This three-pickup Gibson SG is among the guitars Gary Clark Jr. played on This Land. Others include his familiar Epiphone Casinos, a 1968 Gibson ES-330, a Gibson Flying V, and an Ibanez Blazer he got as a kid.
President Obama called him “the future of music.” Now, the Texas guitarist transcends the hype via an album packed with strong songs and sounds crafted with a broader palette of guitars and influences.
It's been almost a decade since Gary Clark Jr.'s breakout performance at the 2010 Crossroads Guitar Festival. Technical issues marred his set—not that you could tell. If anything, those problems conspired to make his showcase even more epic. His playing lit the blues world aflame and gave hope to crusty old-timers yearning for a return to their music's glory days. Rolling Stone called him, “the chosen one." President Obama dubbed him, “the future of music." The hype was outrageous.
For guitar nerds, the real interest was Clark's embrace of the Epiphone Casino. Flip through your back issues of Premier Guitar. That guitar was all anyone wanted to talk about. A lot of critics also made lazy comparisons to Jimi Hendrix—except Clark sounds nothing like Hendrix, and that's despite his killer cover of “Third Stone from the Sun" on his 2013 debut album, Blak and Blu.
But a lot has changed since then—in both his choice of guitars and in his voice as a songwriter. In 2014, Pat Smear (Foo Fighters, the Germs, and touring guitarist with Nirvana) gifted Clark a 1961 Gibson Les Paul SG Standard reissue, and that opened the floodgates. Clark isn't a collector per se, but since then he's been amassing a significant cache of guitars, which even includes a resurrected old friend.
“I've got an Ibanez Blazer with me that I got back from my folks," he says. “I just had to dust it off a little bit. It was actually the guitar I spent the most time with. I adjusted it myself and did everything. So when I picked it up, I was like, 'Oh yeah, this is my guitar.'"
Clark's latest release, This Land, which came out in February, also displays differences in his songwriting approach. While his albums have never been revivalist throwbacks, This Land is purposefully forward-looking. The tones are modern and edgy. The arrangements are tight and not necessarily springboards for live, extended jams. Cultural issues inspired some songs, and the first two tracks, the title cut and “What About Us," tap into current concerns about race, generational change, and class. This Land also flirts with multiple genres, including reggae, dub, soul, '70s-era funk, hip-hop, and even hardcore, drawing on their sounds and elements of their classic arrangements for inspiration, yet still sounding fresh and original.
“I'm listening to everything," he says. “A recent list includes Anderson .Paak, Valerie June, Jon Batiste, classic Stevie Ray Vaughan is up here, Sammy Davis Jr.—a lot of non-guitar players—just to get a sense of musical lead-playing approaches … like a piano or something, the way Jon Batiste plays. I'm trying to get more into that world."
That openness and stylistic wanderlust, not to mention Clark's consistent songwriting and killer live show, explains his staying power. He's not staid or complacent. He's also aware that his momentum could have easily fizzled after that lucky break in 2010. “I got more than I ever asked for," he says. “I'm fortunate. I'll say that."
We spoke with Clark a few days after his debut on Saturday Night Live. We discussed his growing—and what he considers somewhat embarrassing—guitar arsenal, some of his playing techniques, his understanding of rhythm and different feels, and how he approached the making of This Land.
You just played Saturday Night Live. How does that work?
You show up, do a day of rehearsal, camera blocking, get your stuff together, and come back and do it Saturday night.
Did you use the same gear you use on tour?
Yeah. Sometimes I use backline for television, but for SNL or something live, I just want to use my gear. If anything happens, I can only blame myself [laughs].
Do you find the TV format restricting? You get a four- or five-minute block, and that's it.
No more than four minutes. You might get 4:05. But it's pretty quick, so we have to do some adjustments for television. You know, you can't say certain things, so, you gotta play nice.
TIBIT: Clark says he's playing the songs from his new album by the book in concert. “I spent so much time in the studio, trying to figure out how I want it to sound. I'm not ready for people to interpret it their own way yet," he explains.
You have to watch your language.
Yeah, all that stuff. You gotta behave yourself.
On the clip I saw, you were playing a Flying V, but when you first hit a few years ago, every interview was about your Epiphone Casino. Now it's like you have a different guitar—like that V, or an Ibanez—in every picture. Do you just like a lot of guitars?
