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Joined: Jul 2000
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I do have a backup Parker, although it doesn't have P90s. I didn't know Parker was going belly-up, or I would have had them make another in the custom shop. The spare has S-S-H pickups with a coil tap on the Humbucker.
I have an archtop electric at home for practicing without an amp, and that's it. If I don't play it, I don't keep it.
I have a spare sax, flute, and wind synthesizer.
Comments on cleaning the guitar have ranged from naphtha to wax to plain water with a soft cloth. I haven't decided yet. We are lucky enough to be busy gigging in the summer slow season.
As far as the fretboard wearing out. It's ebony. Is there anything I can do to prolong its life? Does oiling the fretboard help or hinder?
I know how to keep a saxophone alive, but I never got serious on guitar until I was in my 60s.
Thanks,
Notes
Bob "Notes" Norton  Norton Music
https://www.nortonmusic.com
100% MIDI Super-Styles recorded by live, pro, studio musicians for a live groove
& Fake Disks for MIDI and/or RealTracks
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Ebony is pretty hard, so it should last a long time. There is something called Finger Ease which may help reduce wear. It is a spray I used in the past when I had off-the-shelf Fender guitars.
I usually only played Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night gigs. So, not so much wear. I change strings for every significant gig.
I have three guitars on stage but only generally play one, Tom Anderson. One other Tom Anderson as a backup, and a Gibson Les Paul when I feel strong enough to hang that heavy SOB around my neck...lol
The lead guitar player, Lewis, carried two Tom Anderson guitars on stage. The bass player, Snake, played a fretless bass and a P base when I asked him to. The keyboard player always had two keyboards on stage.
These guys were super hot musicians who did not need me to play much of the time. We never had a singer with the skills that Lewis and Marow had. I played rhythm guitar and had to keep Lewis in check at times. Sometimes he would blow right through the changes and go off into Lewis's land with a nine-hundred-note solo...lol At that point, I could reel him back in.
My main deal was being the entertainer and the business guy who got us paid good money and dealing with the booking agents.
If anything ever happens to your Parker, you will recover. You don't have any other choice.
I would not lose sleep over the issue.
Billy
“Amazing! I’ll be working with Jaco Pastorius, Charlie Parker, Art Tatum, and Buddy Rich, and you’re telling me it’s not that great of a gig?
“Well…” Saint Peter, hesitated, “God’s got this girlfriend who thinks she can sing…”
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Thanks, Billy.
If anything happens to the Parker, I'll definitely survive. I'll find another light weight guitar that I can put P-Rail pickups in. The majority of the tone is in the pickups.
A damp, soft, cloth is working pretty well, I think I'm going to leave it at that.
I never heard of Tom Anderson guitars before, so I checked it out, and there are some beautiful guitars on their site.
Summer has been brutal, with afternoon rains and heat index numbers in the 100s, so the crowd at the beachside gig has been slight.
The owner is killing all Monday through Friday afternoon entertainment until the season returns in the fall. He gave us Saturday and Sunday mornings (breakfast) entertainment to keep us on the payroll. We've been doing Sundays for a while and we built up a regular crowd, I hope we can do the same on Saturday (we like to make the venue money, it's good for job security).
The other resort we gig at in the summer is in the evening, also outdoors, but plenty of cover, so it's rain or shine.
One-nighters are pretty few and far between all summer, as most of our condos, yacht clubs, and country clubs have many members 'up north'.
El nino years bring a heavier rainy season. It's bad for gigging, but good for a lot of other people.
So I get one more day per week to clean the guitar, work on new songs, and work on new BiaB products.
Notes ♫
Last edited by Notes Norton; 06/27/23 08:14 AM. Reason: Typo. I'm TYPOMAN, writing all wrongs :D
Bob "Notes" Norton Norton Music
https://www.nortonmusic.com
100% MIDI Super-Styles recorded by live, pro, studio musicians for a live groove
& Fake Disks for MIDI and/or RealTracks
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Hey! I've got a few tips for you. For a nitrocellulose lacquer finish like yours, using a soft, lint-free cloth slightly dampened with water is best. Gently wipe the areas where your arm rests to remove dirt, perspiration, or dust buildup. Avoid using harsh chemicals or abrasive materials that could damage the finish. That must help! Remember to dry it thoroughly afterward to prevent moisture damage. I also clean my new flutes that way. So, hope it helps!
Last edited by HarayokaWa; 07/03/23 09:56 PM.
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Thanks.
Follow up:
A damp cloth made it 'good enough' and since I'm still playing outdoors all summer, I'll wait until autumn to try something stronger.
Notes ♫
Bob "Notes" Norton Norton Music
https://www.nortonmusic.com
100% MIDI Super-Styles recorded by live, pro, studio musicians for a live groove
& Fake Disks for MIDI and/or RealTracks
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Ask sales and support questions about Band-in-a-Box using natural language.
ChatPG's knowledge base includes the full Band-in-a-Box User Manual and sales information from the website.
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