History of my rig

       I figured it would be fun to write about my history when it comes to my performing rigs -- whether it be for effects or even amplifiers or the combo of both and let me tell you, there's been a run of changes.

       In 2002-2004, I had a Boss DS-1, a Crybaby and a Danelectro French Toast Octave Fuzz. It actually wasn't my favorite rig but it did the job I needed it to. I was just on a Squier Strat, mostly playing on 90's Peavey keyboard amps wherever I went unless a Roland Jazz Chorus was around. I always had the distortion effect on the French Toast rolled back because of the excessive distortion for what I was doing back then. My DS-1 was often with the Distortion rolled to about 45% and my Tone setting to the same. I always used the Crybaby strictly for some funky rhythms.

       In 2006, my rig went through a big change. I had an Epiphone Les Paul Special II at the time and my Sinbiote. I switched the old Crybaby for the Dimebag Crybaby From Hell and the Morley Bad Horsie 2. The DS-1 left and I replaced it with the Digitech Bad Monkey and the Grunge pedal. I also included the BOSS CE-5 and the KORG AX3G. I would use these as a means to experiment and try different tones for punk, pop/rock, alternative, metal and prog stuff too. I was also using all this through an old Guitar Research acoustic amp that had built in phase and chorus (both on) while hooked to a Peavey 5150 4x12 cabinet. I eventually replaced that amp with the Crate Power Block in conjunction to the 5150 and that definitely opened more clarity and more messing around.

       In 2008, my rig got through another big change -- no more half stack, hello to the Raven RG100 and my Audio Technica guitar wireless unit. I also eliminated all the pedal mess, replacing them with the Morley Mark Tremonti Power Wah and the Line 6 Floor POD Plus. By then, I also had my PRS SE Custom 22 and eventually the '85 Ibanez Axstar. It was only yet another big change.

       Now we're at 2013, ended up losing the Tremonti Power Wah somewhere. I ended up getting the Crybaby 95Q which does the same I used to get out of the Bad Horsie 2 except being significantly slimmer in size. The Floor POD Plus is still in place and will always stick with it but now I may be adding the MXR Prime Distortion as a kicking boost for solos. The RG100 is gone, as is the Sinbiote and the SE Custom 22 but in addition, I have the Crunch Lab and Liquifire humbuckers on my Axstar and now I possess the PRS Mark Tremonti SE. I can honestly say that I enjoy the combinations I have now.

Forfeiting titles -- Another thing I let go.

       Another day drags on as I think about everything I left behind that I once had years ago -- titles. I look around and I see all my fellow Christians acting like they're on top of the world by calling themselves Evangelists, Pastors, Prophets, Apostles, Bishops, Reverends and so on. Don't get me wrong, I think it is wonderful when you find your calling in life and you live it out but I think it is quite a stretch to use that calling as a title as though you're trying to be extra special. There is a sense of pretention, arrogance and pride -- qualities of which Christ teaches against.

       If I wanted to, I can go on about how in the early 2000's, I attended a Billy Graham seminary, certified and all, as it was about Preaching the Gospel during times of Crisis. As I have said in past entries -- I too was an evangelist under the Pentecostal's definition. You could also say I was also a teacher and more but none of these things mattered. Even being an active musician for churches, as well as ministry to outreach to people with God's love, I've played at churches, street church events, Riker's Island, bars, clubs, lounges and even McCarren Park. As Paul said, "but whatever gain I had I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ" (Philippians 3.7-8 ESV). 

       I have never been a fan of carrying titles as a Christian. It almost absolutely comes off as though people are trying to add an extra pump to their egos with that and yet again I say, it runs against the grain of humility that Christ teaches us as the standard. Jesus didn't run around going, "stand back, there's a Messiah coming through"! Sure, he did at times make the claims such as, "Bread of life" claimed whose "Yoke is easy and Burden is Light" and "The Way, Truth and the Life" but they were rare, usually among the closest thing he had to family -- his disciples. To everyone else, He simply was. That says a lot as to how we, his believers and followers ought to be -- don't talk about your credentials because there's plenty of people in the world talking about theirs. Live what you were taught and lead by example.

       One last thing to bear in mind as well -- those titles and degrees won't mean squat when YaHWeH calls you unto account for what He called you to do. Jesus won't be your advocate then because He's gonna let His Dad get his judgin' on. Remember my fellow believers, walk in humility, demonstrate the example Christ has set before us, which is nothing short of love, light, holiness and humility.


Your friend,


Ronnie

My top favorite Overdrive, Distortion and Wah pedals

When it comes to overdrive pedals
1. Fulltone OCD
2. Ibanez Tubescreamer 808HW (the one that looks like a jolly green tank)
3. MXR Classic Overdrive

When it comes to Distortion
1.Bogner Ecstasy Red
2.Wampler Sovereign(ONLY because it has no boost button)
2.5. MXR Prime Distortion. Yes 2.5 because Wampler's absence of a boost button is the ONLY thing stopping it from first place.