[Sighs.] You know, I didn't think that I would. I was kind of set in my ways until Pat Smear gave me a '61 SG reissue, and for better or for worse that opened up my mind to different things. Of course, the Casino is always going to be there. As far as my Ibanez goes, that was my second guitar I ever got. In 1997 I had that one. I was over at my parents' house, and they had it in a closet. I was like, “What is this doing over here?" And I grabbed it back. But I've also been fortunate … people giving me gifts. I am loving exploring and playing all of them. But the Casino will always have the number one spot.
Do you switch them up for different songs?
Yeah, I do, and I gotta say, doing studio stuff really made me switch up my style. Certain things weren't working or weren't getting the tones that I needed. They were too dark or they were too bright. Hanging out with guys in the studio and they've got a bunch of gear … like [producer] Mike Elizondo. I gravitate toward certain things, but when you're forced to get out of your comfort zone, maybe you might find a new gem. I'm just trying to be open and not be like an old crotchety dude that's stuck in my ways.
Do you take those lessons with you on the road or is that limited to the studio?
It's starting to get out of hand.
How so?
Just more gear … and more of it's mine, I'm embarrassed to say.
Here's Clark “just banging on that thing"—one of his customary Epiphone Casinos—during the 2017 Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival in Franklin, Tennessee. Although he downplays his technique, Clark's visceral approach brims with audible drama. Photo by Chris Kies
I don't know if it's the falsetto, but there's an obvious nod to Curtis Mayfield on the new album. Have you done a deep dive into his guitar playing or checked out his tuning [called “black keys" tuning: F#–A#–C#–F#–A#–F#]?
Curtis Mayfield's sound is some of the music that I was the most familiar with. I was first introduced to it when I was a kid, so it's always been something that was just normal. As I got older, I started to realize him as a guitar player. But it was that amazing voice I remember hearing as a kid. I was like, “Who's this guy singing all the way up there like a girl?" I remember thinking that and my dad was like, “No son, that's soul singing. You don't know nothing about that." [Laughs.] So, he's a heavy influence, but I haven't really tapped into his guitar playing. I'm not even going to lie. I just appreciate it for what it is. It's like Stevie Wonder playing piano; like I'm just going to let you have that. It's kind of the same thing with Albert Collins and funky tunings like that. I'm just trying to hang on to what I know in standard tuning, and open stuff from time to time.
So you mainly play in standard?
Standard, open G, open D. Pretty much standard.
How about when you use a capo? Is that just to help with your vocals or do you do it to reimagine the instrument in a new way?
Basically, just to use the open E [open chord] shapes up in a higher register, in the key that my voice fits best in for the song. That's all.
How about your fingerpicking style: Do you have a schooled approach or is it more intuitive?
I just get a rhythm going and then hang on for dear life. I first got into fingerpicking watching Elizabeth Cotten on TV. I just watched her and figured it out on my own. Obviously, I'm going to do things different, my body's different, my hands are different, so I just take an idea and figure out how to adapt it: what works best for me in a way that I'm comfortable and can execute the best.
How about songs like 2014's “Don't Owe You a Thang?" What are you doing there?
Just stomping the hell out of the E string. I'm keeping that thing going pretty much the whole time. I don't even know what I'm doing—just going in between the G, D, and E string using thumb, index, and middle finger. That's about it. I'm just banging on that thing man, just no manners.
You're known as a blues player, but you don't stick to the blues scale. You do all sorts of cool stuff harmonically as your solos start building. Is your approach more schooled or intuitive?
It's a little of both. I never really thought about it. Obviously, it's boring to stay in one place and repeat yourself, so I find myself drifting off into other territories. I'm not sure. I just feel it. With YouTube now you can pretty much learn anything, so when I get some time I try to figure out some stuff and noodle a little bit, which has been exciting. I feel like a kid again, having guitar lessons. Still more work to do, obviously.
Guitars
Assorted Epiphone Casinos
1968 Gibson ES-330
Ibanez Blazer
Gibson SG with three P-90s
Gibson Flying V
Amps
Fender Vibro-King
César Diaz CD100
Effects
Fulltone Octafuzz
Strymon Flint Tremolo & Reverb
Function F(X) The Cannon Dual Fuzz
Hermida Audio Zendrive
Dunlop Cry Baby wah
TC Electronic PolyTune
Strings and Picks
D'Addario Custom Nickel strings (.011–.049)
Dunlop Poly Medium picks
Have you spent time learning different feels, like a shuffle versus a straight rock feel?
