2025 was great! asked the love of my life to marry me at Disneyland! video of proposal at the end. #disneyland #proposal

What do ya’ll think of short scale basses? I first played one at a party years ago with The Friendly Guys, my old oldies cover band. I was borrowing a Bronco and at first was dismayed it was a Squier, especially when I’d left my MIJ Jaguar Bass at home! But right away I loved how much easier it was to not only play, but to perform with. Years later I got the Squier Rascal which is a bit bigger than the Bronco. Saw this Tahitian Coral Bronco a few weeks ago and budget was the sole reason I didn’t walk out with it! What’s your favorite short scale bass? #shortscalebass #basslessons

inspired by Vanity Fair to show off my 1981 Gibson Sonex and all its glorious flaws #vintageguitar

Favorite Strings All Ernie Ball because they’re the best. Just look at their artists list/what records were made with them. And did you know Rolly Crump designed the logo? Same guy who designed the Haunted Mansion and other rides at Disneyland! Skinny Top Heavy Bottom The first time I ever bought strings, I looked up what kind Tom Delonge used. Thankfully, the STHB actually worked perfectly for playing in garage punk and ska bands. The heavier bass strings give you a nice thickness for power chords and palm muting, and the skinny top strings are a lot easier to play (than if they matched the typical thickness of the bass strings). Still my go-to for anything remotely heavy like punk or metal. Super Slinky Even though STHB are technically Slinky’s, they don’t really feel slinky at all. But these do. This lighter feel is perfect for all kinds of lead work and stuff like blues and jazz. A must for when I play 4-hour muzak gigs. Not so great for rhythm playing or anything too heavy, but can’t imagine using anything else on say my Stratocaster or Gretsch where I want a silky, slinky feel and sound. Also what I use on my Floyd Rose-equipped guitar, since they match the recommended gauge. RPS Slinky These are my Jazzmaster strings. A bit thicker because that was the norm when the JM was designed, with reinforced treble strings so that they don’t unwind and snap from trem use, which can happen with normal plain strings. A lot of the issues people have with Jazzmasters would disappear if they used heavier strings! Aluminum Bronze My acoustic strings. Used to use the Earthwood series, but these sound a lot more like an acoustic guitar on a record to my ears - they have a tinkly, brushiness whereas the Earthwoods were kind of mid-heavy and almost clunky. Pair especially well with the Tortex 500 .46 - 0 pick noise and just beautiful, bell-like resonance. Slinky Cobalt These aren’t really my favorites but I thought I’d include them. Claim to be longer lasting both physically and tonally, but nothing actually sounds like a fresh set of strings. I’d rather just change normal Slinky’s more often. What are your favorite strings?? #guitarstrings #ernieball

Favorite picks! Tortex 500 .46 This is probably my desert island choice. It’s a bit thin and so not as ideal for super heavy or fast stuff, but for everything else, including bass, it’s perfect. It doesn’t sound very different from a regular Tortex, but the feel is very unique - it’s shiny and not grippy like a Tortex, which you can feel in your hand as well as the way it glides over the strings. A smoother, more refined feel and slightly warmer tone. Sticks to my fingers well too, and even kind of forms to my fingertips after playing long enough. Tortex III .60 mm Regular Tortex material, but with a tip shaped more like a Jazz III, which is a bit more precise. Can do rhythm work just fine but excels at leads - the sharp tip just moves past the strings a lot more adeptly. Tortex Wedge .88 mm Regular Tortex material but just a bit bigger overall profile and more defined tip. Has replaced the regular Tortex shape for me. Perfect for anything fast and loud, from punk to metal to garage rock. This would be my second desert island choice. Between this and the 500 .46, you could cover just about any style. Dunlop Jazz III XL This is made from nylon which I normally hate due to how it wears down and gets really scratchy, but since the III XL is pretty thick (about 1.38mm) that effect is less pronounced - though it still happens after repeated use. It’s a lot of a flatter, almost woodier tone, great for lead work that needs to be really clear and intentional. Easy to hold onto. Dunlop Celluloid Extra Heavy Celluloid has a mellower sound, similar to the Jazz III XL, but with a shiny feel so that it glides over the strings more easily for strumming. These are regular pick shape. I only use these for acoustic, or if I wanted a part to have lots of overtones and sound more bell-like, like a 12-string part. Dunlop Jumbo Flow 420 mm This bad boy is a one-trick pony, but it’s a stallion! For any kind of shredding-type playing - really great for running speed exercises and techniques like sweep picking. In addition to being so thick, it’s strongly beveled so the pick just slides from over the strings. What’s your favorite plectrum?? #guitarpicks #tortex