Tell us your dumb things I've done lately stories

Brick · August 3rd, 2006, 01:42 AM

Ever wonder how you've gotten through life so far? This is only recent guitar related stuff.

I recently ordered, received and installed a Glendale bridgeplate and saddle set. For three weeks I marveled at the quality of the parts and the real tone difference the new setup made. It suddenly occured to me that I had never set the intonation.....

I was trying to get a cleaner tone with an amp I have, with the volume of the amp high enough it was working in the sweet spot. I started dropping the pickups so I wouldn't be hitting the preamp so hard. Man, there was just nothing I could do to get the sound to clean up. When the pickups were about level with the pickguard, I noticed the LED on my tube driver.....duh

I replaced the battery in a little used stomp box three times in a week because I left the cord plugged into it. THREE TIMES.

Please tell me I'm not alone.

woodman · August 3rd, 2006, 03:04 AM

stuff happens. i did a 3-gig run where i lost a piece of equipment each time. two of them, i got back next time in the bar. the third one, i lost my Intellitouch tuner, which i count on a lot. went to GC (shudder) last friday and bought another one after it had been missing for 6 weeks. last saturday, i dig down deep into my bag and find the old one. sheesh!

Twang Tone · August 3rd, 2006, 07:22 AM

I recently noticed that the output from the neck pickup of my CIJ TL52-80TX was noticeably quieter than the bridge pickup.

So I thought I'd have a go at raising the neck pickup a little. I got out the flat-head screwdriver, removed the pickguard, and was in the process of turning the elevator screws when the screwdriver slipped, went through a hole in the metal cover and broke the winding, killing the pickup!

What a clutz.

In future, I'll leave any adjustments to the local tech.

Now my CIJ TL52-80TX has a brand new TX SPL neck pup!

Ron S · August 3rd, 2006, 08:23 AM

I have threaded the strings through with the guitar face down only to find out I'd done them for a left handed player! Just the once mind!

About one gig in every 3-4 I plug everything in and stand there not being able to figure out why there's no sound only to see the guitar end of my lead still lying on the floor (a definite 'hope no-one saw that moment!)

Also I regularly indulge in the tuning of a string wondering why its not moving before I realise the consecutive string was the one I was actually winding!

I'm sure given a few minutes I could think of hundreds.
regards
Mr. Thicky

1293 · August 3rd, 2006, 10:43 AM

I just robbed a liquor store to finance my next guitar purchase. While I as was at it, I snagged a bottle of Jack Daniel's and removed my ski mask to take a quick swig. I think the guy behind the counter may have gotten a good look at my face and might be able to ID me. What was I thinking?

Rombel · August 3rd, 2006, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1293

I just robbed a liquor store to finance my next guitar purchase. While I as was at it, I snagged a bottle of Jack Daniel's and removed my ski mask to take a quick swig. I think the guy behind the counter may have gotten a good look at my face and might be able to ID me. What was I thinking?

I hear ya.
That's why I'll carry a straw in my pocket on my next robbery.

After I get out, that is.

flatheadtele · August 3rd, 2006, 12:51 PM

great moment in human stupidity:

uponst doing a gig, i bought with me the following (or so i thought): MIM telecaster (2005) <-- from fiancee, wah pedal, and my hot rod deluxe. I was looking for that nice "50s rockabilly sound" to cover the song "my my hey hey". Being as that tele and my flathead weigh pretty much the same amount, i decided to grab the first one, stuff it in the case, and go.

I get to the gig, tune up... all's looking fine, amp goes on, wah pedal connected... time to start the show. However, of all the things to go wrong, as soon as i play the first note, weird, ugly, heavy metal comes out of the guitar. Embarrassed beyond all reproach, i decide to regroup, and change from a 50s style show to a grungy, hey hey my my sound. At this point, i'm just hoping nothing goes wrong...

well, me being dumb, i leave the wires connected during intermission (a dumb, DUMB thing to do with active pups), and come back to realise i now have the world's most yellow acoustic EMG'd tele. At which point... i had to borrow (embarrassingly) the Mexican tele, and do the rest of the show on that.

