QRD – What was your first guitar & what happened to it?

Ted – It was a cheap Harmony acoustic that I played for about six months.  I traded it in on a cheap Japanese electric (Kent).

QRD – What’s your typical set-up from guitar to effects to amplifier?

Ted – I currently play a black Fender Stratocaster factory-fitted with a Roland GK-2 (synth guitar) pickup.  The Strat outputs both (1) a regular guitar audio signal (from the three guitar pickups) & (2) a synth signal from the GK-2 pickup. 
The guitar audio signal goes to a set of switches (Whirlwind Selector A/B boxes) that route the signal to various amp emulators & effect units.  These units vary depending on whether I am playing live or in the studio, but usually include a Boss VF-1, a Boss SE-70, a Lexicon MX 200, a TC Electronic Nova Delay (ND-1), & an AdrenaLinn II. 
The synth signal goes to a 13-pin switching system (Roland US-20) that sends it to a Roland GR-20 guitar synth module, a Roland GR-33 guitar synth module, &/or a Roland VG-8 guitar system.  The audio outputs from these units are typically sent to a Lexicon Vortex, a Lexicon MX 200, and/or an Electro-Harmonix Super Memory Man delay. 
The overall system is stereo, so I send the various output signals through a stereo mixer to two Roland KC-300 keyboard amps. 

QRD – What’s the most important part of your rig - guitar, amplifier, or effects?

Ted – A guitar with a Roland GK (synth guitar) pickup is essential to my rig. 

QRD – What’s your main amplifier & why?

Ted – Currently, I use two Roland KC-300 keyboard amps (or a stereo PA) to amplify the stereo signal from my rig.  Because the rig includes various guitar amp emulators (VF-1, GE-70, VG-8, etc.) that provide gain & distortion effects, I don’t need a guitar amp at the end of the chain. 
In earlier days when I played through a guitar amp, my favorite amp was a Mesa Boogie Studio 22 which I still own.  I also have a Fender Super Champ, a Fender Pro Reverb, & a Music Man combo. 

QRD – What’s your main guitar & what are the features that make it such?

Ted – Currently my main guitar is a black Fender Stratocaster with a factory-installed Roland GK-2 pickup.  The GK-2 pickup is essential to my current style of music (ambient/electronica/experimental), since it enables me to produce a wide variety of spacey sounds using both a guitar synth & a traditional guitar with effects.

QRD – If you had a signature guitar, what would it look like & what would some of its features be?

Ted – It would look pretty much like my current guitar (see above).   I might like to have a mini-Kaoss pad installed on it to enable me to manipulate sounds as I play them. 

QRD – If you had a signature pedal, what would it be & what would some of its features be? 

Ted – I would like to have a stereo stomp box combining distortion, delay, & phaser effects.  The distortion & phaser section would produce a smooth, swirling sustain.  The delay section would have a digital readout of the delay tempo (bpm).  You could set the delay tempo by either a knob or by tap tempo.  Adding distortion & phaser effects to the TC Electronic ND-1 (Nova Delay) pedal would do it.

QRD – How many guitars do you own?

Ted – I have two Fender Stratocasters, a Fender Telecaster, three Gibson SGs, & a Univox U1800B Hi-Flyer bass (Mosrite copy).

QRD – How & where do you store your guitars?

Ted – I store them in their cases.  The location is a secret.

QRD – What features do you look for when buying a guitar?

Ted – Fast neck, light weight, good tone, & the ability to mount a Roland GK pickup.

QRD – How much do you think a good guitar should cost?

Ted – Upwards of $1,000.00 (new).

QRD – Do you upgrade & customize your guitars or just stick with what you get?

Ted – I tend to stick with the guitar as purchased.

QRD – How thoroughly do you research or test a piece of equipment before
buying it?

Ted – If possible, I will borrow the piece of equipment from the store & try it out in my rig.  I also read the online reviews at Harmony Central.

QRD – Do you change your rig around often?

Ted – The rig keeps evolving as I replace old effects with new ones.

QRD – Are you after one particular guitar tone & locking into it, or do you like to change your tone around a lot? 

Ted – Because of the types of music I play (improvisational, experimental, ambient), I like to produce as many different guitar sounds as possible.

QRD – What are some guitars, amps, & pedals you particularly lust after?

Ted – Although they are not considered good guitars, I would like to own a Vox Phantom 6 & a Mosrite Ventures model because I think they look cool.  As for effects, I would like to own a rack-mounted Eventide Harmonizer.

QRD – What do you think are some important features to be on a person’s first guitar that aren’t always there?

Ted – Locking tuning machines & a good chromatic tuner. 

QRD – What have been the best & worst guitar related purchases you’ve made?

Ted – Best: Fender Stratocaster with built-in Roland GK pickup.  Worst: Seymour Duncan Convertible amplifier.

QRD – What are some effect, amp, & guitar brands you particularly like or dis-like & why?

Ted – I particularly like the multi-effect units produced by Roland (VG-8, VF-1) & Lexicon (MX 200, Vortex).  My favorite recently-purchased pedal effect is the TC Electronic “Nova” delay pedal.  I also like Electro-Harmonix pedals, particularly the Stereo Memory Man.

QRD – What’s the first thing you play when you pick up a guitar?

Ted – I typically improvise in the Dorian mode.

QRD – How old were you when you started playing guitar?

Ted – Twelve.

QRD – At what age do you think you leveled up to your best guitar playing?

Ted – I hope that I’m still improving.

QRD – Why do you think a guitar fits you more so than other instruments?

Ted – In my opinion, the guitar is more versatile & expressive than most other instruments (with the possible exception of the synthesizer).  But mainly I like the looks of an electric guitar.

QRD – Do you think guitar should be people’s first instrument as often as it is? 

