The ENWorld Electric Bard Gear (Etc) Thread

[Dannyalcatraz]

Do you play electric guitar? Electric bass? Synthesizer? Theremin? ReacTable? Here’s a place to talk about it.

Post pictures your gear and your practice space! Brag! Ask questions about future purchases!

To open…

This is my Dean Special Select EVO, one of my first 2 electric guitars. Purchased in 2003 or so, for @$450. For an inexpensive Les Paul copy, it was a surprisingly good buy. The tuners hold tune with a death grip. The frets are nicely set with no sharp ends. The only real problem it had was a burr on the bridge that kept breaking strings, remedied with a good polishing by a skilled tech.


I still have it. I want to improve it by putting in some better pickups, though. The stock ones have a certain harshness, not from being high-output. They’re just not great pickups.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

A clump of pedals I assembled & photographed to enter into a contest (for fun).


Pedals Shown:

Voodoo Labs Pedal Power 2 Plus
Electroharmonix Epitome
Keeley Jimi Hazel Echo Phase
Catalinbread Persus Sub-Octave Fuzz
Catalinbread EchoRec
TWA Little Dipper
TWA Triskelion
Black Arts Toneworks Sarcophagus V2

 

[payn]

I've been thinking of getting a focus-right plugin and a mic for recording. My buddies all just use their phones, but I feel like if I made the investment ($300-500) Id actually get more use out of it. Anybody got recommendations or tips on recording gear?

Also, what microphones do you like? Id like something for recording myself playing and maybe doing a little Karaoke once in awhile.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Wish I could help you. Despite having some compact recording devices and a Teac mic from the 1970s, I have never recorded myself.

There’s something to be said for having something small and easy to use. Such devices let you record ideas at a moment’s notice…even if it’s something you just hum. A couple years ago, Metallica’s Kirk Hammet lost a phone that- among other things- contained hundreds of musical ideas he’d recorded over months.

But as good as those can be, if you’re looking for something to do more polished recordings, you’re going to want a decent microphone and interface.

 

[Jahydin]

@Dannyalcatraz
Beautiful guitar and great setup!

What genre do you like to play?

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

@Dannyalcatraz
Beautiful guitar and great setup!

What genre do you like to play?

Thanks!

I play a little bit of several genres: classical, jazz, metal, classic rock, blues, instrumental surf/spy, ambient, prog, new wave, Latino genres. I’m probably forgetting stuff, too.

But to be clear, I’m a vocalist first, and I’m more of a dabbler when it comes to guitar. Unless I’m playing my own compositions, I favor rhythm over lead. So I play lead only out of necessity, and probably shouldn’t be asked to play a solo…EVER.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Here’s my one bass: an acoustic-electric fretless Washburn AB-20. I’ve never played it plugged in- I don’t even have a bass amp!

The only time it’s ever been plugged in was when I loaned it to a friend who was in a band at the time. They were opening for acts that we now know were on the cusp of being signed and getting national exposure. His band was on a similar trajectory…and they fired him, supposedly over musical differences. He wanted to increase the complexity and nuance of their music, and they wanted to strip things down.

Ultimately, his former band sank from the peak of the local scene, and he unfortunately had to give up the bass due to repetitive stress injuries. (He’s a programmer now.)

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

@R_J_K75

@payn has a question you might be able to answer…

 

[R_J_K75]

I've been thinking of getting a focus-right plugin and a mic for recording. My buddies all just use their phones, but I feel like if I made the investment ($300-500) Id actually get more use out of it. Anybody got recommendations or tips on recording gear?

Also, what microphones do you like? Id like something for recording myself playing and maybe doing a little Karaoke once in awhile.

I don't record or sing I just play. My friend was looking to do some recording and after he did his research, he decided on this one. Only tip I can give you is that if you have little to no experience recording, and arent doing it professionally then even a lower end model can be complicated and difficult to learn. I know he bought his about 2 years ago and has yet to record anything with it. Its one of those things that sounds good in theory but might end up collecting dust. All depends on how technically inclined you are and how disciplined you are to put in the time to learn how to use it. Hope that helps.

Tascam Portastudio

 

[payn]

I don't record or sing I just play. My friend was looking to do some recording and after he did his research, he decided on this one. Only tip I can give you is that if you have little to no experience recording, and arent doing it professionally then even a lower end model can be complicated and difficult to learn. I know he bought his about 2 years ago and has yet to record anything with it. Its one of those things that sounds good in theory but might end up collecting dust. All depends on how technically inclined you are and how disciplined you are to put in the time to learn how to use it. Hope that helps.

Tascam Portastudio

That looks...intimidating. I was thinking something more like this.