Guitar Rig

Electric Guitars

PRS Swamp Ash Special w/ narrowfield pickups scarlet smokeburst

Univox from 1970's Les Paul style

Acoustic Guitar

Martin C-16 African Koa Wood tobacco burst

Amps

Goodsell Black Dog 22w tube head w/ matching 1X12 cab

Egnater Tweaker 40w tube head

Fender Vibro Champ XD 5w tube combo amp

Pedalboard

Pedaltrain PT-1

Effects
Ernie Ball volume pedal
Dan O Wah Hendrix wah
Korg Pitch Black tuner

Pigtronix Aria overdrive/fuzz
Fulltone OCD overdrive/distortion
Fulltone Fulldrive 2 overdrive/boost

Earthquaker Bit Commander synth
Joyo vintage phaser
Electro Harmonix Small Stone Nano phaser
Zcat Q Mod chorus/flanger/phaser/tremolo

Line 6 Verbzilla reverb
Boss DD5 delay w/ Boss FS-5U tap tempo
TC Electronics Nova delay
Eventide Timefactor delay

Inspired by...

Just a few of the artists and bands that have inspired me as a guitar player:

Anberlin

Death Cab for Cutie

John Mayer

Coldplay

Jack White

The Raconteurs

Keith Urban

Switchfoot

John Mark McMillan

Mae

Hillsong 

Led-Zeppelin

I'm inspired by sound. The kind of sound that sends chills down your spine and into your feet. It's kind of like the first time you heard the intro to "Don't Stop Believing" by Journey. You just new it was going to be a good song. Or when John Mayer slides into the hook for "Slow Dancing in a Burning Room."

Sometimes I crave to acquire a certain precise, exact tone, or the complete opposite: wanting something completely different. It's rare that I hear a "new" mind blowing sound from a guitar that is completely and totally, originally unique. Legendary guitarists like Jimmy Page, Hendrix, David Gilmour, Brad Paisley, Mark Tremonti, Vince Gill, and John Mayer all have there signature sound. There's nothing new under the sun...or is there?

That question drives guitar players mad. It's like working with probability. There are so many different ways to connect different guitars through different effects in a different signal path through different amps. A same pedal or guitar ABd between a Marshall and a Fender will sound very different. It all depends on what inspires you. 

Lately, I've been missing a pedal that I had for years.

MXR Distortion III

- listen here -

I recently watched a rundown of Keith Urban's guitar rig. His guitar tech said that his rig was constantly changing as far as the set up and pedals. They run through the bradshaw system midi foot controller that feeds back into a rack unit that houses all the effects. The tech went through all the pedals saying Keith is constantly changing out pedals, but he said that the MXR Distortion III has been a staple on the board and has been there since the beginning. Needless to say, I want it back. Great saturated drive that really does an amazing job of maintaining the low end without getting muddy. Check it out.

What is This?

I want to talk about music. Specifically guitars. That's my realm of interest. I love hearing what the six strings and the wood and the pickups can do. I'm inspired differently when I hear the soul-clenching sounds of an old Strat vs. the roaring vibrance of a Les Paul. 

I want to share what I'm hearing. Guitars, amps, effects. All of it. I'll share pics and videos. I want there to be open discussion. We can get into all sorts of topics.

So for starters, this is who I am. My profile if you will.

I've been playing guitar since I was eleven. My parents spent a little over $100 on a small bodied fender acoustic guitar. My guitar teacher was Mike Bruce, former lead guitarist for Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band. I took from Mike for about a year. Unfortunately, Mike  developed a lot of medical problems and passed away in the summer of 2005. One of my favorite memories of Mike was him coming over early for a lesson so we could jam on my new electric guitar and amp. I remember them well: dark blue Squire Strat with a small Squire practice amp. He rode up on his Harley, matted gray hair wind blown straight back, and walked straight into the house to my room, picked up my guitar and started playing. With the solid state overdrive cranked to his liking and my mom's video camera in hand, he said as the amp hummed, "I'm creating a nightmare!"

I'm sure, in my mom's head, she was thinking, "What the heck have I gotten my son into?" But now, years down the road, I'm glad my parents made the investment for weekly lessons. Mike taught me how to play by ear and within the first month I was learning chord structure and patterns. Technique was big with Mike. He wanted everything crystal clear. No muted strings. 

A few months before Mike passed away, my mom took me to his house. We usually met at my house, but Mike's system was shutting down, making the simplest of tasks very difficult. I took my Alvarez acoustic guitar just in case he felt up to playing. We caught up and talked guitars. I played what I had been learning: "Stairway to Heaven." I played the intro for Mike, then handed the guitar to him. There's nothing like listening to a great guitarist play a great song. It was a nostalgic moment. Even when his body was shutting down he could still play. 

I hadn't had a lesson in months, but before we stopped meeting, Mike told me to keep playing. I did. I am the guitarist I am today because of him. Thanks Mike.