
Maroon 5’s James Valentine interviews the modern rhythm guitar master and PG podcast host about his creative chase and trademark sound, and how they fuel his inventive new album, The Lucky One.
Was it on Facebook? Instagram? Wherever it was, it came at me from a dozen of my friends—both musicians and non-musicians. It was “Dean Town” by Vulfpeck, and I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. It was as if the deliberately grainy footage had been created in a lab to directly appeal to my particular musical interests. I wanted to know all about Cory Wong, that fresh-faced guitarist with the blue Strat in the leather jacket. He effortlessly jumped from the fusion-inspired lines of Weather Report’s “Teen Town” straight into Jimmy Nolen-style chord stabs. This was an introduction to a new Marvel-style musical universe, as each member of the band branched off into stylistically diverse and inspiring directions. Not to mention just how much music, entertainment, and unbridled joy was coming from Cory himself.
Cory, who also hosts Premier Guitar’s popular Wong Notespodcast, grew up in Minneapolis and came of age surrounded by many musicians in the Prince ecosphere. Even though funk guitar captured his attention, he was always searching for supreme energy. Bands like Blink-182 and the Red Hot Chili Peppers inspired him to pick up the bass before switching to guitar, and soon after he was digging through tab books for One Hot Minute and Dave Matthews Band’s Under the Table and Dreaming.
“A lot of my fingerprint was based on the driving energy of punk and ska, mixed with the harmonic movement and chord voicings of R&B and jazz that I studied and played,” says Cory. Later, he attended the McNally Smith School of Music in St. Paul, where he would first connect with drummer Petar Janjic and keyboardist Kevin Gastonguay, who play in his current band.
On his new album, The Lucky One, Cory flexed his production muscles by using unorthodox recording techniques that are more in line with modern pop than old-school funk. Plus, not a single tube amp was used. All the guitar sounds are via his signature plugin from Neural DSP.
Photo by Galen Higgins
It was at a weekly jazz gig in St. Paul that Cory really paid his dues. “The gig lasted for seven years and I didn’t make any money doing it, but my friends and I just wanted an outlet to explore and learn each other’s original music,” remembers Cory. To get by, Cory taught guitar, and played in function bands and occasionally on other people’s albums. Eventually that grew into helping local artists produce their recordings. Word started to spread and he took his self-taught recording, mixing, and producing skills to Nashville. As he made a name for himself, he started booking tours as a sideman. But that would all change after a chance meeting with the members of Vulfpeck at a Minneapolis jam session.
“I remember first seeing Cory at the Bunkers jam [in Minneapolis’ warehouse district] during a night off on tour,” Jack Stratton, Vulfpeck mastermind, remembers. “I had never seen someone attack a Strat like that. It was awesome. And I knew when he played with [Vulfpeck bassist Joe] Dart it would be magic.” Magic it was, and the videos they would upload to YouTube would soon be everywhere. After their online success, Vulfpeck decided to take it on the road, and since then Cory has been focused on Vulfpeck, their side project Fearless Flyers and, of course, his solo albums.
The “Cory Wong sound” is now used as shorthand amongst musicians around the world. The elements are simple, yet specific: a highly caffeinated sense of 16th-note rhythms, a clean compressed tone, and a Strat locked into fourth position. Cory has revealed himself as not only a new breed of guitar hero, but a true entertainer. He’s become an internet sensation through his masterful and hilarious variety show Cory and the Wongnotes, fiery live albums, and wildly popular podcast. Plus, he has signature gear by Fender, Neural DSP, Jackson Audio, and Wampler. By design, Cory is everywhere.
Cory’s latest studio album, The Lucky One, finds him at the height of his powers. While Cory’s past records have been more of a document of a live band killing it, this record features much more intentional manipulation of guitar textures and explores new contemporary production techniques. “Look At Me” opens the album with vocalist Allen Stone’s guttural soul wrenching against disco strings, like a lost Bobby Caldwell track, while “Hiding On The Moon,” with Marc Roberge from O.A.R., crosses Dave Matthews Band with the Beatles.
The amount of sheer joy in Cory’s live show is palpable. Here he is at the Fillmore in Philadelphia, after catching an earful of his skin-tight horn section led by trombonist Michael Nelson.
