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Hi,
I got an old DeArmond guitar mike for super cheap that functions but could use some basic soldering work. The braided shield has torn apart over the years at the joints with the pot and the pickup cover. I'm thinking of just having the cable that runs from the pickup to the control box replaced. It seemed like an easy fix that I could do myself, but the cable is soldered onto the coil of the pickup. I'm concerned about messing things up. Should I be concerned? If so, does anyone know a qualified technician to help me out? Someone local would be ideal, but I might not mind shipping it out if necessary.
Thanks
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03-05-2018 12:06 PM
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Fatdog at Subway guitars could fix you up (if he is still in business). He has a lot of experience rewiring pickups from the 50's and 60's.
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Nice, I know fatdawg and he's still in business. He also has a surprisingly good collection of vintage guitars although his shop is a bit cluttered.
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Glad to hear. Years ago (late 70's) I lived in Berserkley and Ralph Novak was the guitar repairman at Subway. Ralph remained my guitar tech until the 90's when he became too busy building his fanned fret guitars to work on my stuff. I have never found a tech I liked as much. I do my own setups these days, but never get a guitar as dialed in as Ralph could.
Originally Posted by omphalopsychos
Fatdawg and I had many a conversation about guitars over the years. He is a unique character and a tinkerer. I would see him first about the DeArmond. If he cannot fix it, he will know who can.
One of these days, I will take BART over to Berkeley and go see Fatdawg. It has been many, many years. That would be a walk down memory lane for me. Good luck with your project!
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With a name like "Fatdawg" you better be good at whatever you do!
I'll also give him a shout next time I need repairs or to check out Subway's inventory.
SUBWAY GUITARS: Bargain, Custom, Professional Quality, Retro
and Vintage Guitars, Basses & Amps
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Beserkeley is right. I met Fatdawg at his Cedar Street shop back in '88 in my old IBM days, I'd take a huge bag of my biscotti to him and hang out looking at what he had in his inventory. Bought a 70s Ibanez 355 replica from him then. He had lots of cool stuff, old Kay Kelvinator headstock guitars, all kinds of stuff. The man is a legend in Beserkeley - back in the '60s if you had a cause or a band and Fatdawg thought you'd be helping "The People" he'd front you any gear you or your band needed. He's legendary also for having to foresight to swoop up literally warehouses of old DeArmond, Harmony, Kay, Silvertone pickups, bodies, necks. Everything. He really squirreled away a lot stuff. I had my downsizing period and for 5 years really didn't have any money so stopped going there until 1995, when I ran into him at the San Mateo Guitar Show - he remembered me for my biscotti (I was packing a huge bag with) and that I was "that fat cat from IBM"... Anyway we walked around a little him eating my biscotti and he said to me "what do you think about this internet thing"... I told him that if he wanted to get some exposure that going online could be pretty good - in '95 the internet wasn't that sophisticated. But he wanted to sell guitars and stuff and if you look at his website he's come a LONG WAY... Anyway a visit to FatDawg wouldn't hurt.
Then if that fails you can go over to Real Guitars on Lafayette just off Mission Street in San Francisco, in the back is Gary Brawer Guitar Repair - he's also a character but worth talking to.
If you're gong there dog nangit you better just hop back on Mission and go over to 24th Street, park and eat at La Taqueria
and visit Dianda's Bakery next door. If you don't do that don't go to San Francisco - La Taqueria is truly wonderful.
BigLast edited by BigMikeinNJ; 03-05-2018 at 01:48 PM.
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Very good recommendations. I live in Berserkistan and work in San Francisco. Between FatDawg and Gary B I should be covered. Thanks forum!
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For anyone reading this thread and wondering wtf is FatDawg?
And yes he still drives that VW.
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When I go to the mission, it is always for a burrito at El Toro (17th and Valencia).
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You guys are too much! I lived in Berkeley from '86 to '90. I bought and traded a handful of guitars and amps at Subway. I love that place and go back about once a year just to nose around. Total throwback to the mom and pop days of guitar shops. I don't know if Fatdawg still sends used bicycles to Central America, but he was doing that for many years.
Also, I live in the 'hood near 17th and Valencia now. Been there since the late '90's. My daughter used to love El Toro, but now she likes a place that is a little more yuppified called Little Chiwawa that is directly across Valencia Street from El Toro. I can't argue with her about Mexican food. She is pretty stubborn that way.
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Originally Posted by Stringswinger
String,
Love ya man but I'm gonna do my best Jules Winfield impression on you:
"Oh are you finished, well then let me retort "
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I have always been told that La Taqueria and El Toro are owned by the same family. The menus (even the graphics) appear to make that true, FWIW.
