Photos I

Spartan: 2. austere, rigorous, frugal (Oxford)

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By most standards, including my own, there is not much gear in this photo. You can guess why I’m so excited about getting the Xio. I’m new to the world of synths, forgive me. In fact, I’ve been selling off my guitar collection (I had five) to pay for new gear. The sale of my Telecaster paid for the Xio and several other toys in the photo below, while the sale of my Les Paul Studio will cover an Electribe EA-1mkII (my sister got it) plus a few little other toys, perhaps a Small Stone. What I will buy once my Ovation sells, I have no idea. Still pictured though, is my 1968 Mustang bass, and in the red case in the corner is my 1966 Mustang guitar, the two axes I will not part with. The classical guitar belongs to my wife, Esra. She’s the real musician in the family and head of the Music Department at her school. 

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Here are my small friends gathered round the kitchen table for an evening mini-session (just out of the picture, a can of Efes Pilsen). Yes, that is a Casio VL-1 in the foreground: the King of Cheese (Da Da Da). Found it in a junk shop here for $25 – the shopkeeper didn’t realize just what a treasured classic (?) this is (or the outlandish prices some people ask for these things on eBay.) I use it mostly on picnics, but trust me, the high octave flute run through some serious delay is almost Mellotron sounding.

Speaking of delay, above the Casio is my Boss DM-3. We have been together for 25 years. I will be buried with this pedal. Enough said.

Above the DM-3 is the Gakken SX-150 (you can read my review of it here or here). I’ve dispensed with the stylus and control it with the Big Black Knob™. Run into the Sansamp GT2, the SX-150 is excellent for drones and sweeps.

Beside the Casio is a Yamaha RY-9. It is piece of crap, but it is my piece of crap. You can read my true feelings about it here.

Above the Yamaha is a Behringer MX400 4-channel mixer. Yes, that teeny-tiny thing is a mixer. Damned handy too.

Finally, beside the DM-3 is the Korg Monotron: best thing ever while riding the bus to & from work.

(Also pictured: Boss HR-2 Harmonist, Boss HF-2 Flanger & a pair of Panasonic RP-HT260 headphones)

I hope you’ve enjoyed this little tour.

Peace

TJ