Photo by Eliot Hubert
But there’s still some of Cory’s signature instrumental explorations. “The Grid Generation” features the one-of-a-kind Louis Cole on drums and will surely be a staple of live shows. There’s also the contemplative “Acceptance,” which echoes his work with Jon Batiste on the Grammy-nominated Meditations. My favorite moment of the record is the completely improvised solo on “Seperado.” Cory calls it a “fastball down the middle,” but the solo stretches into some beautiful, wide-open vistas.
When asked by PG if I could interview Cory about his new album, I immediately said yes. You see, I’m primarily an accompanist, too. The parts I play form an architecture with the rhythm section that highlights and supports the melody. Cory has taken this style of guitar playing out of the shadows and to the front of the stage. It’s the side dish being promoted to entree. It’s a character actor getting the lead role. Cory’s unique charisma makes that happen. And I couldn’t wait to ask him about it.
If I described something as the “Cory Wong sound,” guitarists would know exactly what I’m talking about, which is just an amazing accomplishment. What led you towards that style in the first place?
Well, part of the reason is when I first started playing guitar I was playing a lot of punk rock and ska, and so much of it was rhythm based. It was all about the driving force of the guitar and that sort of momentum. Every time I pick up the guitar it’s still the starting block for me. And then, of course, I had guitar heroes that I started to get into. Being in Minneapolis, there’s so much funk lineage and there’s so much R&B music, it was just part of the thing. So, if you were in the scene, you just ended up playing with people that played a lot of funk.
As you started to hone in on your sound, who were the main touchstones that you wanted to emulate? In the first era of my guitar playing, it was bands like Green Day, Blink-182, and Less Than Jake. And then later it was [John Mayer’s] Room for Squares, [Maroon 5’s] Songs About Jane, [Dave Matthews Bands’] Crash and [Jamiroquai’s] A Funk Odyssey. Those albums showed me that you can have guitar parts with more riffs, more leads, and more interesting chord voicings. And then I had a whole jazz era where it was all Scofield, Metheny, and Pat Martino. Then it was the Prince catalog, the Earth, Wind & Fire catalog, the Chic catalog. If I were to really nail down the main influences as far as where I drew my sound from, the obvious ones would be Nile Rodgers, Rob Harris [of Jamiroquai], and John Mayer. But there’s one that’s maybe a little less obvious, and it’s David Williams, who played on a lot of stuff that Quincy Jones produced. He took those rhythm parts and put them at the forefront. He made really hooky rhythm lines and made rhythm guitar a lead thing.
Looking at the instrumentals on this record, I’m curious about the process of coming up with these ideas. Does it start with a riff or are you hearing these more as compositions?
Normally, when I’m making instrumental tunes I like starting with the rhythm section groove and laying down a foundation. Or maybe it’s a riff or doubling a baseline that feels like it’s very singable, and then I’ll end up top-lining myself. I think a lot of people, when they write from grooves or they just write from a rhythm section standpoint, they’ll just play a chord progression. But I really try to be intentional from the beginning. I try to think about trying to write something in the rhythm section that is a hook on its own. There’s a song that you guys do, “Moves Like Jagger.” If you’re going to play that song, you have to play the part. If a wedding band were to play my music, I want to create something that they have to do, something that feels iconic to that song.
Cory documents each tour leg with a dedicated live album. His most recent one, The Power Station Tour (East Coast), featured his childhood hero, bassist and Bela Fleck and the Flecktones member Victor Wooten, joining the band. One of the nightly highlights was their version of the Flecktones classic “Stomping Grounds.”
Photo by Eliot Hubert
In terms of when you’re approaching horn arrangements, who are your influences for that and how do you approach creating those?
Number one is Prince and the way that he used horns in his tunes. The second obvious one is Tower of Power. That’s a classic, horns out front, powerful sound. The other one is basically everything that Quincy Jones produced. When I’m writing or making demos, I’ll put out ideas for the horns, but at the end of the day the secret weapon of the horn section is Michael Nelson, who was Prince’s horn arranger for decades. I can give it to him and he’ll figure out which horns go along with it. We’ll spar back and forth on what works for the song and then we end up with an arrangement that we’re both super-psyched about.
Almost half of the songs on this record feature singers. How does that collaboration work? For example, for “Look at Me,” are you sending Allen Stone ideas or are you in the room together?
