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A cheap no name acoustic. I bought it at the market in Belfast to lean the Simon and Garfunkel version of "Are you going to Scarborough Fair". Still pick it out occasionally today.
2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
My flute. Not because of the body but because of the wooden head. It's irreplaceable.
3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
Fred. A cheap Hofner I bought on Herford in Germany.
4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
Working on getting the best strings I can to get the sound in my head.
5: What strings do you use?
See question 4. Used to be Martin special lights - but who knows where this is going?
6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
The guitar tone.
7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
Don't go on stage. In church it's generally joke with the other guys I'm going to play with.
8: ...And five minutes after?
Enjoy the moment.
9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
Started the intro to a song and lost it completely. My mate picked it up and it went well. The organist was kind enough to say she enjoyed my improv.
10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
Keep working at it.
A battered nylon string guitar that I commandeered from my family attic as a teen.
2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
Probably a mexican strat that I gigged with...for the memories.
3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
As above. Looking at vintage gear now but its pricey.
4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
A few bits and pieces for a telecaster Im building.
D'addario 9's for the longest time but recently being enjoy Ernie Ball 10s
6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
That I would have recorded much more.
7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
Never drank before a gig. I thought it was a crutch. Probably worrying that I wont be able to hear something through the speakers onstage.
8: ...And five minutes after?
9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
A nasty Satellite Les Paul copy, I got it some time in the late 90s from a car boot sale. Eventually sold to a mate who wanted something cheap and grungy sounding for his band.
2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
My BZ4000 bass, no hesitation.
3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
Probably my cheap Cruzer jazz bass, no idea on a date..maybe it just had a hard life.
4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
A proper bass guitar amp, I'm use a combo of a cheap 6-string practice amp and my computer..starting to feel like I'm working against my gear instead of with it.
5: What strings do you use?
Adagio regular flatwounds
6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
Nothing, I'm so new I haven't tried recording myself yet.
7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
Thinking of an excuse not to go on stage.
8: ...And five minutes after?
A combination of getting out of there, throwing up or cleaning up what I already threw up.
9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
Being given the lead part in a school play and having to sing and act in front of people repeatedly.
10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
ibanez sa got it in 2001 ish
2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
my custom rg 550 which is a red white black swirl done by richard fay
3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
1987 ibanez s 540
4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
5: What strings do you use?
Dadarrio nyxl hybrids
being able to play better ! lol
7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
not much really !
8: ...And five minutes after?
9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
think ive been pretty lucky - and not been on stage that much so that cuts the odds down - but worst is being convinced by the crowd to play eye of the tiger and not having played it in a year kinda had to ad lib the chords !
10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
Hofner Colorama single pickup 1971 - complete POS. New starters with access to decent Squiers and Pacificas etc are on a different planet compared to those days!!
2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
1964 cherry stoptail ES335 - shipped a week after Eric's. Bought in 1989 for what now seems like pennies - was my main gigging guitar for years and I'm still very attached to it. Its sitting next to me on the sofa!!
3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
1953 Telecaster - it is an aged refin but all the bits are original and its sounds incredible.
4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
1960 blonde ES345 - hope to land one soon.
5: What strings do you use?
Elixir 11-49
6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
I can't listen to anything I ever recorded without wincing at the mistakes and everything I could have done better.
7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
Final tune-up
8: ...And five minutes after?
Jazz cigarette
9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
Guy that jumped up dropped his trousers and waved his todger around until the singer pushed him off stage. Burnley Blues Festival so fairly standard behaviour!!
10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
Concentrate on playing keys (I'm about equally "good" at both) - good keys players are far more scarce and in demand than good guitarists!
A black Yamaha Pacifica I took from my brother when we were kids! It really wasn't a bad guitar to start with actually but it's retired and lives in the attic now.
2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
My blonde Telecaster of course!
3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
The blonde Telecaster mentioned above. I have it dated to about 1989. I love drooling over other people's vintage guitars, but I'm not sure I'd actually want to own one myself.
4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
I'm waiting for my new Tele Custom 70s to arrive. After that I'd like to put a lid on my GAS for a while!!
5: What strings do you use?
Ernie Ball 10-46
6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
The guitarist...
7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
Onstage? What's that?!
8: ...And five minutes after?
Erm....
9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
The worse thing would be if someone actually let me up there!
10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
Don't sweat the big stuff and just enjoy it.
2. My MIJ Squier Stratocaster.
3.Now it's my MIJ Squier Strat. I got it new in 1993.
4.Well,I was thinking about this the other day. I've the aforementioned MIJ, an MIM Player Series and 2 Partscasters I've put together (that cover the Strats and Strat-esque guitars, I've got more non Strats lol).
Anyway, I was just looking on the Fender website at the Stratocasters on offer thinking I just cannot justify buying another Strat. Then I realised, it hit me like a lightning bolt. I don't have a Strat with a maple fingerboard, they're all rosewood. oh and a Pau Ferro.
