10 Questions We Ask Everyone

Lixarto · August 2013

As seen in “Guitarist” magazine. We did this twice on MR, but I thought it might be fun to do it again, seeing as we’re now over here, and the questions have changed:

1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?
1984 Squier SQ Telecaster. Bought on 22nd December 1988, the day after my friend asked for his Les Paul (which I’d been learning on for the last few months) back. It was £120 used.

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

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

4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
A new Telecaster.

5: What strings do you use?
For electric, Fender pure nickel. For acoustic, some Gibson things. Masterbuilt? Can’t be bothered looking in the box now.

6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
The vocal mix on “Next to Me”. Everything else on there is great.

7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
(Not gigged for a while) I smoked then, so smoking. Trying not to listen to the singer’s nerves.

8: ...And five minutes after?
Large drink, I think.

9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
The above-mentioned singer.

10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
These are normal chords!

JookyChap · August 2013

I'll play..

1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?
I got an 'Axe' horrible thing, painted fretboard, crackled finish, weighed more than the van that brought it and it came in a transparent gigbag to complete the shame. Think it was £39 from an ad in Melody Maker. First real guitar was an Epiphone SG with a bolt-on neck. Loved that guitar and did my first gigs with it, but sold it to buy a Jazzmaster.

2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
Maybe the Jazzmaster if it was on the way out and I tripped over it. Actually, I'd send one of the kids back in to get it if I forgot in the rush.

3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
'68 SG, though own is such a temporary thing.

4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
It changes by the hour, but I am waiting for a Gordon Smith, a Tele and a Danelectro Wild Thing to arrive at the moment...

5: What strings do you use?
It depends on what I happened to buy last time I ran out.

6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
Can't remember the song name - may have been 'Gilt Wracked' - but it had a horrendous chorus sound on it that was grim, and we had a Rush obsessed bass player and drummer combo which insisted on an 'interlude' that can still wake me at night.

7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
Not gigged since 95 or 96, but probably trying to find batteries for my pedals

8: ...And five minutes after?
Bouncing off walls

9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
Fell off and knocked myself out, claret everywhere.

10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
Yes, you are shit but don't worry about it.

dafuzz · August 2013

1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?
Some cheap acoustic I got for my twelfth birthday instead of the SNES game I'd been hoping for. I played a few chords on it, threw it in the wardrobe and didn't touch it again for 2ish years

2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
My workhorse - a black 90s RG550

3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
Still got that cheap acoustic - never bought a second hand guitar in my life so far

4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
Got my eye on a Gibson Flying V

5: What strings do you use?
Ernie Ball Slinkys - either 9s or 10s depending on the axe. Any old nylon strings for the acoustics

6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
They all needed more shred. The singists invariably disagreed

7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
Running up and down scales, spider exercise type things, then a quick fag and maybe down a drink

8: ...And five minutes after?
Downing drinks and chatting up ladeez. This can last several minutes

9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
String breakage. I've been quite lucky I guess

10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
Stay the metal path! All those years playing indie / Britpop were a huge waste of time.

Jalapeno · August 2013

1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?
The first I bought was an EKO Ranger 6, first proper electric a hardtail Strat.

2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
My Sadowsky Jim Hall special.

3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
90s Strat Plus Deluxe

4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
I have a strong hankering for a mandolin, it will probably pass .....

5: What strings do you use?
Elixir electric (10s) & acoustic(12s). Jazz I use Thomastik Infeld Jazz Swing 11s, and Django stuff D'Addario Gypsy Jazz 10s

6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
Not bothering !

7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
Trying to calm down.

8: ...And five minutes after?
Tuning after the first number

9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
A girl who said she could sing Nobody Does It Better for a James Bond themed gig - she couldn't sing

10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
Wax on/Wax off.

mike_l · August 2013

1, a shit Hohner LP copy

2. Either Laura, my Jackson, or Charlene my Ibanez

3, Jackson

4, guitar wise, I like the Jackson Adrian Smith San Dimas......

5, Dean Markley in 10-46,10-38 or 9-38, depending on which guitar

6, erm

7, pint of orange juice and lemonade

8, pint of orange juice and lemonade (or beer)

9, forgetting the chords, to my song suggestion.....

