The Seattle-based power trio touched down in Nashville at the Mercy Lounge where guitarist/vocalist Thomas Erak and bassist Drew Pelisek (above left) took a few minutes to go over their road-tested setups before opening for Chon.
Frontman/guitarist Thomas Erak travels with just one guitar—this 2009 Gibson SG Carved Top. He prefers this one because of its mid-focused tone and 24-fret neck for maximum shred. He strings it up with Ernie Ball Slinkys (.010–.046) and typically tunes down a half step.
As a tenured Orange user, Erak has normally been associated with the AD140, but now tours with the flagship OR100 that cranks through a matching Orange 4x12.
Erak is known for his expressive, gnarly tones leading fans to assume he brings a trailer full of stomps, but as you can see above—he goes light and lean with just a TC Electronic PolyTune, DigiTech Whammy, Boss RE-20 Space Echo, GreedTone OverDrive, Electro-Harmonix Small Stone phaser, TC Electronic Flashback, Orange FS-1 amp switcher, and an Ernie Ball VP Jr. volume pedal.
Drew scored this 1982 Peavey T-40 on Reverb right before the tour and it serves as his only road bass right now. Prior to acquiring the bass, he had the seller sand down the neck so Drew could keep up with Thomas’ fast fretwork. For strings he goes with DR .045–.100 and rocks Dunlop Tortex Sharp 1.14 mm picks.
Pelisek does not tour with his own amp, instead he plugs into the band’s Orange AD 200B MK3 that pushes a lot of air through a matching Orange OBC810 cab.
Besides a TC Electronic PolyTune, he goes with just two pedals—this Midnight Amplification Giant Sound for some dirt and a modded Dunlop 535Q Cry Baby wah that had the stock fasel conductor swapped out giving it a much more, vocal and elongated sweep.
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Chris Kies has degrees in Journalism and History from the University of Iowa and has been with PG dating back to his days as an intern in 2007. He maintains the website and social media, occasionally writes an artist feature, regularly hosts Rig Rundowns, and shoots/edits video for NAMM show coverage. Other than that, he spends time with his pitbull and enjoys non-guitar-related hobbies.
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