For that song, my friend Cody Fry sent me the chorus. And then I took it and made a full track out of it. I sent some options to Allen and I said, “Here’s this thing. Are you hearing some other stuff on here?” He just took it and ran with it. And then he sent me the final vocal and it was exactly the thing that I wanted.
On that song the guitars have a real plucky, almost synth-like sound. It would be very easy just to put up mics and record the band, but you’re in there also experimenting with production.
Most of the albums I’ve made up until this point have just been the band in the room playing. It’s fun, but it doesn’t allow for as many layers or for as much guitar production. On this album, I wanted to be more intentional about getting a bunch of sounds with the guitar, exploring different ways to produce guitar in the context of instrumentals and songs that have guest vocalists. On “Look At Me” in particular, and “Ready” and “Call Me Wild,” I used a production trick that you taught me last time I was over at your house. You told me it was a Benny Blanco trick. Instead of playing a riff, I just played it one note at a time, chopped it up, and used it as a sample. I did some bubbly Paul Jackson Jr.-sounding guitar part. And then I doubled and tripled the tracks and panned them hard left and right, but it doesn’t really sound like guitar. It sounds like a synth. Honestly, I would’ve never thought about doing it until you showed me that little trick. The way that they attack and cut off would be impossible if you were to just play it all the way through.
Cory Wong's Gear
“If a wedding band were to play my music, I want to create something that they have to do, something that feels iconic to that song,” says Wong. What a hip wedding band that would be!
Guitars and Basses
- Fender Cory Wong Signature Strat
- Fender American Ultra Stratocaster
- Ernie Ball Music Man Valentine
- Fender Jazz Bass
- Fender Jaguar Bass
- Ernie Ball Music Man Joe Dart Bass
Amps and Effects
- Neural DSP Archetype: Cory Wong
- Wampler Wong Compressor
- GFI Systems Rossie
- Hotone Soul Press II
- Valhalla DSP Room plugin
- Valhalla DSP VintageVerb plugin
- Valhalla DSP Shimmer plugin
- Goodhertz Trem Control plugin
Strings and Picks
- Strings and Picks
- Ernie Ball Paradigm .010 sets
- Ernie Ball M-Series .010 sets
- Dava Mediums
That begs the question, when it comes to recreating some of this studio trickery live, how are you going to approach that?
I’m going to have to decide what guitar parts are most iconic in the song, and I’ll play those. Some of the really synth-y sounding guitar stuff I could probably have the keyboard player replicate, since it does feel more keyboard-y in the attack and release of the notes. I’m thinking I might bring a second guitar player out on tour so I can do some of the guitarmony. So, if you guys are done with your Vegas residency, I might need you to come out on the road.
Dude, I’m down. How do you know when you’re working on a new record? Is that something that you conceive of right from the beginning, or is it just like, “Okay, cool, I’ve got enough tunes, so let’s put out the 37th record this year.”
There are three projects that I’m always working on, which are Vulfpeck, Fearless Flyers, and Cory Wong. And with both Vulfpeck and Fearless Flyers, it’s much more of a “hey, we’re going in and making an album” approach. You go in for a week, prepare a bunch of stuff ahead of time, or sometimes not … and maybe just show up and figure it out. With my solo albums, I’m just constantly writing and exploring and producing to keep myself creatively charged. I’ve always thought that creativity is a vine that blossoms rather than a gas tank that empties. The more that I’m creating and the more that I’m around other people that are creating, I just find myself constantly inspired. I do release a lot of music, but I think part of it is because I give myself permission to be around really creative people. I’m not afraid to learn and grow and ask for input and have no ego about it. If it’s somebody that I trust musically and would be fun to work with, then I’m always down and open to explore and see where it goes.
I want to talk about the solo on “Separado,” which I read was improvised.
That solo is one take. I was practicing some of these 16th-note patterns high up on the neck and I thought it would be an interesting thing to put in a solo. I was working on that pattern for a couple weeks and it just came out. I felt I needed something big and really climactic at the end of the solo. It was about the energy arc, where I’m going to start with a more melodic line, a little more space, and then I’m going to create something that picks up momentum. And then I’m going to start to dive even farther into it and land at this big 16th-note pattern that I had been working on. Once I finished that one I was stoked. It’s okay to celebrate the wins.
WONG ON ICE! // Musical & Athletic Performance
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Obviously on that day you were in the zone, you were feeling it. What do you do on the days when you’re not feeling it?
