I have always been interested in guitars, from about 11 years old when an uncle showed me a couple of chords. I then picked up a really nasty steel-strung acoustic in Spain, and later a cheap & nasty Audition Strat copy. I battled with this guitar for years; it must have built up my finger muscles no end! I still have it though. Somewhere along the way I bought a better acoustic in Spain, this time a Juan Estruch which is apparently well-regarded. It's become a bit battered over the years though.
My woodwork teacher helped me restore a bass, which I played in my first and only band, and still have to this day.

In more recent times I've rekindled my interest in playing, through my daughter starting to play. The Audition mentioned above has been reincarnated as a Firebird copy (must be a true Phoenix!), and I've treated myself to a Gretsch G5124 Electromatic Hollowbody, the white one, which is really rare. This is the one featured in the funky graphic on the right!

My daughter Holly and I have been active on the UKMG newsgroup, through which I have been able to play a couple of gigs and have made some new friends.

I've made a Flash show of my guitars - look here!

In terms of amps, I have a Custom Sound Colt 65R and Behringer X V-amp, Holly has a Peavey basic 112 bass combo, and we have a T-amp 2400w PA amp, plus a Soundtech 300D that we use as PA mixer and foldback, and Behinger Feedback Destroyer, all in a rackmount case. We have Ramsa, Celestion, and Jamo speakers, and a few mixed monitor cabs, and a Shure SM58 radio mic.

Completing our music room is a Premier Club (vintage 1980s) drumkit (22" bass, 12" & 14" toms, 16" & 18" floor toms, Paiste 12" crash, Super Zyn 12" ride, Zyn 12" Hi-hat) - bought for son Adam but he never plays it, and a Casio LK-100 keyboard, property of Linzie.

Sadly a fire destroyed almost all of the contents of the music room in July 2006. We are working on replacing most of it.