10, work harder at it

DrBob · August 2013

1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?
Starforce 8005 Strat copy, bought new by me for the princely sum of £110 from 'Sounds Great' on Sutton Common Rd in 1987-88.
Pink plywood body, Jackson pointy headstock "Skorcherz' branded pickups.. Not great..

2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
Well, the politician in me knows that I should save the Purple Musicman Axis that my wide bought me as a wedding present but left to my own devices and free of long term recriminations it would probably be the Tyler Studio Elite HD

3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
1983 Burny 'Bunny' SG Junior bought from Monoamine of off the 'Old place'...

4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
Thinking about chopping in my Budda Superdrive 30w 1x12 combo for an 18w head version of the same..

5: What strings do you use?
After a lifetime of blind, unquestioning loyalty to Ernie Ball I've recently switched to D'addario's 9-46 on the Axis, 10-46 on the Tyler, 10-52 on the Heritage,SG Jr, & Esquire

6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
Turn the gain down & the mid up. On pretty much all of it

7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
It's been a while now but as I recall I seemed to spend a lot of time wrestling with tuning stability

8: ...And five minutes after?
Wee/Cigarette/Drink

9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
Having recently (at the time) bought a wireless I walked to the front lip of a hastily constructed 'catwalk' bit at the front of a festival stage once only to have the 4' square top piece flip up, twat me in the back and throw me face first onto the floor in front of the audience.
Guitar was still plugged in and working with 16stone of me bearing down on the floyd rose trem arm blazing through my amp.

Awful, awful moment, particularly as I still had another 8 songs to do before I could skulk off.

10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
Practice, you'll never have this much free time again

jmaster · August 2013

1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?
Mum's old classical which I stole/inherited. First electric was a 'lindo' and was an abomination.

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

3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
Said classical. Don't know the year, but it must be late 70s

4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
A decent acoustic, like a faith or martin dx, and a tele custom. And a jazzmaster, having sold mine and regretted it.

5: What strings do you use?
D'addario 11s (strat), D'addario chrome flatwound 12s (artcore)

6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
My out of tune slide playing on one of my old band's songs.. people tend not to notice it but I always do

7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
Looking for my picks, which have a mind of their own and insatiable wanderlust.

8: ...And five minutes after?

Drinking in celebration of the set, or drinking to forget it. Apart from that I don't touch the stuff. Unless I'm thirsty.

9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
Ruining a song and calling the sound guy over to help fix a borrowed marshall stack which I thought wasn't working, then being told I had accidentally turned off the jaguar I was playing. Stupid bloody design. I also tend to bleed all over my guitar, but that's become normal.

10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
Practise things you don't already know

jaygtr · August 2013

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

1: a westone spectrum sx I think it was called. £170 from Denmark street when I was 16.

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

my les Paul.

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

96 les Paul.

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

Something with p90's and a new amp.....

5: What strings do you use?

Ernie ball slinkys

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

I wished I hadn't bothered with any gig recordings as I thought they were good at the time , but when you look back they were mainly awful an d embarrassing

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

Wishing I was elsewhere .

8: ...And five minutes after?

think I was ( mistakenly) the business

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

Playing with a drum machine when the drummer was ill, we should have just cancelled .

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

Stop fannying about.

octatonic · August 2013

1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?
Washburn A20 electric- bought from my guitar teacher in 1986.

I still have it, but it isn't playable.

2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
Forshage Orion ergonomic electric.

3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
1986 Kinman Blueprint Telecaster. I have a 1987 one as well.

4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
Maybe a 335 but I'm actually happy with what I have.

5: What strings do you use?
D'Addario or Ernie Ball- usually 10-46 or 9-46.
I use a lot of different tunings and odd instruments though so whatever works.

6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
I'd like to mix more from 2" analog tape but I enjoy the convenience and instant recall you get from digital.

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

8: ...And five minutes after?
Thanking people, usually.

9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
Worst thing is usually noise when running complex rigs, especially with 2 amps.

10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
It is easier than you think- relax.

dindude · August 2013

1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?
Marlin sidewinder Strat copy, must have been1988/89. Loved it.

2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
Fender CS Custom Deluxe Strat. Love it.

3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
Rather embarrasing consdering 20+ year playing history but the above Strat @ 2010 - blooming GAS.

4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
A few pedals I have my eye on and a travel acoustic is it at the moment - very happy with core amp and guitars.

5: What strings do you use?
D'Addario 10-46 on all my electrics.

