Ok boys, calm yourselves.

My system, which gets most of its plays when I'm not playing music...

Headphones: Grado SR60s. I'm always wearing these in the office.

Speakers: Usher S520s
You can read the epic saga behind these speakers, and my in-depth introduction to the woes of hi-fi here:
The System is Down

I use Blue Jean Cables, one of the coolest hi-fi purchases I ever made:
Cables are Like Cholesterol

(and in case you wanna keep following the story, here's how I solved my speaker troubles: Paperclip Transmission)

For about 4 years now, I've been listening to vinyl records, going through phases of intense record swapping, buying, and playing to times where I dont even lift the dust-cover. My Analog playback involves a Rega P1 and the Bellari VP129 phono preamp. Read more about my first encounter with the Bellari, an experience that truly stuck with me: A Change of Plans

The truth is, most of my music playback comes from CDs and my iPod, cause i'm a sucker for convenience. My CD player is an Oppo DV970-HD. Y-Cable into my amp for the iPod.

Finally, for amplification, I use the Cambridge Audio 540a v2 integrated amplifier.

I'll post a pic sometime soon.

BTW, none of this gear means shit compared to the real thing!

I am totally digging the Les Paul Nice sunburst finish.

I play an Eric Johnson signature Strat. 2 Tone burst w/maple fretboard.

thanks for the pic.

Mark

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I play an Eric Johnson signature Strat. 2 Tone burst w/maple fretboard.

Ah Via Musicom is a timeless record. I can put that thing on anytime and listen to it for weeks straight Johnson is such a great player with a very unique approach to his scale form and and interesting guitar choices for his sound (along with that oh-so-smooth strat - your guitar must be like butter - , he also uses a 335 a lot--imagine playing at his speed on a big-ass hollowbody...ugh, it hurts my head).

I will say though that I saw a video of Johnson recently in a free-form jazz/blues jam, and his chops were top-notch but his jam sensibilities were not complementary to the tune as I wished they were. He stuck with licks, kind of ignoring the funk that was happening.

Either way, he's still one of my heroes.

Now you know you are bating me to come to Alabama to record you, don't you??????????? You aren't that far, you know.

HMMMMM!

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I play an Eric Johnson signature Strat. 2 Tone burst w/maple fretboard.

Ah Via Musicom is a timeless record. I can put that thing on anytime and listen to it for weeks straight Johnson is such a great player with a very unique approach to his scale form and and interesting guitar choices for his sound (along with that oh-so-smooth strat - your guitar must be like butter - , he also uses a 335 a lot--imagine playing at his speed on a big-ass hollowbody...ugh, it hurts my head).

I will say though that I saw a video of Johnson recently in a free-form jazz/blues jam, and his chops were top-notch but his jam sensibilities were not complementary to the tune as I wished they were. He stuck with licks, kind of ignoring the funk that was happening.

Either way, he's still one of my heroes.

Absolutely Ariel. I totally agree. I must say that this is one Fender that stays in tune which is rare for a Strat. The 12" radius is extra nice. One of the things I dig about EJ is the fact he loves old vintage gear, I found out that he has two of Hendrixs' Dallas arbiter fuzz faces, the ones made in England. Two years ago I was fortunate enough to get him to sign the back of my headstock in Atlanta, we rapped for awhile about his old Dumble amp that he once played through and the new Hendrix Marshall amp that he is now using. And yes, running up and down the neck of a 335 playing those pentatonic scales makes my hand cramp just thinking about it. lol!

My next guitar will be a Les Paul. I am liking the new Warren Hayes model. I played one through a Hughes&Kettner TriAmp mk II Alex Lifeson head. Man! that thing sings! I think the Les Pauls and H&K amps are a great match.

Oh! congrats on the Stereophile gig. good luck. I think Stephen M. mentioned you were in a band. It would be cool to hear some of your chops.

Peace,
Mark

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My next guitar will be a Les Paul. I am liking the new Warren Hayes model. I played one through a Hughes&Kettner TriAmp mk II Alex Lifeson head. Man! that thing sings! I think the Les Pauls and H&K amps are a great match.

Very good info to know about H&K. Currently playing through a Mesa Boogie 5:25 Express. Also, two more of my favorite guitarists (Haynes! seen gov't Mule live too many times to count... and Lifeson taught me an endless amount about making your guitar sound like house through composition)

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Oh! congrats on the Stereophile gig. good luck. I think Stephen M. mentioned you were in a band. It would be cool to hear some of your chops.

