Allan Songer

Two new pics. ALMOST done! Waiting on the hood ornament from George Iverson in Minnesota (the GURU of pot metal resoration--he's had the ornament since April and he says I'll have it back here the week of Labor Day). Got to install the dual master cylinder and mini booster yet. But other than that she's pretty much done. We're going to put her on the chassis dyno tomorrow--I'm betting about 190 HP at the rear wheels.

You can break down Lou Donaldson's career into two halves--the first half was BEFORE he discovered Grant Green and Baby Face WIllette (he brought both of them to Blue Note--he picked up Green in St. Louis and Willette in Chicago and brought both of them to New York and Blue Note). The first part of his career Donaldson played FURIOUS bebop in the Charlie Parker tradition with a heavy dose of the blues. Listen to his playing of the Blakey Birldand LPs and his first 2-3 Blue Notes as a leader. The first sign of things to come was when Herman Foster joined his band, a player DEEPLY rooted in the church and the blues with no end to "funk" in his playing--the best record Lou made with Foster was "Blues Walk"--a perfect album--every tune and every performance is spot on--earthy, bluesy, enven funky at times but still bebop at the core. And check out his playing on the bop standard "Mopve"-talk about ON FIRE!! Still makes me do a double take every time I play the record--and I play it several times per year. About 2-3 years after Blues Walk came Here 'Tis," the first LP with a B3 organ and guitar, an album that is just as perfect as "Blues Walk." Lou still throuws off his bebop licks from time to time, incorporating them into a MASSIVE soul-jazz groove laid down by Baby Face WIllette and Grant Green. Willette was really a B3 master and was sadly underrecorded and underappreciated--his slow blues grooves burn so hot and dig so deep . . .and Grant Green? Well, what can you say? Lou went on to make a string of records for both Blue Note and Argo in the same vein--with Big John Patton, Billy Gardner or Lonnie Smith on the B3 and several differnt guitar players ( including Melvin Sparks and George Benson) and drummers . . . After a while they started to all sound the same--which is not to say they aren't FINE records, but that they're really not essential. Lou had a top-40 hit in 1967 with "Alligator Boogaloo," a real throw-away groove cut that became wildly popular--especially on juke boxes in the inner city. Lou still plays it at just about evey gig. What to buy? Well, if you have to get only a couple--pick up Blues Walk and Here 'Tis--they're his best two albums--by a long shot, really . . .

I've heard Lou live a number of times. He'll start the show with Blues Walk--at least he has every time I've heard him play. I hope there's a B3 on the stage. He will also sing a couple of tunes--funny raunchy blues stuff. He blows the freaking roof off when he does Gene Ammons' "Red Top"-he and Lonnie practically burned the Bakery down the last time I heard them there--closing out the second set with a 15 minute version. What a classic blowing vehicle! I sure wish I could be there . . .

The truck is in a friend's shop--he's letting me use his space and is helping out. He's a BIG TIME Studebaker collector/parts dealer.

Slow but steady progress. I think we're about 2-3 weeks away from being FINALLY finished! http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c58/runsgood99/enginebay.jpg'>

Well, there you go!

The longer the arm, the less tracking error. Distortion is reduced, plain and simple. I find the 3012 to have a livelier, more dynamic sound--it's bigger and heavier than the 3009 and I think you just can't get TOO big and heavy when it comes to getting the most from an SPU! The effective mass of the 3012 is more than 50% more than that of the 3009. Is there a jaw-dropping OMG! difference? No, not really. I could be happy forever with a 3009/SPU. Am I glad I have the 3012? OF COURSE!

Sold! Thanks, buddy!

I have SEVEN of these new in the original packaging. Nice interconnects--pretty sure they were over $50 new. I have no need for them at this time. $20 each plus shipping. Email or PM me if you are interested.