When it comes to Metal Distortion?
1.Wampler Sovereign. Alright people calm yourselves. This guy can go from a subtle overdrive tone (that's okay) to a raucus and brutal metal sound.
2. MXR's Super Badass. It's the Wampler's little brother minus the bright/even and boost/standard switches.
3. Metal Muff. Even though it has a Top Boost, it's just that -- a Top aka Treble Boost. Not everyone that is solo hungry wants a top boost, they may just want to boost overall.
4. MXR's Fullbore Metal. It's good for metal but that's as far as it goes. Even with the Gate button activated, it's still a tad noisy in tone and even with the scoop button activated, the Trebles still sound scratchy.

For Wah pedals?
1. Crybaby 95Q. Clean or dirty, all the way or just a subtle touch, it sounds clean through and through and you can adjust the gain boost and the range.
2. Bad Horsie 2. Clean, it sounds good until it's fully pressed down, where you hear a slight bit of a scratch. Dirty? This thing kicks serious butt. The range from the Contour is ridiculous!
3. Dimebag Crybaby From Hell. Has all the range of the 535Q and like the 95Q sounds clean as can be when playing clean.
4. Mark Tremonti Power Wah. Has the cleanliness and the Gain Boost of the 95Q and its default range is only a tad short of the Bad Horsie 2.
5. Crybaby 535Q has the range the 95Q and Bad Horsie 2 possesses and has tone to made the wah deep or bright. It's problem is the same as the BH2 -- doesn't sound too clean when playing full cocked in clean.

That Inner Sorrow

       It stems from years of the favoritism, injustices, corruption and false Christianity that I find these days. I've become weary with grief at how the only thing that matters to some are just filling up four walls, singing all day and preaching to the choir -- meanwhile there are people needing help with poverty, abuse, injustice and disease. Too many leaders caring about how much money they can stuff themselves with and preoccupied with hi tech in presentation but so low tech in heart with all the things going on that their congregations are going through.

       It stems from the disillusion of thinking I could ever see Christianity the way Jesus and his disciples taught it. I guess everyone likes the way it's business as usual and don't want to tear the system down. It you can't beat them, leave them and be among those who agree that the only solution is demonstrating Christ-like attitude at its core.

       I miss my baby sister Bernice. It's been about 5 years. I'm still finding it weird that when I turn the curtain, she's not there reading a book with a funny face or being the only audience that'll laugh at my weirdness. Not much you can do I guess.

       At least I'll meet some new believers in Tampa and I'll have my wife and my little daughter to keep me up and at least I'm not a golfer!

Where do I fit Agape in life now? or Where does Agape fit me?

       I woke up God knows how late. I think about 12pm or something similar to that frame. I look around and the first thing was making pancakes and working out in my balcony. Five sets of pushups, dumbbell flys and dumbbell presses, plus 160 crunches later, my head wandered towards sanding my Strat's body down. I remembered wanting to do a fresh hand-painted job on the whole left side of the body but for years never go to it. It's still a work in progress but I'll get there.

       As 3 1/2 hours went by, I realized that not only did I miss fellowshipping with fellow Christians but that I'm in one serious spiritual pickle. Forget the concept of lacking a new challenge on my faith -- I'm talking about my conflict with fellowship.

       For years, the thing I noticed the most is that most of my brethren in the faith, I have never actually developed a friendship with them so that my faith can grow. Part of it is due to my experience of how they will then try to puppet you into no longer being a human being and just doing fellowship in a building, nothing else. I always felt, in a sense, betrayed because the Bible teaches about fellowship being very family-like but I've never experienced any of that. All I've experienced was a lot of politicking, backstabbing of congregation members, myself and my family being one of those victims. I ask to hang out and instantly their agenda is church -- not having coffee together, jamming in a studio, hanging out like real people. I never liked the concept of relationships with my fellow Christians being that shallow. Don't get me wrong, I love talking about God and everything but I can't stand shallow relationships. I get bored very easily when it comes to people. We're supposed to be family, which means we challenge each other, grow with each other, love each other. I've experienced none of that.

       One of the gripes that I find and will never let go, is the fact that people of my own faith have the audacity to separate everything else from your spiritual life. That's a red alert for hypocrisy, insincerity and even duality. If your soul and spirit are entirely separate from who you are in church, then who is that who goes to work and interacts with co-workers? Who's the person sitting in the classroom studying? Who's the artist creating music, drawings or paintings? If your spirituality is not in conjunction with every other fabric of who you are, there is a big problem.

