This article series is about the tools of popular guitarists or bassists.. What are their favorite guitars or basses and how is it related to them? This time with Kylan Amos (Arena).
When you start bass playing and do you remember your first bass?
I started playing when I was thirteen. Christmas 1986 my Parents bought me an Aria Cardinal 2 series bass in black. At school there were a number of guitarists but no bass players, so I became a bassist and suddenly I’m wanted! My older brother was a big music fan, I remember him playing AC-DC, Queensryche, Iron Maiden, Ozzy, Whitesnake, Saxon, Pink Floyd, Genesis and others. I found myself really enjoying it, watching these bands on TV and thinking how I would love to be on the stage playing great music.
What are your influences and which bass players are your favs?
My first influence was John Taylor from Duran Duran. Watching their videos from that time I remember them just looking really cool, the music was great (still is!) and John was using Aria basses, specifically SB1000’s. The Duran Arena video from 1984 he used a black SB1000 which just looked great to me, since then have always wanted one (still hunting!). Steve Harris from Iron Maiden is another influence. I remember watching Top of the pops, The Trooper video was on the Top of the pops show, and I remember thinking wow, this is awesome!! This is awesome Billy Sheehan is the other main influence, just a god on bass! Watching the Dave Lee Roth videos from the Eat’em and smile album with Billy and Steve Vai were amazing. Another moment that was important to me was seeing Jake E Lee play Bark at the Moon with Ozzy on Top of the pops, watching this guitarist playing that monster riff and solo again, blew me away, and I realised that’s what I wanted to be, a musician! I’m a big fan of Queensryche, especially back in the Mindcrime/Empire days. Watching Eddie with his Spector basses. For me Mindcrime is one of the best albums ever, along with Zakk Wylde’s Pride & Glory, Jake E Lee’s Badlands albums, Duran’s self-titled and Rio albums, Dave Lee Roth’s Eat’em and Smile, Ozzy’s Diary of a Madman. There are others but I’ll stop there!
How many basses do you own and what are your favourite models?
I have had a number of basses over the years, but currently my main basses are Spector Euro LX basses. I have three of them, one is in standard tuning with a Hipshot D-tuner, EMG pickups and preamp. The second is the same just tuned half step down, and the third is tuned B-E-A-D. I’ve never been a fan of 5 string basses so having a bass tuned B to D worked perfectly for me. I do still own the first bass I bought with my own money, a white Washburn B-20, just needs a bit of TLC. Even though I’m not a fan of 5 strings, I do have an MTD Kingston 5 string bass tuned E-A-D-G-C with a Hipshot D-tuner. Lastly, although not an Aria SB1000, I have a SB-600 in red, strung with flatwounds.
What do you think makes the perfect bass and amp?
The perfect bass depends on the individual playing. For me the Spector basses are great, well balanced, not too heavy, really well made and set up, and with the EMG pickups and pre-amps, just have the sound I really enjoy. For amps, again I’ve used many through the years, but for cabs, I’ve always enjoyed the Hartke XL series, the aluminium speakers just have that punch and clarity that I really like, (Although customer service could be improved!) For Amplifiers I currently use TC Electronic BH550, it’s got a good clean sound and plenty of power. Controls are usually set flat at 12 o’clock depending on the venue. One item I always use is a SansAmp Para-Driver, love it!
Which basses and amps were used on the new album or for recordings?
For all of the Arena albums I have done, I simply use my Spector basses through the SansAmp Para-Driver, into the studio compressor to desk. Nice and simple, any effects are done post recording.
When you only can choose one bass, which one will you take?
Spector!