If you are getting fuzzy output from the left channel, no amount of VTA or VTF adjustment is going to help--and it's pretty hard to screw up azimuth with an SPU!! I am betting that there is either something wrong with the SPU, the tonearm wiring or the interconnects. You'll just have to be patient, play detective and hunt down this gremlin. It will be worth it in the end, BELIEVE ME!!

If I weren't in the middle of negatiations with Local 44 for the new 3-year contract (finished up with local 399 a couplea weeks ago), I'd have found a way to get our there. Sounds like you all had a ball. I'm jealous.

In the early 1980's I smoked 2 or 3 Punch Rothchilds Maduro per day--used to buy a box of 50 for $25--those were the days. I now smoke about 5 or 6 cigars per month. My favorites (all are Havanas): Bolivar Belicosos Finos (I always go back to this one--probably my all time favorite) Romeo y Julieta Cazadores (a REALLY burly smoke--best enjoyed outdoors!) Partagas Especiales #2 (the BEST of the panatela shapes--blows the Montecristo and Cohiba away) Partagas Serie D Hoyo de Monterrey churchills H, Upmann "Sir Winston" (my second-favorite Churchill after the Hoyo) --and a new shape that I've been enjoying-- the Montecristo "Edmundo"--a big, THICK 6" stick--NICE!

That gigantor weight can only be used on the 3012--it's too big and heavy for the 3009 . . .

Send me your address via PM or email and I'll get it off to you straight away . . . I will pack it well and ship it either Priority Mail or FedEx Ground, which ever you prefer.

Congrats! That's the "best" arm for the SPU. I use both the 3012 and the Ikeda IT-407 (three times the price you paid) and I would be just as happy with a pair of 3012 arms! The NOS SME kits to change out to RCA jacks are also readily available. I bought one for Gary's 3009 from Flat Earth Audio here in the USA. I have installed about half a dozen of the SME kits and they are well made and easy to install--anyone with any reasonable experience soldering can do it in about 30 mintues from start to finish. I have never seen the Euro kit---I'm sure it's nice, but the SME kit is cheap and "correct." Do you need a 12" armboard for your table? I am pretty sure I have an extra one around here. It's yours for the shipping costs if you need it. http://www.flatearthaudio.com/ I would suggest you just give them a call rather than send an email--they'll have it to you in a couple of days!

I've come across many of these "scores" over the years--and yes, most of the tubes are radio and TV tubes that have little or no use for any of us into hi-fi. But that doesn't mean the tubes have no value--put the WHOLE LOT up on ebay with an inventory and you might get $100 or so--that way you don't have to put every single tube up individually. The little Tung Sol case is sweet! And that looks like a mighty fine tube tester. You scored--the Telefunken 12AT7s are worth what you paid for the lot, I'm SURE!! []

My wife has an iphone--she's given me VERY positive comments thus far. I use Nextel (Sprint) because I really need the walkie-talkie feature for work--we've got about a dozen of us on the network and it is really a timesaver . . .

+ 1 on that ....[] We're going to modify this set up to use on the Studebaker--it's tried and true on similar vintage Chevys and with brackets suited to the Stude it should be a really sweet (and SAFE) setup: http://www.classicperform.com/Instructions/PDF/4754BB.pdf

Love that old Dodge. My wife considered a 40's pickup--even late 30's (she drools every time she sees a 1937-38 Studebaker "Coupe Express"--sort of the El Camino of it's day), but those 80-90 horse flathead engines and 4.72 gears make for top speeds in 50-60 mph range! And she wasn't interested in a hotrod, so we gravitated toward the later, 1950's trucks with "modern" V8 engines--being a Studebaker fan, she settled on the 1955 model--the last year with the clean front grill, the first year with a one piece windshield and large rear glass, the last year with the "small" pickup bed and the first year with the V8 engine--we looked for about 6-8 months before I found this truck in Claude, Texas (about 40 miles east of Amarillo)--I flew out there with a wad of cash and had the truck shipped to L.A.--the guy I bought the truck from was a wheat farmer and the truck was his grandfather's and basically never left the family farm. It was clean as a whistle when we got it, but the paint was a lacquer job and was cracking all over the place--finally this year it really started to look pretty weak, so the project began . . Here is a pic of the '38 Studebaker Coupe Express:

