I kick ass

Quick project completed!

2006-04-25T15:46:18Z

I am back from the UK.

I brought back with me my beloved bass. It is an Ibanez PJ Copy (a copy of a Fender Precision/Jazz Bass) and it was made in January 1977.

Some pics:

Before:

You can see that the previous owner (I've owned the bass since 1992) covered it in silver tin foil. It looks pretty cool.

Before, close up of upper horn:

Before, close up of lower bout:

Before, rear (I took the neck off):

During the exercise:

I picked it all off with my fingers. My nails hurt a bit now. I started last night and finished today. I did take breaks!

And finally:

Although she looked cool before, closer inspection showed that with the silver foil on she looked a bit lame. Now she is restored to her former glory (but showing her age a little in bumps and scrapes) and looks refined in her vintage white and black scratchplate.

She is all-original, except for the electronics. I had to change out the switch (it broke - the tip had snapped off way before I bought her too) and changed out the pots to better quality ones too (in 2004). I think I may need to replace the jack. And change the strings...which haven't been changed since 1993.

Thought we had trouble there for a second....

2006-04-10T19:18:58Z

When I got home (not all that long ago) there was a whole bunch of post, most of it crap marketing stuff. I have a package waiting for me. And there was a letter...

TO MRS:
BEATRICE KARLSSON
(etc)

Woah! Typed out on a typewriter too. Stamp from Austria. Thought for a second my woman had become a spy.

My package is going to rule. It contains a whole load of electronic parts. Which I shall turn into a bunch of pedals. I rule.

But enough! I need to hand in the first 10 to 15 pages of my essay tomorrow.

One down, 9-14 to go...

Cleaned out the shower thing again

2006-04-09T17:22:44Z

It was wonderfully nice.

Dang right it was.

Mmmmmm....

Now the bog can eat it.

Meet Evelyn...

2005-07-26T12:37:06Z

Yes. With summer comes warmth, and with warmth comes the ability to spray cellulose outdoors again.

After 14 months of hard work I have finished Evelyn.

The sepcs:
50's Fender Telecaster clone
Mahogany body, stained red, nitro-cellulose lacquer
White-pearloid scratchplate
1 piece maple neck, tinted nitro-cellulose lacquer, 21 "vintage" frets
Vintage style bridge, with 6 saddles for better intonation
Vintage voiced pickups
0.01 uF Capacitor on volume control to avoid treble loss at low volumes
0.22 uF Capacitor for tone control

I'll try and put up a pic. But now I'm off to play her!

ROCK!!!

Yeesssssssss!!!!!!!!

2005-05-18T14:58:55Z

Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!

No essay! Just checked the webboard and we don't have to do the essay. It seems that speaking to the administration at school yesterday worked a treat.

I am happy as a pig in shit.

Woohoo!

2005-05-18T10:17:15Z

Right now I'm glad. My baby is coming back today after what seems like ages away.

But I'm also a bit pissed off. I have an essay due in on Friday that I wanted to get done today so I could keep the rest of the week free to spend with my beloved. But, as usual, this essay in not writing itself. Sometimes you get into the swing of things and the essay just flies off your fingers - but not this time. I'm 200 words in (of 1200) and they have come without too much difficulty (except the ages it took to get the plan done and to get round to writing it) but I'm dry now.

What makes is even worse is that I don't think we even have to do it. We are the only group in the whole course who has to, because our teacher is either a)not a slacker like the others and gives us the right amount to do or b)mistaken. We ahve been given so much more than everyone else. I spoke to a woman at school yesterday about it and she agreed that it seemed odd that we had more than everyone else and that the essay can't be worth 3 points (as our teacher says) as the course isn't even structured that way. This part of the course is worth 6 points, and that includes a midterm exam, a final exam, plus all the seminars. So if this essay is worth 3 points, then something else must be worthless. Still, this is empty moaning as I'm going to have to do it anyway as we have been told to do so. But a pass from her class is worth just the same as a pass from another group...