I gotta give up all that to playing in the Austin blues scene. When I first started going down there with my friend Eve [Monsees, also a guitarist], we didn't know what a shuffle was, what a 6/8 was, what a rumba, a rock 'n' roll—not straight, but a swinging rock 'n' roll like Chuck Berry. There's a major difference. Hanging out at Joe's Generic Bar, Babe's blues bar back in the day, Antone's … those are the guys who even showed us the difference between major and minor. So I learned all those grooves from there. And then playing with different players. We played every Sunday. You go down there and there's a blues jam and it would be a whole new group of folks that you didn't get a chance to play with the week before. It would always make you play different and it forced us to really pay attention to what was going on—that you played a certain song, and not feel like you need to get up and jam and show people you got this badass 24 bars that you can't wait to show everybody.
And that's where you developed your time?
Yeah, all that stuff, and, really, playing with a drummer. [Austin drummer and John Mayer sideman] J.J. Johnson really helped me lock in. He's obviously one of the better musicians as far as timing goes. Between him and Steve Jordan, that will force you. You play with guys like that—they'll look at you funny if you're not in time.
What are you listening to when you're playing?
I'm trying to lock in with the kick. Kick drum and bass guitar. If they fall together, I'm trying to line up with them.
How fully formed are your songs when you bring them to the band? Do you give them room to come up with parts or whatever?
No. Sorry [laughs]. For this last record, the ideas, musically, were pretty well developed. I knew what I was going for and the sounds that I was going for. I didn't use the band that I go on tour with. I used other people just to change up sounds. I knew what their snare would sound like, their rhythm compared to what I was doing. It was pretty much figured out musically except for the lyrics. That's where I filled in the space. But no, I was pretty selfish with this one.
Do the songs take on a new life on the road or are you loyal to the format from the recordings?
For the last record, after we got in the studio, we started recording stuff and it was, you know, adapt and we'll run with it. And I realized that was probably a terrible idea. You gotta really know what you're working with before you can move around and expand on it. So we're pretty much keeping it locked in for what it is. I spent so much time in the studio, trying to figure out how I want it to sound. I'm not ready for people to interpret it their own way yet. Maybe in some time I'll give it up, but nah.
Watch Gary's 2015 Rig Rundown episode:
At Coachella 2016, Clark plays the guitar that started his collecting kick: a 1961 reissue Gibson SG with a vibrola tailpiece. Besides his Gibsons and Epiphones, he's also appeared more recently brandishing a white Stratocaster.
Photo by Debi Del Grande
You tour with a second guitarist, but do you play all the guitar parts on the record?
Yes I do. I played all the parts on the record.
How do you divvy them up when you hit the road?
We listen to them and we both learn both parts, each of us, and then we figure out what serves each other better: If I'm singing, if it's better for me to sing this part and play. It's really not that big of a deal.
Do you discuss ways to distinguish tones? Like, he'll play a Strat if you're using a Gibson?
No, [Eric] Zapata, he's got a pretty dialed-in tone. He can get whatever he wants out of his gear. Me, it's a little bit different, if I'm going for an old-school bluesy type of sound or a rockin' thing like “Pearl Cadillac," or an SG or a Flying V or something. It's on me to balance out the guitar tone.
When you lay down your solos in the studio, do you do just a few passes and that's it?
I can only give a guitar solo a few passes before I start thinking about it, and then the technical execution becomes more of a focus than the feeling and the emotion—actually playing and being loose. So I'll give it three or four, and then I'll just let it be what it is.
Do you cobble stuff together in Pro Tools to craft the perfect solo?
I'm not going to lie. I've taken the first chunk of one and slapped it onto the end of another. But for the most part, I try to keep it all one thing. I can tell in post if it's broken up. I'm like, “I wouldn't do that normally."
Do you stand in the control room when you record your solos?
I stood in the control room for a few of these things. I was using a César Diaz 100 watt and turned it all the way up. I like to hear, so for the sake of my hearing, I got out of the room.
What else did you use?
I used that one and I used a normal Fender Vibro-King. I didn't stray too far from home.
You don't have a closet of vintage gear back home?
I'm not really a crazy vintage collector guy. I've had maybe three amps that I've bought. I've had some nice gifts and stuff, but no, I'm not really that curious.
Do you use the amp's reverb?
I did, but sometimes we play these stages and they're really boomy and shake around. You hear that reverb tank bashing around. It's been a little bit distracting in some low-down, minor blues, intimate moments. You just hear schcrang!
You played on Tom Morello's recent solo album. He told us that you just showed up and jammed for a few hours, and then he cut it into pieces.
