10 questions we ask everybody (1 Viewer)

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Guitarist magazine have a section called "10 questions we ask everybody". Seen some guitar nerd forums appropriate it for their members, so thought it might be fun to do with the thumped guitar pricks.

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

Nylon stringed acoustic when I was 11 I think. Don't recall the brand but I traded it for a Les Paul copy after about two months.

2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
My '88 US Telecaster. My first good guitar and the only one I own that I'd never sell.

3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
The above Telecaster. Have owned older but sold them on.

4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
I actually don't know at the moment. I've gotten a few nice new things this year so I'm not hankering after much. In fact I recently sold a very nice SG, and I'd quite like to buy that back if I can get the funds together.

5: What strings do you use?
D'addario 10's for all electric guitars except the Jazzmaster, which likes 11s. Rotosound Swing Bass medium gauge for bass. Elixir 12's for acoustic.

6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
I'm going to take two things here. I'd go easier on the guitar overdubs on the second Large Mound album. We had our own Pro Tools set up and nobody to tell us when to stop. I'd also not treat vocals as an afterthought on almost everything I've had to sing on.

7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
Plugging in my stuff. Getting a drink.

8: ...And five minutes after?
Loading out or stowing gear somewhere. Getting a drink.

9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
Probably breaking the low E string on the bass with the first note of the first gig I ever played with The Dudley Corporation. That wasn't fun.

10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
Be nice to sound engineers. Don't focus on your tone in isolation, listen to how it sits with everything else. Mid range is your friend.


GO!
 
1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?
A suzuki acoustic for my 13th birthday in 1990.

2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
Maybe the suzuki acoustic, for sentimental reasons. Or the fender something-or-other electric.

3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
I do not know

4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
I'd like to get a decent acoustic for recording with.

5: What strings do you use?
WhatEVER

6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
My singing is shite and my acoustic guitar (the suzuki) isn't really up to recording

7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
I don't do that shit anymore

8: ...And five minutes after?
See answer 7. But it would have involved beer

9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
Played badly pretty much every time I ever played on stage (which is not that often really).

10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
Stop kidding yourself
 
1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?
A cheap acoustic from the 50s or possibly earlier that belonged to my uncle. I learned my first Iron Maiden and John Lee Hooker songs on this.
git.jpg
2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
Gretsch 6120

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

4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
A Telecaster or a Mosrite. Solid body with a Bigsby for instrumental and surf music.

5: What strings do you use?
10's for all electric guitars. Not sure what I put on the acoustics. Whatever's not too dear.

6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
The guitar sound on the still unreleased recording I made with my old band is shit. I need to redo the whole thing.

7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
Getting a drink.

8: ...And five minutes after?
Loading out or stowing gear somewhere. Getting a drink.

9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
Being too drunk to function. See 7

10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
Learn about strings and tuning. It's important. Play with amps, find out what works and what doesn't. Play with other people as much as possible.
 
1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?

Dad bought me an acoustic for xmas when I was about 16, I'd been playing his for a while

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

My tele deluxe

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

A Les Paul Jr that I bought off @mark, I think it's 87ish

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

A nice tele standard, styled like the famous Springsteen guitar.

Although aesthetically I have a major soft spot for the Elvis Costello signature jazzmaster.

5: What strings do you use?

10s generally, except for 13's on my jaguar which I bought with it being my funny tuning sonic youth guitar in my head, didn't work out that way but I keep them on it.

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

Generally my regrets over recording are mixing issues rather than playing ones. I do the best I can with that

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

Pacing nervously, jumping up and down.

8: ...And five minutes after?

Sitting down somewhere and breathing

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

Once played a solo acoustic thing in the front bar of crawdaddy, midway through one song some rando drunk Scandinavian woman hopped up beside me leaned into the mic and doing out of key ohhing backing vocals. I gave out to her and made her cry, no regrets she deserved it.

Couldn't really play for the rest of the gig, hands were shaking so much.

