This was my first electric guitar, a Squier Strat. I once wrote that it was a model that just screams to have a sticker stuck to the body that says: "My other guitar is a Les Paul." I meant a Gibson, but an Epiphone will do.

When I started playing I wasn't sure whether I'd still be playing now, let alone learning the things I'm trying to play, so I don't regret playing safe and going for the budget option. Because that's what Squiers are. Yes, they're licensed by Fender, but there's nothing quite like the real thing.

Of course, what you save in money, you forfeit in other departments, namely tone. The Squier Strat basically has none. To compensate, I invested in the Digitech RP200 digital effects processor below. As well as being a myriad of effects pedals, it also gives the sound more bite. But alas, an artificial, processed bite. I don't really call it Boris.

Now I have the Epiphone, I keep the Squier detuned all the time. Back when it was my main guitar, I never tuned it lower than drop-D because tuning it back up again was just asking for string breakage. Now that I don't have to tune it up again, though, I have it tuned to C, G, E flat, B flat, F and C, the tuning for "No-One Knows" by QOTSA.