What strings do you use, Mark Tremonti?

© Amy Harris/Corbis

From the Guitar Techniques archive, we ask a famous guitarist all those little questions you really do want the answers to… This time, Alter Bridge's Mark Tremonti

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

Jim Dunlop 1mm nylon.

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

My Morley Power Wah, T-Rex Replica delay and T-Rex MAB overdrive.

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

The only other instrument I can play well enough to do it in a band is bass. I actually tracked bass on one of our records.

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

Probably not. Yes if it is a simple chord chart but I grew up reading tab exclusively.

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

Yes, they make a difference if you can afford to pay for high-end boutique cables but for a reasonable amount of money and performance I use Planet Waves.

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

Stevie Ray Vaughan but it's more awe than jealousy.

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

My #1 PRS signature model. When I first opened the case to this guitar, it was one of the greatest moments of my professional life.

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

That depends what I am going for. My favourite amp I have ever played is a Dumble Overdrive Special. Any setting already sounds perfect.

What kind of action do you have on your guitars?

My action is pretty much the same as the PRS factory set-up, not too high making it difficult and not too low causing fret buzz.

What guitar strings do you use?

I use D'Addario strings. On the bottom three strings I use the gauges that come standard in a set of 11s and on the top three I use the gauges that come standard in a set of 10s.