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Stephen Brodsky likes to keep it classic and simple. He tours with one guitar: a 1985 Aria Pro II Michael Schenker XX-MS Signature V. His bandmate, bassist Nick Cageao, had already went the Aria route by landing an Explorer-ish Pro II ZZB Custom 4-string so he thought it’d be cool if both Mutoid men would rock Arias. He sent the guitarist a Reverb listing and Brodsky got the axe. Everything about it is stock. Brodksy typically tunes down to Bb–Ab–Db–Gb–Bb–Eb and uses D’Addario NYXL Top Heavy .010–.052 strings.
In November at Nashville’s Exit/In, PG’s Chris Kies got to hang with Mutoid Man’s riffmaster general to see how he tours with one Flying V, an old rambunctious head, and a solid pedal setup.
Sometime in 2001, Brodsky visited Black Market Music in L.A. and was instantly drawn to this 1975 Sunn Model T because it looks like the head of a 1950s Lost in Space robot. After plugging in, he knew it was the amp for him because it was loud and would keep up with all the loud bands he played in. The head blasts through two Sunn 4x12 cabs that were built and reissued by Fender.
Brodsky’s board is home to a Boss TU-2 Chromatic Tuner, Boss BF-2B Bass Flanger, an EarthQuaker Devices Pitch Bay, Electro-Harmonix B9, Akai Headrush looper, Boss OS-2 Overdrive/Distortion, a pair of Boss PS-5 Super Shifters (one goes up and one goes down so he doesn’t need a whammy bar on his guitar), DigiTech Synth Wah, and a Boss DD-5 Digital Delay. Everything is powered by the T-Rex Effects Fuel Tank.
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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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