10 Questions We Ask Everyone

Murray28

1. What was your first guitar?
Kay Led Paul Copy - super high action and appalling tuning stability.

2. The building's burning down, what guitar do you save

My 1987 Japanese Contemporary Fender Stratocaster

3. What's the oldest guitar you own?

See answer Q2

4. And the next piece of gear you'd like to acquire?

Probably a midi controller

5. What strings do you use?

Electric: D'Addario 10s Accoustic: Elixir 12s

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

Wish I could find it TBA.

7. What are you doing five minutes before you go on stage.

Taking a p*$$

8. ... and five minutes after?

Having a drink

9. What's the worst thing that's happened to you on stage?

Got completely lost mid solo 'Hotel California ' was awful & embarrassing.  Didn't stop though that's a big no no.  Somehow got through it 

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

Have some lessons and buy the best you can afford (buying cheap is a false economy)

EmptyEstus

1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?
A crappy 3/4 size Spanish. No idea who made it. Got it in the mid '90s when I was a young kid.

2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
Melody WD28 acoustic because of the sentimental value. It belonged to my dad.

3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
The Melody. 1974, made in Italy.

4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
I keep GASing for an LP type for noodling on. 
Whether that'll be an LTD, Epiphone or HB, I'm not sure yet.

5: What strings do you use?
I really like the EB Paradigms. 

6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
Just more skill in the recording process in general, haha. 

7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
I've not gigged in years and years. Panicking probably. Haha. 

8: ...And five minutes after?
Ordering a pint. 

9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
Joined a band as a bassist at last minute, two weeks before a pre-booked gig. Learned the songs for the set. Halfway through, they changed the setlist mid-gig and they were songs I didn't know. Very embarrassing. No idea why they did that to me. 

10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
Get a metronome, and do the chromatic exercises that you hate. Stop trying to sweep and run before you can walk, just nail the basics. 

MyLittleEye

1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?
A Columbus Les Paul Copy I saw in a shop window in Denmark Street - looked just like the one on the first ZZ Top album cover.
The shop assistant sent me home with a Peavey Rage transtube practice amp too... pretty good in 1988.
Even so I didn't stick at it and gave up after six months or so.

2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
My Ryan Jarman Sig. Mus-Uar - there were only 252 made

3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
A 1966 Teisco 2 pickup Tulip guitar. Plays like sh.. but sounds filthy as f...

4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
A Stretch Limo of course!

5: What strings do you use?
Still experimenting! However I recently paid £12 for a set of NYXL Balanced Tension 10's and was sent a 5 pack
...so for the foreseeable, balanced 10's it is!

6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
I'd learn to play the guitar

7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
That backstage scene from Spinal Tap

8: ...And five minutes after?
wrapping up the cables; lugging the amps to the van and then driving around the M25 in the pissing rain !

9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
Getting invited onstage by a blues band in the Netherlands to jam with my harmonica.
Me: "What key'll we be in?"  Singer: "A" - I ready an appropriate harp.
Gets the nod to let rip ...aaand car crash!
In Holland "Ay" is Dutch for E !!

10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
Practice daily;  avoid 22 year gaps.

Toneseeker

1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?
 
A very basic poor quality steel strung acoustic for Christmas 51 years ago.

2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
The only one I have - A Gibson Hummingbird

3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
2014 Gibson Hummingbird

4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
Yamaha SA2200VS

5: What strings do you use?
Elixir 

6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
The vocals - sounded awful

7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
Final adjustments to stage clothing.

8: ...And five minutes after?
Finishing my first song.

9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
At a festival - inexperienced sound engineer completely screwed everything up. Sounded great in the monitors but out front it was dreadful.

10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
Learn it properly.

BillDL

1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?
About 1969.  My parents bought my brother and me a "Gallotone" acoustic as a joint Christmas present when we were kids. This was a brand made in East Germany or Czechoslovakia, probably by the same kind of violin making and luthiery company that had developed into Hofner.  It was all we could get in Africa where I was raised.  UK importers also sourced and rebranded guitars from the same makers in those days, and John Lennon has been photographed as a youngster playing a Gallotone.  My first electric guitar was a 1979 Fender Stratocaster (sunburst with black plastics) bought in 1981, by which time I was working and earning.

2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
My early 80s Yamaha FG340 II bought new around 1983.  It was the first good acoustic I bought and it has a lot of sentimental value attached to it.

3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
A 1960 Hofner Senator archtop acoustic with De Armond detatchable pickup. I repaired it from a wrecked state around 1985.  It doesn't play very well, but the brunette sunburst finish on flamed maple or sycamore laminate makes it a nice wall decoration.