So my next bit of gear will either be a Squier CV 50s model or a Player with a maple fretboard.
Hondo Rickenbacker Bass copy cost 110 - I still have today although it is unplayable . The bridge broke made a replacement at work but the intonation was way out .
2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
A made in Germany P bass - it has no markings but its just right
3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
Yamaha SA-1800 late 70/s early 80's
4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
Some sort of vintage Rickenbacker Bass
5: What strings do you use?
RotoSound Flat wounds on Basses
E Ball 9 for electric
Adarrio for Acoustics
6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
Would like to work with full Jazz Orchestras not plugins or synths
7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
Wheres the set list check tuner
8: ...And five minutes after?
Dont look back
9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
Back in the punk rock days probably spitting ..... say no more
10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
Learn to read and read everything
Focus (by Kramer) 211S, fat strat job.
2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
Probably none of them, but of the three, my Hohner LP copy (but I'd actually probably grab my first uke as it was a present from my wife).
3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
Hohner Arbor Series - late 80s.
4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
A really good guitar. Or more pedals (it will probably be more pedals).
5: What strings do you use?
Ernie Ball. Recently picked up a cheapish acoustic which I've put Rotosounds on, which seem OK.
6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
Very little recording done, but generally the level is too high and distorting, so bringing that down a bit (or standing further back from the mic).
7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
The closest I get is leading a song in my uke group's fortnightly Zoom session, which is always part way through. So playing uke, I guess!
8: ...And five minutes after?
More uke playing, although there's always a beer as well.
9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you on stage?
I did a bit of DJing at a charity party a mate was hosting. My first public appearance and I couldn't hear anything clearly through the monitors, and played half a song with no bass whatsoever. Tragic.
10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
Make mum and dad buy you a decent guitar, instead if sending you off to your first lesson with the knackered lump that had been in a loft for several decades, so you actually enjoy it, rather than hating every minute and giving up.
A classical guitar Admira Juanita.
2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
Novo Serus J.
3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
Maybe some picks from 15-20 years ago. No old guitars or amps, mostly 3-5 years old.
4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
Recently acquired two guitars which I was gasing for some time. I cannot think anything else at the moment, maybe a new amp or one of those fancy dual overdrives...
5: What strings do you use?
Elixir 10s.
6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
I don't have many recordings, most of them are live performances.
7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
Being anxious, drinking beer and maybe checking the gear one last time.
8: ...And five minutes after?
Relaxing, having beers and critics with band members about how it went and new ideas.
9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
Singer got super drunk and acted very strangely... It was very annoying and embarrasing.
10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
Finding a good teacher much earlier and working on audial approach rather than a visual approach while learning.
I was loaned (to see if I would persist with learning) an Epi 335 and a 1x12 combo from one of my parents friends for a few months when I was 11ish, my the first one I owned was a Marlin Slammer Strat copy I bought from my guitar teacher after a few lessons. It's one of the East German ones from the mid-80s and is sat in the rack behind me looking rather worse for wear these days. It's indestructible and I'm thinking about swapping the electrics out for something boutique to give it a new lease of life.
2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
I'd like to think the Slammer for sentimental reasons, but this is a tough one. Maybe my main Strat ('95 USA Standard)?
3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
The Slammer
4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
I'm eyeing a new amp and am torn between a Lazy J J10LC and a Rift Amps Plexi 18... I'd quite like a Les Paul Junior, too.
5: What strings do you use?
Ernie Ball 10-52s on my Strats, Ernie Ball 10-46s on my 335, and I'm currently experimenting with the Martin Clapton signatures in 13-56 on my acoustic..
6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
Can I re-record the whole lot? I found a copy of an old EP from 2002 a few weeks back and hearing it makes me cringe.
7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
Don't gig anymore, but back in the day I'd be grabbing a couple of beers to take onstage
8: ...And five minutes after?
On the merch stand
9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
I never had anything hugely tragic happen to me onstage, my singer/other guitarist always had the bad luck with stuff like that. We did play first at an all day punk event at the Purple Turtle once in 2001 or 2002, which resulted in us playing to like 5 people or something. That was pretty bad..
10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
Practice the boring stuff, it will make the fun stuff easier. Also stop using that horrible Boss Metal Zone pedal for your lead parts...
1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?
A cheap classical guitar bought when I was a teenager (maybe 13 or so in the early eighties). I had some classical lessons and was completely put off playing guitar. All I was taught was sight reading things I found boring so I gave up. I can't remember what happened to that guitar. I didn't get back into playing guitar until maybe 5 years later and from there I was self taught learning things by ear.
2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
1989 Fender Strat Plus.
3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
1989 Fender Strat Plus.
4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
I'm modifying my Strat. It started with the frets being worn out and me not wanting to mess with the original neck so I replaced it with a custom neck. This allows me to have a new neck but go back to the completely original guitar if I want. The new neck has been really inspiring and one thing has led to another so I've got an upgraded tremolo on the way also.
