What guitar equipment do the professionals use?
I am an intermediate guitar player and I want to amp up my gear, but before I spend money I want to know what stuff the pros use(like amp heads/cabs, cables, guitars, strings, picks, and pick-ups). I know a few things but if your a pro please consent to me know--example pros would be bands like Rise /\gainst, Disturbed, Linking Park, ect. AND I AM NOT CONCERNED HOW MUCH IT COSTS! I don't want cheap gear and I am inclined to pay money for something that is worth it. Thanks for the oblige :)
Answers:
I started to make a record of some of the more common amps and pickups and all that second-hand goods that I've seen on stage and read about within the guitar magazines.... but really, it comes down to a matter of what sounds well brought-up for what you want to accomplish.
For instance, if you want to sound like John Mayer, it does you without doubt no good to know that the two most common 4x12 cabs I've see at shows I've been to are the Marshall 1960a and the Mesa Recitifier cabs.... since John Mayer doesn't use a 4x12 cab!
Rather, its a situation of using gear to get a certain nouns... there is no way to achieve *every* sound out there next to one rig... sure, some amps are more versatile than others, but you need to describe the sound you're looking for before you can dance out and start shopping with your wallet.
Many pro's use multiple amps and cabs on stage. They can get away beside this, since they have multiple roadies, sound men, and a nice spacious stage to work on.... most artists don't enjoy the luxury of any of these, and so must scale their gear appropriately. There is nothing more annoying than seeing a guitarist try and put together a multi-amp, multi-cab rig when preparing for their set - it take longer, you have even more concerns about stage volume (which must be kept low on small stages, especially if you're mortal mic'd), and often the sound man is going to be controlled on mic's anyways. Add in the delay of setting up a complicated rig, and you've get a recipe for pissed off soundmen, a bored audience, and three times as much frustration for you!
So even though many artists will use something similar to a Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier for distortion and a Roland JC-120 for cleans, and hook each into a 4x12 cab, within is no way you can get away next to that kind of gear on anything but the largest stages and the cooperation of the sound man!
The Randall MTS is a stellar chain of amps, being used by many of the pros, including Linkin Park and Metallica (link below). The modular preamp section are a great feature.
I don't suggest buying something just because some artist uses it. Avenged Sevenfold own Seymour Duncan Invaders in their guitars, for instance, and Invaders are almost unusable unless you've got them set up next to the right gear - high output, sure, but they're also muddy and lack clarity and treble!.
Another entity to keep in mind - tube amps return with *really* loud. In fact, tube amps tend to sound better the louder you turn them up. Problem is, next to a 100w amp, they don't start sounding really really good until they're so loud you can't hear the drummer... or the bassist... or the singer... So you either obligation to move to 50w (nearly as loud, but has better tone at lower volumes), or invest in attenuators or converters that will consent to you put low wattage power tubes in instead of the high wattage 6L6's or EL34's.
Don't balk at low wattage surrounded by a tube amp. THD has the Univalve, a superb sounding amp that "only" rocks up to 20w, but 20w is still very, thoroughly loud... and the Univalve can accomodate nearly any model or type of tube available to guitarists, so your ability to customize your tone with that amp is virtually unlimited.
So I would instil you to be realistic, and check out the gear of local musicians, perhaps, and listen to their tone vs how much and what type of equipment is on stage.
There are user review websites resembling harmony-central.com that have tons of reviews on them - a very adjectives resource for real musicians' feedback on the items you're interested in. Youtube is also a impressively valuable resource as well!
In other words... a colossal ticket price or an endorsement by some popular artist are not the most important considerations when select your gear - rather, what works the best for you in your situation.
Good luck!
Saul Source(s): http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/produ…
http://www.mesaboogie.com/Product_Info/G…
http://www.randallamplifiers.com/Amplifi…
Well.. I've been a professional for over 50 years. I play a Taylor Nylon String Classical, a NS34ce and a MARTIN D-18 acoustic. Amps and mixers are anything happes to be handy at the time. I also play a ROLAND G-8 keyboard, but I recently sold my KORG synthesizer to receive way for a new one, doesn`t matter what that may end up being (haven't approved yet).
I HATE electric guitars and don't play them... everything comes out sounding shrill, tinny and the SAME.. I can't put any personality into the music when I'm playing something that is zilch more than a piece of 4x4 timber with strings stuck on it.
GUITARS and AMPS:
Before I start suggesting equipment, I should probably just mention that there is not necessarily a specific set of gear that everyone would agree is "professional". Any suggestions will be biased and extremely subjective. However, since you did describe some specific bands you can specifically check out what each of them uses.
