As of mid September I've been changing over from my midi powered rack system to a totally different more compact double combo & stompbox rig. I came to the realization that I was going to need to rethink things after a few large festivals this year. It's not that my rack is not a great system because it has the most killa sound a guy could ask for and will produce any sound I need with the push of a button and sounds great in any venue , it simply that it's just a bit space consuming on the road, and if anything ever happened to it, it would be all but impossible to replace. But as I prepare for a stint in Europe theres the concern about voltage and current differences that could fry my rig ! The answer that seemed to be the least amount of insanity involved was to trim things down a bit ( cost a gang to ship over 300lbs worth of gear around Europe ) and get into some dependable stompboxes and true bypass looping along with a couple of good ole combo tube amps. That led me into the frightning world of finding some new gear to reproduce what my rack has done for over 20 years ! However change is something we must always deal with and after a bunch of crazy ideas I've been bleesed to have some great folks who sponser me that have gone outta their way to help me come up with the right gear.
First was the amp situation , that was wild because I'm all about pre amp power amp set up. I have not use an amp head or combo in over 20 years , that changed and it was not a teeth pulling event( like I was thinking it would be ). Theres so much new stuff out now that I was kinda overwhelmed at first but after some test runs with different brands I find I'm still old school as far as what sounds cool to me so it was kinda easy for me the go with a few Rocktron Vendetta 160 R combos especially since I've used a bunch of their rackmount gear and have been sponsered by them forever. Thank you Chris
After that it got a little wierd because I've never been a fan of stompboxes. I always noted even as a teen that they sucked the tone outta my guitar and just were garbage back in the day. I've enlisted the aid of some of my new sponsers who make the finest stompboxes and do the best mods on pedals around. They go like this
Back to Rocktron to look for my tried and true sound that I've developed my style around , got a great distortion pedal ( Silver Dragon) and my tuner and hush unit sent from Chris. Many Thanks my friend
Bender effects pedals, Eric & Scotty who make custom gear for me and do all my pedal mods, I bug the hell outta them but somehow they manage to deal with my wildest questions and give me great answers and solutions. Thanks for the led option on my loop box Scotty.
Creation Audio Labs, Thay are not far from SSF ( my fight gear folks) in TN and have given me the ultra clean boost pedal that makes everything else in my pedalboard sound better, Thanks Mike
Morley Pedals, been with me for many ,many years and have always been there when I needed something made special, customized ABY boxes and Wahs, Vol and Blender pedals made with a lil twist just for me. Thanks Jim ( I owe you some new jokes) and my old friend Bill.
Voodoo Labs, got me out a pedal swicther loop box that is EXACTLY what I needed and also traded some disaster gig stories with John which had us both in sticthes for awhile. Thanks John
I had to have pedalboard for all this stuff, Jim Kelly ( no not Black Belt Jones ha ha ) an excellent carpenter and also an outstanding MMA fighter at EastSide Combat Club that I have the honor of training took the measurements and built a super hip KILLA peadalboard for me. This is the 3rd board he's done for me ( the first being for my rack powerd rig,and one for my guitar synth and stereo Volume pedal,)
I've also gotta thank Marty @ Motor City Guitars who basically gets me anything I need( even got me Joe Walsh's delay pedal) and has never let me down once since I've known him which is like over 20 years. Thats one hella track record. Thanks Marty
And of course I'll be playing Tim Jagmin Strats and pick ups as long as I live.
Also I've been using Babicz Guitars ( SHOCKED ? Me too ha ha) a whole lot lately, without a doubt the finest acoustic and jazz guitars I've ever played barr none. Thank you Jim
And thats what you'll be seeing in Europe and around the states in 2009.
Peace and tube amps
Mik