PG’s Perry Bean hung with guitarists Nick Hamm (above right), Ryland Oehlers, and bassist Eric Hamm before the band’s recent Nashville show at the War Memorial Auditorium where they opened up for Circa Survive and AFI. Eric and Ryland talk about switching to offset Fenders while Nick states his case why every bassist should have a Tech 21 SansAmp.
While recording and then performing Everybody is Going to Heaven, Nick primarily relied on a MIM Fender Tele, but since then he’s gravitated to this stock Fender Classic Player Jazzmaster. This was a favorite of producer Will Yip so you can hear on most of the tracks for the band’s upcoming album, As You Please.
Once a favored child of Nick’s, this MIM Fender Telecaster is tuned to drop-C and is used for tunes off the band’s first two records—Youth and Everybody is Going to Heaven.
Producer Will Yip loved this Marshall JCM800 so much that he told Nick to never sell this amp. The 800 powers a staggered 4x12 cab from Janus and it’s loaded with Eminence Legend speakers.
Nick’s board is home to an Ernie Ball VP Jr, Electro-Harmonix Freeze, Electro-Harmonix Nano Big Muff, Electro-Harmonix Micro POG, Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer, Electro-Harmonix Holy Grail, Boss DD-3 Digital Delay, Boss CH-1 Super Chorus, and a Boss TU-3 Chromatic Tuner.
A longtime Fender user Ryland has never experienced the power of the Jazzmaster until he recently got his mitts on this American Professional model and he can’t stop playing it. He recorded As You Please mainly with producer Will Yip’s Jaguar so he felt it made sense to make this his No. 1 for when the band busts out their newest material.
His current No. 1 for older material is this short-scale Fender Duo-Sonic that rides in drop-C tuning. To compensate for the flimsier tension, he plays .013–.056 gauged strings.
His lone backup for this tour is a “road worn” 1998 American Standard Fender Tele that he relic’d himself out of boredom.
Originally a man that rocked an Orange Rockerverb 100, Ryland switched to the Fender Twin Reverb because he was looking for an amp that handled dirt and drive pedals well, plus had a tighter, crisper clean tone.
Stomps that reside on Oehlers’ board include an Ernie Ball VP Jr, TC Electronic PolyTune Noir Mini 2, Electro-Harmonix Holy Grail Neo Reverb, Electro-Harmonix Memory Man Stereo Delay, Electro-Harmonix Nano Looper 360, Electro-Harmonix Superego, Boss BF-2 Flanger, Boss CE-3 Chorus, EarthQuaker Devices Hoof, and EarthQuaker Devices Palisades.
The other Hamm brother’s main squeeze is a 2014 Fender American Standard Jaguar bass because he was looking for a different sound and more tonal flexibility than he was getting from his P basses. The bass works in either passive or active mode, but he prefers its sound in the passive setting.
For backup purposes he rolls with this new Fender American Professional P bass.
Eric made a big jump recently when he ditched the DI power amp and now rocks with this thunderous Fender Bassman 800, which he’s been loving because it has a tube preamp mixed with a solid-state power amp.
The 800 goes through a staggered Janice 6x12 cab.
Pedals aren’t really Eric’s thing as you can see—he uses a Pro Co Rat from the early ’90s and a Tech 21 SansAmp. Nearby sits a quiet TC Electronic PolyTune 2 and ISP Technologies Noise Reduction pedal.
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Perry cut his teeth touring and playing in punk rock and hardcore bands, before he got his start in film. He worked his way up from lowly production assistant to become a producer, art director, and most recently, a music video director nominated for ACM, CMT, and CMA awards. Premier Guitar was a perfect fit for him, combining his two favorite things, guitars and cameras. Perry doesn't have free time, but his massive dog Beef pays his rent by being Perry's intern.
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