# A demo video with my new Godin CW Kingpin ii



## Jim Soloway (Sep 27, 2013)

I bought this to have a guitar in standard pitch to use for teaching but it's turned out to be much more. This is just a terrific instrument. It's light weight, well balanced, and comfortable. Because the end of the neck is raised above the body, I'm even able to leave the pickguard on without concern of constantly bumping into it (I've been removing the pickguard from archtops since I was about 11 years old). 

Unplugged it's not very loud and it's quite thin but it has a wonderful amplified voice. It never feels like I'm playing a cheap version of some iconic model, but rather a unique instrument with it's own special voice.


----------



## Swervin55 (Oct 30, 2009)

Very nice Jim. What string gauge do you use on this?


----------



## Jim Soloway (Sep 27, 2013)

Thanks. It came from the original owner with a set of Thomastik Infeld Swing Series 12's (12 to 50) and a really great setup. That's generally a bit heavier than I like but the setup made it so playable that for once I just left it alone.


----------



## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

Thank you very much for the wondeful demo. 

Godin should have this (your) video on their website...seriously!!


----------



## JimiGuy7 (Jan 10, 2008)

Wow, great job.


----------



## Scotty (Jan 30, 2013)

That was beautiful


----------



## Jim Soloway (Sep 27, 2013)

Thanks all and Greco, I sent Godin a link to the video. We'll see if they bother to respond but I like the guitar enough that I'd be really pleased if they used it.


----------



## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

Please keep us updated and consider sharing the essence of Godin's response with us.
.....I'm working on my political writing skills...does it show?


----------



## GWN! (Nov 2, 2014)

Beautiful. Which amp are you using?


----------



## traynor_garnet (Feb 22, 2006)

Wow, nice job! Other than practice practice practice, what would you recommend for somebody trying to play this type of style for the first time? Everything I have or seen requires 40 years of theory before beginning. Surely there is something one can "play" _as _the figure out "what" they are playing.

Obviously I am not expecting mastery with this approach, but surely there can be a mix of hands on playing/exercises to flush out the theoretical side.


----------



## Jim Soloway (Sep 27, 2013)

GWN! said:


> Beautiful. Which amp are you using?


I have a Gallien Krueger MB200 head powering an Earcandy Ethan 1x10 ported cab. I have a TC Electronics Arena Reverb in front of the amp (really just a HOF with a couple different settings). I actually recorded it with with an SM57 and an SM27 in front of the cab but I only ended up using the SM57 track.


----------



## Jim Soloway (Sep 27, 2013)

traynor_garnet said:


> Wow, nice job! Other than practice practice practice, what would you recommend for somebody trying to play this type of style for the first time? Everything I have or seen requires 40 years of theory before beginning. Surely there is something one can "play" _as _the figure out "what" they are playing.
> 
> Obviously I am not expecting mastery with this approach, but surely there can be a mix of hands on playing/exercises to flush out the theoretical side.


There's really two very distinctly separate aspects to how I play: the mechanical and the theoretical. The mechanical part of my playing is entirely self taught (if taught is even a relevant concept). I've been playing since about 1962, often obsessively and my technique with both hands is something that just sort of evolved over the early years and never really changed much (other than having gotten a lot slower as I got older). My methods are pretty unusual in lot of ways and I'm not sure I would recommend them to anyone. But the mechanical part of this is really not that important. It can be done with fingers, pick or a combination of the two. The important part is knowledge and having a firm idea of what you want to sound like

The theoretical part is something entirely different. In the late 80's I tried to move further into the world of swing and jazz standards. I didn't know any theory or harmony and was basically just getting by on my ear, some really weak reading skills and some intuition. It was suggested by a more knowledgeable friend that I had to get some formal understanding to really get it and he suggest a really cool teacher by the name of Stan Ayeroff (I was in LA at the time). I spent about a year studying with Stan doing lessons every couple of weeks. We rarely even touched a guitar after the first couple session. It was all just chord theory and harmony. That opened doors that I was absolutely unable to get through on my own. Once i had that I was also able to pickup more from other sources and develop a lot on my own. I do think that having a guide through the information is the easiest way (and I do teach that mater myself now) but there's also a lot material available now that wasn't there when I learned this. There's tons of material on-line, videos, private lessons that can be done on Skype etc. There also some good books, probably starting with Ted Greene's material. You can also get on YouTube and check out some of the great teachers there like Jpdy Fisher.

I should also probably warn you that I am seriously obsessive compulsive about all of this and more than a little stubborn. I play obsessively. When I work on a new song, it generally takes over my entire life for a few weeks, almost to the complete exclusion of anything else. And I always insist on doing it entirely my own way. It's probably not a good way for anyone to learn anything but it seems like the only way that works for me.

If you have any more questions, feel free to ask. I love talking guitar and I'm pretty much willing to answer anything that I actually know.


----------



## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

Jim Soloway said:


> I have a Gallien Krueger MB200 head powering an Earcandy Ethan 1x10 ported cab. I have a TC Electronics Arena Reverb in front of the amp (really just a HOF with a couple different settings). I actually recorded it with with an SM57 and an SM27 in front of the cab but I only ended up using the SM57 track.


Post #8 might interest you...
http://www.guitarscanada.com/index.php?threads/old-stuff-but-new-combination.77589/#post-689163


----------



## Jim Soloway (Sep 27, 2013)

greco said:


> Post #8 might interest you...
> http://www.guitarscanada.com/index.php?threads/old-stuff-but-new-combination.77589/#post-689163


Actually the whole thread is interesting. The OP is actually using the same speaker as I have in my Earcandy 1x10 cab: an Eminence Lil' Buddy. Maybe I'll take a couple photos of my two rigs and add them to thread this afternoon.


----------



## GWN! (Nov 2, 2014)

Jim Soloway said:


> I have a Gallien Krueger MB200 head powering an Earcandy Ethan 1x10 ported cab. I have a TC Electronics Arena Reverb in front of the amp (really just a HOF with a couple different settings). I actually recorded it with with an SM57 and an SM27 in front of the cab but I only ended up using the SM57 track.


Have you tried any if the Quilter amps thru that cab?


----------



## Jim Soloway (Sep 27, 2013)

GWN! said:


> Have you tried any if the Quilter amps thru that cab?


Yes. I bought a 101 Mini. It was pretty good but the controls were just way too weird for me to get used to. I also did a lot of A/B'ing with the 101 mini and the MB200 and decided that I liked the MB200 better so I ended up selling the 101 and buying a second MB200.


----------



## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

Jim Soloway said:


> Actually the whole thread is interesting. The OP is actually using the same speaker as I have in my Earcandy 1x10 cab: an Eminence Lil' Buddy. Maybe I'll take a couple photos of my two rigs and add them to thread this afternoon.


I'm sure many of us would be interested.

I would be especially interested in some pics of the Earcandy (love the name...LOL) cab.

Thanks in advance.


----------



## sulphur (Jun 2, 2011)

Excellent demo Jim, much appreciated.


----------

