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 Alessandro Mammola (Alterium, Draconicon).
When did you start guitar playing and do you remember your first guitar?
I started playing guitar at 13, after several years of piano. Initially, it was because I watched the Green Day live DVD Bullet in a Bible, seeing that energy and that show was an incredible adrenaline rush. But the real spark came when I saw Dodi Battaglia from Pooh play, one of the most important bands, perhaps the most important, in Italian pop music. My first guitar was a sunburst Squier Affinity, inspired by the one Dodi Battaglia used during the Ascolta tour
What are your influences and which guitar players are your faves?
The first name I absolutely have to mention is, of course, Yngwie Malmsteen. Then Ritchie Blackmore, Jimi Hendrix, and Eric Johnson, they’re my main sources of inspiration and the players I owe the most to when it comes to soloing. I would also add Dave Mustaine for rhythm playing and songwriting, and more modern names like Nick Johnston and Lynd (Ex Twilight Force).
How many guitars do you own and what are your favorite models?
I currently own three electric guitars and one acoustic: a Schecter C6 Pro modified with EMG 81/85 pickups, an LTD C-1000 Deluxe, a Squier Classic Vibe ’50s with upgraded electronics, and a Takamine Jumbo GJ72CE. My favorite among them is definitely the Schecter, the neck is incredibly smooth and fast, and I also love its look. I’m a big fan of that green finish.
What do you think makes the perfect guitar and amp?
There’s no such thing as a perfect guitar or amp (except the 5150 + Mesa combo). There are players who know how to play, and others who spend a lifetime chasing the sound, trying a billion pedals, guitars, and amps. In the end, the sound comes from your head and your hands.
How do you feel about the question of modeler or tube amp?
Personally, I haven’t used amps on stage for almost 10 years, and I don’t even own any anymore. I do have Fractal, Kemper, and ToneX. Nowadays, I believe that amp sound really only makes sense in the studio and with productions of a certain level, depending, of course, on the genre.
Which guitars and amps were used on the new album or for recordings?
I’ve mostly used my Schecter, which I already mentioned, for the majority of my recent work. Most of the time, I work just with plugins (I love Bogren Digital plugins) but I also sometimes use the previously mentioned 5150 + Mesa Dual Rectifier combo.
When you only can choose one guitar, which one will you take?
The old and always beloved Fender Stratocaster.
