Anyone who's come across me in the musical world will know that I absolutely LOVE guitars. They may not love me back all of the time, but I try to treat them well and get the best tunes I can from them. Here are some of those lovely instruments I've used to date, particularly on the 'Higher Lovers' album and on tracks which have yet to see the light of day, but which are coming fast now.
Starting from the top then, although you shouldn't have favourites, my most played guitar is my 1998 Gibson Les Paul Standard, with added Bigsby. It's been further modified with a vintage Firebird pick up at the bridge, but then returned to its original pick up after the Old Black came to be. It's been a stalwart of pretty much all of the 150 Sun Machine gigs and those by Tim Clayton & the Higher Lovers, save for the most recent at the Thunderbolt in Bristol. The Gretsch is just beautiful and so well balanced, it alternates from Neil Finn melodies to Queens of the Stone Age punch depending on the mood. It played a starring role at the Thunderbolt and notably on 'I Close My Eyes'. Next is my Old Black replica-ish - as an avid Neil Young fan, I couldn't not do it - a 2008 Gibson Les Paul Traditional, again with added Bigsby, a vintage P90 at the neck, a vintage Firebird pick up at the bridge and an aluminium scratch plate - very heavy but amazing tones. It's finest hours to date have been at the Bearded Theory Festival, the Cheese and Grain in Frome and on record.
Onto some Fenders, first of all is The Edge Strat, reasonable price and again amazing tones, heard and seen most recently at The Thunderbolt. A Fender Telecaster with humbucker at the neck, to give extra punch and bite - soon to be heard on a new and very different live rendition of 'You Are The Sun'. A Martin Grand Performer 6 string acoustic used in numerous gigs and on 'Apes Like Sheep' and 'New York #1'. A Taylor 12-string (because you can't spend enough time tuning) used principally on the track 'Higher Lovers'. My favourite Strat (contradicting myself here), the sunburst Eric Johnson, which I've used for recording since 2010 and on stage at the Louisiana, modified to take one of the springs from the tremolo system so that I can actually use it (the factory set up was just too rigid). Then my Gibson J-45, my favourite (though not most played) acoustic, bought second hand from Mansons in Exeter, as seen at Festivals and at The Fleece in Bristol. And finally a vintage tea burst Les Paul Traditional used for some newer demos and unreleased material which will see the light of day shortly - last seen in public on stage at the Hy-Brasil Club in Bristol, when we were still free.
There are more tales to tell about all of them. They shall be told in time.
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