Which of our readers plays a musical instrument?

[JayKeeley]

I know some of you have talked about it, but let's use this thread to talk about your instrument of choice, your equipment that you can't live without, how long you've been playing, favorite styles to play, any band experience etc.

Also, don't forget that if any of you are thinking about making a demo, we can review it for our Unsung Heroes section.

OK here's me:

Guitar

2 x Fender Strats (one customized with DiMarzio HS1 pickups for that Malmsteen sound - yes, I used to be a neoclassical nut)
1 x Washburn KC40V (my favorite guitar ever - the action so low, I can bar with a feather - and yes, bought it in 1989 and totally inspired then by Nuno Bettencourt)
1 x Fender Acoustic, 1 x Nylon acoustic, 1 x Washburn acoustic (all six string)
1 x Marshall DSL100
1 x Marshall cabinet (1960A&B model)
1 x Line6 Pod (which I really don't use properly since I don't have a proper PC)

Don't play anymore, but started playing in '88. Used to be in a few college bands when thrash was BIG! We were Megadeth crazed, and did a a few cool covers: Holy Wars, Hangar 18, Hook in Mouth. We also did Creeping Death and Enter Sandman a few times. Played in Germany too, and got paid in crates of Weissen beer. Ja Danke Bitte!

Based on our recent thread on demos (http://www.ultimatemetal.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=89374), I'm thinking about getting into toying with this idea of home recording. I have lots and lots of unused space (otherwise known as a basement).

 

[Nate The Great]

I play guitar.

Carvin DC127 Electric

I've gone through a ton of amps. Now that I don't play live, I just have a little Marshall 50 watt Valvestate 1X12. I'm a huge tube amp freak, though. If I ever play live again, I'll be getting something with tubes.

I keep the effects simple. I have a Boss Metalzone for distortion. I have a Digitech Space Station for crazy sounds, and I have a Digitech Whammy that is still broken after 4 years.

I have a ton of recording software and crap that I won't go into right now.

I also have an Ovation Acoustic/Electric. It sounds good plugged in, but by itself it isn't anything to brag about.

My Carvin is absolutely excellent for a very versatile electric. I've had it for about 8 years.

I was in a high school metal band called Undigested Sewege. We played a lot of originals (I can send a demo if you'd like), and we played covers like Pantera, Sepultura, Obituary, Danzig, Alice in Chains, etc.

I was also in a college band that actually got paid and everything. I also have a demo of that band. It was a cross between Tool and Stone Temple Pilots. Our singer was a great clean singer, our bass player was into Jesus Lizard and Primus, and our drummer was a Dream Theater freak, so the band had to adapt all our tastes to fit each others styles. We were chick magnets!

 

[MadeInNewJersey]

That sounds really cool Nathan!

I can unfortunately only play other people's emotions and my own skin flute.

 

[Nate The Great]

I knew the skin flute would have to come up sooner than later.

 

[JayKeeley]

I've gone through a ton of amps. Now that I don't play live, I just have a little Marshall 50 watt Valvestate 1X12. I'm a huge tube amp freak, though. If I ever play live again, I'll be getting something with tubes.

I like those little Hughes & Kettner tubes - I want one just for my coffee table. They look so freakin' retro.

I keep the effects simple. I have a Boss Metalzone for distortion. I have a Digitech Space Station for crazy sounds, and I have a Digitech Whammy that is still broken after 4 years.

I have one pedal (other than the pod). It's a Boss Heavy Metal. It's ok - very treble heavy. The best pedal I had for overdrive EVER was a Marshall Overdrive. Man, that delivered so much crunch. It was perfect for stuff like Orion.

My Carvin is absolutely excellent for a very versatile electric. I've had it for about 8 years.

Carvins are nice. Is it a Floyd Rose tremelo?

I was in a high school metal band called Undigested Sewege. We played a lot of originals (I can send a demo if you'd like), and we played covers like Pantera, Sepultura, Obituary, Danzig, Alice in Chains, etc.

Tough on the vocals to go from AiC to Obituary! Did you ever try vocals?

 

[Nate The Great]

I can sing quite a few different styles, but I'm not very good while playing guitar. I only sang a little back up in my college band.

My Carvin is a fixed tremelo. I adjust tunings all the time, so I'm not down with a floating bridge. Carvin does have those nice Wilkinson floating bridges now, though.

 

[JayKeeley]

My Carvin is a fixed tremelo. I adjust tunings all the time, so I'm not down with a floating bridge. Carvin does have those nice Wilkinson floating bridges now, though.

Of course my Fenders are fixed. I totally forgot - I also have a black Jackson strat (fixed bridge too) - that's the one in my profile picture.

21 frets though is a hard deal. I need 24 these days.

 

[NAD]

Hey Nathan I know I'm not alone when I say I would love to hear that demo!

I have played bass since 1992 when I had the opportunity to learn for my middle school jazz band. We fucking owned.

Basses:
Ernie Ball Music Man Sterling (just bought it on Saturday, I've wanted one for years).
Fender American Standard P-bass (still my baby, I'll never get rid of it).
Arbor something with P and J pickups (hasn't been strung for over 6 years now, kept for nostalgia reasons).

