Following a Grammy nom for his latest record, the blues great returns for his second Rundown.
Eric Gales is back again. Since last chatting with John Bohlinger in 2017, the blues maestro’s rig has transitioned to include more signature Raw Dawg gear pieces—including pedals, amps, and, of course, his signature Magneto guitars. Just last year, the lefty slinger released the Grammy-nominated, Crown, which features collabs with his pal Joe Bonamassa. Gales was touring in support of that record when he rolled through Nashville.
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Eric Gales' Guitars
For over a decade, Magneto Guitars has collaborated with Gales on his signature guitars, and he tours with a pair of them. This Magneto Sonnet RawDawg III features a basswood body, roasted maple neck, rosewood fingerboard, a righthanded Gotoh tremolo (flipped, naturally) and tuners. It’s loaded with a set of Magneto Metro-Poles EG1 pickups, and a gold-mirror pickguard keeps things flashy.
Gales’ Sonnet RawDawg II—one of his longtime standbys for both stage and studio—is outfitted with an alder body, maple neck and fingerboard, and Lollar S-style pickups. Gales strings both signature guitars with Dunlop .010–.046 strings.
Once again, Gales relies upon his signature gear for his amp needs. When he and DV Mark designed his Raw Dawg EG 250-watt head, they decided upon a one-channel design with a tube preamp and solid-state power amp to achieve a super-clean tone, which is delivered to a pair of DV Mark DV Gold 212V 2x12 Vertical cabinets.
Eric Gales' Pedalboard
After leaving his guitar, Gales’ signal hits a Shure GLXD6+ Digital Wireless and goes straight into a pair of expression-controlled pedals—a Dunlop Bob Bradshaw-designed CAE wah with a gold-plated enclosure and a DigiTech Whammy. Then, he heats things up with a host of drive units: an E.W.S. Eric Gales Signature Brute Drive, and MXR Eric Gales Signature Raw Dawg (which includes the image of Gales’ late pitbull), a Mojo Hand FX Colossus Fuzz, and an MXR Hendrix Octavio Fuzz. Those hit a lone always-on delay— a Tech 21 Boost DLA—and a groove-filled Boss Loop Station RC-5.
More kick-ass live shots from the star-studded homage to Jimi.
Bootsy Collins and Kenny Olson (Kid Rock) joined this year’s lineup in Detroit, which included Eric Johnson, Dweezil Zappa, Eric Gales, Jonny Lang, Ana Popovic, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Buddy Guy, and bassist Billy Cox—the last surviving member of both the Jimi Hendrix Experience and Band of Gypsys.
We bring you a second look at the Experience Hendrix Tour, which launched in Dallas on March 11, 2014, and wrapped up in Minneapolis on April 8. Why part two, you ask? Well, we answer that question with another question: Can a guitar player ever have too much Hendrix? Here’s a look at what went down at Detroit’s Fox Theater on April 3, 2014. Our sources report that it was an inspiring display of loud guitar and drums: A celebration of an icon for the ages.
Blues guitarist Eric Gales and Saint Blues Guitar Workshop teamed up for the Blindsider "Ghost Notes" signature guitar.
Memphis, TN (October 3, 2013) -- Saint Blues Guitar Workshop announced today the creation of the Eric Gales signature Blindsider guitar, Ghost Notes. The production model is a right-handed body, though Eric will play it reversed as a lefty version. This is an all black guitar. It features an ebony fretboard, with "Eric Gales" in pearloid inlay from 3rd fret to the 12th fret. It will feature a slab top, black Blade Runner bridge, 3 Fralin single coil pickups, black Sperzel locking tuners, black nitro finish and black pearl binding and pick guard. To keep with the all black appearance, it even features black water buffalo horn for the nut. The production Eric Gales signature model will be different from his personal version in that it will have the initials “EG” at the 12th fret. It will have a retail price of $3,778.
“I have been playing a St. Blues Blindsider for years and being from Memphis, I love working with folks from my home town, especially when they build some of the best sounding guitars in the world. With this new CD and upcoming gigs, it was time for me to get my dream guitar built and I wanted St. Blues to build it”, said Eric Gales. “Eric is a phenomenal guitar player and being from Memphis we have been lucky to work with him for a while. When he asked if we could create a customized version for him, we jumped at the chance, because he is such a great guitar player. He knows what he wants in an instrument and he is very selective about tone and feel. He hand picked all the components on the guitar.” said Bryan Eagle, President of Saint Blues Guitar Workshop.For more information:
Saint Blues Guitar Workshop