Anyway, I am trying to write it now. I am also keeping an eye on the time as I have some stuff in the laundry. I thought it would be nice to have a clean bed for the missus when she gets here, as I confess it hasn't been washed in a while. I also want to run around with the hoover a bit too, as it is more than a bit dusty here. She said I wasn't to worry about cleaning and to concentrate on my schoolwork. This is all fair and well, but the place is a bit messy. I took a forestload of paper to the recycling the other day and threw out some crap that was about. But I'm not sure I'll have time to hoover as I need to shower and wash my hair and get out to meet her at 1855...

A bit stressed! But happy she's finally coming home again!

Hmm

2005-05-16T14:31:33Z

A bit unhappy today...but on to the good things first.

After completely exhausting myself on Wednesday I really wanted a break, but that didn't happen. I got the essay in on time but felt so tired...Friday was a bit better, with a presentation of Empire of the Sun in class. I loved that book. The other people in the class seemed to like our presentation too, so I suspect that some of them want to read it too (although I'm not so arrogant to think that any of them will read it). To celebrate the end of a shitty week I went to my mate's place and watched Withnail And I, a great film. We also played around with guitars and so on, and then started to watch the BBC version of Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. It was...shit. I remember seeing it years back and thinking it was shit then too. I was already tired and then this shit made me feel even more so. I was so tired that I was tempted to ask my mate if I could sleep there. But I went home, and got home late.

Over the weekend I fiddled with the computer and internet and so on. I have no idea how much time I spent doing that. I seem to enter a time warp when I go on the pooter. I also managed to start rewiring my booster pedal, plus sand down the guitar I'm building. I think she needs a few more layers of cellulose on before she's ready. Not many more, just a few.

On Sunday I went back to my mate's place to help him fix his balcony furniture stuff. But his saw wasn't good enough for the job so we didn't do much. We went to his dad's place for tea and cake and then watched Empire of the Sun. It's a good film, but really nothing compared to the book.

And now today. We were given an essay assignment that counts for 15% of the whole course on Friday. But whilst moaning about how boring it is to a friend in a different group but on the same course I was shocked. She doesn't have to do it! I checked my papers and I have no idea why we have to do it either. I shall have words with my teacher tomorrow when I am in school. She has been the most demanding teacher of the whole course, with essays, poems etc. But at the end of the day a pass from her is worth just as much as a pass from another teacher. I'd rather not do the essay, thank you very much. Damn it...I hate school. Stockholm University's English Department is shit. The organisation is weak, the course is dull and some of the teachers can't even speak English all that well. I'm starting to think that this is all a mistake!

I washed my hair just now. My pal is coming round here to watch films (for a change!). I suppose I'd better get ready.

Not happy right now.

I am SOOOOOO tired

2005-05-12T19:28:28Z

I was up until 3 last night writing my essay. I handed in my effort today. It was about the use of bad language etc.

To get to school I got up at 8. I should, by rights, have dragged myself out of bed at 0730, but I knew I would be tired so I se tthe alarm for 8. My sleep was a bit broken due to the cola I had been drinking to keep me awake.

After school I went to work, starting at 1300. There is a bit of a rush to get things done there, so I stayed a little later than usual to help finish things off. Well, I volunteered to do so. However I ended up alone there in the upstairs warehouse area until 8 o'clock. I didn't finish but by that time I was so tired and hungry that I had to go.

Speaking of going, I need to go and make my dinner now. Tired. Need a bath as I ache all over. But I have a Stevie Ray Vaughan consert to watch too....plus that parcel (I assume it's the pedal boxes) that is waiting for me at the supermarket...but too tired. Bath. SRV. Bed.

Rock

It's going to be a long night...

2005-05-11T16:03:33Z

I worked today. I humped boxes for a bit and then put things in other boxes. It's tough in my line of business.

What was cool was that the company got some guy to come in and help, as my mate is not working right now so he can enjoy his new son. I got to work about 0830 and went upstairs to make tea and saw some guy at the table. A bit on the skinny side, long hair. I thought "Shit, they got another me!". Stefan, as he is called, was in a death metal band a few years back. They never actualy got a record deal, but I'm impressed all the same. He plays bass, but has an acoustic guitar too.