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Mike, I am way too smart to even CONSIDER debating you on the subject of food. Originally Posted by BigMikeinNJ
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When I first moved to SF (1976) the best burrito was widely considered to be La Cumbre (who claims to have invented the Mission Style Burrito). Business was so good that they opened El Toro and by the early 80's I started eating there (and still do) to avoid the crowds at la Cumbre (though by the mid 80's El Toro had the same crowds). In the mid 80's, I was attending law school in downtown SF and began eating (at times) at El Faro (who also claims to have invented the Mission style Burrito). They made a damn fine burrito as well. Ownership of these iconic establishments may have changed over the years. Originally Posted by lammie200
I will have to try La Taqueria. FWIW, my son in law, who is Mexican-American (all of his grandparents were born in Mexico) told me that the carne asada at El Toro was first rate. And he is not easily impressed with Mexican food in restaurants. He tells me that compared to his mom's food, it is all second rate.
The best Burrito I have ever had was from a place in LA (I lived there in 1975) at a place called Top Taco at the corner of Sunset and La Brea. Sadly, they are long gone. But the good news is that Subway guitars is still extant.
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fatty is one of a kind! as is his shop...charlie hunters mom used to work there...thats how charlie got into the novax fanned fret 7 string world...
the original mesa boogie subway amps were named for him!...he owns the original prune music store sign (where mesa emerged from)
with the exception of a few years when he was on san pablo, the old cedar st shop has changed very little in the near 40 years i've known him
cheers
ps- as per mission burritos...elbo room to el toro..that was a well travelled path!
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Subway has a beautiful looking ES150 available - asking is $2100.
http://www.fatdawg.com/dawgpress/vintage-estate-sale/
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Originally Posted by Stringswinger
When I first moved to SF (1976) the best burrito was widely considered to be La Cumbre (who claims to have invented the Mission Style Burrito). Business was so good that they opened El Toro and by the early 80's I started eating there (and still do) to avoid the crowds at la Cumbre (though by the mid 80's El Toro had the same crowds). In the mid 80's, I was attending law school in downtown SF and began eating (at times) at El Faro (who also claims to have invented the Mission style Burrito). They made a damn fine burrito as well. Ownership of these iconic establishments may have changed over the years.
I will have to try La Taqueria. FWIW, my son in law, who is Mexican-American (all of his grandparents were born in Mexico) told me that the carne asada at El Toro was first rate. And he is not easily impressed with Mexican food in restaurants. He tells me that compared to his mom's food, it is all second rate.
The best Burrito I have ever had was from a place in LA (I lived there in 1975) at a place called Top Taco at the corner of Sunset and La Brea. Sadly, they are long gone. But the good news is that Subway guitars is still extant.
All this burrito talk, I've never tried their burrito. My American Regional Instructor took us on a walking tour of The Mission down near 20 and beyond. We went to little hole in the wall places behind Mission Street that made tortillas - a bunch of mamas standing over flat tops hand slapping all sorts of tortillas. A place that specialized in fresh juice bars, middle eastern markets on Valencia and then La Taqueria and Dianda's next door... She told us not to eat anything too large because we had many places to try. Ever since that day I've never had anything but the carnitas or chicken tacos. As seen in the video they are best if slapped on the hot grill for a bit.
And not to offend any of you NYMFC fellas but Dianda's - I'd put them up against any of the hot shot Little Italy bakeries . Ya gotta try both. The day before I left Cali to move to Jersey I went to see my old buddy Burt Lozado (side note, Burt was 2nd Armored during WWII) - ya see Burt was raised in The Mission in the early 30s when Dianda's was at another location. A poor Guetamalan catholic family his daddy used to take them down there on Saturdays and get a small rum cake. If the kids ate all their dinner Dad would give them a bit of rum cake as dessert. The hope was the kids would sleep soundly and Mom and Dad could have some romantic quiet time... So I took Burt to La Taqueria for a farewell meal and bought him lunch and more for his dinner. We went next door and I bought 3 pounds of Dianda's cookies for the road trip... That and canned Starbucks double shots kept me driving from 5:30 am until dark. SF to NYC in 4 1/2 days. Me and Boo in her carrier...
Choice stuff...
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I have been in the SF Bay Area longer than I want to admit and all of what you wrote is pretty much the way it is IMHO. Personally I think that La Taqueria is overrated. The food is many times served luke warm. La Cumbre is still good and El Toro is the same a La Taqueria but smaller so you have a better chance at getting actual hot food. Most of the El Faro's are gone now, but that was a viable alternative. There are really good Mexican restaurants all over the Mission. Originally Posted by Stringswinger
When I first moved to SF (1976) the best burrito was widely considered to be La Cumbre (who claims to have invented the Mission Style Burrito). Business was so good that they opened El Toro and by the early 80's I started eating there (and still do) to avoid the crowds at la Cumbre (though by the mid 80's El Toro had the same crowds). In the mid 80's, I was attending law school in downtown SF and began eating (at times) at El Faro (who also claims to have invented the Mission style Burrito). They made a damn fine burrito as well. Ownership of these iconic establishments may have changed over the years.
