Ax Facts and Stats: Candlebox guitarist Peter Klett

by Dave B. Roberts

Welcome to AFS vol.58 with Candlebox guitarist Peter Klett.

My name is:
Peter Klett

My current job is:
Ripping your face off!

My hometown:
Bellevue, WA.

My current album or project is:
Candlebox-Into The Sun

Former bands:
Redlightmusic….the others just don’t matter

My guitar influences growing up were:
Angus Young was king in the beginning…David Gilmore…Jimmy Page…The Iron Maiden boys were huge for my style of solo along with Michael Schenker

The guitars I use have :
Oh boy…. 1979 les paul standard-tobacco burst, 1979 les pauls standard –blonde, 1980 modified les paul artist…dark burst, 1990’s made for me les paul standard, 1960’s ? modified tele custom, 1975 tele thinline-sunburts, 1976 tele deluxe-black, 1977 tele thinline-dark sunburst, 2000’s modified mex tele custom, 2000’s American made modified tele, 1962 re-issue modified strat, 2000’s cheap ass modified strat-killer guitar, StubHub! Where Fans Buy and Sell Tickets!

The strings and tunings I use are:
Dunlop 11-50

My current rig setup consists of:
amps & cabs: Marshall 200 dual Superlead, Soldano Decatone, early 70’s Marshall cab, 90’s Boogie cab, Fender Bassman w/ two 10’s and a 12” for speakers, Roland JC 120
- Rack: Intelliflex & Digitech TSR24
- Pedals-dirty chain: Whirlwind A/B for splitting dirty from clean amps, Ernie Ball stereo vol/pan, Boss V-Wah, Dunlop Rotovibe tube screamer T.C. elec phaser/Boss phase shifter, A/B in back for splitting dirty amps
- Pedals-clean chain: Line 6 echo park, liquid chorus in back for splitting clean amps

The greatest invention for guitars is:
78-80 t-bucker….among thousands more!

My normal songwriting process consists of:
Sitting down and letting myself go.

My favorite all-time guitar solo:
Oh boy-just can’t answer that…far too many stand up to each other.

Favorite all-time song (any artist) is:
Once again…can’t answer that

Favorite song by our band:
Hmm…oh man that is tough….right now I will say “miss you”….answer will change with the wind.

Favorite song to perform in front of a live audience:
Far Behind or You I guess….cool to watch the crowd freak!

My Career highlight thus far is:
Opening for RUSH & WOODSTOCK 94...however there are many more….these two are the ones that seem to be the obvious answers. Free artist EPKs

My most embarrassing moment on stage:
Please don’t make me answer that.

Other than my guitar and amps, the one piece of my gear that I cannot live without is:
Pro Tools I guess….very handy .

The first song I ever mastered on guitar:
Who knows….most likely an AC/DC song.

My first guitar was:
A crappy nylon acoustic that I took from my sister.

The first time I ever heard our band on the radio…:
Ahh yes….very vivid…. Driving on I-5 into downtown Seattle…listening to KISW and all of a sudden it was dead air….about 3 seconds later the beginning of ‘change’ started fading in and I effing flipped out!

If I am only sure of one thing in life, It's:
I don’t think I will ever be sure of anything completely but “if I can do it….so can u”

The exact moment I knew I would pursue a career in music was:
When I picked of that first guitar….I also used to dream about it while sitting in my 6th grade classroom.

The one thing most fans don't know about me is:
All lot of things

The best advice I could give beginning guitarists:
Play, play, play, play, play, play, play and keep playing!

My all-time favorite album:
Man…keeping making me decide… Pink Floyd-Dark Side of the Moon

Best gig:
Dude please…too many!

Favorite junk food:
Who doesn’t like ice cream. Peanut m& m’s..Swedish Fish …cinnamon bears to name just a few of the MANY items of junk food I so crave.

My biggest pet peeve:
Waiting and if you say you’re going to do something….DO IT!!!

The hardest part of my job:
The hours.

What I like to do in my "off" time:
Ride the harley…nascar on xbox …craving my golf again.

The first thing I do when I come home from touring is:
Kiss Jessica.