He turned out to be a really sound guy. He works for PPS, Personal På Söder, a temp agency for warehouse/monkey workers. He gave me the name of his man there and I called him. Now he was a sound guy too. I told him that I wanted to be part of the temp-pool thing and he asked me when I had a moment to come in. Sweet or what? Stefan works most days. So perhaps - just perhaps - my summer job problems have been solved! The only bummer is that the amount of cash I can earn over the summer is limited by the student loan company people, who are dicks. Still, I don't mind working half time throughout the summer. More time to build guitars on the balcony then!

When I got home my wonderful woman had sent me a e-card thing which was really nice. It had a picture of a woman playing guitar on it (she knows me well!) and said that she sings the blues because she misses me. Sweet! I miss her too, rather a lot.

What was not so good was that the lunch I ate today (I usually eat at the burger bar thing when I work - not all that often, though) was a bit on the oily side and I feel a little bit rough.

So...now all that remains is to write a 2000 essay tonight. I need to hand it in at 10 o'clock tomorrow, then I'm working again after school. Great! Shouldn't take me more than ALL NIGHT to write. No idea what I'm even going to write about...dang! But I did buy a 2 litre bottle of cola, so staying up shouldn't be a problem.

Shitty day

2005-05-10T17:54:06Z

My pal and I had a laugh last night. We recorded a song for our pal who has become a father. We set up his computer and a mic and played my acoustic and sang (badly) and then burnt a CD with it and made a cool cover.

I also painted the back panel of my booster pedal. Annoyingly the red/black crackle did not come out so well this time.

Today been a shitty day. I was on my way out to school when my phone rang. It was Per from work who wanted me to find someone to work with me tomorrow. Not bad in itself but the delay made me miss my train, so I ended up waiting a few minutes for the next one. However this delay meant I had to wait 6 minutes later for a connecting train. And I really needed to pee...

Anyway, I got on the tube. After a while I REALLY needed to pee. So much so that I was about to get off at Östermalmstorg because I recalled seeing a public bog there. But I decided to stay on, as I would be at Uni in a few minutes. Well, I had to get off at the next station. I couldn't wait any longer. I walked around for a few minutes and ended up in a small strip of park between the two carriages of the road. Sod it...so I urinated in a bush there. I had to go! I then went back to the tube but got to school 10 minutes late. It was too late to go into the lecture, but it wasn't important. Except it was, of course, as I was meant to discuss it on the webboard. To pass the time before the next lecture I picked up my essay on Heathcliff and Dracula to see that I had been given a VG on it. That is a good mark. I was pleased.

But the rest of the day didn't half drag on. I feel tired and shitty. Plus I'm working tomorrow all day humping boxes. This is good as the money comes in handy, but I have a 2000 word sociolinguistics essay to write by Thursday. I have no idea what I'm going to write either and needless to say I haven't started yet.

So no bath, no guitar, just work.

Oh dear...

2005-05-10T17:44:23Z

Your Suicide.. by Konstantine
Your Name/Username
Favorite Number?
Favorite Color?
Gender?
How will you commit suicide?	You will slit your wrists
How many tries will it take?	1
When will you commit suicide?	July 12, 2022
What will your suicide note say?	This broken heart will never mend, so never shall I breathe again

Quiz created with MemeGen!

Tsk, tsk, post

2005-05-09T14:34:17Z

The post came about ten minutes ago. I know...1615. That's a long way from the 11 o'clock that they claim.

To piss me off even more it was only junk mail and a course catalogue from some school here for the missus. Where are my pedal boxes?

I've been spraying gloss on my booster pedal. It looks really cool - the gloss is very shiny and it picks up the red and cracked black really well. Later I shall have another go at building it. It didn't work last time but now I've got the right pinout from an electronics guy (a customer from my guitar parts business), so fingers crossed!

My pal Leon Ponken is coming over shortly. I shall meet him at the station so I can get some lemon juice from the shop nearby.

Fun fun fun

2005-05-09T10:35:56Z

My visitors left pretty soon after they got here - one had to get back to do some work, the other is only in Sweden for a few days to visit children, relatives and friends and so had other things to do. Still, it was nice to see them if only for an hour or so.

