As of May 2016 (when this was written) I currently am very happy with my setup, and get little to zero problems with the gear, as I maintain it well. I've hit upon a good formula for me as a guitar player. My main guitars are Fender Strats, but I also love Ibanez, and Gibson.. just for a different feel now and again.. I see no point in changing my gear really right now. But there is always room for another guitar, right folks?!

The Guitars As of 2016, here is my current roster of guitars. Just click the picture for a larger version, and more details.

Fender Eric Clapton Signature Strat

Custom Fender Strat.('87) 'Gilmour' replica

Fender Strat ('91) 'Ouija'

Fender Strat 'Milkybar' ('08)

Gibson Les Paul Classic with Slash pickups ('99)

Gibson SG Standard

Burns Brian May Signature (first 500)

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Ibanez Custom Swirl (Nate Perle Swirl)

Ibanez RG320 w/original Floyd

Peavey Wolfgang QT Special

Semi-Acoustic modified.

Classical Guitar Tapa Maciza Solid Top.

Fender Jazz Bass (Squier)

Ukelele

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Amps, Pedals, Strings and Picks, I will keep updating this page with more pictures as and when I get them. Amps - For band work, I use Marshall amps, a 1978 2203 100 Watt Marshall valve head or JCM2000 DSL 100Watt head. For solo rock gigs where I don't use any backline, I use a Marshall JMP-1 valve midi pre-amp direct into the desk. The JMP-1 settings are - Bass 4, Mid 0, Treble 1, Presence 1, Volume 18, Gain 17, on OD1 setting. Bass Shift is in. << Click Picture on the left to enlarge. Strings - Electrics - Ernie Ball 9-46 Hybrid Slinky strings. Acoustic Steel String, Dunlop Phosphor Bronze (10-48). Classical - Light Tension Augustine Strings. Picks - I use my own custom signature 1.5mm white Dunlop Delrin 500 picks, no big ego thing, I just needed white picks 1.5mm so I can see them if I drop them at gigs :) Jim Dunlop will be happy to make some up for you too.. Mine have my name on! :) << Click Picture on the left to enlarge. Pedalboard - My Pedalboard (see pic below) houses a Line-6 G30 wireless unit. I keep two receivers one as a spare. The signal chain is as follows... Guitar > Wireless > TC Polytune > MXR DynaComp > MXR Phase 90 (70s reissue) > Dunlop GCB-95 wah (Stock) > Suhr Riot > Vox Satchurator > Then the signal goes straight into the JMP-1 preamp. Lastly, a Voodoo Labs Pedal Power 2 (ISO5 series) powers all my pedals.. hum free. excellent units and well worth the investment. << Click Picture on the left to enlarge. Effects and Switching - I run a very humble 'rack' with just the JMP-1 and an Alesis Midiverb for some delays, chorus and a touch of reverb for the cleans. I have 4 main sounds that I control from the JMP-1's footswitch. 1-Dirty Rhythm (dry), 2-Dirty Lead (some delay) - 3-Dirty Lead (lots of delay) - 4-Clean (chorus, delay, reverb). That's it. Over the last few years, I have been mainly using the MXR Compressor pedal to boost my leads, hardly touching the distortion pedals in my board, but it's nice to know they are there :) I have one 4x12" that is only ever brought out for band/dep gigs. It is loaded with Celestion Vintage 30's. I run the JMP-1 into my Marshall 1978 valve head's "Power amp input". Marshall did this for me years ago, so it acts like a power amp.. very handy. Solo Rig - P.A. System, Laptops, Lights, Lasers etc.... The PA System Solo rig is built around a QSC K' series PA system. Two K8's and a K-sub bring a nice 3k rig that sounds superb. I got the system around November 2011 and can recommend it. These are the best you can buy, and are fitted with Crown Class-D power amps. It is a fully active 3k rig, capable of playing to very small, quiet places, to 200-250 seater clubs and venues. Around a year later in 2012, I started using the DMXIS lighting system with Showbuddy, and program all my backing tracks with the lights and lasers to help create more of an atmosphere at gigs. Where possible I like to bring along the smoke machine too, as it makes everything look that much better. I use this system for both my One Floyd gigs and my classic rock solo shows.. Laptops, Lighting, Lasers, Smoke Machines... Recent live radio session setup. - Click the pic to enlarge I run two laptops for my One Floyd show, one for the projection, and one for the backing tracks and lighting controller (DMXIS/Showbuddy). They are nothing high spec, just i5's, but they need to be reliable, so I always buy new. Lights are 4 QTX Par 56 cans, low profile, and 4 Stairville Tri-LED Flood Panels (7x3w). I use two ADJ Jelly Domes, one for smaller venues, and two ADJ RG Atmospheric lasers, again one if space is tight, and a Laserworld ES-400 laser for bigger effects throughout the show. The lights are all connected up to the laptop DMX controller, and never set to sound-to-light. All the lights are then pre-programmed to each backing track that I create, ensuring a great visual element every time. Lastly, and most importantly, I have a good remote vertical smoke machine. Haze is nice, but smoke is just better. It really brings out the lasers and lights to full effect. For dep gigs, or band work I just bring my guitar setup only. If you have any more questions about my setup, then pop along to a gig and come and say hi. I used to hate it when bands and guitarists were all secretive and mystical with their gear.. so I like to be as transparent as possible with my setups.. Email me - steve AT steveforward DOT COM © steveforward.com