Equipment
Here is the bulk of the guitars and equipment which I use to produce the music I make.
It's not everything, I've left the amps out but for the curious they are a Marshall AVT100, Custom Sound Trucker 25, Fender Rumble 100 (bass) and A Vox Brian May 'Deacy'. There is also my old disco setup featuring a pair of JBL JRX125 speakers and a KAM 1500 power amp which are useful for the modellers.
Click the links below to see a nice piccy of each.
To go back to the music page click here
Guitars
1980 Ibanez Blazer This guitar has been with me since new in 1980 when Mum and Dad bought it for me for 110 quid. It was my gigging guitar for years and I still love it to bits now. Note I have no idea why the picture is opening side on, I'll fix it when I get a minute to work it put.
Angelica semi acoustic This has a build date of somewhere between the mid fifties and mid sixties and was bought for me by my Dad in the mid seventies for 54 pounds. It saw regular service until the early 80's and my first Ibanez came along but it still holds a soft spot in my heart.
2017 Fender Artist Series 'The Edge' Strat Proper 'Full Fat' American strat this one. I have favoured the larger CBS era head stock ever since the seventies when it was the head stock on the guitar du jour used by the Shadows (OK I know all you pre CBSers won't be talking to me now!). All the aesthetics of the 70's strats with modern electrics and a more modern trem.
Mexican Strat (altered) Added a couple of Gilmour 'esque' tweaks to this. Shortened the trem arm, must do that to the other one soon I find it better for fine control.
Deluxe Players Strat Because you can never have too many strats
Squier Classic Vibe 50's Telecaster Never had a Telecaster before, this one was a bargain and sounded so good that it is pretty much the only lead playing instrument on the 'Guitarist' CD.
Epiphone Les Paul Standard Everyone should have a Les Paul, my 'goto' guitar along with the black strat
Epiphone Les Paul Custom Pro Fancied a 3 pickup Les Paul for a while and what's not to like about Epiphone?
2016 Gibson Les Paul Traditional The daddy! While my epi's are fantastic there's no beating the real thing.
2013 Gibson SG 50's Trinute The version without the God awful Min E Tune system. Who could refuse a full fat Gibson with P90's? Not I Sir!
Epiphone ES335 I've always loved semis, sounds great too
Epiphone Casino Another Beatles influenced purchase. I was finally able to justify a Gretsch and I'm glad I did, this sound just like I hoped it would have had a bit of a thing for George Harrisons country gentleman.
Gretsch 5422GT Yet another Beatles influenced purchase this one, John Lennons guitar of choice for many a year although his was originally a sunburst which he started using in the mid 60's and subsequently had stripped of finish. It was one of those guitars I loved the look and sound of, and this one is a bit of a looker.
Rickenbacker 330 Proper full on 60's jangle, wanted a Ric ever since I started listening to The Beatles all those years ago. It doesn't disappoint.
Epiphone G1275 twin neck For those drunken Led Zep fantasies, actually I've seen them slagged off but this one's a dream, as well as my 40th birthday pressie from Hils
Burns Brian May Can turn it's hand to pretty much anything
PRS SE Custom My first dip in the PRS pool and the reason behind my second!
PRS CE 24 Thanks to the Gibson and Rickenbackers this no longer holds the record for the most expensive instrument I've ever bought, it's almost too easy to play
Ovation Standard Elite 12 String In my 'umble opinion simply THE acoustic 12 string of the 80's
Takamine GN30CE I had a bit of a run on acoustics in 2015
Ibanez Artist If wood could speak....
Generic Martin Smith beginner guitar Handy for taking out and about for jotting down ideas when you worried something pricier might get damaged!
Ibanez GSR200 Has a nice 'Rick' like growl too it and it's easy to play
Hofner Contemporary Series Violin Bass McCartney, need I say more?
LTD 5 String fretless About the only guitar I've ever bought with a specific purpose in mind
Rickenbacker 4003S Another instrument which falls into the category 'I've always wanted one of those'. I think I jumped on the Rickenbacker thing before prices jumped a couple of years back although even then this wasn't what you'd call a bargain.
Squier Classic Vibe 70's Prescision Bass Reminded me of a similar bass I knew in the early 80's. These Classic Vibe instruments really do belie their affordable price tag in feel and sound in my opinion.
Stagg Mandolin Bought on a whim but so glad I did, when I tire of it I just start playing Bagpuss and all is right with the world!
Effects and Keyboards
Boss Acoustic Simulator
Boss Dimension C The compact pedal version of the classic 80's rack mount Roland Dimension D. A must have if you were a fan of Rush in the 80's
Boss Turbo Distortion
Boss Super Feedbacker & Distortion
Boss HiBand Flanger
Boss Digital Pitch Shifter/Delay
Boss Noise Suppressor
Boss Line Selector
Boss Power Supply & Master Switch
Ibanez Compressor Currently the oldest pedal in my collection, it's seen some action...
Electro Harmonix Screaming Bird Treble Booster
Electro Harmonix Freeze Play something and step on the pedal to hold that note/chord and then play over the top
Electro Harmonix Big Muff Insert your own double entendre
Ernie Ball Volume Pedal Not the most photogenic....
TC Electronic Ditto Looper
Boss GT8 Multi Effects An oldie but still has some useful patches for ambient guitar
Behringer FCB1010 Midi Footswitch Useful for patch changes and transport control in Logic
Headrush Pedalboard
Casio CTK631 Another oldie but has midi in and out so can still cut it
M Audio Oxygen 49 Midi Keyboard controller
Native Instruments Komplete Kontrol A25 Midi Keyboard controller
Roland HD1 Electronic Drums Used for my (VERY) limited drumming excursions
My modest home studio setup Things have changed a little since this photo was taken (there are more guitar cases and some additional shelves) but on the extreme right there is a Rode NT1A mic and my Roland HD1 electronic drum kit.
All of this is recorded through a Focusrite 18i8 second generation interface into Logic Pro X on my 2013 Mac Pro. I use a 2015 Macbook Pro to run backing tracks when live and if needed also as a live effect rig to run the guitar though the whole lot is amplified by the Marshall or more recently my old mobile disco which features a pair of JBL JRX125 speakers, (seems to get the job done!).
Oh yeah and lest I forget there's an all but retired version of Garageband for the iPad as well.
I think that's everything.