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The Big Al Good Mojo thread

Big Al

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Apr 24, 2002
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14,537
That really does look cool. I know they are not as popular but I have always just loved the MINI HUMBUCKER. Such a nice blend of tone and power. I wish people would quit trying to make them into PAF's. They are thier own thang. I don't see how any guitar player who spends time with them can't find worthy tone.:dude:
 
Y

yeti

Guest
That really does look cool. I know they are not as popular but I have always just loved the MINI HUMBUCKER. Such a nice blend of tone and power. I wish people would quit trying to make them into PAF's. They are thier own thang. I don't see how any guitar player who spends time with them can't find worthy tone.:dude:

One of the best sounding guitars I've ever played was a '64 Epi Riviera. It was also one of the most abused guitars I've ever seen but that's another story. Are these mini's pretty much all the same?
 

Big Al

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Apr 24, 2002
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One of the best sounding guitars I've ever played was a '64 Epi Riviera. It was also one of the most abused guitars I've ever seen but that's another story. Are these mini's pretty much all the same?

For the most part. Firebird Minis are all over the place.
 

Texsunburst59

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Joined
Feb 15, 2004
Messages
765
Hey Big Al, I just wanted to show you the used and abused case this LP Deluxe lives in. They've both been through hell and they're still together. They're both hanging in there just like you.

12744075815_606db5e212_b.jpg
 

Big Al

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Apr 24, 2002
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Wilko, nobody "dreams" of me. The correct term is nightmare!! :laugh2:
 

Big Al

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Apr 24, 2002
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Well, both are in better shape and look better than me!!!!

Something about real wear and tear, just seems too ooze the play me vibe. So honest and real.
 

kharrison

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May 18, 2006
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4,225
Hey Big Al, I just wanted to show you the used and abused case this LP Deluxe lives in. They've both been through hell and they're still together. They're both hanging in there just like you.

12744075815_606db5e212_b.jpg

That case is a bonus and just adds to the overall coolness of this guitar.:yah
 

Big Al

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Apr 24, 2002
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I like it.

I am jonesin' for a clean, original tobacky Deluxe.
 

FretsAlot

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Jan 22, 2003
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931
I like it.

I am jonesin' for a clean, original tobacky Deluxe.

I've been recently keeping my eyes peeled for an all/mostly original mini-hum Deluxe from the 70's. What's the current take on a fair price for such a git? A very mildy worn tobacco ('75/'76?) in very nice appearing shape showed up in a local shop, and the asking price is $3K which my sixth sense says is too much.

Fretsalot/Scott
 

Reverend David

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Dec 12, 2003
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Big Al - I hate reading this news regarding the cancer and I don't know much about you & all that you are dealing with & not real sure you want to hear from someone who hardly knows all the history behind your battle with this monster or not. But I have to chime in and let you know my thoughts are with you and whether you believe or not isn't important as that I want you to know I am praying for you and those closest to you and who truly love you & who know you better than a bunch of musicians on a forum.

All my best brother.

Dave

*edited as I think I may have rambled on too long here
 
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lanman

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Mar 17, 2005
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Big Al - I hate reading this news regarding the cancer and I don't know much about you & all that you are dealing with & not real sure you want to hear from someone who hardly knows all the history behind your battle with this monster or not. But I have to chime in and let you know my thoughts are with you and whether you believe or not isn't important as that I want you to know I am praying for you and those closest to you and who truly love you & who know you better than a bunch of musicians on a forum.

I have lymphoma and I have been battling it for a few years now so I can relate to a part of your struggle on a personal level. I also lost my Mom to cancer so I guess it's a family thing. I'm guessing here that we're both sharing one thing - and that is that neither of us wanted to know cancer or have any personal knowledge of it in the first place.

About 15 years ago I worked as a Critical Care Tech in the Neurological Intensive Care Unit of the largest hospital here in Des Moines. I only lasted there a couple years because quite frankly the job got depressing. I ended up quitting at the end of one particularly grueling day. Of course you had to be pretty damn messed up to be put in that ICU so as you could imagine the death rate was quite high. I don't share that to be morbid or make you feel worse - I share that because I wanted you to know what I experienced there and some of the things I learned there.

