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 Markus Sigfridsson (All Things Fallen, Darkwater).
When you start guitar playing and do you remember your first guitar?
I started playing guitar when I was around 15 years old. Started taking some lessons on classical guitars but switched to electric pretty soon. I was a poor student though, never got into theory very well and just wanted to do my own thing (which I can regret today), so I consider myself mostly self taught. My first guitar was a blue Cort guitar with shark inlays and a floyd rose tremolo. It was awful with a lot of string buzzing etc. My second guitar was a great guitar which I regret later selling. It was a dark blue metallic Fernandes with floyd rose, a humbucker in bridge and a Fernandes sustainer in neck position.
What are your influences and which guitar players are your faves?
My first real big inspiration was Yngwie Malmsteen, he has flavoured my style somewhat. But my biggest favourite has always been Dann Huff. I was also a lot into Vinnie Moore and Tony MacAlpine in my early days. Gary Moore and John Norum also.
How many guitars do you own and what are your favorite models?
I have five electric guitars at the moment. PRS Custom 2008 with 1 x IronGear DIRTY TORQUE + BLUES ENGINE, Black, Pair. PRS EG 92 Modified with PLEC setup, Dimazrio Tone Zone and a Lundgren pickup in neck position. PRS CE24 Goldtop stock Schecter Nick Johnston Traditional HSS, Atomic Orange A strat I put together myself from an Allparts Body and a Warmoth scalloped maple neck, with HS3 pickups.
What do you think makes the perfect guitar and amp?
I feel like it needs to have a certain response to it. I need to be able to shape and control the sound very much with my pick and palm when picking. I need some compression to be able play some legato without having too much distortion. I’ve always felt that distortion should be kept at a minimum cause it can kill the tone, maybe I’m wrong but thats how I see it.
How do you feel about the question of modeler or tube amp?
I like it, it’s what I use these day for writing and also sometimes for final recordings.
Which guitars and amps were used on the new album or for recordings?
For the latest Darkwater album the guitars were reapmed by Jacob Hansen, who also mixed and mastered the album. I think he used some EVH amp. For the latest All Things Fallen album I acutally used the Neural DSP Plini plugin.
When you only can choose one guitar, which one will you take?
My PRS 2008 custom.
https://www.youtube.com/@markussigfridsson
Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/markussigfridsson/
Spotify Playlist
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/375Hr3QQAXnxsSoasLYnDx?si=c49850969ae14355
