Vortex Alert and formal delurk

[JOHNPOLLOCK@delphi.com]

Hello,

Just in case someone still wants one, the Guitar Center "December Deal
Days" catalog announces a "Last Chance On Lexicon Price Breakthrough!"
on the Vortex at $149.99.  Presumably, they have enough left to warrant
the catalog space.  They also advertise the DOD DFX94 4-second
sampler/delay stompbox for $120-- can anyone give a real-world review
of this unit?  Is it worth the money?

I've been reading the newsletter and visiting the Web site since Kim
made the announcement in the Digital Guitar Digest.  I'm delurking
now because I feel a flood of questions and comments building up,
and think it only fair to give you an idea who they're coming from.

I'm possibly the oldest reader of this list (still 51, for a few weeks),
and likely one of the newest loop addicts (I got my Vortex three weeks
ago today).  I played music for a living for 15 years, beginning as
a steel guitarist and ending up as a one-person band, driving a pair of
synthesizers with a MIDI guitar and a MIDI pedal keyboard while singing
or playing harmonica.  I "retired" several years ago, after I realized I
dreaded going to work; I'm now beginning to recapture the joy of making
music for its own sake, and for mine.

Rather than burdening the list with details of my gear, I invite anyone
interested to my Troubador Tech Web site (URL in sig), which is devoted
to tools and techniques of possible interest to the solo simultaneous
multiinstrumentalist.  It includes the modest beginning of a page on 
delays and looping, where you can find out how to get four delays of
up to 12 seconds each from a Casio VZ-series synthesizer.  

I'm deeply grateful to everyone who contributes to this project, for
the information and the inspiration.  May all your loops yield happy
surprises!

John                              Email:  johnpollock@delphi.com
Troubador Tech on the Web--http://people.delphi.com/johnpollock/