I've owned too much stuff over the years, but I'm currently using the following.

Last Updated 2025-12-23

Guitars

• 1981 Ibanez Artist AR-150
• 1987 Gibson SG
• Reverend Descent RA Baritone

Basses

• 2003 Fender MIM Jazz Bass
• G4M 638 "Baritone" (it's actually a Bass VI)

Effects

Line 6 Helix Floor

I use the Helix as the "brain" for my guitar setup. The FX loops are super handy, MIDI controlling parameters is an almost-baseline requirement for me anymore. For someone who isn't a total tone snob, it's a great way to experiment with different effects/sounds without dropping hundreds of dollars on stompboxes.

Nektar Pacer MIDI Floorboard

Used to control a variety of parameter/bypass toggles across my rig. They're sturdy as hell, highly recommend.

Line 6 DL-4 mk2

I used a DL4 extensively back when the OG version was the top-of-the-line, before Strymon, Empress and the like. I eventually moved to a Digitech TimeBender (because it was much more intuitive) but got rid of it when I went on hiatus.

I was looking for a MIDI-controlled looper and I found someone in Dubuque who gave me a killer deal on it.

Boss DC-2w

The best sounding chorus to my ears, and stupid simple with only 4 buttons and a switch.

Keeley Octa Psi

Octave+fuzz is nothing new, but this one does it every way imaginable. With an expression pedal, it does whammy as good as anything. Versatile. A bit noisy, though.

Boss LPB-1

My friend Bryce probably traded this to me for a bag of weed when we were in college. I like it dialed in around 9:00, just to give my input signal a bump in gain.

Keeley 30ms Double Tracker

Another great chorus that mimicks dual guitars. I haven't run it in stereo yet, probably sounds great. For now, it just helps thicken up the signal.

Boss TU-2

The genuine, the original. I've had it since I was 14 years old, why would I ever get rid of it now?

Boss SL-2 Slicer

While searching for any and all MIDI pedals, I managed to get a decent price on this. I mostly use it on synths, it's good for generating a rhythm using a latched note.

Meris Ottobit Jr

I use this on my drum machine to crush things down. The filter knob it so buttery in its effect on the sound.

Synths, Sequencers, Drum Machines

Elektron Digitakt (OG version)

My first purchase of my DAWless mission. I'm glad I bought it, because it's become the core of my rhythm section.

Elektron Digitone Keys

Replaced a Novation MiniNova. My friend Mathias has one and after getting a Digitakt I had to have one. 4-tracks, 8-voices. The keybed feels better than any other keybed I've played.

Novation LaunchPad Pro

Arturia Minifuse 4 Audio Interface

Native Instruments Komplete Kontrol S61 MK2

For when I want a large keybed.

Software

Back in 2002-2003 I came up on Adobe Audition, first getting into it just before Adobe rebranded Cool Edit Pro as Audition. I messed with FL Studio a bit but I wasn't ready for sequencing back then 😅

These days I'm using

Ableton Live 12

Ableton changed the way I thought about sketching songs. My friend Mathias and I first dug into it back in 2010-2011, recording tunes under the moniker High Above the City. It's still my main tool for sketching and arranging.

Logic Pro X

Every producer with a Mac owns it; it's super powerful but these days I mostly use it to edit waveforms and do final mixes.

Soft Synths

• Native Instruments
  • Massive
  • Massive X
  • Absynth 5
  • FM8
  • Komplete Kontrol
• Arturia Pigments

Honorable Mentions

I'm also a big fan of:

• MIDI Solutions Quadra Merge and Quadra Thru
• Disaster Area Designs MIDI Box 4.2

Past Gear

Oh, too much to list. I'll add things here as I get time.

Novation MiniNova

I bought this as my first synth, before I really knew anything about them. But it had a vocoder, and because I can't sing I thought I might hide behind a carrier wave. I've learned I'm not a fan of mini-keys, and I need at least one multi-timbral synth.