Tweed Couch Guitar Therapy Session

The magnificence of a big stage. The PA, lights, smoke, and the size that allows you to be able to move and perform with high energy. Of course a small stage has its charm too. Generally it means a more intimate crowd, more accessibility to the audience, and less pressure to perform visually.  But which stage is better? Does it affect your gear choices? Is there more pressure on a certain stage? S...

I love this festival! I love playing music at this festival. I love bringing my family. I love the community. I love this festival! Of these 25 years of Lifest, I have been to 17 of them in Oshkosh, WI. In 2000 I was there to play with Echelon. 2004 - 2007 I played with Second Adam. 2008 I played with Echelon & Lynn Stoneking. And from 2012 - now, I have driven the 1300 miles up to play with E...

The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Yardbirds, U2, Queen, Brad Paisley. What do they all have in common? They are part of the story of the iconic tone that is Vox Amplification. Starting out, I was a Fender guy. Early professional, I made my way to Vox Modeling amps. Professional, I rocked a Marshall half stack. Now I play them all when I can but when I fly into a gig I generally ask for Vox. Of...

My first guitar pedal was a Visual Sound Jekyll & Hyde. My second was a Dunlop Crybaby Wah. Then I jumped over to the world of modulation and pedal building. As my pedal needs grew and my situations changed. It didn’t take long before I realized that I took longer to set up than the drummer and I needed to speed up which started me on the journey of finding the perfect pedalboard. But how do you l...

Gigs are great. Fly gigs are special. Weekend events are amazing. Doing all 3 with some of your best friends in the world… priceless. Of course getting a gig, with fantastic gear and tone, is only one part of what makes touring special. Doing all this in a different region or town where you get to take in the sights, food, and visit a few guitar shops along the way is pretty awesome as well.   But...

There are many reasons why someone picks the gear they have. Influence, recommendation, budget, necessity… but at the end of the day, the gear that is picked creates your tone. Of course after a few decades of playing and some transitions in life you may find yourself a gear hoarder and what you have created is a timeline of tone. But why did we purchase this gear in the first place? Is there a go...

Sometimes you just feel claustrophobic. You go one direction in tone… then another… then another. You join new bands, you scratch the itch of the new gadget, you find a deal you can’t pass up… years go by and then you see it and you feel it. Cluttered and Claustrophobic.  Now I realize this is a blessing and I also realize that this is a first world problem. So today we will talk about my recent G...

I’ve said it for years, “Failure IS an option”. Most people hate this statement but it’s true. Of course I’d rather see success and sometimes things are out of your control but nevertheless… It is an option. Another statement I often remember saying was, “If you fail to plan. Then you plan to fail”. It is because of these statements that today we will discuss the failures we have seen, what we did...

90’s country made a positive mark on me. I loved the stories they told, the sense of pride they carried, and the twangy stringed instruments. Of course Country wasn’t always like this. Country music pioneers, for better or worse, created new sounds and new tones by mixing genres in order to infiltrate and widen their market. People like Conway Twitty & Johnny Cash paved a way for 90’s country...

There is no denying the ease of use of a modeler when recording. Sure there is an argument of simplicity when you put a mic in front of a speaker, hit record and let it be what it is… but there are downfalls of the analog situation too. Amps are bigger, have less options, more noise artifacts, and of course the elephant in the room… sheer loudness in order to get the tubes cooked and the speakers...

If you are listening to this then you have probably been there. You sit down to watch a movie and somewhere in there you see guitar gear. From Tom Hanks’, That Thing You Do to Rob Reiner’s Spinal Tap… nothing is more engaging, entertaining, and aggravating to a guitarist than a movie with guitar gear. But what does Steve Vai, Ralph Macchio & Brittany Spears have in common? Did Back to the Futu...

Ah the age old debate.. Is tone really in the fingers? From the grip of the neck to the pluck of a string. This debate has been heard time and time again. Of course the gear has to play a part too, right? I have been told that a 51 Nocaster is magical and a 59 burst is godly and if the right Marshall Plexi gets cranked to 11 then “ultimate tone” is achieved. But where does most guitar tone come fr...