4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
Nothing.  I need to stop buying guitars .... although, a nice Yamaha acoustic of the same build quality and wood as my first good acoustic would be good, because that guitar now needs a refret.

5: What strings do you use?
Rotosound 10-46 on most of my electric guitars, with 9s on a couple.  For most of my acoustics I use Thomastic-Infeld Spectrum Bronze (SB111) 11-52.  They sound like 12s but have a "softer" feel while retaining a full sound.  On my Sigma concert-sized electro-acoustic I use any good brand of 12s.  On my classicals I use Martin normal tension ball ends because I don't play them as often as the steel strings and I am clumsy when tying them off at the bridge.  

6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
Less reverb on most of them.  At the time you are compensating for the lack of reverb in the room and the tendency is to add too much, but when played back through speakers in a live space it is overpowering.  It's been a long time since I recorded anything, but I am in the process of setting up a room in my house to start recording again.

7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
It has been a long time since I played live and, even then, it was only a few pub gigs and as part of the band in a few stage shows.  I have done more tinkering and repairing of guitars in the intervening years than playing, so I am very rusty.  I would normally have been smoking a cigarette and trying to remember lyrics for backing singing.

8: ... And five minutes after?
Smoking a cigarette.

9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
I was playing guitar as part of the band for a stage performance of Grease.  I had a fancy little Zoom 9002 strap-mounted multi-effects unit and a little pad controller stuck to the guitar to switch between presets.  I had used this through a DI box straight into the PA mixer before, but in small pub rather than a large hall, and with shorter cables.  I couldn't reduce the latency and was still working on it 15 minutes before the show.  I had to swap to a mic'd combo and a Boss BCB6 case with my 5 Boss effects pedals and power supply pedal at the last minute.  I just scraped through, but it wasn't a very good performance.

10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
Practice more regularly, use an acoustic more often, listen carefully to lots of different types of music, and be less reliant on effects when playing electric.

Open_G

1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?
It was an encore e83 bass. A precision copy that was head heavy, after 6 months all of the tuning pegs rattled, the tone and volume knobs fell off. I still loved it. 

2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save? 
Gibson Les Paul- it’s the most expensive single thing outside of a car I’ve ever owned. 

3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own? 
Probably my Taylor acoustic. 

4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire? 
I’m set. 

5: What strings do you use? 
Elixir

6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be? 
Just for there to be more of them

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

8: ...And five minutes after? 
Lugging kit into the car

9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage? 
Guitar falling off strap and landing on its headstock. 

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

You’ll never be a virtuoso, just enjoy the journey. 

Kasalic

1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?
Must have been around 1972 and it was a nylon strung acoustic from my Uncle.

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

3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own? 
Westone Spectrum DX, purchased new from Mann’s Music in 1987

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

5: What strings do you use? 
D’Addario 10 to 46.

6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be? 
Nothing good enough to be changed

7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage? 
Noodling away in a corner

8: ...And five minutes after? 
Having a drink

9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage? 
Power got turned off as we were running late and refused to stop (I was only 17 and it was a punk band )

10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar? 
Learn some music theory.

Clitheroekid1001

1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?
A white Hondo L.P. after a couple of nylon string wrecks. It was a bit rubbish but looked the dog's to a 16 yo me.

2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
My Vantage es copy made in Taiwan. I used to have a Japanese Vantage Ghost L.P. Junior decades ago. Wish I still had it.


3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
A Vintage (brand) Tele. Bought on a whim for £100 s/h when I got my om21. The Martin is long gone but the V Tele is still a great guitar.

4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
Godin Summit SG (semi gloss) l.p. junior lookalikee. Or a Tokai L.P.. Or a Gibson tribute junior.

5: What strings do you use?
D'addario on my acoustics. 10s on the electrics.


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


7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
Panicking about the singer's monitor not working while he has a pint and a chat.


8: ...And five minutes 
Cursing the weight of bass and pa gear and my age! (While the singer has a pint and a chat).

9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
Getting on the stage sometimes. I did have an amp catch fire decades ago but we had a spare and it was more funny than tragic.


10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
Get some lessons although I guess it would have been a waste of money,

ScottMaple

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

Fender Bullet, from a guy at my school who had painted it silver. Circa 1998.

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

My 1991 Fender Strat+

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

The 1991 Fender Strat+ 

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

I don't know.

5: What strings do you use?

Turbo Slinky (9.5 - 46)

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

The performance!

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

Holed up in the toilet. (Nerves)

8: ...And five minutes after?

Buzzing

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

Heckled by a hostile audience in an alien environment.

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

Learning how to play music that you don't like doesn't mean that you will write music that you don't like.

