Simone Dow and her Ernie Ball Music Man JPX seven string guitar
Show & Tell is where we get artists to tell us about a piece of gear that they cherish and use as a part of their live or studio setup. This month we chat with Simone Dow, guitarist for Voyager, who are heading out on tour next month with Chaos Divine.
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What piece of equipment do you have to show us today?
This is my Ernie Ball Music Man JPX seven string guitar.
How did you come across this particular item?
A long-time colleague and friend who became a rep for Ernie Ball Australia had been asking me to try their guitars for some time. Eventually, I came to really love the look and feel of the Music Man guitars and wanted something with a higher attention to detail than what I was playing at the time. Funnily enough, I picked the JPX purely on specs, as it’s all the woods and features I would have picked if I were to build my own custom guitar. When I opened the case up for the first time and played it, I was not disappointed.
What is it that you like about it so much?
I love how easy it is to play. The feel of the neck is absolute bliss. The dynamics, sustain and tone from the instrument are out of this world. And like I mentioned, it has all my favourite features: ebony fretboard, semi-chambered Alder body with maple top and mahogany neck, not to mention the little things like the body shape and the five-way switch. It ticks all my boxes both in feel and tone.
How do you use it and how has it shaped the way you write music?
It’s my main workhorse for Voyager, used in recordings and all live performances. The biggest thing has been the inspiration it’s given me in terms of my ideas for solos and guitar sections. When you fall in love with an instrument and it’s so effortless to play, everything else falls into place.
Tell us a little about what you have coming up?
Voyager are heading on tour around Australia in July with our good friends Chaos Divine, and we’ve just finished our seventh album which should be released by the end of the year. Of course, there will be some more music to be teased before the album is released too, which we can’t wait for everyone to hear.
Catch Simone Dow and Voyager on the road with Chaos Divine this July.
