10 Questions We Ask Everyone

Svartmetall

1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?

The first guitar I played was my dad's ancient classical; my own first guitar was a Kay strat copy, which wasn't actually too bad at all given how atrocious so many beginner's instruments were back then (I was 13 so this would've been '80 or '81).

2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save? 

Argh! Probably my custom Haydn Williams 7-string, but there's so many I'd miss (not least a gorgeous fretted / fretless pair of 7-string basses, also by Haydn)...

3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own? 

An '82 or '83 Tokai Jazz Bass. I would dearly love to have a genuine vintage Strat, but I'll never have the cash unless one of my premium bonds comes up or something.

4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire? 

Something with P90s, as I don't have anything with those at the moment.

5: What strings do you use? 

D'Addario 9-42 for 6-string; same with a low .054 for 7-string, and add an .070 if it's an 8-string. 

6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be? 

That my first album 'Noctilucent Threnody' (recording as M87) didn't sell more.

7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage? 

Emptying the bladder.

8: ...And five minutes after? 

Filling it up again

9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage? 

Choking on my own hair whilst playing Metallica's 'Seek And Destroy' in a covers band; also (in a band that tried seriously to Make It) having my guitar strap fall off the guitar about 2 bars into the quiet guitar intro to a song in front of a record company-heavy crowd in Camden.  

10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?

"Get a Telecaster, you'll actually love it for bluesy stuff!" Seriously, though, it would be to learn all my scales and chords etc a lot sooner than I did; getting all that stuff sorted in my head really was like opening the curtains and seeing out for the first time, just seeing how modes etc worked all over the fingerboard. 

Kitt

What was your first guitar and when did you get it?
A used PRS SE Custom 24. 

2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save? 
One of my Mike Lipe models. I'm lucky to own three. A Virtuoso, A Classic Virtuoso and a Soldato. Tough choice, probably the Classic Virtuoso but tears would be shed over the loss of any of them! Mike died a couple years ago so they are all irreplaceable. All three are hand built by Mike himself.  Prior to setting up Mike Lipe Guitars USA he worked as head of the Ibanez Custom Shop in California and was a consultant for Yamaha. He made guitars for Vai & Satriani amongst others. 

3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own? 
2003 G&L Fullerton Comanche. 

4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire? 
Music Man Sabre or JP15. 

5: What strings do you use? 
Les Paul guitars have Elixir 10-46. 
Anything with 25.5" & 25" scale has Ernie Ball 9.5-44. I'd have Elixir on them if they did that gauge. 

6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be? 
I don't record or play live. I'm deeply introverted. Getting up on stage is not for me! 

7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage? 
If I was going on stage I'd probably be taking Beta-Blockers! 

8: ...And five minutes after? 
Hiding!!! 

9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage? 
Never played guitar on stage but I did some DJ work back the 90's. Nothing bad happened except a record being stolen by the DJ playing after me. I trusted him to put my last record into my bag and it went into his instead. Never did get it back. 

10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar? 
Spend money on guitar lessons, less on weed. 

Chimpankie

1. What was your first guitar and when did you get it?

A garbage Encore Strat package from Argos for Christmas, around 2001 as I was in Year 9. 

2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save? 

Suhr Classic S Paulownia, I don’t think I’ll ever sell it.

3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own? 

The Encore, it lives under the bed. It’s not worth a tenner but I can’t bring myself to take it to the dump. 

4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire? 

Ideally a T style, maybe a Suhr Alt T

5: What strings do you use? 

Daddario NYXL 10s on all my electrics. 

6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be? 

Not that anyone would know these tracks but there’s a rhythm part on the beginning of These Hands by The Hip Fire that sounds all wrong

7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage? 

Chilling and waiting.

8: ...And five minutes after? 

Cigarette and post gig recap with the rest of the band. 

9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage? 

Died of embarrassment when the singer was hammered. 

10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar? 

Actually work on rhythm, don’t give up the lessons because you ‘know better’, stop anchoring your right hand when playing lead, stop playing from the elbow!

pt22

1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?

I was messing about on an old nylon string student guitar about 13 years old, but when I started lessons and jamming with my friends I convinced my mom an upgrade to a Wayne’s World II Fender Strat was necessary. Not sure how I pulled that one off but it was the coolest thing I’ve ever seen. I no longer have it but maybe one day again I’ll have a white strat. 

2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save? 

I’m in the process of receiving the guitar in the next question, so for now it’s my Yamaha SG1802. 

3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own? 

1979 Ibanez Iceman IC210 Triplebucker. 

4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire? 

