Top 10 Musical Purchases, Acquisitions, or Gifts

“You don’t need another guitar!”
“Yeah, but I don”t have one like that…it’ll give me a whole new range of sounds…”

The beginning of a debate? Well, yes, but the interesting thing is both “characters” in this dialogue are me!!! Sometimes, as a musician, I will admit that I treat my musical collection as if it were the proverbial Christmas tree and the decor ethic is “the more ornaments the better!” Well, I cannot kick the habit…I loves me a new guitar! Some purchases have, however, been much more monumental and influential to the way I play, write, and perform music than others. Here are what I consider my wisest decisions, my best instinctual trades, and a few cases in which Irish luck prevailed. Let’s hear your list too, I’m sure you have a good story to tell!

1.) Gibson Dove Acoustic:

My dear departed Grandmother, Dorothy Chilton, gave this guitar to me. I remember playing this guitar when I was 6 and 7 years old! She played it in Church and it seems to be blessed for it! This guitar brings something out in my playing that I can’t explain…that’s why it’s #1!!! I hope Granny’s halo is glowing a little extra right now!

2.) Princeton Reverb 2:

This is the first good amp that I bought on purpose. I sold a big two twelve Fender solid state amp and used the money to buy the Princeton from a jazz guy that thought the amp was “too bright.” This was a case of very good fortune for me as this amp and a retrofitted strat TOTALLY helped shape my electric style.

3.) Fostex Cassette 4 track:

After I bought my first grown up guitar, a cream strat, I also bought a little 4 track recorder from Guitar Showcase in Capitola. The electric guitar, a rack effects unit, and the new ability to multi-track/overdub unleashed a wave of songwriting that would last 4 years and it was a period that I don’t think I’ll ever have the obsessive focus to repeat.

4.) Fender Strat:

I remember the first riff I played on this when I brought it home, it was The Rain Song by Zep, and it sounded so clear and purposeful. Then I ripped it apart and put “lace sensor” pickups in it…and it sounded even BETTER!!! This was THE guitar for me, countless songs were written with it, too many gigs to count were played on it, and a lot of growth was worked out on it. Viva Stratomiguel!!!!

5.) Early 70’s Guild S-100:

This is/was also a monumental guitar in my life. I love Guilds and I had told my buddy Dave Vert that if he ever ran across a Starfire or S-100 to buy it for me and I would pay him back. Well…he came over one day with this great beat-up S-100…it had no knobs, it had a Guild Bigsby with no spring, arm assembly, or bridge!!! But the skeleton was there. He paid $80 for and I gave him $80 on the spot. I put about $150 into it to get everything working properly and WOW it is the most comfortable-to-play guitar I own. It has a very dark and spooky tone that is just great for improvising. Love it!

6.) Fender Lace Sensors:

When I put these in my strat it took it to a whole new level. I put the red in the bridge and it was a MONSTER! The silver in the middle and the blue in the neck position, the tonal palate of this guitar was amazing…largely in part because of these phenomenal pickups.

7.) Shure Beta 58:

My first really good microphone, the first time I sang through it all the nuances of my voice were there and they had been sorely missing before. I was also able to sing much quieter, so my voice didn’t blow out as often. When the rest of the guys in the band upgraded to the beta 58 our harmonies really started to gel. Worth noting, I usually use a SNT-XMF-25 mic cable to get from the Beta 58 to the mixing board because they make a great connection, have no noise or capacitance, and the cable is limp and easy to use so I know I am getting all that the Shure Beta 58a microphone has to offer.

8.) Takamine Cedar Top Acoustic:

In terms of songwriting, this has to be equal to the strat in sheer number of songs written on it. This is my lay in bed and noodle guitar; it is the guitar I have used to keep my chops up and develop ideas on. The way I acquired the guitar? You’ll have to buy me a beer and sit down for a while…long story. You can read about it in my upcoming autobiography Michael Powers: Why I took up fishing.

9.) Beatles Song Book:

My buddy Don Clark picked this up for me, it’s kind of like a “fake book” with good accurate chord changes for every Beatles song and outtake. I love this little sucker, it reminded me how wide open popular music can get blown…and how it’s ok to steal from blues, jazz, country, classical…in short The Beatles show that be a musician of merit is to be an artistic thief of sorts.

10.) John McLaughlin My Goals Beyond (Vinyl):

Oh man…this is THE album to buy if you are a guitarist that wants to hear what it sounds like when you bring spiritual, disciplined, and improvisational aspects into your playing in near-perfect balance. If you’re not a guitarist? Chances are this album could make a heavenly choir stop and take notice; you WILL be altered by this album. This disc, for me, is what really helped solidify the importance of “just closing your eyes and playing.” Give it a listen…it’ll tickle your aura.

“You need another guitar…”

“Yeah, I know, and an amp to go with it!”

“I am a Christmas tree and yet I do not feel ornate.”

Ok, everything is as it should be! See you on the flipside!

---

When he’s not enjoying fishing, road testing cables with his band, or fielding musical/instrument cable questions over the phone/e-mail, Michael handles operations and purchasing and is simply loving life. You can also follow Michael on Twitter !