10 Questions We Ask Everyone

JonnieMelancholy

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

I first played my mum’s classical, but the first guitar I owned for myself was a Brunswick electro-acoustic

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

Epiphone Lucille

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

Had Lucille the longest. Not sure which one's oldest.

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

A stage piano/hammond/rhodes 

5: What strings do you use?

I used to use D’addario Blues but kept snapping them. Now I just use Mediums, of any brand except Rotosound. 

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

I haven’t recorded much but in general, I’m happy with it, then hate it, then think life’s too short and move on

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

Tuning. Making sure the rest of the band are tuning 

8: ...And five minutes after?

Packing down the PA

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

I’ve played a few gigs as a bass player with my volume dial turned right down. I was so cross with the sound desk until I realised…

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

Don’t wait for someone to ask you to join them, ask people to join you. Playing with the right people is so much less work and more joy.

evan_reSound

1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?
A Squier P-Bass when I was 12. It got me hooked.

2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
My 40-year-old Jazz Bass. It’s been with me through everything.

3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
Probably the Jazz Bass, but I have some vintage synths that are pushing similar age.

4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
A nice semi-hollow or a vintage pedal I’ve been eyeing.

5: What strings do you use?
Flatwounds on the Jazz Bass. For guitars, it depends, but I lean towards classic nickel-wound sets.

6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
I’d leave more space—sometimes less really is more.

7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
Checking tuning, last-minute stretches, and trying to keep my mind in the zone.

8: ...And five minutes after?
Either grinning ear to ear or overanalysing everything I played.

9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
String snap mid-song. Had to finish on whatever was left.

10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
Relax, trust your feel, and don’t overthink it, just play.

{ToneChaser}

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

£30 nylon acoustic from Argos - It sucked

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

Fender Stratocaster Vintera II

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

Fender Stratocaster Vintera II 2023

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

PRS Silver Sky SE Black

5: What strings do you use?

11's any brand

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

I never really recorded other than using my iphone voice memo app

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

I never gigged but most likely trying to meditate to relax a little

8: ...And five minutes after?

Overthinking about how bad it was


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

I've never been on stage I'm just a bedroom player

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

Stop buying gear buy some lessons and focus on practice and improvement

Cartoonwiththepain

This looks fun, I'll play!

1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?
A pretty average Tanglewood FST32 Strat copy that was my older brother's. He gave it to me when I was about 16, I think?

2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
My '91 Orville Les Paul Custom that was originally in Alpine White but has faded to cream. It's my birth year guitar, I'm never letting it go.

3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
Again, my '91 Orville. Which feels like a back handed comment now given the whole birth year thing.

4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
A Squier Paranormal Esquire Deluxe. I play in three punk rock bands and it looks pretty much perfect for me especially as a stage guitar.

5: What strings do you use?
Electrics - Ernie Ball Regular Slinky on 25.5in scale lengths, and Ernie Ball Power Slinkies on 24.5in scale lengths. As for acoustic I can't remember the last time I restrung mine... I think I used Martin strings? I'll probably use something else next time though just to change it up.

6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
The guitar tones on the guitar solos on my band's recent record. I should have put my foot down about using a live head & cab rather than allowing it to be done with cab sims.

7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
Probably having a pee and running to the bar to get a glass of water.

8: ...And five minutes after?
Probably having another pee, and another glass of water.

9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
Breaking a string, then getting my backup guitar... and breaking a string on that too. Our bassist had to entertain the crowd with improvised Motown covers while I frantically put a new string on. Horrible.

10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
Save your money a bit longer and get a second hand Gibson as your first 'good' guitar!

Doust

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

Fender 1991 Clapton in grey. Regret selling that one

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

Vintage V58 Jerry Donahue

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

Epiphone Sheraton II MIK 2004

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

Who knows, but it would have to be better than my V58 and a bargain, I own 16!

5: What strings do you use?

D’Addario’s 10’s mostly

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

Never recorded.

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

Never been onstage

8: ...And five minutes after?

Not applicable

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

Not applicable

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

Learn the basics first, Stop doing theory by memory and start at the bloody beginning!!!!

Mehj

Hello,

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

An £80.00 metallic blue Kramer Strat copy. Bought off Music Yo in 2000.

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

Late 90s SG standard (first "proper" guitar, bought in 2001. So I think it's a late 90S standard) 

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

1980 Ibanez As100, violin burst- nice, but not sentimental value and doesn't get played. 

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

Lower wattage valve combo. Something along the lines of the SC20 Jcm800. 

5: What strings do you use?

Electrics - Ernie Ball Power Slinkys, 11s

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

Vocal take on first album - a heavily effected phrase in the intro to a song makes the word "fight" sound like "fart" to my ears.

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

Tuning. Making sure I have a load of bottles of water to hand. 

8: ...And five minutes after?

Getting outside (or somewhere cooler) to desweat. Then apologising to folks who come up afterwards to chat for being drenched in sweat. 

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

Electric shock from a mic. 

Jumping up into a low beam in a pub. 

Crotch of pants splitting, zipper to tailbone, 10 seconds into first song of a headline set of a local festival. 

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

Play softer, let the amp do it's thing. You don't have to try to press your fingers through the fretboard

gjclayton

Hello! New here.
Here are my answers!

1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?
Fender GA-45s NAT Acoustic. Bought by my parents in 2002-03. I still have it but don't tend to use it. I should probably pull it back into rotation again!

2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
Probably the above guitar (for sentimental reasons) or my ebay B & M Soloist, which plays beautifully!

3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
Toss up between 1950s Edgmond "archtop" or 1950s Gallotone Valencia "archtop".

4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
Something old and interesting

5: What strings do you use?
Whatever I find and feel like paying money for. The last two packs have been light strings for my non-truss rodded, 1950s guitars.

6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
No idea?! Not use an old internet mic?!

7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
Haven't performed in a long time so not sure.

8: ...And five minutes after?
Feel deflated after the high of performing?!

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

10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
Find something you like playing.

SteveTheEars

1: What was your first guitar, and when did you get it?
Strat Copy my dad, and I picked up in Loot, in about 1990. Still have i.

2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
Probably my dad's old Kimbara Acoustic

3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
The Kimbara acoustic, late 60's/early 70's

4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
Either a JCM 900 (shut up! I like it!!) or a 5150 of some description

5: What strings do you use?
Roto Pinks

6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
My playing.. I'm an awful studio guitarist.

7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
In my youth, Drugs, now, chatting to the band.

8: ...And five minutes after?
In my youth, Drugs, now, chatting to the band.

9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
I've been lucky so far, so aside from some truly awful bands.. 

10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
There is always someone better than you, worse than you and the same as you; they are all as worried as you, and literally no-one cares about the solo, they just want to have fun