6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
It's always been a 1 day or 2 day demo-studio rush, would have liked more time.

7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
It's been a few years, but usually a pint and a tune-up.

8: ...And five minutes after?
Making someone buy me a drink.

9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
Nothing too drastic, not hearing a good balance of yourself vs rest of band is a pet hate.

10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
Stretch and buy a decent guitar earlier, it makes a huge difference.

shuikit · August 2013

1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?
Tanglewood Acoustic cost me £100 ish online, can't remember where from. I was quite late picking up guitar, it was the summer of 2000 at the end of my 2nd year at uni.

2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
Martin D35

3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
Mid 90s MIJ Fender Strat

4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
Currently saving for a new amp, not sure what yet as the gear fund has yet to swell to a point where I feel like I can go shopping!

5: What strings do you use?
DR strings

6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
Not done any serious recording

7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
Church services are the closest I get to a gig, if it's the early service then maybe tidying up area if it's second then having a chin wag.

8: ...And five minutes after?

Starting the pack up procedure

9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
Starting a song, all going well, then wondered why everyone else was looking at me funny - wrong song!

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

Spend less time trying to get the 'right' tone and more time playing!

ICBM · August 2013

1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?
Cheap no-name classical bought off a friend for £15, at 17.

2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
My PRS Standard 22. That surprised me when I actually thought hard about it. (I would have said the Rick at first.)

3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
1971 Martin D12-35 12-string.

4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
Don't know.

5: What strings do you use?
11s on everything, usually DRs or D'Addarios, sometimes Dean Markleys. Apart from my Rickenbacker 12-string which has Rickenbacker strings.

6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
Bring the guitar forward a bit in the mix. It's usually too quiet and too dark, in hindsight. (Really!)

7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
Drinking a small beer.

8: ...And five minutes after?
Drinking another beer.

9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
I had a very bad pint - or someone spiked my drink, as an outside possibility. I thought it was going well at the time... but the rest of the band didn't. In the middle of it my delay/looper pedal started misbehaving as well, which just increased the chaos. They didn't speak to me for a week...

10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
Listen to a wider variety of music than I did back then.

John_A · August 2013

1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?
Columbus LP copy for Christmas whan I was about 15, played it 'til it fell to bits

2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
My white Bacchus Strat with a Warmoth neckon it, nothing really special about it, but it's the one I use most

3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
1979 Tokai Les Paul Reborn LS120

4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
Got Superstrat GAS at the minute, an ESP Vintage Plus or maybe a Charvel So Cal

5: What strings do you use?
Brand varies, but mostly 10-52 gauge

6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
Not used a silly sitar sound on top of a guitar rif on 'Do you feel alone'

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

8: ...And five minutes after?

Packing up/ordering a beer

9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
Once played for free beer, so arrived at the gig 5 hours early to take advantage, I fell over on stage!

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

Learn a few 'classics' I always played in original bands so didn't really get an understanding of how other people played until much later in life, I know 'having your own sound' is where we often want to end up, but for me I think this would have been a good start

frankus · August 2013

1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?
A 3/4 size left haned Spanish - 1979

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

3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
1984 Strat

4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
I'm making a Bass VI currently but would like a tap tempo tremolo on my posh board.

5: What strings do you use?
D'Addarrio XL 110s on most things.
DR Lowriders on bass.

6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
I'd record it.

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

8: ...And five minutes after?
Drinking to forget

9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
Discovered I wasn't John Scofield.

10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
Listen with your heart; not your head.

viz · August 2013

Wow this is fun!

1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?
Dad's classical guitar when I was 13.

2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
My canadian ash Callaghan guitar.

3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
Gave my 1962 Wilson semi to Goji for practising his chiseling, so the Callaghan guitar, '93

4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
Yet another Callaghan guitar.

5: What strings do you use?
Dean Markley Blue Steels 9, 11, 16, 26, 36, 46

6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
Proper heavy rock guitar solo on Twerk by Basement Jaxx.

7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
Drinking cooking-sherry.

8: ...And five minutes after?
Drinking cooking-sherry.

8.5: ...And during?
DRINKING COOKING-SHERRY. Jeez.

9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
We got threatened with a gun and told to stop playing that Van Halen shit.

