Music, Artwork, Models & Prototypes

Infrequent notes on a motley collection of the things I like to do in my spare time. Engraving and linocut, railroads and train models, photos.

Ampeg V-4B: The All Tube Bass Amplifier

The Ampeg V-4B is a two-channel, all-tube, 100-watt beast of an amp head. Like many electronics of the early and mid 70s, the design of the cabinet and control face is Spartan.

A microcosmic music history...

Bands, projects, demo recordings, performances and other audio activities in which I can remember being involved, from Drink the Long Draught all the way back to Peripatetic, my 1991 2-track tape experiments.

Poster Design for Peace

When Lancaster Coalition for Peace and Justice asked me to design a poster for their M15 event, I was delighted—LCPJ has become a tremendous force for good in Lancaster County, PA.

Drink the Long Draught

New music from old friends Bil ‘Big’ Johnson on guitar, Ant Borgesi on drums, Nicola Dixon singing, and me, Ian Schaefer, on the bass. We’ve been taking our good sweet time making new music and rearrange some earlier material from Bil’s Expendables, and a tune or two from The Fontanelles.

Listen to our emerging sound on the band website.

We’re also on myspace. Come be our friend.

Remnants of the Reading & Columbia Railroad

Last night while looking at my partial schematic of the former Reading & Columbia Railroad that runs through Lititz I thought the text labels on the diagram might be more understandable if

I often wonder about the possibility of combining my varied interests to create something more meaningful, more lasting, than any one avocation ever has the chance to produce. Last night while looking at my partial schematic of the former Reading & Columbia Railroad that runs through Lititz I thought the text labels on the diagram might be more understandable if I rotated them 90 degrees.