Job: Mathematician @ UMIST
Started playing: 1987, I think. I picked up the guitar because of Bon Jovi, I guess, but it was hearing Steve Vai that made me practice three or four hours a day from the ages of 13 to 16 or so. I also learned most of Extreme's "Pornografitti".
After going away to university, I spent a long time mainly playing acoustic and vocal stuff, and piano, but several-year-long writing and recording collaboration with another student got me back onto electric. Then, more recently, I discovered Steve Morse, Eric Johnson, Zappa, and Dream Theater, so I'm back into trying to shred.
Main gear: Guitars: Ibanez JEM777DY, Ibanez RG450BK, Washburn N3, Squier Telecaster (soon to be Steve Morsed. Possibly), Crafter FX550 electroacoustic, Eko 12-string acoustic (with only six strings on), Hondo flying V (my first playable guitar), Squier/Aria mongrel superstrat (sans headstock), Westone bass (v. cheap and just barely usable).
Amps and FX (roughly in the order in the signal path): Morley Bad Horsie wah, Kenton midi switcher/loop controller, Rolls midi floorboard, Boss OD3 overdrive, MXR Dynacomp (early 80s reissue), Ibanez SD-9 Sonic Distortion (original), Chandler rackmount Tube Driver, Boss GL-100 Line Driver (preamp and speaker simulator), TC Electronic G Major, Marshall 8008 Valvestate 80+80 watt power amp, Marshall 2x12" cab, Samson Powerbrite power conditioner, Korg DTR-1 rack tuner, Behringer patch bay
Most of this lives in a 12u rack. All the pedals except the Bad Horsie are on a slide-out shelf and switched in and out by the Kenton.
"Studio" kit: Red Submarine PC, with SB Live Platinum, Joe Meek VC3Q mic preamp/compressor/eq, Digitech TSR-12 studio fx thingy, Some rather average mics, Roland D100 rackmount synth module, Yamaha keyboard/workstation type thing, Yamaha 4-track, now largely retired.
Other: Roughly a metric ton of cables, some of which don't crackle. Roughly a hundredweight of Dunlop Gatorgrip 2mm picks, which I evangelise wherever guitarists gather (UKMG converts include Clive Murray.)
Favourite music: Steve Vai, first by miles. He was the man who made me get serious about the guitar. Mike Keneally, Steve Morse, Van Halen, Frank Zappa, Dweezil Zappa, Eric Johnson, John Petrucci, Paul Gilbert...