Peace,
Mark

Thank you very much. I am very happy to be part of the team.

You can hear my most recent recording with my band Heroes of the Open End here: www.myspace.com/heroesoftheopenend

My skills have greatly accelerated since this recording, but there are still a few moments I'm proud of. Would love to hear what you think.

Ariel,

Just got through listening to 'NY Afterparty' and 'The Inevitable Movement'

Man! Those tunes jam. It sounds like you guys have been together for quite some time. Great tempo. The guitar solo in that tune was killer. What delay pedal were you using on that solo? sounds nice.

The lead singer gave me a Lou Reed/Modern English vibe. nice to hear that style of vocals again.

The Inevitable Movement, I like that one probably the best. killer Bass line, and your solo in that was excellent especially the riffs at the end. Do you use analog effects or digital, or have a digital rack? My dream rack would be a Bob Bradshaw w/the custom pedal board controller, maybe if I win the lottery

Again, Great tunes, you guys shouldn't have no problem making it bigtime.

peace,
Mark

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Man! Those tunes jam. It sounds like you guys have been together for quite some time. Great tempo. The guitar solo in that tune was killer. What delay pedal were you using on that solo? sounds nice.

Thank you very much. We actually just got a new bass player, with whom we've been rehearsing with for about a month and a half now. Upon making that recording, that lineup of the band had been together for 5 months. Mike (the singer) and I have been chipping away at this band and just figuring out how to do it right for about 2 years.

Delay Pedal: as simple as they get, a Boss DD-3 - has never let me down.

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The Inevitable Movement, I like that one probably the best. killer Bass line, and your solo in that was excellent especially the riffs at the end. Do you use analog effects or digital, or have a digital rack?

Awesome. Thank you again. That riff at 5:22 of The Inevitable Movement was the first lick I ever wrote for the band and has stuck forever.

My pedal board is the following: Boss TU-2 Tuner, 2 Ibanez Tube Screamers (one a 90s reissue), Boss DD-3 Delay, Boss PS-5 Super Shifter, Electro Harmonix Octave Multiplexer and Small Stone, and Ernie Ball Volume Pedal.

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Again, Great tunes, you guys shouldn't have no problem making it bigtime.

Hope so!

Here's a pic of my system:

You got some great effects pedals.. the DD3 is a tried and true delay, Boss pedals and EH gear is in a class all by themselves IMHO.. Thanks for the pic on your home audio gear.

My rig in this chain:

FullTone 70's FuzzFace - modded w/ real NKT-275 germanium transistors.
EH Deluxe Memory Man: echo,chorus,vibrato.
MXR Dynacomp.
Dunlop classic Wah pedal.
A/B switching box between amps.

Clean tone - Fender '65 re-issue Twin Reverb
Dirty rythmn/leads - Marshall 100w solid state head , Marshall 4x12 cab w/ Celestion 20w greenbacks

se ya round the forum Ariel

peace,
Mark

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Little did I know when I got curious about Ariel's equipment we'd end up in guitar land, none of which I understand as my instrument's the pipe organ.
Anyhow Ariel, great speakers but your turntable is way too close to that right hand one.

Sorry - i think every one of my conversations eventually goes to guitar land.

Thanks for the advice. Unfortunately, 1.5 feet from the right speaker is a door, and I couldn't risk knocking into it everytime I walk in by shifting it around with the bookshelf to it's right. Plus, I greatly enjoy my room's aesthetic balance. You can't really tell, but in front my speakers is approx 2.5 ft of space, then my bed and thats my whole room (plus some records at the foot of my bed.)

You need to get rich

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You need to get rich

I'm looking for investors to the 'Ariel Bitran' fund. Interested?

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OH, and what's this thing ? :_

That is the Bellari VP129 Tube Phono Preamp. It sounds like honey.

You can read about my initial experience with it here

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What are you selling honey?

my guitar skills

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Handled by the right person they could be worth a fortune.

Absolutely DM. Hit that link Ariel has provided and you can hear Ariels righteous guitar riffs.

Odd though that on a forum devoted to hi-fidelity we're making musical judgments from compressed files. HMMMM!

Good observation there DM.

Mark

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I have and although I'm no connoisseur of rock I'm impressed.
Odd though that on a forum devoted to hi-fidelity we're making musical judgments from compressed files. HMMMM!

Thank you very much. Just to be sure, the link in my signature below is now corrected (it was previously linking to my old music page).

Also, if you're on facebook, your support is appreciated. Also, I think the Music Player on Facebook is a little better quality: Heroes of the Open End on Facebook