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1966 Suzuki Acoustic. Still have it.
2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
Gilmour Strat once I get it back
3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
Suzuki as above
4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
An Anderson with a purdy top
5: What strings do you use?
GHS Boomers DG, and Elixier acoustic
6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
Mix out the guitar.
7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
Tuning and masterbating furiously over the neatness of my pedalboard.
8: ...And five minutes after?
Thinking about downrigging
9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
Broke B string in first bar of CNumb outro solo with floating trem.
10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
Don't buy the same thing over and over to sell and lose money. Decide what you want and stick to it.
*An Official Foo-Approved guitarist since Sept 2023.
I used to play the violin when I was 9-12 years old in primary school. I hated the violin as I sounded horrific. My father wanted me to play an instrument (he gave up playing the french horn and wanted me to be able to play an instrument.
When I got to secondary school and they found out I played the violin, I was told to turn up to the string quartet tuesday lunchtime. I really didnt want to play anymore, I stood outside the practice room and I never went in. When I got home my dad asked me how I got on, I said I didn't go. After saying I no longer wanted to play, he said "well you have to play something what do you want to do?". My first choice Drums was understandably rejected. Knowing that most of my friends played guitar, i said guitar. And that was that, I studied classical guitar for a year and a half until my teacher twigged that I wasn't actually reading the music. I was just memorising the piece (four pages was my record). I said I wanted to learn what my friends were learning Nirvana and Hendrix etc. So I started learning Chuck Berry and Chet Atkins pieces (i know not quite the same, but it was better than before!)
Anyway I was told to get a classical guitar, so my dad bought an Encore steel strung (As he liked the sound of maggy may???) 3/4 acoustic guitar from Argos. £25 of tripe. When I was learning classical pieces I used to bang it along the road in the hope it would break so I would stop learning boring songs! My dad didnt spend a lot, because he didnt think i'd take to it! :P
2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
PRS DGT
3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
Gibson SG Standard, owned since 1998 and signed by Allan Holdsworth and Guthrie Govan.
Just picked up a Yamaha FG450SA which dates back to 1990. Technically that one
4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
Hmm either a decent simple two channel vintage style 50w head or a brightly coloured Strat.
5: What strings do you use?
11's, not really fussed on make. Whatever is on offer at hotrox, buy in bulk and forget about it. I'm not fond of Rotosound strings though, either Daddario, GHS or Ernie Balls.
6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
Slow down and play a melody.
7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
Warming my hands up under hot water.
8: ...And five minutes after?
Packing down.
9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
I used to play jazz standards in a study group, I had just got into Holdsworth and like every other fanboy I naively tried aping an overdriven lead sound. Except my lead sound was three times louder than the clean channel, so in the middle of a nice suttle jazz tune like song for my father, I manage to shatter the vibe by sounding like Brian May soundchecking. After that, just turned the clean channel up and used the volume knobs on the guitar.
10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
Practice arpeggios and explore as many musical genres as possible.
1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?
An 'Axe' as advertised in Metal Hammer in 1987.
2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
My Jem FP; wanted one since I started learning (next door neighbour had one), and finally picked one up 3 years ago.
3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
A Joe Despagni JEM; got it from a guy on the old MR forum who was selling it on Ebay. Made by the bloke who made Steve Vai's early JEMs before Ibanez came into it.
4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
A shiny purple Vigier in World Guitars. Don't need it but want it.
5: What strings do you use?
Ernie Ball 9s.
6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
Better drums.
7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
Warming up.
8: ...And five minutes after?
Having a beer (normally just the one small one as I usually have to drive).
9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
Having the landlord cut the power as we were too loud (small local pub in Aberystwyth for which we were blatantly not suited).
10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
Don't buy that BC Rich Warlock, and sell the really nice Ibanez Roadstar to fund it. It's cheap because it doesn't have a Floyd and therefore isn't a bargain. Fool.
https://www.facebook.com/benswanwickguitar
2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
Probably my 1992 Eggle Berlin Deluxe but it would be a tough choice!
3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
I've sold all the really old ones so it's now a 1990 Heartfield Talon that I bought on eBay a few years ago. As superstrats go, it's a cracker.
