Check out Jimmy Kimmel tonight!

[Scooter]

http://abc.go.com/watch/jimmy-kimmel-live/SH559060/VD55191170/jimmy-kimmel-live-410

This episode. Skip to the end, but you'll have to watch 1:30 of commercials.
What a cool job.

[Ace]

Nice gig Ace. Are you also Slash's "Hat-Tech"?

No, his bodyguard takes care of the hat. And I NEVER EVER use duct tape, that stuff leaves a nasty residue on everything it touches. If people use duct tape on my stuff I scream at them. I only use gaff tape, at $17/roll.

And Slash's, and my, favorite guitar of his is the Derrig Les Paul, the original Appetite for Destruction guitar which the new Slash "AFD" signature guitars are modeled after. However we don't use it live, it mostly lives in a vault and we bring it out for recording. That being said, ALL of his guitars are nice, and all of them have been well cared for, by myself and his techs before me, though some have seen some HEAVY use.

As for my tools, I have two giant work boxes(that travel separately with the "A" and "B" rigs) that contain all sorts of tools from framing hammers to Dremels so I basically have two workshops on wheels. I also have a smaller workbox that can be checked as luggage that carries most what I need to do most guitar repairs and electrical work and can carry enough for most tours.

Finally I have what I call my "carry-on rig" which is what I can fit into a backpack and can actually be in carry-on luggage on a plane. I use it for one-off's without the full band, more when Slash makes a guest appearance somewhere, like when we went to Vegas for Mohammed Ali's birthday or when we did the Canadian National Anthem at Rogers Center last month to kick off a supercross race. It contains the following:

Peterson StroboFlip
Boss TU-3 tuner
capo (for checking neck relief)
feeler gauges
Planet Waves string winder-cutter(I only use it because it is the least scary looking thing I have that can cut guitar strings)
Dunlop RoadPro Guitar string winder(THE BEST string winder there is)
small #1 Phillips screwdriver
5/16" nut driver(for Gibson truss rods)
metric truss rod wrench(whatever the standard size is, like 5mm I think)
1.5-5mm Metric Allen wrench set
4" Vise Grips(these fuckers ROCK!!!)
Double headed Seymour Duncan Standard/Phillips screwdriver(about the size of a fountain pen with Standard and Phillips drivers on either side. I don't know if they sell them or just give them away. Seymour gave me a few last time I went up to the factory)
6" Standard Engineers ruler(flush zero end 1/64" accuracy)


Note: No hand tools are over 7" in length. If I need anything not in this kit I make someone go get me one or just buy or borrow it if I can.

[sixx_ gunner]

Thanks Ace! Very cool of you to share your great job details! Enjoy! Slash is my favorite.

[eakinj]

And see me and my boss at work! Photo courtesy of every guitar tech's best friend, Scott Uchida

Cool then I guess you got to go over when Slash did Top Gear? Did you get to watch the lap live? I watched that episode his version of Jessica was awesome (OOps wait i don't think that's shown in the US yet.. spoilers.. cough cough)

[gotwtt]

yea that was a cool version he played

[eakinj]

yea he even played the Top Gear theme tune at the end very cool

Top Gear theme = Jessica. Well a warped version there of. http://youtu.be/suJ41oyLBhg

pretty damn cool, i'm enjoying watching them on repeat on BBC-America

[gotwtt]

Top Gear theme = Jessica. Well a warped version there of. http://youtu.be/suJ41oyLBhg

pretty damn cool, i'm enjoying watching them on repeat on BBC-America

was that a strat i liked it better with the giby

[xenophobe]

Man, he must use the thinnest guitar straps ever made! ...must have shoulders of steel there!

I use a 1" leather strap for either guitar or bass. If I use something wider my shoulder starts to ache. A thinner strap also helps to keep your instrument positioned better.

Then again, I was used to carrying an M16 w/M203 on a 1" sling, so maybe that has something to do with my preference....

[Boxcar Willie 84]

Ace you are still my god damn hero. I did a few tours teching a few years ago, and while I really missed playing at the time, I am really missing real touring at this point. Congratulations on your success!

[goodwood]

Ha, you look so serious!

I'd look serious too.

I get my best Slash tone with my '77 Custom loaded with the original T-Tops.

I get it with a 2004 Studio with Lindy Fralins