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From the Guitar Techniques archive, we ask a famous guitarist all those little questions you really do want the answers to… This time Mr Scary himself, George Lynch.

Do you have a type of pick that you can't live without?

Yeah, Dunlop Ultrex 73. Occasionally I'll use something made of metal, like a coin; and more recently I've been using a hybrid technique, switching between fingerpicking and pick.

If you had to give up all your pedals but three, what would they be?

My old tube Echoplex or T-Rex Replica for delay, my old TS-8 or HBE Paradrive for overdrive, and original 'script logo' Phase 90 or Fulltone Dejavibe prototype for modulation. Or I'd just use my Zoom G2G because it contains all those sounds in one box.

Do you play another instrument well enough to be in a band?

Yes, Tonette (a small plastic flute once used in American schools to teach music!)…

If a music chart were put in front of you, could you read it?

If it were tab or chord charts, yes - if it were notation, yes but very slowly…

Do guitar cables really make a difference? What make are yours?

For leads I like Zoalla and I prefer medium gauge lamp cord for speaker cable.

Is there anyone's playing (past or present) that you're slightly jealous of?

Russ Parish from Steel Panther, Fredrik Thordendal from Meshugga, Vinnie Moore from UFO, Eddie Van Halen and Richie Sambora and 1000s of others! Because they're either rich or play way better than me (or both!)…

Your house/studio is burning down: which guitar do you salvage?

My original Tiger because I built it myself back in the late'70s - it's dependable and always sounds amazing. Plus it's outlasted four wives and countless bands!

What's your favourite amp and how do you set it?

My Randall signature Lynch Box - dimed; ie turned all the way up!

What kind of action do you have on your guitars?

I adjust the treble side high with heavier strings and the bass side low with lighter gauge strings (as below).

What strings do you use?

Dean Markley Super V's, 11-42. I spent over a year helping to design them. My Dad is a metallurgist so I had some background in metal (no pun).

They have a high nickel content, are wound to pitch for spot-on intonation and they have a unique core composition and diameter…

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