An Evening At Gassage Towers...

Wazmeister

A few weeks ago, early on a Monday evening, I headed over to meet the legend that is @Gassage in order to purchase a Schmidt Array pedal board from him. We met at his home, and it turned out to be a GAS fuelled evening and an expensive one to boot...

Although he never stopped bloody rattling, I had a great evening playing many of James' vintage guitars, (and liked the '61 Strat a lot) and through his compendium of pedals and amps. He even got me mildly interested in Gilmour...

The real stand out of the whole evening was his original '73 Thinline Tele; this guitar has strong sentimental value to James, and is an absolutes belter. I don't know what makes the mojo in this one... those original Seth Lover PUs certainly help, and it just felt worn, superb and inspirational. Yep, I'm after one of these now...

The other big shock was his original Boss CE-1 Chorus Ensemble; I'm to even a fan  of chorus but this has some magic, and those warm, seductive analogue tones. I've just bought one - hope mine is as good.

I'm not interested in another delay either, but he kindly lent me his SIB Echodrive to "try" (crafty bastard)... by the next morning I'd bought that too. Possibly the best delay pedal ever...

James is knowledgeable, and full of character and passion for life. Good to be around...

Big thanks to James and Ali for the warm welcome and for opening up their home...

Jonathanthomas83

James really is a true gentleman, has always been very helpful when I've had questions about gear. Sounds like a great evening...but it's absolutely meaningless without pictures, so @Gassage, do us a favour and let us see those beautiful guitars - particularly the '61! 

Aidanspaghetti

Hear hear!

tone1

I was under strict instructions to call the Police if I hadn't heard from Waz by Midnight 

Wazmeister

tone1 said:

I was under strict instructions to call the a Police if I hadn't heard from Waz by Midnight 

Tone, it was a close call - I just managed to saw thru the chains 

Sassafras

tone1 said:

I was under strict instructions to call the a Police if I hadn't heard from Waz by Midnight 

Why? It was decriminalised in 1967.

Bridgehouse

Sassafras said:

tone1 said:

I was under strict instructions to call the a Police if I hadn't heard from Waz by Midnight 

Why? It was decriminalised in 1967.

They decriminalised buying excessive quantities of guitar related gear and obsessing about Gilmour in 1967??

Wazmeister

Man, that Thinline was exquisite... 

It was almost the most perfect pick up sound I've heard 

Gassage

Including the 1964 Sonic Blue- the 61 has a pickguard swap.

hotpickups

Something must have rubbed off because soon after I visited James I dreamt I was visiting David Gilmour's house which he was refurbishing and he showed me all is kit he'd accumulated over the years. He even offered me a room in the house to rent lol. David Gilmour's house room that is not James's lol

edit: I'm not that much of a fan of Gilmour's either  

Chalky

hotpickups said:

Something must have rubbed off because soon after I visited James...

Anyone else thinking what I'm thinking? 

hotpickups

Chalky said:

hotpickups said:

Something must have rubbed off because soon after I visited James...

Anyone else thinking what I'm thinking? 

No what are you thinking

Gassage

Chalky said:

hotpickups said:

Something must have rubbed off because soon after I visited James...

Anyone else thinking what I'm thinking? 

You'd be welcome to think, and I understand you're only human and have such desires, but I can assure you it's totally unrequited.

Dan

Had a similar experience recently.

Only went round to collect a speaker and I was there for a couple of hours! Genuinely gobsmacked at all the gear he has got, it was like a religious experience. Just epic.

Definitely gassing now for a Roger Mayer Voodoo Vibe...oh and that blackbird was superb...also the lazy J....then the two strats...tele...oh dear...

James was very welcoming and it was great meeting him.

Wazmeister

Yep Dan, Id forgot to mention the Blackbird - very impressive too.

BintyTwanger77

Is that DRRI in the photo the one with the Cornish mods?

Gassage

BintyTwanger77 said:

Is that DRRI in the photo the one with the Cornish mods?

Yeah- also have fitted a 1967 JBL D120F speaker to it. It's a lovely amp. @jimkehoe wanted something less powerful and the Cornish mod puts out a lot of heft.

BintyTwanger77

Gassage said:

BintyTwanger77 said:

Is that DRRI in the photo the one with the Cornish mods?

Yeah- also have fitted a 1967 JBL D120F speaker to it. It's a lovely amp. @jimkehoe wanted something less powerful and the Cornish mod puts out a lot of heft.

The mods basically add a mids control, don't they, or is it a bit more than just that?

Gassage

BintyTwanger77 said:

Gassage said:

BintyTwanger77 said:

Is that DRRI in the photo the one with the Cornish mods?

Yeah- also have fitted a 1967 JBL D120F speaker to it. It's a lovely amp. @jimkehoe wanted something less powerful and the Cornish mod puts out a lot of heft.

The mods basically add a mids control, don't they, or is it a bit more than just that?

It's a 6dB Mid boost. Pretty vicious.

Wazmeister

Incoming...

 

Gassage

Wazmeister said:

Incoming...

 

That looks marginally earlier than mine due the larger high/low switch and the non-chromeline around the LED's and level control.