All that insisting on using the flathead, only to be humbled into using an MIM guitar that only 1.5 hrs ago was written off as "un-necessary"

0le FUZZY · August 3rd, 2006, 01:08 PM

Quote:

uponst

AH HA!! Now I haffa new werd fer my vo-cab-bue-larry.

Thanx Mister flatheadtele !

0le FUZZY

(HEE! HEE!)

televiking · August 3rd, 2006, 01:13 PM

I was auditioning for a band and hooked all my pedals on, just in case I should need them.
But no signal to the amp.

I check and re-check everything until some very long minutes later I notice that the pedals go the wrong way. I mean the "in" goes to my amp and "out" to my guitar.

Reset the damn cords and hey presto, sound.

And I got the gig.
But damn I was embarrassed...

Gunslinger · August 3rd, 2006, 03:27 PM

Hi all, Iv'e done this more time than its funny...

I play 3 teles live and in the studio, two of them have benders fitted.
I have restrung these guitars before a session or gig, beded in the strings and made sure they are all good to go. Packed up, got to the venue or studio. Plugged in to play only to realise I havnt strung my b to the bender, Iv'e done it straight throught the body...Doh!!

The last time I did this I was mid-session for a popular british country act on their studio time. Spot the idiot pulling on the defunct b-bender.

LOL... I cut the string and pretended I'd snapped it

JerryPro · August 3rd, 2006, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ron S

About one gig in every 3-4 I plug everything in and stand there not being able to figure out why there's no sound only to see the guitar end of my lead still lying on the floor (a definite 'hope no-one saw that moment!)

Mr. Thicky

Man, I've done that a bunch of times. One time I had the guitar end of the cable stuck in my pocket.

firefrets · August 3rd, 2006, 06:12 PM

I had an audition for a band based in the North west of England. At the time, i'd been playing the blues and had struggled to find a band that could get regular gigs. I was so desperate to get on stage again, i had agreed to learn a middle of the road bore me to death wedding / club set, and was mainly using a strat at the time. Everything was going to plan. I'd got about a dozen off, which was enough for the audition, and was ready to give it my best shot. I didn't want any hickups, so rewired a nagging switch that had been badly soldered first time round on a pup change. With the records i had learn't playing in the background, for reassurance, and about 2 hours before judgement time, i reached carelessly for my screwdriver to replace the pickguard screws, and you guessed it....yup...i didn't pick the screwdriver up..ouch.
Worst of it was, it was my fingering hand, and i'd picked the iron up like a pencil. I bought a soldering stand very quickly after that.

By the way FLATHEAD......can you explain the active pickup thing.....never had them, and don't know what you mean:-)

chickenpicker · August 3rd, 2006, 07:00 PM

Ordered a brand new trailer tent a couple of days ago. About £3500. Tonight's local paper - the exact same model of trailer tent, one year old, about £2300.

frogger · August 3rd, 2006, 07:12 PM

Going to a Gibson forum to rant about skip and miss quality control issues and marketing strategies and raving about the great companies Fender and PRS. " The hurrier I go the dumber I get".

firefrets · August 3rd, 2006, 07:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1293

I just robbed a liquor store to finance my next guitar purchase. While I as was at it, I snagged a bottle of Jack Daniel's and removed my ski mask to take a quick swig. I think the guy behind the counter may have gotten a good look at my face and might be able to ID me. What was I thinking?

your right...we saw ya....and now your gonna pay

[IMG]

[/IMG]

We spoke to the local law enforcement, and they said you were such a lousy thief, the mask makers were getting a real bad name.