[Laughs.] Yeah man, it was awesome. I showed up to the studio, the whole crew was there, it was cool. You know his mother goes with him everywhere. She was hanging out. It was sweet. It was like being in a garage band again as a teenager. It was funny. I was a little bit intimidated, because he was like, “Hey can you come and play on my record?" I was like, “What can I do that you can't do?" But it was cool. We just threw some ideas back and forth and the way that he slipped them into the album really blew my mind, because I didn't know what he was thinking. I didn't know what his vision was. To see it go from where we started to where it ended up was, like, the dude is onto something. That album is amazing. He's a cool guy, too, man. It was fun.
It's very different from his other stuff.
That's what I liked about it. I really loved that he's not scared to take chances and try other things. It was badass.
You've met most of your heroes who are still alive. Some of them were probably playing guitar from before your parents were born. They must have wisdom and war stories oozing out of them. What are some things you've learned? Anything you can share?For the most part, it's been pretty cool: Be yourself; you've gotta find your own voice. If you're going to be in this, you've gotta know what the history is. It's important to know the history—so they give me lessons. Gave me records to listen to and references to check out. But one that really stood out to me was when I first went out with Jimmie Vaughan. We were out in San Francisco—I think we were playing at Slim's—and I was backstage. Me and the band were acting up, and I was cutting up, and I was a little bit underage. I was sipping on a little bit of whiskey, and Jimmie Vaughan just comes up to me with a bottle of water. He just points at it and looks at me dead in the eye, turns around, and walks away. That was it.
Gary Clark Jr.'s stylistic blend—in this case, a little reggae, some nasty-ass rock, and blues—comes across in the title track to his new album, “This Land," which also resonates within the current cultural climate. Clark's got his three-pickup SG on this February 17 Saturday Night Live performance, and he and his band's second guitarist, Eric Zapata, share gristle-toned interplay.
- Rig Rundown: Gary Clark Jr. | Premier Guitar ›
- Gary Clark Jr.: No Backup Plan | Premier Guitar ›
- Gary Clark Jr. Announces 2025 North American Tour - Premier Guitar ›
MayFly Le Habanero Review
Great versatility in combined EQ controls. Tasty low-gain boost voice. Muscular Fuzz Face-like fuzz voice.
Can be noisy without a lot of treble attenuation. Boost and fuzz order can only be reversed with the internal DIP switch.
$171
May Fly Le Habanero
A fuzz/boost combo that’s as hot as the name suggests, but which offers plenty of smoky, subdued gain shades, too.
Generally speaking, I avoid combo effects. If I fall out of love with one thing, I don’t want to have to ditch another that’s working fine. But recent fixations with spatial economy find me rethinking that relationship. MayFly’s Le Habanero (yes, the Franco/Spanish article/noun mash-up is deliberate) consolidates boost and fuzz in a single pedal. That’s far from an original concept. But the characteristics of both effects make it a particularly effective one here, and the relative flexibility and utility of each gives this combination a lot more potential staying power for the fickle.
“Le Habanero’s fuzz circuit has a deep switch that adds a little extra desert-rock woof.”
The fuzz section has a familiar Fuzz Face-like tone profile—a little bit boomy and very present in that buzzy mid-’60s, midrangey kind of way. But Le Habanero’s fuzz circuit has a deep switch that adds a little extra desert-rock woof (especially with humbuckers) and an effective filter switch that enhances the fuzz’s flexibility—especially when used with the boost. The boost is a fairly low-gain affair. Even at maximum settings, it really seems to excite desirable high-mid harmonics more than it churns out dirt. That’s a good thing, particularly when you introduce hotter settings from the boost’s treble and bass controls, which extend the boost’s voice from thick and smoky to lacerating. Together, the boost and fuzz can be pushed to screaming extremes. But the interactivity between the tone and filter controls means you can cook up many nuanced fuzz shades spanning Jimi scorch and Sabbath chug with tons of cool overtone and feedback colors.
Significantly smaller and lighter than original TAE. Easy to configure and operate. Great value. Streamlined control set.
Air Feel Level control takes the place of more surgical and realistic resonance controls. Seventy watts less power in onboard power amp. No Bluetooth connectivity with desktop app.
$699
Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander Core
Boss streamlines the size, features, and price of the already excellent Waza Tube Expander with little sacrifice in functionality.
