Rafael Trujillo
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My first guitar
🕑 Added 2023-11-22 02:44:21 +0000 UTCI want to tell you something I never shared before publicly. Most of the instruments I own or owned were purchased using money I received for birthdays, Christmas, and other occasions. I invested all my pocket money into building my collection of instruments, including buying a Drum Set at the age of 11 (I even took drum lessons for two years and played in a samba percussion band). However, my very first electric guitar was an ESP LTD. I don't remember the exact model, it was probably an earlier version of the EX-200 or so. It looked pretty similar. Unfortunately I don't have any pictures of it.
When I was about 14, I upgraded to the KH602 guitar and started playing with friends. We practiced in a rehearsal room and began creating our own music, leaning into progressive music. At 17, when I began studying at the Munich Guitar Institute, I moved on to the ESP M2 guitar. This is when I really committed to practicing and taking my guitar skills seriously.
During this time, I really started getting into Jazz and Funk, inspiring me to get a Suhr guitar. You can see me using it in my Vortex Omniviun play-through on YouTube (in the solo-section). Back then, it was hard to find 7-string guitars in local music stores. and being able to test them. I briefly owned a Dean Rusty Cooley Signature and an ESP Viper 7-string from a friend but sold them after a short time.
When I joined the band Obscura, I didn't have a 7-string because I was studying Jazz in Amsterdam (at the Conservatory). So, I had to get a new one. I bought two Ibanez RGs and used them for my first tours. After a year of not being satisfied with them, I discovered Kiesel at the NAMM Show in 2017 and connected with their team.
I can only speak for myself, but it took a long journey to find an instrument that I truly felt comfortable with. I think most people start out with some cheap Fender or Gibson models. Which one was your first guitar?
Comments
Rafael Trujillo
Wow, what a journey! You mentioned some really cool guitars. Concerning Kiesel, I've heard many different opinions on the quality of their guitars. Some of them are loving it and other people are not really a fan of them. Since they only do custom shop guitars every guitar is different if you look closer. Even if you buy a guitar with the exact same specs it might turn out differently.
Rafael Trujillo
Ibanez has great 7-string models! I would just avoid those which are made in Indonesia to be really honest. For me, the instrument itself was very cheap built. The wood was very sensitive to changes in climate, and I faced issues such as frequent tuning instability. The lowest string tend to flip over the pickup and got stuck there, as well as the high E string. It think it was a cheaper RG Premium model. I checked their website and couldn't find the exact model. They probably don't sell it anymore. They have other models which are amazing actually!
Thomas Helwig
Yes. It is very beautiful and I love the slim neck and fretboard. The Fishman Fluence pickups give it a fantastic rhythm sound.
Guy Rozanes
Keith Merrow Schecter is a beast.
Guy Rozanes
this is a must album
Thomas Helwig
You wrote that you owned two 7 string Ibanez RGs for the Obscura tours and that you weren't satisfied. I was also thinking of testing out an Ibanez seven string. Could you describe the differences when comparing your Kiesel to the Ibanez guitars? Was it mainly the sound that was dissatisfying?
Thomas Helwig
Another album to listen to for me: Opeth - Blackwater Park. Thanks!
Thomas Helwig
Maybe I'll start with the guitar I used to own and that I sold because I couldn't really handle it: the ESP Standard SV (Alexi Laiho). In reminiscence to Alexi I regret having sold it. Anyway. The first electric guitar I owned was an Ibanez Steve Lukather RS 1010. I played it for a couple of years and for my very first recording. I still own it but a friend of mine sort of destroyed it by giving it a rather ugly graffiti paint job. Unfortunately the machine heads and other things don't really work anymore. By chance I came across a LAG Rockline Phyton which I guess Brandon Ellis would like too :) It's green and has that typical 80s metal guitar look. I modified it by changing the tremolo system and building in an OBL pickup (neck position). The guitar is fantastic. The fretboard is exceptionally great and the sound too! Used it a lot live. My main guitar then became a brownish Ibanez USA Custom with a quilted maple top, maybe because everybody was playing Ibanez at the time. I don't use it much today, but it looks great and - please don't laugh - it smells great: until today I don't know whether it's the wood or the finish or something else ;) I also use a Hamer Diablo (light and very easy to play) from time to time. It was cheap back then and it has so many bumps and scratches from playing live that I'm going to keep it forever. (Tried one of Glenn's Hamers at the time, fell in love but couldn't afford one). I didn't play for years but when I restarted I bought a Schecter Keith Merrow KM-6 MK-III Artist. I like it but it's not suitable for playing other stuff than metal. I tried several Schecter guitars (and the ESP SV) and then finally decided to go for a Kiesel: the Vader 6 is very beautiful, I like its sound but for some reason I turned away from it because after listening to Obscura's Diluvium I decided to also buy a 7 string Osiris (without a tremolo system) which I now mainly use. To be honest I'm having problems with the neck sometimes. I still haven't found the exact right settings. I'm still trying (I know a luthier that might be able to help). The sound is excellent but there are one or two slight quality issues with the finish as well. Anyway it's a beauty! I guess my journey isn't over yet...
Rafael Trujillo
Yes!! I listened a lot to Opeth a long time ago
Guy Rozanes
I know its 4 first songs and they are amazing, especially Heir Apparent the first riff is so satisfying.
Rafael Trujillo
Thanks for sharing that! That's interesting. Blackwater Park is one of the greatest, I agree! What do you think of "Watershed"?
Guy Rozanes
My first guitar was a Cort g254 which bought from someone who played for a month and decided to quit. Then I wanted a Ltd which if I look back was my biggest mistake. EC-401. After I finished my military service I bought myself a present which is a guitar I play now on a daily basis. Schecter elite SLS. The next guitar I'll own is a nice story. I started listening to Opeth and Mikel Akrfelt made me want a guitar that can be also amazing for clean tones (I like my Schecter but its clean tone is naaa..) so I got an American PRS guitar, CE 2022. After reading a few articles about Mikel I saw an interview in which he talked about the guitar he recorded with the Blackwater Park (The best prog death metal album of all time for me) and it was the PRS CE so I made a good choice ;). For 7 strings I owned a Schecter hybrid hellraiser and then sold it and bought my Original Stadnberg NX 7.
