Chris Standring.com

Guitars
My archtop guitar of choice is a Benedetto Bambino. This is the second Benedetto guitar I have owned.

Robert Benedetto made me my first archtop jazz guitar in 1995, custom made to certain specifications. I needed a great sounding guitar that could stand a little extra volume (most archtops are hollow bodies that can only take low levels without feeding back). To achieve this Bob placed a block down the centre of the guitar and modelled the style on a Gibson Birdland, whilst retaining all the classic elements of a Benedetto.

The new Bambino guitar is everything that my original guitar has and is a little smaller so it's great for travelling. A beautiful warm jazz sound. This guitar is featured heavily throughout my Blue Bolero album.

Strings
I am using D'addario half rounds at the moment, gauge 12 to 52.

Other guitars
2006 American Deluxe Sunburst Fender Strat
1998 White Fender Strat
Martin DX1 Dreadnought acoustic guitar
Levinson Blade Delta thinline (Telecaster)
Takamine EN60C Nylon acoustic guitar
Heritage jazz guitar (never use it. Offers? :)

Amps
I have been recording and playing through an Acoustic Image Clarus 2R head with 2 Raezer's Edge 12 inch speaker cabinets. I also love old Polytone amps and like to use one alongside the Acoustic Image set up in a live setting. I used Fender Twins for years (1965 Black Face reissue) and still do on th road, as they are usually available for rental and pretty reliable, but they don't quite have the warmth I am looking for now.

Effects
I use minimal effects these days. I like the sound to come from my fingers and a clean amp sound. I usually just have a little reverb and a small amount of delay and that's it.

My touring pedalboad is now a Boss ME-50 alongside a Rocktron Banshee talkbox.

My home made pedalboard consists of the following (which is pretty much now retired for portability nightmares):