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

Stop hitting the fucking thing so hard. Make sure you wipe the sweat off it after you gig. Don't stress so much over chasing the ideal, perfect sound. It's your song no one else knows what it's supposed to sound like.
 
Last edited:
1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?
Encore electric.Musicmaker 1987.

2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
If there was absolutely no chance of anybody getting injured
Westone Thunder
3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
Westone Thunder 1.1981

4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
A POD X3

5: What strings do you use?
D'addario 9's
6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
Ermm..nothing.Its a learning process and each fuck up is one less fuck up to come

7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
A quick run around the block

8: ...And five minutes after?
Preparing to split usually


9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
Too drunk/high to play,trousers falling down,puking,shitting myself

10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
Less partying more playing
 
1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?
Some piece of crap steel string. Should never have been built

2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
A question of most sentimental vs. most used? Spose the sentimental one. Generic strat copy worn into the shape of my playing.

3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
69/70 E-ros acoustic.

4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
Probably more Aria pro's 80's era electrics.

5: What strings do you use?
I think 12's. Maybe.

6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
Oh I don't know. That was then, this is now.

7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
Usually hanging out with the band, getting on a vibe. I don't really drink and play.

8: ...And five minutes after?
Usually hanging out with the band or trying to evaporate.

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

Supporting the electric six, broke the E and A on the bass in the first two songs.

10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
Get an Aria Pro and a Tokai before people start charging big money for them.

Aria's are holding out but I'm not helping..
 
1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?
'85 Westone Spectrum GT (currently for sale), bought from my brother in 1995ish

2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
The only one I have out at the moment is my El Maya EM1300

3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
Not sure really, think my Hagstrom III might be late 60's.

4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
A small valve amp 5w-22w like a Laney Lionheart, Fender '65 Deluxe Reverb, Princeton or Blues Jnr

5: What strings do you use?
D'addario ELX140 (10-52) but I've gotten bored of those and I'm planning a change to Ernie Ball 2215 (10-52)

6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
Spend time on getting better tone. I've always ended up double tracking everything, which I don't really like doing, because the initial tone doesn't compete with the bass.

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

8: ...And five minutes after?
Loading out or stowing gear somewhere. Which includes Ronan's gear so that he can man the merch stall.

9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
One of my first gigs with the Coldspoon Conspiracy was headlining Whelan's, I felt like I had a lot to prove and pressure got to me and I forgot how to play in a section when I was the only one playing.

10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
Finding your own style is very important but learning the basics is also important. I still don't know what chords are what, even though I can play most of them and I certainly can't solo. Also start playing alternative tunings at a younger age.
 
1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?
An Epiphone by Gibson Strat copy with a pointy headstock. An S-series i think it is. probably 10 or 11 when I got it. It is pretty horrible and weighs a tonne.

2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
Right now, the tokai lp special.

3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
The strat copy is late 80s early 90s. But for real guitars the '61 SG is 2000.

4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
I would quite like a gibson marauder if I could find a really cheap one.

5: What strings do you use?
10s on everything else but 11s on the tokai.

6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
n/a. Wish i still had my 4 track.

7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
Going over the first line of the first song and first chord of the first song.

8: ...And five minutes after?
Hugs and selfies.

9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
Finding out you can't look at your fingers and sing into a microphone at the same time.

10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
Solo more.
 
1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?
Shitty Spanish guitar with action about 30mm at 12th fret.

2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
Gibson ES347

3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
Gibson ES347 - Mid 70's

4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
Gibson LP, old and sexy

5: What strings do you use?
10s on everything, not fussy at all. would use anything, and it can vary depending on what kind of awkward mood im in. cheapness generally rules.

6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
for what little I have done, I would re-do all tracks cause of shitty sounds and tones. generally should record more. be less picky...

7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
getting a drink - only if I have landed on time and am not rushing getting shit set up.

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

9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
too drunk to play... amp blowing up, guitar electrics failures, electric shock off mics. nothing show stopping though.

10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
dunno. save money better and buy better sounding gear quicker. it would fall on deaf ears though.
 
