always un-tick that box!!!

[simont-fgn]

Last June I bought a korg nanokey online. I forgot to untick the 'keep me informed' box and
that very evening I got a mail shot advertising a residential studio in Spain.
Looked perfect.. Studio using same audio software that I use... Air conditioned accommodation for up to 6.
Booked for 5 weeks. Sold the car and bought a van -Fiat Scudo- to carry all my gear.
Happy days.

Trip down was fine and we checked into the studio.
what a #¢##'ing disaster.
Studio was.... well, lets say the inputs and outputs were not compatible.
Monitors were at head-height when standing??? - moved them when he was asleep .....and there was huge bass variations as you move around the control room.
Cans the only way to get a clearish picture.
The owner/engineer was broke,drinking, worried, and uninterested in what I was doing.I felt I had to somehow justify my work  . All very disheartening.
Gave it two weeks pretty much workingalone trying to get MY enthusiasm back and cancelled the rest of the studio time till some later date.

Pissed off and in need of a rest I rang my mate 'Bob' in the north of Spain. Cool he says. come on up.
Three hours into the drive and in the middle of nowhere the van suddenly slows to a stop!!! Luckilly I had Green Flag breakdown cover and eneded up being towed to a Fiat Dealer.
Me no hable Espanol and they have zero english-or Irish for that matter- so it took two days to establish through Green Flag  that they didn't know what was wrong with it,
and it would cost €400 to find out.!!!?? What could I do ??
They gave me a hire van which was too small to carry all my gear so I had to leave some things in the Scudo. Hire van broke down after 13 km -Seriously !!!
Eventually got a working van at 6 pm and drove 5 hours up to see Bob.
Well, Bob is also on the piss, broke, and up to no good in the garden. Loads of dodgy characters coming and going.
No peace here and it takes a further 10 days to find out that the van needs a new engine costing €4973.
Luckilly my insurance are obliged to get me home and repatriate the van if it cannot be fixed by the time of my planned return journey.
I must use the existing ferry ticket and travel as a foot passenger so can only bring what I can carry.Decide on Big Baby Taylor and Dark Fire in soft cases.
RIP, VG99, MacbookPro, 4 HDD's,Video camera and bits, headphones,cables and psu's.... and a change of clothes.
They will not however insure the contents of the van while it's being transported home so I had no choice but to leave all my guitars and gear in Spain.
Cant leave them with Bob though. He'd sell everything!! I get up in the middle of the night,pack the van and drive off to another mate from years ago who luckily has some room.Return the hire van the next day and leave in the Scudo, our clothes and some stands,gear and a couple of guitars that never made the journey to Bob .
Get another hire car and drive up to the ferry. Ferry delayed for 5 hours of course. Cant leave my luggage anywhere so contemplate my navel!!!
Thats it really. Van will be back in 15 days approx .

All in all, A total success!


... oh yeah, the DF. Toggle switch very noisy. Mags unusable due to crackle in the signal so I could on use the piezo.
My hex to 13pin cable went wierd after a few days adding noise to all the patches.
I did however love playing it unplugged with all my tunings.Kept me sane to be honest.
Being able to play 19 songs with different tunings in a row, without a fuss, is a dream come true.

Broke a lot of strings and in my experience it is better to wrap the strings around the posts before threading through the hole.

[MCK-fgn]

Wow! What an experience!!! I am glad you survived it and didn't slowly blend into the local drinking till you're broke scene with Bob. I recall Photonutalan1 warning you against dogs in the studio and seems like you've come pretty close to meeting them even.

[Zipidy-fgn]

Wow, I knew I unticked those boxes for a reason, but I had no idea of the depth of suffering I was protecting myself from. In the two weeks that you were in the studio, did you at least get anything accomplished? Talk about the trip from hell. Maybe this was simply The Curse of the Dark Fire at work. Welcome home 

[Johnnyurq-fgn]

Hi Simon,

Welcome back and good to hear from you.

Whoa Dude that sucks big time and I am sorry to hear your trip was so unlucky and mind bendingly hellish.

I reckon I will check that all boxes are unticked from here on in.

I mean I thought I had bad luck but that is a rough few weeks.

Hope you recover from the experience soon.

[photonutalan1-fgn]

Oh my, Simont; what an absolutely horrifying experience! Welcome back; we're here for you and most empathetic. I remember your enthusiasm upon departure; I was totally envious, now I'm very happy that you made it out alive and, hopefully, with all your instruments soon to arrive intact! Please keep us posted and, again, welcome back!!!

[MCK-fgn]

This also reminds me yet again... FIAT ... First In All Trouble! 

Apologies to all friends from Italy ...

[shawnb-fgn]

Now THAT's a song waiting to be written!

[simont-fgn]

Thank you guys for your support. Much appreciated.

This last year has been a truly testing time even before the Dogs in the Studio trip!
However, I have made a conscious decision to accept and move on.

My RMA-able DF, VG99 and FC300 are keeping me well occupied for now, even with a dodgy cable.

[simont-fgn]

The time has come. I'm off to Spain on Tuesday to collect my guitars.

Keeping up to date,the van was shipped back home in  November and I got a 2nd hand engine which has been going fine.It even had less milage than the original.
In what was hopefully the end of that part of the saga I got a €300 Spanish speeding fine in the post at Christmas. You have to laugh.

Traveling on the 13th this time in the hope it will change my luck 

Can't wait to play them again.

[Elantric-fgn]

I hope your luck in spain improves.

This is an interesting plot so far, could easily be cultivated into a movie deal.

Here's to Wishing you to be effective this week in Spain, and a safe return home for you and all your guitars !

[simont-fgn]

Cheers Steve.

The journey has begun.
Dublin to Holyhead by ferry.... no problem.
Drive fro Holyhead to Southampton .....no problem! 

[Elantric-fgn]

Take Pictures

I love Spain!

[Elantric-fgn]

Simon,

I hope the Volcano in Iceland has not effected  your travel plans and schedule.

Let us know how you are.

[simont-fgn]

Finally got to a decent internet connection.
All good. Ferry to Spain and drive down to Seville went without a hitch.
Picked up the last of my guitars today.!!
One small issue. Some guitars were stored in a shower room  and they are a little damp but action, neck etc seems fine so hopefully when I get home to Dublin they won't need too much work.

Two more weeks here. WOMAD on in Cacares this weekend which I hope to make.

Cheers.

[MCK-fgn]

Glad to hear!!! You've got some story there I'm telling you. Ought to write it down. Will make a great read. Enjoy Womad. Its always been amazing for me.

[simont-fgn]

Home at last, safe and sound. 
Didn't make  WOMAD unfortunatly but I did manage to book a gig for this years Fleadh de Caceres. How exciting!


Now.. wheres that DF 

[MCK-fgn]

Welcome back!!! Glad you made it safe & sound. Look forward to reading more of your adventures.

[Johnnyurq-fgn]

+1

Good to hear from you again.