Any suggestions or feedback would be greatly appreciated. I don't want to end up having to leave it in storage at Newark airport.

PS - Jeffrey, Kyle, DRR, or anyone else around the Santa Barbara area, are there any local performances I should be aware of the last weekend in February? Are any of you playing out somewhere nearby that weekend? I did an open mic out near UCSB last time I was out that way. I turned some heads with some slide work in Open G a la Hound Dog Taylor on the Traveler. Lots of fun.

Thanks for the info. I had a feeling you played primarly in Orange County. I would like to catch a Blue Mama show or one of your solo gigs. Point me to the info anyway. You never know. I have a rental with unlimited milage.

I read about the Ball & Sultan stuff awhile back in Acoustic Guitar I think.

Hoodadoo,

I'm still workin' on IGS NY. Major scheduling problems.

I don't have anything in the hopper for playing out in the near future. However, that can change and I'll let you know. If we get something going at Tierney's, the main local music venue, I'll let you know.

Regardless, there's been some good music in town recently. Freedy Johnston and Jack Walrath both performed Friday night.

Yeah, Europe's on the list for a family thing hopefully this year. We have friends scattered around that will host us for a bit. We'll see how that evolves. I'd love to hear you with one of your bands.

If you're crazy for driving that far, David Lindley is at the Coach House in San Juan on Friday, Los Lobos is at the HOB in Anaheim on Friday, and Will Brady, a great local guitar player is at Renaissance Coffee in Tustin on Friday, too.

How do I know so much? I do listings for the OC Weekly. They'll be more info on blues stuff after the first of the month...

Blue Mama is sleeping that weekend, so I'll be doing my coffeehouse thang:

*ALTA COFFEE, 506 31st St., Newport Beach, (949) 675-0233.
Friday February 22th: Dennis Roger Reed is joined by someone to perform hillbilly, yokel, chinless mountain music, 8:30 p.m. - 11 p.m.

*THE GYPSY DEN CAFE & READING ROOM, the Lab, 2930 Bristol St., Costa Mesa, (714) 549-7012
Saturday February 23rd: Dennis Roger Reed is joined by Kevin Gore to… well, you know, 8:30 p.m. - 11 p.m.

Email me if you decide to actually brave enduring the LA traffic and I can steer you towards some excellent restaurants or perhaps we can dine together.

I'll have to be your Santa Barbara rep for the weekend. Yes, Tom & Kenny are up to the usual stuff at Cold Spring Tavern, a great get-away spot up in the hills behind town. I've heard, as Dennis said, that they serve cooked parts of unusual animals as food. (Not Tom or Kenny, but the Tavern). Being a vege, I never partook, but I'll find out, if it interests you. The best open mic event in town is having a little problem staying at the place where it's been held for over three years, so I don't know where it will be then. I'll look for others, but don't know of any near UCSB. When was that? We can jam a bit at my place, too. Let me know the actual dates when you have them worked out. I'll continue to search for other events and keep you posted. BTW, after going thru many effects units myself, I like the PX3 the most. Do you use it on electric or acoustic?

Dennis thanks for your specifics. I’ll check in once I’m situated. If I'm late into LAX (supposed to be there by 12PM), I may try to catch you. Jeffery, thanks for the research and jam offers. I’ll have to see how my schedule shapes up once I’m there as far as a jam goes. Hopefully I can carve out some time that will mesh with your schedule.

I played at a place called Java Jone’s in Isla Vista, on Pardall Road. I kept the clipping from the Santa Barbara News Press. More alternative than anything else, mostly music but there was some poetry/prose reading as well. Nice kids, smoke free, no alcohol, about 30 people. They were a bit surprised when I said that I was traveling through and noticed the listing in the paper. They were even more surprised when I took out the Traveler and one of those little Smokey Amplifiers. It’s about the size of a pack of cigarettes and has a great distorted tone. Plugged straight into the PA from it and roared in Open G (without too much gain!). The sound guy in particular was all over me afterward about the tone.

I like the PX3 as a portable practice device with my Traveler; however, I don’t use it as an effect box with an amp much. I have used it direct into a DAW for some backing track stuff rather using the effects on the computer. The “Eddie” and the “Sommers” settings are pretty good in that scenario, providing a nice delay flavored with other effects. The other effects, especially the Leslie stuff, is to tinny and video game sounding to my ear. If I want an effect, I prefer the original analog device if I have it. If I don’t, I go without.

I have not tried it with an acoustic. Can you recommend something?

Check out www.travelerguitar.com . I think it was also discussed in a thread here awhile back on travel guitars. The actual size picture on the site it very accurate!

They used to be only OEM'ed from Fender by Traveler Guitar with little mention of the connection with the Fender. Looking at their website now, it seems Fender bought them and added them into their product mix. It's kinda cool to discover that I have one of the pre-Fender models.

Dennis, Jeffrey, anything new come up for this weekend in the LA and SB areas? Jeffrey, do you know if Kenny Sultan is playing this weekend at the place you mentioned?

Thanks guys!

This is a good weekend for music here. Yes, Tom Ball & Kenny Sultan are playing at Cold Spring Tavern, followed by Los Blues, a straight up local blues band containing some of my friends. T&K play outdoors about 1 to 4:30 PM and the electric stuff starts inside right after that. I will be there most all of the time. Ask tom or Kenny where I am if you want to find me. If not, I'll understand

Jeffrey, what day is the Cold Spring Tavern gig, Sat or Sun? If I get there I'll definitely try to locate you.

Saturday I am extremely hopeful of attending a rare So Cal appearance of Gene Parsons, former Byrd and co-inventor of the Parsons-White stringbender. He's at the Fret House in Covina on Friday, and in Altadena on Saturday. See http://www.coffeegallery.com/ for more on the venue, and www.stringbender for more on Gene.

OOOPPPSS!!! I forgot to say the day is Sunday.

I am not sure how to describe the size accurately. It is not scaled down the way guitars for kids are. The fret spacing is conventional. I will make some measurements. ...

I spent yesterday afternoon listening to ragtime and blues from Tom Ball and Kenny Sultan. Wow! Very relaxed, no pressure jam at a place they've been playing at for over 20 years. Nice guys too! I bought a couple of CDs and I'm blown away by their playing.

Anyone in the area should make the pilgrimage if they're playing. FYI, unfortunately, the road to get there is one of the most dangereous in CA I hear due to a lethal mix of challenging terrain and alcohol consumption. However, they play early in the afternoon so you may dodge this problem.

Jeffery, it was great to meet you. As promised, I will immortalize your preparedness here and share my moment of need. When driving in to Cold Springs Tavern you need to turn your lights on. Somehow I turned my rental car's lights on so that they did not turn off when I parked. Consequently, after enjoying the playing and saying my goodbyes to Kenny, Tom, and Jeffrey, I returned to my rental car to find a dead battery. I sought out Jeffrey for a recommendation on resolving my problem and within minutes his car and jumper cables were breathing life back into my rental. My parents were very happy that I made it back in time for their birthday party! Thanks again!

Dennis, I'm trying to figure out how to hook up with you. I was hoping to get a signed CD and talk music. Do you eat breakfast early?????