about the "Paraguayan Landfill Orchestra" to understand exactly what I mean. However romantic the notion though, there is something to be said for having the correct "tools of the trade" that not only does the job but drives you to a more excellent sound. An excellent sound that inspires you to be the best musician you possibly can be. This is what I am addressing today from what I hope will be a helpful yet encouraging and humble perspective.

What are your favorite guitars? My favorite guitars are my Carvin DC 200 custom which has a Floyd Rose tremolo system with fine tuners at the bridge, locking nut at the headstock, fasten down tuners. Next, there is my Gibson Explorer which has a standard fixed bridge system as well as my two steel string Martin guitars, Rodriguez Classical and Ibanez acoustic-electric bass.

After that there are a whole bunch that I don't own yet like the Gibson Les Pauls and Flying Vs, Fender Stratocasters and Mustangs, Jackson Flying Vs, Soloists, Lag, Charvel, Taylor, Breedlove, ESP/LTD, PRS, B.C. Rich, Washburn, Dean, Kramer, Gary Kramer, and of course, these are just a few on a very long list of guitars that I think are actually pretty cool. I don’t really care about particular brands per se, so long as I like the way they look, feel, sound and hold up for the long run.

There are so many rockin’ guitars out there, and a lot of private, independent guitar makers have brought some really great guitars to market. With there being so many cool guitars out there, how are we supposed to pick between them all? Well, to say the least, it makes for one very interesting dilemma. lol!

What I think is really cool aside from all the different variety of 6 string guitars are all the 7 and 8 string guitars that have emerged on the scene which has become quite popular and for good reason. I guess another dilemma would be figuring out where to put all those guitars once we acquired them. It can also be said that there are some really nice 12 string guitars out there on the market that I would most certainly take a shine to as well.

Last, but not least is the Dobro, which I do not own as yet, but I may very well one day give it a try if the need for it arises. Lastly, there are also some really nice bass guitars that look and sound great made by the same guitar manufacturers that make my favorite guitars, and even if I don’t end up buying the vast majority of the guitars that I like, it is still a lot of fun to be able to walk into a guitar store and play some of these rockin’ guitars.

I can recall many, many years ago when I placed an ad in a music magazine in an attempt to either join or form a band with like-minded players only to receive a call from this one guy who asked me if I used a certain style/brand of guitar and amps, I told him no and explained what I had, and that I would be willing to get the type of guitar and amps he had asked me about if things were to move forward, but he wasn’t even trying to hear that.

The excuse, (and I suspect many people still use the same excuse today), which was that his band had a certain sound and they wanted someone who played that specific type of guitar through that specific type of amp, all of which is complete nonsense because although quality equipment is paramount to the success of any musician or band, many guitar and amplifier companies offer great products, and if the most popular guitar of the day is priced at $3,000.00 or more (and you can have an independent shop make a guitar for you for half that amount or less), that leaves you more money in the budget for your amp(s).

Now let’s say that the most popular amp on the market gives you the sound your style of music calls for, and yet that amp is priced somewhere between $3,000.00 and $3,500.00 which is quite a large sum of money for the average aspiring guitarist to come up with, but through a little bit of research and a few trips to the guitar store you may soon discover that there is a slightly less popular brand of amp priced at half the amount or less than the most popular one that gives you the sound that your style of music calls for. It only makes good sense then to buy that amp and with the money that is left over in your budget continue on with shopping for the rest of your gear.

Choose the type of guitar that is appropriate to the style of music you are interested in playing. For example, a nylon classical or steel string acoustic guitar might work really well in some styles while in others an electric guitar would be more suitable. If electric guitar is the best fit for your style of music, then you will need to decide whether or not you want one with a fixed bridge or tremolo system.

You will also need to decide whether or not you want an amplifier, and if that is the case then you will need to choose one that will work well for your style of music because not all amps are created equal. In my opinion, if one is playing Jazz a Roland Jazz Chorus may be just what the doctor ordered. If you are playing Hard Rock or Metal then Marshall, Peavey 6505 or Laney Tony Iommi Signature amp might be the ticket. However, if you are playing acoustic or classical guitar, then a standard acoustic guitar amp would be best. Marshall and Peavey both make great amps, but of course, it goes without saying there are other brands worthy of consideration as well.

For guitar effects pedals I like both Boss and Morley, and MXR has hung in there pretty well through the years. With that said though, just like there are a whole bunch of brands to choose from for guitars and amps, the same holds true for effects pedals as well. Not unlike guitars and amps, effects pedals should also be selected based on the style of music that you will be playing. For example, if you will be playing Blues music then you are going to need a Blues Driver pedal and a Wah pedal. If you are playing Hard Rock or Metal then an Overdrive or Distortion pedal would be best.

In pointing this out, the main thing to keep in mind is what gear and accessories will best suit the style of music that you will be interested in playing and then last but not least remember not to skimp on quality. Whatever your budget, do your research and take your time with your purchase decision even if it means patiently saving up over time for the right gear.