Do you play any instruments?
 

I'm curious to know if you guys in this forum play any instruments. If so what instrument do you play? Describe your equipment, and name the musician, group or person in general that inspired you to play this instrument. As for me, I play guitar. I've been playing for about 9 years. My equipment at the moment is: Gibson Epiphone electric guitar, Marshall VS65R Amplifier, and a PW-10 BOSS Wah pedal. The group that inspired me to start playing guitar 9 years ago was Metallica, but I guess to be more specific it was Kirk Hammett of Metallica who inspired me to start playing guitar.

Guitar - 7 years
Bass - 2 years
Piano - 1 year

Too much equipment and too many inspirations to name. :)

Guitar: Fender Jagmaster,
Amp: (crappy Crate GX-80 amp,
Pedals: Dunlop Cry-Baby pedal, Boss Digital Delay/Reverb pedal
Accessories: occasionally I mess around with screwdrivers (on the guitar, of course). Its been hard to keep up with now that I'm in a semester straight out of hell.

Bass: Ibanez.
Looking to play this more...there is always a shortage of bassists and I have great ideas in my head.

I wish I had learned to play some sort of stringed (as in cello, violin, or viola) instrument or the piano.

Piano - 15 years. I don't have one right now since I'm a poor student but I'll play on whatever piano I can find.
Guitar - 2 years ( altho i really suck)

Guitar for about 17 years now (god, I'm getting old). Have 3 acoustics, 6 electrics, and one bass. I also dabble in piano.

Guitar - 8 years.

Axe: PRS Custom 24, Fender Stratocaster American, and Taylor 310CE

Amp: Marshall JCM 900 4100 & Marshall 1960A

I am influenced by Jimi Hendrix.

So am I, I LOVE playing hendrix. My favorite Hendrix songs to play are Voodoo Chile, Little Wing, Manic Depression and Purple Haze.

guitar, some crap yamaha with a crap amp. I can play "wish you were here" "sunday bloody sunday" and "stairway to heaven"

Piano

Started playing classical piano at 5

Started playing bassoon at 14.

Trying to finish my Ph.D in Music research and performance (only God knows when I started)!!!

Guitar:

Gibson Les Paul Custom (my baby!)
Epiphone Les Paul
Custom Mary Kaye Strat
Custom Relic Strat
50th Aniversary Strat
and an Archer Acoustic

Inspiration: David Gilmour, SRV, The Kings (Freddie, BB, Albert), Magic Sam...


I also DJ (spin, mix, scratch... whatever you want to call it)

1300+ records
2 Technics 1200 MK3Ds
Vestax PMC-50a Mixer
A ton of effect processors and so on

Inspiration: Richie Hawtin (aka Plastikman)


Used to play keyboards as well. But drop it due to the guitar.

Guitar - 5 years

Trumpet - I played for 5 years, but don't play anymore.


No one thing really inspired me to play guitar, other than the fact that I was given an acoustic guitar and thought it would be cool to learn, and went with it. Main inspirations for me though are:

Opeth, Tool, Radiohead, Nine Inch Nails, John Petrucci.

I play a Ventura Acoustic 6 string and a Rogue aluminator electric guitar (made of solid aluminum.)

I used an original Crybaby Wah, Marshall practice amp, Digitech RP-300 effects board, and various Danelectro and DOD effects pedals.

In High school I started what was supposed to be my senior project (Custom hand made Les Paul style guitar with a Floyd Rose) but lacked funds. I'd still love to build it though, or at least own a Gibson Les Paul, probably the Gothic model.

Guitar (since the age of 12, which makes 14 years), mandolin, drums, flute, harmonica, bass guitar, piano, vocals

Guitar - 28 years
Bass guitar - 17 years
Piano - 11 years (but I'm really bad)
Drums - 9 years

I want to learn clarinet soon, as an entree into the wonderful world of woodwinds.

As far as a description of my instruments, let's just say I have lots. Lots of guitars, lots of drums, lots of amps, lots of effects, lots of microphones, lots of everything.

I picked up playing the guitar about 15 years ago. I've since picked up Bass(I'm ok at it), drums and I also do some vocals(mostly in the Eddie Vedder/John Mellencamp/Eric Clapton range).

My main equipment:

An old ass Musicman Pro Strat that looks like it's been through hell and back, but it's got some of the lowest, fastest action i've ever seen on a guitar.
Fender Stratacoustic
Crate 100w Stereo amp
Digitech RP-1 (old, but still groovy)

I've also got :
Yamaha SH-350 Strat style with dual 'buckers
Olympic Bass(my old bass player gave up playing and left it at my house)
Peavey VSS20 Stereo stack(practice amp)

My main influence for all of my playing is Rush. Getting a copy of moving pictures motivated me to get and learn to play my first guitar.