Two-Ross

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

An Admira Spanish / classical guitar, a birthday present from my parents 20 years ago, and where it all began. 
Still probably my most treasured possession, together with a Yamaha Pacifica that came into the picture a few years later.

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

There is a clue in my previous response

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

Admira

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

I need to sell a few first.

5: What strings do you use?

Electric - 9s, currently D'Addarios
Acoustic - Martin retro 12s
Classical - Savarez 520R high tension (red)

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

Completing it - I have a bit of an archive of half-finished ideas and sketches.

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

Relentlessly re-checking tunings, cables, hair, etc.

8: ...And five minutes after?

Wishing it was 5 minutes ago.

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

Not music, but I once came off stage from a minor theatre role and realised I'd been wearing a jacket inside out for the entire performance.

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

Don't stop playing live if you think you aren't good enough to make it. Just enjoy what you are playing in the moment.

SuperSkrull

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

My first guitar was a £12 nylon strung acoustic my old man got from the pink Bargain Pages back in 1988/89.  My first "proper" guitar was maybe 6 months later.  A lovely mid 80s MIJ Squire Strat, bought from a dodgy pawn shop in Brum for about £120 I think?  3-4 years later I was getting into Vai/Satriani but couldn't afford a Floral Jem, so I exchanged my Squire for a hideous, generic Jackson shred machine at the same pawn shop.  Instant regret and when I went to retrieve my beloved fiesta red strat a few days later it was gone.

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

My beat-up, road-scarred, pack mule of a guitar, Martin Backpacker that I got off a roadie along with a whole heap of a shaggy dog story about it!

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

A Takemine EG116

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

I'd love to have a Strat again, but to get one with the exact spec I want, going down the Partscaster route will be much cheaper.

5: What strings do you use?

At the minute, Martin 80/20 Bronze for acoustic, D'addario XLs for Electric

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

Not gigged for about 20 years, wished we actually did record our stuff!

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

(Badly) trying to chat up girls

8: ...And five minutes after?

Doing a spinal tap and getting lost backstage

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

That one time I was allowed to do lead vocals

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

There's more to making music than just spending time on all the widdly widdly bits

RebeccaTCM

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

A 3/4 acoustic when I was eight. My parents apologised for it when I was fifteen with a Yamaha twelve string, which my son now has and promotes at his studio as vintage

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

Ooh, that’s a tough one. Probably a Giannini I bought from a school friend when we were thirteen, because it was my first decent guitar.

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

That Giannini, 49 years old now. 

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

A Fender acoustic or a baby grand. 

5: What strings do you use?

D'Addarios

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

I’d replace myself!

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

It’s been over thirty years but it would be having a wee. 

8: ...And five minutes after?

Probably having another wee. 

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

Not being able to hear the musician playing with me. 

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

Don’t take a thirty year break. 

CE1

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

An appalling no name Bass with mis matched strings (one flat wound, three roundwound!) bought for £5 off a mate at Uni in 1989

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

Fender Ultra Jazz Bass

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

Probably the appalling bass that was my first, it’s still in the shed

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

A few pedals are on the list….

5: What strings do you use?

Ernie Ball 10s on electric, D’Addario light on Acoustic and Warwick reds on Bass.

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

Not sure really, you always want it to be just that little bit better…

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

Having a beer

8: ...And five minutes after?

Having another beer and buzzing!

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

Allowed a pub owner to set the sound against our better judgement, he was a ‘pro’ you see. We sounded bloody awful and couldn’t hear ourselves on stage. 

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

Practice more!

Fran

1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?
 
It was a Framus lawsuit copy of a Gibson SG with sideways whammy, I got it when I was 14

2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
I don't even want to contemplate that scenario, I am attached to more than one, and more than one are my favourtie.

3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
1990 Paul Reed Smith Bass

4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
One of those new Ibanez Q Series headless

5: What strings do you use?
Ernie Ball M-Steel 10-46

6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
I wish I had a decent amp (back then it was a crappy one)

7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
make sure I have had a pee

8: ...And five minutes after?
chillin'

9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
Drummer going too fast, ending up with me headbutting him

10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
continue to learn to read

Kandinsky

1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?
 
A Kay Jumbo Acoustic (sunburst double pickguard) from my uncle who had graduated to an Eko Ranger in March 1976.

2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
The one furthest from the exit; I might be able to grab another couple on the way out.

3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
My wife's 1979 nylon strung student guitar.

4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
Gretsch G6120TB-DE DUANE EDDY 6-STRING BASS

5: What strings do you use?
Elixir Nanoweb Acoustic 11s, Elixir Nanoweb (12 string) 10s, Elixir Optiweb Electric 9-46, D'Addario Pro Arte Classical Dynacore Extra Hard Tension, GHS White Bronze 11s, 

6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
Not saying yes to a certain producer in 1990.

