Any musicians in the group?

[LarryH]

Guitar player here. Currently play in the praise band at church (mostly electric, but occasionally acoustic).

Who else spends time making music?

[Keith B]

Well, looks like we follow a lot of the same interests.

I play guitar and bass. Mainly praise band bass player now, but used to play Bluegrass and Folk. Was in a band called 'The Stringtown String Band' and then 'The Shade Tree Folk Company' when I lived in Missouri.

I did get hired to play year before last for a middle school production of Grease. Love plying '50's rock. It was a blast and the kids really liked having a live band!

[Fosforos]

I recently picked up playing guitar again. I've had a cheap acoustic one ever since I moved to the states, and played it in spurts. Always got frustrated with my playing pretty soon, and laid it back down.
I started playing more lately and found that I suddenly have a lot more patience to learn songs, and tabs are making more sense to me.

About a month ago I bought a new Jackson Dinky electric guitar.
I also bought an 8 channel digital recorder and have messing around with recording complete songs, using a drum machine program and the bass guitar simulator feature of the recorder (makes the guitar sound like bass), plus the built in mic for vocals.

I played bass and did the grunting into the mic in a band some 15 years ago back in Sweden. We were a 3 piece band: guitar, drums and distorted bass. The music was at the extreme end of the metal spectrum.
The recordings I've done on the recorder have been some of the songs my band wrote, but sadly I've forgotten most of them.

Lately I've been trying to learn playing more of a variety of styles of guitar.
Roger Miller's songs are a lot of fun to play.

[The Annoyed Man]

I've been playing guitar for 44 years now. I currently play with my church's praise band, but I've played in a lot of different kinds of venues over the years, some pretty nice, and some, well... let's just say they strung up chicken wire to protect the band from the flying bottles. I pretty much only play praise music these days, but my roots are in rock with a strong country/blues influence.

My two main instruments these days are a Larivee D-03 and a custom made Ovation Legend.

What do y'all play?

[DoubleJ]

I have 5 guitars.
1 Dean Cadillac, purple
1 Jackson Dinky
1 Shecter Baritone (scorpion tribal)
2 Ibanez 7 strings (the AX model, not the RG. Think Gibson SG body style)
one Ibanez has a Seymour Duncan Invader pickup, which is so hot, you can talk through it.
the other has a DiMarzio, which is warm, but not too hot.

I play through a ADA MP1 preamp, stereo out into a TubeWorks ProValve stereo power amp. stereo out into two 4x12 Marshall cabs. the old Vintage 1960s.
I have a DigiTech Whammy pedal, and a Dunlop 535Q wah pedal. I also use a Digitech rack delay box for my "echo."




no, I don't have the Mesa Head/Cab anymore. and yes, I still kick myself everytime I think about it...

I used to do some recording on my computer, with either Acid Pro, or Cubase SX, both great programs.

[macktruckturner]

I've been pickin' and shootin' for about the same amount of time. Right at around 20 years. I started playing guitar in church way back when, and have been ever since. Dad plays too, as does my brother, and most of my uncles.

Where acoustics are concerned, I'm an Alvarez man. My first guitar was an Alvarez, still got it. I bought an AD60CK when I was in OSUT, and an RD20S is my deployment guitar. They all sound great, and cost a fraction of what the big boys run for. Of course, if I win the lottery I'll probably end up with a Larivee, Martin, and Taylor - just because I can ;)

I've only got one electric, but it meets the grade - my '98 American Standard Stratocaster, in '99 I set it up like the Deluxe models, with the Vintage Noiseless pups (stacked 'buckers) and 1meg pots. When I'm in need of something warmer, or something really hot I raid my Dad's collection and roll with his '62 Gibson ES125TC (mmmm P90 love), or his '74 Gibson Les Paul Deluxe (goldtop, mini-buckers.)

