The movement of the acoustic guitar into mainstream music in the mid-eighties inspired me to move from playing electric classic rock and blues to acoustic guitar. Several important acoustic albums served as a model for what I would use as building blocks going forward. These included, Grateful Dead - Reckoning (one of my all time favorites!), Clapton - Unplugged, Paul McCartney - Unplugged.
Over time, I became interested in fingerstyle and open tunings. Influential artists included Hot Tuna, Doc Watson, Richard Thompson & Nick Drake.
I complemeted my growing interests through private study with Arlen Roth, Woody Mann and Dave Van Ronk.
In the last 18 months I have developed a healthy obsession with resonators guitars, open tunings and slide. This in turn has pulled me towards listening to the the classic blues artists such as Rev Gary Davis, Robert Johnson, Skip James, Son House, Charlie Patton, Blind Willie John, Blind Blake, Tampa Red, etc...
Meanwhile, in the last 6 months I have begun playing my electrics again after more than 20 years. So far, this has been limited to blues jams at local pubs. I have rediscovered the fun of cranking my les paul through my marshall bbreaker jamming with a full band on tunes from my youth such as "All Your Love", "Stormy Monday", "Pride & Joy", etc...
ELECTRICS
'76 Gibson Les Paul Deluxe (bought this guitar at Mannys NYC in 1982)
'07 Charvel EVH Artist http://www.evh-guitars.com/
'92 Fender SRV Strat (bought at Sam Ash NY in 1992 as soon as the SRV model was released.)
'07 Fender USA Telecaster with B Bender
'99 Gretsch 6120 JR
Modified Bill Lawrence Strat
Hamer ST Gold Top Double cutaway
Epiphone Flying V 58 Korina Re-issue
Tokai Candy Apple Red Firebird
Epiphone Firebird VII
Peavey Wolfgang
ACOUSTICS
'03 National Western D (wood body spidercone)
'06 National Tricone Vintage Steel(Resonator)
National Duolian replica (Single cone resonator)
'89 Takamine EF341SC Acoustic Guitar - single cutaway with pickups
Aria Parlour Guitar
Charvel Surfcaster Acoustic Bass
AMPS
Marshall 1962 Bluesbreaker Re-issue
Fender Vibroverb 63 re-issue.
Vox Valvetronix AD15.
Various other pedals/processors/crap not worth mentioning.
www.myspace.com/jdseem
www.bandmix.co.uk/JDSAcoustic/
www.bandmix.co.uk/OldSchool/