Author Topic: Any interesting patterns made with excess string? (Read 253 times)

jazzyvee · « **on:** August 26, 2013, 11:22:10 PM »

This image was posted today in an Alembic facebook group and it struck me that our Jimmy seems to have a flair for design. :-)
Check out how he neatly organises the excess string length at the headstock to match the shape, instead of cutting the strings to length. Any more interesting designs from members?

http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll215/TPesch2112/JimmyJohnson22007-1.jpg

http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll215/TPesch2112/JimmyJohnson2007.jpg

Years ago when I didn't have pliers I just used to wind my guitar string excess into little rings but nothing as elaborage and considered as this. :-)

Jazzyvee

lbpesq · « **Reply #1 on:** August 27, 2013, 07:24:50 AM »

We used to call those rings Dylan loops.

Bill, tgo

JimmyJ · « **Reply #2 on:** August 27, 2013, 09:16:16 AM »

Dylan triangles maybe? Ha! For me this happens when I'm traveling light and have no wire cutters. Just trying to bend the excess out of the way so nobody (including me) gets skewered.

I change strings often so it's a pretty quick operation. My tailpiece is pins which the ball of the string slips onto. 1-1/2 turns around the tuning peg, bend it into the slot, and either trim the excess or make triangles. I could probably do it in the dark. Ha!!

Jimmy J

(Message edited by jimmyj on August 27, 2013)

lbpesq · « **Reply #3 on:** August 27, 2013, 11:59:52 AM »

I've had TSA confiscate my string winder/cutter at airport security. Necessity is the mother of invention! Love the triangles!

Bill, tgo

bigredbass · « **Reply #4 on:** August 28, 2013, 10:43:17 AM »

My God, look at his left hand on the fingerboard in the second pic: No wonder I can't play like that. If I ever run into you, I plan on bringing some coal to squeeze me out a couple of diamonds ! Wow.

J o e y

hammer · « **Reply #5 on:** August 28, 2013, 11:30:00 AM »

I've got to agree with Joey. Has anyone meet Jimmy in person and glanced at the size of his hands? Are his fingers really that long? Looks like he could easily palm a basketball.

keith_h · « **Reply #6 on:** August 28, 2013, 12:20:23 PM »

When my wife and I met Jimmy a while back, thanks again Jimmy, I was surprised that he wasn't as tall as I expected. He's of typical height and while his fingers are longer than mine I don't recall them being supernatural in length.

Never expected this conversation did you Jimmy?

Keith

bigredbass · « **Reply #7 on:** August 28, 2013, 11:22:53 PM »

No, it's not that I thought his hands were big.

I often try to practice that one-finger-to-a-fret reach, and somehow never use it as I should. That second picture, how both hands are positioned (his plucking fingers almost straight instead of rolled under), that Series Bass strapped up high on the body, this picture made real how he's always talked about using one axe only, the same strings all these years (I'd recognize those red-yarned Boomers anywhere, though I think in this pic it's a Christmas tree shape!), etc: This is someone obviously so very at ease with his instrument, as he's just had so long to live with it, a totally different concept than most 'session players' who can show up with trunks of axes for a single date (or at least they ysed to . . . . ).

Bravo.

J o e y

terryc · « **Reply #8 on:** August 29, 2013, 01:05:29 AM »

red...I have had my MK for 14 years and do not use anything else, my son inherited my Alembic powered P bass.
I too am so much used to it that using anything else seems totally out of place with me.

funkyjazzjunky · « **Reply #9 on:** August 29, 2013, 06:03:54 AM »

Jimmy Johnson is the man. He I will never forget seeing this guy with an extra tuner on the headstock of his bass and trying to figure out what the extra string was for

Vann-Di

funkyjazzjunky · « **Reply #10 on:** August 29, 2013, 06:05:01 AM »

Jimmy Johnson is the man. I will never forget seeing this guy with an extra tuner on the headstock of his bass and trying to figure out what the extra string was for

Vann-Di

JimmyJ · « **Reply #11 on:** August 29, 2013, 10:17:11 AM »

My face is turning as red as my boomers. Ha!

Thanks for the kind words my friends and I'm sorry to hijack this thread. Come over to my sub-folder and we'll talk more...

That second picture caught me in an unusual stretch and I think I even know what song we were playing. Chad's the Fifth was the Holdsworth trio's opening tune for several years. It's a low-F pedal for the most part and occasionally I would reach for and play a C on the G-string at the same time - an octave and a 5th (after all, the song is called the 5th). I can't hold this for long but I like the momentary effect. In fact, it doesn't appear that I was making it to the low-F in that picture. That was probably buzzing nastily which would explain the concerned look on my face. HA!!

Keep in mind that my neck width is roughly that of a standard 4-string so that helps me (almost) reach this. And why don't I just play the low F on the B-string? Well, I would do that in passing but prefer the E-string's F for a truer fundamental... Blah blah blah...

As far as my one-bass-fits-all thing, everybody has their own approach and I have big respect for guys who have a wide palette of bass sounds to offer and know which axe would sound best on which track, etc. Most studio guys do that. I'm the oddball in this way. But I've been lucky to have been able to fit into a wide variety of musical situations while making the only sound I know how to make.

Now you kids settle down in here!

Jimmy J

terryc · « **Reply #12 on:** August 30, 2013, 01:33:17 AM »

Well even with my humble signature electronics and 2 Q switches I can emulate the thump of a P bass, the mid range honk of a J bass and even the clanky sound of a Ricky...took me some time though, what players don't realise with Alembics is that the slightest adjustment on the filter can produce dramatic results, I would dearly love to try a Series II with it's Vari-Q. Took me six months to master mine, I guess locking myself away with an SII for a year would be suffice!

jazzyvee · « **Reply #13 on:** August 30, 2013, 02:51:04 AM »

Signature electronics are pretty much second nature to me now I can get to the sounds as needed. I pick up the SII and it's still a different ball game for sure. But hey Terry if i'm gigging up your way again I will bring my SII and if I can get you in for soundcheck you are welcome to try it out.

Jazzyvee

(Message edited by jazzyvee on August 30, 2013)

terryc · « **Reply #14 on:** August 31, 2013, 08:09:55 AM »

jazzy..thanks, that would be great..look forward to it, I missed you last time when you played at The Arc in Stockton