Lifetime 6 Foot Folding Table Review

Aloha!

I know: “Why are you reviewing a table on a music blog?” Well, when I was setting up for a show last Sunday I realized how much easier packing my car is with this Lifetime 6 foot folding table. This thing is a folding table plus, since it also folds in half!

I have used this table for about 3 years now, and it has been awesome. It has a blow molded HDPE top that does not scratch easily and has not turned weird colors after being used in the bright sun. The legs and frame are 1-inch tubular steel that is powder coated for corrosion resistance.

The size is fairly standard, as it is 72 inches long, 30 inches deep, and 29 inches tall. When folded in half, it is a very manageable 36 inches by 30 inches by 3 inches. It only weighs 26 pounds, yet the manufacturer says it can hold up to 469 pounds. I am a little skeptical, but if you spread the weight over the whole thing it might work. All I know is that I can pile a couple of road cases and 12-inch powered speakers on it with no trouble at all.

Like I said, I have been using this table for years, and over this time I have not had any issues with it. Nothing has broken on it, it folds and unfolds easily, and there is a even a padded handle for carrying it around. Given a choice, I would prefer a smaller overall size, as I never need quite as much real estate as this one takes up. Lifetime has a 5-foot fold in half table that is only 27 inches wide, which would be a better size for me, but nobody local to me seems to be selling them.

Anyway, if you are looking for a highly portable table for gigs, I would highly recommend picking up one of these Lifetime folding table. They are only around $45 each, and you can find them at you local Lowe’s or Home Depot.

Mahalo!

Review: Ibanez MTZ11 Multi-Purpose Tool for Guitars

Good day!

It is disheartening to arriving for a gig to find out that your guitar is not playing well, and not having any tools to try to make things right. At the least, a guitarist should make sure that they have a few basic tools with them at all time, and there are dozens of different multi-tools out there that fit the bill. I found my favorite a few years ago when I was in Japan and I needed to do some work on an axe I picked up over there. This tool is the Ibanez MTZ11.

The MTZ11 comes in cool colors (I chose red), and it is small enough to fit into any gig bag pocket. It measures around 3.75 inches long by 1.4 inches wide by 1.3 inches tall. It has 11 tools in it, including two Phillips head and a flat head screwdriver, 5 hex wrenches (1.5 to 5mm), a 7mm hex that will accept standard bits, and a 50mm ruler. These tools are made of high-grade steel, and I have not noted any wear to the screwdrivers or hex wrenches despite fairly heavy use.

But what really sets this one apart from the other tools on the market is the 50mm steel ruler. This is really handy for setting action and pick-up heights, and I would not buy a multi-tool that does not have a ruler in it if I had to buy another one.

The Ibanez MTZ11 multi-tool is cheaper than buying all of these tools separately, and it certainly is a tidy package. It is not terribly expensive, coming in at around $21 on Amazon, which is really cheap insurance if your gig is at stake. Check one out if you get the chance!

Mahalo!

Stewart-MacDonald Guitar Basic Set-up Kit Review

Sugoi!

A few days ago I wrote about Dan Erlewine’s “Guitar Player Repair Guide” and mentioned that many of the tools needed for basic set-ups can probably be found in your home tool box. But there are a few things you will need for a quality guitar set-up that you probably do not have lying around your shop. But have no fear, the guys from Stewart-MacDonald have put together the things you will need in their basic set-up kit.

This kit includes:

A beveled 18” precision straight edge that is machined to be accurate to within 0.0015”. This will help you check neck relief and verify truss rod adjustment changes.

A string action gauge that is designed to quickly measure string height, but is also good for checking the height of nuts, saddles and pickup pole pieces.

A set of eight under string radius gauges so you can match bridge saddle heights to the curvature of the fretboard.

They also throw a set of set-up instructions into the box too, and of course Stew-Mac has an abundance of helpful hints on their web site. By the way, you can get the basic set-up kit in standard or metric sizes (of course the metric system will never catch on).

The metric or standard kit will set you back $89.11 (which is $5 off the price of these items separately), but you will save at least that much money after you do you first couple of set-ups. They are well-made tools and are certainly worth the money. You can find the basic set-up kit and most any other repair tool you can imagine at stewmac.com

Mahalo!

Dan Erlewine’s Guitar Player Repair Guide Review

Buenos dias, amigos!

There are few things as miserable as having a guitar that does not play right, and generally, it is a pain to have somebody work on your stuff. Whether it is just a set-up or a major overhaul, you are at the mercy of repair shops that may not listen to what you really want, and might put your beloved instrument into repair shop prison. I have had great luck with my local repair shop, but chances are good you will not be so lucky, so you might want to take the steps to learn how to do your own repair work.

But how? It is not like there are luthiery schools on every corner, and they do not teach repair at ITT Technical Institute. Well, you can learn a lot from one of the best in the business by purchasing up Dan Erlewine’s “Guitar Player Repair Guide”.

Mr. Erlewine has been around forever, and has invented many repair tools that are used by your local guitar repair guy. He has built and repaired very high-profile guitars, and has produced DVDs, books and magazine columns devoted to guitar repair. He is the real deal, in other words.

The “Guitar Player Repair Guide” is over 300 illustrated pages that cover the most common procedures that may need to be performed on acoustic and electric guitars. He breaks down the procedures into three categories: “Basic” for folks that are new to working on guitars, “D.I.Y” for those who are skilled hobbyists, and “Deep” for those are not afraid of heavy-duty repairs. The procedures range from cleaning your guitar and replacing the strings to resetting necks, replacing frets and fitting acoustic guitar bridges. He even includes instructions on how to properly pack a guitar or amplifier for shipping.

Dan provides a listing of tools in the back that are needed for each of the three categories. Chances are good that you already have many of the basic repair tools at home, such as a guitar tuner, screwdrivers, hex wrenches and pliers. So, for a small investment in a few specialized tools you can start doing your own set-ups and repairs. Everything you need can be purchased online through Stewart MacDonald.

My copy came with a DVD that covers guitar inspection, setting intonation and stringing up your guitar. The only thing I do not care for about the book is the way it is bound. I really wish it was spiral bound so it would lay flat on my workbench. The older editions were spiral bound…

I highly recommend that you purchase Dan Erlewine’s “Guitar Player Repair Guide”. I got mine for $29.95 from Stewart MacDonald, and surprisingly it was signed by the author. You will save at least that much the first time you do your own set-up. Trust me!

Mahalo!