The main way that I approach that is I try to make sure that I’m keeping a really good baseline of my technical facility. That way, at the bare minimum, I'll just be able to rely on the fact that I know that I can play this. Some days it is harder, but I do know that it is there because I’ve spent enough time on it and worked it out. I also try to do the same thing for references. Having things that I know I can draw from as far as inspiration and creativity is super important to me. I’m making sure that I’m listening to music from all eras, listening to music of different instruments, consuming art of different mediums—visual art, graphic design, film. Sometimes I’ll just find something really interesting, take a screenshot on my phone, and say “I might need that someday.” I’ll sometimes just scroll through my pictures and look at something and go, “Oh that was cool. You know what, I like the colors on this. How can I apply colors to what I’m doing as far as my guitar tone?”
“I’m not afraid to learn and grow and ask for input and have no ego about it.”
But then there are also some days where I feel in the moment, but it’s not happening and your emotions can play tricks on you. When you have this confidence in the room and you listen back and think, “Yeah, that was really good, but I don’t know that it was maybe as good as I thought,” and that’s okay. Sometimes you just let the parts do the work. These are good guitar parts, they’ve been tried and tested in the studio, it’s gone through several filters and several nights of playing on tour. Why tonight do I feel like it’s not the right thing? The work’s been done and I need to let my hands do what they know to do and let it rip.
You’ve mentioned how you were influenced by a movie for the track “Acceptance.”
One of my friends told me about this sci-fi movie called Arrival. It’s this weird thing where aliens come to Earth and we try to learn how to communicate with them. What was most compelling to me about the movie is that they teach the main character this way of looking at time, and looking at language, and everything that happens in the world. Time is more cyclical than linear. And she was able to see her life and everything that happens in it knowing the ending of this thing is going to be very painful, and it’s going to be so much heartbreak. But the moment right now is going to be so beautiful. There’s this level of acceptance—knowing that something is going to be terrible and heartbreaking in the end, but enjoying the love and the beauty of the moment that’s happening, and finding peace in the acceptance of that.
It’s a beautiful song. When you’re doing those volume swells, are you doing that manually or are you doing that on a pedal?
I’ve tried to do the pinky thing. I just can’t get comfortable with it. So, I just use a Hotone Soul Press II volume/wah pedal. A volume pedal is so much fun because you can be really expressive. And when I was tracking that one, I needed to use a real volume pedal for that.
On the solo you have a lot of those intervallic jumps on a single string. Where does that come from?
I would say it is a Mayer-ism combined with a Jay Graydon-ism from the “Peg” solo. Literally, the same string, too. One of the main sources of inspiration for that solo is the Mayer solo on “Gravity,” from Where the Light Is. That’s an iconic solo to me.
“There’s this level of acceptance—knowing that something is going to be terrible and heartbreaking in the end, but enjoying the love and the beauty of the moment that’s happening, and finding peace in the acceptance of that.”
Every time I talk to you you’re running different setups depending on what you’re doing live and what backline’s available. So, what’s your go-to setup these days?
When I’m recording, my main rig that I absolutely have to have is the Wampler Wong Compressor into the Neural DSP Archetype: Cory Wong plugin. All the guitar sounds on this album are from the plugin. As far as playing live, I’ve been going back and forth between using a pair of Fender Twin Reverbs, a pair of Super Reverbs, or the DV Mark Raw Dawg Eric Gales signature amp, which is a great solid-state hybrid amp. It’s got a lot of clean headroom and it’s really powerful.
Unleash your inner metal icon with the Jackson Lee Malia LM-87, a high-performance shred-ready axe designed in collaboration with Bring Me The Horizon guitarist Lee Malia. Featuring custom Jackson signature pickups, a fast D-profile neck, and a TOM-style bridge for rock-solid stability, this signature model is a must-have for commanding metal tone and smooth playability.
British metal icon and Bring Me The Horizon guitarist Lee Malia has partnered with Jackson to create his signature LM-87, a shred-ready axe built for heavy riffing and alternative modern metal. As a founding member and lead guitarist of the Grammy-nominated band, Malia is renowned for his aggressive playing style and intricate solos. This high-performance guitar matches his demanding musicality.
