Schecter Al Jourgensen Triton
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Neither – it’s a three-horned Flying V! Ministry frontman Al Jourgesen has always been a flamboyant character, so it’s therefore no surprise that his signature Schecter Triton guitar matches his eccentric personality. But even this seems too “out there” for him, and more akin to a witch’s broomstick with some unnecessary bling.
Looks aside though (but to be honest, they’re pretty hard to ignore), the Schecter Triton is actually quite a kitted-out instrument. Equipped with a set of Schecter’s proprietary ‘San Andreas’ humbuckers, the Triton has a potent voice with its all-Mahogany construction ensuring a thick and powerful sound. Other key appointments include a reliable TonePros bridge, Graph Tech nut and Schecter locking tuners. If you want one of these – you better have some stage presence to pull it off!
Duesenberg Johnny Depp Alliance
Johnny Depp is a Hollywood A-lister, but he’s a bonafide rock star too! Before his acting career took off, Depp actually aspired to become a musician and was involved in several projects. That was until his breakthrough television/film roles in ’21 Jump Street’ and ‘Edward Scissorhands’ steered him in a theatrical direction.
Taking a step back from acting, Depp has returned to his roots as part of rock supergroup ‘The Hollywood Vampires’ – alongside Alice Cooper, Joe Perry (Aerosmith) and session star Tommy Henriksen. Depp is often seen wielding a truly unique Duesenberg Alliance guitar that is completely “him”. The instrument’s stunning aluminium top plate is etched with a number of Johnny’s personal tattoos, and also features a graphic on the rear of the body that matches Depp’s back tattoo.
Other key details include Duesenberg’s proprietary Diamond Deluxe Tremola bridge system and a custom-tapped JD-63 pickup – specially-designed to deliver every characteristic of a vintage single-coil. For a more personalised touch, Duesenberg offers a pickup option with genuine 1963 wire – Johnny’s year of birth!
Ibanez Paul Gilbert Fireman
Paul Gilbert is one of Ibanez‘s longest-serving endorsees, alongside his virtuoso contemporaries Joe Satriani and Steve Vai. Over the last 30+ years, Ibanez has released several signature guitars for the super-shredder. And it’s fair to say that he always likes something a bit quirky!
The Fireman is no exception, which has now been Paul Gilbert’s main axe for more than a decade. The story behind the guitar’s angular body shape is quite funny, as Gilbert has stated “it’s basically an upside-down Iceman” – simply taking that model and flipping it in Photoshop! There are some slight tweaks though, including an ergonomic cutaway that’s carved out to enable easy access to the upper frets. The distinctive pickguard design is also unique and perfectly complements the model’s unorthodox body shape.