Gear? Probably a CaptorX. Amp? Maybe a Tone King Gremlin, but ideally I’ll buy a hand wired reissue JTM45 at some point in the future. Guitar? I’d like a semi-hollow, so maybe a Yamaha SA2000. There just happens to be a beauty listed in the classifieds here… 

5: What strings do you use?

Ernie Ball Hybrid Slinky but I’m open to new things. 

6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be? 

I’d still have them! Many of my high school and college band masters are gone, lost to the analog to digital transition to MP3. I do have photos of our one and only CBGBs gig though. 

7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage? 

Tuning? 

8: ...And five minutes after? 

Looking for my family? My gigging days are long behind so these answers are really boring. 

9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage? 

Hmmm. Nothing terrible but we have had some massive misses very early on where we clearly needed more practice. 

10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar? 

Don’t ever stop. Always keep a guitar or bass around. Even if the desire cools, it will come back and creating music with others is about the most satisfying thing I can remember doing in my life. 

FM-Rad1o

1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?
Squier Strat, 1993 possibly. 

2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
I've got 2 hands but I'm sure I could carry 2 under my arms as well.... right?
My 2 Gus Guitars. Can't rem the models as they're both early Prototypes and 1 is 1 of 2 and the other is a one-off. if I can carry another 2 under my arms, '68 Jaguar and my JEM7 I bought while in Japan back in '99.

3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
1968 Jaguar

4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
Nothing. I have everything I think I want. 

5: What strings do you use?
Ernie Ball 10's

6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
More songs. Sadly we split before we got the chance to record our best stuff. 

7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
Nervous pee. 

8: ...And five minutes after?
packing up gear and having a beer. 

9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
Crowd surfer landed on stage and took out my whole FX board.

10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
More rudiments and a little bit of theory can go a long way in helping with composition. 

topdog91

1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?
1992 Peavey Predator made in USA Strat copy. My parents took 15-year-old me to the shop, I didn't know anything and that's what we came out with. A great guitar actually, unfortunately I'm not the biggest Strat fan but I still own it.

2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
The above.

3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
1978 Peavey T-60.

4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
Peavey Bandit 112 Silverstripe. Um, I do play things that aren't Peavey.

5: What strings do you use?
Ernie Ball Slinky 9s

6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
Nothing, they are what they are.

7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
Trying to get the band to get organized and nail down the set list.

8: ...And five minutes after?
Wondering what I was worrying about.

9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
Being told I was a shit guitarist.

10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
Practice regularly and learn the great solos that you love. They won't make you a clone but they will give you insight.

Faye

1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?
A £10 classical in 1977. First decent electric was a '74 SG with mini humbuckers. 

2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save? 
2003 SG '61 Reissue

3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own? 
Oldest I've owned was a '57 Les Paul Jr. The vintage stuff is all gone. 

4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire? 
TV Jones Powertrons for my Gretsch Double Jet. 

5: What strings do you use? 
D'Addario 10s

6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be? 
We took the vocals off a load of recordings when the singer left the band. It was recorded live in the studio, so it messed it with certain frequencies. Would be nice to put that right. 

7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage? 
Getting halfway down the second pint. 

8: ...And five minutes after? 
Turning everything up a bit. 

9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage? 
Electric shocks from the guitar strings on an outdoor stage. 

10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar? 
P90s and tweed amps are your sound. 

AITCH

1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?

 White Vox les Paul copy

2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save? 

My '76 Gibson Explorer.

3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own? 

My '76 Gibson Explorer.

4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire? 

 Another 335, though doubt that will happen.

5: What strings do you use? 

Ernie Ball Super Slinky.

6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be? 

 Use somebody that can actually sing!

7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage? 

I don't gig anymore, but I would be making sure all the guitars were in tune.

8: ...And five minutes after? 

 Fag, Pint, Fruit machine.

9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage? 

 Fell off.....(several times).

10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar? 

Don't think you know everything. You don't. Scales, scales, scales!

cdmack

About time I put something here!

1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?
I played my older siblings' acoustics until I finally got an Eko Ranger acoustic for my 12th birthday in 1983. I used to sellotape an old single-coil pickup in the soundhole and plug it into my dad's tape deck (with a capacitor in the plug to make it cut through better - I now realise I'd created a very simple EQ.)

2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
None of them - always looking for a wee change, so hopefully the insurance will pay out! 