After they left I got down to some guitar business. I changed two of the pickups in my number one guitar, Bea. I named her after my missus. All my guitars have names. My first one is Arnie (he's a bit metal), then Bea, Cavatina (a knackered nylon string 3/4 sized guitar), Delilah (a wonderful black acoustic) and Evelyn. Arnie was bought mostly whole but I changed all the electrics in him, giving him powerful pickups and better switches etc. Bea I put together from parts and have altered her electrics a dozen times, putting in better pots (potentiometers - the tone and volime knobs), a better switch...I've also changed the pickups a few times too. Evelyn is my next porject. I bought a disgusting yellow guitar body (Telecaster shape) and took off all the paint and lacquer. This took ages. I then stained the wood bright red, which as it is mahogany came out a wonderful deep cherry red. I then painted on some shellac to seal in the colour and then sprayed on a few layers of cellulose. I then had to take a very long break for the winter but now the weather is picking up I can get back to it. I have all the other parts here, just waiting for it to get warmer. Rock!

Anyway...back on to Bea. Last night I put in two new pickups which I bought a while back. They're Johnson pickups, "designed by EMG", or so they state. They are cheap pickups, and Johnson is one of those faceless Far Eastern guitar manufacturers. But these pickups, man...I put a set into a guitar I built a while back which my pal bought off me and they are great. Powerful, clear, great at low and high volumes...great. So I bought another set so I could put two of them in Bea. I also changed the pickup selector switch, as the one I had in there was cheap and nasty and crackled too much.

So, I put in the pickups and solder everything together. I also decided to change the capacitor in the tone controls, as the one in there was a bit weak and there was minimal tonal difference with it. So I put in a 0.047uF cap in there. Strats usually have 0.02uF, but the 0.047 gives a larger tonal variation. I put her all together again and put an old string on to see if it all works. Yup, all the pickups work (really well) but the tone controls don't work at all. Curses!

I take an earth wire from the back of the tone pot and put it on the volume pot, where it belongs (although this shouldn't make any difference). I also put earth wires between all the pots. Back together again, put on the string. No tone controls. Curses again!

I suddenly realise that it is late, about 2315, and I haven't even thought about dinner let alone cooked any. I rustle up a sandwich of tofu fried in spices and garlic (yum) and curse more. I chat with a couple of pals on MSN for a bit, then I decide to have one last bash at the guitar.

Then it hits me! The capacitor I've been using is a 470pf, about 10,000 times weaker than the usual 0.02uF cap, and not the 47nF I'd thought it was. So the tone controls were in the system, it's just that the cap was so weak that nothing happened. I put in a 0.022uF cap and everything worked well. So, put her together again and then leave her to go to bed.

This morning I got up and put on a new set of strings. I plugged her in to my utterly wonderful Fender Blues Junior 15W tube amp and yes! yes! yes! great sound. Through my fab overdrive pedal I built (the Jamés Ass-Kickin' Overdrive) and she sounds great. I'm really glad.

There are but few things that compare to making something yourself and then playing it. And to have it rock, of course.

So that was last night and most of this morning. I'm now going to finish off Empire of the Sun and then have another bash at that booster pedal I'm building which doesn't work.

Visitors!

2005-05-08T14:47:50Z

I am expecting some visitors. A couple of friends I haven't seen in ages got in touch just now and are coming round.

The place is a mess, but I don't mind. They're both guys, so I'm not trying to get them into bed or anything. Not that I would, as I have me a woman. Who isn't here. But anyway...

They should be here in about 10 minutes. Best go and not actually tidy up but make the place look a little less like some guy has been living here by himself for a couple of weeks.

Bath tonight, then

2005-05-08T14:11:08Z

Hurrah!

I went to the supermarket to get some food and saw that my favourite comic is out - Larson. To me, Larson means fun, Get Fuzzy (my utter favourite comic strip) and sitting in the bath for hours reading it.

I also got some bread, tofu, chocolate and honey for my tea. Tomorrow my pal is coming round and I shall get some lemon juice too, so I can have my lovely tea with honey and lemon. Yum!

Now I'm going to fix up my guitar...

Yawn!

2005-05-07T14:19:04Z

It's been a grey and rainy day...when it hasn't been really sunny and bright.

I woke up earlier than I had wanted to and pottered about at home for hours. I then went off to the library to return a DVD I had rented...and I was a couple of days late. It was meant to be in on Thursday, but they closed early on the Wednesday and were closed Thursday and Friday. I asked if I was going to get shafted but the lovely lady there said that my due date should have been today, so that's cool. I also returned the Hendrix CD I had borrowed.

