Tools of the trade

There's nothing worse, is there. You've finally got every member of your band in the same room at the same time (an extraordinary feat of coordination on your part) only to find that the cheapo lead you purchased last week is already on the blink, the bass strings on your electric are buzzing and the amp you bought off your cousin is screaming out copious decibels of feedback. Nightmare.
Fact is, cheap stuff isn't great. It can't be - that's why it's cheap.
For musicians looking to invest in their first guitar or even take the step up the range for a better quality model, the rule of thumb is that you get what you pay for. Good gear is an absolute essential for any musician and although it may cost you more initially, saves on both money and stress in the long run by providing you with reliable, quality equipment with the most important factor of all: decent sound.
Here's the hotpress.com rundown of the most tempting musical emporiums in Dublin and the northeast - and a wee taster of the delights they have to offer.
Perfect Pitch (Exchequer St, Dublin 2) specialise in acoustic guitars, stocking a range that includes Epiphone, Tanglewood and Martin. Their main man, Gerry Crowe, recommends the Tanglewood TW-28 acoustic as an excellent sophomore guitar, and for those whose priority is live performance, the TW-15 NSE features a plug-in for amplification. However, if you're looking to invest a little more, you can do no wrong with a Martin - think the American-made, entry-level DX-1 with a solid spruce top.
If distortion and humbuckers are more your drug of choice, look no further than Instrumental (Bachelor's Quay, Dublin 1), who stock a wide variety of spiky electric guitars and coffin cases. Jackson and BC Rich are quite favourable for the rawk end of the spectrum, but ESP, the brand played and endorsed by Metallica, are the most popular, particularly the H-100 model.
With 13 drum kits on display at all times, Instrumental is also tub-thumper heaven, stocking the big four - Pearl, Tama, Sonor and Yamaha. For the semi-pro, the Sonor 2001 kit and the Tama Rockstar come highly recommended. And as if that weren't enough to tempt your palate, they offer interest-free finance over six months, and take trade-ins, too.
The Sound Shop in Drogheda's North Quay stocks a vast range of guitars and amps, including top brands such as Fender, Gibson and Marshall. The Mexican Fender Stratocaster is one of the most popular electric guitars, providing good all-round tone at an affordable price. Gibson's Epiphone line is also a good choice, with its Les Paul copy particularly popular. Another plus that these classic models offer is their trade-in-ability, as a good name on the headstock of your guitar means that it will depreciate in value a lot less. For the less financially endowed, Yamaha's Stage custom is a good choice, but remember any guitar you ever buy will automatically cost more with metallic or sunburst finishes, or, of course, if it's left-handed. As far as turning it up to eleven goes, Marshall amps are famous for their association with the greats (Clapton, Townshend, Hendrix), and the new AVT range comes highly recommended, particularly the 100-watt.
At the upper end of the drum scale, the Yamaha Maple Custom professional drum kit is your man. With seven to nine-ply wood in the bass drum and the toms, 24-carat gold-lacquered lugs and more resonance than you'd care to dream of, a trip to Danfay on Aungier St (Dublin 2) with a set of 7A's would pleasure your drummer more than a frolic in the mud with Shakira (irrespective of sticks). Cymbal-wise, the Zildjian ZBT-4 Pro pack is the most popular, containing standard 14” hi hats, a 16” crash and a 20” ride.
For the neglected bass player, try Music Maker (Exchequer St, Dublin 2) for a little pampering. Flea's favourite, the Musicman Stingray, is an active bass with treble controls, a humbucking pickup and wide range of sounds, making it a decadent and desirable choice for those with a bit more padding to their wallets. For the rest of us, Warwick are soon to launch a new range of economy-line basses featuring the same hardware and pickups as the expensive versions, their Germanic handmade brethren. To amplify, take one 250-watt MAG series 1x15 Ashdown amp (designed by the bloke who pioneered Trace Elliot), plug in, and play.
For guitarists, Music Maker also stock a broad range of the much lauded Taylor, Takamine and Fender acoustics. For the electric fiend, they also carry the country's biggest selection of US and Mexican Strats, Teles, obscure 70's reissues and ridiculously expensive custom shop models, as well as a plethora of BC Rich and Jackson and the full Fender-endorsed economy Squire range.
Again for the drummers, the kick-ass DW collector's series will notch you well up into the red. However, the semi-pro Pearl Export kit, complete with matching wood shell snare drum, is slightly more pocket-friendly.
For keyboards, the Roland RS5 comes highly recommended for its great sound and top quality samples. It can also be hooked up to your computer where it'll spit out up to sixteen sounds at once on separate tracks. The beauty of this is that now a digital four-track recording system from Boss or Korg can be yours for a mere sliver of the £20,000 the same quality recording equipment would have cost you ten years ago.
Unfortunately, nothing is completely invincible, so in times of re-fretting, rewiring, or, ahem, reattaching, get thee to Eugene McLoughlin's Guitar Workshop (Richmond St, Portobello, Dublin 8). A guitar doctor for well over a decade, Eugene has worked with the likes of The Corrs, Hot House Flowers and Paul Brady, and offers all aspects of repair and customisation on acoustic, electric and bass guitars. His philosophy for repairs is to eliminate worries by getting the job done right, so you can just get on with the important stuff - playing.