Strings:
Elixirs, ALWAYS. If you've been turned off by the price, don't be!!! These strings last at least 10x longer than any other I have used!

Amps:
SWR 350x head
SWR Goliath III cab (4x10)
Crate BX100 (gathering dust in storage, not worth selling).

Effects:
Morley bass wah, use it constantly.
Boss Bass Overdrive, use it sparingly.
Boss Bass Chorus, so far have lost it twice (people can't borrow my shiz anymore dammit).

My two biggest influences are Kerry King and Les Claypool. I've played in various bands but never gigged, but have recorded a demo or two (The Buckwheat Conspiracy was my favorite band name). I currently play structureless jam based experimental crap with a friend of mine who is quite possibly Yngwie's bastard son. Currently searching for a drummer, but I may just pull double duty if we ever record a demo.

Other instruments:
I have my songwriter guitar, an old Ovation acoustic. Also started playing drums recently, just have a basic Yamaha set and a Zildjian cymbal pack. Oh yeah, and a really cool Gibralter drum rack because it makes you look hardcore. I also played clarinet from 88-93 and was quite good, I really should pick it up again. Learned how to read music and lots of theory back then, now I'm lazy when it comes to practicing and learning.

 

[JayKeeley]

Learned how to read music and lots of theory back then, now I'm lazy when it comes to practicing and learning.

Thank the lord for tablature!

 

[Nate The Great]

I played French horn in grade school.

Piano before that. My teacher always got mad because I didn't want to learn how to read music. I would just watch and listen to her then duplicate it. I play completely by ear now (on guitar), but I know how to read music.

As for my primitive and grim demos from earlier years, I'm hoping to get them on a website as mp3's in the near future.

 

[SevenString]

i do vox, gtr, keys, bass, etc...

my main style is progressive metal


my LIVE mic of choice is a Shure 58 (of course)

in the studio, i've been using a Shure KSM32 lately, although i've had good results with AKGs, Neuman's, etc...

guitars, i'm pretty much an ibanez 7-string guy (hence the nickname), but i have a schecter semi-hollow jazz-7 that i use on cover gigs sometimes. otherwise it's a custom Saber-7 with custom wound DiMarzios, or an RG-7 model with custom wound Duncan Invaders.

my current amp is a line-6 vetta, and for live gigs, i'm currently using the genz-benz g-flex ported 2/12 cabinets (george lynch sig. model)

i usually don't play keys live, but in the studiom, i usually do the soft-synth thing using a midi controller. my last CD's keys were all done using Reason, but i recently upgraded to CreamW@re's Scope/Fusion platform, so I'll be using their synths and samplers for my next CD (no latency, yay!)

i play a 5str Stingray clone for all my bass work


i DO have other guitars and gear, but that's my main list

 

[Erik]

Haha. Undigested Sewage. That's a fucking classic band name.

 

[NAD]

Thank the lord for tablature!

And you call yourself a neoclassical guitarist!

 

[HarmonyDies....]

Gibson Les Paul GOthic (woohoo!) it has a bald spot though =(
CHeap Peavey Rage 128 15w amp
Dunlop Wah pedal for a nice tone
Laravee Classical (VERY BEAUTIFUL)
Tekamie(pretty nice)

MORE COMING SOON!

I need some proper equipment to record tracks on my comp.

 

[JayKeeley]

guitars, i'm pretty much an ibanez 7-string guy (hence the nickname),

Nice - Steve Vai model? I always fancied the 6 string Jem myself, with the floral fretboard, but could never muster the energy to drop the big $G needed.

but i have a schecter semi-hollow jazz-7 that i use on cover gigs sometimes. otherwise it's a custom Saber-7 with custom wound DiMarzios, or an RG-7 model with custom wound Duncan Invaders.

Nice. Very nice.

Gibson Les Paul GOthic (woohoo!)

Beautiful. I want one! Do you have the gold finishing? I love gold humbuckers on the Les Paul.

And you call yourself a neoclassical guitarist!

I'm sorry, I meant to say neo nazi.

 

[ProgMetalFan]

I play the harmonica.

 

[smotheredhope]

i play bass

i have a BC Rich Thunderbolt (big and heavy)
4-stringer with one big ole' humbucker

Peavey TNT115 combo amp, digitech BP50 bass modeling processor,
and hopefully soon I will have the Ibanez acoustic bass I've been eyeing

I'm in a band now, we do covers (nirvana, weezer, toadies, spinal tap) easy fun stuff.

 

[MadeInNewJersey]

Hey Mike, what's doing man? Figures that since you left we got a boatload of prog, as in REAL prog that goes about 35 feet over my head.

 

[JayKeeley]

Hey Mike, what's doing man? Figures that since you left we got a boatload of prog, as in REAL prog that goes about 35 feet over my head.

Yeah what the F am I supposed to do with Ray bloody Wilson promo? Mike - can you freelance?

 

[NAD]

I'm in a band now, we do covers (nirvana, weezer, toadies, spinal tap) easy fun stuff.

THE TOADIES!!! I miss them so much... How did you like Hell Below Me, Stars Above?