musicians and model trains

Play alto sax, but it is just for my enjoyment.

For the past 15 years I've played in bands with two different keyboard players using B3's and Leslies. These guys have it all figured out moving these things with home brewed dollies and such. However, there are a few challenges when elevators are not an option.

I consider myself a semi-professional musician, although my little band doesn't play out too much these days.  I play guitar and the pedal steel.

I played alto sax in elementary and middle school band. Gave it up in High School 'cause I didn't want to have to march with it!  lol

 Wasn't it the other way around - Neil developed a way for his son to play with trains which then ushered in TMCC!          Ha!  Same thing .....

Yeah, we had a dolly strapped around the organ, too.  Really great going across the dance floor, but getting there up the stairs was harder because the dolly added to the weight.  Much later some guys used the electronic B-3, but to me it never sounded as authentic.  Same with some guitar players--they went back to the old Fender twin reverb tube models with natural distortion.  The rock guys eventually had no need for Marshall stacks because the sound man miked everything through the large PA systems anyway.

Took guitar lessons in high school and played rhythm guitar in a few bands back then - Ventures, Duane Eddie, Beach Boys (had striped shirts too). Later I offered to help a local band of 16 year olds who played original music around New Orleans and were really good. I had a van so I became their manager, booking agent, equipment manager - it was 5 musicians and ME.  We opened for Ted Nugent in Thibadeaux La (he was a wild man!) and played at the New Orleans Pop Festival.

Years later I learned the bass and played in a Vineyard Church worship band for 10 years..

Hi Canuck

Are you familiar with Viola jokes?

Kudos to all you folks!

I am a classically trained organist, and play at our parish.

We have a three manual Zimmer in a room of about 1 second reverb. It is absolutely sublime for Bach.

I can imitate a freight train rather easily....

Strictly a hobbyist - in order of ability, bass guitar, euphonium, guitar, tuba, and mt. dulcimer....

Not anymore, it's been 12.5 years since I played in an orchestra, so they have slipped from my memory.

Guitarist/bass guitarist currently obsessed with the ukulele. I've played in rock bands, acoustic duos, been on the radio, played through a massive PA on the mall in DC during the 4th of July (there were a few people there), and was on staff at a church as their band director. Now I guess I'm semi-retired just mastering the aforementioned ukulele.

Arthur Godfrey would luv ya!

I, like Alan, am a classical pipe organist. Our music (living) room in the included photo has been the scene of fifty-eight mini concerts titled Sound Tracks & Train Tracks presented for small groups over the past twelve years. The ninety square foot Sueher City Layout can be seen in the family room beyond the entry.

Accordian joke:  A guy left his accordian in the back seat of his top down convertible while he went into a bar for a drink.  After awhile, he thought about it and hurried out so that he could close the top and lock the doors before it was stolen.  When he arrived at the car, what do you think he found in the back seat.????  Three more.  Hey, polka fans, don't be mad--I played with some button box polka bands myself years ago.  It was fun! 

Alan Rogers – nearly 100 posts and only a couple classical organists? There are actually a goodly number of railroad enthusiasts within the pipe organ community. Even our own Rich Melvin has some interest in the pipe organ. Years ago, a prominent concert artist who was organist choirmaster in a New York City church got permission from his Session of Elders to construct a three rail layout in his c. 20’ by 20’ choir office. It ended up filing the room except for a small area in the middle for his office desk. He shared that our dual interest in trains and pipe organs was enough of a phenomenon, that a gal at Boston University was writing a doctoral dissertation on the subject. My response – I could cover it in a single sentence: It’s a preoccupation with things that are big, loud, and expensive!

 It would appear that there are an inordinate number of statisticians who run model trains as well.  I'm quite certain that 100% of the statisticians on the OGR forum enjoy the train hobby.

The banjo takes a lot of good-natured abuse, right along with accordions. A few more banjo jokes:

Q. If you drop a banjo and an accordion from a tall building, which one will hit the ground first?

A. Who cares?

Q. What do you call a banjo player who breaks up with his girl friend?

A. Homeless.

Q. If you drop a banjo from a tall building, what do you hear when it hits the ground?

A. Applause.

Q. Why do some people take an instant aversion to banjo players?

A. It saves time in the long run.

Q. What does a banjo player say when he gets to his gig?

A. You want fries with that?

Q. What’s the difference between a Harley Davidson motorcycle and a banjo?

A. You can tune a Harley.

Q. What's the difference between an onion and a banjo?

A. No one cries when you chop-up a banjo.

Nope ... but, I was a "roadie" in a band that tried to do covers of southern rock songs in whatever little NJ/PA bars would have us.

I have an old Fender Strat hanging around, but .......

My band was the Lorimer Sound - The name was based on the street where I grew up in Brooklyn - ironic, since I had the most success  when we lived out in Chicago.  Fave place to play out there was the Double Door.  NYC had a ton of cool venues too, most of them are long since closed.

