With the Melbourne Guitar Show just around the corner HEAVY caught up with guitarist Simon Hosford to find out his four favourite guitars.
Hosford – who is putting together a special Yngwie Malmsteen set of music for the show – is just one of a host of guitarists set to rock the grass off Melbourne’s Caulfield Racecourse on March 4 and 5, joining artists such as Eric Bibb (USA) in Q&A session, Nick Johnston (CAN), and Aussies Steph Strings, Hussy Hicks, Kathleen Halloran, Lloyd Spiegel, Kyran Daniel, Phil Manning & Nick Charles, Blues Roulette, Josh Smith (Northlane), King Canyon, Chris Bieniek, Opal Ocean, Joyce Prescher, Marcel Yammouni, Corey Legge, Charlie Bedford, Monica Weightman, James Ryan and Leon Todd.
Tickets available from: www.melbourneguitarshow.com.au.
Check out Simon’s picks below.
“I started playing classical guitar at age 5, but was always more into rock. I was fortunate enough at age 18 to land the gig in Virgil Donati’s fusion band On The Virg, and from there started touring around the world with Men At Work, Tommy Emmanuel and others. I now have a Van Halen tribute show called Aussie Van Halen that is about to tour the US, and am putting together this very special Yngwie Malmsteen concert for the Melbourne Guitar Show. And here are my favourite four guitars and a little about why I love them!”
Neil Daly custom built ‘5150’ replica Van Halen guitar
Joe Occhipinti custom built ‘Yngwie Malmsteen’ replica
Fender ‘Player Series’ Super Strat
Maton 808 acoustic guitar
- The ‘5150’ replica is a dream come true for me. Neil Daly built me an exact replica down to the paint scratches and wear of Eddie’s guitar used in the ‘Live Without A Net’ video, with a Bareknuckle ‘Rebel Yell’ pickup.
- The ‘Yngwie Malmsteen’ custom build by Joe Occhipinti is a work of art, butter cream colour, Bareknuckle ‘Trilogy Suite’ pickups, and brass nut.
- The Fender super strat is white, also with Bareknuckle pickups – a ‘VH2’ in the bridge, and ‘Mother’s Milk’ single coils, and with a Floyd Rose.
- The Maton 808 acoustic is special because it was a gift from Tommy Emmanuel, and has been my companion for almost 30 years.