10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
Wear a bullet-proof vest.

monquixote · August 2013

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

A piece of crap Hohner Tele shaped thing that wouldn't stay in tune with nasty sounding ceramic humbuckers. I got it in 1994 and got rid of it as soon as I could and I have no nostalgia for it.

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

Not sure I'd actually do this, but if I were to save one it would be my 1980 "The Strat" which was the only guitar I owned from age 16 to 25 and gigged and modded loads. I don't really play it now, but it's the only object I own with any sentimental value.

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

The 1980 Strat (Same age as me as it happens). I'm not that bothered about vintage gear unless it's a bargain.

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

I quite fancy a Peavey Classic 50 having gigged one the other day. Long term I'dl like to commission a Feline.

5: What strings do you use?

Elixir on Guitar, DR on bass.

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

I don't tend to look back and worry about stuff. My most recent demo has a mistimed chord at one point I'd like to fix.

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

Usually having a pint and chatting. I don't really get nervous before I play.

8: ...And five minutes after?

Packing up my gear!

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

A nutter pulled our PA down on top of himself.

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

Don't give up.

I spent quite a few years not really playing because I didn't know how to progress and got bored with what I was already able to do.

Phil_aka_Pip · August 2013

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

Woolworths copy of something whose Grandad might have been a Telecaster. Dreadful pile of crap, swopped for a quarter.

2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
Tricky, but with 2 hands I'd probably save the Lester and the ES-335

3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
The SG, probably 1974.

4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
ES-175 but I'm actually happy with what I have.

5: What strings do you use?
Dean Markley, D'Addario or Ernie Ball- 10-46

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

Play the parts properly.

7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
Tuning, trying to get the sticky off my palms & fingers.

8: ...And five minutes after?
Heading for and using the the little boys' room.

9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
String breakage, strap coming off the Lester (before I got strap locks), someone kicking the plug supplying the backline out of the wall socket.

10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
Learn stuff & practice. Sure some of it does come easy but not all of it is like that.

axisus · August 2013

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

Mum bought a nylon acoustic from John Moore’s mail catalogue. I was 17, it was ‘79.

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

My beloved self built guitars: Angel tele and Mojo strat. I have two hands and they live next to eachother so 2 guitars!

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

Knackered old Aria pro II. Poor b*stard, I modded it to hell and back without having a clue back then (including a refret).

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

Currently building two tele shaped guitars that won’t be tele’s. Not really interested in buying ready-made guitars any more.

5: What strings do you use?

9’s, cheapest possible.

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

One of my best pieces was mostly improv with guitar and keys solos mixed throughout. They worked amazingly well together (for my standard!) but the keys were basically terrible, the worst kind of winging it! I wanted to go back and try to write out better parts but never did.

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

Never played live. Probably fighting extreme nerves as I have anti-ego and don’t like putting myself infront of people.

8: ...And five minutes after?

Changing my trousers ......

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

never getting there!

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

Listen up kid, get that fekkin guitar out and get out there and play it! Join a band, join lots of bands, busk, play at the Church, play on the street, PLAY WITH OTHER PEOPLE!!! You got one life so don’t screw it up with all that crap about jobs and morgages and wives and 2.4 kids. Don’t get some poncy degree and spend your life in an office staring at a computer planning on how to take 21 days of leave evenly distributed throughout the year with emphasis on sunshine in the summer and decorating your nice little semi-detached in the winter. Don’t end up 50 years old, staring out the window watching time get sucked down the drain, wondering at what point you took the wrong turn, just PICK UP THAT FEKKIN GUITAR AND GET OUT THE DOOR NOW DAMMIT!!! I MEAN IT! GET OUT THAT FEKKIN DOOR NOW!!!!!!!!!!!

There, that should do it ......

Phil_aka_Pip · August 2013

@axisus I like your advice

failed_astronaut · August 2013

1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?
Honer classical guitar for my 12th birthday

2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
Ernie Ball Music Man Axis Super Sport

3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
Fender DG-17 semi-acoustic, sadly no longer playable due to a dent in the G-string 12th fret and totally knackered action/intonation

4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
Some decent recording sofware and an audio interface

5: What strings do you use?
D'addario 10s or 11s depending on the guitar

6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
Just about every recording I've ever done has been in someone's bedroom, rehearsal space or tiny studio so it'd be nice to work in a decent space with good gear and not feel horribly rushed to get my parts down because the singer is now ready to go