[IMG]

[/IMG]

genelovesjez · August 3rd, 2006, 07:51 PM

Raise your hand if you haven't done this one:

You turn on your rig and start working to get rid of the strangely trebly sound you're getting. Just as you finally get things just about right, you realize your wah pedal is engaged.

Paul in Colorado · August 3rd, 2006, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by genelovesjez

Raise your hand if you haven't done this one:

You turn on your rig and start working to get rid of the strangely trebly sound you're getting. Just as you finally get things just about right, you realize your wah pedal is engaged.

I've done that one. I was wondering my my Rickenbacker 12 string sounded so trebly. A common one is wondering why my tuner isn't working only to realize the guitar end of the cable isn't plugged in.

zombywoof · August 3rd, 2006, 08:38 PM

I actually passed out in a music store today. Was drinking iced Green Tea, started choking on it and that was all she wrote went down like a ton of bricks. Came to a few seconds later amidst a pile of small practice amps with the owner staring me in the face asking if I was OK (luckily he is a friend).

Scary thing, I am convinced I have forgotten to play a lick or two - now I am down to only three or four.

hal · August 3rd, 2006, 10:03 PM

This is a great post. I can add one. About 6 months ago I was doing a church gig with several services. We play a 4 song set, the preacher gets up, the we come back and do a special. In this situation I don't have any time to do anything but check for sound at a low volume. At the third service I do that and find I have nothing. In a panic I'm checking everything--connections, lights on pedals, guitar chords, tuner off--nothing. The band plays without me and my part is about 25% of the song. After they finish I find the problem--the amp is on standby. I never do that, but for some reason I did that morning. I will never do it again.

KCcaster · August 3rd, 2006, 11:17 PM

I told my cousin that I was working in a liquor store to earn money for a guitar and the store had lots of Jack Daniels and money. What was I thinking?

ibobunot · August 4th, 2006, 02:24 AM

I got out of bed this morning.

aznrambo481 · August 4th, 2006, 02:26 AM

A couple months ago, I played Layla and While My Guitar Gently Weeps (Clapton and Beatles, respectively) at a school show with a pianist and another guitarist. Since there were other people preforming before us, we had the 2 amps, plus effects put off to the side. Our turn, and i couldn't find the Power cord for my amp. I had it disconnected from the wall, and it must've fallen out of the amp and gotten lost somewhere. Luckily, the other guitarist had an amp with 2 inputs. The end of the trouble, so you would think... The curtains closed on us after 1 song. After a state of panic and confusion in darkness, the curtains opened and we were on to play While My Guitar. First note I played was awfully quiet. I didn't know what happened, just that the other guy's guitar was working and mine wasn't. I though that my cable broke or something, and since i was playing chords all the way through, I just strummed my dead baby as hard as I could. Later, I realized that the cord was unplugged on the amp side

flatheadtele · August 4th, 2006, 12:20 PM

when one has active pups, they're "on" anytime the jack is plugged into a cord. The cord could be plugged into NOTHING on the other end, but the pups are still on.

Explaining why when i left and came back, the batteries were dead. Active pup'd guitars have to be kept unplugged whenever they're not being used (or else, no sound).

bender-freak · August 4th, 2006, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flatheadtele

when one has active pups, they're "on" anytime the jack is plugged into a cord. The cord could be plugged into NOTHING on the other end, but the pups are still on.

Explaining why when i left and came back, the batteries were dead. Active pup'd guitars have to be kept unplugged whenever they're not being used (or else, no sound).

been through this with active stuff....several years ago had bought a Nashville Power Tele with a Fishman bridge at a bargain price; did my usual Hipshot bender thing, mounted the (for me, anyway) required Roland GK2A pickup, checked everything out to make sure all was well; it was...great!!!!, i was thinking, put the guitar in the case and stuck it away....2 weeks later, went up to a friend's house for a jam, quite a few pickers there and i'm showing off my new "baby"....plugged it all up, and got NOT a whisper from the pickups, nada, but the MIDI functions all worked..????...even went so far as to take the control plate off and check all the connections...everything looked fine..still no sound on the guitar side..!!?...after cursing and making a fool of myslef, it dawned on me that i had left the little short cable from the GK2A controller plugged into the output jack for the two weeks the guitar had been in it's case....all that embarrasment and aggravation because i had stoopidly "run" the battery deader than my brain can be at times...new 9 volt, problem was solved....but i now stay away from active pickups

