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 Stefan Sørensen from Persecutor.
Who am I interviewing?
My name is Stefan and I play guitar in Persecutor.
When you start guitar playing and do you remember your first guitar?
I don’t quite remember it, but I think I was around 18-19 when I bought my first guitar. It was a Jackson JS32 King V and yes I still have it.
What are your influences and which guitar players are your faves?
From my childhood it has to be Metallica, Anthrax and Slayer. So basically 80’s thrash. But there is a ton of great players across so many different genres. From Dimebag (which might be my favorite player) to Mark Knopfler and the iconic playing in Money for Nothing. I also remember being mindblown as a kid hearing Never Going Back Again by Fleetwood Mac and trying to figure out how Lindsey Buckingham played that (And no I haven’t learned it yet). Some more modern day influences has to be Josh Middleton and David Davidson. Both are beasts! But I could continue forever about fantastic players.
How many guitars do you own and what are your favorite models?
I’ve owned a good solid few, and right now I currently own 6. 4 Jackson’s – Two King V’s and two Warriors. A SOLAR E1.6 with an evertune (for all the nerds) And an old Ibanez Concord from the 70’s. I love pointy guitars (I’m still 13 mentally) so some of my favorites has got to be the Jackson Warrior. It’s just badass!
What do you think makes the perfect guitar and amp?
It’s a really broad question! But for my it’s pretty simple! I need something that can chug and stay in tune. So a simple setup would be a guitar with EMGs, maybe a 5150-amp and a BOSS OD-3 in front of it! And that’s it! Simple, been used forever and it just works.
How do you feel about the question of modeler or tube amp?
I actually like both and within the last year I switched from my EVH 5150 to a Kemper Profiler Player. Tube amps are fun! But sometimes convenience wins and it’s just so much easier to travel with a Kemper and two guitars.. We went to the UK last year and had to fly, so to just throw the PLAYER in my backpack and bring two guitars was a lifesaver, both money-wise and for my back, not having to carry a big heavy tube-amp around. I also think we’ve reached a point with modellers, where you can’t really tell the difference anymore in a live situation.. And it sounds the same every time, no matter the room your in, which is priceless.
Which guitars and amps were used on the new album or for recordings?
Mostly a EVH-5150 and then some re-amping with a ENGL Savage. So simple and brutal. No fancy effects or anything. Just a noisegate, tuner and away we go! Guitar-wise it was mostly my Jackson Warrior X-Series with a DiMarzio X2N pickup and then my Jackson V with EMG 81/60. Some custom-strat type was used for some leads by Benjamin (the the other guitarist).
When you only can choose one guitar, which one will you take?
My main for the last few years has been my Jackson V and it’s still rock solid, so for now it remains undefeated! And V’s just look awesome!
