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 Doug Scarrett (Saxon).
When you start guitar playing and do you remember your first guitar?
I was about 12 or 13 years old when i got my first guitar from a mail order catalog. It was a very cheap Strat Style Guitar from a company called Raver. I meesed around with it and try to get the sounds that i hear on the records i like, but it didn`t work out well. I have no amp at the time and so i put the guitar in an old mono record player, that have an input for a microphone. I get a slightly distorted fuzzy sound out of it. I am shure that many players of my age did so. I try to play Black sabbath riffs, it was a slow progress the first year.
What are your influences and which guitar players are your faves?
When i start i like Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath or Pink Floyd. I love David Gilmour`s melodic solo playing. I was a big fan of Robin Trower. The first Rock Concert i saw in my hometown was a Robin Trower Gig. It completely blow me away and change my life. It really inspires me to sit down and learn how to play the guitar. Also Steve Lukather, Michael Landau, Gary Moore, Steve Vai and Guthrie Gowan. I am excited about guitar players with the gift to improvise.
How many guitars do you own and what are your favorite models?
I think about 25. Some are in the USA, some in Germany and the rest at home. My favorite Models at the time are Charvel`s, not so expensive but i really like them. I also have Gibson Les Paul`s and Flying V`s, Caparison Guitars and a nice Gibson 335, that i use a lot for the „Inspiration“ recordings.
What do you think makes the perfect guitar and amp?
The answers is the player. Most of the sound comes from your fingers, the way you strike chords, bending the notes, mute the strings or the use of the pick. That is all important for the Sound. The right compination of guitar and amp give you certain sounds for the music you play.
How do you feel about the question of modeler or tube amp?
I am a tube amp guy, but we use Kemper for Saxon with models of Marshall and Peavey 5150. It is a perfect piece of gear. Perfect for touring and fly around with it. Also good for festivals. When i recorded at home i never use modeling, then i took real tube amps.
Which guitars and amps were used on the new album or for recordings?
For the „Carpe Diem“ Album i used a Marshall JVM 100 and a Peavey 5150 Modern Amp. Most of the Rhythm Guitars were recorded with a Charvel SoCal (2 Humbuckers), the Leads are almost a Charvel DK24 and my Charvel Relic Strat.
When you only can choose one guitar, which one will you take?
Impossible to answer. I have a Charvel Relic Model with an EVH Humbucker in the bridge and a small Seymour Duncan Humbucker in the neck position. It is a really great guitar, that i like very much at this time.
