Silber Media interviewed Mike Cosper of Sojourn Music about guitar gear. I thought the article was insightful and awesome. So in the good nature of trying to sound important, I copied the questions and answered them how I would've...if they had asked me.
Name: Ben Hancock
Bands: Of Time and Tide, also worship leader at Passage Community Church.
Website: www.myspace.com/oftimeandtide
QRD – What was your first guitar & what happened to it?
Ben – My parents bought me a Peavey Raptor II for Christmas when I was 15. It was a strat knock-off. It never stayed in tune, so after three months of listening to me make horrible noises, they gave in and got me a tuner. I still have that guitar, and the tuner.
QRD – What’s your typical setup from guitar to effects to amplifier?
Ben – My main guitar is a Gibson SG Standard, and I use a combination of Planet Waves and Monster cables. From the guitar, it goes through a Boss Tuner, BBE Green Screamer, Morley Little Alligator Volume Pedal, MXR Phase 90, Digitech Digidelay, Holy Stain Reverb Pedal, and MXR Carbon Copy Analog Delay. My amp is a Marshall TSL 60 head that runs into an Avatar Traditional 4x12 cab.
QRD – What’s the most important part of your rig – guitar, amplifier, or effects?
Ben – I agree with Mike Cosper about the player's hands being the most important part. But beyond that, I'd say the guitar. If you have a good guitar, you can send a quality tone through your amp, but it comes back to the hands. If you can't play, then it doesn't really matter what guitar you're playing.
QRD – What’s your main amplifier & why?
Ben – My main amp is a Marshall TSL 60 with an Avatar Traditional 4x12 cab. The TSL 60 is a 60W version of the head which also comes in a 100W version. I love the lower wattage. It growls and drives the tubes at a lower volume, which is perfect for small venues and use at church. The Avatar is my favorite cab in the world. I've had several cabs in the past, including a Marshall, but the Avatar has superior quality and tone. And it just looks cool, you gotta admit.
QRD – What’s your main guitar & what are the features that make it such?
Ben – The guitar that’s been my main guitar for the past several years is a Gibson SG Standard. The neck is fast, and the pickups are so responsive. I also have a '72 Tele Custom that I installed a Seymore Duncan Little '59 into the bridge pickup. It keeps the tele spank, yet gives a bit more growl.
QRD – If you had a signature guitar, what would it look like & what would some of its features be?
Ben – I would like to put some Burstbucker Pro humbuckers into my SG, then it would be perfect. I'd call it the "Ben Hancock 5000"
QRD – If you had a signature pedal, what would it be & what would some of its features be?
Ben – It would be some sort of analog delay.
QRD – How many guitars do you own?
Ben – 3 electrics, two acoustics, 1 bass
QRD – How & where do you store your guitars?
Ben – In the my spare bedroom/gear room.
QRD – What features do you look for when buying a guitar?
Ben – It has to feel natural, have nice action, and good intonation. After that, aesthetics are secondary.
QRD – How much do you think a good guitar should cost?
Ben – I can't justify spending tons. I spent about $1400 on the SG and I'm not sure I'd pay that again, unless the axe is amazing. Good acoustics tend to run more. I actually traded my 30GB iPod for a Takamine, straight up.
QRD – Do you upgrade & customize your guitars or just stick with what you get?
Ben – I don't make many changes, maybe a new pickup or something.
QRD – How thoroughly do you research or test a piece of equipment before buying it?
Ben – I research everything pretty in-depth. Read the reviews, chat with users, watch youtube clips.
QRD – Do you change your rig around often?
Ben – Just minor changes to effects. I've had the same amp/guitar set up for about three years now.
QRD – Are you after one particular guitar tone & locking into it, or do you like to change your tone around a lot?
Ben – Everyone is chasing the elusive mega tone. I don't mess with it too much. I usually just plug in and go.
QRD – What are some guitars, amps, & pedals you particularly lust after?