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Custom Jackson signature pickups, including a bridge humbucker with push-pull coil-split, equip the LM-87 with versatile tone-shaping options to fulfill Malia's sonic vision. The TOM-style bridge with anchored tailpiece and fine tuners provides rock-solid stability for low tunings and heavy picking.
Designed in close collaboration with the legendary guitarist, the Jackson Lee Malia LM-87 is built for shredding. Its blend of vintage vibe and high-performance features make this signature model a must-have for players who value commanding metal tone and smooth playability.
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- 12"-16" compound radius amaranth fingerboard
- 3-ply pickguard
- Chrome hardware
- Custom wound Jackson LM-87 pickups
- Volume with push-pull coil-split and tone control
- TOM-style bridge with anchored tailpiece and fine tuners
- Gig bag included
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Unleashing the Pro Series Signature Lee Malia LM-87 | Jackson Guitars - YouTube
Jackson Pro Series Signature Lee Malia LM-87 Electric Guitar - Open Pore Black
Pro Series Lee Malia Signature LM-87 Open Pore BlackWith a bit of downtime back in Nashville, co-shredders-in-chief Megan and Rebecca Lovell joined Shred With Shifty to deconstruct their face-melting leads on “Summertime Sunset,” off of their 2022 record Blood Harmony.
The Georgia-born, Nashville-based roots-rock outfit Larkin Poe have had a busy year. Last summer, they toured across the U.S. supporting Slash, and released their seventh studio album, Bloom, on January 22. With a bit of downtime back in Nashville, co-shredders-in-chief Megan and Rebecca Lovell joined Shred With Shifty to deconstruct their face-melting leads on “Summertime Sunset,” off of their 2022 record Blood Harmony.
The Lovells grew up reading sheet music and learning violin via the Suzuki method—there was little room for going off the beaten path until they fell in love with Jerry Douglas’ dobro playing on Alison Krauss records. Rebecca took up the mandolin, while Megan went for the dobro and the slide side of things. It took a while for them to get comfortable turning up from their bluegrass roots, but eventually they built Larkin Poe’s amplified, blues-rock sound.
First up, Rebecca, playing a pristine ’60s SG, shows how she put together her stinging, fuzzy solo by “hunting and pecking out” melodies in her mind, building up the chops to follow her intuition. Then Megan, playing a Rickenbacker-inspired lap steel of her own design through a Rodenberg TB Drive, details her dizzyingly fast slide acrobatics, and her particular “rake” technique that she copped from Jerry Douglas and Derek Trucks.
Tune in to hear them talk about how to sustain family relationships while going professional, keeping music community-minded, and whether or not they’ll go back to bluegrass.
If you’re able to help, here are some charities aimed at assisting musicians affected by the fires in L.A:
https://guitarcenterfoundation.org
https://www.cciarts.org/relief.html
https://www.musiciansfoundation.org
https://fireaidla.org
https://www.musicares.org
https://www.sweetrelief.org
Credits
Producer: Jason Shadrick
Executive Producers: Brady Sadler and Jake Brennan for Double Elvis
Engineering Support by Matt Tahaney and Matt Beaudion
Video Editor: Addison Sauvan
Graphic Design: Megan Pralle
Special thanks to Chris Peterson, Greg Nacron, and the entire Volume.com crew.
The legendary Louisville rockers brought tons of vintage tone tools on the road this year.
My Morning Jacket’s Is, their 10th album, released on March 21, and as we reported in our feature on the band in our May print issue, it showcased a band exercising their classic strengths as well as newfound vision and curiosity. Helmed by superstar producer Brendan O’Brien, Is finds MMJ at their anthemic, psychedelic best.
We caught up with Carl Broemel for a Rig Rundown back in 2015, but on this year’s tour, PG’s John Bohlinger checked in with all three axemen—Jim James, Broemel, and bassist Tom Blankenship—to hear about their road rigs. In Broemel’s estimation, they’re lazy—they just like to bring everything.
Brought to you by D’Addario.
Three's a Crowd
This gorgeous Gibson Jimi Hendrix 1967 SG Custom, aged by Murphy Labs, initially had three humbuckers, but James kept hitting his pick on the middle pickup, so it got the yank—as did the hefty bridge and Maestro Vibrola system, which were replaced with a simple stopbar tailpiece.
Mirror Image
James picked up this 1998 Gibson Flying V right around when My Morning Jacket got started. He traced and ordered the flashy mirror pickguard himself. It’s got Gibson pickups, though James isn’t sure of the models.
