The following is a current listing/description of my guitars, amplification, strings etc. All my guitars are set up with LaBella Strings, which I have used since my early playing days. They were then, and still, are the best strings available. Currently I mostly play two electric guitars and two acoustics. Both of my main electric axes were crafted by Chris Forshage of Austin, TX. The first is a small/thin hollow body dubbed 'The Rose', with one pickup in the neck position, & the second is a headless semi-hollowbody instrument with fairly extensive electronics. My original intent for this guitar was to have a great & easily traveling instrument that would be allowed on board even the on most restrictive airlines-we all fear putting our guitars in 'baggage'. Happily/ironically, while it certainly fulfilled the above expectations, I didn't dream that I would like it so much & play it very often. It was so easy to adapt to that I played it on two gigs within a day of receiving it. Chris Forshage borders on being a genius luthier/designer. I also employ a few other electric guitars fairly often: an awesome chambered solid body that Chris made for me - I call it the 'Masterpiece'(& it is!); a 'WD' tele'ish axe, configured for multiple single-coil sounds, two Epiphone Sorrento's w/ P-90's; an Epiphone Riviera; a G&L ASAT; & a Gibson ES 330 Long Neck thin hollow body. I use roundwound 12's on the ES-330, & roundwound 11's on the Forshages. I am eagerly awaiting the arival of a Forshage 'tele' style this autumn. All my electric guitars are outfitted with DiMarzio pickups, which were first introduced to me by legendary luthier Giuliano Balestra many years back. I have been using them exclusively since then, as they are simply the best! I also play a Takamine EC132SCX, which is an amplified classical guitar. This guitar is set up with La Bella Hard Tension strings, & a Godin '5th Avenue' acoustic archtop, strung with LaBella Silk & Steel 11's. For louder situations such as the occasional Funk, Fusion, Rock or Reggae gig, I use my Les Paul Special, which has been fenderized to produce some pretty realistic Strat-like tones &/or the above mentioned WD 'tele'. I also have a 7 String-Strat - after a change to a more sensible set of strings and a set-up, the guitar is way cool. I had sold my Kip Sophos 7 String a couple of years back, and was thinking about getting another 7 String, when my friend, and super guitarist - Robert Conti told me of a blow-out special at Guitar Center in El Torro California, featuring these guitars. I still use the same David Grisman picks, but now get them from www.bigcitystring.com . There are other guitars I use occasionally, and they are listed below. For amplification I mostly use a JazzKat amp, & also use a Roland 'AC-60' acoustic/electric amp - it has an amazing clarity & presence, and finally, Polytone amplifiers such as the Mega Brute which is an incredibly small/light amp that sounds great in all situations. Guitars: Forshage Custom Semi-Hollowbody 'Headless'-11-52; Forshage Custom Hollow Body-round wound strings-11-52; Forshage Custom-Chambered Solid Body-roundwound strings-11-52; 2 Epiphone Sorrento's-round wounds 11-52; WD 'tele' - round wounds 11-52; Godin '5th Avenue' - Silk & Steel Strings 11 - 52; Takamine Classical/Electric-Hard Tension Strings WD Jazz Custom - round wounds 11 - 52 Gibson ES 330 Longneck: round wounds 12 - 54; Gibson Les Paul Special: roundwounds 10-46; Fender Strat 7 String flatwounds 11 - 65; Takoma Parlour Steel String Guitar-Silk & Steel Strings 11 - 52; Takoma Chief Acoustic Steel String - Silk & Steel Strings 11 - 52; S. Yairi Classical Guitar hard tension nylon strings; Amplifiers: JazzKat; Roland AC-60; Polytone Mega Brute and “Mini Brute”; Yamaha '50 - 112'.
Guitars/Gear
Guitars & Gear