I then made my way into town. I had to go to Clas Ohlson, a hardware chain, to change the drill I had bought for one that was a little more powerful. The 12V drill wouldn't quite go through the metal of my pedals, so I hope that the 18V one will.

I then pootled off to a music shop to get a new pickup-switch for one of my guitars, as I am upgrading it. The bird there didn't really know what I wanted and had a hard time finding it. Tchoh! Saturday staff! Upon closer inspection I saw that she is the bird who is in The Slaptones, some Swedish band I had read about in a guitar magazine.

On the way back to the underground station I stopped off at an internet café and played Battlefield Vietnam for a bit, shooting people. That was fun, but the fun wore off pretty quickly and I was out of there about an hour later. Just got back home now and I'm going to drink tea and read Empire of the Sun. Woohoo!

Post!

2005-05-06T13:00:47Z

Ah, what a lovely sound.

Just now I had three things plop on to the mat:
1. Metro Hus och Hem paper - straight into the recycling (huge) pile.
2. A small packet with 5 JRC-4558D chips for pedals that I had ordered weeks back.
3. A small packet with 60 ultra-bright LEDs - 30 Green, 30 Red. Plus 3 more of each. I ordered them from a company in Hong Kong six days ago. Six days to get it all ready and get over here! Amazing! Plus I love the 10% extra they give!

But nothing else. I wouldn't mind some more post, but I'm only expecting a package with 10 metal boxes (for pedals) to come from the UK. I ordered them eight days ago. 6 days from Hong Kong, more from the UK. Not good!

I was a bit irritated with my lady a while back. I was going to do the laundry and I saw that there was a bottle with fabric softener stuff that was 98% empty. I was a bit angry that I would need to run to the shops to get some more but on further investigation I saw that there was another bottle hiding in the cupboard. Sweet! Sorry I was angry with you babe (even though you aren't here)!!!

The laundry will be done in 2 hours. Then I can settle back with my funtime things, like guitars and pedals. Rock!

Food, Small People, Washing

2005-05-06T10:53:44Z

Hello

Yesterday I went to my pal's place to watch a couple of films and then later welcome another pal there so we could eat my famous Ass-Burnin' Chilli (R). But he didn't get there because his baby decided to come out instead. So, in a sense, it was lucky he didn't come for the chilli.

They have decided to call the little boy Noah. He sent us a picture and the little thing looks very sweet.

The chilli went well, but not as I had expected. When I made it my missus and I ate what I didn't freeze and it was hot. I mean HOT. But what we ate last night wasn't all that hot at all. Yes, it was spicy but not the kind of ass burning that I was expecting. We ate too much of it (there was enough for three, you see) and then had some ice cream. I rolled back home afterwards feeling full. Got home late too, after 1.

To celebrate the new arrival we stopped watching the porn we were looking at and decided upon a nice film to watch. This was hard, as we both enjoy violent films, but we settled upon "Love, Actually", a soppy romantic comedy set in and around London. It wasn't half as shit as I'd thought it would be.

Oh, and woke up this morning to see that Labour had won the General Election in the UK. Again. So...a few more years of high taxes, Gordon Brown spending all the pension money and worsening educacation. It will take years to fix up the mess. Not to worry - I'll be here in Sweden for a lot longer!

The laundry awaits...

Tired....

2005-05-04T19:50:01Z

Worked today humping boxes. Must find a job for the summer.

Went to the shop to get some more paint. Got some red paint and some gloss, plus a long metal ruler (kick ass!). The red paint is for the base to a crackle-effect paint can I got a while back.

It works! I never thought it would, but it does. I prepared the pedal box and put on the stuff. The black paint crackles and leaves deep red gashes in it. Looks cool. Now all I need to do is get the pedal to work!

It's a booser pedal and is a fairly simple circuit. Shouldn't be too hard...right!

Going to hop in the bath to soothe my aching body, then go to bed. Tired!

Ache

2005-05-03T19:11:05Z

What a day! I had to go into uni for a couple of really pointless lectures. I had to comment on one of them on the webboard, but to my horror it had been switched at the last minute. So I could have stayed at home then. Bummer!

