Gear Talk with Kristian!

Hëëëj!

Ahh, as a booster only! That explains a thing or two, I think I've been confused as to how the pedal came to use, because I just got one to play with from a friend, and I had a hard time hearing how it could be your only source of distortion - that's what tubes are for :)

Gotta play around with it tomorrow (it's too late now to crank the volume) and see what I can get.

It's a little embarassing, but I've been practicing stringskipped tapped arpeggios* without compression until recently when I re-read this thread - now I'm having a much easier time! So far it's only minor 7th's and diminished arps, but I'm getting somewhere! :) My biggest problem is that my ears can't pick up the notes in any of the recordings where you use this (or a similar) technique, even when I slow them down and EQ - it's so much work!
The only complex-ish thing that I've picked up directly from CD without asking you so far has been the A-major lick from Nightside 6:55 on Live Gothic. I feel that it's as far as I can push it.

Therefore another question, not directly related to gear, but rather how to get most out of it by putting fingers at the right places at the right times: Could you be my hero of the summer and tell me a bunch of players who employ something similar to your technique, but who have to play slower because they suck more?
I feel I'm starting to hit a wall when trying to play your material, and because you have a tendency to switch between easier and hard stuff every (or very second bar), I can't ever get to play a complete solo of yours!
I have tried to find teachers who could lead me in the wrong direction, but most of those whom I speak to are not enough into the subject to pass on gold :)

Tell me, or I will have to come to Stockholm and take lessons!


/Jacob

* I'm tired as hell of that long word, somebody more famous than ought to make up a shorter name. Skiptarpeggios or Arpiskitappios or something.

EDIT: Oh, and by the way, thanks for caring for all those slightly too nitty-gritty questions :)
 
Hi

I hardly ever use compression, in fact, that was the only time Ive ever used it on distorted guitar. On clean yes, but I think it adds too much noise and shit for it to be really useful for me. I have so much gain anyway so it doesnt matter. If you want to build serious strenght so that it feels like you have a built-it compressor in your left hand (and yes, you do!), practice the legatostuff also on an acoustic with thick strings and high action. It will probably take months or even years before you can do any real effective playing on it but its worth it! Saves you from having to buy a compressor! :)

I can tell you a bunch of players Ive shamelessly stolen my stuff from, but unfortunately they are all BETTER and cooler than me!

Check out (You will recognize some if not all of these names Im sure):
Paul Gilbert, Bruce Bouillet, Greg Howe, Michael Lee Firkins, Derek Taylor and Scott Mishoe. Also Guthrie Govan is a REALLY scary motherfucker. All the post-Gilbert Texas shredders like Taylor, Scott Stine and Derryl Gabel employ these techniques in ways I couldnt even dream to touch so really listen to those guys for that type of playing. Especially Taylor who took the Gilbert legatostuff and took it probably as far as it can go. And he´s got a great tone! And he can also bend strings and he has a cool vibrato too! DAMN HIM!!!!!!!! :)

Also Shawn Lane has to be mentioned. Although he didnt do any tapping he´s probably my biggest influence in trying to get that sound he has when he plays at absolute warpspeed. You know when you hear a lick like that and you immediately have to run to the bathroom to take a dump cause it so scary! Thats the thing im going for...to make the audience run to the bathroom! :p

Feel free to come to Stockholm at any time to take lessons. But its gonna cost ya! :p

Good luck!
 
It will all be in D minor, the saddest of all keys...(from which movie?) :)

Neh, standard C# as usual. Im too lazy to crank the tuners so they stay where they are.
 
Hi, sorry for the late reply!

First of all, thanks for taking your time for the Four Horsemen knows which time :)

I was actually not familiar with just over half of the names you mentioned, but I did check them out - a very nice (if kind of small) broadening of my horzion once again.

Cactus Cruz with Firkins rules, it's a very nice album. Gowan is also fucking mad, gotta grab his album some time. I must say that even though I've overcome the initial ego and jealousy that many guitarists (including me) get when they see something completely awesome, he did make me feel like a caveman in some areas.

