Review - The Denver DD44SCE Acoustic Guitar

A Good Acoustic Electric For Under $200!

Denver is not a guitar I was familiar with before a few weeks, but I was on the hunt for a good acoustic electric guitar that would sell for less than $200, and I found this guitar in my search. It is made overseas, and has a laminate top, but there is a lot of care taken in quality control and the guitars are set up in Canada - they are distributed by Yorkville, who has a proven track record of quality gear and instruments.

It is a nice looking guitar, with nice, deep wood tones, die cast tuners and an extremely straight neck that has ivory binding and nice, finished, smooth side on the neck. To me, this is a big factor in how much care a company takes with their guitars, and the Denver passes the test nicely.

Denver DD44SCE

The DD44SCE has a very straight, very fast playing neck!

The Sound Is The Test

It doesn't matter how nice any acoustic looks, or how much attention to detail the manufacturing process takes - the true test is in how the guitar sounds. This guitar has a bright, aggressive tone. The bottom end could be a bit bigger, but the sound is nice and full, with great projection and rich, full tones. The single note runs sound just as good as the chords.

The DD44SCE also has a basic pickup in it, allowing it to be plugged into an amp or directly into a recording interface for digital recording (although I would use a mic for any recording purposes if possible). The pickup is decent sounding, and the pre-amp does have some EQ control and externally accessible 9v battery.

For as guitar that sells as low as $159.00, this is a great sounding and playing guitar. If you want to get someone a nice starter model for under two hundred bucks, or if you want an inexpensive guitar for a second guitar that you don't have to worry about as much, this Denver DD44ASCE fits the bill nicely.

You can see this guitar and others at one of the best music stores in Lincolnton, James House of Deals & Pawn. They also offer a wide array of the music supplies Lincolnton players need.

Note the neck and body binding on this guitar - the edges of the neck are silky smooth!

Summertime Maintenance on Cars

Waycaster Tire & Auto Announces New Services

Waycaster Tire & Auto are now supplying several new services to help you keep your car running smooth! They have long been known as one of the best source for new and used tires in  Lincolnton NC, but they now have the ability to perform many items of car maintenance in Lincolnton NC!

to kick off these new services, they currently have some great Summer Specials going on! These include

• 5 Quart Basic Oil Change - just $24.95
• Front Disk Brake Job - just $44.95 (does not include parts)
• Motorcycle Fluid Changes (call for pricing)
• used and New Tire Specials

For the oil change, Waycaster Tire & Auto will supply 5 quarts of high quality synthetic blend oil in the proper weight plus a high quality oil filter. The Basic Oil Change includes a fluid check and a top up of window washing fluid as well!

Not sure if you need an oil change? Waycaster Tire & Auto can check your oil levels and oil quality to see if you need an oil change!

Motorcycle fluid changes and repairs are also available - call 704-748-9500 to find rates and more information on motorcycle oil changes and other motorcycle repairs!

If you need an oil change in Lincolnton or new or used tires in Lincolnton NC, call or come by Waycaster Tire & Auto today!

Protect Your Guitar!

If you are like me, you don't like hardshell cases!

Now, if you stow your gear in a trailer, hardshell cases are great - but I much prefer a good gig bag for evryday use. They are lighter, they don't take up as much room and they are generally easier to get your guitar in and out of.

Heavy Duty pockets and bottom patch make these a great deal!

Its a matter of storage!

Gig bags are usually great for storage, and these bags are built with lots of extra room, from the shoulder storage areas to the front pockets! They are also very heavily built - note the heavy duty zipper and the rubber butt plate, and on the picture below you will see that the handle straps are sewn all the way down the sides of the case. This greatly enhances the strength of the straps, and distributes the weight of the guitar over a much wider area. This makes the bag last for a much longer time.

Note the reinforced handle straps running across the bags surface - this helps distribute the weight of the instrument so the handles don't rip free.

Add caption

These side pockets are great!

A No Name Bag That is Built Right!

It is hard for me to believe how much some of the gig bags are today - some are over a $100! While those are good bags, these generic bags are built great and are a steal at just $35 at one of the only music stores in Lincolnton, James House of Deals & Pawn! if you are looking for music equipment in Lincolnton, James House of Deals is a great place to start, and these gig bags are a great deal - protect your guitar today!

These bags have huge amounts of storage - there are three staggered pockets just on the lower front of the bag!

