Custom Boards Finland

30/09/2025

I got this picture of Amorphis’ Esa Holopainen at the end of January, when he was recording his guitar parts for the upcoming Amorphis album in Denmark.

I had built the pedalboard the previous year for the Music of Kingston Wall -shows, and Esa wanted to have the same sounds in the studio as well.

Now that album, ”Borderland”, is out, and it is a thrilling experience to listen to the record. And yes – the guitars on this album are full of little details and juicy tones. The same goes for the entire record.

Could ”Borderland” be the band’s best, or at least their most mature album? Hard to say yet, but the hits just keep coming one after another at a pace that feels like a direct strike tailor-made for metal-oriented radio stations.

The cover art is stunning and perfectly reflects the sound world within. The listener is treated to a professionally composed, played and produced whole – an album rich with layers to chew on for a long time to come. All I can say is: well done, guys – once again! 🙏

27/09/2025

This photo was taken on October 23, 2017, in Phoenix, Arizona, on the first day of HIM’s farewell tour.

It’s a true “calm before the storm” moment, just before our gear arrived and all hell broke loose.
The first day of an international tour is always a real struggle—trying to pull all the gear together while being jet-lagged, of course.

Pictured here is my colleague Kari Reini, who worked as the tour’s drum tech. Facing away from the camera is our monitor tech Viltsu Haapala. Kari’s laugh is genuine, but he hasn’t seen his rental drum kit at this point yet 😅

The events of this day are described in detail in my forthcoming book Viimeinen Kiertue, out on October 15, 2025. Join us for the launch party the evening before at in Helsinki and celebrate the release together! Link in bio.

@ hypertourist

25/09/2025

This picture was taken on August 2nd, 2011. At that time, I had been touring nonstop for six years, gone through a divorce, and burned myself out with work.

That summer, I got the chance to work at a Custom Shop guitar store, which became a real turning point in my life. My daughter was only three years old then, and after seeing how much fun we had together in the shop—and how much I enjoyed helping musicians with their sound and gear—I decided to buy the store and become an entrepreneur. That adventure lasted, in various forms, for the next twelve years.

I truly believed my days as a touring guitar tech were behind me, but little did I know. Still, this move marked the beginning of something new and steady, and this picture will always remind me of that feeling.

The book ”Viimeinen Kiertue” will be released on October 15th. Join us for the launch party the evening before at in Helsinki and celebrate the release together!

07/09/2025

I am very thrilled to announce that we will be hosting a masterclass with Linde on Thursday, October 30, 2025, at Tonefest Guitar Gallery.

Linde Lindström, who built a long international career with HIM, is one of Finland’s most renowned guitarists, whose sound and playing style continue to be admired worldwide. In October, HIM’s guitar technician Kimmo Aroluoma will release his book “The Last Tour”. It offers a glimpse into the band’s life on the road and takes a deep dive into Linde’s playing techniques and gear.

The Gallery Sessions evening with Linde and Kimmo is an exclusive event that no fan of HIM’s music should miss. Tickets are limited, so secure yours quickly!

Evening schedule:

6:00 PM – Doors open. Coffee, refreshments, and light snacks available.

6:30–8:30 PM – Gallery Sessions

-How was the HIM guitar sound born, and how did it evolve over the years? We’ll show how anyone can recreate it.
-We’ll dive into HIM’s most iconic riffs, as Linde demonstrates his playing style and chord voicings along the neck.
-We’ll also discuss the challenges of touring, preparing for shows, and how different artists deal with stage fright.

8:30 PM – Q&A and Meet & Greet

9:00 PM – Evening concludes

Info:

-The session will be held in Finnish.
-Your webshop order confirmation serves as your ticket.
-The venue is fully accessible.
-More information: Petri Matero / +358 44 3737376

31/08/2025

This shot was taken on June 28th, 2009 in Moscow, backstage at Olimpiysky, after a three-week tour in Russia. The line-up featured Scorpions, Alice Cooper, The Rasmus and Kingdom Come. Alice was clearly the most legendary star of the tour, and he was kind enough to invite our whole entourage backstage and offer us the chance to take a photo with him. I took mine, but this pic features Aksu Rönkkö, who at the time worked as The Rasmus’ monitor engineer. The following year, I worked with him on a HIM tour before he began his longtime collaboration with Nightwish.

