The Musician's Hardware thread :)

Caitlin Black · May 30, 2010

Just thought I'd start a thread for everyone to post exactly what hardware they have - guitar brands, cymbal brands, pedals, amps, everything musical-hardware.

Feel free to post discussions on the pros and cons of your hardware.

I'll start:

Drumkit:
Pearl Export 5 piece kit, black with black trim
3 Zildjian ZBT cymbals, 1 Zildjian A-series extra thin cymbal
Pearl pedals and stands and throne

Keyboard:
Casio CTK-496 100-song bank keyboard (kind of handy for learning)

Guitars:
Epiphone Les Paul 100 model
Zephyr 10W Amp (kind of shitty, basically the cheapest I could get)
0.7mm black picks
Behringer Ultra Metal effects pedal (love it)
Behringer Manic Distortion effects pedal (meh)
Zephyr guitar (cheapo brand, and the way the strings are loaded means they break heaps easily)

So that's what I have...

I still want a lot more, but that's enough for now, enough to keep me occupied.

I must say, the Epiphone guitar is as near as perfect as I could want. The strings are loaded in a straight line instead of coming through the back of the guitar, so they don't break as easily as the Zephyr. The pickups were special ones installed by the guy I bought the guitar from second-hand. It has a simple switch between the 2 pickups, instead of a level for 3 pickups... which I prefer. The head is neat, with 3 strings per side. And it's a nice colour. It's my favourite instrument at the moment.

The Zephyr guitar doesn't get used anymore. It produces static, but nobody can see how to fix it, and I only have the 1 amp anyway, so... but yeah, the strings break far too easily on the Zephyr.

The pedals: Ultra Metal gives me what I want. Manic Distortion is fun for a while, but ultimately not the sound I'm going for.

The small 10W Zephyr amp is pretty average... I'd need a much better one if I ever went on stage, but it does alright for now.

The Casio Keyboard is one of the cheaper ones, and doesn't have a huge selection of sounds, but it has the song bank and a display that shows you which keys to push to play the songs in the bank. It's pretty good for learning the basics of keyboard, though I have nowhere to leave it set up, so it hardly gets played...

The Pearl Export drumkit is lovely. It's perhaps not the meatiest sound you could get (though I fucking LOVE the Snare!) but it's powerful and reliable. The Zildjian cymbals are great - I love them. Zildjian sound a little... weaker than some other brands, but I think it makes a good sound. My cymbals got water damaged, and they still sound good, so I'm fairly happy with them. The whole kit is a "neat" sound, which is good for what I'm trying to do, however I haven't played it in a while as there's nowhere to set it up - and unlike the keyboard, I can't just pull it out and set it up on the end of my bed for an hour or two. There's literally NOWHERE to set the drumkit up...

And I'll leave this post with the following sentiment: 0.7mm black picks are so damn sexy, I think I'd like to take one behind the gym and get it pregnant.

(Note: If you post in this thread about a violin that you have, you'll get a rep point from me, most definitely... violin or bass guitar is the next thing on my list...)

Diana Hignutt · Jun 4, 2010

I've got quite a few gitfittles (yeah that's what my dad calls my guitars), but I'll only list the ones I actually play:

Electric:
Gibson SG - Cherry finish
Westone Pantera - with whammy bar (black)

Acoustic:
Alvarez - it's got such beautiful tone and resonance.

I have too many effects gadgets to go into.

ETA: Forgot my amps - I have a few, my fave being a Fender M-80.

Diana Hignutt · Jun 7, 2010

Um...I also like Ernie Ball Super Slinky Strings on my electric, and a light gauge Fender string for my acoustics.

Shadow_Ferret · Jun 7, 2010

I have a Gibson SG in plum with a Peavy Backstage amp and a Behringer V-Amp for sound effects.

and a Yamaha PSR-E213 keyboard.

Priene · Jun 8, 2010

I'll play...

