Gear I Use To Write, Record and Perform
Guitars I play
1975 Martin D1228 – its a Martin, its a 12 string, it’s been around the block a few times and it is sweeter than ever..
1977 Gibson Marauder – the year is correct if my memory is correct. This was one reliable workhorse early on in my music career, easily covering sounds from rock to pop to RnB and Jazz … I’m pretty much using this for slide now.
2002 Godin Flat Five -Plays like butter and the tone is amazing.
2004 Godin LGXT – This baby is my workhorse: killer tone, plays great, sweet piezo for acoustic work and the synth access (the tracking on it is amazing) has opened up entire new vistas. I have become not just a Godin disciple but an evangelist as well!
2007 Bourgeois Vintage D – It sounds simply amazing. Without a doubt this is the finest acoustic instrument I’ve ever had the pleasure to play. This is my main instrument for writing, noodling, kicking back … I absolutely love this guitar!
2008 G&L ASAT Classic – the tele of my dreams!
2023 Stratocaster Ultra – I used to borrow my friend’s strat way back in the day. And now, I have my own. Secret: I’m in love!
My Woodwinds
2016 Antigua Pro One Tenor Sax – I always loved the sound of the saxophone and always wanted to learn. So now here I am: learning.
2017 Yamaha Alto SaxYAS 62iii – I’m finding that saxes are like guitars. How many do you need? Just one more.
2022 Yamaha Flute FL262 – I’ve always wanted to play the flute – I have a Melody C flute circa 1947 but that’s for another post – and so I took the opportunity. Without a doubt, the most challenging instrument for me to play. I am beginning to understand why some players have a love/hate relationship with their instrument.
Amps And Effects
Music Man HD130 – I think I bought this new in ’77 or ’78 … its been through a ton of gigs but its still alive and kicking. I can’t really use it in my home studio though as it is just too loud, even at half power.
Hughes & Kettner Edition Tube 20th Anniversary – I bought this to have something with kick-ass tone for recording at lower volumes … and that’s exactly what it does: Kicks Ass!!! It was my main gigging amp too until I got the next item on the list.
Genz Benz Black Pearl 30 – Bought from a fellow musician … his loss is my gain (I know, that’s cold). Lots of new colors for playing … just sounds really sweet. I can run this in pentode or triode mode at full or half power. So I can run those tubes at 7 W and get some tasty grit. Or, I can cut it loose at 15 W or 30 W. This amp is absolutely amazing for recording! My other amps tell me I’m neglecting them since her arrival.
Fender Deluxe Reverb – I got in a jam and swore I wouldn’t be caught flat again. 22W and quickly became more than just a backup.
The following effects – ending with the Loop Station – are pretty much my live chain. Just works for me.
Dunlop Crybaby Wah 95Q – I’ve been through a few Wahs … lets face it, I beat the crap out of them.
Boss Super Shifter PS5 – I mainly use it for lows but it is quite versatile.
Boss Super Chorus CH-1 – I love how subtle this can be, making things just right.
Boss Flanger BF3 – It’s quite an amazing little box and with the slightest bit of tweaking the sonics are so much more than just flange.
Boss Super Overdrive SD-1 … I have no idea how long I’ve had this … forever? But the tones I can get are just right for how I play.
Boss DD6 – Digital delay with awesome warp and reverse function! Best to have a power supply with this as it eats batteries like crazy!
Boss RC-30 Loop Station. – Everyone needs a looper for live gigs, right? I mean really, right?!
Roland GR-33 – oh man, oh man … who needs a keyboard player (just kidding) … the strings on “Marking Time” were done with this … its very cool tool and I don’t know what I’d do without it.
Recording Gear
My computer recording setup is currently based on a Mac Mini 3GHz Intel Core i5, 32 GB RAM running Digital Performer 11.2, Studio One 6 and Logic Pro X 10.7.5. Realistically, I have not even begun to tap the potential available here. I use a Presonus Faderport 8 for that “tactile mixing experience”.
On the Desktop:MOTU UltraLitemk5 – I bought this as an emergency unit when my Focusrite Clarett 8 Pre X had a dead Power Supply. This unit has two great Mic Preamps that are combo mic/inst/line. Lots of routing flexibility. Extremely happy with it.
Sidenote: Kudos to the folks at Sweetwater – where I pretty much buy all my gear from – for repairing (replaced actually) the Clarett 8 Pre X. They let me know – without my asking – that I was still covered under the original multi-year warranty. Whew!
Rack gear includes:
WARM Audio WA73-EQ – Based off the NEVE 1073 Preamp. It pretty much sounds like the original 1073. Wish I had an original 1073 to A/B against but I love the clarity and warmth I get on vocals and acoustic guitar.
