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Who's Michael Jackson's guitarist? Meet Orianthi

11 facts about MJ's guitarist

The MusicRadar Team, Fri 3 Jul 2009, 12:08 pm UTC

Orianthi

Orianthi, Michael Jackson's guitarist

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8. On Santana's recommendation, she became an official PRS endorsee. "I'm on the PRS website under 'O' which is very, very cool," she says. "I don't know how to explain it, I just love their guitars."

9. On those PRS guitars she says: "I play a PRS Custom 22. I learned on a Custom 24. It was set for a country guitarist, so it had a really high action. It had .10s (string gauge) so it was kind of hard to play, I really had to work at it. I think it worked well for me in the end because picking up other guitars now, it's easier to play them. So if you begin with heavier-gauged strings on an acoustic you really work the muscles in your hands. I use .9's now.

"A girl playing electric guitar is seen a bit like a guy doing ballet"

"I like to just plug in and play, I don't use a lot of effects. At home I use a Hughes & Kettner and in the States I use Bogner. With my effects, usually I'll use a delay, some reverb, a Vox Wah or Morley Two."

10. On being a high-profile woman guitarist she says: "I'd like to be able to get more girls to play guitar. I think with a girl playing electric guitar, sometimes it's seen a bit like a guy doing ballet. All the people I learned guitar from have been guys. There are some great female players like Bonnie Raitt and Jennifer Batten but very few.

"Being promoted as a bubble-gum type artist that has one hit and it's all over is not something I want to do. I want a long career. I want to continue to play guitar and have as much guitar in there as possible in a commercial song without being too indulgent."

11. About working with Michael Jackson, she 'Tweeted' after his sudden death: "I'm looking back on some wonderful memories and feeling really sad.

"MJ was ready and was taken far too soon. He was such a wonderful person. RIP."

Watch Orianthi demonstrate her Guitar Run Of The Week #2 from her YouTube channel.

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