It is hard to believe that nearly 3 years ago I started a podcast because all of my bookings had been canceled and I missed my music friends. Now that the gigs have started to return I thought about stopping this podcast and moving on with life. But when I returned to gigging, what I didn’t expect was a stronger connection with the people I talk and play with a handful of times a year. Of course t...

Live music is amazing. I remember listening to Van Halen on the radio and thinking they were good but wasn’t sure what the fuss was about. Then I saw them live. At that moment I knew I was missing out on an important element of a band… the performance. But big rock concerts are more expensive and difficult to get to nowadays. This is why a quality cover band is a special breed. They focus on music...

The term best is always subjective. Best for the price, best for the size, best for this sound… what we really mean is best for myself in this situation. With that said. This is why it is important to have a conversation with someone who speaks your language and can help you organize your thoughts. Today we do this with a Worship Leader who wants to buy a great all in one amp & pedal modeler f...

It has been another year of Podcasting, Gigs, Gear, and Videos. Of course, with this being the the end of a new year comes time to reflect on the past and look to the future. But did we accomplish all of our goals? Do we have new gear on the horizon? How well did the podcast do last year? Are we really in the top 15% of most followed podcasts? How did the 2022 resolutions go? How did I rescue a hi...

I love having a place I can call my own. Not just because it gives me a place to house my gear but because it gives me a place to take pride in. From the guitars on the wall to the knick knacks and memories. This Guitar Sanctuary is mine. I recently visited Lloyd at his converted Corn Crib, His Music Making Shred Shed, and today we talk about the place and the gear that is stored in it. But what m...

Today on the Tweed Couch we are counseling on “Mystery Stocking 2022… Strikes Back” Way back in 2020, episode 22, Jason and I did the Premier Guitar Mystery Stocking. We got some cables, shirts, straps, coupons, and a GloKnob. It was a lot of fun and we vowed to do it again the next year. Unfortunately we missed out the next year… but not in 2022! Today we will unbox and discuss this mystery stock...

There is no question that Bob Dylan has inspired many musicians over decades of playing. From his musical style to his lyrics he has a sound and flavor all his own. Of course other bands have covered his songs. Within the unique identity of the Byrds, Hendrix, and even Rage Against the Machine there is the soul and stink of Bob Dylan. Now he’s not just a Musician. He is also an artist and a whiske...

Nothing in guitar is more personal than the guitar itself but there are many factors that play into it. One of the big ones is string gauge. Whether you have a heavy hand or a light touch the gauge of a string can sculpt your tone and change your thinking. But does the gauge of string really matter? How does it affect feel? Does the brand matter? How does it change tone? What are the pros and cons...

Well here is a week where I had some time but no one to Podcast with so I will discuss a common ailment that plagues a musician. As mentioned already… I am not a licensed therapist… or at least a licensed mental therapist. I am a licensed Physiotherapist, Educator, and Doctor of Chiropractic. In the state of Texas I have the education and certification to diagnose, treat, and educate conditions as...

There are many things in life that bring us enjoyment. Good food, a loving family, a new piece of gear, a podcast… and there are parallels to why we enjoy these things equally but different. Well today Lloyd has a list and would like to discuss, and convince me, of the parallels he has found between Cigars and Guitars. But how do you compare two completely different objects? Is it okay to enjoy bo...

Most people will probably stop listening at this point but wait… I think it is important to cover this subject. From the instruments, to the artist, to the reason why it changed… The Evolution of Modern Worship holds many properties of non-worship styled music. But… What are the deciding factors? Do acoustic instruments sound as good as electric? When did lights and fog become a thing? Should we p...

Icons like The Who, Aerosmith, Rolling Stones, Beatles, and ZZ Top are really getting up there in age. As time went on…Van Halen, Guns N Roses, Black Crows, and the Foo Fighters moved that torch and kept Rock N Roll alive. Now we lack the mojo of old and it leaves us wondering… is rock dying figuratively and literally? But… who’s still playing old school rock? How old are these bands getting? Are...

Back in the day I played Danelectro mini’s, the Visual Sound Jekyll & Hyde, & Vox Wah’s. Years later I started to dabble in pedal building with Build Your Own Clone. As time moved on, so did my needs, and I went to multi effects. Now I am all over the place but ready to get back into the pedal world. But what’s out there? Does it have to be boutique? Is True Bypass still a thing? Does the...