Stan Schiller Q&A (Guitar Tech Extraordinaire - Steve Vai, Def Leppard, & More)

Q: What was the best part of being on the road as a tech? What was the worst?

A: Hmmm..... The best part? The new challenges you encounter every day, every gig. There's no consistency in venues, from load in to load out, they are all different, people included (stagehands, promoter, security, runners, fans, etc.). Dave Wolff (Vivian's tech) and I used to get our gear lined up to go on stage, and as soon as it did, we were "Mad Men" getting it put in place and/or stacked before the other one finished. We had a blast doing it, and the camaraderie we shared was bar-none. I miss working with him. Where was I....... Ok - the shows.....Being on top of your 'Game', having the confidence to know that whatever the "road gremlins" throw at you, you can fix it- 'Chop-Chop'. That's what you're paid for, and that's what you do. At the end of any gig, whether it's in Kansas City or Katowice , Poland , when the guy you're teching for walks off stage at the end of the show, hands you his guitar with a smile on his face- you know you did your job......And there's no better feeling than to know you just made his night......

And the toughest?

After you first born child, It gets harder and harder each time you have to leave to say "goodbye".

Q: Do you have a favorite guitar that stands out most in your mind you either own or have owned?

A: Yes, there is one -Tough question to answer though..... I went to the Jackson factory one day to see Tim Wilson (the guy who runs the whole 'ball of wax') about coming up with new colors for the new PC-1. Knowing Phil wanted something unique and not on the 'street' (he's so demanding, you know...) we started mixing paint, stains, and transparent colors. Using pieces of quilted maple they just had laying around the shop (strange, isn't it?) we sprayed quite a few test samples to see how different we could get it. There was this one that, man, fukn amazing color, on top of that quilted maple, looked like a swimming pool.  I said "Whoa- looks like Chlorine".........Bitchin.......I got a stiffy right then.... A year later, Tim made a Guitar for me - but this one - let me tell you, was the most consistent birds-eye necks I'd ever seen, the quilt maple top - let's just say paul reed smith never got his hands on a piece this nice...... The color? Why, Chlorine of course. I walked with a 'limp' ever since (see 'stiffy' above) .... That is/was my favorite, And now can be seen in the "Brooks Burton Hall of Fame Guitar Collection"... That one - that one was hard to let go..... Make no mistake - Family always comes first. 

Q: When you worked with a band like Def Leppard, was being a guitar tech more like going into in the office and just getting by doing your job, or was it something you really enjoyed more as being with friends?

A: "Not just a job, it's an adventure". I loved working with those guys, it's like being married- for better or for worse. I think with anything - people lose track of where they're at, who the are, and how you got there. The "road" puts strains and pressure on you in many different directions at times. You lose sight, take a 'detour' down the wrong road, and if you're one of the lucky ones, you make it back and pick up the pieces, and start over. Touring is a business, NOT a party......... I love the road, it's what I've always enjoyed doing, and after a long 'hiatus'. I'm looking forward to getting back "on the road again". I've said this to many people, and it's something I'm going to instill in my own kids' heads; "Do something you love to do for a career, and you'll never work a day in your life".........Better advice could not be found...........

Q:  How fast can you string and tune a guitar with a Floyd Rose tremolo?

A: Approx. 5 minutes

Q: Why do you string a guitar with the ball end at the headstock? Is it really faster?

A: Couple of reasons; 1. You don't have to cut the string twice. 2. There's no worrying about the string slipping at the peg, 3. It keeps more tension on the string, due to the fact that the ball keeps the subsequent windings below and at a slightly greater angle. When a string breaks, normally, or should I say "usually", maybe "typically" would be a better word, (ok, enough) is at the saddle ( No, not that..... get your mind out of the gutter). The Bridge", yes indeed. The simple fix is to loosen up the lock block @ the nut AND @ the bridge, remove the broken piece of string, take or 'slip' two windings off the tuning peg, insert the string back into the bridge and tighten the block. Set the fine tuner @ midway point and tighten the tuning peg back to pitch. Give the string a little yank (C'mon, stay with me here), check your pitch again before locking the string @ the nut. You see, the string has already been stretched and played, so instead of wasting all that time replacing it, it's ready to go back out while you sit and sweat something else going wrong.......

Q: How old were you when you started in the music industry and what was your first job?

A: Whoa - Easy with the old questions, Mmmkay? 1980 was the year- Baltimore , Maryland was the place.