The only guitar I have from back in the day is my Gibson J 50 acoustic. I never put it down during my twenties and wrote more than 100 songs on it. I bought it brand new in the early seventies. I eventually turned to electric, mostly Fenders and Gibsons and worked with my own band and as a sideman in Vancouver, Halifax and finally Toronto.
I stepped away from music for a long time and when I got back to it in 2010, I strapped on my telecaster, picked up a blues junior and off I went. Over these past few years I have put together a collection of acoustic, semi-acoustic and solid body electric guitars. I also have accumulated some interesting amps and peddles. The Fender Telecaster is still my favourite electric guitar. I like the simplicity and tone and I’m most comfortable with it on stage. I equally enjoy playing my acoustic again and hope to perform more acoustically in the near future.
I hope to put a gallery here in the near future as I’m proud of my babies but here is a bit of a list:
Acoustic
- 1972 Gibson J50
- Taylor mahogany 320
- Recording King Parlour
- Godin A6 Acousticaster
Gibson Electric
- 1953 Gibson ES 125
- 1959 Gibson ES 125
- 1961 Gibson ES 125T
- Late model ES 339, ES 137, ES 335 and Les Paul Junior
Fender Electric
- 1964 telecaster
- 1968 telecaster Thinline
- 1973 telecaster
- 1978 Telecaster
- Late model: 52 reissue Telecaster, La Cabronita, Old Pine, Modern Thinline and ½ dozen more
- 1974 Stratocaster
Pedals, pedals and more pedals
I take a non-traditional approach when it comes to pedals. I currently use either three or four, or none at all, to colour my sound. When I use them, they are on all the time and I rarely vary them. A TC Electronics delay, Xotic EP Booster, Xotic Compressor and a Riot overdrive.
I like going for one sound; the only variance is the pickup selection and the attack of my playing. Maybe one day I will master them more so but for now straight in and use the natural overdrive of the amp is fine with me.
I have a few go to amps
- 1962 Fender Brown Face Deluxe—I picked it up a couple of years ago. It’s pretty much original other than a Celestian Greenback 12-inch Speaker.
- A 1964 and 1968 Fender Super Reverb, both cut down to 2-10 combos (I know, I know)
- A 1965 Ampeg Reverb Rocket
- Reissue Fender amps including a 1957 Deluxe and 1965 Blonde Deluxe Reverb
- A fender Special Edition Blues Junior in Emerald green with Bill M mods
- A Traynor anniversary limited edition YB1