THE AXEMEN SERIES : Merritt Goodwin / Stitched Up Heart

 

1.Tell us your name and the band you play for

My name is Merritt Goodwin and I play in Stitched Up Heart.

  

2.Who made you want to pick up the guitar

2. At first it was my dad. Then once I started playing it was Kirk Hammet and Steve Vai that really …

3.Are you self taught or did you take lessons?

.I was self taught when I started but once in college thats when I started getting real lessons.

4. Can you read music, Can you read tab?

I was self taught when I started but once in college thats when I started getting real lessons.
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5.Do you feel like you have your own sound / tone ?

Yea I do. Really anyone who plays an instrument automatically does. Its like talking. Everyone talks differently. It would be impossible to not lol.

6.Tell us about your guitar ( brand ,model . year , color )

Well, I play all ESP guitars. Right now my main guitar in the LTD m-1007 multi scale and the LTD MH-417. All guitars I play have a Black Satin thing going on lol.

7.What about pickups? Passive or active ?

 Tell us about them
Both have active pickups. I can't remember what kind they are. I'm so bad at guitary tech stuff lol Really if it sounds good I like it. I don't really care about the details lol

  

8.Lets get into amplification, Same drill brand , model , speakers etc

So for years I played through a Mesa Triple Rec into a Marshall 1960 cab. Which was cool but now I am all kemper. No cab just direct. I love the sound of digital, which is interesting because most guitarists I talk to prefer analog lol

9.Do you have a pedal board? Tell us about that badboy

Yes I do. I have the kemper controller pedal as my main pedal and a Morley Steve Vai Bad Horsie 2 Wah. Thats pretty much all I use live for now but I may add some other pedals in the future.
 
10..Now tell us your Dream Rig in detail…..

Literally what I'm playing now. It probably sounds so lame lol. I just love the digital sound and the abilty to have a ton of options without having to spend thousands on gear that would make touring more difficult lol.
 
11.What guitarist can you not stand?

I like all guitarists. I haven't met anyone I couldn't stand. 
  
12. Is tone more important or is technique?

I think technique because your hands are really what creates tone. So if you have bad technique your tone will be effected.

13. Name your top 5 guitarist

I would say: Steve Vai,
 John 5,
 John Petrucci, 
John Williams (classical guiarist not the composer, eventhough I love him to lol),
 and Alexi Laiho.
 
14.Who is the most overrated guitarist

I don't really know lol I don't think there is one in my opinion.
 
15.Who would you like a one hour private sit down lessons with anyone dead or alive?

  

It would be a tie between Mozart and Beethoven. I know it wouldn't be a guitar lesson but most of my musical background and training is in classical music so I would have to go with that lol.

Enough thanks cannot be given for this interview Merritt Goodwin is a busy and successful musician who was kind enough to fill out this interview for a no name blog I am sure hes has never heard of and I thank him and appreciate his humble nature and dedication to his fans. Thank you