August 3rd, 2006, 01:42 AM	#1 (permalink)
Brick Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: San Jose Age: 58 Posts: 785	Tell us your dumb things I've done lately stories Ever wonder how you've gotten through life so far? This is only recent guitar related stuff. I recently ordered, received and installed a Glendale bridgeplate and saddle set. For three weeks I marveled at the quality of the parts and the real tone difference the new setup made. It suddenly occured to me that I had never set the intonation..... I was trying to get a cleaner tone with an amp I have, with the volume of the amp high enough it was working in the sweet spot. I started dropping the pickups so I wouldn't be hitting the preamp so hard. Man, there was just nothing I could do to get the sound to clean up. When the pickups were about level with the pickguard, I noticed the LED on my tube driver.....duh I replaced the battery in a little used stomp box three times in a week because I left the cord plugged into it. THREE TIMES. Please tell me I'm not alone.

August 3rd, 2006, 03:04 AM	#2 (permalink)
woodman Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Mint Hill, NC Age: 62 Posts: 5,896	stuff happens. i did a 3-gig run where i lost a piece of equipment each time. two of them, i got back next time in the bar. the third one, i lost my Intellitouch tuner, which i count on a lot. went to GC (shudder) last friday and bought another one after it had been missing for 6 weeks. last saturday, i dig down deep into my bag and find the old one. sheesh! __________________ Truth is stranger than fact ... www.myspace.com/woodymitchellmusic BAND PAGES: www.myspace.com/stragglerswing (Stragglers - Western Swing) www.myspace.com/loafersgloryband (Loafers Glory - '70s country-rock)

August 3rd, 2006, 07:22 AM	#3 (permalink)
Twang Tone Tele-Holic Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: London, England Age: 36 Posts: 835	Accident? Or just plain dumb... I recently noticed that the output from the neck pickup of my CIJ TL52-80TX was noticeably quieter than the bridge pickup. So I thought I'd have a go at raising the neck pickup a little. I got out the flat-head screwdriver, removed the pickguard, and was in the process of turning the elevator screws when the screwdriver slipped, went through a hole in the metal cover and broke the winding, killing the pickup! What a clutz. In future, I'll leave any adjustments to the local tech. Now my CIJ TL52-80TX has a brand new TX SPL neck pup! __________________ TT Ridicule is nothing to be scared of!

August 3rd, 2006, 08:23 AM	#4 (permalink)
Ron S Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: UK Posts: 213	Duh! I have threaded the strings through with the guitar face down only to find out I'd done them for a left handed player! Just the once mind! About one gig in every 3-4 I plug everything in and stand there not being able to figure out why there's no sound only to see the guitar end of my lead still lying on the floor (a definite 'hope no-one saw that moment!) Also I regularly indulge in the tuning of a string wondering why its not moving before I realise the consecutive string was the one I was actually winding! I'm sure given a few minutes I could think of hundreds. regards Mr. Thicky