John - there is NO other way to do it.   Had all my guitars played through a 68' Fender bandmaster & 2x12 cab. It sounded so sweet

You got that right on the instruments, although for early Beatles, using those Casinos is cheating a bit. 

I can imagine how it would sound through that Bandmaster amp.  I believe Fender discontinued that amp sometime in the early 70s, if I recall correctly.  At any rate, it enjoyed a 20 year run or thereabouts so that says something.

I have a beautiful Fender Strat and a Delux Reverb amp.  I just wish I could play it like it should be played.  I guess you can say I'm a "driver of things."  I love fast cars, fast boats and, of course, fast airplanes.  So after Uncle Sam said I'm too old to fly anymore, I got back into my old Lionel trains.  Did you notice I didn't say anything about fast women?  Like them, too.

I play the Bass and Guitar.

Fender Jazz Bass

Peavy T-40

1966 Martin 12-String (My Baby!)

Yammi 6 string

Fender USA Strat

How you like them "rest"rooms in CBGB? 

Pete

Whew!  We should all get together and play at York!  LOL

Guitar, since 1961. Play(ed) in rock bands, show bands and big bands. 

1964 Gibson ES345 TDC SV, Gretsch Country Gentleman, Epiphone Casino, Fender Twin and Polytone Amps.  

Holy crap!  I thought I was the only T-40 player in the world.  That's a T-40 in my avatar.  Got too heavy for my old bones and now I use a Fender USA jazz bass.  Too cool, bro!

Here's my go-to Martin, a '63 D-21, little beat, I took it around the block a time or two:

That Traynor YCV20 is a dam good amp, BTW.  Kept me up with a four-piece horn section when I asked it to.  Got a USA Strat too, but it's a toss-up with my Carvin Bolt I built from their kit.  The Bolt beats it for feel, the Strat . . . well nothing but a Strat sounds like a Strat.

Keep on rockin'.

Pete

Yeah, but they'd be 20 drummers ready to sit-in......

Early Beatles used Vox amps--I never liked their sound as far as amps were concerned.

During their pre-studio years John predominantly used a Fender Vibrolux amp while Paul used a Quad II and George used a Gibson amp, if I recall correctly.  It wasn't until around 62- onwards that they started using Vox amps the majority of their career, although I think I remember reading that Paul would occaisonally use a Fender amp as well.

I wasn't that much of a fan of the vox ac30. I tried them out but really liked the fender sound. It was just so crisp.

Out of all my guitars, the casino was the best one to play live - never had any issue with it. The Rics were very hard to keep tuned, esp the 12. 

I also have a mid 60s blue strat that was similar to one Lennon used on Rubber Soul. 

Man I miss being in a band!

Prior to 1964, I never heard of the Beatles.  I don't know what they used before--it could have been a 3 watt practice amp in Liverpool; but the Vox stuff became a bit hit with the teenage bands over here once the Beatles arrived.

Reading this thread made me listen to In-a-Gada-Davida on my ipod in the car this morning on the way to work!

Soul Sacrifice and White Room are ready for the way home!

Peter

You are not alone my friend.    It was one of the best Basses ever made!

Here are my children that I keep at home.  

I cut my teeth on Rush years ago.  Their scores are a very interesting read.  YYZ anyone?  

WOW, Richard! What you got there? Who was the builder? Cheers...

Hello again, Richard! I just figured out who you are.

I came up here from Bakersfield 1-1/2 years ago. You and I have many mutual friends, including your former student, Carolyn. I'll tell Sue W. from the AGO you and I have been in touch.

Would love to pick your brain about the instrument from Garden Grove sometime. You probably heard it's in  Italy right now.

Sue told me a LONG time ago that you are into O scale.

All the best to you!

ALAN

I remember going to the Music Experience in Seattle years ago and seeing one of Jimi Hendrix's guitars on display.  It was so beat-up (not the one he would set fire to or smash, either), if I played it, I'd probably get splinters.  At the Rock Hall of Fame in Cleveland, at one time the Greatful Dead stuff was featured.  Now there was also some really beat up equipment, although some really esoteric -looking speaker designs.  In their heyday, the Who supposedly had over 20 Crown DC-300 amps just for the vocals and had to use electric fans to cool them.  Talk about a power drain!

Definitely a lot of musicians/train folks here. Here are some pics of the bass my son and I built along with my other real Rick, ion front of the youngest son's Pearl drum kit. I also have an early 70's Ovation acoustic, an Ibanez AC30 acoustic and a 67 Fender Coronado Bass II. I can have the upright bass from the high school, but I have to find a place to keep it.

The Rick copy body is solid walnut, maple neck, and ebony fret board. the pickups are active EMG, and I think the tuners are Grover. The fret slots are filled with thin strips of white pine to delineate the frets, while allowing for fretless play. So much more versatile without frets! I apologize for the upside down photo, I thought I corrected and deleted.

Don