Trumpet: C Bach Stradivarius with 229 bell, CML bore (0.459"), 25A leadpipe, silver plated. This is a C trumpet with a second set of slides to convert it to Bb, which is how I generally play it; it retains much of the lightness of tone associated with C trumpets even so. Purchased used in 2003 to replace the old lacquered Bb Strad I'd had since 1970. This horn is the real deal. It speaks easily through the entire range, the valves are fast and light, the tone is bright yet full and it's pretty, too. And, for jam sessions with unfamiliar guitarists, I can 'cheat' and make it a non-transposing trumpet. I use a Bach 1-1/2C mouthpiece.

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Flügelhorn: Bb Yamaha YFH-231S, silverplated. Purchased used in 1986. This is Yamaha's non-professional flugel, so it doesn't have vertical valve tubing and Monel valves, but it still has the fat, mellow tone that works so well for solos and blends so nicely in section work (I've always loved the synergy of a flügelhorn and a tenor sax). It also has a 0.445" bore, which makes it play more like a trumpet: eases switching back & forth. It's served me well since I picked it up in a pawn shop in Colorado Springs, Colorado in the 80's. A Bach 7 mouthpiece for this horn deepens the tone amazingly; so much, that mostly I use a 1-1/2C.

Cornet: Bb Bach Model CR310, lacquered. Another non-professional level horn, but still, a nice, extremely playable cornet. The 310 is the "shepherd's crook" style, which gives this compact horn the darkest tone short of a flügelhorn, helping it blend seamlessly. The cornet is less brilliant than the trumpet, and more agile (same bore as my trumpet). It's a shame more aren't played professionally since their poularity was eclipsed by the trumpet; they have a voice worth hearing. Mine gets occasional use when I'm after that sound. I use a Bach 1-1/2C mouthpiece.

Frumpet: Eb Getzen lacquered. At first glance, this appears to be the offspring of an unhallowed mating between a trumpet and a funnel. Turns out they were made as a marching version of a French Horn, and, as such, were wildly unsuccessful. But it's a low brass that uses an embouchure very close to the trumpet's, which makes it useful for me. It has a mellow, horn-like tone, and is quite playable, in spite of its infamy among Horn players. I use a Bach 10S mouthpiece, as closest to my trumpet's in size and shape. Purchased used in 2003 (not currently used in performance).

Flute: Gemeinhardt silver plated, sterling head, closed hole. Barcus-Berry pickup installed. Purchased new after a year playing on a used Bundy. The transition was like changing from an International Harvester to a Porsche. Light, smooth action, less shrill up top, easy 'speaking' in the bottom octave. Given that flute, for me, takes third place (after trumpet and keyboards), I need one that's easy to play.

Piccolo: Armstrong silver plated. I'd wanted one of these ever since hearing Hubert Laws play jazz using the bottom register of one. Even though I'll never play like Mr. Laws, it's a neat sound. Plus, Hey, it's a pocket flute!

Recorders: Möllenhauer soprano, alto and tenor. Purchased new around 1968 (not currently used in performance; present band doesn't do madrigals or folk). The tenor recorder's in the same range as the flute, but has a great, "organic" sound. No plans to acquire any panpipes, pennywhistles, shakuachis, etc. at present.

Wind controller: Casio "saxophone". It was really made as a toy, but had surprisingly good MIDI implementation, and optional recorder-style fingering, which works for me. Purchased new around 1988.

Master: Yamaha DX7 digital synthesizer, purchased new in 1984. The best-selling synth ever, this is still one of the most playable 5-octave keyboards I've tried, with both velocity and aftertouch sensitivity, as well as the highly unusual (and extremely effective) breath controller, all of which adds up to musicality. It weighs a lot less than the Rhodes 73 I used before. Mine is enhanced with the Grey Matter Response E! card, without which the original DX7 had the severe MIDI limitations of its day (Yamaha later bought the technology from GMR; much is included on later models, like the DX7II). The E! card gives the DX7 many wonderful capabilities. I've gigged with this keyboard for over 20 years now, and it's been in for repair once, when I broke a key. It still sounds great (live, at least - 12-bit DACs are a tad noisy by modern standards, though a DX7II gets you 4 more bits). One advantage of such an old keyboard, if it was popular, is that there are now literally thousands of sounds programmed for it, available on the Internet (and even if only 0.1% are great . . ). Programming the Yamaha FM synths is not for the faint of heart, but can be richly rewarding; I find that creating a truly playable sound will always result in major inspiration.