7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
Hail Mary, full of grace............

8: ...And five minutes after?
Changing my undergarments.

9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
Drummer going too fast, ending up with me headbutting him

10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
Read, learn some piano.

TeleKinesis

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

Technically, a no-name classical that someone lent / gifted me ahead of getting lessons. First guitar that I chose was a Peavey strat copy 6 months later, in the 90s. It's what I learned on, really, and was gigged a bunch.

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

The Peavey, on sentimental grounds.

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

Again, the Peavey. It's knackered now, was in storage / lofts for years whilst moving around. Pots are very crackly and it needs a good clean. Long standing project to restore it, again for sentimental reasons.

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

A second 'usable' electric, to occupy a different role to the Tele. 

Probably a Les Paul.

Or something 'surfy'.

Hollow body for jazz?

Or a shredder.

Or ... (continues)

5: What strings do you use?

Ernie Ball Super Slinkies usually, completely out of habit. Recommendations welcomed!

GHS Precision flats on the bass.

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

+ an ability to sing

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

Obsessively tuning / checking strap

8: ...And five minutes after? 

Several pints

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

It's been a while! Probably forgetting where we were in a song ... If I ever gig again, it won't include drinking beforehand.

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

Don't care so much what other people think / might think.

jtmax

1: Hondo 2 Sunburst strat copy November 1977.

2: Attila Balogh odyssey.Early eighties Canadian custom.Perfect in every function and my second.

3:Shergold Meteor 1976 or Ibanez professional Gibson bass copy..

4:Good Question..I have had most over the years but i would be partial to a Melos monacor MU1000 mutron copy.Had one years ago;know how to use them now.

5:Whatever i happen upon.

6:Never worries me.Once its done its done.

7:Used to be smoking cigarettes but i quit.So long since i gigged ireally dont know.Maybe a pint and a newspaper.

8:Breaking stage down.

9:Being so intoxicated i physically could not play.

Being asked up to jam at an African music and culture night;gave me a total awe and respect for African polyrhythmic mastery.

10:Take it seriously,Learn to read ,learn theory and at least have a knowledge of keyboard layout,Do not follow the insidious path of excess.

Mrluwin

1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?
A second hand Antoria (rebranded Ibanez) SG received for Christmas in 1996 along with a Park G10 amp

2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save? 
My USA Strat, I've got 'fancier' guitars but this one is like an old friend and has never let me down

3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own? 
The old Antoria I think it's from the 70s!

4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire? 
A Jazzmaster or a 335

5: What strings do you use? 
D'Adarrio Balanced tension 10-46

6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be? 
Taming the cymbals on the last EP we recorded

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

8: ...And five minutes after? 
Straight to the bar

9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage? 
Having to change a string in the dark in front of a lively crowd

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

thumpingrug

Mrluwin said:

1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?
A second hand Antoria (rebranded Ibanez) SG received for Christmas in 1996 along with a Park G10 amp

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

3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own? 
The old Antoria I think it's from the 70s!

4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire? 
A Jazzmaster or a 335

5: What strings do you use? 
D'Adarrio Balanced tension 10-46

6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be? 
Taming the cymbals on the last EP we recorded

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

8: ...And five minutes after? 
Straight to the bar

9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage? 
Having to change a string in the dark in front of a lively crowd

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

Welcome dude.

AsterixTG

1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?
Dunno - would have been a very cheap acoustic that I tried to learn Zeppelin solos on when I was about eleven, but didn't follow it through. Next that I can remember was a Washburn electric in my mid 20's but I really didn't get on with it - that went for a Les Paul Studio.

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

3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
The Zephyr - over 20 years old now.

4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
I'd love to get a Gibson SG Elegant, but for the sake of practicality and additional sounds, probably at Strat/Tele/Single Coil jobbie of some sort.

5: What strings do you use?
Super Slinkys - 9s

6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
Full album needed a remix but the masters don't exist anymore as the label didn't pay the studio for the 2" tapes.

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

8: ...And five minutes after?
Either euphoric or disconsolate.

9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
First big Support Slot/Tour - played some place in Birmingham, no room (unusually as the venues were all pretty a decent size) I was on the wrong side (S-Right - I was usually S-Left) and so close to the drums that every time he hit his right cymbal, it would hit my headstock, jolt the guitar and knock it out of tune. Couldn't hear a thing anyway - got so pissed off, I kicked in the front of the bass drum on the way off.

10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
Learn 'enough' theory to be able to place yourself on the fretboard and practice timing/synchronisation constantly.