7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
stressing out and/about trying to find the bassist

8: ...And five minutes after?
coiling cables, always coiling cables

9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
big band gig - the arsehole of a band leader knew my gf and her family were in the audience, so in the big "introduce the band" section of Mack the Knife he gets to me, shushes the band and asks "Where's [failed_astronauts'] girlfriend then?" when she sheepishly raises her hand, he looks at her, pauses for a beat and goes "Bloody hell mate, she's alright!" I could've died, and almost did when I got home and got an ear full from the (now ex-) gf

10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
learn to read music, keep taking those classical lessons off your slightly odd art teacher and join a covers band when your dad told you to rather than writing sh!t nirvana rip-offs and maybe you would've gotten into your dream music course straight out of high school or been good enough for a scholarship to that amazing school in the US you applied to a couple of years ago.

Or to summarise, stop fannying about!

dindude · August 2013

Phil_aka_Pip said:

@axisus I like your advice

+1, considering taking this advice anyway. And I'm 38!

ChrisMusic · August 2013

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

1969 - First "guitar" was an electric I made myself in school, age 12.

1970 - First guitar I could actually play was a really nasty cheap acoustic with barbed wire for strings, and an action higher than the Forth Rail Bridge. It just had to go, so a month later -

First proper guitar was a Yamaha FG180 acoustic, thanks dad.

First electric was a 1963 Gibson Les Paul / SG Junior, brilliant guitar, thanks again dad.

Worked all summer as a runner in London for him to pay that off. Then it was back to school in the day, and evenings gigging in a covers band at military bases etc, till I paid it off. Cost all of £120 back then, wow !!!

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

I've got two hands, that's two guitars surely?

OK then just one, probably my sky blue, "impossibly pretty" Tom Anderson hollow drop top, it is truly an amazing guitar.

(sssh, in the other hand is my Tokai LP, which is better than any Gibson LP I ever had*)

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

1979 Greco black LP custom, 3 pickup model. (again*)

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

I really fancy an acoustic again. (GAS is a bad mistress)

or, to get my old Junior back, (if only I could, the wisdom of hindsight)

5: What strings do you use?

Always used to be Ernie Ball 10-52, quite like Elixir now I've tried them.

Learning all over again what feels right, so the jury's still out on that one.

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

Get a bigger budget, get a better studio, get a better engineer, get a better producer, don't let the label interfere.

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

Chilling (if I can remember back that far)

8: ...And five minutes after?

Flying

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

God, that was too long ago to remember, ... or admit to

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

You love playing, don't ever stop.

(& no matter what the music biz throws at you, don't get disillusioned, there is always another day, but only one lifetime.)

I have recently started playing again after far far too many years away from music, so that is honest advice, and from the heart.

rockmonster · August 2013

1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?
Spanish guitar 39 years ago Xmas present from my folks!

2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
My Tom Murphy 57 goldtop(lol! Sold it!)

3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
Shagged out old bitsa strat

4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
Another pre 2000 PRS singlecut

5: What strings do you use?
Elixir coated .009'' to whatever!

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

7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
Winding up the drummer

8: ...And five minutes after?
Winding up the drummer!

9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
Amp blew up (luckily it was just before the encore!)

10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
Practice more and learn to bloody read music you lazy tosser!

equalsql · August 2013

1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?
A crappy no-name classical guitar strung with metal strings and covered in hippy decoupage in 1976. Could just about manage to fret the open chords.

2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
My 1979 LP Pro Deluxe (see my avatar)

3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
1978 Sunburst Fender Precision fretless bass - Modified with extended finger-board and added J pickup.

4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
A descent 4 string fretted bass which doesn't cost a fortune.

5: What strings do you use?

For electric: Ernie Ball 10-46. For acoustic: Elixir Nanoweb bronze.

6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
Not having by E string bust at the end of one my one of my best recorded solo's..which I didn't have time to redo.

7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
(Not gigged for a while) Sleeping.

8: ...And five minutes after?
Packing up as fast as I can.

9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
Playing in a soul/funk band to an audience of American rednecks on one of the US airforce basses. "Shit boys, we want rock and roll, ain't you ever heard of Ozzeee Osbourne... yee haa". Think of the country-club gig in the Blue-Brothers and you're getting close!

