My custom made 6 string electric guitar is a beautiful thing!. A Tasmanian blackwood cap, mahogany back, a multi-chambered body, a combination of those two woods for the neck with an ebony fretboard. There is a great deal of body shaping, front and back. Currently has Seymour Duncan 'jazz' pick up in neck position and 'JB' style at bridge. Constructed by Craig O'Donnell in Melbourne.

I now have another beautifully crafted and resonant instrument built by Craig, an 8 string. I tune it to a low B and a high A and find this to be reasonably comfortable. It has a wide range of pick up selections to maximise tonal variations. Now I just have to learn how to play it !

I've always been fascinated by sound quality. I was always desparately awaiting a new FX pedal to arrive in the music store, saving my pennies and drooling over US mags with exotic pedal names like 'Black Finger', never knowing what they did! I had all sorts of pedal boards made and used to get every new Roland guitar synth, always changing amps, I WAS A GEAR FREAK! A sounds texture has always drawn me in, it is integral to expression. In terms of an extended concept with its own logic and sets of relationships like harmony and rhythm, texture is an often belittled componenet of music. But it is the most abstract and pure.Even though I still have a great interest in sound modifiers it is not the priority it was. And of course, the finanancial committment amounts to serious R & D. I'm sure at the top end of the spectrum there are some amazing devices, but by and large there seem to be limitations on my particular interest in modifying the audio signal of an electric guitar. I know this is easy for digital instruments, but I have found the latency issue in putting an audio signal into a computer distracting and not worthwhile. The obvious yet incredible thing with a conventional instrument like the guitar is it's 'immediateness', its instantaneous response. My interest is with (rapid) transformation of sound. I have pursued this with conventional processors but become frustrated by limitations. Yet it has been through this process with electric sounds that I have been inspired to find ways of articulating this textural interest with the unamplified acoustic guitar, or the unprocessed electric guitar.

I have used Digitech processors in the past, but currently use no "outboard" gear. I'm having a Ghost midi pickup system fitted to my O'Donnell guitar for ia renewed exploration of the electronic world.

For live recording I use a Sony PCM D50 digital recorder, which is convenient and simple. I use Logic Audio for studio work at home.

I own a Gary Levinson 'Blade" solid body electric guitar, which I've had since the early '90's. A beautiful strat-style instrument. A Takamine 'Santa Fe' small-bodied steel string acoustic/electric. A flamenco style (2F) nylon string by Amalio Burguet in Valencia. The custom made Craig O'Donnell chambered 6 string electric, my current pride and joy!

I use a Lab Systems Cage 30A valve amp, open backed speaker cabinet with 2x12 Celestion Vintage 30's. A very rich sounding amp built and modified by the one and only TIM EVANS.

I also own an Egnater Rebel 30, modified by Tim. We changed some valves to make it a little less harsh and "pokey". Very light and handy, quite a distinctive and coloured sound.