My main bass guitar is a tie between a Mexican-made Fender Precision and a Mexican-made Fender Jazz (kinda looks like this one, and no I can't play it like THIS guy!). The Precision is tricked up in 1960 psychedelia, while the Jazz is a white beauty. When playing club gigs, the basses can take quite a beating, so I favor the less-expensive stuff. Someday maybe I'll spring for an American-made Fender for just the "special" gigs!

I also have a vintage Hofner Beatle bass, circa early 1970s. The Hofner has a sound like no other bass guitar, whether recorded or played live. Just listen to some of those early Beatle records to appreciate the "woomp" sound of this classic bass guitar. Mine has plenty of the wear and tear that comes from years of playing out — and she is all the more beautiful because of it, too! The bass is currently for sale -- I am looking to buy a new acoustic guitar for recording purposes.

I also have a Rogue five-string bass, a cheapie that I picked up used just to pick up a little five-string experience, and an Ibanez acoustic-electric bass that I use very occasionally on the lighter gigs.

I have a Michael Kelly mandolin that is a real beauty. It is unique in that it has a sound hole in the center. Give it a very bright tone that I love. Finally, I have a Takamine G Series guitar and my old Alvarez acoustic guitar -- the first "real" acoustic guitar I ever owned (purchased in the early 1980s at Old Towne Music in Turnersville, NJ).

On the amplification front, I am thrilled with my Markbass Little Mark II head. It's 500 watts at 8 ohms, and it's a great match for my Epifani 2x10 cabinet that is rich, powerful, and surprisingly light. It wasn't cheap, but it was worth every penny.