By day, I’m a Financial Systems Analyst and by night/weekends, I’m a husband to a beautiful/wonderful wife and dad to two cute/terrific girls. I also play some music on the side, dabble in the latest geeky tech stuff, and explore foodie establishments (the latest in food trucks/restaurants).
I upgraded to a work-issued iPhone 4S =)
I shoot pictures with my Nikon D90 dSLR…
…usually with a Nikon SB-600 AF Speedlight Flash mounted (for bounce flash with diffuser)…
…and one of two lenses (AF-S DX Zoom-NIKKOR 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR zoom lens or AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G fixed/prime lens) attached.
I also learned my lesson the hard way by accidentally dropping the camera, flash, and zoom lens trying to shoot a family picture. This required my to purchase a replacement for the zoom lens and a tripod sturdy enough to hold this entire setup. For a tripod, I use the JOBY GorillaPod Focus with Ballhead X (holds up to 11 lbs.). I position it in the regular three-footed triangular position or can wrap it around anything sturdy.
I carry all of this in a LowePro SlingShot 102 AW sling camera bag.
Rambling about music gear, I usually play my acoustic at church: a 2003 Taylor 714ce-LTD Summer Strummer. I use this when I primarily strum and occasionally flatpick.
- Premium Cocobolo 3-Piece Back and Sides with Flamed Maple Center Wedge
- Sitka Spruce Top
- Abalone Purfling and Soundhole
- Flamed Maple Binding
- Snowflake Inlays
- Expression System Electronics
- Upgraded Bob Colosi West African Hard Ivory Saddle
For songs using mostly fingerpicking/flatpicking, I recently acquired a RainSong Shorty SG-FLE (Forum Limited Edition). It’s my secondary guitar and also Joyce’s guitar.
- 12-fret OM (short-scale Orchestra Model)
- Carbon Fiber/Glass Hybrid Body
- All-graphite unidirectional carbon soundboard crafted using Projection Tuned Layering technique
- Abalone Soundhole
- Abalone Bridge Pins
- Abalone Shark Inlays
- Fishman Prefix Plus + T Electronics
- Custom TKL Limited Edition Hardshell Case (fitted specifically for a RainSong Shorty)
I play the two acoustic guitars above (although not at the same time) through a Fishman Loudbox Mini acoustic amplifier.
I also have a discontinued Baby Taylor Rosewood for campfires and dinkering around with at home with the kids. It’s currently high-strung in Nashville Tuning with a set of D’Addario EJ38H Phosphor Bronze (.010-.027) made specifically for Nashville Tuning.
If I feel like visiting Hawaii (that’s almost all the time), I spend some time playing my Kamaka HF-3 Tenor ukulele.
- Solid Hawaiian Koa Top, Sides, and Back
- Mahogany Neck
- Rosewood Fingerboard and Bridge
- Kamaka Ukulele Brand Tenor-Size Hardshell Case
- Fitted with a Fishman AG-Series Ukulele Passive Undersaddle Pickup
When I go electric, I play this sunburst Fender Classic Series ’72 Telecaster Custom.
My AKS PedalPad pedalboard (powered by Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 2) looks like this:
DAISY CHAIN ORDER (left to right):
- Boss Noise Suppressor NS-2
- Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi USA
- Ibanez TS9DX Turbo Tube Screamer
- Line6 DL4 Delay Modeler
- Ernie Ball 6166 Mono Volume Pedal linked to a Boss TU-3 Chromatic Tuner
It’s backed by a Fender Blues Junior tube amp.
I also play one of the best passive jazz basses out there: Lakland Skyline DJ4 (upgraded with Chi-Sonic pickups).
It’s backed by a Mesa Boogie Walkabout Scout 1×12 Combo tube bass amp.
I use a mini synthesizer/vocoder when playing in a band setting: the KORG microKORG XL.
.
And I finally have a 25″ x 14″ Remo Djembe Earth.