Ben – Guitars: Gibson Explorer, Tele Thinline, and Taylor 514. Amps: Marshall Plexi, anything by Dr Z, Vox AC30, Freda and Orange Cabs. Effects: EXH Memory Man echo delay, Boss RC20XL loop station, anything vintage.
QRD – What do you think are some important features to be on a person’s first guitar that aren’t always there?
Ben – Good tuners, good pickups.
QRD – What have been the best & worst guitar related purchases you’ve made?
Ben – Best: the SG, Marshall amp, Carbon Copy delay. Worst: H20 chorus/echo pedal, Epiphone acoustic (I was poor, it's all I could do).
QRD – What are some effect, amp, & guitar brands you particularly like or dis-like & why?
Ben – Gibson and Fender guitars (but not Strats). I love boutique style tube amps like Bad Cat, Dr Z, Top Hat, etc. But Marshall, Vox, and vintage Mesa Boogies are awesome too.
QRD – What’s the first thing you play when you pick up a guitar?
Ben – Something by Copeland
QRD – How old were you when you started playing guitar?
Ben – When I was 14 I would sneak over to my neighbors to play his imitation Strat until my parents got me the Peavey Raptor II for Christmas at 15.
QRD – At what age do you think you leveled up to your best guitar playing?
Ben – Probably just after college. I was in a band with an amazing guitar player named Matt Richards who taught me everything I know about tone and techniques.
QRD – Why do you think a guitar fits you more so than other instruments?
Ben – Come on, chicks dig a guy with a six string. Also, I don't have the work ethic to start a new instrument. I'm a horrible piano player and can only play very basic drum beats.
QRD – Do you think guitar should be people’s first instrument as often as it is?
Ben – No. I agree with Mike Cosper on this one. I think you should start with a melodic instrument, especially if you start an instrument at a very young age. Maybe a horn or piano.
QRD – Do you see your guitar as your ally or adversary in making music?
Ben – It varies. My hands tend to gravitate towards something comfortable and familiar, so I have to force myself to get creative. I guess it depends on my mood.
QRD – Who are the guitarists that most influenced your playing & sound?
Ben – My influences were Andy Moore (Deas Vail), Joseph Milligan (Anberlin), James Usher (Edison Glass), Matt Carter (Emery), Cody Bonnette (As Cities Burn), and Jim Adkins (Jimmy Eat World).
QRD – Do you think people anthropomorphizing their guitars is natural or silly?
Ben – I think it's okay. People name their boats, cars, and even body parts. So why should a guitar be different?
QRD – What’s the most physical damage you’ve done to a guitar & how did you do it?
Ben – I'm too chicken to smash a guitar on stage, but I've put some doozy belt buckle scratches on the back of a few guitars.
QRD – What do you do to practice other than simply playing?
Ben – I break up my practicing into a few sections. First is "technique and scales." I try to run through major and minor scales from each fret moving up the neck to the 12th fret. I get to use each key's major/minor scale. I'm getting better at the various modes, but I don't practice them as often as I should. Then second is "rehearsal", where I do a run-through of my band's set list or whatever I am playing for the next Sunday's church service. Then last is "experimentation or songwriting." I mess around with the effects or a new riff and just see what happens. Songs sometimes just write themselves this way.
QRD – How many hours a week do you play guitar & how many hours would you like to?
Ben – I practice about 5 hours a week with the band. Then I try to practice at least 45 mins to an hour on off days, which depends on my schedule and what's on tv that night. Then tack on extra hours if we are playing a show, or having worship practice.
QRD – What type of pick do you use & why?
Ben – Fender mediums. Red. I also have this thin, green pick I use for acoustic. No idea where I got it. It has ridges on it for grip. Keeps thinks percussive and light on the Takamine.
QRD – What gauge strings do you use & why?
Ben – Acoustic – Elixor Med/Lights, Electric – Ernie Ball Hybrids 9-46.
