CitroJim's AX, C3 Picasso, Cycling and Running Tales

[CitroJim]

May have to skip it this week as I've got my eye on a 6 string Eko ranger.

Sweet Worth skipping for a nice guitar

[elma]

That's what I'm thinking. I've had to stop playing the 12 string until it's repaired so I need something to play along to the records on.
It's a guitar more than I intended to own but a telecaster, an acoustic and a 12 string will be a nice setup.
Only problem is there's wood left over from the Tele and i fancy a strat with a one piece neck too.

[CitroJim]

James, guitars are like Xantias, bikes or vintage wirelesses - you can never have too many

[elma]

Well I have one more now. Work paid my expenses earlier than I expected so I picked up the Ranger 6, it sounds lovely and it fits me really well. Much easier to play than the 12 string as well so probably better for me to relearn on. Just sat strumming now and watching that Barn Owl doing more flybys. The more I play it the more excited I am about the Telecaster.
I'm prity kitted out musically now with the B&O, the amp, the guitars and the families Roland Digital Piano on the way. It'll be very handy as it records, loops and can be used as a drum machine. Time to stop buying musical stuff and focus on the enjoying it. Well I need a strap, a capo and a longer lead. Other than that it's time to save, pay debts and throw whatever cash I can at the Xantia, well assuming the Vet doesn't have it first! I've plenty here to keep me entertained now so crisis over.

[Zelandeth]

Elma, I'll have a dig in the morning. Reckon I might have a spare capo floating around. I lost mine, and of course immediately found it the moment I bought a replacement. Really don't need two as I can only play one guitar (badly) at a time.

What's the Ranger 6 like for sound? Always wondered what it would be like. Had my first guitar out for a very brief period earlier this evening, an apparently very much budget Encore (cost me a fiver I think at an auction). Despite the budget price tag it's got a great action and had the respect of a couple of professional musicians who had a shot of it despite their usual daily strummers costing tens (if not hundreds!) of times more. Really deep, bassy tone to it which can more than fill most rooms without needing any form of amplification. It's also exceedingly pretty I reckon. Will have to have a poke around this computer and see if I can find a decent photo of it.

[elma]

Thanks Zel, I'll get back to you on the sound in a few days. It's quite nice but the strings are a bit past their best, lacking Bass and I have no idea which brand but they don't seem quality. I've a set of DR Rare 11s on the way which are my string of choice on an acoustic so I can give a good opinion then. Through the amp it sounds great though, no complaints at all. It's not actually a Ranger though it's a laredo fl cw eq which looks just like a Ranger to me. It was just advertised as Eko Electro Acoustic and I made the assumption.

Impressions are good so far, the neck is the most comfortable I've had on an acoustic to date. Actually better than my old Taylor which was 15/16 size (Big Baby) and I bought for it's comfortable neck. I have girly hands and was used to electric so I always struggled with the width of Acoustic necks. It's set up beautifully and I don't need to adjust the truss rod, neck tilt or anything like that. Even the attonation is perfect. I don't think it's seen any use really, the guy said he bought it and never got the time to play so I wouldn't be surprised if the strings are the factory (rubbish) ones. It even still has the plastic wrappers on the back of the tuners. Speaking of tuners it has a digital one built in which seems accurate and is easy to use.

Own work

Own work

Own work

Own work

[Zelandeth]

Looks nice!

Couldn't track down a photo of any of mine in a reasonable time...so will pull them out tomorrow and snap a couple. Been too long since the electric was out anyway. The full compliment here is...

[] Eko Ranger XII Vintage acoustic (the re-issue, but without the fancy modern stuff like the tuner - think that's basically the difference between the Vintage or not). Full acoustic 12-string.
[] Encore (144-BL I think is the model) 6 string Dreadnought acoustic - and lives up to the name of the body type...that sucker is loud!
[] Thomson made clone of an early 70s Ovation - which to me always sounded far better than the guitar it was based on. That's a six string electro-acoustic (complete with really scratchy tone lot I really need to fix). Can't for the life of me remember the model.
Finally an Ibanez Roadstar (or Roadster... can't remember which off hand) II electric. Debatably the prettiest instrument in the house, and in the right hands it can do the business as well - just remember to wear the shoulder strap as it weighs a ton! Both of the last two I inherited from my father so definitely won't be going anywhere as they're one of the few things that still connects me back to the time before his health went south in the mid 90s.

Plus there's of course the Hammond T-212 organ downstairs which is a good conversation starter if ever there was one!

We've actually got a second Ranger XII here too thinking about it as we bought one for my father only a year or so before he passed away...I should really look for a new home for that one (or pick one out if one plays better than the other!). I do recall de-tensioning the strings before it was packed away though...just can't remember where!

Let's face it...if I ever break a leg, I'll not be stuck for an instrument to perfect my technique on!

Funnily enough, what ability I do have was mostly built over the course of one week a few years ago. Remember that panic over the swine flu outbreak? Guess who caught it and got told not to leave his flat for a week! ...when virtually all my electronics gear was at my parent's place. I felt fine after about a day (felt like a really mild case of the flu to me), but was told to stay put at all costs. I was climbing the walls...so picked up the guitar, and could strum away sounding mostly tuneful by the time I could escape!

[CitroJim]

That's a lovely looking guitar James Well bought!

[elma]

I goofed up a bit with it last night.
Decided to adjust the truss rod and neck tilt, bit of how low can you go.
I thought I had it perfect and incredibly low but today I realise that the e and a strings are buzzing when pressed between frets 3 and 5.
This highlights the difference between the ranger and my guitar, the ranger has adjustable bridge height as well.
It's no big deal, I'll readjust when the new strings arrive. Im ever fiddling and learning about things, just part of the experience. Maybe in this case I should've left it alone but that was never going to happen.
Sorry for taking your blog over Jim, I'll get back on my own soon.

[elma]

Well that's the end of the story for the new guitar. It's rubbish, I'm saving the strings for another one and selling this one on.
The neck moves as you play it because it's held by one central screw.

[CitroJim]

James, no worries about taking over my blog - thoroughly enjoyed it

Well that's the end of the story for the new guitar. It's rubbish, I'm saving the strings for another one and selling this one on.
The neck moves as you play it because it's held by one central screw.

That's a shame

Can you not sell it on at a profit rather than just scrapping it?

[elma]

I've added some extra screws and it will do for now.
The necks the most ridiculous design, I'll put pictures in my blog later.
I rang the distributer as it has a sticker that says its guaranteed for life, they told me to f off and hung up leaving me rather shocked.
I think I'm stuck with it really, I can't sell it on like this except for spares as I suffer from a conscience.
Can't recommend EKO now really, the whole things put me off them.
Terrible shame, on the face of it this is a comfortable and decent guitar but underneath it's prity poor.
Win some lose some I suppose, I did well with the amp, the 12 string and the stereo so I'm winning overall.

[CitroJim]

I think I'm stuck with it really, I can't sell it on like this except for spares as I suffer from a conscience.

You and me both James... It's why I'll always have a certain blue 207 here....

[ekjdm14]

I dunno Jim, I'm sure there's forum members who'd happily buy the Pug of Love knowing it's history provided it's behaved itself for long enough to be tentatively called fixed...

[mickeymoon]

Yes..there is for sure!

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