Guitars:
Left-handed Epiphone Sheraton II with natural finish
Left-handed Hofner HZ 27 classical with gorgeous rosewood body and a sound loud enough to (tastefully) wake the neighbours

Amp:
50 watt Line 6 Spider modelling amp

Pedals:
Boss OD-4
Electro-harmonix Q-tron for boutique quacking sounds
Boss RC-20 XL Loop station as I have no mates
Boss HM-1 Heavy Metal. Possibly the worst piece of garbage they ever put out. Makes for completely uncontrollable racket.
Several old eighties pedals currently stinking in my garage

Keyboard:
Casio WK-8000

Most importantly, plectrums:
Only pink Dunlop Delrins will do. The more lurid, the better.

Devil Ledbetter · Jun 8, 2010

I'm madly in love with my Taylor Big Baby acoustic guitar. It's the sweetest thing ever.

I also have an Omnichord.

Caitlin Black · Jul 6, 2010

Flay said:
Gibson J-45
1950-something Gibson LG1 (set up for slide)
Larrivee L-03
Older Yamaha 12-string (won't stay in tune)
60's (?) no-name Japanese nylon-string

Late-70's Strat hardtail
Homebuilt Tele copy with Bigsby
Squier 51 (set up for slide)
80's (?) Vantage semi-hollow

70's Fender Twin Reverb
Fender Blues Jr.
80's Mesa Boogie Mark III

That's an impressive collection!

I just bought a professional USB microphone, downloaded Audacity for editing songs, and I have on order a nifty device that you plug your guitar lead into and then it plugs into the computer USB-style, with a hole on the device for headphones so you're not playing with a delay which you'd otherwise get if you just listened to the computer. Oh, and I bought some decent headphones that have both the regular type of jacks.

ETA: The mic is a C-1U USB Studio Condenser Mic, made by Behringer, by the way.

SueLahna · Jul 11, 2010

-Shure PG 48 microphone
-two gigantic EV/JBL PA speakers
-TOA head/mixer

I like to sing
:3

Bubastes · Jul 12, 2010

Drum stuff:
Tama Starclassic, red sparkle fading to black
Tama Stewart Copeland signature snare drum
Percussion Plus mesh heads (so I don't get kicked out of my condo)
Aquarian heads (when I can actually make noise)
Tama Ergo-Rider drum throne
Tama Iron Cobra pedal
Zildjian A Classic ride, hi-hat, crash cymbals
Zildjian K Classic small ride
Vater drumsticks (Recording and 8A are my favorites)

Critical pieces of equipment for practicing:
Vater practice pad (small to teach myself good stick control)
Tama Rhythm Watch metronome
Coopersman marching band sticks (for practicing rudiments and building hand/arm stamina)

Xelebes · Jul 30, 2010

Keyboard:

Alesis Ion (61-key)

Mixer:

Yamaha MG102c (it's a stop-gap mixer since my better mixer barfed on me.)

Soundcard:

M-Audio Audiophile 2496 (will get it replaced once I buy a new computer - which will be in a year or three.)

Speakers:

M-Audio BX5a Studio Monitors

Headphones:

AKG K-271 Closed studio headphones

Devil Ledbetter · Dec 30, 2011

Devil Ledbetter said:
I'm madly in love with my Taylor Big Baby acoustic guitar. It's the sweetest thing ever.

I also have an Omnichord.

My husband gave me a Taylor GS Mini for Christmas. Love it!

Also, it's Elixer strings or nothin' for me.

kuwisdelu · Dec 30, 2011

I used to joke with one of my ex-girlfriends that I was only dating her for her father's guitars. It wasn't true, but if I hadn't happened to like her anyway, it might have been.

Me? I only got a PRS Santana SE and an Ibanez acoustic-electric. Also, a broken Marshall amp, and a cheap, tiny Fender replacement I got off eBay.

It's been a while. My small hands have been increasingly depressing.

rugcat · Dec 30, 2011

I stay fairly basic.

I have a 1969 cherry red Gibson 335 and a 1960 Fender DuoSonic.

Plus a 1951 Martin 000-28 acoustic and a 1965 Martin nylon string classic.

I pretty much exclusively play my 335 these days -- no pedals, no effects.