QRD – How often do you change strings?
Ben – Since I play a lot, they wear down pretty quick.
QRD – How often do you break strings?
Ben – I tend to break strings often. I just rock too hard, I guess.
QRD – Which do you feel is more proficient, your strumming hand or fretting hand & how does that effect your style?
Ben – Strumming for sure. I have slow fingers on my left hand. I need to get those finger weights and play with those to strengthen them up. My right hand can handle complicated rhythms and switching strings without looking and all that good stuff.
QRD – Do you setup your guitar yourself or send it to a guitar tech (or not set it up at all) & why?
Ben – I really don't mess with it too much. If I have problems or it feels weird, I take mine to ATD Guitar Repair in St Charles, MO.
QRD – What tunings do you use & why?
Ben – Drop D with the band, standard at church. Sometimes I'll go down a half step and transpose on the fly just to keep me on my feet.
QRD – Do you prefer tablature, sheet music, or some other notation system for writing down your own ideas?
Ben – A combination of those. I try to record a phrase or riff if I can.
QRD – How high do you hold your guitar when playing (strap length)?
Ben – I put the weight of the guitar on my belt, or just above. I don't like straining for those upper frets like I used to in my punk rock days of high school.
QRD – What’s a bad habit in your playing you wish you could break?
Ben – I tend to start solos on the root, I don't use my pinky on my fret hand enough, and my finger picking is really sloppy.
QRD – Playing what other instrument do you think can most help someone’s guitar playing?
Ben – Piano. Keys help with the understanding of chord voicing and melody.
QRD – What’s a type of guitar playing you wish you could do that you can’t?
Ben – Sweep picking, double finger tapping, fast triplets.
QRD – What’s a guitar goal you’ve never accomplished?
Ben – Learning both solos to "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen. My buddy Taylor can do it, but I for some reason can't get my fingers to cooperate so I don't put forth the continual effort to learn.
QRD – What’s the last guitar trick you learned?
Ben – Open string finger tapping.
QRD – Did you ever take guitar lessons & if so, what did you learn from them?
Ben – I took them for about 6 months, then I quit cause I felt like I was getting ripped off by my teacher. I was just learning songs, I wasn't learning technique or any sort of skills. Aside from one semester in college (before clepping out of the next three class levels), I taught myself everything else. But sometimes I still watch instructional videos and read technique mags.
QRD – What would you teach someone in a guitar lesson that you don’t think they would generally get from a guitar teacher?
Ben – How to tune your guitar by ear. Kids these days have no idea how, and never seem to bother buying a tuner.
QRD – What’s something someone would have to do to emulate your style?
Ben – Listen to a lot of Juliana Theory or Further Seems Forever.
QRD – What’s your take on tremolo systems?
Ben – I'm not really a fan. I'd kind of like a bigsby on my Tele, but that's about it.
QRD – What do you see as the difference between lead guitar & rhythm guitar players?
Ben – My favorite quote by Mike Cosper on guitar is that, "lead guitar is committed to working with, responding to, and echoing the melody. Rhythm guitar is committed to supporting the melody." I totally agree.
QRD – If a band has good guitar work, can you ignore the rest of the band not being good?
Ben – Only on rare occasions.
QRD – What famous musician’s guitar would you like to own & why?
Ben – Brian May's Red Special. Though, I'm not sure I could make it sing like he does.
QRD – Who do you think is currently the most innovative guitar player & why?
Ben – Cody Bonnette from As Cities Burn writes some really creative licks, but I usually think that the most innovative players play as a team. For instance, Josh and James from Edison Glass, Chad and Kevin from La Dispute, Jim and Tom from Jimmy Eat World, or Colin and Branden from Circa Survive.
QRD – Where can people hear your best guitar work?
Ben – Around St Louis or on tour with Of Time and Tide.
QRD – Anything else?
Ben – Rock n Rule