The next thing on my list is the pickups and electronics. I would like to try something different there also and am doing some research but I'm in no rush. The main thing is I have to be able to put the original guitar back together any time I want so no upgrades/changes that I can't reverse.
5: What strings do you use?
Ernie Ball 8 11 14 22 32 46
6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
Make my guitar parts louder in the mix
7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
Being paralysed by fear.
8: ...And five minutes after?
Signing autographs
9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
My eldest son without my knowledge told his head teacher I could play guitar and I was then roped into playing acoustic guitar at a school easter service (he didn't mention I had not played for years). Other parents had also been accused of being able to play instruments and got roped in, but everyone else bottled out and I was on my own for the event. No opportunity to rehearse and playing with 150 kids and their parents singing something they don't know either wasn't great. Luckily no-one caught it on camera so no-one ever has to re-live it.
10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
Play deliberately and with a purpose, focus on playing with accuracy and clarity, play with other people as much as you can, be inspired by others but don't compare yourself to others.
1970 I was 16.
A Burns Trisonic and it came with a Selmer amp.
https://postimg.cc/zHWPJXYt
https://postimg.cc/xkCxXPSb
https://postimg.cc/RNhRmLw3
2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
Cromwell
https://postimg.cc/jDjhsQNw
3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
Cromwell
4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
Gretsch New Yorker
Vintage VE880AQ
5: What strings do you use?
Cheapest - loadsa bollocks talked about strings.
11-50/52 on acoustic and electric - i replace plain 3rds with wound 3rds.
12-54 on slide electrics and my fingerstyle resonator.
13-56 on other resonators.
6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
What's a recording?
7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
Shake and think am I really good enough to do this.
8: ...And five minutes after?
Large drink or two.
9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage.
Amazingly hungover.
10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
I learned entirely from TAB so I'd say learn some theory along the way.
A no-name les paul copy, about 1972
2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
I don't.........I burn to death in a mess of doubt and uncertainty...........probably my 1971 Fender Tele (I love this guitar)
3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
A 1970 Gibson Les Paul Deluxe
4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
ESP LTD TE-401 - for the 'metal' me
5: What strings do you use?
Any, don't have a preference
6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
Pretty much most of it if I'm honest, but mostly my vocals as I can't sing..........
7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
Noodling
8: ...And five minutes after?
Noodling
9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
Getting paid off half way through the 2nd set.....we were awful............
10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
Stop noodling and start practicing!!!!!!
In my teens a mate convinced me to get a guitar and he would teach me to play. Didn't have a lot of money but went out and bought an 'expensive' new EKO Ranger. My mate showed me a couple of chords, then got bored and didn't bother to follow up on the teaching experience. As the guitar cost so much to me as a teenager I just learnt what I could myself; if only YouTube had been available then I might not be as crap as I currently am.
2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
Original Pilgrim acoustic - Model 1 (1972)
3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
As above.
4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
Either a hollow body or some form of Telecaster
6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
I don't feel I have ever finished a recording as there is always that little bit extra I can think of adding - so probably changing my approach to recording and let things lie.
7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
Checking that I've checked everything.
8: ...And five minutes after?
9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
Strap broke and guitar hit head first and snapped the headstock. Errr, no backup.
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?
Some sort of Teisco Del Ray “Rock and Roll Model” single pickup guitar from an uncle of mine.
2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
2106 Limited Edition Claro Walnut SJ-200 EC as there are only 50 of them in the world
3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
1954 Harmony model H51 archtop with a Gibson P13 , volume and tone
4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
A Marshall 4X15 cab or a Fender 2x15 Cab
5: What strings do you use?
Martin Monels on Mahogany guitars. D'Addario Chrome 10s on Les Paul, Spectrum Bronze Thomastik Infeld on the J200 and Bullets on the Strat
6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
Have no one around when I am recording vocals, or have an Isolation booth
7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
worrying that no one else showed for soundcheck
8: ...And five minutes after?
Feeling bewildered
9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
Couldn’t hear myself through the monitors
10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
Playing and practicing are two different things. It’s those who practice and learn that improve
Selmar 6 string acoustic
2. The building's burning down, what guitar do you save?
My Martin Acoustic or my Charvel 750xl
3. What's the oldest guitar you own?
Fender 1979 Anniversary Stratocaster
4. And the next piece of gear you'd like to acquire?
Helix
5. What strings do you use?
D'Addario 9s Martin 12s
6. If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
Not applicable
7. What are you doing five minutes before you go on stage?
Checking batteries or tuning up
8. ... and five minutes after?
Drinking Cider
9. What's the worst thing that's happened to you on stage?
Power cuts had a few as we play lots of very old country pubs with dodgy electrics
10. What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
Get a teacher early buy the best gear you can afford