Feel free to come to Stockholm at any time to take lessons. But its gonna cost ya!
We'll see, maybe one day :)

My studies kicked in, so guitar practice time is getting sparse again. But it's worth it :)

Did you hear Uli's new album yet? It was released in Japan, but it didn't get out in Europe yet, and nobody has pirated it and put it online (oddly enough). I should've asked Keiko to bring a couple of copies now that she's in Poland watching Therion :p


Enough blah from me, cheers!

Jacob.

P.S: My dad gave me a CD with Jacob Fischer, a danish jazz guitarist. Check him out if you have the time - at least I enjoy it a lot. There's a load of free songs on the webpage that didn't make it on the CD due to lack of space.
 
It sound massive! I asked Ibanez to make me the fattest-sounding guitar ever and yes, it is FAT! Im still in disbelief that they actually gave me a beatiful customshop instrument....for free! I love those guys.

Hi there Kristian !
Can we by any chance see what this new beauty looks like ? What's it feeling like, after all those years with 540PII's ? (you made me discover that old Ibanez model btw !)
I'm looking forward to hearing it soon on the new album :heh:
 
Well, actually....its not going to be on the new album! At least not for the rhythm guitars.

I did a very thorough A/B test (or in this case a A/B/C/D/E/F test!) among my best guitars and for the kind of guitartone im going for this time my
oldest 540PII sounded the best: sharp, deep and full and it had that magical "chug" that I feel some guitars have. I still love my PII´s and I will never stop playing them, ever. However the CustomShop is a great addition to the arsenal and a fantastic instrument; it just didnt fit for this record. Ill see if i can dig up a picture somewhere...
 
Thanks for the pics ! Wow, killer finish ! Love that transparent purple and the maple top. Ok, to nitpick, I think it lacks a white binding around the neck, but I'm a sucker for those :heh:
I see they put you an original edge trem too, didn't knew they even made those anymore ! (but well, they made that RG550 20th anniversary, hmm. silly me.)
Anyway, it truely must be heavy as hell, my new main axe is a mahogamy RG2820 and it's killing me after long rehersals... I don't understand how people can play with 10kg Les Pauls ! :lol:
 
Im with ya on the binding, it looks badass. But my PII´s has it so I thought Id mix things up a little. I love the ol´ Edge trem so I had them put that on. And it sure is heavy! Not like a Paul but still.... need to see a chiropractor once a week with that thing! :)
 
Fuck my ass and call me a bitch! Look what Keiko found for me in a usedshop in Japan:
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My heart skipped when I saw it. I swear to god that I was close to firering off my childhood savings and taking a loan to import it.
 
200000 yen, or about €1700. To be frank, I will probably have to pass on it, especially if you are interested too (as long as I can try it one day ;P). Keiko is offering herself as a middleman to me, I guess she would be honored to do the same to you if you wish, just PM me or mail me at lordgraga@gmail.com if you want her mail.

EDIT: And if you sand it (I know you never would), I'm still gonna come to Stockholm to see you, but not for lessons ;)
 
Whoa!!
Thanks for the offer, but thats a bit much I think. Around 1000 Euro too much.
Its a gorgeous guitar though!
I just hate that Custom Made inscription on the 21st fret BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW IT ISN´T CUSTOM MADE!!! :)

Cheerz!
/k
 
Yeah, those inscriptions are confusing as hell at first sight. I've just been looking into getting an S540, and they all have it - you don't think it simply denotes a higher level of quality, like Prestige?
Was there only one quality level of 540P-II's made for sure? I always thought so, but I wouldn't be surprised if a higher quality version was released for the japanese market only - it wouldn't be the first time.
 
Wee! I'm getting a 540P-II next week from a friend of Chris, Konstantin Papavassiliou from Stockholm, but the whole finish is in a pretty bad shape, so I am going to completely refinish it (including headstock) - gotta be a big and fun project! Still doing research on the finish, though.

Kristian, about the finnishes of your main axes: How much did it impact on the tone of the guitar that you sanded it?

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