March 2014
Name: Chris Ruffolo
Band: Rocket Miner
Websites: rocketminer.bandcamp.com/album/elegy, soundcloud.com/rocketminerband, itunes.apple.com/us/album/elegy, facebook.com/rocketminer
QRD – What was your first guitar & what happened to it?
Chris – Kramer 300ST stolen at a Thurston’s show in Chicago.
QRD – What’s your typical set-up from guitar to effects to amplifier?
Chris – DD3, Boss DD5, Ibanez Tube Screamer, Fulltone Fat Boost, Electro-Harmonix Sovtek Big Muff, Korg Pitch Black Tuner, Ernie Ball Volume Pedal, Boss OS-2.
QRD – What’s the most important part of your rig - guitar, amplifier, or effects?
Chris – I would say effects are the most important part of creating my sound.
QRD – What’s your main amplifier & why?
Chris – Vox AC30, great sound & power & easier to transport than a half stack.
QRD – What’s your main guitar & what are the features that make it such?
Chris – Fender Telesonic, great sound good weight to it.
QRD – How many guitars do you own?
Chris – I own 3 guitars - Fender Telesonic, Epiphone Kalamazoo, & a Martin Acoustic OMC-15E.
QRD – How much do you think a good guitar should cost?
Chris – Around $1,000.
QRD – How old were you when you started playing guitar?
Chris – 13.
QRD – Why do you think a guitar fits you more so than other instruments?
Chris – I think I can express myself the most through guitar.
QRD – Do you think guitar should be people’s first instrument as often as it is?
Chris – Either guitar or piano.
QRD – Do you see your guitar as your ally or adversary in making music?
Chris – Ally.
QRD – Who are the guitarists that most influenced your playing & sound?
Chris – Nick McCabe, Billy Corgan.
QRD – What type of pick do you use & why?
Chris – Jim Dunlop 1.0 Max Grip feels great.
QRD – What gauge strings do you use & why?
Chris – Been using tens, not too heavy not too light.
QRD – How often do you change strings?
Chris – Maybe once a month or so.
QRD – How often do you break strings?
Chris – Not very often. I can’t remember the last time I broke one.
QRD – Do you set-up your guitar yourself or send it to a guitar tech (or not set it up at all) & why?
Chris – Send it to a guitar tech. I used to mess around with it, but never really learned.
QRD – What tunings do you use & why?
Chris – Standard tuning, never messed around with others.
QRD – Do you prefer tablature, sheet music, or some other notation system for writing down your own ideas?
Chris – We record our jams & play by ear.
QRD – Playing what other instrument do you think can most help someone’s guitar playing?
Chris – Piano.
QRD – What’s your favorite guitar gadget (Ebow, capo, slide, string cutter, etc)?
Chris – Ebow.
QRD – Did you ever take guitar lessons & if so, what did you learn from them?
Chris – I took guitar lessons in junior high for a month. I would’ve liked to read music & learn scales, but I might be a different guitar player today.
QRD – Where can people hear your best guitar work?
Chris – Our latest album. https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/elegy/id823993399
Chris – Kramer 300ST stolen at a Thurston’s show in Chicago.
QRD – What’s your typical set-up from guitar to effects to amplifier?
Chris – DD3, Boss DD5, Ibanez Tube Screamer, Fulltone Fat Boost, Electro-Harmonix Sovtek Big Muff, Korg Pitch Black Tuner, Ernie Ball Volume Pedal, Boss OS-2.
QRD – What’s the most important part of your rig - guitar, amplifier, or effects?
Chris – I would say effects are the most important part of creating my sound.
QRD – What’s your main amplifier & why?
Chris – Vox AC30, great sound & power & easier to transport than a half stack.
QRD – What’s your main guitar & what are the features that make it such?
Chris – Fender Telesonic, great sound good weight to it.
QRD – How many guitars do you own?
Chris – I own 3 guitars - Fender Telesonic, Epiphone Kalamazoo, & a Martin Acoustic OMC-15E.
QRD – How much do you think a good guitar should cost?
Chris – Around $1,000.
QRD – How old were you when you started playing guitar?
Chris – 13.
QRD – Why do you think a guitar fits you more so than other instruments?
Chris – I think I can express myself the most through guitar.
QRD – Do you think guitar should be people’s first instrument as often as it is?
Chris – Either guitar or piano.
QRD – Do you see your guitar as your ally or adversary in making music?
Chris – Ally.
QRD – Who are the guitarists that most influenced your playing & sound?
Chris – Nick McCabe, Billy Corgan.
QRD – What type of pick do you use & why?
Chris – Jim Dunlop 1.0 Max Grip feels great.
QRD – What gauge strings do you use & why?
Chris – Been using tens, not too heavy not too light.
QRD – How often do you change strings?
Chris – Maybe once a month or so.
QRD – How often do you break strings?
Chris – Not very often. I can’t remember the last time I broke one.
QRD – Do you set-up your guitar yourself or send it to a guitar tech (or not set it up at all) & why?
Chris – Send it to a guitar tech. I used to mess around with it, but never really learned.
QRD – What tunings do you use & why?
Chris – Standard tuning, never messed around with others.
QRD – Do you prefer tablature, sheet music, or some other notation system for writing down your own ideas?
Chris – We record our jams & play by ear.
QRD – Playing what other instrument do you think can most help someone’s guitar playing?
Chris – Piano.
QRD – What’s your favorite guitar gadget (Ebow, capo, slide, string cutter, etc)?
Chris – Ebow.
QRD – Did you ever take guitar lessons & if so, what did you learn from them?
Chris – I took guitar lessons in junior high for a month. I would’ve liked to read music & learn scales, but I might be a different guitar player today.
QRD – Where can people hear your best guitar work?
Chris – Our latest album. https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/elegy/id823993399
