Kara Grainger's an Australian native and current resident of Los Angeles, plays a sort of modified country-blues-pop, that is hard to fit neatly into a genre. Her first release, Grand And Green River is out on Australian label, Craving Records. And they are looking for a deal in the USA. Grainger played, with her brother, in Balmain (outside Sydney) in the band Papa Lips.

Grainger is set to play at the 2007 Austin City Limits Music Festival in mid September and her music is heard in hundreds of Starbucks as part of that company's "Contemporary Grind" in-store music broadcasts. Grainger took some time to answer some guitar questions for Gearwire.

"My main guitars are a Stratocaster with a Rosewood neck from 1962 and a body from the 80’s, Martin 00028 Eric Clapton, Acoustic Harmony with DeArmond pick up, and A new Hound dog Dobro with a 10 year old resonator and cone," says Grainger. " I’ve always gravitated towards strats, 62 has always been one of my favourite ,the neck is perfect, not to wide, nice and smooth and perfect for playing blues and rock. The body itself is not too heavy and I love playing in the out of faze positions for a more funky tone."

She says the Martin, now that it is a bit older is becoming a beautiful guitar for finger picking. It is the main guitar she uses for writing as well. The DeArmond is a 1960s

"I picked up the Harmony in Australia and my guitar tech at the time put me on to the DeArmond, I was looking for a unique slide sound, and when I put it through a booster pedal the amp breaks up really nicely and gives the guitar a really warm tone that breaks up nicely," she says. "I use the dobro more for when I’m playing solo shows or with a small band, I’m learning to use metal picks at the moment but otherwise I’ll sometimes use a pick and sometimes not. I like playing it through any good Fender Tube Amp, with my ibanez tube screemer."

Grainger also has a Gibson lap steel that she is learning to play, a 62 reissue Strat and a Gibson SG. She wants to get a "really nice" electric slide guitar. While she says the Harmony is great it has limitations.

"I really like hollow body Hofners .Also Maton acoustic guitars have the best in built pick up system I have heard and also sound great not plugged in, so I’d like to get one of those next time I’m in Australia. Also I’d love to own a Telecaster." says Grainger.

Like many musicians she also has a guitar that "got away. Usually this means it wound up in a pawn shop to pay rent but not in Grainger's case.

"I actually lost my Maton at a show in Sydney a few years back, I regret that because it was a great work horse guitar and had a lot of memories," says Grainger.

Grainger will be touring around the Southwest for a few months then head to Australia for the release of her CD.

"It looks like I'll be back in the states in February for more touring and to release my CD here." says Grainger.