The ESP Guitar Company

Coming out of Richmond, VA, Broadside has steadily gained the attention of pop-punk fans around the world since their inception in 2010. Guitarist Niles Gibbs is a perfect fit for this high-energy band, who was named one of the “100 Artists You Need To Know in 2015” by Alternative Press, and are currently spending the summer as part of the Vans Warped Tour.

Niles, welcome to the ESP family. Do you recall the first time you discovered ESP?
Yeah, I think so. I played them a lot as a young teenager. I remember that I saw a music video for Atreyu. It was the song “Lip Gloss in Black”. I thought they were dope-looking guitars from the start.

Did you end up getting one?
Yes. I went to my parents, who were really supportive. I think my first one was an LTD Viper-100FM, and then I got an EX Series. Later on, I got an EC-1000.

What ESP are you playing now with Broadside?
An LTD SN-1000. It’s a very solid guitar, and it sounds great.

Did you get the version with the Floyd Rose, or with the Wilkinson tremolo?
The Wilkinson. I really don’t use the tremolo that much. Even when I was a kid and trying to play metal, it was never my thing.

Fair enough. Are you using the stock pickups that come with the guitar?
Yes, on the model I have now. I’ve had pickups swapped in the past, on some models. I’m a passive pickup kind of guy. To me, certain active pickups sound a little too processed.

What about the SN-1000 makes it good for playing in Broadside?
Personally, I like super solid guitars. With ESP, I never have too worry about anything happening… the neck breaking, wiring issues. All in all, they are completely solid guitars. I never have to worry.

What do you look for when you’re considering a new guitar?
For me, it’s the pickups and the neck. I like different necks for different reasons, but I always like ESP necks in general. They all have very good playability. And right out of the box, everything, like the action, is perfect. I’ve never had to go have it set up.

You do a lot of shows in Broadside. We assume reliability is very important to you.
Absolutely. I’m very lucky in that I’ve never had too many real problems with guitars on the road. I’m completely OCD about keeping my stuff in as good condition as possible.

How old were you when you started playing?
I was around 13.

Do you remember why you took up the guitar? What was the appeal?
To be honest, I didn’t have too many friends in middle school, or high school. Some kids I looked up to were all learning how to play guitar, and I thought, “I want to be a cool kid.” I ended up bugging my parents. “Can I spend my allowance on a guitar?” I ended up getting one, and learned some things, but I didn’t stick with it right away. I picked it up again after about a year. I don’t know why, but I fell in love with playing it then. I would mess around on guitar in my room every day for hours until it was time to go to bed.

Who were some guitarists you admired when you started out, and who became influential to you as a player?
I would say Dan Jacobs and Travis Miguel of Atreyu. It wasn’t only because they played ESP. I liked their playing style. I liked that they were more influenced by classic rock. My dad always had a lot of classic rock and metal playing… Judas Priest, AC/DC and other bands. So I was always surrounded by really good music. It bleeds through into stuff I write.

It’s got to be pretty cool for you now, being on an artist roster along with Glenn Tipton of Judas Priest.
I can’t even believe it. That blows me away. I’m on a tour right now with 15 other bands who all play ESP, and some of them were huge influences, like Vanna and Atreyu. It blows my mind.

What’s important when looking to improve your skills as a musician?
I really couldn’t tell you. I’ve never taken lessons. I don’t know music theory, to be honest. I’m a self-taught guitarist.

How did you improve to the degree where you are now, then?
What pushed me to be better was that I grew up in the middle of nowhere. To me, the guitar was an escape from reality. All I ever wanted to do was play guitar. So I’d be hearing songs, and then watching YouTube videos. I'd check out techniques like sweep picking, tapping, all that stuff. I’d think, “I want to do that.” So I’d sit and practice to a metronome for four hours at a time.

Broadside is categorized in the pop-punk genre, but do you ever turn to other kinds of music for inspiration in new techniques and sounds?
I played in a bunch of metal bands when I was younger, and I still like metal and hardcore. Pretty much everyone in Broadside is into multiple genres. I’ve always listened to pop-punk, but I have a more eclectic sense of genres in music I like to listen to. I never listen to just one thing.

What’s the specific appeal to pop-punk?
It’s just super fun music to play. I like moving around on stage a lot and going crazy, honestly. In some heavier bands, you can’t do that. In technical metal, you kind of have to stand still as to not mess up your playing. When I was in band like that, I thought, “Standing here is boring.” In Broadside, I can get lost in the music.

Any bands or artists that might be surprising to your fans to learn that you enjoy?
I actually really like indie and alt rock. Bands like Turnover, and Brand New. I like weird stuff, and bands who are good at experimenting. When you hear that kind of thing, it means you don’t have to limit yourself as an artist, and music is truly an art form.