At most gigs, most guitarists/guitar players/guitar owners will get a member of the audience ask them about their set-up.
I thought that someone might be interested to know about my rig. There’s not much to it as I like a nice, simple sound. I’ll start from the plectrum and work all the way through to the amp.
1. Plectrums – I use Tortex .88 (green) plectrums. Used them for years. They last ages, tend not to slip and are a nice colour
The Ibanez ART-120 - My main guitar
2. Guitars – My main guitar is now a white Ibanez ART-120 with active humbuckers.
I’ve been playing this guitar just just over a year now having originally walked in to my local guitar warehouse with the intention of buying a Les Paul.
This guitar sounds great (in my opinion, naturally), plays fantastically well and has tremendous tuning stability (crucial for gigging).
Vester Strat - This isn't my one, I 'borrowed' this piccy until I get one of my own
My second/backup guitar is a Vester Strat copy. It’s based on a ’57 Strat but with some modifications.
I took the original pick-ups out and loaded EMG SA’s. I also replaced the volume/tone knobs with chrome ones.
This guitar was a birthday present from my then girlfriend, now wife, Mandy. I’d had my eye on this guitar at the local music shop for ages until, one day, he’d sold it. Little did I know that he’d sold it to her. I pestered him for weeks to get another one in but a replacement never arrived. Now I know why.
I used this guitar as my main one for years (must be getting on for 15!) and now use it as my backup/2nd guitar or for anything that needs that middle pick-up bluesy sound.
For some reason I don’t have a picture of my Vester on it’s own! A little daft but there we go.
As I’ve never been one to get on very well with tremolos, this guitar has had it’s tremolo set back as far as it will go so it’s fixed. I replaced the tuners some years ago which gave the guitar incredible tuning stability.
I only use D’Addario XL110 (.010″ to .046″) strings although the ART-120 does have Ernie Ball Regular Slinkys on at the moment for reasons that escape me.
The more observant among you may see me sport the occasional Telecaster (I have a black Squire Silver Series one). The guitar has the original pickups fitted which sound really good but simply don’t have the output of the EMG’s in the Vester or the Humbuckers in the Ibanez. This means there’s potentially quite a bit of knob twiddling required if I want to use it live. Personally I like “set and forget” which is probably why I don’t use it live much.
Boss AB-2 box - Does exactly what is says on the tin
3. Boss AB-2 – I use this to split my signal to a tuner (on the ‘b’ channel) and then the main signal path to the amp (on the ‘a’ channel).
It’s useful for when you want to change guitar or need to kill your sound quickly. My only criticism is that you can only use batteries in it, there’s no socket for a mains adaptor. I’m just being a little picky though and a pair of AAA Duracells seem to last forever.
The LED indicators are clear and bright right up to the point of battery failure. The construction is very, very rugged and I think it would withstand quite a pounding.
A very useful addition to any musicians armoury.
Marshall MT-1 Tuner
4. First split – Marshall tuner
I’ve tried lots of tuners in my time. Some have been better than others. This one was dirt cheap, I think I paid about £10 for it. The price doesn’t reflect in the quality though. Yes it’s a plastic case that wouldn’t survive if you stood on it but it’s dead easy to use, has bright LED indicators for tuning up in low light conditions and batteries seem to last forever.
I’d buy another one if I lost this one which is the first time I’ve said that about a tuner.
My one gripe is that it has an input but no output so you can’ add it to your chain. I suspect though at £10, you probably wouldn’t want it colouring your sound.
Behringer HB01 "Hellbabe"
5. Second split – Behringer HB-01 Wah-wah
I got the HB01 on the recommendationfrom a friend. It’s just so damn versatile. There are a wealth of settings which is incredibly useful when you’re switching between single coils and humbuckers.
One clever feature is that the pedal is sprung and kept in the traditional ‘closed’ position. As soon as the treadle is moved a fraction of a nanometer the wah effect is active.
The wah-wah range is brilliant from really throaty lows to ear-stinging highs.
The Behringer DC9
6. Behringer DC9 Compressor
Now, there’s always been and always will be a debate about where certain pedals should go in a signal chain. I must have read a dozen magazine articles and looked at two dozen web site articles on the subject. One point they all seem to agree on is that a compressor should go after a wah-wah (if you’re using one).
If I’m playing a wah heavy song like, say, White Room, the DC9 goes on right from the start. Everything is kept nice and even. I only add a little bit of compression to my signal. You’ve got to be soooo careful with these things. Compression is probably one of the most dangerous F/X you can use with regards to killing your sound.
Behringer DD-400 - Digital Delay
7. Behringer DD-400 Digital Delay
Are you noticing a theme yet? “Why Behringer” I hear you cry? Well, this deserves a reasonably detailed answer. You’re not getting one, I’m just saying it deserves a detailed answer.
In truth, most Behringer pedals are based on Boss circuitry. The cases are plastic rather than the cast aluminium that Boss use but who cares? It’s the same sound for less money. Go figure.
In truth, I use delay so rarely that I couldn’t justify spending a shed load of cash on a Boss, Dod, Digitech etc when the Behringer does an admirable job.
I’d highly recommend these DD400′s. The only point I’d make is that you have to watch the output levels. Also, get a mains adaptor because a 9v Duracell battery lasts about 30 mins!!
Behringer PB-100 Preamp booster
8. Behringer PB-100 Pre-amp Booster
This is used for soloing. Great for when you want to lift your volume by just a few db’s and make yourself heard. Adding a little extra treble really helps cut through. I’ve used a compressor to lift volume in the past but I saw one of these PB-100′s listed on eBay and thought it would be worth try.
Dead easy to use with just bass, treble and gain dials. Again, this pedal is highly recommended but make sure you use a mains adaptor as it’s a battery killer. Well worth it though.
Tip: if you use a lot of gain on your amp, as I tend to do, then it might be worth just backing it off a fraction to accommodate the boosted signal that your going to deliver from the PB-100.
Vox VT100 - a 100w 2x12" powerhouse of an amp
