This article series is about the tools of popular guitarists. What are their favorite guitars and how is it related to them? This time with Jonas Heylen (guitar), Djoni Tregub (guitar) and Ken (Kemmy) Michiels (bass) from the Band „Temptations for the Weak“.
Who am I interviewing?
Jonas Heylen guitarist of Temptations For the Weak
When you start guitar playing and do you remember your first guitar?
I was about 14 when I started playing guitar one of my first real guitar was a Jackson King v.
What are your influences and which guitar players are your faves?
In the beginning it was more like heavy metal, black/death metal, new metal, but over the years it has become mainly metalcore . The guitar players I look up to most are Alexi Laiho, Paul Gilbert.
How many guitars do you own and what are your favorite models?
Right now? 10 guitars. Most of them are Les Paul models, so that immediately reveals my favorite guitar model. That and Flying V models
What do you think makes the perfect guitar and amp?
Depends on your personal taste, but for me personally it would be a 22 fret Les Paul with modern Fishman pickups in it. And for an amp i like the evh 5150 because you get everything out of it that you want
How do you feel about the question of modeler or tube amp?
Not much I like both for home I choose my evh 5150 tub amp and for live performances a kemper profiler.
Which guitars and amps were used on the new album or for recordings?
Guitars: Schecter, Jackson amps: Framus Dragon, Kemper profiler.
When you only can choose one guitar, which one will you take?
Difficult but if I really have to choose it will be an ESP eclipse old version.
Who am I interviewing?
Djoni Tregub, guitarist for “Temptations for the Weak”
When you start guitar playing and do you remember your first guitar?
Around 14 years old. First guitar was a funny looking “Traveling Wilburys” signature guitar I was gifted by a friend of the family.
What are your influences and which guitar players are your faves?
In my formative years mainly Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Paul Gilbert, ect. As I started listening to heavier music it switched to Dimebag, Marty Friedman, Jeff Loomis…
How many guitars do you own and what are your favorite models?
At this moment only 3 as I’ve sold a bunch of them a few years ago. Currently my preference goes to Jackson guitars, especially the Kelly model.
What do you think makes the perfect guitar and amp?
As far as guitars, it just needs to lay well in your hands and not be a hindrance or something you need to “get used to”. Amp-wise, it needs to sound good when you put everything at noon.
How do you feel about the question of modeler or tube amp?
Both are great in their own right. Modelers are by far the most convenient but nothing can replace the feel of an amp head + a 4×12 cabinet for me.
Which guitars and amps were used on the new album or for recordings?
While tracking the guitars I used my Framus Dragon amp. Scott Atking re-amped the songs through his 5150.
When you only can choose one guitar, which one will you take?
Jackson KE1a.
Who am I interviewing?
Ken (Kemmy) Michiels, bass player for TFTW.
When you start guitar playing and do you remember your first guitar?
I bought my first bass at age 18 and am entirely self-taught My first bass was a Legend, a cheap MF bass. The tuning pegs were rattling, so I had to pull a washcloth over the headstock.
What are your influences and which bass players are your faves?
I don’t think I have some bass players whom I influenced by as I try to do my own thing. Nevertheless, I’m very much fond of John Deacon (Queen), Flea (RHCP), Mark King (Level 42), Earl Falconer (UB40), Paolo Gregoletto (Trivium), John Campbell (Lamb Of God), …
How many basses do you own and what are your favorite models?
- Mayones – Jabba Custom VF
- Rickenbacker – 4003 W
- ESP/LTD – Stream 1004
- Gibson – T-Bird
- Musicman
- Baum – Nidhogg
- Ibanez
- Playmate – accoustic
What do you think makes the perfect bass and amp?
Taste is something personal and also depends on the kind of music you play and how you want to play it and what sound you like to reproduce. For me, I really like that modern sound of Paolo Gregoletto, especially on the album “What The Dead Man Say”. I use the Mayones Jabba custom VF, with darkglass X7 (or X Ultra) to try to catch some of that thick, distorted, yet clear, kind of modern bass sound. At home I have an Ampeg SVT-VR with a 610 Ampeg cab or a Aguilar Tone Hammer 500 with a 210 Ampeg cab. Live I play through a Quad Cortex.
How do you feel about the question of modeler or tube amp?
My ears and back tell me to go for the modelers, but my heart and body like the tube amps.
Which basses and amps were used on the new album or for recordings?
Mayones – Jabba Custom VF. Sound is made digital…
When you only can choose one bass, which one will you take?
Mayones – Jabba Custom VF, just for the low ends, otherwise it would be my Rickenbacker because it looks so much cooler. Not that the Mayones isn’t cool…
