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 Adrian Vandenberg (Vandenberg, Moon Kings, ex-Whitesnake).
When you start guitar playing and do you remember your first guitar?
According to my parents at 5/6 years old I was running around the house with a cigar box over which I put elastic bands so that made a jangling kinda sound, I was imagining it being a guitar. I guess that doesn’t count as playing guitar I assume. My first crappy acoustic I got at 11 years old but at 13 I got a proper one and started to learn some chords and tried to play the melodies that I hear in my head.
What are your influences and which guitar players are your faves?
It started with Clapton in his John Mayall period, soon Hendrix followed, then in not any particular running order: Beck, Kossoff, Mick Taylor, three Dutch Guys: Jan Akkerman, Eelco Gelling& Eddie Van Halen, Steve Hunter, Albert & Freddie King, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Brian May, Django Reinhart, Michael Schenker, Randy Rhoads. I love them all and assume they all left echoes in my playing.
How many guitars do you own and what are your favorite models?
About 20-25. My fave’s: My Gibson Les Paul 1980 Heritage Standard, my pink, purple and amber sunburst quilt top Peavey Vandenbergs, my 1963 Fender Strat and my early 60’s Fender Tele.
What do you think makes the perfect guitar and amp?
To me that they are able to ‘translate the stories’ I hear in my head and that they feel good and inspire me.
How do you feel about the question of modeler or tube amp?
Modeling is getting pretty close these days but to me I feel a stronger connection when I play a tube amp. I don’t really care if that’s an illusion, as long as the sound inspires me.
Which guitars and amps were used on the new album or for recordings?
My Les Paul 1980 Heritage, pink quilt top Peavey Vandenberg and the 1963 Strat. For amps a combination of a Bogner, a Mesa and a Marshall JCM 800.
When you only can choose one guitar, which one will you take?
My pink Peavey Quilt top because it can do Les Paul and Strat tones, so I could easily record all the tracks on any album with it.
