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 Sagstad (guitar) and Larsen (bass) from the band Jordsjuk.
Who am I interviewing?7
Hi, this is Larsen, bass player for Jordsjuk and the Metallica tribute band Metal Militia.
When you start bass playing and do you remember your first bass?
I started playing bass around 2007. I think one of my first gigs as a bass player was with Grimfist at Club Maiden in Oslo. My first bass was an Ibanez SRX HRG 1 Giger Bass.
What are your influences and which bass players are your favs?
I have a lot of musical influences. Some of the bands I never get tired of listening to are Metallica, Dimmu Borgir, Pink Floyd, AC/DC, and Hank 3, to name a few. My biggest influence when it comes to playing bass is, without a doubt, Jason Newsted during his time in Metallica. He had a tight rhythm, great bass lines that supported the melodies, and, most importantly, he attacked the bass with a pick. He also had such a strong presence and so much energy when performing live. The first time I saw Seattle ’89 on VHS, back in ’94, it changed my life!
How many basses do you own and what are your favorite models?
I have three basses now. For Jordsjuk, I use a Schecter Evil Twin 5. That bass is a beast: it looks great and sounds even better. I dig the Fishman Fluence pickups and the flexibility they give me. It also has perfect balance and doesn’t weigh too much. For Metal Militia, I use a Warwick Robert Trujillo signature bass with EMG pickups. It suits the Metallica songs really well, and it is an easy-to-play bass that I love. I also have a Schecter Diamond five-string that I use as a backup bass in both bands.
What do you think makes the perfect bass and amp?
I love the old Ampeg SVT with the big-ass 8×10 cabinets, but the logistics of having that setup just don’t work for me. Like many others, I’ve moved into the Neural DSP world, so I’m using a Nano Cortex directly into the front of house. I get a killer sound every time, it’s easy to travel with, and I have the same sound everywhere—when practicing at home, at rehearsals, and live. I think my days with massive amps are over.
Which basses and amps were used on the new album or for recordings?
On Naglet Til Livet, I used Eirik’s Fender Jazz Bass, but on the next album I will probably use the Schecter Evil Twin. I’m not sure which amps were used because the bass was reamped during the mix. When we hire the best people to handle the mixing and reamping, I totally trust that they know what they’re doing. I absolutely love the sound on the album.
When you only can choose one bass, which one will you take?
Without a doubt, I would choose my Schecter Evil Twin. It’s the best bass I’ve ever played!
Who am I interviewing?
You’re interviewing Sagstad, guitarist of Jordsjuk.
When you start guitar playing and do you remember your first guitar?
I started playing guitar when I was around 11 years old. My first guitar was a nylon-string acoustic that I got from my uncle. My first electric guitar, however, was a Fender knockoff called Kingsound.
What are your influences and which guitar players are your faves?
Metallica is the reason I started playing guitar in the first place, and James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett remain my all-time favorites to this day. The riffs these legends have written throughout their careers are unlike anything else I’ve ever heard, and they continue to be a huge influence on me when I write music. I also owe a lot of my development in speed and accuracy to these guys. I’ve fully embraced James Hetfield’s relentless downpicking style, which has certainly come in handy with the speed and intensity of Jordsjuk’s music!
How many guitars do you own and what are your favorite models?
Too many! I’ve actually started selling some of my guitars because I’m running out of room for them. At the moment, I own 11 electric guitars and two acoustics. My absolute favorites must be my ESP KH-2 Purple Sparkle (the Kirk Hammett signature model) and my recently acquired LTD EC-1007 Evertune Black, which is the guitar I currently use in Jordsjuk. All my guitars are either ESP or LTD, and my favorite models are definitely the EC series and the KH-2 series.
What do you think makes the perfect guitar and amp?
My ultimate amp has always been the Mesa/Boogie Triple Rectifier. I used to own one but dragging that beast around the world for festivals and tours became such a hassle that I eventually sold it and made the switch to digital. These days, I’m using the Neural DSP Quad Cortex, and of course, I’m still using a capture I made of my very own Triple Rectifier before selling it! The Quad Cortex has absolutely blown me away. The sound quality and endless possibilities you get from this little box are simply mind-blowing. I genuinely recommend it to anyone who plays guitar, or bass for that matter! So, to answer the question, my perfect setup these days is an ESP/LTD guitar paired with a Quad Cortex. You really can’t go wrong with that combination!
How do you feel about the question of modeler or tube amp?
I completely understand both sides of the argument, but for me, the choice is pretty obvious.
Considering how much I travel, a modeler is simply the most practical solution. Before switching to the Quad Cortex, I used a Kemper Profiler, which was also a great alternative. However, the moment I heard and got my hands on the Neural DSP Quad Cortex, there was no turning back!
Which guitars and amps were used on the new album or for recordings?
For Naglet til Livet, Kurt Ballou at GodCity Studio reamped the guitars using a PRS Archon. Over the years, I’ve started relying more on the studios we work with to handle the reamping, allowing them to shape the guitar tone according to their vision for the album and what best suits the overall sound. Of course, I always have my own ideas and preferences, but I genuinely believe that the person we’ve hired has a better perspective on how the guitars should fit into the bigger picture. After all, there’s a reason we hire professionals in the first place!
When you only can choose one guitar, which one will you take?
Since several of my bands use seven-string guitars, I guess I’d have no choice but to go with my LTD EC-1007 Evertune Black!
