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 Olli Nurminen (Xysma).
When you start guitar playing and do you remember your first guitar?
I started playing when I was 10 years old in 1983. My first guitar was stratocaster shaped cheap Hondo II. I didn’t knew much about electric guitars. At the time I didn’t have an amplifier of any kind and I actually „could hear“ the guitar go louder when I turned the volume-knob on the guitar.
What are your influences and which guitar players are your faves?
When I started playing I tried to play along the early KISS-records, so I could say my first influences were Ace Frehley and Paul Stanley. I wasn’t into solos at that point so it was all about the riffs. Then of course Metallica’s Puppets, early Sabbath-albums and AC/DC were a huge influence. But when I heard Dinosaur Jr.’s Where You Been it was the solos and the whole attitude towards the guitar playing that got me. I could still say that J Mascis, Sonic Youth’s Thurston Moore and Lee Ranaldo are one my biggest influences. Also I should mention that Tom G. Warriors style has always fascinated me. The riffs, and especially the solos. Uh!
How many guitars do you own and what are your favorite models?
I actually own only two guitars. The are both Jazzmasters. My main Jazzmaster is a real nice sunburst from 1962. I have replaced the original bridge to Mastery-bridge. I have played that guitar since 1994. The other is black, with Lollar P-90 -pickups and Mastery-vibrato. Really nice to play too.
What do you think makes the perfect guitar and amp?
I’ve always liked vintage stuff. Guitars and amps. You’ll never quite know how they sound. There might be some nice (and occasionally not so nice) surprises inside.
How do you feel about the question of modeler or tube amp?
I prefer tube amps. When I make demos at home it is easier to use a modeler, but when we are recording an album its always tube amps.
Which guitars and amps were used on the new album or for recordings?
I played every rhythm guitar and most of the solos with my ’62 Jazzmaster. Our engineer Ville Valavuo had some nice guitars too so I played few songs with his Greco-Les Paul and few solos with Greco-strat and Gibson Flying V. The main amps for rhythm tracks was vintage Orange ja Vox, but I think I played through Selmer as well. My own Marshall amp which I use on gigs wasn’t used much in the studio.
When you only can choose one guitar, which one will you take?
It’s my ’62 Jazzmaster. Definitely.
