Austin, yeah it was last February, but we didn't have any time to stop in LA apart from on our last morning when it rained!

And regards my next trip - on the contrary, a return to LA is very likely. I would most probably fly there, cause it's direct and cheaper. And I actually kinda like it. That being the case, I would, this time, really like to make time to hang out, I was really annoyed I didn't get to meet up with you before!

Suzie, thank you!

I used to get mild RSI's that would stop me playing for a few weeks, but then I found out the improtance of proper posture and sorted out my bad habits....that took a while, but was worth it! If you want more detailed info on proper posture just ask.....I can try to explain it, but it's not easy! It's hard enough when the person in question is right in front of me and I can manipulate their hands!

Zenfish, "Steve Vai is never as good as when he breaks all the rules to create some songs like 0000, Lucky Charms, or Fever Dream. Here is for me the great Steve. More than the guitar heroe. The composer. He should continue in this way".....I agree entirely. I hope he reviews his composition technique and reverts to the way he was writing 4 or 5 years ago, it was much more rewarding.

Other than that, all I can suggest is to make sure you warm up! Use some scales and exercises, preferably with a metronome, and start off gentle, slowly upping the tempo and level of technicality. Try not to rush into playing......we all do it though.....I do it all the time, it's a really bad habit to get into! haha

Zenfish, too true. I doubt it's going to happen though. I'm intrugued to see just how far Steve runs with the Real Illusions thing. Still, he's going to be releasing The Aching Hunger CD at some point....that'll be good, his composition for that show was excellent!

Not really a problem, to be honest!

Cliff, you'll love the Guitar Wars DVD, it's amazing. Nuno is just on fire, he completely rocks, and Paul's set is especially good too. Mikey (Ovation1) got me interested in it, then I got VFR interested, so there's a few of us at least who know what the rest are missing! hehe

Damn, I really want to see that video.....If I do find it on the net it's going to be a huge download. Time to do some research! Wish me luck! haha

Brother Al, sweet, it's great when custom jobs turn out well. I recently finished customising my Ibanez GIO and I'm really, really happy with it. I think it's also something Ibanez could market with some success, if it was designed and built with their CNC gear. But hey, it's nice to have something really unique, right?!

Also, dude, did you see the new Nuno Bettencourt Signature guitars that Washburn are now selling? They're pretty cool, though I still prefer the Relic N4!

Delfino, perhaps it's cause more people spend time shaggin in august/spetember-ish than they do at any other time of year.....I guess hot weather gets 'em going! haha. That's why there's more bithdays in march/april/may! hehe

Regards signing guitars.....there's a few different approaches:

I took the scratchplate off my strat and took it to a G3 aftershow, and got a bunch of signatures on it.....it now hangs on the wall. I wrote the date on the back with the same black magic marker and tried lacquering it with some Humbrol spray that you use forplastic model kits. It smudged.....some orange pigment ran from the black, giving a nasty orange outer glow! hehe. Good thing I only did it on a test patch on the back of the scratchplate!

On my GIO (the blue one I finished customising a couple of weeks ago) I have written a japanese character on the black back cover which goes over the control cavity. That was done with silver fiber-tip marker.....it's a little smudgy cause it's on (matte) plastic, but after I left it to properly dry for 2 days, it has never rubbed off, and has no lacquer on it. Thing is, nobody can see it while you're playing it.

If you want your signature visible then you should find a piece of plastic a write on it with both silver and black markers, and the try out some lacquers. If you find one that dries and doesn't affect the pen ink at all, then tenderly edge towards the abyss, then dive right in and hope it's still smudge-free on when you write on your guitar!

A side note would be this - if you have a scratchplate, write it on there, cause they are easily replacable. If you do write on the scratchplate, take it off before doing it.

If you don't have a scratchplate and want to show off the signature, write on the headstock.....this way, when you apply lacquer, you only have to lacquer the headstock. If you write on the body, you'll have to evenly spray a coat of lacquer over the entire body, and that is not easy to do!

Delfino, that "Entrance To Ground" sign sounds like a real gem! haha. Which one of you kept it?

hehe. Also, thanks, hope you have a great week too hombre!

Also, if you do start off with acoustic, you're more likely to learn some very useful fingerpicking techniques which can be a very powerful tool when you transfer them to electric. Eric Johnson does this a lot and it makes up a key part of his very unique style/sound.

I didn't start off with acoustic. I can play acoustic but only really to a basic standard....I can't really do any fingerpicking stuff, so I wish I had started on acoustic!

rockarolla_70, no problemo, you're welcome!

. ... .. ..... ... . . Ooops. Sorry, I'll clean that up ;-)

Big Bunny, haha, your re-post was great! That was a little mistake at the end of my post.....thankfully I'm not part-rodent, cause my cat is a real keen mouse-er. hehe. She always gets told off when she brings something in, but there's not much we can do to stop her!

Also, Bob Rock and singer from Spinal Tap.....haha, that's hilarious. And you're absolutely right!

Suzie, hmmm, "Midnight Express" was on Extreme's 4th and final album. It's a little different, a little more grown up, perhaps, than earlier Extreme stuff. Also, it's not typical of Extreme stuff.....most of their stuff is funk metal, very energetic, great vocals, lots of harmonies, the best rhythm guitar playing you'll ever hear and some of the finest solos too.

I think you would really like Nuno's more recent Mourning Widows and Population 1 titles. I think everybody would like them actually. I haven't yet played Mourning Widows to anyone who's said "no, I don't like it". It's awesome. I can thoroughly recommend that you just buy the self-titled MW album and give it a few listens. And if you don't like it, I'll buy it off you and give it to someone or keep it as a spare or frame it or something. I'm not kidding!

Anyway, yeah I'm not bad thanks. Easter holiday is over so I've got most of my students back! yay! how about you, hows it going with the JSX?

Cliff, I think you might have misunderstood - I've got the Guitar Wars DVD. Ovation1 pointed me in the right direction we he got his copy.....it's phenomenal.

No I have no idea what kind of acoustic Nuno plays, but I should think if you look in/post a message in the "gear forum" on the Population 1 website, someone will be able to tell you what acoustic it is, what guage of strings are on it.....and all sorts of scary shit that obsessive fans really shouldn't be allowed to know! hehe

TASTEY, haha, no it's just that whenever she goes away, the cat breaks the rules! hehe. basically, my mom lets the cat out in the morning and shuts her in again when she comes home from work for lunch, early afternoon. We've had a few cats killed on the road and really don't want it happening again, so we don't want her out after dark......only, whenever my mom's not around, the cat stays out late....i'm talking 11, 12 o'clock, without breakin a sweat. So mom decided to put her in the holiday home to avoid it happening! hehe.

Also, no I don't have the Little Alligator, but when I can finally afford to I'll get one. I am continually impressed with the performance of the Bad Horsie, despite having had it for about 3 years now.....it stills gets me excited, I'm sure it's volume moderating counterpart will perform with just as much class, accuracy, consistency and general coolness

BigBunny, the whole thing about people not washing their hands makes me sick. I hate the thought of it. I'm always washing my hands, I'm kind of obsessive about it but I don't care....