Since I was so low on the seniority list as a newer employee, I had to work the all night shift. This gave me a unique opportunity to chat up some of the smartest doctors on the planet. Brain surgeons, cardiologists, all the really smart people because it was quiet at night. Families had mostly gone home or those who stayed with their loved ones had gone to sleep in their rooms alongside their loved ones. So it was quiet and it gave all of us that worked there the chance to visit at length with people we'd normally have to have an appointment to talk to even briefly.

I witnessed a lot of miracles there. People who should have died, or should have not survived a horrible car wreck or gun shot wound or other various acts of violence or accidents - walked out of that unit and went home. No I don't mean "heaven" I mean they went home to their house, their families, their dog, etc. When I and other medical staff would ask those doctors & surgeons "how is that possible?" These things did not make any sense whatsoever to those of us who were well trained in the business of life and death and who should make it and who more than likely would not make it.

The doctors surprised all of us by admitting the facts of medicine. Even with all the advances that are made every day in new treatments and cures and technology, the doctors, even the brain surgeon, admitted that there total knowledge only amounted to about 5% of why many of these folks survived. There were things that happened there that defied understanding, defied all odds or common sense of any kind. Despite the best of the best technology and knowledge much of what they do for us is educated guess work. The rest is up to variables they don't understand and they in many many cases are just as baffled as we were when someone who wasn't supposed to last the night, walked out of ICU a few weeks later on their own power and will.

I hope that regardless of what you have been told, or experienced or been cancelled out of this program or that treatment that you surprise all those educated well meaning folks and beat this crap and make liars and fools out of all of them. Keep on rocking my friend. You're hardly done here. I need to get to know you better so I can pick on you too right along with everyone else here. All my best brother.

Dave

:dude:
 

shred

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Nov 13, 2003
Messages
4,667
Stumbled across these great pics of Bad Betty and couldn't resist... What a killer top :dude:

BTW check out the story... I can't believe Gibson was going to destroy this 70's beauty... Fortunately, Big Al to the rescue :biggrin:

http://www.lespaulforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=82324

Hey, some of the long time members may have remembered me posting about Bad Betty, a 70's era flametop I got when I was at Gibson Kalamazoo, in 1978.

It has a three piece Mahogany neck, small headstock with Norlin Logo and no volute, with a full round 59 neck profile. The neck shape is identical to the average 59 and is not so fat as the newer R9's.

It has the proper red tortoise side dots and thin fingerboard binding but has the standard 70's perimeter binding, wide in the cutaway. It has the right body shape and has the early 70's modified long tenon which ends at the pickup cavity and is visable along the front edge of the pickup rout.

It has a two piece top of awesome Maple which has lots of flash and movement. It actually looks like completely different tops from different angles. There is a thin maple layer sandwiched between top and body visable in the routs.

The top carve is Norlin Dome, she has an ABR1 bridge and all hardware was Gold when I got it as it had a stock Viceroy Brown Finish which allways came with gold hardware. I've never seen another Standard in this finish.

Here are some shots.
2544_p34878.jpeg
2544_p34879.jpeg


She has a 1978 serial# that was stamped over the inked on number it originaly had. Gibson stamped the number into the back of the headstock for inventory reasons as it was marked for destruction at the plant and the only way I could buy it was if they stamped a new number into the headstock. It was also stamped "SECOND" so I could buy it. All I know for sure is that it was made some years earlier, and most probably for Strings and Things.

It is a wonderful guitar and though not particularly authentic to 50's specs at the time it was very cool, and still is.
 
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shred

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Nov 13, 2003
Messages
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Here's something a little different for you Big Al... As much as I love Les Pauls, variety is the spice of life... 3 cool maple top/mahogany neck & body guitars in primary colors yet: Suhr Modern, Gibson R8 & PRS McCarty Hollowbody...

DSCF2329_zpsaf2a1380.jpg


If you haven't done so yet, please post a guitar and/or some kind words for Big Al :2cool
 
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sonar

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Jan 10, 2003
Messages
3,589
You guys have all (well not all, there are some knuckleheads), been helpful too me. In ways you'll never know. :salude :dude: :bigal :hank

Classic Big Al.

I was really happy when you came back to the LPF after a long layoff and have learned to appreciate your posts in the here and now. Every day is a blessing.

Keep fighting Big Al.
 

mbowen

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Mar 6, 2009
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Glad you are hanging in there Big Al,and love your saved LP above.Thanks Mike B.
1967-1955-1966
 
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