My tone for rhythm guitar has always been integral to my technique, especially for composing - some things just don't sound right with a different tone - so the details of what gear I'm using are here.
The original tone was achieved with three components - the homemade custom guitars (featuring Seymour Duncan Custom pickups in the bridge), a ProCo Rat distortion box, and a Peavey Backstage Plus amp. I used Ernie Ball EVH 5150 strings until early 2007 when I ran out of them after they were discontinued; since then it's been their Super Slinky's instead. Since The Firebard was recorded direct, this meant doing some amp modeling via the SansAmp PSA-1 to duplicate the tone. As of 2005, the Peavey XXX head (no distortion box) is being used and is heard on the Some Things Are Better Left Unsaid album.
In 1984, the first guitar was a Yamaha 6-string acoustic that was traded in for a black Alvarez in 1985. This beloved guitar was finally retired in 2008 in favor of a new Alvazrea 6-srting.
The first electric, in 1984, was a cheap copy of a Gibson Les Paul. In 1985 this was sold in favor of my first "real" electric guitar, a genuine, white Gibson Explorer. Still unsatisfied, just months later, I built the first custom electric guitar with help from my Dad and guys at the local guitar store. Along with the Rat and Peavey amp, this created the desired tone and feel. The Explorer was soon sold.
In 1987, I built a second custom guitar that has been the main guitar since. The only differences are that the second (at left) has a neck pickup, another volume knob and switch, a different output jack, a pick guard (the mirror), and a thinner neck. The two guitars sound almost the same (the first is a little beefier and louder). These two guitars and the Alvarez acoustic were the holy trinity of guitars for 20 years.
A third custom guitar was built in 2005. It is just like the second except for 24 frets and a Seymour Duncan HotStack in the neck (instead of the Classic Stack), no pickguard, and an EVH D-Tuna (this was later moved to the first guitar). A video of its construction is coming one of these days.
The first custom guitar was also professionally repainted in 2005 to remove the striped look in favor of flames.
All three custom guitars feature:
In 2005, a new 12-string Alvarez joined the collection, joined by a matching Alvarez 6-string in 2008.
Back in 1990, I bought a Yamaha classical guitar for acoustic layering. It has sat in its case since tendonitis (1996), and will likely be sold in favor of an Alvarez.
From 1990 to 1996, I played piano quite often, mostly for classical composing, but tendonitis ended that and the beautiful sounding Everett piano was sold in 2001.
Endorsements: Peavey, Alvarez Guitars, Morley Pedals
Custom Electric Guitars: #1 1985 - Flames #2 1987 - Main guitar #3 2005 - Blue smoke
Acoustic Guitars: Alvarez 6-string, 1985 Alvarez 12-string, 2005 Alvarez 6-string, 2008 Yamaha classical, 1989
Peavey Amps: XXX Head and 412, 2005 Backstage Plus, 1984 *
Effects: Morley Bad Horsie 2 Wah Morley Pro Volume Boss TU-2 Chromatic Tuner Boss GE-7 Equalizer Boss CH-1 Super Chorus Boss AC-2 Acoustic Simulator ° Boss NS-2 Noise Suppressor Boss BCB-60 Pedalboard Digitech GSP 2101 LE ProCo Rat Distortion ° See the pedal board
Other: Dunlop 1.14 picks Ernie Ball 5150 strings Martin Acoustic strings
Studio: Jackson C4P bass, blue A homemade computer ProTools LE (PC) NI Kontakt Waves Gold Bundle SansAmp PSA1 Drumkit From Hell Yamaha keyboard Coda Finale Alesis SR-16 drum machine * SansAmp XDI Alesis monitors Sony MDR-7506 headphones Monster cabling
° seldom used/backup * Retired
In 2005, a third custom guitar was assembled from parts purchased mostly from Warmoth.com, though Seymour Duncan contributed pieces directly. Pictures below give some idea into the process, which is fairly simple in the early stages. Everything is held together with screws, and it is mostly the wiring and setup (of the truss rod, action, pickup height, and intonation) that requires more skill and knowledge.
By July, the body was painted a custom finish that I conceived and which Mattias Noren (who did the first album cover and my logo) then designed. It was finally painted by Daneen Bronson. The paint hadn't cured long enough when shipped, so marks were left all over the surface. The only way to remove them was some wet sanding, first with 1500 grit and then 2000 grit paper, and buffing, which is much easier with a power buffer!
Then the guitar was reassembled.
First, the hardware was attached without worrying too much about the specifics of pickup height, for example. Attaching the neck, after adjusting the truss rod, came next, followed by the first stringing of the guitar and adjusting the Floyd Rose spring tension. Next came the wiring, which includes two pickups, two volume knobs, a switch, an output jack, and a grounding wire for the bridge.
The all-important setup completed the guitar, starting with adjusting the action by lowering the bridge, then adjusting the pickup height, and finally setting the intonation for each string. Warmoth made an error cutting the nut slot, which required several shims to adjust it properly, and it ultimately went to the local shop for this and to finish off my setup, which I couldn't get quite right. I didn't have the shims for one, but I grew tired of adjusting the Warmoth truss rod in the neck, since you need to take off the neck each time, adjust it, put it back on and restring, and see how far off you are. Even the pros have trouble with the Warmoth rods - or he was just being nice telling me that!