This song brought the love back playing guitar. Ron Thal

Heard this while streaming and knew right away the cat was using a fretless from my years hanging with Ed Degenaro and then found out it was Thal with the new band Sons of Apollo. Years ago while hanging with Ed at the knitting Factory in NYC and with Cliff Cultreri at his pimp Long Island recording studio Ed would look at me blasting through scales and shake his head sating you have no feeling, the guitar is the next evolution from the sax and you are playing shit. Was fun playing a strat owned by Jimi Hendrix though.

He was right. Ed where ever you are thanks for everything you have taught me about playing guitar bro.

Thal's solo is insane, his intonation is so good and the solo made me look at my Johnnie Walker Blue and yes a tear was running down my face. So my self imposed limit of 14 guitars was just expanded by one. Yeah I could take the flush pullers out and create one with what I have but no way, this bitch needs a new build and I will be ringing Chubtone with an insane request but one that must be fulfilled. Round wounds and metal fretboard Curt if you are reading this, I know you can do this. Vigier is too expensive right now.

Thank you Ron Thal, your work has reignited the flame.

Agreed, he is definitely taking a different path, when was the last time something new inspired me? Been a long time.
I miss Ed around these parts, he was a true musician, and a wealth of knowledge to peeons like myself. Hope he is well and doing what he loves

Bumblefoot is one of the best there is. Opening for him is probably the coolest show I have ever played, and his performance was the most impressive thing I have ever seen from a musician, both vocal and on guitar.

Ron has set the bar way up for most of us...His solo albums are pretty cool and he sings quite good.

His playing at the Randy Rhoads Tribute gig was great and he was using a fretless Vigier,maybe the one he's using here.

So happy to hear this Scott! I have had a difficult time as of late playing guitar as I have been dealing with some personal things. I need to remember to self care more and seek out opportunities to find inspiration. Guitar is so important to me and I need to find ways to incorporate it into my daily life.

gibson5413":13o1xt3a said:

So happy to hear this Scott! I have had a difficult time as of late playing guitar as I have been dealing with some personal things. I need to remember to self care more and seek out opportunities to find inspiration. Guitar is so important to me and I need to find ways to incorporate it into my daily life.

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Chad! Sorry to hear you are still going through some times and hope that you can find a way to keep through them.

Yeah I have been messing around not really getting anywhere in particular with a metric pile of crap and that video really did something. I am determined to learn it somehow. Been emailing Chubtone and the crazy bastard just may make it. Can't spring for a Vigier as they are damn near $4000.

Be well my friend.



Scotty

Just an update to what a freak Chubtone is; he has accepted to build my fretless guitar after some research and several shots of brown liqueur. This is my 6th fiddle from Chubtone and with his history of Charvel builds and being the monster player he is it is a no brainer to give him the build. Lee Graver would be my other preferred builder but Curt and I go back probably 10-12 years now and nobody I have worked with is more honest.

Anyways down the deep spiral of darkness here is the build so far,

Fret board will be Ebony or Bloodwood depending on sourcing of Bloodwood. I am thinking of marine grade urethane over the board to make it more glassy feeling than a Thai hooker during fleet week. I do not want to go with flat wounds and round would start chewing up the board.

Maple neck.

Body is going to be maple, I want that cry and going to need sustain for days.

Charvel Jake E Lee fixed bridge

Pups I am not sorted yet, I hate the fire breathing stuff they make today due to sounding like shit when dialing back the volume but I need sustain. Feel free to chime in but I am not going with some angel dust pup that the name sounds like you are sneezing. Not sure if HH or SH yet.

Locking tuners and brass hardware.

Color will depend on the fret board material.

Curt I wish you luck cutting the nut for this one as the strings are damn near pegged to the board.




Scotty

They play(SOA) at my work in a couple weeks. Can’t wait

That guitar sounds rad and I agree Curt's customer service is tops. I need another one...just like #27.

I've never played a fretless...is string bending difficult or is it such a different beast that typical string bending is a non-issue?

Afwayu? Gesundheit.

SpiderWars":2b1chbb5 said:

That guitar sounds rad and I agree Curt's customer service is tops. I need another one...just like #27.

I've never played a fretless...is string bending difficult or is it such a different beast that typical string bending is a non-issue?

Afwayu? Gesundheit.

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You do not bend strings on a fretless, been yelled about that from Degenaro many times when I tried to play his Vigier. You want a whole step bend you gliss up a whole step.

Bless you.