Floyd Rose and the Four Springs - Guitar Repairs

Floyd Rose Tremolos and New Strings

Floyd Rose tremolos are renowned for being difficult to work with, but they are not as hard to adjust as many people make out. Going up or down a string size can cause problems, though! 

Recently, I changed the string gauge on my Floyd Rose equipped guitar from a 9 gauge D'Addario to a 10 gauge string. Sometimes, simply tightening the tremolo claw set screws will work, but in this case adding a fourth spring was necessary!

As you can see from the picture above and below, once the screws were tightened down they did not have the correct tension - either the Floyd Rose was recessed into the body of the guitar (and would not stay in tune) or it was pulling up out of the guitar (and would not stay in tune).

I decided to add another spring to my guitar - first, loosen the strings to take pressure off of the bridge, then unscrew the two claw screws about three quarters of the way. At this point, I also decided to replace the tremolo claw screws, so I removed one screw at a time, put the new one in and then did the next one.

Replace the screws one at a time after most of the tension has been relieved.

Thread the new screws into same same holes as the old ones - if the holes are loose, insert a toothpick to tighten them!

Next, I realigned the springs so that four could fit in - always make sure the springs are evenly distributed on both the tremolo block and the claw spring!

Next, I re-tightened the set screws until I had a decent amount of tension and then began tuning the guitar. If the tremolo keeps pulling up and the guitar does not stay in tune, you will need to gradually tighten the tremolo claw screws. Think of the springs and the strings like two sides of a teeter totter - both sides must have the exact amount of pressure to keep a Floyd Rose tremolo in tune.

Tighten the screws about 1/2 turn at a time, then re-tune the guitar. Do this until the guitar stays in tune. Occasionally during this process, work the tremolo up and down with the whammy bar.

Once the tremolo is properly adjusted it should be on an even plane with the body of the guitar, or have a very slight elevation (as seen below).

Now the guitar is perfectly in tune! Below you will see why I decided to replace the tremolo claw screws as well - these screws are notorious for being ruined by having the over tighten them, usually because you don't have the exact size of screwdriver necessary.

So if you have a Floyd Rose tremolo, don't be scared to make these adjustments - just go slow, make sure you have the right tools and parts before you begin - in this case, the correct size screwdriver and a pair of needle nose pliers to move the springs to the proper places.

Of course, if you need help you can always come by James House of Deals & Pawn - we offer a wide range of guitar adjustments and guitar repair Lincolnton players need - and string changes and set ups are on sale right now! Just swing by the music store Lincolnton players now have available to them for all the music gear Lincolnton needs.

Making Sure Your Guitar Stays in Tune!

MAKING SURE YOUR GUITAR IS STAYING IN TUNE!

It is the time of year for playing guitar - the long summer days lend themselves to creative pursuits, and playing the guitar has been a long favorite of folks, whether it is on the porch of an evening, jamming in a band or strumming a few chords during TV commercials!

There is little more aggravating than realizing that your guitar is not staying in tune though, and there are several things that could be going on which could cause chronic problems with your guitar staying in tune.

The two most obvious reasons are either that the strings are old (or were defective right out of the box) or that they were improperly installed. This is surprisingly easy to do, but with a little care you can make sure your strings are installed like a pro!

Put The Strings On Right To Avoid Bad Tuning!

When installing your strings, make sure they are wrapped around the tuning peg enough times! As you see in the picture below, unwrapped strings should wrap around the post at least 4-6 times, while the wrapped strings can hold their grip with 3-4 times around the post.

If the strings do not wrap around the post enough times they will gradually pull loose when you tune and play the guitar - this is especially true of the plain steel (unwrapped) strings. Paying attention to this one simple thing will help keep your guitar in tune more than any other trick we can teach you!

What If It Isn't The Strings?

Sometimes it is not the strings that make your guitar out of tune - have you ever tuned your strings perfectly but the chords you make just don't sound right, especially as you move up the neck?

This type of problem is usually caused by intonation or neck adjustment issues, and the guitar will have to be adjusted on a more in depth basis. We will post more articles on doing this yourself in the coming weeks and months, but if your guitar needs adjustments or you need guitar repairs in Lincolnton come to James House of Deals, a music store Lincolnton players can rely on to supply great services and pricing on a wide array of guitar strings, tuners, and lots of other musical gear!

