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"Although some have speculated that Robin Zander either bought or stole this 1959 Rickenbacker from Johnny Ramone, he bought it at a pawnshop in the 1970s. "
"One of Nielsenуs Les Pauls with a highly figured, bookmatched maple cap."
This Les Paul was custom made for Nielsen and features an Explorer-style headstock.
The back of the Beatles Hamer commemorates the 40th anniversary of the release of Sgt. Pepperуs Lonely Hearts Club Band.
The Gibson SST has been modified with a unison G string (note the banjo-style tuner in the middle of the headstock).
This custom Trussart Steeldeville is different from your average TrussartяNielsen insisted that James Trussart give it a metal fretboard rather than the standard woods used on most guitars. He uses it for рDonуt Be Cruel.с
"Nielsen bought this 1958 Les Paul at Gruhn Guitars in Nashville. He says he never wipes it down and likes how dirty and used it looks. His tech, Rocky Robert, says Nielsen takes some of the nickel pickup covers off his humbuckers to get a hotter sound, but Nielsen insists he does it because it looks cool. Knowing Nielsenуs sense of humor, itуs hard to know which to believe!"
Zander uses this Les Paul Jr. for rocking numbers where he helps out with some of the leads.
This custom Hamer features a build similar to the Monaco model and features airbrushed images of the Beatles in their famous Sgt. Peppers outfits. Nielsen plays it on рThe Flame.с
"Tom Petersson had this gemstone-encrusted Waterstone signature 12-string bass that he calls рThe Peacockс made for Cheap Trickуs scheduled performance on NBCуs Late Night with Conan OуBrien, but OуBrien left the TV network before the scheduled episode."
"When Zander first found the Ricky, it was missing a pickguard, so he had this brass one added. Although this guitar was damaged last year in the bandуs infamous stage-collapse incident in Ottawa, Canada, it was nursed back to health by the Gibson Custom Shop."
This signature Waterstone 12-string features the same Ludwig drum covering used on Rick Nielsenуs рDisco Dickс Hamer Standard.
Nielsen dubbed this Hamer Standard рDisco Dick.с Itуs covered in the same sparkly vinyl used on Cheap Trick drummer Bun E. Carlosу signature Ludwig drum kit. Bassist Tom Petersson has a signature Waterstone 12-string bass with the same covering.
"This custom Hamer mandocello is tuned in unisons to CпGпDпA, and itуs the same instrument used on the 1977 hit рHeaven Tonight.с"
"Although Petersson only plays 12-string basses onstage, he warms up before shows on this heavily relicуd Fender Custom Shop P bass."
"Crowds at a Cheap Trick gig can expect to get showered with Rick Nielsenуs custom picks. Over the course of the summer, he ordered more than 25,000 of them in six different colors. (Note the pedal directly in front of the mic standяitуs a switch for activating the bright flashbulbs installed in the Gibson 2x12 cabs in Nielsenуs backline.)"
"Tech Rocky Robert says Nielsen uses this Normandy hollowbody as a backup for рDonуt Be Cruel.с Nielsen says he likes it because, рIt looks perty.с"
"If you look closely, you can see where a previous owner had installed and removed a vibrato (likely a Maestro) on this vintage Gibson Explorer now owned by Rick Nielsen. "
"Nielsen says he рborrowedс this Fender Custom Shop Jeff Beck Esquire from the man himself. When asked how long heуs had it for, he remains mum."
Zanderуs amp setup includes two Vox Hand-Wired AC30s (the bottom one is a backup) and another AC30.
Zander amplifies acoustic tones through a Taylor K4 Equalizer (bottom right) and a Fishman Loudbox Performer amp micуd with a Shure KSM32.
Nielsenуs only pedal is a checkerboard-motif treadle for the Dunlop Cry Baby rack wah thatуs located offstage.
"To get one of the most amazingly gritty and full live bass sounds youуll ever hear, Petersson uses all-tube Orange AD 200 MK 3 and Orange AD 50 heads raging through two Orange 4x12 cabinets. For backup, heуs got a Reeves Custom Studio/Stage MK II and an Orange Rockerverb 50 MK II."
Disco Dickуs headstock.
"For various 12-string needs, Zander also sometimes calls upon this Schecter Corsair 12-string."
Robin Zanderуs custom Guild 12-string.
"Nielsenуs trademark checkerboard pattern on the 5-neck has aged to a vintage-y yellow over the years. Four of the five necks use dual-humbucker electronics, and each set of pickups is accessed by the 5-position knob between the second and third necks."
Zanderуs also rocks this signature Schecter Corsair semi-hollowbody with P-90-style pickups.
"The three Fuchs Train-45 heads in Nielsenуs backline are just for looks. Likewise, only one of the nine Gibson 2x12 cabs has speakers in it (itуs the center one)яthe rest feature bright flashbulbs that the guitarist activates whenever he wishes via a footswitch near his mic stand. The Gibson combo at left is set up just in case a guest guitarist is invited onstage to jam."
"For whammy-heavy tunes like, Nielsen likes to use this yellow Hamer Standard equipped with a Floyd Rose tremolo."
"This solidbody was built to commemorate Cheap Trickуs 2006 album, Rockford, which pays homage to the bandуs hometown in Illinois."
"Rick Nielsenуs second of three Hamer 5-neck guitars features a 12-string (left), a 6-string hardtail, a 6-string with a Kahler tremolo, T-style 6-string, and a fretless 6-string neck."
The mammoth-sized road case used for Nielsenуs 5-neck Hamer.
"Nielsen was given this Gretsch Billy Bo by its namesake, the one and only Billy Gibbons."
Zander uses this Gibson SST for the hit tune рThe Flame.с
"For his live sound, Nielsen runs a Paul Rivera-modified silverface Fender Deluxeяwhich has a master volumeяin tandem with a Fuchs Train II. Asked how he got turned on to Fuchs amps, he says, рI thought that was a тK,у not an тHу и с One head drives a Gibson 2x12, while the other drives a single 12 "
Zander also uses this Schecter Stargazer 12-string.
"The Hamer Standard shown here features рbowtieс fretboard inlays and is the same instrument Nielsen can be seen playing on the back cover of Cheap Trickуs 1979 LP, Dream Police."
We couldnуt resist showing this: The guy who drives Cheap Trickуs gear van brings this fur-covered bike along to get some exercise during downtime.
Premier Guitar editorial director Shawn Hammond oversees planning, management, and execution of all PG articles, videos, audio, and social-media activity. He has a degree in journalism from Brigham Young University, and a long history in guitar journalism predating his tenure at PG.
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