The tour itself started off hectically. Alice Cooper’s production manager ran the show, and it took us a few gigs to earn his trust and prove we were a quick in-and-out crew with minimal hassle. Scorpions were hugely popular in Russia, and we got along nicely with both the musicians and their crew. Kingdom Come’s singer Lenny Wolf, on the other hand, was by all means the epitome of the ego-driven lead singer stereotype. He played with his band overtime, forcing us to do our changeovers in the minimum possible time.

Looking back now, only good memories remain as this trip was a unique chance to see Russia from Vladivostok to Moscow, something that sadly is no longer possible for reasons we all know too well.

As the book Viimeinen kiertue focuses on HIM, this tour is only mentioned in a few sentences, even though there was more than enough happening on that trip for at least a novel. Maybe I’ll share more photos from the journey later, so stay tuned!

Pre-order for the book can be found in bio.

27/08/2025

The manuscript of my next book, Viimeinen kiertue is now sent to the publisher for editing and sight-reading. While writing, I went through my whole photo archive to bring back memories from the road. The book will be out on the 15th of October, so before and after that I’ll be sharing a variety of photos — in no particular order, theme, or timeline — just to make the story come alive in pictures.

This shot was taken on the 1st of April at the House of Blues, Cleveland, during the Screamworks tour. Singer Ville Valo had an endorsement deal with microphones, and due to the busy schedule we did not have time to arrange a photoshoot, so the crew tried to take photos of Ville with his Sennheiser microphone. This is the only photo I have ever taken of him, although we’ve shared decades of moments together. Needless to say, this photo was not chosen, as it was taken with my 1st-generation iPhone, which did not have the best camera possible. I don’t recall if another pic was chosen, but this still stands as a relevant moment from that tour.

Pre-order for the book can be found in bio.

   

05/07/2025

28/06/2025

From one vibe to another. I took my daughter to the Pride event in Kaivopuisto, then rushed to Kallio to catch up with an old friend, Samu Leminen, who is hosting a memorial gallery for Kingston Wall’s Petri Walli.

Today marks 30 years since his passing. After spending a few years immersed in the music of Kingston Wall — a journey that led to the release of the Kingston Wallin perintö book — I’ve tried to keep some distance from the band’s music. I did join last year’s tribute tour as a guitar tech, but otherwise, my focus has been on what lies ahead.

With all that in mind, I arrived at the gallery with mixed feelings — but I’m so glad I went. My first thought? I used to live in that very same building at the turn of the millennium, just before I began my years as a traveller and started to reorganize my life.

Inside, the atmosphere was warm and reverent. It’s always a joy to see Samu, and it was beautiful to see the light shining from him. He deserves his credit for keeping the Kingston Wall legacy alive and strong.

If you’re nearby, go say hi to Samu and soak in the atmosphere for yourself.�📍 Pengerkatu 22�🕒 Open: Saturday, June 28, 2–8 PM & Sunday, June 29, 2–6 PM

Long live Kingston Wall!

13/05/2025

Two pedalboards on the bench at the same time.

Two musicians with completely different needs — but sharing the same core idea: playing guitar straight into the PA system. For me, this was a perfect opportunity to compare what I believe are the best solutions in their category.

Pedalboard #1: Neural Quad Cortex setup

This board is for , who’s about to tour in Brazil with Marty Friedman. He wanted a lightweight, travel-friendly rig. Alongside the Neural DSP Quad Cortex, we included a Shure wireless system and the TC Electronic Sub’N’Up Octaver. After a bit of back and forth, we went with the Mission Engineering expression pedal instead of a traditional Dunlop wah. Everything is securely mounted with 3M Dual Lock and wired using Evidence Audio Monorail with RA plugs for optimal performance. Power is supplied by DC7 with 8800-series cables.