Many of our younger selves would struggle to understand the urge—indeed, the need—to play quieter. My first real confrontation with this ever-more-present reality arrived when Covid came to town. For many months, I could only sneak into my studio space late at night to jam or review anything loud. Ultimately, the thing that made it possible to create and do my job in my little apartment was a reactive load box (in this case, a Universal Audio OX). I set up a Bassman head next to my desk and, with the help of the OX, did the work of a gear editor as well as recorded several very cathartic heavy jams, with the Bassman up to 10, that left my neighbors none the wiser.
Boss’ firstWaza Tube Amp Expander, built with an integrated power amp that enables boosted signal as well as attenuated sounds, was and remains the OX’s main competition. Both products have copious merits but, at $1,299 (Boss) and $1,499 (Universal Audio), each is expensive. And while both units are relatively compact, they aren’t gear most folks casually toss in a backpack on the way out the door. The new Waza Tube Expander Core, however, just might be. And though it sacrifices some refinements for smaller size, its much-more accessible price and strong, streamlined fundamental capabilities make it a load-box alternative that could sway skeptics.
Micro Manager
The TAE Core is around 7 1/2" wide, just over 7 " long, and fewer than 4 " tall, including the rubber feet. That’s about half the width of an original TAE or OX. The practical upside of this size reduction is obvious and will probably compel a lot of players to use the unit in situations in which they’d leave a full-size TAE at home. The streamlined design is another source of comfort. With just five knobs on its face, the TAE Core has fewer controls and is easier to use than many stompboxes. In fact, the most complicated part of integrating the TAE Core to your rig might be downloading the necessary drivers and related apps.
Connectivity is straightforward, though there are some limitations. You can use TAE Core wirelessly with an iOS or Windows tablet or smartphone, as long as you have the BT-DUAL adaptor (which is not included and sets you back around 40 bucks). However, while desktop computers recognize the TAE Core as a Bluetooth-enabled device, you cannot use the unit wirelessly with those machines. Instead, you have to connect the TAE Core via USB. In a perfectly ordered world, that’s not a big problem. But if you use the TAE Core in a small studio—where one less cable is one less headache—or you prefer to interface with the TAE Core app on a desktop where you can toggle fast and easily between large, multi-track sessions and the app, the inability to work wirelessly on a desktop can be a distraction. The upside is that the TAE Core app itself is, functionally and visually, almost identical in mobile and desktop versions, enabling you to select and drag and drop virtual microphones into position, add delay, reverb, compression, and EQ effects, choose various cabinets with different speaker configurations and sizes, and introduce new rigs and impulse responses to a tone recipe in a flash. And though the TAE Core app lacks some of the photorealistic panache and configuration options in the OX app, the TAE Core’s app is just as intuitive.Less Is More
One nice thing about the TAE Core’s more approachable $699 price is that you don’t have to feel too bad on nights that you “underutilize” the unit and employ it as an attenuator alone. In this role, the TAE Core excels. Even significantly attenuated sounds retain the color and essence of the source tone. Like any attenuator-type device, you will sacrifice touch sensitivity and dynamics at a certain volume level, yielding a sense of disconnection between fingers, gut, guitar, and amp. But if you’re tracking “big” sounds in a small space, you can generate massive-sounding ones without interfacing with an amp modeler and flat-response monitors, which is a joy in my book. And again, there’s the TAE Core’s ability to “expand” as well as attenuate, which means you can use the TAE Core’s 30-watt onboard power amp to amplify the signal from, say, a 5-watt Fender Champion 600 with a 6" speaker, route it to a 2x12, 4x12, or virtual equivalent in the app, and leave your bandmate with the Twin Reverb and bad attitude utterly perplexed.
The Verdict
Opting for the simpler, thriftier TAE Core requires a few sacrifices. Power users that grew accustomed to the original TAE’s super-tunable “resonance-Z” and “presence-Z” controls, which aped signal-chain impedance relationships with sharp precision, will have to make do with the simpler but still very effective stack and combo options and the “air feel level” spatial ambience control.The DC power jack is less robust. It features only MIDI-in rather than MIDI-in/-through/-out jacks, and, significantly, 70 watts less power in the onboard power amp. But from my perspective, the Core is no less “professional” in terms of what it can achieve on a stage or in a studio of any size. Its more modest feature set and dimensions are, in my estimation, utility enhancements as much as limitations. If greater power and MIDI connectivity are essentials, then the extra 600 bones for the original TAE will be worth the price. For many of us, though, the mix of value, operational efficiencies, and the less-encumbered path to sound creation built into the TAE Core will represent a welcome sweet spot that makes dabbling in this very useful technology an appealing, practical proposition.