Haven't been in a band in ages. Wish I could get one together again. These days I'm mostly playing mellow stuff: Clapton, Eagles, Buffet, Floyd. But I' also like to throw in some Alice in Chains, Van Halen(within reason, I'm not that great), Rush.

Nope!

Yes... Guitar - 16+ years give or take... I've gone through several axes and amps but this is my curent practice rig...

Electric > Fender American Custom Stratocaster - Maple neck, locking tuners, standard bridge, Seymour Duncan Rails pickups = hot rails bridge, cool rails neck, vintage rails mid.

Amps > Marshall AVT50 1X12 combo, Marshall MG-15 Micro Stack 2X10 combo.

Acoustic > Alvarez-Yairi custom and a Martin D-15.

Other > Cry-Baby Limited Wah, Korg G3 effects processor, Dunlop 1.0 nylon picks, D'Addario 09-42 electric, Martin Studio Performers 11-52 acoustic.

Influences > My father, Robert Fripp/Adrian Belew, Frank Zappa, Greg Ginn, Trey Anastasio.

Yeah
 

Originally a guitar player, since have added bass, percussion, recorder and harmonica.

More important - I'm a producer/engineer with a home studio.

Mud (sliding levers because analog is still cool!)

I took piano for about 4-5 years.

I used to play a fair amount of drumset, but haven't gotten to much since I got to college. I've been playing marching snare for about 9 years. Also play some concert percussion

yay for marching band!
i played most every percussion in marching band
have a crapass Mapex set at home and a piano that i used to play that is out of tune

I own a keyboard, an air organ, an accordion (120 bass), an electric guitar, a bass, synth drums, an autoharp... I can't play any of them. Not being able to play the autoharp is a sad, sad thing.

Guitars:
Taylor acoustic
'68 Les Paul Standard
'70 Gibson 340 hollowbody
'92 Gibson SG

Amps:
Marshall stack w/ JCM 900 head
Fender hotrod deville 2-12" combo

Pedals:
Dunlop crybaby wha
Boss pedals: Flanger, Tremolo, Delay, Blues Driver


Line 6 pod-pro

Oh, and I've been palying for about 12 years, though a lot more seriously the last 6.

Led Zeppelin is what got me to pick up a guitar. Steve Craddock of Ocean Colour Scene is who got me to keep playing, get better and actually sound good.

I play the guitar, but i sucked at it...:(..But hoping to get better though

I've played piano since I was 5, so I've been playing for 18 years, though you wouldn't know it by listening to me. I don't have a piano right now, except for the one at my parents' house (it doesn't count because it's so far away). I was inspired by my mother, who threatened to take away spend the night privileges if I didn't take. :)

I am hoping, hoping, hoping to get a Roland HP-2 digital for my birthday, but right now I settle for playing Bosendorfers and Schimmels at the piano store where I work (and Kawaii, Yamaha, and Wurlitzer[yuck] when I can't get to those). :)

I play organ, have played for 6 years, though I've been out of practice for over a year now. Don't own an organ. Started playing because my church needed an organist.

Play guitar, very rudimentary, have an Ibanez my old guitar instructor nicknamed "Old Blue". I was not really inspired by anyone in particular; I just always loved guitar music.

Used to play trombone and baritone, but I quit because I sucked. I started playing when I was 12, because my cool friend Charles was playing trombone, and I always thought it just LOOKED cool.

Clarinet: 20 years
Sax: 11 years
Piano: 11 years

I was inspired by Benny Goodman and Eddie Daniels for clarinet. I had to pick up sax and piano in college. I was a music major until I realized I wanted to be able to feed and clothe myself. I was heavily into music composition in college.

My clarinet is a Buffet professional and my sax is a Buescher. I wish I had a piano, but had to settle for synthesizers since I live in an apartment. Plus the synths help in music composition.

Electronic instrument list:

Korg 01/W keyboard
Korg Wavestation SR rack module
Roland XP30 keyboard
Roland S550 rackmount sampler
Yamaha WX11 wind synth
Yamaha TX11 tone generator
Many PC software synthesizers

I used to use Finale to print my music when I had my Macintosh.

Trumpet - 4 years (haven't played since '86 :()

I played Euphonium (Baritone) in middle school and high school for around 6 years, although I was never good at it. I actually hated playing, but A) most of my friends were in band, and B) marching band got me out of P.E..

Piano for 16 years, violin for 13 years.

Playing the violin did a lot for my general musical abilities, and I can say I went to All State in high school thanks to it, but to be honest I never really liked the violin much. I prefer the piano much more.

