electric guitars
CP Thornton
2006 and 2007 Jazz Elites. Modifications: inlay-free fingerboard, narrow-spaced nut on a wide fingerboard, Lindy Fralin P-92 pickups, five-position blade style pickup selector switch removed, three-position toggle switch installed, no bridge-pickup tone control, volume potentiometers increased to 1-meg, on the 2006 the body cavity, including under pickups, is coated with copper paint, Graph Tech string-saver saddles, Madagascar ebony tuner buttons. On the 2007 the pickup installed in the neck position alternates between a Jason Lollar “Charlie Christian for Humbucking Route,” a Bill Lawrence L-490, a Lace Alumitone, and a Fralin P-92.
classical guitars
1999 Robert Ruck, cedar top, Indian rosewood sides and back, cutaway, 1967 Manuel Contreras spruce top, Brazilian rosewood sides and back, 1987 Manuel Contreras. cedar top, South American rosewood sides and back, cutaway, converted to fretless.
road cases
Karura Sentinel carbon-fiber cases for the Collings flattop and Ruck classical. Calton deluxe fiberglas case for the Thornton electrics.
amplifiers
Mesa-Boogie F-50 for local gigs and recordings. Mesa-Boogie Subway Rocket for local gigs where a little amp will do. For road gigs promoters receive a list of 75 amplifiers ranked in order of desirability. Usually they find something that is not on the list. For local acoustic gigs where no PA is available, I use a Fishman Performer Pro with a Shure SM81 microphone.
strings
D’Addario EJ22 (.013-.056) for the Thornton electrics, D’Addario EJ17 (.013-.056) for steel-string flattop, D’Addario EJ45 (.028-.043) for the Ruck classical, D’Addario EJ46 (.0285-.044) for 1967 Contreras classical. D’Addario EJ44 (.029-.045) for 1987 Contreras classical fretless.
