Request For Comments: Floyd Rose

It is established that I, as Tele-Blogster, can be considered Mr. Hardtail. My son has a superstrat and has poked at his strings and Floyd Rose, popping a string. I have poked at this before, doing an initial poke and setup. I'm about to do it again, this time doing a full string swap, and I'm wondering about the process. This seems like a fairly full explanation of the process, but if there's anything else about the care and feeding of a Floyd Rose or Floyd Rose Licenced tremolo unit that I should know, any tips, tricks, hacks or mods to make it all work, please let me know.

Make Up My Mind!

On the one hand, there's the Punch Brothers. That's Chris Thile's post-Nickel Creek band. Bluegrass done by people who like Radiohead and Bach, and right in town, in the neighboring university's playhouse, where I've seen the likes of Kenny Burrell, Herbie Hancock, Doc Watson and Bela Fleck.

On the other hand, there's Susan Tedeschi. Boston blues girl, married to Butch Derek Trucks. In a skeevy rock club in the town where I work. I didn't really like Just Won't Burn, but, A) that was recorded a while ago, and B) that wasn't a live show.

(Butch is Derek's uncle and also an Allman. Sometimes stupid details just slip past. Thanks, Strat!)

On the third hand, there's Marty Stuart. He played mandolin for Lester Flatt. He played guitar for Johnny Cash. He sang and sings duets with Travis Tritt. He can stand on stage with the Flecktones, without knowing the song, and musically hang with them. Plus, his main stage guitar is Clarence White's original B-Bender. But it's in Brown County. I have not actually been to Brown County. Unless I can work something out, it's work, one hour back up to pick up the lovely wife, two hours to the show, then two hours back home. Plus babysitting. And the possibility that I can get Marty to sign The Pilgrim and maybe even get a chance to touch Clarence's #1.

All come to this state in November, and, at best, I can make one. If I start planning on it now. Which would you see? Which should I see?

Help me!

Derek Trucks is playing at the Vogue in Indianapolis on the 8th.

If I had known, say, a month ago, I could've worked something out.

As it is, I'll have to miss it.

Like I missed Robert Randolph.

What good tools are there to tell you when good bands are coming to your area? Is there a Ticketmaster website that'll warn you? What do you do?