Hey musicians...Let's see your instrument!

[Thorgrim]

Here are my toys:

Carvin SB5000, quilted maple top, dragonburst
Carvin Icon, lined fretless, figured walnut top, 5pc neck
Carvin LB75, koa
Status Empathy, cocobolo, carbon graphite neck, side leds
Fender Stratocaster, American, Seymor-Duncan p/u on bridge
Fender Jazz bass

Amps that I run are GK, Carvin, Markbass and Fender Hotrod Deville 212.

 

[K-Man]

That is a beatiful guitar! You really do good work. How much does it cost to build one of those? How long did it take you to learn? Any special tools?

Material costs can vary widely. It depends primarily on the wood you choose and the source(s) for the materials you use. I spent a bunch more on this first one in comparison to what I spent on the second, approximately $200 more. You'll spend ~$400-$500 on quality materials. The quality and type of materials affect the sound.

It's a continual learning process. I've learned how to do some of the same steps a bit differently that will make it easier this next time around. I read a lot and ask a lot of questions. And, of course, using the right equipment/best equipment factors in as well. There are books and blogs where folks have made a really awesome guitar essentially on their kitchen table.

Some of the tools I used to make the guitar was a band saw, planer, drum sander, chisels, hand planers, lots of sandpaper, wood files, drill, drill bits, forstner bits, hand saws, dremel inlay tool, clamps, spray gun. Those are the general tools. Then there are the specialized type tools, such as a side bender, bending iron, molds of different types, concave sanding dishes, and a couple of others.

I've got approximately 70 hours in the first one. I would estimate spending approximately 50 hours on the next one.

 

[nofearfactor]

Instead of building ARs(even though I want one bad...),buying boats and cars and motorcycles,collecting stuff,playing golf,taking expensive vacations,etcetcetc- I buy guitars and gear (and a few guns here and there). Been playing since I was 9,been accumulating gear since I was 16. I'm just turned 40. My first guitar was an old used classical guitar that my instructor gave to me. Then after a few years of lessons and when I got better at it my grandfather had me a custom made Rodriquez classical guitar made from the man himself,who was a friend of my grandfathers. He had made violins for my violinist grandfather. Then at 16 when I first started playing electric I bought an old 74' Les Paul Standard,a beat to hell Marshall JMP-50 head with an old Marshall cab from a pawn shop in LA. Still have em. Ive been a Marshall amp fanatic ever since.

Since I play professionally my equipment is essential to my job. Any extra money I get that isnt spent on a gun or on my 4x4 is going right into gear and guitars.

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Rack gear:
Digitech GSP1101 preamp/effects processors(live,rehearsal rigs;recording)
Fractal AX-FX Ultra preamp/effects processor(live-direct to PA;recording-direct to board)
TC Electronic GMajor effects processors(to match up w/ Marshall JMP-1 preamps)
Marshall JMP-1 preamps(live,large venue rig)
Marshall 9200 Dual MonoBloc 100/100 stereo power amps(large venue rack rigs)
Peavey Classic 50/50 stereo power amp(small venue rack rig)
Rocktron noise reduction units
BBE sonic maximizers
Furman power conditioners

Speaker cabinets,speakers:
Marshall 1960 cabs;Rocktron Velocity S112 1x12 cabs;Celestion speakers

Rehearsal,demo recording amp:
Peavey 5150 combo

Floorboard:
Dunlop 535Q wah;Digitech midi preamp/processor floor controller

My 2 main gigging/recording guitars at the moment: ESP M1000,Schecter DamienFR.(I carry a backup for each guitar, same model). I can cover 4 of my main tunings with the 2 guitars w/Floyds- Dstandard,dropC,Cstandard,dropBb.

(Guitar mods,gear: Ernie Ball Power Slinky strings/.11-.48;EMG 81 pickups;Sperzel locking tuning machines,Grover rotomatic tuners;Earvana compensated nuts;Floyd Rose tremelos;Tone Pros bridges,tailstops;Dunlop #6100 fretwire;Gotoh battery boxes;Schaller straplocks;Planetwaves custom straps;Dunlop nylon,tortex,gel picks;PickBoy,Clayton custom picks;Mogami,Planetwaves,Livewire-instrument cables;Warwick Rockstand portable multiple guitar stand).

I only posted pics of the guitars,amps and gear that I'm currently using gigging and recording. I have a ton of other guitars,amps and gear stored away in my 'mini warehouse' of a home studio/shop- vintage and modern. I build and sell rack stage rigs to other gigging and touring guitarists out of my home shop.