Ted – Yes.  The guitar is relatively affordable, it’s portable, & it can play both single notes & chords.

QRD – Do you see your guitar as your ally or adversary in making music?

Ted – Definitely an ally.

QRD – Who are the guitarists that most influenced your playing & sound?

Ted – Carlos Santana, David Gilmour, early Jeff Beck, Neal Young, Wes Montgomery, & the Ventures.

QRD – Do you think people anthropomorphizing their guitars is natural or silly? 

Ted – Although I have never named one of my guitars, I don’t see any harm in people doing that.  I think it’s natural for a guitar player to treat his or her favorite guitar as a good friend.

QRD – What’s the most physical damage you’ve done to a guitar & how did you do it?

Ted – I mistakenly asked a guitar tech to dress (file down) the frets on a Fender Telecaster.  It never played as well afterwards.

QRD – What do you do to practice other than simply playing?

Ted – I often improvise in different modes (scales) to a drum track or looped bass pattern.

QRD – How many hours a week do you play guitar & how many hours would you like to?

Ted – I think I average about four hours a week playing guitar (including jam sessions). 

QRD – What type of pick do you use & why?

Ted – I use heavy-gauge Fender “confetti” picks.  I can’t play with a thin pick. 

QRD – What gauge strings do you use & why?

Ted – I use a set of D’Addario regular light gauge (nickel wound) electric guitar strings (EXL110).  The gauges are 0.010, 0.013, 0.017, 0.026, 0.036, & 0.046.  They seem to have the right balance of tone & bend-ability. 

QRD – How often do you change strings?

Ted – Not frequently enough.  Maybe once a year or when a string breaks. 

QRD – How often do you break strings?

Ted – About once a year.

QRD – Which do you feel is more proficient, your strumming hand or fretting hand & how does that affect your style?

Ted – I think they are about equal in proficiency.  Although both could use improvement, I don’t feel that one is holding the other back.

QRD – Do you set up your guitar yourself or send it to a guitar tech (or not set it up at all) & why?

Ted – I generally have a guitar tech set up a newly-purchased guitar to ensure that the neck & bridge are adjusted correctly.  I make fine adjustments to the intonation later as needed.

QRD – What tunings do you use & why?

Ted – I use standard tuning (even for slide).   Someday I hope to experiment more with alternative tunings.

QRD – Do you prefer tablature, sheet music, or some other notation system for writing down your own ideas?

Ted – I prefer standard musical notation, but I don’t have a problem with tab.

QRD – How high do you hold your guitar when playing (strap length)?

Ted – The guitar pickups are level with my belt buckle.

QRD – What’s a bad habit in your playing you wish you could break?

Ted – Leaving the volume up when I’m not playing.

QRD – Playing what other instrument do you think can most help someone’s guitar playing?

Ted – Probably piano because it enables you to hear how melody lines sound combined with chords & bass parts.

QRD – What’s a type of guitar playing do you wish you could do that you can’t?

Ted – Jazz rhythm guitar with complex chord progressions.

QRD – What’s a guitar goal you’ve never accomplished?

Ted – Playing a duo guitar gig with Brian John Mitchell.

QRD – What’s the last guitar trick you learned?

Ted – How to use backward delay effects.

QRD – What’s a guitar technique you’d like to master, but haven’t?

Ted – Reggae rhythm guitar.  It sounds so simple, but it’s so hard to get right.

QRD – Did you ever take guitar lessons & if so, what did you learn from them?

Ted – I took lessons for less than a year at a music store in Charlotte, NC.  The most useful thing I learned was the concept of the movable chord.

QRD – What would you teach someone in a guitar lesson that you don’t think they would generally get from a guitar teacher? 

Ted – I think the guitar is inherently more fun (& rewarding) to play when you can improvise. Consequently, I would focus on scale structure (modes) & simple harmony theory early in the lessons.  & I would encourage the student to begin improvising as soon as possible, rather than waiting until he or she has mastered all the basics.

QRD – What’s something someone would have to do to emulate your style?

Ted – Combine smooth sustain with delay & phaser effects.  Improvise interlocking guitar parts.  Play too many notes.

QRD – What’s your take on tremolo systems?

Ted – I don’t use them because of past problems keeping them in tune.

QRD – What do you see as the difference between lead guitar & rhythm guitar players?

Ted – I don’t know many guitar players who consider themselves “rhythm guitarists.”  In most of the groups I have played in, the two guitar players shared lead & rhythm duties.

QRD – If a band has good guitar work, can you ignore the rest of the band not being good?

Ted – Yes, but I particularly enjoy bands in which the musicians are evenly matched. 

QRD – What famous musician’s guitar would you like to own & why?

Ted – I would like to own the guitar rig that Pat Metheny used on “Phase Dance” & other songs from the Pat Metheny Group (white cover) album.  I want to make those harp-like tones. 

QRD – Who do you think is currently the most innovative guitar player & why?

Ted – I really can’t answer this one because there are just too many great guitarists playing these days. 

QRD – Where can people hear your best guitar work?

Ted – I have archived the best bits from several years of jam sessions by Random FX at the following five sites.
http://www.archive.org/details/SelectedJamSessionsFromStudio713-Collection1
http://www.archive.org/details/SelectedJamSessionsFromStudio713-Collection2
http://www.archive.org/details/SelectedJamSessionsFromStudio713-Collection3
http://www.archive.org/details/SelectedJamSessionsFromStudio713-Collection4
http://www.archive.org/details/SelectedJamSessionsFromStudio713-Collection5
There are additional examples under the “My Band” tab on my FaceBook page & on the Studio 713 page at MySpace.   I hope to release some new material later this year. 

QRD – Anything else?

Ted – Thanks for including me in your survey of guitarists.  I look forward to reading the other responses.