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 Maarten Doumen (Steegmoord).
When you start guitar playing and do you remember your first guitar?
I picked up the guitar, I believe, at the age of fifteen. I started off learning songs by Metallica, Foo Fighters, Offspring, etc.… Officially my first guitar was a nylon string acoustic student guitar. But it didn’t take long for me to bug my parents enough to buy me a Jackson JS1 dinky. That was the start that lead me to where I am now.
What are your influences and which guitar players are your favs?
I like a lot of styles. And I love to experiment with a lot of styles in my own music. I can enjoy a four day metal festival as much as a quiet evening with a vinyl of Queen.
I look up to guitar players such as Mark Tremonti, Joe Bonamassa, Slash and Brent Hinds. With the exception of Joe Bonamassa they all take the harder genres into a different direction. Joe Bonamassa is just a great blues and rock guitar player!
How many guitars do you own and what are your favorite models?
I have the privilege to own several guitars. My all time favorite is my 1980 Gibson Les Paul Custom. That one shines on every single song I record. Second to that is my 1992 PRS Custom 24. I like to use a PRS Silver Sky for the quieter parts. I like the sound of a Strat, but I do not like the feel of a strat… The Silver Sky to me gives me that sound, while it delivers the feel of a PRS. For the acoustic parts I have my trusty Gibson J45. Nothing special, just a great and all-round acoustic guitar!
What do you think makes the perfect guitar and amp?
My ears are biased to Mesa Boogie amps for some reason. The spongy saggy sound of a Dual Rectifier is almost always present in my songs. I love to pair that with either my Les Paul or my PRS. That being said, I do use a Kemper profiler for most of my studio and live. Although mainly with a Dual Rectifier patch 😉.
How do you feel about the question of modeler or tube amp?
I am a firm believer of the Kemper profiler. To this date, every recording of STEEGMOORD is done by Kemper. I recently acquired a Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier again after owning it eight years ago. I have paired it wit the UA Ox Box for the recordings of my future songs. So now I use them both. Whichever fits the song best. I do have to admit that a tubeamp gives that little bit more feel to the song though…
Which guitars and amps were used on the new album or for recordings?
On the lead side I use the PRS Silver Sky with a 6505 rig. On the rhythm side I use the Les Paul Custom with a Mesa boogie Dual Rectifier rig. For the solo parts I used my PRS Custom 24 which gave me a little more polished sound. Every single guitar track is recorded using the Kemper profiler.
When you only can choose one guitar, which one will you take?
That old trusty 1980 Gibson Les Paul Custom… No question…
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