Would an original body with replica neck do?
Nah, I really don't have room for anything else. Plus I'd want all original since they were pretty cheap thrown together guitars in the first place. But thanks! Throw up a picture on the gear thread sure for looksies.
 
6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
Spend time on getting better tone. I've always ended up double tracking everything, which I don't really like doing, because the initial tone doesn't compete with the bass.

That fucking bass amp has a lot to answer for. Hoggin the mid range!
 
1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?
Someone left an acoustic in the house, so that. But my first to own was an Audition something or other. I'd guess at 1985.

2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
My Strat. 1995 Mexican, not the best guitar I have but it's special.

3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
1982 Gordon Smith Explorer

4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
I really beautiful Les Paul.

5: What strings do you use?
D'addario 10s.

6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
I'd redo the vocals on a Large Mounds song called My New Thing and Friend. They were done in a recording studio completely out of my vocal recording comfort zone. One that was in place at the time and too me years to find.

7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
Not talking to anyone and appearing aloof but it's just nerves.

8: ...And five minutes after?
Worrying about the gear.

9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
Following adibisi shank and my amp just refused at work / totally blanking on huge sections of multiple songs at a Large Mound gig in the Twisted Pepper

10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
Learn how to play chords and scales properly. Learn some family gathering friendly covers. Play drums.
 
1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?
Gordon Smith GS1,still have it,still awesome. Got it about 94/95 or so.


2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
GS1,or Gordon Smith SG,whatever comes to hand first.Although let's face it,I'd probably trip over the records and that would be the end of that.


3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
Late 70's (I think) Gibson L6S,fucked electrics when I bought it,still fucked.

4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
Nothing really,continue getting what I have working.

5: What strings do you use?
10s on everything.

6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
More concerned with will I record again.

7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
Talking to mates.

8: ...And five minutes after?
Go for a walk to a shop and buy a coke.

9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
The Kabinboy,somewhere in Denmark,big long feedback droney intro and then bang first chord broke the low e and a strings in the first strum.

10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
Try to get something decent as soon as you can,and learn how to get the best out of what you have.
 
1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?
Spanish guitar from Santa, found it in the boot of my parents car on Christmas eve, thus ruining Santa in the process. Guitars ruin everything.

2: The building’s burning down – what one guitar do you save?
My 80's Strat. It should really be put out to pasture at this stage, but I will not let it die

3: What’s the oldest guitar that you own?
I have a Hohner Les Paul that I bought in 1990 or so. Never really played it, always sounded horrible, but it *looks* delicious.

4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
More souped up and quieter PC for home recording.

5: What strings do you use?
Rusty ones.

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

To this day I've never captured the sound of my Strat and Laney amp properly in a recording. No idea why, no engineer has ever been able to get it right. So then I just overdub a thousand tracks, which is grand.


7: What are you doing five minutes before you go onstage?
Taking out an insurance policy (AKA SHITTING)

8: ...And five minutes after?
Wondering where everyone went.

9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
Hmm, at a Null Set gig in Cork in the early really old days, we played on a stage above the toilets, amps nestled in between toilet cisterns. Stage had mesh wire protecting us from crowd below. One of whom started to rip off his jeans and starting throwing bits of denim at us until we stopped playing. We didn't, he ended up in his jocks.

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

Don't sweat it, fret it.
 
1: What was your first guitar and when did you get it?
First acoustic, A Karina in 1989.
First electric in 1991 Aria pro 2.
Both are now in the attic.

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

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

4: And the next piece of gear you’d like to acquire?
A decent flanger with a nice deep swirl, or an analog delay.

5: What strings do you use?
10's

6: If you could change one thing about a recording of yours, what would it be?
It's been ages. Just do it better.

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

8: ...And five minutes after?
More sweating

9: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
Nothing major.There was no sound & I couldn't work out why.
I'd left the standby switch on the amp. Dufus.

10: What advice would you give your younger self about playing the guitar?
Just be more confident. Be more persistent about your own music.
 

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