AXEMEN GUITAR SERIES : Jager Felice and Rob Mathews. / LEVELS

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

This is Jager Felice and Rob Mathews. We play guitar in Levels.

2. Who made you want to pick up the guitar

Jager - Wes Borland / Limp Bizkit
  

Rob- My dad was a guitar tech and teacher for a local shop for many years. I always thought what he did was very cool and asked him to teach me. After I got a hold of a copy of ‘Ride the Lightning’-Metallica.. it set everything pretty well in stone for me and I gravitated to music more heavily. 

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

Jager - Self taught.
  

Rob- Previous question partially sums it up however; my dad’s lessons were based on teaching me the basics enough to be able to teach myself the music that I wanted to learn by ear. 

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

Jager - Can’t read music, but read and write tablature in Guitar Pro.

Rob- I can read tabs but cannot read music whatsoever. 

5. Do you feel like you have your own sound / tone ?

Jager - In a time where modelers are the standard, I think we set ourselves apart by incorporating plug ins live and running them through the 90’s Mesa Boogie 2:Ninety power amp. It gives it the warmth that a lot of modelers are lacking even with custom IRs.

Rob- I second with Jager on this. I feel like the exploration to seek a modern tone with a touch of classic was certainly a defining moment. Dalton (drummer) and Jager really put their heads together to do something effective and also outside of the norm. Having unlimited amounts of plug ins at our fingertips on top of being powered through mesa tubes is not a bad way to live. 

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

Jager - 2019 Ibanez RGD71ALMS (Aurora Burst)

Rob- Ibanez RGDIR7M 2018 (Laser Blue Matte finish)

7. What about pickups? Passive or active ? Tell us about them

Jager - Fishman Fluence Modern on the passive voicing

Rob- Dimarzio Fusion Edge. Passive. They are really well rounded because of how clear and mid ranged focused they are.


8. Let's get into amplification, Same drill brand , model , speakers etc

Jager - Mac Book Pro / Cubase / Jason Richardson Tone Forge Plug In-> Mesa Boogie 2:Ninety Power Amp -> Marshall MF Cab (Celestion Vintage 30 speakers)
  

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

Jager - Nope, but the Mac has a keyboard.

Rob- ^^ 

10. Now tell us your Dream Rig in detail…..

Jager - Some custom guitars, artist used guitars, whatever plug in sounds good at the time and Marshall / Mesa cabs.

Rob- My personal Dream rig would be a custom Kiesel in Tiffany Blue, a private stock PRS McCarty 7 string, Kemper profiler and a custom cab with Celestion V30s. 
  

11. What guitarist can you not stand?

Jager - Anyone that stands still on stage.

Rob- The ones with backhanded compliments.

12. Is tone more important or is technique?

Jager - Technique. Practice on a clean channel so you don’t have overdrive / gain cover up your mistakes.

Rob- I feel like dialing in tone is a technique in itself but can’t be highlighted without precision in your playing. 

13. Name your top 5 guitarist
Jager - Tosin Abasi, Wes Borland, Jason Becker, Steve Vai, Eric Johnson

Rob- Mark Holcomb, Kirk Hammett, Michael Angelo Batio, Tim Henson and Nick Hippa.

14. Who is the most overrated guitarist?

Jager - Kerry King

Rob- Nick Jonas


15. Who would you like a one hour private sit down lesson with (anyone dead or alive)?

Jager - Wes Borland / Limp Bizkit

Rob- Kirk Hammett hands down.