Hey, please introduce yourself!
My names Adam, I’m a 44 year old guy in Brissy who’s been playing guitar for wayyy too long. I never really made anything of music but it’s still an integral part of my every day life. I simply couldn’t imagine not playing an instrument, it be like not having a dog hahaha.
How’d you get into playing guitar? …who inspired you?
Oh man, I started playing guitar around 1990 when I was about 13. I started playing because my cousin who was few years older than me was already an amazing guitarists back then, he got me into it. He had this sweet yellow yamaha with a double trem and we actually recorded a little album on 4 track together, pretty funny. Totally surfing with the alien if a bunch of Aussie 15 years olds made it up haha.
Back then I remember learning some ACDC tunes, and it was probably GnR appetite (I had the tab book) that got me sitting in my room all night learning the solos for each track. Dang Slash just nailed it. I was also into SRV and Satch, along with the RHCP, Stone Temple pilots etc. I remember listening to Blood Sugar Sex magic for the first time and it changed my life. I recall hassling my dad for a Frusciante inspired stratocaster that same week - I still have that strat, it’s a cracker Mexican strat in a candy cola colour, and the one guitar I’d save in a fire due to the sentimental reasons. Thanks dad : )
What bands have you been listening to over the last few years?(Please plug your own band too!)
Over the last few years I’ve kind of just doodled on the couch as far as playing, but up until now I’d say Queens of the stone age and all of Josh Homme’s side projects have been my main go-to. It also got me into Mini mansions who I’ve been listening too on solid rotation the last few weeks, really digging those guys and they write a great tune that’s for sure. Waiting for new QOTSA album but who knows now with the latest news and court cases. Pretty crappy.
Through Queens I also got into ZZ top and man, those first few albums are remarkable. Every guitarist should check them out, here’s my fav ZZ top album and Billy Gibbons is just incredible with his intonation and timing, he sounds like no one else and the grooves are just sublime: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BNjy4LRWo8 I saw ZZ top live in Germany a few years back, RIP Dusty, that guy has some serious pipes even at like 70 when I saw them!
My cousin who I first taught me also introduced me to gypsy jazz and the Chet Atkins finger-picking style, which took a good few months to pick up - but once I got that thumb moving all was great, kind of lolol.
What guitars & gear do you have right now?
Below is my current guitars (minus the acoustics and big body ones like 335s etc), but I’ve probably had about 50-60 over the years. There are a few I regret selling including a USA SG and a Squier Jazzmaster I think, it was a short-scale one with two white humbuckers. I sold it in one of those downsizing crazy things.
The latest guitars I’ve bought due to Covid lockdown boredom are the Fender Novento and the Squier Affinity Jazzmaster. I haven’t really connected with the Novento to be honest, it’s probably the best telecaster I’ve ever played at any price point, but I just seem to gravitate towards cheaper guitars for some reason - it’s odd. I’ll probably do another round of sales soon, I love telecasters but this many is just silly haha.
What kind of amps and effects do you use?
I only have a few amps and effects. Well I’ve a box of effects that I don’t use anymore just due to not playing in bands anymore. For amps, I have an old Laney and a 1974 Music Man like the one SRV played one time, it’s super cool but a ‘young man’s weight’. I’ll probably sell the music man and Laney and downsize, just not gigging anymore, but the Laney has been amazing over the last 20 years, never missed a beat.
What sort of gear do you still want?
Probably a small boutique valve amp is about it, a low wattage one that sounds like an early brown sound. I really need to sell some gear first though haha. In reality I’ll probably have another few guitars soon but I don’t regret it for a second!! Oh a Shecter PT Special tele in black, yup, okay the GAS is real.
Any advice for someone just picking up the guitar?
For sure, don’t go too cheap with your first guitar. Get something that stays in tune and that you’re inspired to pick up. I had an SG copy that never stayed in tune, and it was terrible. Luckily I felt like Angus Young so I stuck with it. Also learn some theory like scales and modes, it’ll come in handy later. I only learnt by ear and tab books, and I think this would have been a huge help.
But learning the songs you love first is important, because it’ll help you stick with it and get the girls (hopefully hahaha).
I would also say when it comes to gear, don’t think about brand names only, there are amazing guitars coming out of China now like Squier models and Schecter are killing it man. It’s just about finding the right specs - but yeah, each to their own, if you can afford a Gibson Les Paul 59 reissue as your first guitar you really can’t go wrong lol.