(Other guitars I own not being used right now: 74' Gibson Les Paul Standard,77' Fender Strat,88' Fender Strat 'Blackie' reissue,2 87' Charvel Model 2s,76' Rodriguez C-3 classical,custom built Fender DoubleFatStrat,ESP-LTD EC1000,ESP-LTD EC-400,ESP-LTD Viper 400,ESP-LTD MH-400,ESP-LTD MHB-400 baritone,ESP-LTD MH-300,Ibanez s520ex,Ibanez s620,Jackson Soloist,Jackson DXMG,Jackson DKMG,Jackson KE3 Kelly,Schecter Omen6,Agile Interceptor 7string,Ibanez V70 acoustic-electric).(Other amps I own: 76' Marshall JMP-50,78' Marshall JCM800,2 Mesa MKIVs,4 Peavey 5150s& a 6505,Randall RH100& an RG100).

My mom taught piano out of our home when I was a kid but I sucked pretty bad at it so I started taking formal classical guitar lessons at about 9. By 16 I was teaching guitar classes and working at a local guitar shop and playing in rock bands around where I lived in the San Diego area, as well as around southern California. I moved to San Francisco/bay area after highschool. Played in seems like a hundred crappy thrash metal and punk bands around the bay area while going to art school and apprenticing in tattoo shops on the side. I started playing in bands in 88' and gladly missed out on the hair metal scene,that was going on down in LA. I was always more into the extreme metal types of bands,even when it wasnt a popular genre.
Me and my ex moved out east in 99' for her to open a tattoo shop and for me to join a band in Des Moines Iowa. I'm currently still in that band in Des Moines as well as a few other projects. Besides playing in a regular band I'm sort of a mercenary musician- I take gigs in friends bands or projects where they need a temporary metal guitarist. Off time over the years Ive done a bit of session recording work. I play modern hard rock and modern metal,industrial metal,extreme metal,instrumental metal,etcetc. Playing extreme metal styles though has not been the road to riches I thought it would be when I started out in bands at 16. Far from it. The type of music I like to play isnt and has never been a big money maker. Now as I get older I'm starting to see that I have to play more radio friendly styles even though its not where my heart is. But I cant do much else and I'm too old to learn something else. I also pretty much suck at everything else there is to make money,and you have to have money when its time to pay the bills. Giving guitar lessons and building rigs thankfully supplements my gigging income. I can see the day ahead though when I will not be playing to make money and I will have to go to work at the tattoo shop full time,or go back to school and learn something new. There arent any 401k or retirement plans for musicians, even if youre in the union.

I'm currently replacing a guitarist with old friends in a resurrected band- a southern metal band 'On A Pale Horse';I'm in talks with the punk/metal band 'Earth A.D.' about maybe going out with them this coming summer; I have an off and on project- the modern rock/metal radio friendly band 'Blackdeadheart'; and my own solo side project,an industrial/instrumental/horror/extreme metal band called 'DeadSkinDust'.

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fu...deoid=11484526
Current band,based in Des Moines,Ia.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvlpX...eature=related
An old band I was in when I first moved to Des Moines.
http://www.myspace.com/blackdeadheart
Demos. My solo side project. Working on brand new stuff right now with a new bass player and new singer.
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[weav199]

I'm so envious!

 

[gunlovinokie]

new gear...vintage sunn concert lead. crappy cell pic

 

[Super Dave]

Well, this is the one I play the most these days...

This one I sold a year or two ago;

Here's a wall hanger for you patriots;

Here's a rosewood backed Alvarez I sold some time ago (got a U.S. made Breedlove now!!!);

Maybe I'll take some banjo pics later....

Anybody need a fiddle? I have about 30 for sale, give or take....

.

 

[Gmyers09]

Here is my axe.
<a href="http://photobucket.com/images/guitar%20hero" target="_blank"><img src="http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn252/my_baby821/guitar.jpg" border="0" alt="guitar hero. Pictures, Images and Photos"/></a>

 

[AKguy1985]

i had a black gibson SG a few years ago and a peavy bandit 112 amp. I sold it like an idiot, i'd like to get back into playing.

 

[nofearfactor]

peavy bandit 112

Those 112 Bandits have probably been the most popular little combo on the planet.

Besides Marshall, Peavey has been the brand of amp Ive relied on and used the most
over the years. I've been endorsed by them,and even worked for them as a PA demo rep
for awhile. I ran 4 5150 heads before I went all rack gear,and now Ive got a 5150 2x12
combo as my warmup amp and one of their Classic 50/50 stereo power amps in my small venue rack.

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[mprvise]

Here's my latest electric purchase - a Ron Thorn SoCal G/T with "Nashville" pickup arrangement and custom paint work. Picked it up about a year ago.

And the guitar I used on the gig last night - 1992 Fender American Deluxe Plus with Duncan lipstick tube pickups and custom switching (parallel/series and blend control).

I've got several others but those are the two electrics I'm playing the most these days.