My amp is a Roland Jazz Chorus -- JC- 80. I used to have a JC -120, which has incredible sound, but I got tired of hauling it around to gigs -- plus it's kind of overkill in small clubs, where I usually play.

Devil Ledbetter · Dec 30, 2011

rugcat said:
Plus a 1951 Martin 000-28 acoustic and a 1965 Martin nylon string classic.

Stop making me love you!

Arcadia Divine · Jan 1, 2012

I have an Epiphone Les Paul Studio electric guitar with a Floyd Rose, M-Audio Oxygen 49 midi controller, protools le 8 with the M-box 2 Mini, Microphone, and Native Instruments Komplete 6. Ok last one is actually software, but you can still make music with it :tongue

!

Makeshift Bubbles · Jan 3, 2012

All I've got is my trusty Wurlitzer upright piano. I'd say it's about 30 years old, give or take a few years. It's practically in perfect condition, except there's one pesky F key that keeps on getting stuck.

quietguy · Jan 19, 2012

I once saw a magazine article with diagrams of different guitar rigs for some really famous musicians. Most of the rigs looked like a rat's nest even with pretty computer animated diagrams. However, Angus Young (AC/DC) had an SG plugged into a JTM45. That's it. I need a little more than that, but I still like to keep it simple.

2002 Ephiphone Les Paul (black w/ gold hardware like Les's)
1972 Electra Les Paul (lawsuit edition and everyone thinks it's a Gibson)

Boss ME-50

Fender Blues Jr. (blonde & beautiful)

Caitlin Black · Jan 25, 2012

Lovin' all the guitar love in here, and the revival of this thread.

I'm still plugging away with the same setup as before, but I may wind up with enough spare cash to buy a Peavey amp (I don't know the exact name of it, but it's a big one that'd be decent for a gig, and can plug into speaker stacks) for about $800.

Of course, I can afford it right now, technically, but once my finances balance out when work ends in a week (ie. I may have a week with no pay before unemployment kicks in, and I've gotta live for that week, y'know?) and after I've bought textbooks and stuff for Uni... Well, I'll only be able to afford half of it.

So I need to quit smoking, so I can save some money while I look for new work.

Oh, and actually, I have a new laptop (courtesy of savings from this temporary job). Primarily it was for Uni, but I plugged my USB mic in the other day, and the sound quality is a lot better than on my old laptop. So I guess this one counts as musical hardware, in that it's a good portable means of recording.

...

I'm still drooling over the Cort EVL-K4 at my local store... It's currently $560, down from $799. Goddess, I wish I could afford to spend that sort of money right now!

RPecha · Jan 29, 2012

Out of what I actually Use. I wish I had the money to get a good tube amp for myself though, so for now I either use my piece of crap one OR Amplitube/Guitar Rig.

Ibanez Iceman (Currently Set for Drop-D, but I like changing up tunings now and then in order to get the creative juices flowing.)
Martin Sigma DM-1 (Set for standard. I Don't play it much though.)

Behringer UCA222 Interface (Used if I want to actually use my amp for recording purposes)
USB Guitarlink Cable (Not the greatest thing, but I buy what I can afford)
Sennheiser HD 203 Monitoring Headphones
40 Watt RMS Guitar AMP (that is the branding on it anyways it doesn't like me dropping below half-step down tuning, nothing but low noise)
Danelectro Flange, Echo, Chorus and Metal Distortion pedals.
Arion DDM-1 Digital Delay
Amplitube 3
Guitar Rig 4
Cockos Reaper

I Currently play more or less various metal genres and SOME grunge and post-rock (both are guilty pleasures as I am more of a prog-head that anything.)
I want to eventually get a 7 or 8 string guitar and focus more on post-metal. No idea what I am gonna look for amp wise though.

Al Stevens · Jan 29, 2012

I have a lot of old stuff:

Yamaha C3 piano
Kay C1 string bass
Selmer Mark VI tenor sax
Conn 12M bari sax
King Silver Flair trumpet
King Master Super cornet
Cousnon flugelhorn
King 3B valve tombone

Most are in the closet now. I still play bass in an old fart's big band and take a horn to the occasional jam, but the day the music died, I retired.