Jim James' Jimmy
James plucked this one-of-a-kind from Scott Baxendale’s collection of restored vintage guitars. He guesses it’s either an old Kay or Harmony guitar, but the decorations, including the custom plastic headstock plaque, make exact identification difficult. But it was clear this one was meant for James, since it has his name on it.
Elsewhere backstage is James’ Epiphone Jim James ES-335, a custom shop Fender Telecaster and Strat, a 1967 Gretsch Chet Atkins Country Gentleman, and a Gibson Barney Kessel.
Make Love, Not War
James loves repurposing old military equipment for creative, peaceful purposes, which is how this old radar system came to be a part of his live amplification kit. Along with the old tech, James runs two 3 Monkeys Orangutan heads through a 3 Monkeys cab.
Jim James' Pedalboard
James’ board is built around a pair of GigRig QuarterMaster switching systems, which lets him navigate the stomps you see here: a Devi Ever US Fuzz, Boss BD-2w, SoloDallas Schaffer Boost, Boss OC-2, EarthQuaker Devices Spatial Delivery, Strymon blueSky, EQD Ghost Echo, Malekko Spring Chicken, ISP Deci-Mate, Electro-Harmonix Mel9, UA Starlight Echo Station, and UA Astra Modulation Machine. A D’Addario Chromatic Pedal Tuner duo keep things on pitch, a Strymon Zuma and Ojai pair handle the power, and a Radial SGI-44 line driver maintains clarity.
Arts and Crafts Night
One night while a bit tipsy, Broemel took out his paint pens and set to work on this Gibson Les Paul Standard Faded, resulting in this masterpiece. He also removed the pickup selector switch; even though the neck pickup remains, it never gets used.
Relic By Broemel
This 1988 Les Paul Standard predates the band, and Broemel has given it its aged finish over the years—on one occasion, it fell out of a truck. It’s been treated to a Seymour Duncan pickup upgrade and occasional refrets when required.
Carl's Creston
This Creston Lea offset has two Novak lipstick pickups in the neck, with a switch to engage just one or both, plus a low-end roll-off control. It’s finished in the same blue-black color as Broemel’s house and sports a basil leaf on the headstock in tribute to Broemel’s son, Basil.
Also in the wardrobe are a shiny new Duesenberg tuned to open G, and a custom shop Fender Telecaster with a fattened neck and Bigsby to swing it closer to Broemel’s beloved LPs.
Milk Route
Broemel routes his GFI Ultra pedal steel, which is tuned to E9, through a board which includes a Milkman The Amp, which is projected through the speaker of a Fender Princeton Reissue combo. Operated with another GigRig QuarterMaster, the board also includes an Eventide H9, Moog MF Delay, Fender The Pelt, MXR Phase 90, EHX Nano POG, Xotic Effects EP Booster, Source Audio C4, and a Peterson StroboStomp HD.
Side-Carr
This time out, Broemel is running two Carr Slant 6V heads in stereo.
Carl Broemel's Pedalboard
Broemel commissioned XAct Tone Solutions to build this double-decker board, which depends on a GigRig G3S switching system. From top to bottom (literally), it includes a Boss TU-3, Durham Electronics Sex Drive, JAM Pedals Tubedreamer, Source Audio Spectrum, JAM Retrovibe, MXR Phase 100, Fender The Pelt, Origin Effects SlideRIG, 29 Pedals EUNA, two Eventide H9s, Kingsley Harlot V3, JAM Delay Llama, Merix LVX, Hologram Chroma Console, and EHX POGIII. A wah and Mission Engineering expression pedal sit on the left side, while a Lehle volume pedal and Gamechanger Audio Plus hold down the right edge.
Utility units include two SGI TX interfaces, two Strymon Ojais and a Strymon Zuma, and a Cioks Crux.
More From the Creston Crew
Blankenship, too, has brought along a few guitars from Lea, including these Precision-bass and Jazz-bass models. The dark-sparkle P-style rocks with GHS flatwound strings, while the natural-finish J-style has roundwounds.
Emperor's New Groove
Blankenship just got these brand-new Emperor cabinets, through which he cranks his Mesa Boogie WD-800 Subway heads.
