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 Vinnie Moore (UFO).
When did you start guitar playing and do you remember your first guitar?
I started at 13 and my first guitar was a Teisco electric which I got for Christmas.
Photo Credit: Gretchen Johnson Photography
What are your influences and which guitar players are your faves?
I was into bands like Led Zep, Deep Purple, Queen, and The Beatles, and this is what initially attracted me to the guitar. So Blackmore and Brian May were huge early influences. After I started playing I got into so many players such as Jeff Beck, Eddie Van Halen, David Gilmore, Larry Carlton, Al DiMeola, Robin Trower, Frank Marino….on and on and on. My teacher turned me on to some of the jazz greats like Pat Martino and Joe Pass, and I was also really into blues players, especially Albert King, Chuck Berry, and BB King. I loved hearing great players of any style and of course learning from them all.
How many guitars do you own and what are your favorite models?
I honestly have never counted my guitars but I definitely have too many. Many are sitting in cases in a closet not being used. It’s time to get rid of some I think. I have always been a Strat guy for the most part. My signature models and the ones I have played most over the years are basically super strats. I have also gotten into SG’s lately. I am currently playing Kramer guitars and have been working on some ideas with them.
Photo Credit: Gretchen Johnson Photography
What do you think makes the perfect guitar and amp?
For guitar it is something that feels good to play and has the sound you are looking for. Some guitars feel a little uncomfortable and you have to struggle a little to play them. This is not good. If the guitar feels good in your hands, you no longer think of it, it blends into your body and is transparent. Then you are free to think totally about the notes and not the physical aspects. For amp, it’s whatever sounds good to your ears and makes your playing flow. If it sounds bad, you won’t play as well. So it’s a matter of trying different amps to see what feels best for you.
How do you feel about the question of modeler or tube amp?
I am a tube amp guy. Some of the modeling stuff can inspire ideas though and so I have utilized this. I used Amplitube on my latest album and got some tones from it that I wouldn’t have gotten otherwise. It’s awesome to scroll through presets and hear complete patches instantaneously. These things can be very inspiring. So I do take advantage of this. And I created some of my own presets for Amplitube that anyone can use.
Photo Credit: Gretchen Johnson Photography
Which guitars and amps were used on the new album or for recordings?
I mostly used my Marshall JMP 100 watt head through and Engl 4×12 cabinet. The head was made in 1980 and I have had it since around 1984. I also used a 1965 Fender Super Reverb and a Fender Deluxe Reverb Reissue a little. I have been getting more into some of the Fender tones. For guitars I used a bunch of things. A couple Strats, a Kramer SM-1, an Epiphone SG, a Dean sig model, and some others.
When you only can choose one guitar, which one will you take?
For recording, it’s usually whatever one works best for the particular song or part I am working on. I often try a few things to see which sounds better in a given situation. For a tour, it’s usually one of my signature models because that has been honed in to exactly what I want. As I said before, if the guitar feels perfect to me, I almost forget I am holding it and I can 100% think of the notes.
Photo Credit: Gretchen Johnson Photography
Photo Credit: Gretchen Johnson Photography
New Album: 2022
