Dave Lazar's Guitars

While fooling around with some old radio amplifiers and tape recorders, I came across an amazing tone. Plugging my guitar into an old Wollensack reel to reel tape deck produced a rich distorted sound that would sing on and on, all at a very low volume. AHA! Now playing along with the radio was awesome and I can't tell you how many hours I spent overdriving that little tape deck. I guess, since then I've always known when a certain piece of equipment had that AHA factor. I've been playing guitar on and off since the age of 13, and get huge amounts of joy from making music and entertaining.

I love the equipment that I use today and would recommend any of the stuff I regularly play. My Paul Reed Smith guitars are my main instruments and I think they can cover all bases of music. I have many Strat style guitars, and I have an awesome LesPaul. but the PRS can sound dark or light, heavy or clean, and everything in between. I adore my hollow Tom Anderson, but couldn't get along without my Paul Reed Smith Custom 24. I was very happy with my PRS plugged into my little Mesa Boogie, but wanted something a little bit louder. I found a Rivera 100 watter that sounded similar but would peel the paint off the walls at any volume above 3. But now, I think I've found the holy grail of tone.

Plugging the old PRS into my Bogner Shiva Combo is like heaven. God, that amp can't make a bad sound! The clean channel is chimey and loud. The distortion channel is so versatile, it can go from a mild growl to balls out grind. The reverb is amazing, and add to that the boost switch, and now I leave my effects unit home! For the last few years I've relied on My DigiTech processors (GNX2 and RP2000) for guitar effects, and they are much better than the six foot long pedal board I had in the 80's. I plugged it straight into the front end of the Jazz Chorus or the Boogie, and used it for Delay, Phaser, Flanger, Wah, etc. I still use the effects when I play with a band.

A few years ago, while playing at an open mic, I realized that I hadn't had an acoustic guitar that didn't hurt my fingers or stay in tune ever! I played a friend's Ovation and thought it was great. I bought a 1988 Ovation Collectors Edition, and even though it was awkward to play, it sounded great plugged in. In 2003, I got a 2001 Taylor 710CE and at home I'm never more than 10 feet from this wonderful machine. It begs me to play it, and it's tone is simply to die for. I can't imagine being happier with any acoustic instrument. I use DR strings on my acoustics, and Ernie Ball on my electrics.