James House of Deals is currently featuring the specials below to keep your axe in its best shape!

Restringing Acoustic or Electric - $12.00

Strings are included!

Set-up of Your Guitar - $25.00

Set up includes neck adjustment, cleaning, fret board treatment and more and strings are included!

Guitar Strings Installed . . . $12.00

Includes Strings

Guitar Set-Ups . . . $25.00

Includes Neck Adjustment, Intonation, Strings & More!

Guitar Strings Installed . . . $12.00

Includes Strings

Guitar Set-Ups . . . $25.00

Includes Neck Adjustment, Intonation, Strings & More!

The Thin Tire Blues

Does Uneven Tire Wear Have You Down?

There is something more than just disappointing about realizing that one or two of your tires are wearing out at different rates. The two main causes of uneven wear are either tires and wheels which are out of balance or wheels (especially on the front axle) which are not properly aligned.

Most tire shops are very careful when it comes to balancing your tires and wheels after the installation of a new or used tire on your wheel, but the balancing weights can occasionally come off, throwing the wheel out of balance.

Inspect your Tires Weekly

It does not take long - simply do a quick walk-around the vehicle once a week and check the wheels and tires; make sure the tires are properly inflated as an under-inflated tire can also cause unnatural tread wear and reduce the miles per gallon you will get out of your vehicle!

When you notice uneven wear, take your car in to get the balance and alignment checked, and every time you change oil in your car get in the habit of rotating your tires - this will also help keep your tread-wear even as long as all the other things mentioned above are in good shape!

Waycaster Tire & Auto Is Here For You

Waycaster Tire & Auto has a large selection of quality used tires and can order nearly any size new tire and have it ready to install within two days - and they have a low price guarantee that will ensure you are getting the best deal on tires in Lincolnton!

To make sure you keep your tires as long as possible, check the tires weekly, make sure they have enough pressure and periodically check your balance and alignment if it seems as though your tires are experiencing uneven wear - and drive safe this summer!

Summer is Here!

Summer is here, and while there are certain things about our NC summers I don't like (such as the baking heat), the coming of the summer heat also means we will be enjoying great, long lazy summer days and fantastic fresh produce from our own and other local gardens.

With that thought in mind, I am making a small list of area farmers markets - if you have a favorite in surrounding counties let us know! A good farmers market is worth a drive!

Lincoln County Farmer's Market has two locations:


Rock Springs School at 3633 on Highway 16 North Denver, NC
every Saturday April 5 through November 22, 2014
8:00am until sell out

and in Lincolnton

225 W Water St

Lincolnton, NC
Open Saturday 7.00 am till

The Lincoln County Farmer's Market is run and regulated by the county, and has some great vendors. All foods must be locally grown, and there are crafts and other items available as well!

Send in your favorite Farmers Market and I will add it to this post and to a list that I am building (which will also be on this website).

Enjoy the great local produce and slow down and try cooking some meals from scratch - its not as hard people think, and a family dinner is a great way to get everybody to put their phones and tablets down and spend some time at the table!

Below are some great shots of some beautiful Lincoln County sunsets!

Lincoln County Living - the new blog for Lincoln County!

Welcome to the Lincoln County Living Blog!

The Lincoln County Living Blog will be addressing a wide array of interests in and around Lincoln County from fishing and nature walks, how to articles, cooking tips and tricks and much more - it will also be an outlet for several of our Lincoln County businesses such as the brand new pawn shop in Lincolnton NC, James House of Deals and Pawn!

Lincolnton and Lincoln County musicians have had a rough time in the last few years when it comes to music stores - namely, that thee haven't been many around and that if they needed something as simple as strings or tuners they had to drive to Hickory, Gastonia or Charlotte.

James House of Deals & Pawn, which opened for business the last week of June 2016 looks to change that, giving Lincoln county and Lincolnton residents more choices in pawn shops and mercantile, and a full line music store which will over time offer area musicians a wide selection of music gear in Lincolnton and Lincoln County.

Currently, they have guitar strings, cables, mics, tuners, guitar stands and some instruments. They will be adding many more accessories in the coming months and hope to build a music store Lincolnton NC residents can depend on for great service, great gear and competitive pricing!

James House of Deals in Lincolnton NC will also be dealing with some excellent used gear, like this pristine Epiphone EJ200 VS Acoustic Guitar!