Although I don't individually listen to Rise Against, I did a quick search for Rise Against gear and apparently the guitarist uses a JCM 900 marshall amp and sundry models of Gibson Les Paul guitars. If you want to see more detail, here is a useful link:
http://www.uberproaudio.com/content/view…
Keep within mind, however, that this guitarist, as most great guitarists would do, probably experimented through many many different types of guitars, amps, pedals, and so on past deciding on what worked best for him personally.
As for LInkin Park's guitarist, I believe he uses mostly PRS custom guitars and, if I'm not mistaken, mostly mesaboogie amplifiers. For more information on his specific guitar rig, you can check out the following association:
http://www.guitarfxdepot.com/rigs/brad-d…
Also check out this diagram: http://www.swollenpickles.com/images/Bra…
Your question is incredibly broad in area so I can't really answer it fully. But if you were going into a music store right now and you merely had 20 minutes to buy all your gear and the one and only information I knew about you be what you asked on this post I would suggest the following:
Begin by looking at PRS and Les Paul guitars and try them with some Marshall and/or Mesaboogie heads and cabinet. The particular models you choose will be very subjective so try out as tons as you can. In fact, you can bet the guitarists from most all your favorite band have tried out many oodles guitars and amps... and they usually end up with a slightly different combination of gear than anyone else so you know in attendance is really no specific formula for what is the best.
I specify these brand names only because they enjoy earned their reputations according to the genre of music you seem to be most interested within. There are always other options but try these out and if you aren't sure, experiment next to others. For example, if you're looking for more of a Nirvana type grunge sound, try some Fender models like the jaguar, mustang, and the strat, if you want.
But if that take you too far into a direction you don't want, you can mix things up to get a hybrid of sounds to get your sound blend. For example, Dave Grohl, of the foo fighters, implements a more classic rock sound through his Vox amps while maintaining the modern "bite" by using mesaboogie stacks as very well. For example:
http://guitargeek.com/rigview/379/
PICKUPS:
For pickups, you really have to experiment. If you want some edge to it, I might suggest you look at dimarzio pickups for the décolletage position pickup at least. Since you like Linkin Park, I know he uses them. They tend to hold lots of distorting character. EMG pickups, in nonspecific also have very illustrious quality preamps as well. They are commonly powerful but the dimarzio will likely distort the most easily in need even a distortion pedal. Dimarzio pickups will give you that naturally dirty nouns.
For more info, I think you may find the following website useful:
www.guitargeek.com
I hope this help. Best of luck to you. Source(s): http://www.uberproaudio.com/content/view…
http://www.guitarfxdepot.com/rigs/brad-d…
http://www.swollenpickles.com/images/Bra…
http://guitargeek.com/rigview/379/
www.guitargeek.com
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Answers:
I started to make a record of some of the more common amps and pickups and all that second-hand goods that I've seen on stage and read about within the guitar magazines.... but really, it comes down to a matter of what sounds well brought-up for what you want to accomplish.
For instance, if you want to sound like John Mayer, it does you without doubt no good to know that the two most common 4x12 cabs I've see at shows I've been to are the Marshall 1960a and the Mesa Recitifier cabs.... since John Mayer doesn't use a 4x12 cab!
Rather, its a situation of using gear to get a certain nouns... there is no way to achieve *every* sound out there next to one rig... sure, some amps are more versatile than others, but you need to describe the sound you're looking for before you can dance out and start shopping with your wallet.
Many pro's use multiple amps and cabs on stage. They can get away beside this, since they have multiple roadies, sound men, and a nice spacious stage to work on.... most artists don't enjoy the luxury of any of these, and so must scale their gear appropriately. There is nothing more annoying than seeing a guitarist try and put together a multi-amp, multi-cab rig when preparing for their set - it take longer, you have even more concerns about stage volume (which must be kept low on small stages, especially if you're mortal mic'd), and often the sound man is going to be controlled on mic's anyways. Add in the delay of setting up a complicated rig, and you've get a recipe for pissed off soundmen, a bored audience, and three times as much frustration for you!
So even though many artists will use something similar to a Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier for distortion and a Roland JC-120 for cleans, and hook each into a 4x12 cab, within is no way you can get away next to that kind of gear on anything but the largest stages and the cooperation of the sound man!
The Randall MTS is a stellar chain of amps, being used by many of the pros, including Linkin Park and Metallica (link below). The modular preamp section are a great feature.
I don't suggest buying something just because some artist uses it. Avenged Sevenfold own Seymour Duncan Invaders in their guitars, for instance, and Invaders are almost unusable unless you've got them set up next to the right gear - high output, sure, but they're also muddy and lack clarity and treble!.
