Here are some of the goodies from NAMM '04. Check back for NAMM '05 soon.

http://www.ibanezrules.com/namm/2004/jem_ep7_js_pg_at.htm

Joe, seguro no hablas español, pero yo no hablo muy bien ingles, asi que no me queda mas remedio que escribirte en español: Bueno para empezar espero que te estes recuperando rapidamente de la neumonia, ............. Yo soy un estudiante de medicina, en Arequipa, Perú, en mis tiempos libres toco con mi banda de rock en estas ciudad,yo soy primera guitarra y siempre has sido el ejemplo a seguir como musico................ Es increible como expresas tantas cosas con tu musica aveces sin decir una sola palabra......., ni que decir de la tecnica que tienes para tocar la guitarra, es increible....... Bueno Joe, me despido, buena suerte y que te sigas recuperando de la mejor manera.

So....I just bought this lovely little book called "50 Things That Really Matter". It's a collection of individuals writing about something that matters to them...thought I'd share some now and again.

This first one makes me think of Joe....see what you think...

"Passion" by Julia VanTine "My father wore suits and ties for 30 years. But his hands were, and are, those of an artist. They transform marble into sculpture, coax herbs and vegetables from the earth, and cook meals that would bring tears to your eyes. Everything he touches turns to art. Not everyone can have talented hands like his. But we each harbor the same ability to be passionate about our lives. All we have to do is search our hearts for our special passion. Passion satisfies a vital spiritual need: the need for connection. It's the feeling we get when we're in tune with something larger than ourselves. Passion makes us feel alive, makes us certain that we walk this planet for some purpose.

Opportunities to experience passion are everywhere. Sometimes they're quiet, like growing prizewinning tomatoes or creating beauty and delight with a sewing needle, gardening spade, or mixing bowl. Sometimes they speak ringingly and draw us to our faith, a social cause, or civic involvement. Like a battery powers a car, passion powers our souls. Without it, our hearts go hungry.

My father doesn't talk about passion. His hands do. Each chisel-cut knuckle and earth-grimed nail says: To find your passion, open your heart and let the world flood in."

962 - My RG has the real thin wide neack. I just put a Tone Zone and a Fred in it. It's nice to have the humbucker sound in the neck position. I'm thinking of getting a S model. We'll see. It will cost me about $1000, which is what a JS would cost me but the S is a little more versatile. I could also get a floral Jem for $1500 so I'm thinking about that also. Time will tell.

Jazzy: Actually the Chellee Model One competes with the JS haha!

962: I've noticed some of the same things about the through neck RG's. A student of mine has one, and while it plays nice, it seems to be all lows and low mids...lots of detail gets lost and it sounds kind of muddy. I think the bolt neck RG's sound a little more open, although nothing seems to have an overall great tonal range than a mahog body and a strat scale maple neck. The SA is mahog right? Hey, I was wondering, does your RG feel fragile/unstable to you? The though neck that my student has just seems to feel less stable than my bolt neck RG. When I use the trem on it, it almost feels like the neck and the body flex a little.

Hellee guitars...hehe

I am looking for a JS guitar with a Maple fretboard. are any of those made?

civgeek: I tried the S guitar. They look beautiful. But I am looking for one with a maple fretboard.

Re: Dev

i have Tom Waits new album - it's gonna take me a while to get used to it i think. i really love the song 'Make it Rain' i saw him perform it on Letterman last year, that's why i bought the album. he's such an unusual musician. i love his lyrics though - don't know if this is exactly right 'they sharpen their knives on my mistakes' i love that line!

Re: Steven Wilde

things are good here thanx :) but we've had alot of bad smoke over Perth the last week. a bloody firebug has been lighting fires all over the hills east of Perth. poor firefighters are having a tough time keeping up with him! :( i hope they catch the bastard & lock him up!

BigBunny... . . . .. on her way to the Lonely Mountain

Edit: Re: Delfino Pie

RE: BigBunny

I know what you mean about taking your time and letting album reveal itself to you. Standout tracks for me are "Hoist That Rag" "Sins of my Father" and the amazing spoken word "Circus". He reels off such strong imagery with the greatest of ease. Who else would sing about 'Horse-faced Ethel, bottle-feeding an Orangutang named Tripod...' : ) I know Vai is a huge Tom Waits fan. I was wondering if Joe was too...

Zenfish:First up,i,m waiting t get the Peavey,it really depends if work starts again or not this Feb,a little annoying cause what is saved for the amp i have t live off this month,however.I,ll be speaking to another friend,also a guitarist, who has a much better recording setup than me,he also has a Mesa Boogie & various other amps.i,ll keep y informed on how that works out,again i hope t meet him also at this Sundays jam session.