My Rigs - "Toys For Big Boys"
 

GUITARS
• Fender Stratocaster, Clapton Model
• Epiphone
• Ovation 12 string
• Gianinni 6 string
• Line 6 Variax 300
• Washburn HB32 Semi Hollow Body
* Mahogany Jazz/Blues Guitar

COMBOS
• Fender Ultimate Chorus 100W
• Fender Stage 100 DSP 100W
• Fender Dyna-Touch III Deluxe
900 Guitar Combo Amp 90W
• Fender Super Reverb 85W

• Pignose 40W Tube

HEADS
• Marshall TSL 100W
• Fender Stage 100 DSP 100W

PA SYSTEMS
• Yamaha EMX5000
• Yamaha 660
• Yamaha StagePas 300
• 2 S115V Speakers & Stands
• 2 BR 12 Speakers

• 2 Shure SM57
• 1 Shure SM58
• 1 Shure SM58S
• 1 Shure SM58A Beta

LIGHTING
• Chauvet Par 38 Lighting System
• Chauvet DMX-4 Dimmer/Relay Pack KC
RECORDING
• Tascam DPO01FX 8 track digital recording unit
with 40 GB hard drive
CABS
• Marshall 1/2 stack 4X12
MISC
• Boss JS5 JamStation
• BBE Processor 362 Sound Maximizer
• American Audio MCD 810
• Digitech RP12 System
• Vox Wah
• Boss Pedals
• Roland GR20 Guitar Synth

You gotta play for over 40 years to have this stuff....an understanding wife helps too. Also take the first step and admit you have MAS - Musicians Aquisition Syndrome. It's like the twelve step programs, admit you are powerless! 'Cept for the gear!

I have a American Fender Strat, a Sigma (Martin's cheap line) acoustic, a 60's "Rocky Mount" Amp that I love but is pretty big, along with some tiny practice amps (Roland, Gorilla)

Been playing over 20 years, but I suck.

I played the saxophone (alto) for about seven years...and I still play occasionally, but not often. :(

Guitar for 16 years and now I'm a full time guitar teacher..

In play a lot of stuff like piano, trumpet, and some bowed instruments, not well or proficiently, but in that way that anyone with a good ear and some technical skill can sit down and tackle. Wind instruments and complex percussion is a bit beyond me, I just end up going caveman on them.

I’ve played guitar for over a decade. I’ve got two Fender Telecaster Deluxes (one classic, one reissue), a standard Fender P Bass, an old Silvertone hollow body, a cheapie Epiphone acoustic, and a no name pawn shop monstrosity I make noise on. Right now I’ve got an old Crate amp, but in the past I’ve played on everything from a Fender reverb stack, to a ragged pawn shop Peavey that was surprisingly good. Boss Reverb/Delay, Ibanez Echo, Blue Box, Tube Screamer, Boss JPN Feedback, Boss Loop Station, and such for pedals.

My main inspiration growing up was being fascinated with the instrumental music to horror films, surf rock, and THE MAN: Ennio Morricone. I didn’t put together trying to play that kind of stuff myself until I heard the soundtracks by Sonic Youth for ‟Made in America‟ and J Mascis for ‟Gas, Food, Lodging.‟ I dont shy away from themes, but I find myself making a lot of feedback and ambient drone stuff these past few years.

Guitar for some 20 odd years now, although I hardly play at all anymore.

I sold off most of my old equipment/gear, and just have a couple of pedals and a Marshall amp to play on when the mood strikes me.

For guitars, though, I still have ...
Fender American Telecaster ('90)
Ephiphone SG ('03)
Ovation 6 String Acoutic ('86)
...and my very first electric guitar, a Cort Les Paul copy (Silver Sunburst) that I got for my 18th birthday back in the early 80's.

Not going to lie, band that first inspired me to play was KISS.

Thinking about starting to play bass, but don't have the extra $$ to go out and buy one currently. If I did, I'd probably get a Gibson or Ephiphone Thunderbird. I've always loved that model, and I'm just a 'classics' kind of guy in general.

Guitar for 5 years

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l2...01/bassamp.jpg

1978 Rickenbacker 4001.
Mesa Boogie 400+
Mesa Boogie 2x15"
Gallien-Krueger RB400 (or something. I forget)

I started playing bass in 1995, around my 15th birthday. Never really gave it much thought before, but two guitar playing friends of mine who were also into punk said "You should get a bass and we can start a band." So I did. I guess my original "role models" were Captain Sensible / Algy Ward (The Damned / Saints), and other punk rock guys. By age 16 or so it would be Bruce Foxton (The Jam), Dave Allen (Gang of Four) Clint Conley (Mission of Burma), Joe Lally (Fugazi), Nate Young (Sunny Day Real Estate), Peter Hook (Joy Division / New Order) etc.