Pedalboard #2

BluGuitar Amp1 setup.
This one’s for philosopher, author and guitarist Tuomas Nevanlinna, who plays classic rock with his bandmates. He used to use the Strymon Iridium, but it never quite clicked for him — so we swapped it for the Bluguitar Amp1, and it instantly felt right. His MXR Phaser was distorting slightly, so I did the “script mod”—something I recommend to anyone using this pedal. Tuomas uses a wide array of effects (another board, not pictured), and controls his overall volume with a volume pedal.

Both boards serve a purpose:

The Quad Cortex is intuitive, feature-rich, and sounds fantastic.

The Bluguitar Amp1 delivers a killer amp tone with minimal fuss—perfect for players who just want that sound without diving into presets or menus.


🎛️ gear via 

🎚️ expression pedal via

01/04/2025

I am pleased to announce the upcoming release of my new book, Viimeinen kiertue (The Last Tour), coming out in October this year. The book is in Finnish and published by Like Kustannus. Below, you can read their preview.

An Insider’s Story of HIM’s Touring Life

How did HIM, led by Ville Valo, rise to fame? What kind of pressures and personal conflicts shaped their major tours? And what ultimately led to the band’s breakup?

Guitar technician and author Kimmo Aroluoma takes readers behind the scenes of HIM’s farewell tour, offering a rare glimpse into the band’s untold history. The international rock business is a workplace that is as fascinating and tempting as it is ruthless—many end up burning themselves out.

Viimeinen kiertue (The Last Tour) is Aroluoma’s raw and deeply personal survival story, an intense memoir that not only reveals the reality of HIM’s touring life but also provides insights into the road experiences of Hanoi Rocks, The Rasmus, and Amorphis.

25/03/2025

The writing of my next book continues, so here we go with one more old shot from the road.

This shot takes us back to June 3, 2010, at Zeppelinfeld in Nürnberg, Germany. I was on tour with HIM, gearing up for the festival season, which kicked off the next day at Rock im Park. The gear had just arrived from the USA, and we spent the day prepping everything for the shows ahead.

Back then, we used four Laney tube amplifiers—two in use, two as spares. You don’t see rigs like this much anymore. Here, it’s set up in its stage position, with the amplifiers behind the cabinets.

Looking at these old photos, I can’t help but notice how low the quality is. This was the era when the first iPhones hit the market, and I had already ditched my Canon Ixus because taking quick snaps on my phone was just too easy. In hindsight, I wish I had stuck with proper photography, but hey—that’s how things go.

More photos coming soon—stay tuned!

24/03/2025

I had the great privilege of designing a pedalboard for the legendary Jan ”Nasse” Stenfors—best known as an original member of Hanoi Rocks. In recent years, he’s been actively making music with Stenfors and Demolition 23, the latter hitting select festivals next summer.

Jan already had a collection of pedals and had purchased a One Control true bypass looper, so my task was to integrate everything into a cohesive, road-ready rig. I chose Evidence Audio RA plugs and Monorail cable—the same combination David Gilmour uses in his home studio. Soldering solid-core cable was a thrill, and the connections turned out military-grade—rock-solid and built to last.

Since this board is going to be played live, I put a lot of thought into cable routing, balancing looks, usability, durability, and easy troubleshooting in one clean package. I kept safety clips, anchors, and zip ties to a minimum while ensuring a rock-solid setup. The true bypass looper was intuitive to use and program, and everything locked together seamlessly. The result? A powerful, great-sounding, and road-ready rig.

A second, smaller board was dedicated to the BluGuitar Amp 1 pedal amplifier—a device I’ve tested multiple times and always find inspiring. Once again, I caught myself playing more than necessary! 🎸 I dialed in Jan’s settings, connected it to a 4x12” cab and Genelec speakers simulating a PA, and the sound was huge yet responsive. If you’re looking for a lightweight gigging solution but aren’t sold on digital modelers, this amp is seriously worth considering.

Jan’s verdict after receiving the board?

”I got a chance to try it out a bit, and it’s definitely easy and quick to get started with the rig you put together. It’s a really damn cool and inspiring setup. Thanks!”

If you’re looking for help or inspiration with your gear, setup, or sound, check out our services—link in bio!

🎸
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⚡ .gmbh