August 3rd, 2006, 12:51 PM	#7 (permalink)
flatheadtele Tele-Meister Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: hewlett, new york Age: 23 Posts: 168	great moment in human stupidity: uponst doing a gig, i bought with me the following (or so i thought): MIM telecaster (2005) <-- from fiancee, wah pedal, and my hot rod deluxe. I was looking for that nice "50s rockabilly sound" to cover the song "my my hey hey". Being as that tele and my flathead weigh pretty much the same amount, i decided to grab the first one, stuff it in the case, and go. I get to the gig, tune up... all's looking fine, amp goes on, wah pedal connected... time to start the show. However, of all the things to go wrong, as soon as i play the first note, weird, ugly, heavy metal comes out of the guitar. Embarrassed beyond all reproach, i decide to regroup, and change from a 50s style show to a grungy, hey hey my my sound. At this point, i'm just hoping nothing goes wrong... well, me being dumb, i leave the wires connected during intermission (a dumb, DUMB thing to do with active pups), and come back to realise i now have the world's most yellow acoustic EMG'd tele. At which point... i had to borrow (embarrassingly) the Mexican tele, and do the rest of the show on that. All that insisting on using the flathead, only to be humbled into using an MIM guitar that only 1.5 hrs ago was written off as "un-necessary" __________________ flatheadtele "I got a DK1 for a father, and a Telecaster for a mother... who could be more confused?" <-- my Flathead tele

August 3rd, 2006, 10:43 AM	#5 (permalink)
1293 Tele-Afflicted Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 1,543	I just robbed a liquor store to finance my next guitar purchase. While I as was at it, I snagged a bottle of Jack Daniel's and removed my ski mask to take a quick swig. I think the guy behind the counter may have gotten a good look at my face and might be able to ID me. What was I thinking?

August 3rd, 2006, 01:13 PM	#9 (permalink)
televiking Tele-Meister Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Finland, Helsinki Age: 37 Posts: 477 18 Photos	I was auditioning for a band and hooked all my pedals on, just in case I should need them. But no signal to the amp. I check and re-check everything until some very long minutes later I notice that the pedals go the wrong way. I mean the "in" goes to my amp and "out" to my guitar. Reset the damn cords and hey presto, sound. And I got the gig. But damn I was embarrassed... __________________ "As soon as you start playing to impress other musicians, you have completely lost the whole point of playing music." Keith Richards

August 3rd, 2006, 03:27 PM	#10 (permalink)
Gunslinger Tele-Meister Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Cheshire • England Posts: 247	Hi all, Iv'e done this more time than its funny... I play 3 teles live and in the studio, two of them have benders fitted. I have restrung these guitars before a session or gig, beded in the strings and made sure they are all good to go. Packed up, got to the venue or studio. Plugged in to play only to realise I havnt strung my b to the bender, Iv'e done it straight throught the body...Doh!! The last time I did this I was mid-session for a popular british country act on their studio time. Spot the idiot pulling on the defunct b-bender. LOL... I cut the string and pretended I'd snapped it

August 3rd, 2006, 06:12 PM	#12 (permalink)
firefrets Tele-Meister Join Date: May 2006 Location: N.I Posts: 476 10 Photos	ouch I had an audition for a band based in the North west of England. At the time, i'd been playing the blues and had struggled to find a band that could get regular gigs. I was so desperate to get on stage again, i had agreed to learn a middle of the road bore me to death wedding / club set, and was mainly using a strat at the time. Everything was going to plan. I'd got about a dozen off, which was enough for the audition, and was ready to give it my best shot. I didn't want any hickups, so rewired a nagging switch that had been badly soldered first time round on a pup change. With the records i had learn't playing in the background, for reassurance, and about 2 hours before judgement time, i reached carelessly for my screwdriver to replace the pickguard screws, and you guessed it....yup...i didn't pick the screwdriver up..ouch. Worst of it was, it was my fingering hand, and i'd picked the iron up like a pencil. I bought a soldering stand very quickly after that. By the way FLATHEAD......can you explain the active pickup thing.....never had them, and don't know what you mean:-)

August 3rd, 2006, 07:00 PM	#13 (permalink)
chickenpicker Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: UK Posts: 3,060 14 Photos	Ordered a brand new trailer tent a couple of days ago. About £3500. Tonight's local paper - the exact same model of trailer tent, one year old, about £2300.