Also:

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l2...4001/noise.jpg

The last few months I've been accumulating various electronics / effects pedals to make noise with. Pictured above (clockwise order from bottom right, more or less):

Behringer UB802 Mixer
Sirkut Electronics Synth Noise Box
Daphon analog delay
Sirkut Electronics Ring Modulator
Boss Metal Zone distortion
DOD Death Metal distortion
Digitech Bass Synth Wah
Sirkut Electronics White Noise Generator
DanElectro Fab Metal distortion
DOD Bass Grunge distortion (In the photo, the last two have a contact mic plugged into them.)

Since then I've gotten a few things; a 4ms Noise Swash , Electro-Harmonix Holy Grail reverb, E-H Double Muff fuzz, a telephone recorder that picks up electro-magnetic signals, and various self-made metal things to mic. Influences for this side of things would be Merzbow, Kevin Drumm, Guilty Connector, Government Alpha, Aube, etc.

I guess maybe I should list my equipment as well

Guitars:
-LTD MH 1000
-LTD Viper 400
-Yamaha AEX 502 - semi hollowbody
-Fernandes Nomad Deluxe (travel guitar with built in speaker and digitech effects unit)
-Ovation LX Standard Elite
-Fender American Precision bass

AMPS:
-Peavey 5150 II Head
-Mesa Boogie 4X12 Slant Cab
-Peavey Bandit 112 (for teaching)
-Peavey Rage 158 (for my students)
-Randall Rg 120
-Peavey Microbass

Effects:
Boss GT-3

Recording
-ZOOM MRS-1608 digital 16 track recorder

<b>freshticles</b>, how do you like the multi-effects unit compared to individual stompboxes? I've always wanted to simplify my life with a single floor unit that 'does it all', but I've never been happy with any of them.

I've had some great gear over the years, but now that I'm a busy father of two, I just don't have very much time for music and it's been relegated to a hobby. Here's what I've had:

Guitars:

Ibanez Jem7VWH (only guitar I still have)
Ernie Ball Musicman John Petrucci Custom(great tone, but couldn't adjust to the VERY thin neck profile)
Fender Highway 1 Telecaster (never quite gelled with it, but it was great for dropped-D stuff)
Various strats (I've never found one I've liked enough to keep)
Ibanez JS1000 (never could get the action quite right)
PRS CE-24 (always wanted a Custom 24, so I eventually sold this one)
Ibanez UV7 (fantastic tone and one of the only guitars I regret selling)

Amps:

Line 6 Flextone 3 (couldn't find a tone I liked enough to keep it)
Mesa Boogie Mark IV head (One of the best hard-rock tones I've heard, immensibly tweakalbe. Mesa's are great amps, but not for a 'set-and-forget' player, which I consider myself to be. Evntually sold this for...)
Bogner Shiva 80watt head (one of the creamiest classic rock distorted tones I've ever heard and worth every penny. Financial setbacks a couple of years ago forced me to sell this)
Carvin Legacy VL100 (Steve Vai's signature amp. Great tones, but FAR too loud for an at-home player like me. This thing begs to be opened up and played at higher volumes)
Line 6 POD XT Live (one of only two amp/direct gear I now own. I think it's one of the better ones you can get. As usual. the presets sometimes leave a lot to be desired, but there are some great parameter adjustments you can make)
M-Audio Blackbox (another very inexpensive direct recording/amp emulation interface. For the money, I've found it to be a great value)

Effects:
I still have a couple of stomp boxes around since the digital stuff isn't quite there in terms of reproducing some of the subtleites:

Homebrew Electronics - Ultimate Fuzz Octave (the best fuzz/octavia unit I've ever played, hands down)
Fulltone O.C.D. - great, smooth overdrive tones. You can coax some great Zeppelin tones from it.
Budda Bud-Wah - Very vocal sounding wah, but not quite enough range for my taste. I may consider replacing this with a Vox Clyde McCoy instead
Digitech Whammy (Re-Issue) - everyone needs to have one. The originals just commanded too high a price to warrant buying one. I don't use it much, it colors the guitar signal horribly, but when I want a little wierdness, it does the job nicely.

I've played drums on and off for about 20 years now. (I basically stopped through grad school, but have recently taken it back up again)

My current kit:
Sonor Force 3001 -6 piece.
(10x9 tom, 12x11, tom, 13x12 tom, 16x16 floor tom, 16x22 kick, 6.5x14 snare)
DW 5002A double bass pedal
DW 5500T high hat pedal
Cymbals:
16" & 18" Zildjian Z power crashes
19" Zildjian A Rock crash
12" UFIP splash
14" & 20" Wuhan chinas
20" Sabian HH Leopard ride
20" Zildjian K flat top custom ride
13" Sabian fusion hats
6" Paiste bell