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.
I am currently playing two electric guitars and two acoustics, primarily.
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, & second is a headless semi-hollowbody instrument with fairly extensive electronics. My original intent for this guitar was to have a great & easily travelling 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 two other electric guitars fairly often, a "Forshage Custom" chambered solid body and a Gibson ES 330 Long Neck guitar, . I use roundwound 12's on the ES-330, & roundwound 11's on the Forshage. I am eagerly awaiting the arival of a Forshage 'strat' 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 am also playing two Takamine acoustic guitars. One is a Steel String-
EAN46C-it is a cutaway, rosewood & spruce guitar, & it's fantastic. I do all my 'technique' practicing on it, as well as playing it on gigs & sessions. I string this instrument with La Bella "Silk & Steel" 11's.
The other acoustic is an EC132SCX, which is an amplified classical guitar. This guitar is set up with La Bella "Hard Tension" strings.
Takamine sets the standard to which everyone else must aspire to when it comes to electric-acoustic classicals. What a pleasure to play!
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. I also have 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. Thanks Bob!
I still use the same David Grisman picks, but now get them from luthier John Monteleone. There are other guitars I use occasionally, and they are listed below.
For amplification I recently began to use a Roland 'AC-60' acoustic/electric amp-it has an amazing clarity & presence. I also use the great combination of a Raezer's Edge "NY-8" speaker cabinet with a "Clarus" amplifier-(Rich Raezer was a dear friend whom we all sadly & greatly miss...),
and Polytone amplifiers such as the Mega Brute which is an incredibly small/light amp that sounds great in all situations. It produces 100 Watts into an 8 inch speaker.
Guitars:
Forshage Custom Semi-Hollowbody 'Headless'-11-52
Forshage Custom Hollow Body-Roundwound Strings-11-52
Forshage Custom-Chambered Solid Body-Roundwound Strings-11-52
Takamine Steel String-Electric/Acoustic-"Silk & Steel" Strings 11 - 56
Takamine Classical/Electric-Hard Tension Strings
WD Jazz Custom Roundwound Strings 11 - 52
Gibson ES 330 Longneck: Roundwound Strings 12 - 54
Epiphone Dot Roundwound Strings 11 - 52
Gibson Les Paul Special: Roundwounds 10-46
Fender Strat 7 Stringÿ 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 Extra Hard Tension Nylon strings
Amplifiers/Cabinets:
Roland AC-60, Polytone “Mega Brute, and two “Mini Brutes” - one very old, one new. Raezer’s Edge “NY-8" Speaker Cabinet with Acoustic Image "Clarus" amplifier. Yamaha “50 - 112”
Guitars & Gear
Guitars & Gear '06