Below is some information on the instruments I play, and what tools I use with them. (A page or any like minded musicians who seek advice on finding new gear or for those who are just curious)
Guitar: I play a Taylor 312-CE model. It has good balance and for a small sized guitar it still has a nice amount of sound. It also has useful cutaway. I like the onboard electronics (Fishman Prefix System) as well. Lately my extreme favorite has been GHS "True Medium" strings, but I've also tried out D'addario phosophor-bronze mediums, elixers (no thanks), and martins.
I do quite a bit of finger picking, and for that style I like the tone of plastic picks (three). For flat picking I'll choose a .09 heft plectrum. (kind of in between medium and heavy.) Kyser capos work great, but I've also recently grown to like the big heavy "G-7" capo, it's pretty solid.
Dobro: I play a Regal resonator guitar, which is more of a student model. But, I sent this instrument down to a luthier, named Tim Scheerhorn, who gave it what he calls a "hot-rodded" fixup, which resulted in some great tone. He added a bone nut and put in a new resonator, of his own making. On this beast, I play on D'Addario Phosphor Bronze strings for resophonic guitar, and I use a Barcus-Berry pickup. (guitar and pickup found at Elderly Instruments, in Lansing, Michigan.)
I use a Scheerhorn bar, an M-20 Zookies pick for my thumb (it has a twisted tip for a good angle on the string), and two metal ProPick Reso.M picks for my index and middle fingers. The capo that I use for this instrument is also made by Scheerhorn. (dubbed, the fluxcapo)
Five-String Banjo: I play a Bart Reiter Elite on which I've put a five star mylar head. (Lately I've been thinking about changing back to the original fiber-skin head though, as it has a sweet tone due to the muffling of some extraneous overtones ((which can be beautiful too.)) Tough decisions! Bart Reiter is a maker in Lansing, MI, and I bought this instrument at the Elderly Instrument shop. I originally used Vega strings, but Martin has since bought their brand, so that's where you'll find the most similar sound. I find that most others are too bright for the clawhammer player.
Cittern: This is a Fylde cittern- found on E-bay. I use an open G tuning.
Fiddle: I have a Chinese violin, but it was prepared by a local a violin maker who used to live near my birth place. It's not expected to be the greatest fiddle, but I've played it alot, and I think it's really coming into itself. I've been looking around for other instruments for a while, and still the tone of this instrument is my current favorite. It will be a long search when I want to find a new friend.
I use to study classical viola quite a bit, and I was lucky to use this Mietek Rusnak viola from William Harris Lee Inc. in Chicago, Illinois ( Bill Lee bow.)
I get to play alot more bodhran when I'm at home (Upper Penninsula) around dance bands, but this drum made by Mance Grady in Cumberland, Rhode Island. I use one of his tippers as well.