Another entity to keep in mind - tube amps return with *really* loud. In fact, tube amps tend to sound better the louder you turn them up. Problem is, next to a 100w amp, they don't start sounding really really good until they're so loud you can't hear the drummer... or the bassist... or the singer... So you either obligation to move to 50w (nearly as loud, but has better tone at lower volumes), or invest in attenuators or converters that will consent to you put low wattage power tubes in instead of the high wattage 6L6's or EL34's.
Don't balk at low wattage surrounded by a tube amp. THD has the Univalve, a superb sounding amp that "only" rocks up to 20w, but 20w is still very, thoroughly loud... and the Univalve can accomodate nearly any model or type of tube available to guitarists, so your ability to customize your tone with that amp is virtually unlimited.
So I would instil you to be realistic, and check out the gear of local musicians, perhaps, and listen to their tone vs how much and what type of equipment is on stage.
There are user review websites resembling harmony-central.com that have tons of reviews on them - a very adjectives resource for real musicians' feedback on the items you're interested in. Youtube is also a impressively valuable resource as well!
In other words... a colossal ticket price or an endorsement by some popular artist are not the most important considerations when select your gear - rather, what works the best for you in your situation.
Good luck!
Saul Source(s): http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/produ…
http://www.mesaboogie.com/Product_Info/G…
http://www.randallamplifiers.com/Amplifi…
Well.. I've been a professional for over 50 years. I play a Taylor Nylon String Classical, a NS34ce and a MARTIN D-18 acoustic. Amps and mixers are anything happes to be handy at the time. I also play a ROLAND G-8 keyboard, but I recently sold my KORG synthesizer to receive way for a new one, doesn`t matter what that may end up being (haven't approved yet).
I HATE electric guitars and don't play them... everything comes out sounding shrill, tinny and the SAME.. I can't put any personality into the music when I'm playing something that is zilch more than a piece of 4x4 timber with strings stuck on it.
GUITARS and AMPS:
Before I start suggesting equipment, I should probably just mention that there is not necessarily a specific set of gear that everyone would agree is "professional". Any suggestions will be biased and extremely subjective. However, since you did describe some specific bands you can specifically check out what each of them uses.
Although I don't individually listen to Rise Against, I did a quick search for Rise Against gear and apparently the guitarist uses a JCM 900 marshall amp and sundry models of Gibson Les Paul guitars. If you want to see more detail, here is a useful link:
http://www.uberproaudio.com/content/view…
Keep within mind, however, that this guitarist, as most great guitarists would do, probably experimented through many many different types of guitars, amps, pedals, and so on past deciding on what worked best for him personally.
As for LInkin Park's guitarist, I believe he uses mostly PRS custom guitars and, if I'm not mistaken, mostly mesaboogie amplifiers. For more information on his specific guitar rig, you can check out the following association:
http://www.guitarfxdepot.com/rigs/brad-d…
Also check out this diagram: http://www.swollenpickles.com/images/Bra…
Your question is incredibly broad in area so I can't really answer it fully. But if you were going into a music store right now and you merely had 20 minutes to buy all your gear and the one and only information I knew about you be what you asked on this post I would suggest the following:
Begin by looking at PRS and Les Paul guitars and try them with some Marshall and/or Mesaboogie heads and cabinet. The particular models you choose will be very subjective so try out as tons as you can. In fact, you can bet the guitarists from most all your favorite band have tried out many oodles guitars and amps... and they usually end up with a slightly different combination of gear than anyone else so you know in attendance is really no specific formula for what is the best.
I specify these brand names only because they enjoy earned their reputations according to the genre of music you seem to be most interested within. There are always other options but try these out and if you aren't sure, experiment next to others. For example, if you're looking for more of a Nirvana type grunge sound, try some Fender models like the jaguar, mustang, and the strat, if you want.
But if that take you too far into a direction you don't want, you can mix things up to get a hybrid of sounds to get your sound blend. For example, Dave Grohl, of the foo fighters, implements a more classic rock sound through his Vox amps while maintaining the modern "bite" by using mesaboogie stacks as very well. For example:
http://guitargeek.com/rigview/379/
PICKUPS:
For pickups, you really have to experiment. If you want some edge to it, I might suggest you look at dimarzio pickups for the décolletage position pickup at least. Since you like Linkin Park, I know he uses them. They tend to hold lots of distorting character. EMG pickups, in nonspecific also have very illustrious quality preamps as well. They are commonly powerful but the dimarzio will likely distort the most easily in need even a distortion pedal. Dimarzio pickups will give you that naturally dirty nouns.
For more info, I think you may find the following website useful:
www.guitargeek.com
I hope this help. Best of luck to you. Source(s): http://www.uberproaudio.com/content/view…
http://www.guitarfxdepot.com/rigs/brad-d…
http://www.swollenpickles.com/images/Bra…
http://guitargeek.com/rigview/379/
www.guitargeek.com
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