For amps, I'm a Fender tube man. '65 Bassman 50 head through a 2x12 cab I built with vintage jensen drivers, '00 Hotrod Deville 212 with Svetlana 6L6s in the poweramp, and Ruby 12AX7s in the preamp, but my go-to is my '06 Pro Junior - perfect tone, and I can actually take it anywhere without throwing out my back. The small size ain't nothing a mic and a PA can't fix.

[DoubleJ]

[PetrucciFan]

Wow, there are a lot of "church" musicians here! I play in one of my church's praise bands (mostly the youth ministry). I usually play electric, but I have played acoustic and bass on occasion. I actually love playing bass every once in a while. My main axe is a Ernie Ball Music Man John Petrucci signature series (see user name )

Rock on!

[LarryH]

Since I didn't give details on my "guitar collection" in the inaugural post, here they are:

electrics
primary guitar for playing in church is a Gibson Nighthawk (solid body, three pickups)
my first good guitar is a Gibson ES-345 (semi-hollow body, twin humbuckers), purchased new in 1966

acoustics
Taylor 615 (maple back and sides, sitka spruce top)
Taylor 614ce (same wood combination, with Fishman electronics)
Taylor 422r (rosewood back and sides, sitka spruce top)
Baby Taylor (sapele laminate back and sides, sitka spruce top)
some kind of Ibanez (won in a trivia contest at guitar store's anniversary celebration)

The last two may eventually leave the fold, but the others will go to my heirs. There have been a few others, along the way, that were either traded in on subsequent purchases, or donated to various causes.

[The Annoyed Man]

Aaaaahhhhh.... A Taylor man! One of my buddies back in L.A. - Tom Strahle - is a Taylor sponsored guitarist. He's got Taylors coming out of his ears, most of which he never had to pay for. He's an amazing guitarist, and one of the better session guys in L.A. Another buddy of mine from my church in L.A. owns the first 6 string guitar Bob Taylor ever made, which he bought from Bob back in college when Bob owned a local music store. Randy liked the 6 string so much that he went back and bought the first 12 string that Bob ever made. Can you imagine what those guitars must be worth today? Randy doesn't hide them away. He plays them all the time.

[Charles L. Cotton]

I see an Annual TexasCHLforum Meeting in the future with you guys providing the entertainment.

Chas.

[308nato]

http://www.genekelton.com for good Texas Blues and country fried Rock and Roll.
He is based out of Baytown.

[macktruckturner]

I see an Annual TexasCHLforum Meeting in the future with you guys providing the entertainment.

Chas.

If there's food involved, I'm game

[shaggydog]

Stuff:

Les Paul Standard
Aspen Luthier accoustic
Jackson bass

Been playing in rock bands forever (primarily bass with some rhythm guitar thrown in here and there).

First band was in 1965. Don't even remember the name (we were that bad).

Joined "Mr. Speeds Kitchen Sink" in 1968. Moved to "Fatal Dosage" in 1969. (Great names for '60s bands, huh?)

Most recently (1995 - 2000) with "Deja Vu Again" (50's - 60's rock & roll). Bunch of old guys (and girls) reliving their rock star youth. The philosophy remained the same as it always had however, i.e. If you can’t be good… Be loud.

[thankGod]

Well, I guess I might as well chime in.

I've been playing for a while and currently teach music at Great Southern. Mainly like jazz or blues.

I just sold a G&L Invader, which was made when Leo Fender was still in charge, and an Ovation Adamas.

Some of what remains:

1968 Les Paul Custom
American Standard Strat with Kinman pickups
Taylor 814CE - prior to them putting in electronics (I wish I had bought the Martin instead: oh well...)
Ibanez Artcore Ak86 - this is a Gibson ES175 rip off

and the babies:

Schaefer Swingmaster (check the signature)
Schaefer Fretmaster

amps:
Acoustic Image Clarus 1R with a Razer's Edge 12 cabinet
Lab Series 212
Fender Deluxe