3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
A 1980's Hohner steinberger cricket back copy (a red GT10T - horrible, but sentimental value and it doesn't take up a lot of space. I also have a nasty cheap 1970s mini classical thing with the Kapok brand  which sounds quite nice for recording on the occasions I need a nylon sound...

4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
An amp I actually like

5: What strings do you use?
Elixir nanoweb 10's (12 on acoustic)

6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
Make it sound good

7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
Trying to work out the fingering for the first song which I've mysteriously completely forgotten

8: ...And five minutes after?
Obsessively going through all the fluffed lines...

9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
Guitar strap came off, lovely Martin went crashing to the ground. 

10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
Get out of your comfort zone

Ozzie744

1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?
I can't even remember. I was in High School and I either paid very little or traded who knows what for a 335ish style guitar with action so high it was unplayable. In that same transaction I also got a Danelectro amp of some sort. I don't have either now.

2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save? 
My BMG Special

3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own? 
Nothing too old, an Arbor Les Paul copy with I have owned for about 20 years now

4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire? 
I am really interested in the Blackstar Debut 50R amps

5: What strings do you use?
Ernie Ball 9's

6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be? Not applicable as I am not a very good player and I have never recorded anything.

7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage? 
Not good enough to be on stage

8: ...And five minutes after? 

N/A 

9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage? 
N/A  

10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar? 

Start much much earlier in life and stick with it!

snowblind

1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?

1970s Columbus LP copy which I still have, bought in an unremembered music shop somewhere in Surrey at the behest of my mate who is a drummer. He wanted someone to accompany him whilst practicing.

2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
Gibson Les Paul Standard 

3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
Above mentioned Columbus LP copy. 

4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
Gibson Firebird

5: What strings do you use?
GHS Boomers. 

6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?

Being able to hear what I was doing because of the terrible setup in the borrowed Blackstar DSP horrorshow amp.

7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
Thinking - I'm actually going on stage. However bad I may be I made it onto a real stage.

8: ...And five minutes after?
" Crowd seemed it like it so job done."

9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
Finding out that the presets on the horrible Blackstar DSP are all messed up right as you try to switch from rhythm to lead and the volume disappears in the middle of "Gimme Shelter". 


10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?

Avoid Blackstar DSP amps.

Spaceaceuk

1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?

First acoustic was an unbranded classical job with nylon strings I got when I was 6.

First electric was a natural wood coloured Yamaha pacific ssh when I was 11.

2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
Greco 1979 Ace Frehley 3 pickup sunburst les Paul 

3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
As above 1979 Greco Les Paul

4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
Gretsch G5622T electromatic 

5: What strings do you use?

Ernie Ball Hybrid Slinkies

6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?

Honestly give it more bass , I’ve always been a bit treble heavy when it comes to recording guitar but trying to slowly change that . Only just started using neck pickups at the grand old age of 37

perryg

1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?

A Squier strat off Gear 4 Music, in 2020. I sold it and now have “too many” guitars.

2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
My head: The Dan Smith era Fender 

My heart: Schecter Omen

3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
The Dan Smith era Fender. 

4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
Probably something by Charvel

5: What strings do you use?
Fender 9s. 

6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?

My voice

7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
Practicing the intro riffs 

8: ...And five minutes after?
Thinking how did I mess up the intro riffs  

9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
Spent ages talking with (blaming) sound guy about why no sound coming out of FOH, only to discover the volume dial on my floor unit was at 10%

ocarolan

1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?

A no-name cheapo (£6-7-0 ) - classical shape but steel strung from a tiny general music shop in 1963

2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
1977 Fylde Falstaff

3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
see Q2

4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
Nothing in mind just now.

5: What strings do you use?
Newtone Heritage PB 12-52

6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?

The fact that I did it.

7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
Having a wee.

8: ...And five minutes after?

Having a wee and then a Guinness.

9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
Must be 20 years or so back, but at the end of the first half of a ceilidh band gig I knocked my months old Lowden off it's stand onto a load of hand percussion instruments. I cried.

10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?

Learn to do set ups asap.

JonJ1974

1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?
A Korean 1990 Squier Stratocaster in Black, with a maple fingerboard.  I sprayed it silver. Badly. 

2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
MusicMan Axis hardtail from 1996... have two - can I save both? 

3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
1996 MusicMan Axis

4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
I'm pretty content. But maybe a nice small amp or an Axe FX.

5: What strings do you use?
D'Addario 10s

6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
The tone. Everytime. 

7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
Wondering why something isn't working. 

8: ...And five minutes after?
Clearing out as quickly as poss.

9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
Fell over mid solo. 

10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
I would never be so bold.