Fender Yngwie Malmsteen Signature Stratocaster Review

This review was submitted by Guitar Jar contributor: Jonas

My main guitar is my beloved dark red Samick Artist Series Model but I also have used a cream white Japanese Fender Stratocaster Yngwie Malmsteen model, so now I’ll write about this axe.

…The Fender YJM is a great choice for blues and rock styles…

Hi all, I’m Jonas Tamas, (now proudly signed to Steve Vai’s label).

As far as amps go, we have experimented a lot in the studio with different amps, using a Laney Lionheart L20H the most.

I must add that I am able to record a lot in my home studio too, and sometimes I can get the most suitable sound by using my Boss GT-3 effect processor plugged in directly to the mixer.

Sometimes I add a BBE Sonic Maximizer, some digital delays, chorus and limiters as well and I use a bunch of software plugins at the mixing phase.

In my opinion, the main element of the sound must be always the “human” part of the equation; the hands, the feel, the thoughts, the grip on the neck – that’s the key of everything.

The instrument and the gear is only the extension of your body and soul. I always try to keep my signal chain relatively simple.

Features:

It’s got a scalloped maple neck, and it is equipped with two DiMarzio HS-3 pickups plus one stock Fender pickup.

Ease of Use:

Great for vibrato, tapping, and arpeggio. Regarding arpeggios, besides the conventional shapes I often use my own creations, which I call ‘linear arpeggios’.

In the song Platinum there is a great example for this. These ‘linear arpeggios’ are mostly sus4 type harmonies, with sometimes an added 9th on the top.

I call them linear because I only use my 1st and 3rd fingers for ascending and descending, and my 4th finger comes to play when I change directions on the low or high strings.

I use 6, 5, and 4 string versions of those special arpeggios, sometimes combined with one or two tapped note as well.

The scalloped fretboard gives each note a soulful definition.