I will have to try La Taqueria. FWIW, my son in law, who is Mexican-American (all of his grandparents were born in Mexico) told me that the carne asada at El Toro was first rate. And he is not easily impressed with Mexican food in restaurants. He tells me that compared to his mom's food, it is all second rate.
Now if we want to pivot we can discuss Ray's (and the various Original Ray's) Pizza in Manhattan. I lived there for about 6 years before moving to the SF Bay Area.
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I grew up in NYC (5th grade through College). Rays at 11th and 6th and Rays at 76th and third were my favorites along with Strombolis on University Place. In the 80's I had a New York Style Pizza restaurant in San Francisco's Haight Ashbury (Marco's New York Style Pizza) and in the 90's I had a New York Style Pizza restaurant in Portland Oregon (Marco's Pizza and Subs). Originally Posted by lammie200
Being a Philadelphian and New Yorker, Pizza and cheesesteaks are an important part of my life and have been a big part of my livelihood.
At this point, I have lived in the Bay Area longer (28 years) than Philadelphia (10 years) or New York (8 years), so Burritos are also an important part of my life (but not as important as Pizza, which for me is right up there with Harley's, Gibsons and good women).
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Sorry to divert this taco thread but I had the wire on my RC 1000 replaced by Pete Wagoner at LaVonnes Music in Savage MN. Great work at a very reasonable price. Now back to the tacos.
Thanks John
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sf mission burritos and nyc pizza!! classics both...ah memories
best rays was 11th and 6 ave...the slices used to come standard with carmelized onions!!!..place used to have a line out the door, back in the days when that was still unusual!!
lotta great bay area mission style burrito places...and every city has a great one (or 5)..from santa cruz on up...one of my faves ever was mi ranchita in stockton...city wise..so many...come and gone..but i still like el toro
la cumbre was the ramones fave..after they came out here on their first tour, they told everyone back in nyc to go to la cumbre!!! haha
cheers
ps- just read ss ^..and yeah 76th st rays great too!!! classic
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back to guitar
our man fatdawg
when i first met him..he was fat!!...hence fatdawg!...had a big bushy beard and wore dashikis...
he was also very much for the people/anti-establishment berkeley
he had tons of old parts...he bought out many old supply houses and guitar distributors from all over the country...had dan electro factory parts and vox parts, etc etc...you name it...but if you went in and said i need an old p90 to replace one in my old 330..he'd say i got'em but i'm gonna use them on this dan electro I'm rebuilding!!! haha..he hated the whole sacredness of the guitar bit..used to drive me crazy..
one of the greats tho
if you visited bay area, you could go to him and "buy" a (then) cheapo guitar and when you were leaving you could return it for your full money...free rental!! that was his policy!!
he's the best! legendary guitar character..and knowledgeable as anyone
cheers
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El Faro was a good small chain, there was one on 24th Avenue and Clement, out in the Richmond. I got involved in passively trapping ferile cats in my neighborhood and El Faro gave me and a woman I knew huge bags of the chicken meat they put in their burritos (they gave to us instead of reusing it the next day). Put a little of their poached chicken in a dish in a passive trap and those little cutie pies would walk right in. I'd whisk them off on Tuesday to the SPCA and they'd get spayed/neutered, all their shots for free and they'd mark the cats with a small notch cut in the left ear telling the locals tho the cat might be stray it wasn't creating more of their kind. After a week on the mend in my garage many of them bonded with me. They didn't trust anyone else, but sure were great pals.
Fatdawg really had a lot of vision if you will, grabbing up warehouses of vintage parts on the cheap - who'd know that cheap red foil pickups meant for Silvertones and Harmonys would be so popular 30 years later. He had the stuff, huge piles of it, but he'd never seem to have one he would sell anyone. Then he got his website going and starting building just about any Fatdawg specials - just about any body style you want with the most endless pickup choices.
BigLast edited by BigMikeinNJ; 03-06-2018 at 12:47 PM.
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Gary Brawer or Fatdawg should be able to handle it.
But, I wonder if there might be away to support the braid without replacing the entire wire. If possible, the result would retain greater originality, if that matters..
My idea is to wrap the braid with a conductor solder it on and then see if there's a way to use some kind of shrinkwrap to contain it. Usual shrinkwrap has to be threaded on, which sounds like it would require disconnecting something you don't want to touch, but there might be some other product. Staff at Al Lasher's on University Ave (still there as of a couple years ago) would know. There would be very little risk of damaging anything if all you're doing is adding conductor to the ground.
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I went to fatdawg this afternoon. He said he no longer does that stuff personally but his staff could do it. No offense to the youth, but I didn't really trust the staff.
Rpjazzguitar I thought of the same idea myself and will probably give Al Lasher a visit tomorrow. I'm not too concerned about the originality. In addition to rewiring the pickup, the other repair I had in mind was to replace the output mechanism. This particular FHC is the kind with the output cable soldered directly to the pot. I will probably pick up a mini jack and hook that up in place of the cable.
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