My Carlo Robelli (Sam Ash house brand name for a Chinese plywood bass) SB90 upright bass with adjustable bridge, D'Addario Helicore Hybrid strings, and Fishman BP100 pickup; purchasing a string instrument is a black art as is feeding and grooming one. I recently sanded the neck to fine tune the feel with 1200 grit sandpaper (it feels much better now than the way it came to me) and will French polish it when I get the chance. Oh, another thing an upright player needs to know is how to care for the amazing calluses that are needed to survive the punishment of the strings.

My '90s Carvin LB75 active bass (most likely somewhere between '92-'94 according to the online sources) with straplocks and gold hardware; my newest electric axe - wanted the B-string with frets (love that red metalic paint).
Look at the Carvin Instrument Museum for more information [http://www.carvinmuseum.com/]

My '95 Carvin LB76F active bass with straplocks; my current favorite axe - great neck and tone!

My '01 Marcus Miller Edition Fender J-Bass

My '76 Fender P-Bass has had the p/u & vol/tone cavities completely shielded with copper, EMG Select p/us substitution & badass bridge substitution

My '81 Daion XX-BF fretless bass; I was told this was purchased by the previous and first owner at the '81 NAMM show
Found this '81 price sheet on a Daion site [click here]

My first guitar purchased new at Reese's Music in Escondido, CA; it's a Takamine F-400 12 string to which I've added an active Fishman bridge p/u

Ah, can you say Santana! This is my vintage '77 Ibanez Artist which is played through a Mesa Boogie .50 Calibre combo amp

I pick this up more than any in my collection - plays so smoothly I forget I have a guitar in my hands. This is my Taylor 314ce I purchased in 2001 at Sims Music in Gainesville, FL

This is recent addition to feed my G.A.S. - guitar acquisition syndrome. Another eBay find, this is a 1992 Ovation Celebrity (model no. CC44 I think - label is missing inside the boat, er, bowl). I purchased this guitar so I won't freak out when playing guitar around the campfire at Scout outings with my son. I brought my Taylor to play with the boys a few times and noticed that 7 year olds and higher priced guitars do not mix well. This instrument fits the bill well, although I'm having to adjust to the narrow, electric guitar-like, neck profile, and should hold up well around "smores"

Alright, this is a bit too small for my hands. This is my daughter's Taylor 305K-GB with koa back and sides that I purchased via eBay to encourage her musicianship

This is the oldest stringed instrument in my stable. My mother bought this for me to help me forget that I was about to get my tonsils and adnoids removed at age 11. It is from 1970 as is made by Orlando (I have no idea about this maker but I never became a player like Earle Scruggs either).