I started my journey into music production as a vocalist. Along the way,I felt tired and bored of learning other artists’ songs, so I decided to create my own tracks. Thankfully I came across computer based music production around that time, of course with a very limited understanding about plugins and virtual instruments. I have a wide range of favorite music genres, in my music playlist it can go random from The Andrew Sister, change to Animal as Leaders, goes to Jhene Aiko’s song and later goes to a heavy techno track by Ansome. It pushes me to learn how to play guitar, synthesizer, sound design, and arrange music naturally.
Through those years of music production I found many inspiring music gear along the way. These are some of my favorite music gear (trust me, I could put so many gears in this list, but the Editor might yell at me, LOL).
Squier John 5 Signature Telecaster in Frost Gold
I have to put this on the list, because…it comes in gold colors. That’s it. The Telecaster body shape is one of my favorites, put it in a shiny gold color with matching headstock and it closes the deal. Personally, it’s a real beauty that comes with a custom humbucker with ceramic magnet on the bridge, and custom humbucker with Alnico 5 magnet on the neck. A humbucker pick up on the bridge of a John 5 telecaster truly matches the sound in my head, especially if You plug it with a high gain distortion pedal or switch on the high gain channel from your guitar amp VST. The weight is perfect, and as many guitar users said, the playability is amazing as well.
2. Golden Age Project PRE-73 MKII 
I don’t have a preamp unit to record my instrument into the DAW. I just plug my instruments straight to my audio interface. One day, I wanted to record my drum track from my Novation Circuit to create a new track for my post Industrial unit , HELMPROYEK. Adhit as our Tech Director at Kuassa, and by chance is the Bassist of HELMPROYEK, gave me a suggestion to use the Golden Age Project PRE-73 to record the drum track via the preamp. The result was satisfying. Each drum track, the kick, snare, hihat, percussion somehow sit perfectly with each other, felt glued into the song instantly. I didn’t touch any EQ parameter in the DAW yet, just tweaked the volume fader only and it sounds perfectly fit with another instrument like synthesizer and guitar. The classical 1073 module from Golden Age Project PRE-73 really gives me a sound character that is warm, punchy, sweet and musical.
3. Kenton Midi THRU-5
For me, all the people who invented Midi technology, developed them, and applied it to mass production music gear must go to heaven. Our drum machine, groovebox, synthesizers, delay and reverb pedals won’t be the same without it. Kenton THRU-5 will fit into your pedal board, or dawless setup flight case. It helps You sync the clock of Your Midi based gear, or let You control parameters from other gears flawlessly. It eliminates the hassle for your live performance. Small, durable, and of course affordable. Use it to record Your drum machine, synthesizers into the DAW, you are done.
4. AKAI MPC One
Using an MPC type instrument never crossed my mind until the MPC ONE was released. AKAI repackages existing elements from the established MPC Live and X, but at a more reasonable price. Stereo output, stereo input, midi I/O, 4 TRS CV/Gate Jack, connect your controller keyboard or audio interface into its USB Type-A port, use it as a controller with its USB Type-B. Multi sampling your mono synthesizer, and use it as a polyphonic instrument in MPC one. Record your vinyl collection, chop it, use it as your inspiration to create music. Its stock factory expansion pack contains a massive number of music loos. It provides You with great virtual instruments, Drumsynth, Tube synth, Hype synth, Electric piano. AKAI gave us a surprise guitar amp and cabinet simulator with the latest firmware update The latest firmware update 2.11 will be released on 23rd June 2022. It’s getting powerful, a stand alone DAW at your disposal.
5. Gibson SG ’61 Reissue Satin Cherry
My old friend lend me this SG to finish a music project. Maybe not the best Gibson out there, but it sure does its job perfectly. A pair of powerful ’57 Classic humbucking pickups on solid mahogany body, a three-way toggle switch, gives You a warm yet articulate voices from the neck position, crunchy and singing bridge tones, and sweet round sounds in between. I don’t have any issue with it’s baked maple fingerboard with acrylic trapezoid inlay. I used it for my project through Kuassa’s Amplifikation 360, and chosen the “Classic Tone RMMSTN” preset as my starting point, and it was great. The Gibson SG able to shine through the mix without too many EQing.