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Winter Sucks!

PostPosted: Sun Feb 15, 2015 8:16 pm
by GuitarMikeB
Something like 76" of snow in the last 3 weeks (doesn't count what came before that). Seasonal average is usually around 48". I've spent more hours moving snow (shovel and snowblower) than playing guitar because my fingers, hands, arms and shoulders are so aching and tired. It does give me the opportunity to work on my mixing, and have retracked some vocals on tunes, as well - when the snow plows aren't making too much noise on the street outside.

I wrote and recorded this song last year when the winter never wanted to end, but have already resurrected it this year:
https://mikebirchmusic.bandcamp.com/track/winter-sucks

Re: Winter Sucks!

PostPosted: Sun Feb 15, 2015 9:35 pm
by Badstrat
I tried but Bandcamp won't let me in because of my browser. I guess the older browsers don't contain enough back doors for them to gleen personal information from me. :) :)

Re: Winter Sucks!

PostPosted: Mon Feb 16, 2015 12:56 pm
by J-HALEY
Wow 76 inches of snow WOW, yeah that does suck Mike! Cabin fever yet? I would play guitar lots. You would be pissed if you knew how nice the weather has been here. You can get me back in a few months when it is 100 degrees here with 100% humidity :P Must be all this manmade global warming. :D

Re: Winter Sucks!

PostPosted: Tue Feb 17, 2015 2:42 pm
by RhythmMan-2
What I don't like about winter, here in Connecticut, is the dry air.
My acoustic guitar gets too dry, and it changes shape a tad.
It makes my strings lower, and they buzz.
So every winter I wind up shimming my bridge.
A humidifier doesn't work for me because I have a wood stove and must keep one window open always.
I have pans of water on my stove and currently am putting about 2 gallons of water into the air, daily.
.
btw - the temperature here last might was 3 degrees below zero.

Re: Winter Sucks!

PostPosted: Tue Feb 17, 2015 6:27 pm
by GuitarMikeB
RhythmMan-2 wrote:What I don't like about winter, here in Connecticut, is the dry air.
My acoustic guitar gets too dry, and it changes shape a tad.
It makes my strings lower, and they buzz.
So every winter I wind up shimming my bridge.
A humidifier doesn't work for me because I have a wood stove and must keep one window open always.
I have pans of water on my stove and currently am putting about 2 gallons of water into the air, daily.
.
btw - the temperature here last might was 3 degrees below zero.


Dryness is always an issue in the winter in the Northeast. I take it you dont' have a room you can shut off and humidfy easily? If not, then use in-case humidifers - many ways to do it, but basically take sponges, soak them then wring them out so they are not dripping, then put them into a baggie with holes cut into it, or into a travel soap container wiht holes punched into it. Put htem in the guitar case, and close it up - it does work! Letting your guitar dry out is not good - even if its laminated but has a solid top, the top will eventually crack.

Re: Winter Sucks!

PostPosted: Wed Feb 18, 2015 9:01 pm
by Planetguy
it's been cold here in MO but at least we haven't seen much snow this winter. mike...my heart goes out to you poor ef-ers up in the NE. Stay safe (that goes for everyone). 8)

Re: Winter Sucks!

PostPosted: Wed Feb 18, 2015 9:15 pm
by RhythmMan-2
Mike, I don't know hat I want to humidify my guitar (say overnight), and then bring it out into my 28% humidity, to play for 3-4 hours.
.
Damp then dry, damp then dry . . . that might be even worse.

Re: Winter Sucks!

PostPosted: Thu Feb 19, 2015 12:50 pm
by schmedidiah
Sorry guys, but this looks like my chance to tell you I've hardly had to wear a jacket at all, this winter.
We had the most mild spring and summer I can remember in 40 years, living here. Makes me wonder what's next....

Re: Winter Sucks!

PostPosted: Thu Feb 19, 2015 1:31 pm
by GuitarMikeB
RhythmMan-2 wrote:Mike, I don't know hat I want to humidify my guitar (say overnight), and then bring it out into my 28% humidity, to play for 3-4 hours.
.
Damp then dry, damp then dry . . . that might be even worse.


Oh, yeah, you do. Guitars don't change instantaneously. It takes hours/days to make any appreciable difference in the wood's moisture content. I never humidified my old Epiphone - solid top, laminated sides/back, and there are noticable cracks from bridge to end now in it. When it's dry, you can hear them buzz a little on certain notes. When it's humidified, the wood expands, closes up the cracks, no buzz.

3 more inches of snow last night. :roll: Supposed to get snow/ice/rain on Sunday, which means I've got to get the snowrake out again and get some of the snow of the carport and shed roofs. It was 4 years ago that my garage roof collapsed from the snow on it.

Re: Winter Sucks!

PostPosted: Fri Feb 20, 2015 2:57 am
by t-Roy and The Smoking Section
I have been stuck in Istanbul Turkey for the last three days because they got a few inches of snow and shut down the airport.

If you ever wondered what hell is like, trying dealing with Turkish Airlines. There were people passing out from standing so long in lines (where they told you to get in a different line after you'd spent 4 hours there)

I almost went totally postal.....then I remembered that movie "Midnight Express"

Re: Winter Sucks!

PostPosted: Fri Feb 20, 2015 4:55 am
by schmedidiah
TheFarleys wrote:Schmed, my son lives in Tempe, he said he rarely wears a coat in the winter.


I know, lots of transplants come in and never wear a coat. And brag about it. And rub it in.
But I'm a native. I actually get cold here. The real fun is the other nine months of the year, when the transplants melt in the heat. And whine. :twisted:

Re: Winter Sucks!

PostPosted: Fri Feb 20, 2015 1:12 pm
by GuitarMikeB
I know I'd melt in AZ in the summer - I was born in Canada, so I'm part snow! :mrgreen:
Spent over 1-1/2 hours yesterday after work raking snow off the shed and carport roofs. My inner elbows hurthtis morning - probably my bulging biceps are straining hte ligaminets. More snow (changing to ice then rain) due Saturday night.

Re: Winter Sucks!

PostPosted: Sat Feb 21, 2015 1:42 am
by Badstrat
Iowa is such a miserable desolate boring place that even the snow didn't want to come here this year. :(