Help is on the way

On the way home, I emptied the contents of my wallet on some final close-out items from my local music shop. (And I wonder: where am I going to go for gear and guitar tech help now?) A couple of XLR microphone cables and an el-cheapo (as in $10) microphone stand. They had a couple of really interesting-looking microphone stands, really solidly-built boom stands from Germany, but even at closeout they were $50. (For a microphone stand. Yes, really.)

And then reaching home I realized that, once again, I am an idiot.


You see, when I realised I was going to return the PG57, I did a little eBay shopping. I put lowball offers in on a couple of microphones, one of which (AT2020) was accepted yesterday. Turns out, the other one was accepted earlier this evening. So I'll be adding a Shure PG81 to my closet, even though I was not yet budgeted for two microphones right now. It's a bit of a pickle. Worse, they are both condensors, leaving me without a dynamic mic for vocals.

Combine that with some brimming buyer's remorse for the Mackie -- I still need a decent sound interface to capture the output to my computer, and it just seems like the Mackie isn't as good a fit as I had thought when it comes down to really making it do what I want it to do. And buyer's remorse for both microphones, when I should have just picked up an SM57 and called it a day. Ah well.

But at least now I can absolutely stop looking at microphones for a good long while, because the wallet is closed.

Anyway, I also put new strings on the Washburn, some Martin Acoustic SP "custom light" strings (another closeout purchase from Pearson, R.I.P.). I really, really dislike the sound of all new strings. At least for a day or two, they just sound absolutely "twangy" and metallic as they settle in, and I think it may be a bit worse with this particular set of strings. I was a bit hesitant going lighter than my standard "medium" strings, but these were an in-between: heavier than light, lighter than medium. Turns out that this is just too damned light. But I'll give them a few more days, see how they turn out once they are broken in a bit. But my guess is that I'll be restringing the Washburn again before too long.

New strings on the fretboard, had a good run-through of most of the songs again. My fingers are finally starting to get back into playing shape, even though new strings seem to really cut up my left-hand fingertips. (Did I mention that I hate new strings?)