Tom Blankenship’s Pedalboard
Like James, Blankenship uses a GigRig QuarterMaster to jump between his effects. After his Boss TU-3, that includes an Origin Effects Cali76, DigiTech Whammy Ricochet, Pepers’ Pedals Humongous Fuzz, MXR Bass Octave Deluxe, Tronographic Rusty Box, and EHX Bassballs Nano. A Voodoo Labs Pedal Power 2 Plus lights things up, and a Radial SGI TX keeps the signal squeaky clean.
Shop My Morning Jacket's Rig
EarthQuaker Devices host Echo Reverb Pedal
ISP Technologies DECI-MATE Micro Noise Reduction Pedal
Electro-Harmonix Mel9 Tape Replay Machine Pedal
EarthQuaker Devices Spatial Delivery Envelope Filter Pedal
Universal Audio UAFX Starlight Echo Station Delay Pedal
Universal Audio UAFX Astra Modulation Machine Pedal
Fender Custom Shop Stratocaster
Fender introduces the Stories Collection Mike Campbell Red Dog Telecaster, paying tribute to the iconic guitarist's heavily modified instrument. Featuring two signature humbuckers, a custom single coil bridge pickup, Bigsby tremolo, and a unique "Destruct" circuit, this Telecaster allows players to channel Campbell's legendary tone and style.
Today, Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC) and the Fender Custom Shop (FCS) introduce the newest member of the ‘Stories Collection’ family—a series of instruments that pays tribute to iconic Fender guitars and basses that have been uniquely modified by the legendary artists who played them. Mike Campbell, the tasteful and versatile player who is responsible for some of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ most memorable riffs, has teamed up with Fender and the Custom Shop to develop the Stories Collection Mike Campbell signature guitars - the Red Dog Telecaster and FCS Limited Edition Masterbuilt 1972 “Red Dog“ Telecaster—two reproductions of Campbell’s stunning and heavily modified Telecaster that gives players the opportunity to create their own sonic identity through the framework of one of rock and pop’s greatest guitar players.
“Telecasters are the heart and soul of rock and roll music and this one is a beautiful instrument,” said Mike Campbell. “I could tell The Red Dog was special as soon as I picked it up. It felt like it was in the right place at just the right time. The humbuckers give it so much power and such a wide variety of tones while the destruct button really sets it apart from just about any other tele.”
The tale of the Red Dog Telecaster began when one of Campbell’s former students living in Florida offered to sell him a guitar. However, after seeing the guitar in question, it became clear that this was no standard instrument pulled from the rack. Campbell was presented with a bright red Tele equipped with humbuckers in the neck and middle position, a Bigsby tremolo and, perhaps the guitar’s most idiosyncratic flourish, an onboard electronic boost dubbed the “destruct” circuit. As any other lifelong guitar devotee would, Campbell bought this glorious Frankenstein of an instrument without a moment’s hesitation. The Red Dog was subsequently used most memorably on the Heartbreaker’s track “Refugee” and is prominently featured in the song’s music video. All throughout his storied career playing with Tom Petty, as a session guitarist, alongside Fleetwood Mac and touring the world with his solo act The Dirty Knobs, this singular Telecaster has been inextricably linked to Campbell’s career and legacy as one of rock and roll’s finest players.
The Stories Collection Mike Campbell Red Dog Telecaster offers the same level of craftsmanship and sonic capability at a more accessible price point. The two signature Mike Campbell humbuckers in the neck and middle position bring a low-end growl and high octane output that sets it apart from other Telecaster guitars. However, the custom single coil bridge pickup delivers the caliber of twang that people worldwide associate exclusively with Tele guitars. A Bigsby B5F tremolo allows players to extenuate riffs and solos with an additional level of flourish and attitude. Perhaps the Red Dog’s most exciting feature lies beneath the surface—the “Destruct” circuit. With the push of a sleek silver button on the control plate, an added 34 dB of gain can be activated for complete tonal dominance.
“It’s our mission to honor the legacy and sonic character that Mike Campbell has infused into every note played on his beloved ‘Red Dog’ Telecaster®,” said Justin Norvell, Executive Vice President of Fender Products. “Every scratch, modification, and battle scar tells a story, and with these meticulously crafted recreations, we’re giving players everywhere the chance to channel that same timeless energy and write their own musical history.”
