BJ FitzGerald

New Pedalboard Layout

2012-02-07T15:30:00.000-08:00

I heavily modified my pedalboard layout this past weekend, with some cool new stuff. From left to right: MXR Carbon Copy, Fulltone OCD, TC Helicon Harmony-G, channel selectors, Digitech EX-7 Expression Factory, Carl Martin PlexiTone, Whirlwind Orange Phaser, Keeley Modified TS9 Tube Screamer, MXR Dyna Comp, Mod Tone Funk Filter Enveloper, and a TC Electronic Polytune.

I scored the Whirlwind Orange after sorting through a bunch of phasers- none of them had that vintage vibe to them like the old script-logo MXR Phase 90, but the Phase 90 has no 9V power supply, which is a must for my rig. So, after A/Bing an old script logo Phase 90 and the Orange, I really couldn't hear the difference. Both are silky smooth and are nearly identical in every way- save for the Orange's 9V supply, which was the deal-breaker for me. Pick one up if you have the chance; they're fantastic.

Ill Funk 4.0 and New Gear

2012-01-08T11:24:00.000-08:00

Hey all! I just completed the brand new illfunk.com and added some seriously fun bells and whistles to it; I'm even contemplating adding the Ill Funk media browser to this site, making video watching and music playing that much easier. Check it out, and listen to live recordings, our entire debut album, and a whole bunch of live videos. You can even watch every single Big Dog with ease to get your fix of hilarity.

I recently picked up a new American Strat and I'm absolutely loving it. The neck is smooth as glass and I dropped in Fender Samarium Cobalt Noiseless pickups in to it to get rid of that dreaded 60 cycle hum. Truly, it's a fantastic guitar and I'm excited to be armed with dual Strats at all of my Ill Funk gigs!

The Sayno Xacti

2011-08-26T16:34:00.000-07:00

I have always been leery of those tiny little recorders that you see all over- most are used to record meetings and have no business recording live music. But, I've been wanting a portable option to record my performances so I could go back and listen, so sound quality wasn't paramount. I did some research and found one that was reasonably priced and met all of my needs; the Sayno Xacti. With it, I could easily set sound levels and record both compressed MP3 files, as well as .WAV files all to a removable micro-SD card. Using a coupon I had for Guitar Center, I took a trip to the local store and actually was able to get the unit for under $100!

I first used it with Ill Funk on our 3rd annual tour of Cape Cod and was utterly shocked with the sound quality. Setting it up at the back of the room of all three of our performances, the quality was so good, I'm actually putting together a live CD of our show at The Lost Dog Pub. You can check out our version of Flashing Lights HERE and listen for yourself!

Brand New Digs

2011-08-09T16:03:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the brand new bjfitzgerald.com! I've worked hard at keeping the site fresh with new content as frequently as my crazy schedule allows.

I recently worked with the good people at The Captain J.P. Cruise Lines to redesign their website as well as take pictures of their yacht. The end result is a much more functional website that is easy for the owners to update and looks great. Check it out and keep it in mind when you want a unique night in the Capital Region of NY.

Hopefully, everyone digs the new site and checks back often!

Road Worn Telecaster

2011-08-06T08:21:00.001-07:00

I recently picked up a Fender Road Worn Telecaster at the behest of one of my friends- and I couldn't be happier. The Road Worn series takes a recreation of classic 50's and 60's instruments, complete with era-correct appointments, and beats the hell out of it to replicate a long-used instrument.

At first I was a bit reticent to buy the guitar- it's expensive at $899 and who wants a dinged-up, Mexican-made instrument?- but upon playing one, I realized it was far, far more than that. The neck is simply heaven, soft-feeling, fast and worn in beautifully and the finish adds to the unbelievable tone you can get. A nitro finish for under $1000? Sign me up. The body resonates perfectly, and honestly the worn finish looks pretty damn cool.

But the best part of this buy? I scored it from Samedaymusic.com for $629! After tossing in some Samarian Cobalt Noiseless Tele Pickups (I can't stand 60 cycle hum), this old-looking, new-sounding girl is a new favorite.

Ill Funk is back at it again, booking new shows and performing new material. We've also got a brand-new Facebook page that will have some unbelievably hilarious exclusive content, so give it a 'like' and stay tuned!

New Dates!

2011-08-05T17:27:00.002-07:00

I recently added a bunch of new dates to my upcoming schedule, and I'm most looking forward to Ill Funk's near 'house band' status we'll enjoy at the Icehouse in Saratoga Springs. The venue is top-notch; it's got a huge tent, a stage and the friendliest people around working there. We'll also be taking trips to Cape Cod and Oneonta to the Black Oak Tavern, where we'll be playing a couple of sets after Oh-Fest- 2011 is shaping up nicely.

In other news, Jermaine and I worked a wonderful benefit for a little girl who was just diagnosed with leukemia. The people we worked with were some of the most kind, caring people I've ever come across and we were more than happy to use Ill Funk's PA system to run sound for the talented bands and acoustic acts that occurred throughout the day. After all was said and done, the charity, "Health, Hope & Happiness for Hannah" raised over $50,000 dollars in one day!

There are more charity events for little Hannah, and as she fights her battle with leukemia, the support and love is as important as any amount of money, large or small, that is given to her. Please visit their Facebook page for more information about how you can help!

Updated Pedalboard Layout

2011-08-05T17:27:00.000-07:00

Just updated my pedalboard yet again; I say 'yet again' because it seems my board is ever-evolving. The newest incarnation keeps some of my old favorites, but adds a couple new tricks.

From left to right, top to bottom: MXR Kerry King 10-band EQ, MXR Carbon Copy delay, TC Helicon Harmony G, Ibanez Tube Screamer with Keeley mod, MXR Dyna Comp, Carl Martin PlexiTone, Fulltone OCD, dual channel select and a Digitech EX-7 Expression Factory on a Pedaltrain board. I'm now powering the board with a Voodoo Labs Power Plus 2, so I've got more room for my 'toys'.

Custom Amp Build

2011-08-05T17:26:00.003-07:00

I just finished another project I've been working on- taking my Marshall DSL 401 combo amp and turning it into a stand-alone head.

The design phase was a bit of a pain, having very little to go on from online sources- most examples of someone turning a DSL 401 into a head looked amatuerish and, well, ugly. I took as many design cues as I could from classic Marshall amp heads (only this would be 'upside-down') and once I ironed out the kinks and settled on what would be the strongest, most well-constructed and visually appealing way to do it, I set out to get materials.

Click HERE to read all about the build; hopefully, it'll inspire projects for other people and give them some guidelines- guidelines I honestly couldn't find too much information on even online.

Fender Bandmaster Modern Vintage 212

2011-08-05T17:25:00.001-07:00

Just picked up a used Fender Bandmaster Modern Vintage 212, replaced the silver grill with a wheat-colored one, and have designs to replace at least one of the stock speakers with a Celestion G12H30 or a Vintage 30. It looks as sweet as it sounds!

Replacing the grill was actually easier than I thought that it was going to be- the hardest part was having the patience to remove all 50,000 damn staples that held the fabric to the frame- patience and skin on one's knuckles. Once I got it off, I merely cut the new fabric in exactly the pattern of the old, and re-stapled to the frame. Personally, I think this looks far better than the original.

On another cool note, I'll be instructing a course at The College of Saint Rose in the upcoming spring semester. Very excited about the new challenge and the chance to work with older, um, 'teachable' students!