4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
Really don't know as I'm pretty well set up at the moment. Maybe an Axe FX II or a Bogner Goldfinger (I love the Kemper profile).
5: What strings do you use?
9-42, usually D'Addario
6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
Given up worrying TBH. I can usually find lots to criticise and, if I tried to get it all perfect, I'd never finish anything!
7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
Usually chilling out a bit. I'm always completely set up and ready before then.
8: ...And five minutes after?
Usually chatting to punters, friends or other band members.
9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
Loads of cock ups but nothing really bad. Fallen over once or twice, tripping over cables, etc.
10. What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
Same as @dilbert above. That advice is golden.
First electric was an Avon Les Paul copy
2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
My Strat I guess as I've owned it longest
3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
Strat as above, bought in 1989.
4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
A Tele of some sort
5: What strings do you use?
Whatever is on special, usually D'addario's 10-46
6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
Not bother.
7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
I don't go onstage.
8: ...And five minutes after?
NA
9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
NA
10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?
Silver Series Squier, 92
2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
My Strat, CS 1960 NOS
3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
Squier, '92
4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
I don't know how long it will last, but I'm actually happy with my current set up.
5: What strings do you use?
10's.
6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
Never really recorded.
Tuning vigorously.
8: ...And five minutes after?
Drinking vigorously.
First gig, sat at the back of the stage during the sound check. By the time people started coming in I still hadn't stood up. The sight of an audience pretty much disabled my legs. Did the gig sitting down.
10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
I can't help about the shape I'm in, I can't sing I ain't pretty and my legs are thin
But don't ask me what I think of you, I might not give the answer that you want me to
Probably around 2002, a terrible Encore Strat in purple which I have long since destroyed.
2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
Screw that, guitars can be replaced!
3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
No idea, probably a 8 year old Gibson Flying V
4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
I'm quite happy with what I have now.
5: What strings do you use?
Rotosounds for electric, acoustic and bass.
6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
I'd finish recording more songs!
7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
Probably at the bar having a drink
8: ...And five minutes after?
Return to my place at the bar, having a drink
9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
Some gobshite who decided to dick about with the levels between sets
10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
Don't buy cheap shit and practice more!
1989 Gibson Hummingbird copy...still have in a closet somewhere
2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
Gibson SG
3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
1984 Washburn A20V
4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
Might be an amp...something loud...something Laney
5: What strings do you use?
D'Addario 12-60
6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
record a song would be good
7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
Never been onstage to play guitar...i assume i would be in the toilet throwing up
8: ...And five minutes after?
Packing in the electrolytes...
9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
Right now...being on stage is scary enough
10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
Don't stop playing for 15 years...stick with it...play some Sabbath before trying to play Slayer from day 1.
1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?
Grant Les Paul Goldtop Copy
2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
Wilko Johnson Signature Telecaster
3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
Late 1960's Yamaha FG 230 12 String Acoustic
4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
Gordon Smith Gypsy II / Fender ST57 MIJ Stratocaster
5: What strings do you use?
Nanoweb Elixir 10's Electric / Elixir 12's Acoustic
6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
Actually Record Something
7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
Drinking
8: ...And five minutes after?
Drinking more
9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
Being so drunk I forgot the words to the song I was singing and almost fell over
10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
Don't sell your gear, EVER !
A cheap 3/4 size acoustic boughr for me by my parents in 1992, when I was 9. I had a few lessons whilst in school but the teacher left and I didn't pick it up again for about 7 years after.
2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
Encore Strat. My first electric and the one I had when I started playing again. Still play it now, on and off.
3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
1979 Gibson SG Firebrand, given to me as a uni graduation present in 2005.
4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
Thinking of a Gibson LP Studio; tried one recently and the lighter weight and unbound neck appealed to me; it still had that big sound.
5: What strings do you use?
Ernie Ball 10s on Gibson styles and 9s on Fender styles.
6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
On the few bits that I have recorded, I listen back and wish I'd played for the song and not just overplayed for the sake of it.
7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
I've never gigged. Apart from playing briefly in a school concert, when I was 10.
8: ...And five minutes after?
As above.
9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
As above.
10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
Find another teacher or pick it up yourself - don't leave it 7 years to get back into it!
