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 Ville Pystynen (Graven Sin).
When you start guitar playing and do you remember your first guitar?
Oh yes, I started out around age 15 with a cheap strat copy brand Tanglewood. It was a horrible guitar to play with yet ensured for later years that I’ve been able to play anything that has 6 strings on it easily…
What are your influences and which guitar players are your faves?
Any music that strikes a chord within can be and is influential, genres don’t matter much in this regard yet I mostly listen to metal of all kind. I’ve never been much into guitarists based on their abilities to play phenomenal but how good they’ve been writing songs yet I do have a couple of “heroes” I always thought were above all – Kai Hansen and Andy La Rocque.
How many guitars do you own and what are your favorite models?
At the moment I have 5 and the current favorite is my Epiphone Les Paul shaped one, a super cheap guitar that I tuned and fitted with proper pickups to make it invaluable in service. I’ve never been model devoted or had much interest about guitars other than as tools to work with, song writing was always my forte.
What do you think makes the perfect guitar and amp?
Six strings and the magick in your fingers and soul.
How do you feel about the question of modeler or tube amp?
I couldn’t say to be honest, I can’t even remember the model of the Marshall amp I have at our rehearsal place…
Which guitars and amps were used on the new album or for recordings?
For recording guitar I had used the cheap Epiphone mentioned previously and for bass had an old B.C.Rich Warlock. Everything had been re-amped in studio, can’t say which amps were used nor does that interest me – always vision and soul first before any technical aspects.
When you only can choose one guitar, which one will you take?
Any with 6 strings would do though I prefer Les Paul shape and always disliked any and all v-shapes.