I then pootled off to work and lift some boxes for a while. That was nice, but I ache a bit now. When I got home I rushed to my pedal and plugged it in to my amp to test it. Rock. I then tested it plugged into the wall (as opposed to just a battery) and that works too. Rock. So the pedal really IS finished now. But there are many more to be built!

I had a tiny envelope on the doormat waiting for me, containing some LEDs (little bulbs). I had bought 10, but I got 11. That was good because when I tested them one burnt up.

I want to play my guitar a bit more but my arms ache a little too much for that. I also miss my lady. I can't wait until she comes back home! And she's feeling a bit under the weather too, so my heart aches for her even more!

My pedal kicks bottom!

2005-05-02T20:52:32Z

Yes hello....

I have finished rewiring the pedal and it works. It works properly, and it works well. I finished testing it a few moments ago.

The sound is, if possible, even better than before. I have sprayed the box a green colour and written on it in silver. I have three large silver knobs that adjust the Level, Tone and Drive. So...it sounds great and looks great. And with a bright blue light for when it's on, it looks cool even when it's dark.

I am feeling very glad. I'm thirsty, but that's because I've been too concentrated to even blink, let alone drink anything.

I wish my lady was here to see this!

Rock on - I know I am!

Done and dusted

2005-05-02T15:41:32Z

Rock! My essay is done. I finished it and I am very happy with it. It was titled, nice and pretentiously, "Heathcliff and Dracula: A Closer Look at their Characters, Characteristics and Similarities" and I managed to get up to 1850 words out of the suggested 2000.

The post came at 1545 and I got my "Empire of the Sun" book that I ordered via Amazon.co.uk a couple of days ago. I need to read it for another seminar, as well as meet up with my group and prepare a presentation of it. I don't mind - it's a great book and made only greater by the fact that I scored it for a mere penny on Amazon. Postage was on top of that, bringing it up to £3.95. The post also brought me 100 1N4148 diodes for my newly made pedal factory.

My mate Leon Ponken wants to build a pedal too. He wants to build a delay pedal, one of the more complicated pedal projects. I want one too, so I am looking around for the parts. Not having a very easy time finding all the chips, I might add.

Right...I shall now fiddle with my pedal and try and get it working. I have to go to work tomorrow after uni to lift boxes for a few hours and again on Wednesday, so I'd better get some guitar playing in before I strain my arms out of guitar action for a few days.

Rock!

Essay coming along well

2005-05-02T11:19:11Z

Still doing the essay. I don't understand why I put it off for so long. I've done 928 words (out of 2000). Once I got going it was quite easy.

Just taking a short break from it all. I've left some points open so I can easily get back to it. I've still got over 10 hours left before I need to hand it in!!!!!

Posten good? Pah!

2005-05-02T11:16:47Z

The Swedish Post Office claims to be one of the best in the world. In some promotional bumf a while back it sang its own praises, saying that it is efficient, so we get the post at 11 o'clock, and cheap.

Well let me tell you that it is a bit after 1pm and no post. The post arrives some time between 1030 and 1630. It is very expensive to send things both internally and internationally. There is no post on weekends.

Compare this:
Internal, Sweden - 5.50 kronor
Internal, UK - 26p (about 3.50 kronor. This has probably gone up since I was last living there, but not to a level comparable to Sweden)
In the UK post is also delivered on Saturdays. It arrives at any point in the day, so it is just as bad in that respect.

On top of that there are hardly any Post Offices here any more. They have all closed and become a small section of the supermarket, where the service is poor at best.

One of the best in the world? I think not.

Plus I'm expecting some cool electronic stuff and I really want it! Come on Posten!

Ready to rock

2005-05-02T09:17:29Z

Right...

I have eaten breakfast, had a shower and feel clean. My mind is clear. I have put on a long-sleeved t-shirt so I can't fiddle with the tiny spots on my arms.

My tea is brewing.

I am ready.

I shall write my essay. I have 12 hours and 48 minutes to do it. No problem.

The essay will be good enough to get me a pass. It will, in my opinion, be good enough for a better mark.

Then I shall do the pedal. I have found a penknife with a saw on it which is just perfect for cutting down the pot shafts to the right length.

I rule.