over a PA, and I'm not sure that what I hear is what the audience hears. Also the monitors had the vocals very loud relative to the guitar.
My friend Mike Burger played after Keira (he drew the short straw ?) and he used his Smoothtalker baritone for two numbers. Sounded great. The Smoothtalker is a very good choice for a baritone I think - it has a strong and well defined bottom end, good seperation between the strings. Sounds even better with Mike playing - he takes a lot of care with his right hand technique, nails etc and IMO is one of the best sounding acoustic players in town.
The Smoothtalker has it's own voice. Very good seperation betweeen strings, good sustain, good bottom end and also a very clear, bright top end. Less colouring in the mid range than, say, my Morgan - stronger in the fundamental, less of the harmonics. I'm not saying that's bad because that kind of assessment is partly subjective, depends on the player and the style etc. The Smoothtalker has a strong, clear voice. I think it's very good for fingerstyle stuff. Especially, as I did last night, if you put it in drop D and try for a drone effect.
Mervyn fits the Baggs Active Element if you order a pickup, and it works well. This is the same pickup and pre-amp I have in my Morgan.
I also used a Baggs GigPro external pre-amp. These are tiny little boxes, about the size of a cigarette packet. If you have a passive system in your guitar then the GigPro will give you a bit more oomph. With an active system like I have you have to turn the gain on the GigPro down, but it does tidy up the sound very nicely.
Thanks all for the kind words ?
PS In case anybody was going to ask, yes, the chorus pedal worked fine.