       I guess part of why I haven't been as adamant about fellowship as I once was is due to the terrible reality that I sat down and learned more of who God is and how Christian faith is supposed to work on my own than amongst others. No tracts, handouts, expositors or study guides. I sit on my own, pray to God and read on.

       Life also rocked my mentality on fellowship. I never experienced much beyond the fellowship walls. Unless I told you what's going on, you'll never know. Most of my life, I was told that people are the enemy and that they only want what they can benefit from you with -- that's what my very self-righteous father always taught. Life also taught me that you can't always trust the pastor, the "angel" of the church. They'll be guiding you by the hand today and unquestionably backstabbing your father and making him look like a disgrace the next. You're fed sound advice today and later tonight, that same leader is doing double of what he's telling you not to do.

       I once had a best friend who befriended me but because of who I am, would make it his agenda to change who I am. Once he saw that there is no changing me and that you must accept me as I am or beat it, he gradually turned people against me, played off as Mr. Righteous and before you know it, when his agenda elsewhere didn't go well, he went off on a drinking spree. I also am disgusted with condescending Christians who write you off without actually getting to know you one on one. Any little thing and they've already made up their mind about who you are. Never sat for dinner with you, visited a gallery, watched a movie, worked on something together or ever bothered to ask questions.

       Ever since I was baptized, I questioned every last thing about my faith. Some places I got very comforting and affirming answers, others gave me even more questions and when it came to execution, doubt undoubtedly made itself known.

       Do I believe in Christ? Absolutely. Do I believe in the Bride of Christ aka The Body? Not a doubt. So what's my problem? The Body doesn't resemble itself and I'm tired of it. I;m tired of being one standing alone against the monotony, the politics and falsehood it has become. When God said there will be a remnant, I definitely believe there will be one. Thankfully, all those phonies won't be a part of it.

Sheep in Wolf's Clothing?

       The most random thing came to mind today -- people always have made use of the term, "a wolf in sheep's clothing" since God knows how long. Obviously, it is a reference to people who seem sweet, loyal and sincere on the outside but deep down they're like ravenous wolves, seeking to eat you alive and poison you with all sorts of evil. They're the kind that you stay away from but not sure when to do so until the shady attitude begins to unveil itself.

       What about the "sheep in wolf's clothing?". These, in my mind, are the people that appear like trouble, total bad news and absolutely rotten but once you actually see what they're made of, they are the total opposite. They turn out to be the most sincere, loyal and most fun-filled characters in your life.

       The two terms both collided in my head and oftentimes, I wonder if people are one of those two terms or if sometimes we impose these perceptions on people. What if the people we label wolf dressed as sheep are only that because of our perception in life because we grow afraid of being challenged no different than if those who are sheep dressed as wolves are only that because it's easier to label the misfit-looking person as unfit to our existence?

       I think of it this way because I'm going to give two examples. There's me. For some retarded reason, by people of the same faith I identify myself with, I was somehow perceived (and still perceived) as a wolf in sheep's clothing based on my preference and approach on music, as well as how stark in contrast I've come to see things when it comes to faith and materialism. As a Christian, I do believe in following what Jesus Christ taught and lead the loving example he showed. Musical preference, in the end, is up to you. A distorted sound or a phaser sound or a wah sound will never make your music any holier or evil than hot sauce makes or breaks one's preference to how they want their chicken. I don't believe in the clothes makes the person anymore because when it comes down to it, if your dress code is your ministry, you should therefore pursue a career in fashion not in showing love, peace and joy of Christ to people. I draw cheap heat from fellow Christians for being real because I'm sorry, I'd rather be up front and real about my faith as well as in who I am than to play this dreadfully fraudulent act of perfect and squeaky clean Christianity because it's not real. If you are engaged with Christian faith, you will find that in spirituality and faith, there is a lot of messiness going on.

       Then there's my best friend, Sid. People see him right away and they hide their kids, maidens, wives and so on. They perceive him as this Satan-worshipping, demon summoning, looking for trouble guy. The irony, of course, is that he's really damn far from that. He isn't summoning Lucifer to steal Kat Von D's soul so he may eviscerate her body, he doesn't call upon demons to kill off police nor is he looking for trouble with people. In fact, he is the most faithful friend around. He'll whack you upside the head for sense and hug you simultaneously. He'll listen to you, he'll eat, work out with you and sit and watch music videos, concerts and movies with you. He'll even sit and eat popcorn as your man-ger unfolds for his humor! He will also challenge people. He likes a great challenge because it gets him off the way Hitler got off from the Holocaust. The sad thing is that people point the finger at him all the time in scorn and partially that's why he despises 99% of all of Christendom. To think he too was a Christian.

       So there you have it, you do have people who are wolves in sheep clothing, as well as sheep in wolf's clothing but there are times where the labels are stamped upon you based on perception rather than through deep understanding and reality.