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 Max Gabe Moya and Michael Guglielmi from the band „Mouth for War.“ Here are the interviews with the boys.
1: Gabe Moya (guitar)
When you start guitar playing and do you remember your first guitar?
I first started playing guitar when I was about 11 years old. It started with bass because 1. My dad plays bass and had a bunch so it was accessible. And 2. Because it only had 4 strings. When I got aquatinted with that I moved to guitar. The first guitar I ever owned was a Mexican fender Strat; Red with white pick guard. I actually still have that guitar to this day and is one of my most used guitars at home
What are your influences and which guitar players are your faves?
I draw from a lot of different influences. Everything from Eric Johnson, the 1975, Slayer, Alice In Chains, Deftness etc. I don’t have a favorite guitar player because I’ve always felt that if I did it would make me want to sound exactly like that guitar player and I would much rather have my own sound that draws from many influences.
How many guitars do you own and what are your favorite models?
I currently have 5 guitars. a 7 string Sterling music man, my Mexican Fender Strat, a Yamaha EG112c that was found in the trash and I fixed it up, an LTD TE-212, and my main touring guitar which is a custom Moniker Zuma.
My favorite is my Mexican fender Strat because it’s my first and it has a lot of music that comes out of it and then my Moniker Zuma. She’s a real working horse and has been on every tour I’ve ever done.
What do you think makes the perfect guitar and amp?
The idea of the “perfect” amp is very subjective. Everybody likes different things and everybody plays different. For me I think the “perfect” amp is one that saturates well without sounding blown out; has a tight bottom end that doesn’t sound flubby and a smooth top end that bites and cuts through the mix. A perfect example is the EVH 5150 III 100-watt.
How do you feel about the question of modeler or tube amp?
Like the previous question I think it’s all subjective. But for me personally I love tubes amps and the way they sound and feel but I love the versatility of modelers. With that in mind I have found the perfect mix between the two. I’m currently using a quad cortex running through my Peavy Invective 120 as a power amp. Im getting the tube sound I love and that I’m used to on stage while getting a well mixed and perfect sound out of my quad cortex through the FOH speakers..
Which guitars and amps were used on the new album or for recordings?
All the guitars that you hear on the album were tracked on my Moniker Zuma. For the rhythm tones we used a 100-watt 5150 III Stealth blended with a Soldano Avenger 100. For all the leads we used a 50-watt Dean Costello Audio HMW.
When you only can choose one guitar, which one will you take?
I will always choose my Moniker Zuma. It is quite literally my main guitar for almost everything.
2: Michael Guglielmi (Bass)
When you start guitar playing and do you remember your first guitar?
Started around 12 years old, first guitar was a blue squire strat
What are your influences and which guitar players are your faves?
Black Sabbath, Megadeth, Chimaira, Slipknot were my biggest influences growing up. Randy Rhodes is one of the main reasons I picked up a guitar
How many guitars do you own and what are your favorite models?
I have 7 guitars and one bass. My favorite ones are my Fender aerodyne, B.C. Rich warlock and Moniker Zuma
What do you think makes the perfect guitar and amp?
I like simplicity and when amps are very loud
How do you feel about the question of modeler or tube?
Tubes heads till I die for real
Which guitars and amps were used on the new album or for recordings?
We used my Fender aerodyne bass for the new record. We also used my head and pedal board. I use a Darkglass mt900v2. For pedals I use a Sansamp VT bass and a Fuzzrocious Demon overdrive
When you only can choose one guitar, which one will you take?
I’ll take my Moniker Zuma to my grave
