carl's custom guitars

lowell rocks. it's been one of the most rewarding discoveries about my adopted home city, and something that has also inspired me to ignore other people's so-called better sense and touch music as eagerly as i would savor it with my ears. (i love my gretsch and my kala, even if i can't play them nearly well enough to keep from wanting to cry whenever i hear someone who really can). so longtime readers may recall the new guitars and new ukuleles from birthday's past, (divorced guys happily have to get and do things for themselves), but they and you ain't heard nothin' yet. merry christmas to me!

yesterday i picked up my new/old fender blues jr amp from carl's custom guitars, where it had undergone a lightning-fast transmogrification into something truly remarkable. those of you who may have heard a fender blues jr may know from which i speak, but those of you who have not heard a fender blues jr singing from amidst one of carl's custom, hand-built, fully dove-tailed, pine wood cabinets have more to which to look forward--very much more.

from its stock fender press-board cabinet, this amp sounded sweet. the tubes create a sound that is both warm and strong, as well as full and fully remarkable. but nestled within this snug and solid, hand-built wooden cabinet, the tubes literally take flight and sing--the tone is nothing short of incredible. the whole box itself becomes part and parcel of the speaker and the sound, and from anywhere in the room it puts a bear hug on you like your very own kick-ass rock and roll mother. or, mic your uke, and it embraces you like the warmest, softest woman you have ever wanted to know.

if you like making your own music, you're going to love making it through this baby. and, even if you don't, it's going to look great in your living room, even if all it does is sit there. but, you know, if anyone who knows ever comes over and sees it, they're not going to be able to resist plugging in. like joy in a box this is.