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

Practice more and learn to read music. Listen to solo's on other instruments so that the guitar doesn't play you. Listen to all styles of music for inspiration and don't hide your technique under wads of fuzz or distortion.

thumpingrug · August 2013

1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?
1988 squire Strat, bought in 1988. There was a local government strike and we could not get into our building so wandered around town and saw this red Strat in the window. Looked like the one Chris Rea had on the cover of Dancing with Strangers. Had to get the staff in the shop to demo it to me as I knew nothing. Luckily it’s a great guitar.

2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
Wife asked me this the other day. Fender 70s reissue Strat, but I think part of the appeal is that it is just set up so sublimely.

3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
I refer you to the answer I gave earlier (q1)

4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
I would love a thinline tele. Not sure I can get guitar no 12 past the missus though.

5: What strings do you use?
9’s. I think there Ernie Ball.

6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
Other than a few short loops I haven’t recorded anything. I do wish I had captured a live gig of the covers band I was in during 1992. We were bloody good.

7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
Probably having another crap.

8: ...And five minutes after?
long cool drink of something, probably cola or water.

9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
Nothing drastic. We played a 40^th birthday party once and there were balloons all over the area immediately in front of the stage. For reasons I can’t recall I thought it was a good idea to wander off stage (I had a long lead) and kick balloons at the singer during a particularly emotional bit. He was tad pissed off afterwards.

10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
Learn some theory now before your too bloody old for any of it to sink in.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

TheOtherDennis · August 2013

1. What was your first guitar?
A Yamaha F310 acoustic - all laminate, it only cost £90, because I thought if I take to it I can upgrade and get a proper one later, and if I don't, then I haven't wasted much money

2. The building's burning down, what guitar do you save?
My Avalon A200 acoustic with one hand, and the Epiphone Es 335 Dot with the other.

3. What's the oldest guitar you own?
The Epi 335

4. And the next piece of gear you'd like to acquire?
Not sure I need anything else. Have guitars, amp and Pocket Pod, what else does a bedroom player need?

5. What strings do you use?
Depends what I can afford when I need to change them. Currently Rotosound 10s on the electrics, and Thomastik Bronze on the acoustics (won't be getting those again, though, waaay too much now).

6. If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
There's one from the days of the Guitarist Collective that I'd like to completely re-record because it's absolutely terrible, start to finish.

7. What are you doing five minutes before you go on stage?
I've only ever 'gigged' four times, and I was shaking like a leaf in a hurricane each time.

8. ... and five minutes after?
Still trying to stop myself shaking.

9. What's the worst thing that's happened to you on stage?
Other than booting a solo, nothing really bad happened on any of the four times I've taken the 'stage'. The worst thing that's ever happened to me in relation to live playing was this year when I did a Rock Experience course at The Stables at Milton Keynes. Went every week for six weeks, every time I suggested something, someone else suggested a different way and they all went with that instead. Learned 7 songs I wasn't really fussed about, not one of my suggestions made it through. Fair enough, it's not that important, so I just went with it. Then on the last day, we were getting ready to go onstage in a couple of hours in front of a proper audience when the band spotted that a kid from another band who'd been stood up by the rest of his band was wandering about with nothing to do. So they gave him my place and left me out. Haven't touched my guitars since. Don't want to either. Surprised I'm even on here, tbh.

10. What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
Find a teacher and get on and learn it now, don't waste time waiting till you're nearly 40.

Kebabkid · August 2013

1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?
November 1980 and it was a black Westbury Standard (same as the one Flanging_Fred recently acquired from Crack Converters and mentioned here)

2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
My customised Strat - it's my workhorse.

3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
My PRS CU24 (it's an 1989 but I acquired it in 1997)

4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
A Telecaster (Fender/MJT) but still searching, and hoping to get a late 70s, script logo MXR Envelope Filter by the end of the year.

5: What strings do you use?
For electric, D'addario XL Superlights (9.5-44) but may be moving up to Thomastik Powerbright 10s (tension compensated). For acoustic, Elixir Nanoweb Custom Lights (11-52)

6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
Cut back on the effects. Overdone!

7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
Checking my tuning and smiling and geeing up my band mates.

8: ...And five minutes after?
Frowning and hitting my band mates! Joking! Hopefully, still smiling and chatting to/thanking people and nearly always remaining close by the stage as I never take my eyes off my gear in case some oink tries to nab something (it happens).