WARM Audio Bus-Comp – Bought this when my DBX166 died. Now I know what a good compressor is. Plus, I can run my signal through this without the compressor engaged but with the transformer engaged. It gives it a sonic quality that is just enhances everything.
Focusrite ISA One – Want to make a crappy mic sound good? Want to have someone come in and think you know what you’re doing when recording tracks? Just run your mics through this bad boy! Mics that already sound killer just kick ass that much more when run through this preamp. And mics that could use a little help get that — and quite a bit more — when run through the ISA One. Now I understand what a great preamp is all about.
Focusrite Clarett 8 Pre X – I had to upgrade from a FocusLiquid Saffire 56 when I was forced to finally upgrade my Mac (to the Mac Mini). 8 great mic pres, 8 line ins, 2 instrument ins and plenty of routing options. Best of all, it sounds pristine. If my recordings suck it’s certainly not the equipment’s fault! I currently have this connected via optical to the UltraliteMK5. Works like a charm!
Black Lion Audio Micro Clock MK2 – 3 word clock outputs, selectable from 44.1 KHz to 192 KHz. All kinds of noise went away once I put this in place.
Lexicon MPX550 Dual Channel Processor – Bandmates have tried to persuade me at various times to take it out of the rack and use for live gigs … I may just do that some time … NOT!
DBX PB-48 Patchbay – no fuss, no mess
Eurorack UB2442FX-PRO – this was the very first piece that when into the rack. It actually replaced a smaller Eurorack model. I originally got this to help mix drums and all into a two-track. I’m totally happy with this unit as it was great bang for the buck. Now I use it to route signals in and out to give a bit more of an analog feel to the digital recording.
Furman PM-8Dm Power Conditioner/Monitor – brownouts? in the countryside? Nahhh, never happens
Mic Cabinet, Monitors Et Al
Mic Cabinet (not very expansive but it works for me):
Mojave MA-200 – Main Vocal mic
Rode NT2A – Great for vocals, room, acoustic instruments, woodwinds. Just a solid workhorse!
AT3035 – Another solid all around mic that just works great in my environment.
CAD C195 – great for micing guitar cabs, good job on live vocals.
Shure Beta 58A – mostly use this as my live vocal mic but I’ve also been using it on the guitar cabs
Shure SM57 – two of these bad boys because they are workhorses … sound great on the snare as well as the guitar cabs
Aazden DX-580 – does a decent job when micing cabinets
CAD KBM412 – kick drum
CAD TSM 411 – three of these used for micing snares and toms
CAD GXL 1200 – two of these used for drum kit overheads/cymbals
Monitors
Focal CMS65 Monitors – Clarity and detail … all my current and future mixes just got a whole lot better.
Alesis M1 ACTIVE MK2 Nearfield Monitors – relegated to “B” status but still sound great.
I pretty much mix through headphones and then A/B between my phones and my Focals. So here are the headphones I use.
Shure SRH840 – Use these for tracking. Great isolation, minimal bleed. Great clarity for the artist.
AKG K701 – Use this for mixing and, in conjunction with Sound ID’s plugin, I get very consistent results. Poor mixes are all on me!
Midi
Arturia KeyLab 61 Essential – Though the keys are not semi-weighted they actually feel quite good. And this originally came with Analog Lab 4’s Keyboard Anthology. But the best part was it came with UVI’s Model D: a Steinway Concert Grand Model D. It sounds quite amazing.
Power
APC Back-UPS – Who doesn’t love power outages? Brownouts?
Past prized possessions
DBX 166x Compressor/Limiter/Gate – RIP good little friend. Died in the Spring of ’24.
Mackie Onyx 400F Preamp – My very first FireWire unit for recording with a DAW … 4 really nice mic pres for the money. Sadly it now sits in the corner, collecting dust, ready and waiting to heed the call if need be.
Digitech RP200 – I really bought this originally to be part of the recording chain (for direct in stuff) but, it morphed into a jamming/gigging for flanging, more chorusing, delay, etc kind of thing … pretty cool little toy. Sadly, it finally died … appears to be the input buffer circuit. So now, it lives on in my memory.
BOSS BR1600 – great all-in-one unit plus very road-worthy! I no longer needed it so it was sold to help defray new equipment costs.
ZOOM MRX1044 – my very first DAW … still alive and kicking. I did have to reload the OS on it once as there was a space issue on the hard drive but it all turned out just fine. It was sold to help with that whole defraying costs thing!
2002 Alvarez AJ60 – I needed an acoustic with on-board electronics and when I got this it played and sounded decent and the price was definitely right for my meager budget. I was no longer playing it so, I gave it to one of my three favorite children.
Gretsch Sunburst – era ’64, My first electric guitar, God I miss it! I was stupid enough to trade it for equipment needed by one of the first bands I was in!