Line 6 Vetta II: Gearwire MVP Candidate Crusty_Old_Rocker Is A Line 6 Expert
Crusty_Old_Rocker is a Gearwire MVP Candidate from down under who has an eclectic range of talents and experiences. With a dedication to prove naysayers wrong and to help fellow musicians out, Crusty has earned a lot of respect on the Line 6 forums.
What is your background?
I'm nobody special. I've been playing the guitar since I was 12 and have gigged in a few bands during my earlier playing days. I have recently got back into playing more seriously and have just formed a band (the format is still shifting). Work-wise, I've been everything from a cinema projectionist to military policeman to scuba instructor to global research director. As far as music goes, my background is grounded in Aussie Pub Rock. The '70s were the best time for Australian music, it's about the only time Australian music had elements of its own identity.
How did you get started in music and what advice would you give to someone who just started?
I wanted to start playing the guitar when I was 5 years old but because I have no thumb and a very short little finger on my left hand, my parents thought it would be best to get a guitar teacher to take look at my left hand. They contacted a guitar teacher who took one look at my hand and stated, "He'll never be able to play the guitar."
When my older brother turned 13 he got an acoustic guitar and he let me play it (because I played it better than he could). That was it, I kept playing from that day on.
My advice to someone starting? Don't let others tell you what you can or cannot play. Make it work for you.
Who are your musical influences and what genre do you listen to most?
My greatest influences are The Beatles, Eric Clapton and an Australian rock group The Angels. I like listening to just about all types of music but classic rock is what I like most.
What's your inspiration?
I just enjoy playing music. I have other hobbies but playing music and sharing music is quite rewarding (well it is when you play something that sounds good). When I get the guitar/amp tone right and play a song well, that inspires me to keep going.
There is also the fun side of taking advantage of an opportunity to show off in front of others.
What's your motivation for helping people out on forums?
I believe that it has something to do with my love of teaching. I spent 10 years teaching scuba and have spent more than 12 years part time teaching at university.
The motivation is simply helping others achieve their goals. Sorting out a problem or helping others identify an issue enables them to quickly get back to playing their music.
You see, due to the way my left hand is, I will never be a great guitarist but there are so many great guitarists on the forum sites that I might be able to help by using my "geekiness". It's an opportunity for me to have some contribution to some great music that I, personally, would not be able to play.
What's your favorite piece of gear and why? What gear do you use?
Well, since making the change to digital, I have really taken to the Line 6 gear. My favourite piece of gear has to be the Vetta II amp. This amp does everything. It's the Uber Swiss army knife of amps that delivers the sounds of all the amps that I'd love to own but can't afford. The POD X3 Live is very special too because it can do so much and it's 50lbs lighter than the Vetta.
I use (but not all at once):
- Alto L16 - mixing desk
- 2 x Alto PS4HA powered speakers
- 1 x Alto PS4LA powered speaker
- Phonic U802 mixer
- Tapco MIX100 mixer
- Behringer UB802 mixer
- Behringer UB1002FX mixer
- Behringer studio monitors
- Maton EM225C acoustic guitar
- Roland JV-30 keyboard
- Roland Sonic Cell
- Line 6 Variax 700 guitar
- Line 6 Variax 600 guitar (back up)
- Line 6 PODxt Live (2 - 1 as a back up)
- Line 6 POD X3 Live
- Line 6 Tone Port UX8
- Line 6 Vetta II combo
What are your favorite sources for gear-related information?
For news on gear being released, I look at the manufacturers sites and sites like Gearwire. Harmony Central is good for reviews. When it comes to using the gear, it's the manuals first and then go to the forums to tap into others' real life, hands on experience. Ultimately, playing with the gear to see what you can get it to do is the most fun.
What's the best music related advice you've ever given?
Don't blame your equipment. When you can hear others getting great results from the same gear then you really can't blame your gear for the sound you're getting. That's just simple logic. Take your time getting to know the gear and how to get the most from it.
What's the best music related advice you've ever received?
Practice! As simple as that.
What's the best and worst thing about being a musician?
Best - you get to have lots of fun with expensive toys.
Worst - just how expensive the toys are.
What is the best and worst thing about online forums?
The best thing is the sense of community and friendships that can develop. The worse thing is the amount of time you can spend on a forum. My name is Crusty, I am a prolific poster, I have not started a thread for 2 days now.
What music-related topic do you think is most neglected on forums?
The artistic elements of performance. I don't just mean instrument playing or singing, I'm referring to what makes a great "performance". The forum sites, by virtue of the fact that it's all computer based, tend to focus more on the science of music rather than the art of performance.
What are the 5 forum posts/threads where you are most proud of your contributions? (Give actual URLs)
With most of the help, it's not so much a case of being proud of the post, it's more a case of how useful the information is to the person seeking assistance and others who may read the thread. Here are 5 examples where what I have said appears to have helped others get greater use from their gear or save them some hassle with common problems.
A simple method for using EQ to compensate for volume differences between practise and gigging levels.
Using two modulation effects at once on the PODxt (something the PODxt is not supposed to be able to do).
Getting creative with the new POD X3 by using a cable to patch the two signal from parallel to series.
Numerous posts helping people isolate a problem before attempting to fix it or get gear repaired. Like this:
Lots of basic electrical advice, calculating Volts, Amps & Watts to help people get their gear running without blowing something up or causing fires. Like this:
Anything else you would like voters to know? Any interesting music related stories?
My most interesting story is really only interesting to me. When I was 18, a band I played with did a local support for INXS. The after party was pretty cool.
It's of no interest to anyone else, but I look back on that experience and smile. Like I said, I'm nobody special.
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