9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
There's 2 that come to mind.
No/1 - the deaf, pub dog falling asleep on my pedalboard and not moving in a very dodgy venue where you daren't question anything and the 20+ stone, drunk landlord's mate, equally dodgy, who jumped up on stage during Boston's "More than a feeling" and proceeded to sing/scream into my mic, grab me around the shoulders like I was his best bud and let himself go so not only was I trying to play with a dog at/on my feet, but I was supporting his mass - he stayed there for about 2 numbers and the dog, most of the night. Good paying gig though! Jonathan @FelineGuitars will remember The Victoria pub in Surbiton.
No/2 - Accidentally hitting the metronome button on my Zoom 9002 instead of the preset button and having what sounded like an industrial banging noise/Einstürzende Neubauten coming out of the mega-loud PA at The Marquee. Luckily, all crowd eyes turned to the drummer!

10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
Wish I started earlier than 17 and learnt to read music.

Phil_aka_Pip · August 2013

Common theme: answer to #10 = wish I'd learnt <the formal stuff> ...

Lixarto · August 2013

TheOtherDennis said: 9. What's the worst thing that's happened to you on stage?
Other than booting a solo, nothing really bad happened on any of the four times I've taken the 'stage'. The worst thing that's ever happened to me in relation to live playing was this year when I did a Rock Experience course at The Stables at Milton Keynes. Went every week for six weeks, every time I suggested something, someone else suggested a different way and they all went with that instead. Learned 7 songs I wasn't really fussed about, not one of my suggestions made it through. Fair enough, it's not that important, so I just went with it. Then on the last day, we were getting ready to go onstage in a couple of hours in front of a proper audience when the band spotted that a kid from another band who'd been stood up by the rest of his band was wandering about with nothing to do. So they gave him my place and left me out. Haven't touched my guitars since. Don't want to either. Surprised I'm even on here, tbh.

This is diabolical behaviour. Pity the NGAS All-Stars weren't on hand to kick some arse :x

@TheOtherDennis

John_P · August 2013

1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?
Tokai strat tst50 bought in scarborough new in 1984... sadly stolen from a rehearsal room in Newcastle in 1990.

2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
My PRS Custom 24. Not the most valuble by far and not the prettiest but it has done so many gigs that it feels a part of me.

3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
Mid 80's MIJ Fender esquire, bought in 91 in a second hand shop in oxford for £120 - he tried the line that an esquire was the next step up from a squier... I didn't even haggle and grabbed it!

4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
New amp head and a tremonti wah - hopefully both sorted in the next week.

5: What strings do you use?

Electric: D'addario 9-46 Acoustic Elixir nanoweb lights, Bass DR Black beauties

6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
Fairly happy with most studio work but I cringe at some live recordings and wish I could go back to that moment in the gig and retune!

7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
Usually getting changed and sorting my make up, five mins before that I'll probably be having a cig

8: ...And five minutes after?
Wondering where did all the cuties who were dancing disappear to lol and having a cig before nagging at the other guys to help packing away the gear.

9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
I've fallen off a few stages and played many a dodgy note but i cringe most at the several trouser splits and zip down without realising moments...

10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
Stop putting your energy into thinking about gear and practise more - and have some lessons instead of trying to find you're own way, it'll save a lot of time!

Skipped · August 2013

1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?
Late 50's Roger Rossmeisl semi-solid when I was a child. My dad picked up all the cheap electric guitars in the shop, looked at the construction, shook his head, and said to the assistant: "Surely you must have something better than this? Second Hand is fine" The guy went into the back and came back with the Roger guitar. Thanks Dad. I miss you so much.

2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
1953 Gibson Les Paul - Scott Lentz Conversion. It would probably be either in my hands or within reach anyway.....

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

4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
Can't think of anything. Going down to one guitar is a distinct possibility.

5: What strings do you use?
Not too fussed. Usually Ernie Ball or DR Pure Blues

6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
The Flashback loop I made 5 minutes ago was a fraction out of sync.

7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
Making sure my hands and the back of the guitar neck are clean and smooth.

8: ...And five minutes after?
Now - No longer gigging.
Then - Telling 14 year old girls: "No - that's not a good idea. Actions have Consequences"

9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
An incident with a crowd of Bikers invading the dressing room could have been nasty but was diffused, so.....Nothing.

10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
Stop practicing and start writing songs instead.

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