Caitlin Black · Jan 30, 2012

That's awesome, Al.

I'd love to get a lot of "orchestra" type instruments (if I ever have the cash).

Am I right in assuming that the more instruments you play, the more insight you get into each of them? I'm noticing this partly with my keyboard and guitar... Like, one helps me learn the other ever so slightly.

RP, I don't suppose you use Windows XP with that Guitarlink? I bought one and tried using it on XP, and it wouldn't work at all. Once (and only once) I got some sound through the headphones (ie. so I can hear what I'm playing while recording) but it didn't include the pedal... The rest of the time, it wouldn't go through the headphones at all. So I took it back, they gave me another one, same problem. In the end I had to get a refund...

Just wondering if it was XP or me in some way...

Caitlin Black · Jan 30, 2012

I should add that the Install CD wasn't doing the right thing, which is where the problem must've been - but it still could've been either XP or something I was doing wrong (or a setting on my computer maybe?).

RPecha · Jan 30, 2012

Cliff Face said:
That's awesome, Al. I'd love to get a lot of "orchestra" type instruments (if I ever have the cash).

Am I right in assuming that the more instruments you play, the more insight you get into each of them? I'm noticing this partly with my keyboard and guitar... Like, one helps me learn the other ever so slightly.

RP, I don't suppose you use Windows XP with that Guitarlink? I bought one and tried using it on XP, and it wouldn't work at all. Once (and only once) I got some sound through the headphones (ie. so I can hear what I'm playing while recording) but it didn't include the pedal... The rest of the time, it wouldn't go through the headphones at all. So I took it back, they gave me another one, same problem. In the end I had to get a refund...

Just wondering if it was XP or me in some way...

Cliff Face said:
I should add that the Install CD wasn't doing the right thing, which is where the problem must've been - but it still could've been either XP or something I was doing wrong (or a setting on my computer maybe?).

Well, I have a 3-way Boot Setup (XP, Win7, and Ubuntu). I use it under windows XP and it works fine. I had to mess around with it quite a bit in various programs so that it would function correctly (ASIO4ALL is a must have driver for it, it was probably what the CD tried to install but got screwed up somehow. I had to fiddle around in ASIO4ALL while my DAW and emulation programs/plugins ran, because modifying settings in ASIO4ALL only works for the program you are currently using)

I also would suggest you plug the link DIRECTLY into the computer (don't use a HUB or USB extension cable, the power loss causes issues.) Also running something inbetween the guitar and link cable to provide a little extra juice to the signal helps. My setup for it goes something like this (Guitar -> Patch Cable -> FX pedal turned off but still plugged in to provide some extra juice -> Guitarlink Cable -> PC

also got to keep in mind it is going to be assigned specifically to that USB port, meaning its only going to work on that one when installed.

Al Stevens · Jan 30, 2012

Cliff Face said:
Am I right in assuming that the more instruments you play, the more insight you get into each of them? I'm noticing this partly with my keyboard and guitar... Like, one helps me learn the other ever so slightly.

That would make sense. They're both chordal instruments and they both have many ways to voice each chord. A musical discovery on one would probably influence your use of the other.

Brass and reed instruments are so different in all technical aspects that the only lesson that transfers is usually a musical one. If I learn a tune on one, for example, I can play it on the other.

RPecha · Jan 30, 2012

Al Stevens said:
That would make sense. They're both chordal instruments and they both have many ways to voice each chord. A musical discovery on one would probably influence your use of the other.

Brass and reed instruments are so different in all technical aspects that the only lesson that transfers is usually a musical one. If I learn a tune on one, for example, I can play it on the other.

I can second that with keyboard. I used my sisters Casiotone and there are some big similarities with structure. Makes it a lot easier to carry over (although manner of playing is quite a bit different physically, so you still gotta learn the hows, such as posture and different techniques.)

The Musician's Hardware thread :)

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