We put together Gary's arm and cartrige for less than $1000 and that included a BRAND NEW Ortofon SPU. I think Gary paid $450 for the arm and we had to put about $100 into it--the SPU was about $400 from Mr, Juki (best prices on Ortofon SPU cartridges ANYwhere!). If you have the $1000, get the SPU instead of the Denon. I too marvel at what the Denon can do for the money, but stepping up to even the entry level "GM" model SPU is quite a leap forward. You could, of course, pop for a 12" SME (figure about $1000-$1200) and get the Denon and then step up to the SPU down the line--if you score a 3012, I have an extra armboard I'd be happy to send you . . . Here is a brand new "R" model (from the late 80's/early 90's)--this is a GREAT version if you plan on using the SPU: http://cgi.ebay.com/SME-3012-R-PICK-UP-ARMS_W0QQitemZ150139647870QQihZ005QQcategoryZ48649QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem Or this one: http://cgi.ebay.com/SME-3012-SERIES-2-BOXED-COMPLETE_W0QQitemZ140136177598QQihZ004QQcategoryZ48648QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD2VQQcmdZViewItem Here's what looks to be a very nice 3009: http://cgi.ebay.com/SME-3009-II-NOT-IMPROVED-METAL-BEARING_W0QQitemZ170129909030QQihZ007QQcategoryZ48648QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD2VQQcmdZViewItem These arms were VERY popular and they're on ebay every day--you'll find a nice one!

Nah, that junk truck was Brand X all the way (a '51 or '52 Ford I believe).

Nah--those were on some temporary wheels while the originals were bead balsted and then painted a nice, deep red. Worn out bias play tires make for . . . ahem . . . "interesting" handling and braking! Running modern, Goodyear Wrangler 215/75-15 radial truck tires--I'm all for "original," but have opted for a few touches of modernity--radial tires, a 12v system with a Delco 1-wire alternator, a dual master cylinder --when you drive something this old as daily transport you have to make some changes. . . The motor was blueprinted and balanced by Valley Head Service here in L.A.--the original 224 was long gone when we bought the truck--it's got a 289 with the later "full flow " block--it is a 1964 "replacement" block--all Studebaker!! The Stude V8 is a GREAT engine--forged crank, solid lifters, gear driven cam--all stock! This one has a Carter WCFB 4-bbl and the original "oil bath" air filter. We had Valley Head put in all stainless valves and hardened exhaust seats. The tranny is the original Borg Warner heavy duty T-85 with OD and the rear end is the original Dana 44 with 3.73 gears. It's a great truck!

My wife has been driving Studebakers for 20 years. A couple of months ago we decided to to a frame up restoration on her '55 that has been her daily driver for the past decade or so. She driving a borrowed Nissan and HATES it. The Stude has a V8, 3 spd with OD and heater. NO power steering, NO power brakes, NO radio, NO power ANYTHING. And she wouldin't have it any other way--guess it's the mechanical engineer in her!! Today the engine and transmission went back in. If all goes well, she'll be driving her truck again in 3 or 4 weeks!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hFnIzrEtkA

I bought a pair of Belles out of the "Recycler" newspaper here in LA about 15 years ago--they were in a USC frat house for about 15 years and LOOKED it--easily the most beat up pair of Klipsch I have ever seen--peeling veneer, deep gouges, blown tweets, a torn woofer--HIDEOUS condtion. Well, I took them into the shop and reveneered them in ribbon mahogany, repaired the tweets and woofer at OC Speaker and then brought them home. At the time I thought they would replace the Cornwalls, but I didn't like them as much so I sold them. Anyway, when I brought them home my wife took one look and said "do you think they're big enough?" and shook her head. She would never tell me "no" about anything related to audio or music, but she really hated them! Needless to say when then were hauled out a month later she was pleased.