I started playing guitar and in bands at around 13 years old. I played my first show in 2003 at the age of 14. Since then I have searched far and wide for the best gear which enables me to get the sound I want/need for the projects I am involved in, and some stuff for ease of travelling, and some just for fun!
Live Gear:
This set up depends on what project I am performing with, but for ROADWAY, and other rock based projects this is more or less what I use
Guitars:
Schecter S-1 Blackjack
Schecter S-1 Elite
Amps:
Marshall MG100HFX
Marshall 2x12 Extension Cab / Marshall 1960-TV 4x12 cab
Pedals:
Behringer Chromatic Tuner
Behringer X V-AMP Multi FX Pedal (If taking my amp is not possible)
Memory Toy Analoge delay
Vox Wah pedal (only sometimes)
Studio Gear:
Amps:
Lately I have just connected my 1200h Behringer amp head into the desk in whatever studio I am in and that usually does the trick, if not then I have a selection of other amps I use should they suit the project more;
- WEM Dominator MK II (1972), this amp belonged to my dad, still has the original valves and original trem pedal. Gives such a great tone to it, and I often use a Boss distort pedal on low to give it an extra bit of boost for solos.
- Marshall DFX 50, this was the first amp I ever got and I still think it sounds great, Frazer, the keyboard player from ROADWAY puts his organ through this amp for all the ROADWAY studio recordings and it gives one of the best heavy Deep Purple-esque organ sounds I've ever heard!
My Behringer head and Marshall DFX 50 setup connected in a studio
Guitars:
Guitars are a real passion of mine, I tried to search as hard as I could for what best suited me rather than simply lunging for whatever's popular or the biggest price tag. Below is some information on each of the guitars I own, and hopefully soon I'll manage to get pics up of them all.
Schecter S-1 Blackjack, This guitar was the reason I switched to Schecter from Cort. I was given it in 2009 by a friend as a gift, and although I wasnt sold on the look of it right away, the sound and feel of it instantly made it a favourite of mine. I use this on nearly all my live shows and for nearly all recordings I've done in the last year.
Schecter S-1 Elite, I bought this in the winter of 2009 in Glasgow, I loved my other Schecter so much I wanted to look for a 'backup' one for live shows incase I had to switch etc. This guitars' look I think is the most striking part of it, and I think its the best looking guitar I own. Plays great as well but has a slightly thicker neck than the other schecter but still a favourite of mine also. I used this on nearly all of the ROADWAY EP.
Cort G260B, this guitar I got in 2004, and was the first guitar I bought with my own money. I used this religiously from 2004 until 2009 when I switched to Schecter. This guitar is just brilliant in every respect, has a great look, its light, plays great and versatile for nearly all kinds of project. I used this to record the lead parts and solo for the song "This Is Why" with Rainbow's Doogie White.
Cort Hiram Bullock Signature model, I bought this guitar in 2008 just prior to a big competition show at the Ironworks Inverness Ketimine Deco were doing for the chance to play the Belladrum Festival. I love the look of this guitar most of all. It has a real sharp tone to it and its great for clean parts. Light and has a real thin neck, I used this as my 2nd guitar for all the Ketimine Deco shows 2008/2009.
Fender American Deluxe Stratocastor, well...this is my pride and joy! I bought this guitar in easter 2007 in New York City. I had just done my first big recording session in Scotland before hand so I used the money I made from that to buy this guitar. It took me a whole day of trying guitars in the "Sam Ash" music shop just off Times Square to settle on this one. It looks great, can play any style on it, superb feel to it and it just a magnificant guitar.
What amazed me about buying this guitar was, as opposed to the way we buy guitars here in the UK, when I settled on the one I wanted, the sales guy in New York went through to the back and brought me a brand new one rather than simply selling me the one on the stand that I had been playing for...a few hours by then! They also put a "first chip" into the guitar neck, quite an odd custom and one I nearled fainted at!
I used this guitar on all of the "Father Father" EP, the headline performance i did at the Glasgow Garage with 'The Big Pink', and a f
ew shows now and then.
Ibanez Iceman, Paul Stanley is the reason I bought this! I was about 16 and just got my first job and as a huge KISS fan I thought buying a guitar like Paul Stanley was a very good use of my first wages! used it for a few AfterRain shows, looks great but doesnt really have a great sound for what I do these days. Good memories of playing this and the shows I did in High School with it but sadly It hasnt been played in a while.
Martin Acoustic - MORE INFO COMING SOON....
I own a few other guitars that never get used anymore, a Vintage Les Paul, the Static X signature flying V, and another strat copy, also have a few basses and acoustic but what I do now doesnt really suit them,
