Current Touring Setup 2023


Guitars:

 

Ibanez FR Custom

- A long time coming. The Trans Black Flame Top FR I've been rocking as my main A guitar is my first full build from Ibanez. I wanted to make it classy but still a little over the top. Mahogany body, Flame top, Roasted Maple neck, Ebony Board. All topped off with a natural flame maple binding around the body, neck, and matching headstock. It's topped off with the 59/Distiortion set I always use. 

Ibanez FRIX7

- This guitar is a testament to the fact that a guitar doesn't have to be expensive in order to play amazing. This has been a staple in my line up for years and I dont see it going anywhere anytime soon. I swapped the stock EMG707s out for a custom 59/Distortion soap bar mounts. This is my main G guitar. 

Ibanez AZ24047

- This thing is bone stock. No upgrades. It's my Two Towers guitar. Since it's more of a "Vibey" song, I use this guitar because it's got a little bit more soul to it in my opinion. My other guitars are more straight forward metal guitars where as this allows me to rip different tones and be more versatile.

Ibanez RGR Custom

- Most of you know which guitar this is. This RGR was my first semi-custom from the Ibanez LACS. After trying to figure out how to make it work for a while, the Ibanez team and I figured out the details and made it come to life. It has a Half Pearl White finish. I wasn’t sure how the full pearl was going to look but It came out great. It also has a Maple neck and fretboard. Its loaded with a Seymour Duncan ’59 in the neck and a Distortion in the bridge. This is the set I always use.

 

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Amps & Cabs:

Neural DSP Quad Cortex

- I know I know. I was a tube amp snob forever. But recently we inked a deal with Neural because we were insanely impressed with the QC. We're basically mimicking our old analog tones. But these make it much easier to travel with. We dont have to worry about inconsistency when it comes to mics, cabs, rooms, etc. Our tones are exactly the same every day. No issues. 

 

EVH 2x12 Cab (Side Fill)

- In my honest opinion, theres no better cab to pair with a Dual Rec. The clarity out of the V30 speakers is just prime. They’re extremely versatile in a sense that you can jam a live show and also use it in the studio. 

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Pedalboard & Rack (Home Use):

DBX266XL

- This is kind of my secret weapon. Its a two I use this as a small gate through the back of the head, but I use the second channel for an Output gain through the front of the head. 

Ibanez Tuner

- I mean, theres not really much explaining for this one. Keep your shit in tune! hahahah

Seymour Duncan 805 Overdrive

- When SD started to come out with pedals, I got really excited. I saw the 805 Overdrive and fell in love. Mainly with the fact that its an OD pedal with a 3 band EQ. Theres so much control for just that single pedal. I love it. Whether you need a cool mid boost, or you want to pump the lows, its great. 

Fortin Zuul+

- I feel that this pedal doesn’t really need any description. It's a staple in the live music world for a reason. It's the best gate in the game IMO. 

All Pedal Devil's Triad

- I recently added this to my pedalboard. I loved the verb and delay I was running but I felt I wanted a single unit. I saw Jeff Loomis released a pedal and I was super interested. All Pedal was nice enough to send me one to scope out and I fucking fell in love. It's very straight forward. I use this in the FX loop for the Boost and the wet effects. 

Big Joe Power Box Lithium

- I was in need of a replacement for my bullshit power supply. Luckily our bassist Blue turned us on to these bad boys. They’re a small battery pack that holds a damn good charge. Its great for travelling. I don’t have to worry about converters for my pedalboard since it charges via USB. Definitely a must have in my eyes. 

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Accessories:

Seymour Duncan Pickups

- I’ve been with Duncan for the better part of a decade. I’ve tried my hand at other pickups but they don’t really seem to capture what I love. SD will forever be my comfort zone. The 59/Distortion sets are what I use in all of my touring guitars. Whether they be stock or a custom color/configuration, you can always count on that being my favorite set. 

DiMarzio Clip Loks

- I've been using these for years. They're just perfect. I dont see myself changing them anytime soon but ya never know!

Dunlop Tortex Jazz III XL .88

- What can I say? This pick is my fucking jam. I’ve been playing these for years and I love them. The attack I get from the pointed tips is massive. It also allows me to pinpoint my strings a little easier. The .88s have just enough flexibility and stiffness for my personal liking. 

Ernie Ball Slinkys

- I’ve been messing around with string gauges recently and I’m really starting to dig these new sets I swapped to. Im using a 10-48 set with a 64 on the bottom for my guitars that are in A. For my G tuned guitars, I use a 11-54 set with a 70 on the bottom. It gives me just enough tension to where I’m comfortable. 

 

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Remember guys and gals, all of this stuff is personal preference. Kind of a guide to what I like and go for. Everyone is a different player. That means you can have my exact set up, but we wont sound exactly the same because gear can only do so much.