amps

mojotone jtm45 clone (“moby”)

This has been my main amp for about 2 years now. I’ve wanted a JTM45 head for years, “just because.” When I finally found this thing on eBay, I jumped on it. It’s white, and it rages: hence the nickname. The thing I love about this amp is the way it reacts to fuzz pedals; it just sounds right to me (it helps that it also shakes the ground). I jump the channels, and also run an attenuator to make it “Jesus friendly”.

matchless SC-30

SOMEHOW I got this amp from my brother-in-law, and it is everything that you’ve ever read about Matchless amps: unbelievable, three-dimensional, complex tone, and heavy as crap. It is simply a jem of an amp, but I don’t take it out as much as I used to. I’ve always had a beef with EL84-equipped amps and the way they interact with drive pedals, particularly fuzz.

fender deluxe reissue

This is essentially my practice amp, though I also take it out for small gigs. Out of the box these amps are really harsh-sounding, but I’m slowly modding mine to sweeten the tone (start by having your tech snip the bright cap, and you’ll be off and running).

guitars

• 1998 Fender 52 Tele Reissue
• 2010 Fender Joe Strummer Tribute Tele
• 1994 Fender American Standard Strat
• 2009 Fender Roadworn Strat (Sunburst)
• 2010 Fender Roadworn Strat (White)
• 1991 Gibson 335 Studio
• 1992 Gibson Les Paul Standard
• 2005 Gretsch 6120
• 1970s Gretsch BST
• 2006 Taylor GS Acoustic

pedals

I’ve been paring down my board for a year or two now, mainly as a result of some of the stuff I’ve been listening to. This is where things are at for now: Voodoo Labs Microvibe –> AnalogMan Sunface (High Gain NKT) –> Analog Man Beano Boost –> Xotic AC Boost –> Fulltone SupaTrem –> MXR Carbon Copy –> TU2 (Sometimes I slap a Crybaby 535q in front, and the Fulltone ’69 Pedal occasionally replaces the Sunface.)

Other toys that sometimes make appearances include a Greer Ghetto Stomp and the ZVex Fuzz Factory.

misc

• Slides. I use a few different slides, depending on my mood: a Dunlop Coricidin reissue (mostly this one; gotta love that Allman vibe), a Dunlop brass “Harris” slide (heavy and concave to maintain constant contact with all strings), and a Dunlop tapered glass slide. When I really need to up the mojo, I’ll bust out an actual bottle neck: it’s hardly functional but it makes me feel really, really cool. P.S.: Always and only pick with fingers when I play slide. 
• Strings. I string my electrics up most of the time with D’Addario 11s; I like the extra fight that they give. The  Gretsch gets GHS 12s, and the Taylor gets D’Addario Phosphor Bronze 12s.
• Picks. Dunlop Tortex, “Red” and “Orange” depending on how much I want to dig in (I keep a supply of four different gauges in case I need something different for a particular song).
• Straps. Black leather. Always… Black… Leather.