Nicholaus Arson

His main guitar, as he said in Premier Guitar:

This has been my main guitar. The Tele custom. This has been my main guitar for maybe...I don't know, a couple of years. (...) This one sounds really great. It has hot (bridge) pickup and all that...

His main and most recognizable guitar. 2021 Premier Guitar rig rundown describes the guitar as follows:

Similar to Carlstroem, guitar mate Nicholaus Arson travels light when Stateside. Again, his No. 1 is a 1970s Fender Telecaster Custom that has just its overwound (stock) bridge pickup wired up. The vintage Tele once belonged to frontman Howlin’ Pelle Almqvist, who generously sold it to Arson. Both his Ts take Ernie Ball Paradigm 2020 Power Slinkys (.011–.048). Arson’s main axe has suffered several splits—none more impressive (or worrisome) than the re-glued fault line running from the cutaway to the body’s bottom.

Clearly seen on this photo, this is his main and primary amp. He plays through this one, and a Fender Vibro King. 2021 Premier Guitar interview:

Keeping it all Fender, all the time, Arson plugs into both cherished time periods of Fullerton amp lore. Side A is a black-panel Bandmaster that hits a vintage Hiwatt cab outfitted with Celestion Heritage Greenback speakers. Side B is a silver-panel 1976 Fender Vibrolux. Notice Arson is plugging into the vibrato channels of both amps and each has its bright switch engaged.

The only time Arson peformed with this guitar was for "Hate to say I told you so" music video.

At 6:00 in this Rig Rundown for Nicholaus Arson of The Hives, his gear is displayed, showing his Fender Vibrolux Reverb-Amp Combo. 2021 Premier Guitar interview writes:

Keeping it all Fender, all the time, Arson plugs into both cherished time periods of Fullerton amp lore. Side A is a black-panel Bandmaster that hits a vintage Hiwatt cab outfitted with Celestion Heritage Greenback speakers. Side B is a silver-panel 1976 Fender Vibrolux. Notice Arson is plugging into the vibrato channels of both amps and each has its bright switch engaged.

In this picture from Get Loaded In The Park (Clapham Common London) - 24 August 2008 you can see Arson holding his custom-build Fano guitar.

Nicholaus Arson frequently uses a Fender Custom Telecaster Electric Guitar, as mentioned in Premier Guitar. He owns several of these guitars. A photograph taken at Eurockéennes 2007, available on Wikimedia, shows him with this instrument.

Another guitar of his which was used just for one video. He used this one in "Die, Alright" music video.

This guitar was custom made by Sundberg guitars for Nicholaus Arson. This guitar was seen in "Walk Idiot Walk" music video.

Sundberg Guitars also posted a message on their website that they won't make more "Arsonettes", as many people asked.

In Premier Guitar Hives's rig rundown, Arson also discusses this guitar, around 2:22 mark, he tells guitar's history. Year of making is around 2002. as he says in Premier Guitar interview. As of 2013. this guitar is having Lace Sensor pickup. 2021 Premier Guitar writes about the guitar:

His U.S. backup is this Sundberg The Arsonette that was designed by the guitarist. He aimed to make a crossbreed of a Telecaster and a Firebird by giving the single-cut a raised center block. (The neck still uses Fender-style, bolt-on construction.) The lone pickup is a Lace Sensor T-150 single-coil. The upper bout is chambered producing a deader, more-direct sound that Arson likens to a banjo or drum. He strives for a tone that is immediate and rhythmic, eschewing any sustain or lingering notes.

Nicholaus Arson on Premiere Guitar:

''And then I have this one wich is a custom Telecaster and this is like... this is just like a new one, but this one actually sounds really good and all and works... works well. There supposed to be like... guitars that stand up to, you know... I mean we've run over one of my guitars with a van once and it's like, it still kinda just plays. So I have a bunch of these but you know... Like this type of black Tele with a white um...(pickguard) But this one is a newer one, I have ones that are like built from like sixties parts and from some other things as well...''

Nicholaus Arson uses the Boss AW-3 Dynamic Wah Guitar Effects Pedal, according to this Premier Gutar rig rundown. He talks about this one at 8:35 minute mark. 2021 Premier Guitar interview:

Three of Arson’s pedals are exactly as they were in 2013: a Crowther Audio Prunes & Custard fuzz for songs like “Tick Tick Boom,” a Boss DD-3 Digital Delay for short echo on “Take Back the Toys” and “Bigger Hole to Fill,” and a Boss AW-3 Dynamic Wah used for the intro to “Hate to Say I Told You So.” Last time he had an EHX Micro POG, but because the band was playing a fresh set of jams, he swapped it out for a TC Electronic Classic TC XII Phaser.

You can see Nicholaus holding a black Fender Telecaster Cabronita in June 2013 at the Liseberg amusement park in Gothenburg, Sweden.

According to this Hives's rig rundown with Premier Guitar, Nicholaus Arson owns but no longer uses the Electro-Harmonix Micro POG during their show. He talks about this pedal at 7:56 mark. It was replaced sometime before 2021 for TC Electronic TC XII Phaser.

Nicholaus Arson discusses his use of the Prunes & Custard Harmonic Generator-Intermodulator Pedal in this rig rundown with Premier Guitar, around the 8:46 minute mark.

Nicholaus Arson discussed this Boss DD-3 Digital Delay Pedal at around the 8:26 minute mark in this rig rundown with Premier Guitar. 2021 Premier Guitar interview:

Three of Arson’s pedals are exactly as they were in 2013: a Crowther Audio Prunes & Custard fuzz for songs like “Tick Tick Boom,” a Boss DD-3 Digital Delay for short echo on “Take Back the Toys” and “Bigger Hole to Fill,” and a Boss AW-3 Dynamic Wah used for the intro to “Hate to Say I Told You So.” Last time he had an EHX Micro POG, but because the band was playing a fresh set of jams, he swapped it out for a TC Electronic Classic TC XII Phaser.

In this photo, one can see Arson playing a Gibson Firebird I.

''I have this one wich is a custom Telecaster. It's a new one but this sounds really good and all, and works... works well. They're supposed to be guitars that like stand up to, you know... we've run over a guitar with the band and it still kinda just plays...''

Nicholaus plays the guitar, as you can see in this Facebook Post from the Hives.

In this performance of 'Come on', Arson is playing a Guild Thunderbird in white. You can clearly see it at 0:37.

Similar to Carlstroem, guitar mate Nicholaus Arson travels light when Stateside. Again, his No. 1 is a 1970s Fender Telecaster Custom that has just its overwound (stock) bridge pickup wired up. The vintage Tele once belonged to frontman Howlin’ Pelle Almqvist, who generously sold it to Arson. Both his Ts take Ernie Ball Paradigm 2020 Power Slinkys (.011–.048).

Three of Arson’s pedals are exactly as they were in 2013: a Crowther Audio Prunes & Custard fuzz for songs like “Tick Tick Boom,” a Boss DD-3 Digital Delay for short echo on “Take Back the Toys” and “Bigger Hole to Fill,” and a Boss AW-3 Dynamic Wah used for the intro to “Hate to Say I Told You So.” Last time he had an EHX Micro POG, but because the band was playing a fresh set of jams, he swapped it out for a TC Electronic Classic TC XII Phaser.