August 3rd, 2006, 07:12 PM	#14 (permalink)
frogger Tele-Meister Join Date: May 2003 Location: Lincoln Nebraska Posts: 419	Going to a Gibson forum to rant about skip and miss quality control issues and marketing strategies and raving about the great companies Fender and PRS. " The hurrier I go the dumber I get".

August 3rd, 2006, 07:51 PM	#16 (permalink)
genelovesjez Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Toronto, Canada Age: 41 Posts: 3,735	Raise your hand if you haven't done this one: You turn on your rig and start working to get rid of the strangely trebly sound you're getting. Just as you finally get things just about right, you realize your wah pedal is engaged.

August 3rd, 2006, 08:38 PM	#18 (permalink)
zombywoof Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Back in the Heartland Posts: 2,893 17 Photos	I actually passed out in a music store today. Was drinking iced Green Tea, started choking on it and that was all she wrote went down like a ton of bricks. Came to a few seconds later amidst a pile of small practice amps with the owner staring me in the face asking if I was OK (luckily he is a friend). Scary thing, I am convinced I have forgotten to play a lick or two - now I am down to only three or four. __________________ "I don't play a lot of fancy guitar. I don't want to play it. The kind of guitar I want to play is mean, mean licks." John Lee Hooker

August 3rd, 2006, 10:03 PM	#19 (permalink)
hal Tele-Holic Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 825	This is a great post. I can add one. About 6 months ago I was doing a church gig with several services. We play a 4 song set, the preacher gets up, the we come back and do a special. In this situation I don't have any time to do anything but check for sound at a low volume. At the third service I do that and find I have nothing. In a panic I'm checking everything--connections, lights on pedals, guitar chords, tuner off--nothing. The band plays without me and my part is about 25% of the song. After they finish I find the problem--the amp is on standby. I never do that, but for some reason I did that morning. I will never do it again. __________________ Wherever you go, there you are.

August 3rd, 2006, 11:17 PM	#20 (permalink)
KCcaster TDPRI Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: jeffersonville,in Posts: 11	I told my cousin that I was working in a liquor store to earn money for a guitar and the store had lots of Jack Daniels and money. What was I thinking?

August 4th, 2006, 02:24 AM	#21 (permalink)
ibobunot Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Dullsville Posts: 3,456	I got out of bed this morning.

August 4th, 2006, 02:26 AM	#22 (permalink)
aznrambo481 Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: La Jolla, California Age: 17 Posts: 2,857 6 Photos	A couple months ago, I played Layla and While My Guitar Gently Weeps (Clapton and Beatles, respectively) at a school show with a pianist and another guitarist. Since there were other people preforming before us, we had the 2 amps, plus effects put off to the side. Our turn, and i couldn't find the Power cord for my amp. I had it disconnected from the wall, and it must've fallen out of the amp and gotten lost somewhere. Luckily, the other guitarist had an amp with 2 inputs. The end of the trouble, so you would think... The curtains closed on us after 1 song. After a state of panic and confusion in darkness, the curtains opened and we were on to play While My Guitar. First note I played was awfully quiet. I didn't know what happened, just that the other guy's guitar was working and mine wasn't. I though that my cable broke or something, and since i was playing chords all the way through, I just strummed my dead baby as hard as I could. Later, I realized that the cord was unplugged on the amp side __________________ Check out my bands, and feel free to PM me comments on them! The Eclectics (guitar/vocals) SLIP (bass)

August 4th, 2006, 12:20 PM	#23 (permalink)
flatheadtele Tele-Meister Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: hewlett, new york Age: 23 Posts: 168	for firefrets when one has active pups, they're "on" anytime the jack is plugged into a cord. The cord could be plugged into NOTHING on the other end, but the pups are still on. Explaining why when i left and came back, the batteries were dead. Active pup'd guitars have to be kept unplugged whenever they're not being used (or else, no sound). __________________ flatheadtele "I got a DK1 for a father, and a Telecaster for a mother... who could be more confused?" <-- my Flathead tele