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 Christopher Amott (Dark Tranquillity, Armageddon, Arch Enemy).
When you start guitar playing and do you remember your first guitar?
I started playing guitar at age 14, I believe it must’ve been the summer of ’92. I was taught some basics by my older brother who already played: the fifth power chord, the Chuck Berry 12-bar blues riff, and the intro riffs to „Smells Like Teen Spirit“ and „Enter Sandman“ (wrong btw, learned it the right way just a few years ago!) He’d let me play his instruments, for some time a Charvel, then this cool black 70’s Gibson Les Paul. Once my parents noticed my knack for music and my obssesive practing routines, they decided to buy me an acoustic thinking it was more appropriate to start with, and enrolled me in music classes. Before that I’d spent at least a year learning Iron Maiden songs by ear on this steel string acoustic that had like a centimeter of string action, which I suppose was good for my fretting hand strength. Even though I went to several music schools I never did bother practicing with sheet music. I can read chord charts pretty well and know most of the theory, but I was playing by ear so well when I started that I didn’t have the motivation or interest in note reading. I played an Ibanez RG550 for years (also kindly lent to me by my brother), which I used on the first Arch Enemy album and shows. Pretty soon I was introduced to Caparisons though, and played those for years with great success
What are your influences and which guitar players are your favs?
Oh, so many… but let’s give it a try: Starting out, I loved Kirk Hammett, Adrian Smith & Dave Murray, and Nuno Bettencourt’s playing on Extreme’s „Pornografitti“ blew my mind. I loved Andy La Rocque’s stuff on „Abigail“ and „Them“, very creative and wild, never predictable. Sounded like Yngwie and Kerry King mixed into one I think—super metal! I always listened to Slayer, all albums up until „Seasons in the Abyss“. The deranged atonal note choices in the riffs, topped with these chaotic solos that sounded like molten lava coming through the speakers. I aways loved Ace Frehley’s playing on the early KISS albums, he had such a minimalistic and raunchy style with with the super wide vibratos and bends that were always in time. Scott Gorham’s & Gary Moore’s fluid playing on the „Black Rose“ album by Thin Lizzy, and then Scott and John Sykes on „Thunder and Lightning“ and John on the Whitesnake album. Eddie Van Halen (of course, Tier 1 player.) Tony Iommi, Ritchie Blackmore. I find the writing skills and experimentational development of Judas Priest’s output over the years inspiring, I’m assuming Tipton & Downing were part of that. I always enjoyed Neil Young’s completely savage approach to lead playing, totally raw, never relying on „licks“, just pure expression. Obviously I have to pay homage to the killer guitar trio of of my birth country: Mr. Yngwie Malmsteen (Also Tier 1 in my mind, first time I heard „Now Your Ships Are Burned“ I was completely awestruck), John Norum (TONE), Kee Marcello (The solos on Out Of This World are nothing less than what the album title suggests.) The Dave Mustaine (riff genius and brutalistic lead player) & Marty Friedman (such exciting phrasing and composition in his leads!) duo in the Megadeth days… and of course one of the greatest and most influential metal guitarists ever: Dimebag Darrell. That dude had it all: the riffs, the solos, AND the songwriting. Let’s see… after that maybe Michael Schenker (when he gets it right, the excitement and tension he creates still makes me forget to breathe!) and probably my favorite guitarist ever: Uli Jon Roth, who was very much ahead of his time and in my opinion has written some of the most beautiful guitar solos ever recorded. Criss Oliva of Savatage, the songs and vocals are so atmospheric, with Criss‘ original style of riffing —uniquely groovy and so very heavy. Speaking again of US power metal, another cool guitar duo was Geoff Thorpe and Mark Mcgee of Vicious Rumors, and I love Jon Drenning’s style on the first Crimson Glory album. I did listen and jam along a great deal to Joe Satriani’s „Surfing with the Alien“ back then too, which I had on cassette. Moving away from hard rock and metal, Allan Holdsworth’s „regular“ rock playing in the seventies was pretty incredible and also super advanced for it’s time. I enjoy some of John McLaughlin’s stuff, especially his acoustic playing which is godly. I have to mention Paco De Lucía here, who shreds everyone to bits on „Friday Night in San Fransisco“ despite using two fingers instead of a pick. And lastly I mustn’t forget Billy Gibbons, always the right notes, the tasty pinched harmonics, and phrasing so laid back and understated that it just melts me.
How many guitars do you own and what are your favorite models?
Right now I own only two electrics and two acoustics. I while ago I made a decision to sell off my less than great guitars and going forward only to use the best instruments money can buy. I have a US built Jackson Soloist, and a Sgt Doom Super VEE (Swedish boutique brand, check them out!) I am in the process of buying back a Caparison Signature model (Dellinger-CA Vintage White.) I sold it privately some years ago, and the buyer has graciously agreed to let me repurchase it for the same amount. Also, as I am now mainly working with Sgt Doom I am excited about my upcoming custom model which is so far only in the design stage.
What do you think makes the perfect guitar and amp?
My answer has to be that it depends on the style of music being played and whatever sound that fits. My experience is that any confident and mature player trying out gear can discern very quickly if a piece of equipment meets their desired need. For me it’s all about the way amps and guitars respond: I usually start with playing around with some aggressive chugging riffs to check the low end tightness, and then some runs and bends up on the highest strings to check the tone and sustain. My favourite tube amplifiers are the EVH III ones, and Ritchie Blackmore’s signature ENGL. These always sound great right off the bat in my opinion, hardly any tweaking needed.
How do you feel about the question of modeler or tube amp?
I never really think about it. The Kempers sound fantastic and are incredibly practical for touring. I think people listen with their eyes, as long as there’s a few 4×12 cabs on stage people perceive it as this big sound, and not coming from a digital effects processer the size of a toaster. On stage I always have a speaker cab connected, i. e. not just a line in to the FOH. This is to be able to face the cab to get some real feedback.
Which guitars and amps were used on the new album or for recordings?
For the rhythms, we borrowed one of those Solar guitars, and I used a Jackson for the solos and lead melodies. The amps were a mix of different one’s, can’t remember exactly but I think there was an ENGL there. I did not play many of the rhythm parts as I did not contribute to the writing of the last Dark Tranquillity album.
When you only can choose one guitar, which one will you take?
Without a doubt my next Sgt Doom axe…It will feature a superstrat body style, reverse headstock, 24 frets, original Floyd Rose, 2 Humbuckers from Pariah Pickups. Super METAL!!
Photo credits: Dead Ankh for the two live shots, and Nuno Torres for the gear.