1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?
A nylon string classical guitar that belonged to my mum ( although I never saw her play) which was in my loft. After 7 years of piano lesson, I spotted it one day, rented a book on beginners guitar from the library , tuned it up using the paino and have been hooked ever since.
2: The building’s burning down – which one guitar do you save?
My bravewood strat
3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
The nylon string classical in question 1
4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
Axe fx2. And some more hours in the day to play with it!
5: What strings do you use?
D'Addarrio
6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
Meh, I'd leave it . If it makes me cringe now it will push me forward to make it less cringey next time
7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
Taking my change/keys/phone/wallet out of my trousers and putting them in my lead box onstage. Drives me crazy having a pocket full of stuff when playing!
8: ...And five minutes after?
Packing up, putting all that stuff I unpacked back into my pockets.
9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
Jazz 4 piece gig outside on a lawn. Sitting on an amp, castor wheels sink in lawn I lean back and almost fall off to be caught by the keyboard player. Start the next song , sounds like the worst thing in the world. Argue about which notes were playing mid song. Stop song, argue some more . Realise that in my backwards dive keyboard player has whacked the transpose button. Feel sheepish. Carry on playing .
10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
Less scales , more songs!
This seems like a good time to revive this ~ I guess we are all terminally curious about each other after all
Here's a handy little form to copy and paste to make it easy... -------------------------------
1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?
2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
5: What strings do you use?
6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
8: ...And five minutes after?
9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
1: Rubbish Fender acoustic, DG4 or something, got it when I was about 14. First electric was a 2001 Mexican standard strat in blue agave which I still have today.
2: My American vintage hot rod 52 tele. Exceptionally good one, I intend never to part with it.
3: Oldest guitar is probably the Fender acoustic (see 1) which is in the attic somewhere. Oldest piece of gear is a '75 Orange Reverb Twin amp.
4: My "core" gear is all sorted and I don't intend to change any of it. Next purchase will probably be a bass overdrive pedal.
5: Ernie ball regular or power slinky.
6: Start recording.
7: Playing heavy metal riffs and scale runs. I don't play in a metal band but they make good warm up exercises.
8: Depends whether I'm driving or not. If I'm driving, loading up the van. If I'm not, having a pint of something tasty.
9: I've had howling feedback from a preamp valve failure, and I've had power supply issues with pedalboards. Nothing major really, and I always carry spares of anything prone to wear and tear.
10: Listen to a wide range of music and incorporate it into your playing, don't just get stuck playing the same style of rock music. And buy a bass much sooner.
1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?
A Ubiquitous Barnes & Mullin Spanish branded Almeria. Action an inch off the fingerboard & I learnt to play Rush tunes on it.
2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
My Fender Kotzen Tele
3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
Nowadays my 1991 Ibanez RG760
4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
Probably a Fender American Special Strat.
5: What strings do you use?
Ernie Ball hybrid slinkys 009-046
6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
In the 90's I was in a band where the singer allowed a terrible take of a song to make it onto an EP. Wished I'd just left the band earlier.
7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
Keeping my hands warm & having a relaxing brandy. Although I once had 8 pints of Erdinger before a gig & by the fifth song the number of lights on my pedalboard had doubled.
8: ...And five minutes after?
No Groupies, but when I was in a shoe gazing band. Guys would come up wanting to talk about delay units
9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
Too many to mention...fighting the audience...fighting the singer...fighting a man going mad with a smoke machine. Splitting my trousers. Blowing up my amp....the list is endless
10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
Be more confident & arrogant. Think about your image more.
2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
It would have to be the Takamine F250SM that my wife has just bought for my upcoming 50th - sentimental value, you understand!
3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
My Rickenbacker Pete Townshend Limited Edition 1998PT - bought brand new in 1987
4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
A Microfrets Swinger (as used by Dave Fielding of The Chameleons)
5: What strings do you use?
Depending on the guitar Ernie Ball Power Slinkys (10s) or Super Slinkys (11s)
6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
Before I can answer this question I'd have to make a recording!
7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
Never been on stage so can't answer...
8: ...And five minutes after?
See above...
9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
See answer to No 7!
10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?