While the Red Dog Telecaster came into his hands already modified, its custom features were universal and powerful enough to elevate Campbell’s personal playing style and the same can be said for Fender’s painstakingly detailed and powerfully crafted recreations. The FCS Limited Edition Masterbuilt 1972 “Red Dog” Telecaster is a jaw dropping representation of the instrument as it exists today—dings, paint chips, dents and all by FCS’s Senior Masterbuilder Dennis Galuska. Outfitted with vintage replica Arcane, Inc. pickups and signature “Destruct” boost circuit wired by Analogman, this custom Telecaster can achieve the same biting jangle heard on “Refugee.” Features include a flat sawn maple neck with custom Oval “C” back shape, 7.25” radius fingerboard, 21 vintage upgrade frets, 5-way pickup sector and vintage style Jazzmaster bridge with threaded saddles.
“The ‘Red Dog’ Telecaster® is a testament to how a heavily modified instrument can be both deeply personal and universally cherished,” said Chase Paul, Director of Product Development - Fender Custom Shop. “There’s an undeniable magic in an instrument that evolves alongside its player, and every modification on this guitar serves a purpose, working together to create something greater than the sum of its parts. Dennis Galuszka and the Custom Shop dedicated countless hours to faithfully recreating every detail, bringing players and fans as close to Mike’s legendary Tele® as possible.”
Stories Collection Mike Campbell Red Dog Telecaster® ($3,499.99) Revered for his tasty rhythms and fiery leads, Mike Campbell is responsible for many of the iconic hooks from the Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers catalog. For decades now his faithful Fender guitars have been at the heart of his trusted formula for award-winning tone.Campbell bought what became known as the “Red Dog” from a former guitar student in Florida, complete with Bigsby tremolo and a powerful onboard boost, known as the “Destruct” circuit. Mike’s iconic 1972 Red Dog Telecaster is featured on the Damn the Torpedoes track “Refugee” and can be seen in the accompanying music video. The Stories Collection Mike Campbell “Red Dog” Telecaster features an Heirloom™ nitrocellulose lacquer “Red Dog Red” finish, 1-piece maple neck with 7.25” radius fingerboard and 21 vintage-style frets as well as an onboard “Destruct” boost circuit. The custom Mike Campbell Red Dog pickup set features two vintage-style humbuckers and a single-coil Telecaster bridge pickup, Bigsby B5F tremolo and a custom Red Dog neck plate. Custom accessories include a vintage-style case, strap, picks and certificate of authenticity.
Unique, versatile and utterly original, The Mike Campbell “Red Dog” Telecaster pays tribute to a veteran Heartbreaker with a serious knack for writing extraordinary songs and delivering catchy, captivating and magnificent guitar parts.
Fender Custom Shop Limited Edition Masterbuilt Mike Campbell 1972 “Red Dog” Telecaster® ($20,000.00) With raw, powerful riffs and explosive leads, Mike Campbell firmly established himself as one of the greatest guitarists and songwriters in music history—and throughout his accomplished career, Fender guitars played in integral role in his creative expression. One of his most noteworthy instruments was his modified three-pickup Telecaster that would come to be known as the “Red Dog.” Fender Custom Shop Senior Masterbuilder Dennis Galuszka partnered with Mike to recreate this incredible guitar. From beautifully faded red metallic finish to the worn and Bigsby B5 vibrato tailpiece, every nick, ding and scratch was meticulously replicated to bring this tribute guitar to life. Loaded with vintage replica Arcane, Inc. pickups and a “Destruct” boost circuit wired by Analogman, this Tele plays, sounds and feels just like the guitar heard on “Refugee.” Its two-piece select alder body and custom-shaped, one-piece maple neck feature a well-loved Relic® lacquer finish, while the hardware is aged to look like it’s been played for the last five decades. Wonderfully unique and with a storied past, the Limited Edition Masterbuilt Mike Campbell 1972 “Red Dog” Telecaster is a fitting homage to such an incredibly captivating and inspiring musician. Other premium features include flat sawn maple neck with custom Oval “C” back-shape, 7.25” (184.1 mm) radius, 21 vintage upgrade (45085) frets, 5-way switch, 3-ply parchment pickguard, vintage-style Jazzmaster® bridge with threaded steel saddles, vintage-style “F”-stamped tuning machines, bone nut, two American Vintage ‘65+ string trees with nylon spacers, deluxe hardshell case, strap and certificate of authenticity.
For more information, please visit fender.com.