Digital: Yamaha TX81Z digital synthesis module, purchased new in 1986. This is a 4-operator FM synth in a single-space rack unit. Its polyphony is limited (8 voices divided by number of layers), but it does a great job on monophonic sounds (bass, leads), and works well doing what I use it for mostly: adding additional life to a sound (like doing just the sympathetic resonance of a piano). 12-bit DACs, again, but it's good live.

Sampler: E-Mu ESI 4000 sampler, purchased new in 2001. This is a modern sampler, with 18-bit DACs (i.e., quiet), sample memory up to 128MB (mine has 48MB - plenty for now), stereo output, better-than-CD quality sampling, modern MIDI implementation and SCSI interface for external storage. It's a two-space rackmount unit, so it just went into the spot my Mirage (see below) had lived in. I hooked a Zip drive up to its SCSI port; 100MB holds a very nice library of setups waiting just seconds away. And, in the studio, I add CD-ROM & 4GB hard drives. E-Mu's library of samples on CD-ROMs is so extensive that I haven't done much sampling with it yet, so I can't really say how easy that is to do. Otherwise, I'm very pleased with its sound and ease of use.

Analog: Roland Juno106 analog synthesizer, purchased used in 2001. This is one of the last analog synths to have real knobs and sliders, while being late enough to have digitally controlled oscillators, decent MIDI implementation and digital patch memory. I've wanted such a beast since my PAiA P-4700/J modular synth died in the early 80s. I'd had enough time with patchcords and no memory, though, to appreciate the value of being able to store 128 setups. The 106 isn't the fattest analog synth around, and it doesn't understand velocity or aftertouch, but it sure is easy and fun to play, and it's a blast to achieve the ambient, warm, buzzy, clanky, funky or just plain weird sound you hear in your head as being right. Plus, Roland's design for the combination pitch-bend/filter/modulation lever is, (unfortunately, since it didn't catch on), much more playable than wheels. And, again, tons of pre-programmed sounds, out on the Internet.

Mixer: SLE82, from Music And More, purchased new in 2002. This is a single-space rackmount unit that has four stereo channels (or 8 mono), each with independent effects send. Very useful, reasonably priced. Lets me send one signal to my amp, the board, etc., all nicely mixed.

Effects: Alesis MidiVerb4, purchased new in 2003. This is a great little (single-space rackmount) unit: stereo, 18-bit digital multi-effects with program changes and real-time parameter control via MIDI. Using the effects send of the line mixer, I process each of my sounds as desired. Nice reverbs, choruses, great Leslie simulation (try making a good B3 sound without Leslie), all completely programmable, so that, in performance, it all just works. Cool.

Additional effects pedals: I also use a Small Stone phase shifter sometimes (that I bought new, back in the '70s). I sometimes process my flute through a Barcus-Berry preamp, a Boss Compressor / Limiter which helps keep the low range from being too much quieter than the high without changing the EQ, and evens things out for further processing by a Boss Stereo Chorus, or a Boss Octave Doubler. All purchased new at various times.

"Reserve" Sampler: Ensoniq Mirage sampler, purchased used around 1988. This was the world's first truly affordable sampler; I have the two-space rackmount version, as shown, not the keyboard version. In many ways, the Mirage is crude by modern standards: 8-bit (though floating-point) sampling at well-below-CD rates, with sample memory limited to what you can fit on a single-sided 3.5" floppy disc and 144KB of RAM, but it has a lot of sample-manipulation power and real analog filters. If you have one of these, you need the operating system by Dick Lord of Upward Concepts, as it removes many of the limitations of early MIDI implementation. These are still in use, as they really are easy to use, and sometimes you want the clearly-artificial sound of low-bit, low-rate sampling. I no longer use the Mirage in performance; it's been replaced, after years of faithful service, by the E-Mu sampler above.

Miscellaneous Gear: cases for everything, including a small 6-space rack case with lids and handles, dust (& beer - you never know) covers for keyboards. Yamaha RX-21 drum machine (very basic). Alesis MMT-8 sequencer (Very easy to use; works like a multi-track tape deck.).

Amplifier: I play through a Roland Cube 60 Keyboard amp for stage volume and smaller rooms. It has reverb, 3-band EQ, and a quiet preamp out jack for the P.A. My spine appreciates its compact size and weight, and you don't need more. Unless you don't care if you can hear stuff later in life; personally, I don't think I have the ability to function as a deaf musician.