Here is Bernd with his custom Signature G&L Legacy Special.  It's got a killer custom neck, with Gun Oil Tint and Bernd's signature on the headstock.   photo courtesy of Heribert Kalthoff
Pictured at right: Bernd with his custom signature Legacy Special. Close up of the headstock below: Check out the custom Scalloping (not available on production G&Ls):
BELOW: Live onstage with his new band, Running Wild, Bernd is using one of his Signature Legacy Specials. photo courtesy of INGO SPÖRL, 2002	BELOW: Another photo of Bernd with Running Wild. photo courtesy of INGO SPÖRL, 2002
RIGHT: Live onstage with his old band, Angel Dust, again with one of his near-standard Legacy Specials.  This band lays down some serious Metal. photo courtesy of Heribert Kalthoff

 

We caught up with Bernd and asked him to tell us more about himself, the band and any other stuff people may find interesting.  Here are Bernd's own words below:

Anything you might want to know about me:

*  Born 03.01.1970 (that's January 3, 1970 for those of you in the US)
*  Started playing at 11
*  Won a few school awards in guitar playing
*  Started teaching at 17
*  Player for musicals
*  First call guitarist in the German Hard'n heavy scene :)   (so they call me..)
*  Studio guitarist for many German artists
*  Producer for a few Hard Rock albums/bands
*  Graduation at  the University Dortmund as a teacher for mentally handicapped
    children
*  Author of the Book: Guitar playing for mentally handicapped children
*  Guitarist for Angel Dust since 1997
            albums: " Border of Reality" (1998)
                        " Bleed"  (1999) on Century Media Records
*  Album copies sold: 60000 so far, worldwide
*  Next album will be out in April 2000
*  My biggest influence: Ritchie Blackmore, a little bit of Yngwie, Steve Morse, Rik
    Emmett and Paul Gilbert.

So, I hope this is enough at first! Whoops - something i've forgotten: I worked and learned from famous  guitarists  like Jennifer Batten, Frank Gambale and Rik Emmett, when I used to live in Miami(1993) and Toronto/Canada(1992).

Why I play G&L guitars:

The main reason for me to pick up a G&L guitar is that I love the sound and feel of the guitars Leo Fender built.  I was introduced to a Legacy Special back in 1995.  Before that I was much into getting vintage guitars.  But nowadays I think the vintage market is blown up artificially, because you have to pay thousands of dollars to get a faked piece of sh..!

After I played the Legacy Special I knew that the vintage nightmare was over.  You can get  a handmade excellent sounding guitar without selling your parents' house.  By the way, I sold almost everything of my vintage stuff to get more G&L guitars, they sound even much better.  We're doing lots of sound contests here in a very large music store, and the owner still has not found another guitar that could be compared to my Blueburst Legacy Special!!!!  This one is still my No.1, although it is very battle damaged throughout the years, it must be built around 1993.  I had the fingerboard scalloped, but I was too lazy to look at the neckdate!  Today I own my N0.1, a Legacy Special in Black Silver Swirl, an S-500 and coming soon an ASAT Deluxe, which will hopefully be delivered this week.  I'm also looking forward to get my Signature Guitar to be my new N0.1

-  Bernd Aufermann

Thanks a lot, Bernd.  And by the way, in case anyone is wondering about Bernd's "signature guitar", that's a highly customized G&L that we'll show you here once it is completed and in Bernd's hands.


Parting shot: Bernd with Roland Grapov, another heavyweight guitar slinger in Germany. Roland has a 2001 Invader Plus in Redburst with Ebony fingerboard. Bernd is holding his custom Signature Legacy Special made for him in 2000.