Sat:Eruption mood & Zenfish we,ll record for sure

Just to recap,there is no problem with you recording & jamming with all your pedals,bring em all! Its only for the Sun night jam sesh y,ll have t cut back as there is so many musicians t get up t play with little/no time t setup,no doubt leads,pedals etc get lost or go missing in the mayhem,i would love t bring my setup anywhere i go t jam but its just not feasable.Try cutting right back t 1or 2 pedals if poss.You probably wont be able t play eruption mood etc,but for a blues jam y should be ok.

Oh yeah Tura is my better half,my wife,sorry thought y knew,lol

Jazzzzzy:Yeah,I know a number of banjo players,In Scotland trad music is all over y like a rash,you cant escape it,i hated it as a child,apart from the new year when my parents house would fill out & the session really got goin,ha,little did i know in later years i,d play pro in a trad band,lol,so yeah i,ve come t know through the years unheard kings of bluegrass & trad music from England,Scotland,Eire & America & yes its great fun if you understand how to back any tunesmith,as they call themselfs,a simple jam sesh its equally as enjoyable if they have a knowledge how t back you.Also, if they have a good memory catalogue of tunes & great technique you can learn a hell of a lot in a single sitting.So yip well worth your time bro,go for it,if y find time,check out irish banjo wiz Jerry o,connor & be prepared,this mans no slouch when it comes to a pick!

962: Steven Wilde:

listening today guys,surprise call from a friend last night

The Farting Gnome, ah, I have heard of Giants! Cool, I'll try and remember to check 'em out! I have such a poor memory for some things!

Those DVD's sound pretty cool. I can't really use ebay any more....I'm sort of in trouble with it, cause they reckon I owe them money and I reckon I don't owe them jack-sh*t, so that bridge is burned, so to speak! And yeah, the Chrome-Top Jem is pretty wild isn't it?!

I hope the Nyquil works bro, sleep deprivation is not something you need! You're looking for maple? Hmmmm. No JS has been made with maple. If you really want maple, either stick with the strat, or get an Ernie-Ball guitar or a Washburn Nuno model. the Washburn would probably suit your metal-playing nicely and is solid as a rock, but the Ernie-Ball route would probably appeal more to the sensitive side! a Strat could do both if it's the right strat! take it easy dude!

962:I wonder who it is that inspired you t write Shining Light/Revolve etc....lets see BB King yeah thats...no thats not it em....Keef...yeah Keith Richards thats i...no no not thats not it either eh,lol well done Simon a big nod t Satch for sure

Steven Wilde:I,m goin t echo Stevee T on Before Dawn,i,m a sucker for that dreamy vibe,seems like your starting t get t grips with other guitar techniques 2.I wish you all the very best friend & good luck on the learning curves,play on!

Re: Dev

have you seen Shrek 2 yet? Tom Waits does the voice of Captain Hook, he plays piano at the Poison Apple Pub (i think that's the name of the place)

i love the wicked trees from Snow White in the background :)

Big Bunny,

Not seen Shrek 2 yet. Heard that Tom had a song on the soundtrack though. His voice actually appears in the film? If so, then cool... Will definitely see it soon.

Could hardly believe the other night when I was watching Mystery Men (Ben Stiller, William H Macy, Janeane Garofalo) and this weird guy introduces himself to the 'superheroes'.. and it's TOM WAITS!! He plays a crackpot inventor in the movie. I nearly fell off my seat...

Do you like Mule Variations? That CD got me into Tom Waits, but I began to discover the real depth of his imagination with albums like The Black Rider and Bone Machine.. I still don't have his entire catalogue, but I'm getting there... : )

michelle,

thanks for the look at last year's NAMM...I hadn't seen the selection..

cheese 101,

very nice words of inpiration....I enjoyed the passage

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If Vai's chrome JEM is listing at about 3500.00 US, shouldn't Joe's Chromeboy be less, as Joe's guitars are always priced less than Vai's?

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Zenfish,

dialetctic...fer sher dude.....what do you prefer.....absolute bliss, or the a mixture of bliss with a shot of pain? TGIF

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Tom Waits....just a uselss piece of Jet Trash.....I've always loved that line......when I listen to Tom, I always feel like a part of a great troupe of Circus freaks...truth hurts...if you don't like the reflection starin back at you....DOWN, DOWN, DOWN

The most popular gay couple in America ~

SpongeBob and Patrick

Give me a mother effin break!

The hate and intolerance in the country just effin amazes me!

Let's get the attention off the REAL issues, and focus on a kids cartoon. How many 5 year olds are sitting around wondering if SpongeBob & Patrick are butt buddies? How many 10 year olds? NONE! It's the f*%#ing Christian conservatives (not all, settle down) who have dirty evil minds, then try to convince everyone they're right. It's amazing how religion is used to spread hate and fear. Just effin amazing.