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 Jonas Lindh and Erik Larsson from Apocalypse Orchestra.
When did you start playing guitar and do you remember your first guitar?
Jonas: I started up playing guitar in a punk band with my cousin when I was 14 after we attended an electric guitar course and my first guitar was a stratocaster copy with a paint job of a hand punching through a brick wall on it. It was the perfect punk rock guitar because it sounded like a tin can with some rocks in it.
What are your influences and which guitar players are your faves?
Jonas: My first guitar hero was John Norum as I was a huge Europe fan growing up. Today my influences as well as my favourite players are Marty Friedman, John Petrucci, Chuck Schuldiner and Frank Zappa.
How many guitars do you own and what are your favorite models?
Erik: Ohh, I actually don’t know, because there are so many. I have a bunch at home, some in our studio, some at my workplace… and not just guitars, other instruments as well, mandola, cittern, lute and more. If we talk about electric guitars, I’ve always had a love for Ibanez Guitars. They have so many models and variations, so there are plenty to choose from, and they are all very solid instruments, even the cheaper ones. I have relied on an old MMM1 baritone when playing live for over a decade, and that guitar has really been through the ringer, but still plays beautifully! As for the acoustics, I have several killer instruments, (folk music instrument and regular acoustic), built by Swedish master luthier Christer Ådin, be sure to check him out!
Jonas: I have one main guitar that I use with AO and it is a VGS Octagon Stage PRO which I have used on both albums, and for the latest one I have a custom built 7-string that I used to provide the solos. In total i have like seven guitars of which four are functional. I also have a swedish 8-string “nordic bouzouki”, built by master luthier Mats Nordwall
What do you think makes the perfect guitar and amp?
Jonas: I’m a super strat kind of guy so I like the fast thin necks and a couple of humbuckers. Drive that with high gain through any Marshall/Orange and you have a sweet and savoury tone that works on every occasion. Although these days I usually only use amp modelers and my Boss GT-1000.
How do you feel about the question of modeler or tube amp?
Erik:As long as it sounds the way you like, it doesn’t matter. I’ve heard expensive tube amps sound like… well, shit, and some have been great. Same with modelers, depends on what you’re looking for, and on who is dialing the sound. Also, I’ve hauled heavy amps for years before, then switched to floor Pods and other similar brands, and they sounded equally good for my purposes, but also showed much more kindness to your back and knees when loading in and out. In AO we play with InEar-monitors, so it’s beneficial for us to have as low volume on the stage as possible, therefore we use modeler floor models when playing live. Last but not least, I would never want to fly with an expensive tube amp…
Which guitars and amps were used on the new album or for recordings?
Both: Oh, we don’t actually know, haha! Per Nilsson (Scar Symmetry, former Meshuggah etc), who does the mixes on our albums, re-amps some of the guitars (could be proper tube amps from his collection, could be modelers, could be plugins), and blends them with, well, and old Pod XT Pro of ours, to be honest. All of those guitars combined really makes for a nice sound though, and the result is all that matters!
If you can only choose one guitar, which one will you take?
Erik: For electrics, it would have to be my trusty old Ibanez MMM1, I just can’t seem to break it no matter how hard I try, it just keeps rocking. For acoustics, my Ådin 10-string cittern is my go to instrument. It’s over 30 years old, been with me all over Europe, and it keeps getting better and better with age!
Jonas: I have to say my custom built 7-string. It may not be a fancy guitar but it is a one of a kind guitar to me and I love it.
