I was at NAMM this past weekend and picked up on of Shubb’s new F1 models. It’s an old-fashioned “stirrup style” capo, like those popular with bluegrass players. But it has a few upgrades to that design that really set it above the rest (like the McKinney Elliott, which retails for an absurd $135US)
It’s all solid stainless steel, with a large rubber pad on the main brace and two smaller ones on the side to prevent the metal from banging against the sides of the neck. The frame has nice, rounded edges and a very slim profile. I find it less obtrusive than any other capo I’ve ever used, although this is the first stirrup style capo I’ve tried.
The adjustment screw is large and has soft round edges as well. There are numbers engraved into the 6 sides of the screw, which make for a convenient reference when tightening (I now know that I need it set to a 3 when I’m on the 4th fret, for example) The whole thing closes very securely with a jewellers clasp.
I also like that I can store it above the but when not in use. I live with my brother, and he often borrows my guitar and a capo. When he’s done with the capo, he just sets it on the couch or something and then it’s missing for a couple days. Now I can just leave it on the guitar all the time.
It’s quickly becoming my favorite capo, and I’ve been using the classic Shubb model for almost 20 years.
Definitely worth a try if you’ve got the cash and can find one. They aren’t planning to make this a major model, just fulfilling some requests from the players that use this style of capo exclusively (i.e. bluegrassers). Still a very cool, top-notch product.
You can check out the video below, which also includes a lesson on the Fox & the Red Hares song “Restless Soul”, which is available on our debut album.
Haven’t been posting a lot here recently. Ever since the release of the Fox & the Red Hares record, I’ve been a bit burnt out. Still keeping busy though!
The Copy Cats will be at Katie Jakes in Covina this Sunday (December 10th). It’s a short set (just an hour), and pretty early (4:30pm) but it’ll be fun. Then we’ll be at our regular spot, Shady Nook in Brea, on the 16th.
I’ve also been playing with Ramones tribute band The Rockaways recently. It’s always a ton of fun. We’re playing at Bar 1650 in Corona this Saturday, the 9th. We’re closing the evening, but there will be bands playing all night.
Finally, Fox & the Red Hares will be all over SoCal this month. We’ll be at the District Lounge in Redlands on Thursday, the 14th. Then we’ll be at the Doll Hut in Anaheim Saturday, the 23rd with our good buddies Jimi Lewis & the Muckers. Then we’ll be at Lot 1 Cafe in Echo Park on the 29th with our new buddies Countless Thousands!
Oh yeah! F&tRH are also back in the studio! We’ll have a new single out soon!
One of my students is working on this song right now, so I made a video to help him work out the solo.
It’s a pretty great little solo. Nothing spectacular, but it’s just right for the song. An excellent example of major pentatonic phrasing and modesty in soloing.
Really been lagging on the updates recently. November turned into an odd month. I got in a really serious car wreck, and while I wasn’t hurt, it sort of tossed everything up in the air for a while.
Anyways, lots of shows coming up. Fox & the Red Hares are at Mission Final Lounge TONIGHT with the Stillwinter and Aesthetic Perfection. It’s a charity show benefiting the Wounded Warrior Project. We will also be at the Menagerie in Riverside this Sunday (December 6) and the Inland Empire Brewing Co next Friday (the 11th).
I’ll also be making a couple appearances with the Rockaways, who do a Ramones show. We will be at the Doll Hut this Saturday, December 5th, for a food drive, and at Mission Tobacco Lounge on the 19th.
The Copycats and Pro-fé-cia also have some shows in the works for the month, but the details aren’t finalized yet. Check the calendar to keep up to date.
These just keep taking longer and longer to get around to! I do apologize for that, but this one was both tricky and I was distracted with final preparations for the Fox & the Red Hares album. The second half of this one isn’t that bad. I actually learned that part first. The first half (particularly the 2nd 4 bars) is what tripped me up so much. I wanted to recreate exactly what Michael Schenker played here, and I think I’ve got most of it, but there are a couple spots where I just had to give in and say “just wing it.” Lots of people don’t like that attitude, but that’s probably how Schenker approached it in the studio, so there’s no reason doing the same thing here isn’t a valid approach.
Pro-fé-cia has a number of shows coming up next month. We’re playing with our buddies Alvath and Fe De Ratas in Anaheim on the 6th, then with death metal originators Possessed down in TJ on the 21st. Then we’re back in Anaheim at the Doll Hut on the 30th!
I did a couple quick videos for students this past week, so I thought I’d share them here:
First up, a simple solo you can play over Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree”. It’s pretty much a short version of the sax solo that’s in the original version of the song. A good intro to this sort of playing.
Next up is one of the coolest theme songs ever: Dog Pound Hop, AKA the Ren & Stimpy theme song! This solo is quick and cookin’
Tons O’ fun it is!
Fox & the Red Hares will be releasing our debut album (title to be revealed soon) on November 5th at Mission Tobacco Lounge, where we will be joined by our good friends Boyfriend Material and Zentonic. Get yourself to downtown Riverside nice and early and enjoy the art walk, then drop in for a full night of great music!
We will also be making our LA debut a week before, on Friday, October 30th at the Kibitz Room at Canter’s on Fairfax. Boyfriend Material will also be there, along with the Will Miller Band.
Or, for you Orange County folks, come by the Slidebar on Sunday, November 8th for the Geek Meet. We will have our new record and new shirts available.
But what about the Copycats? We’ll be playing our spot, Shady Nook in Brea, this Saturday, October 17th. Then, we’ll be back at Surf Dog’s in Huntington on Friday the 23rd.
Pro-fé-cia’s first US show since April will be this Saturday at the Metal Before Dishonor festival at Club Hydra in Long Beach.
Tons of great bands from near and far, including Taipan, Warbringer, Exmortus, Ohm, and Philm.