IK Multimedia is pleased to announce the release of new premium content for all TONEX users, available today through the IK Product Manager.
The latest TONEX Factory Content v2 expands the creative arsenal with a brand-new collection of Tone Models captured at the highest quality and presets optimized for live performance. TONEX Tone Models are unique captures of rigs dialed into a specific sweet spot. TONEX presets are used for performance and recording, combining Tone Models with added TONEX FX, EQ, and compression.
Who Gets What:
TONEX Pedal
- 150 crafted presets matched to 150 Premium Tone Models
- A/B/C layout for instant access to clean, drive, and lead tones
- 30 Banks: Amp & cab presets from classic cleans to crushing high-gain
- 5 Banks: FX-driven presets featuring the 8 new TONEX FX
- 5 Banks: Amp-only presets for integrating external IRs, VIR™, or amps
- 5 Banks: Stompbox presets of new overdrive/distortion pedals
- 5 Banks: Bass amp & pedal presets to cover and bass style
TONEX Mac/PC
- 106 new Premium Tone Models + 9 refined classics for TONEX MAX
- 20 new Premium Tone Models for TONEX and TONEX SE
TONEX ONE
- A selection of 20 expertly crafted presets from the list above
- Easy to explore and customize with the new TONEX Editor
Gig-ready Tones
For the TONEX Pedal, the first 30 banks deliver an expansive range of amp & cab tones, covering everything from dynamic cleans to brutal high-gain distortion. Each bank features legendary amplifiers paired with cabs such as a Marshall 1960, ENGL E412V, EVH 412ST and MESA Boogie 4x12 4FB, ensuring a diverse tonal palette. For some extremely high-gain tones, these amps have been boosted with classic pedals like the Ibanez TS9, MXR Timmy, ProCo RAT, and more, pushing them into new sonic territories.
Combined with New FX
The following 5 banks of 15 presets explore the depth of TONEX's latest effects. There's everything from the rich tremolo on a tweed amp to the surf tones of the new Spring 4 reverb. Users can also enjoy warm tape slapback with dotted 8th delays or push boundaries with LCR delay configurations for immersive, stereo-spanning echoes. Further, presets include iconic flanger sweeps, dynamic modulation, expansive chorus, stereo panning, and ambient reverbs to create cinematic soundscapes.
Versatile Control
The TONEX Pedal's A, B, and C footswitches make navigating these presets easy. Slot A delivers clean, smooth tones, Slot B adds crunch and drive, and Slot C pushes into high-gain or lead territory. Five dedicated amp-only banks provide a rich foundation of tones for players looking to integrate external IRs or run directly into a power amp. These amp-only captures span clean, drive, and high-gain categories, offering flexibility to sculpt the sound further with IRs or a real cab.
Must-have Stompboxes
TONEX Pedals are ideal for adding classic effects to any pedalboard. The next 5 banks focus on stompbox captures, showcasing 15 legendary overdrive, distortion, and fuzz pedals. This collection includes iconic models based on the Fulltone Full-Drive 2, Marshall DriveMaster, Maxon OD808, Klon Centaur, ProCo RAT, and more.
For Bass Players, Too
The last 5 banks are reserved for bass players, including a selection of amp & cab Tone Models alongside a few iconic pedals. Specifically, there are Tone Models based on the Ampeg SVT-2 PRO, Gallien-Krueger 800RB, and Aguilar DB750, alongside essential bass pedals based on the Tech21 SansAmp, Darkglass B7K and EHX Big Muff. Whether it's warm vintage thump, modern punch, or extreme grit, these presets ensure that bassists have the depth, clarity and power they need for any playing style.For more information and instructions on how to get the new Factory
Content v2 for TONEX, please visit:
www.ikmultimedia.com/products/tonex
Alongside Nicolas Jaar’s electronics, Harrington creates epic sagas of sound with a team of fine-tuned pedalboards.
Guitarist Dave Harrington concedes that while there are a few mile markers in the music that he and musician Nicolas Jaar create as Darkside, improvisation has been the rule from day one. The experimental electronic trio’s latest record, Nothing, which released in February on Matador, was the first to feature new percussionist Tlacael Esparza.
Taking the record on tour this year, Darkside stopped in at Nashville’s Brooklyn Bowl, where Harrington broke down his complex signal chains for PG’s Chris Kies.
Brought to you by D’Addario.
Express Yourself
Harrington bought this mid-2000s Gibson SG at 30th Street Guitars in New York, a shop he used to visit as a kid. The headstock had already been broken and repaired, and Harrington switched the neck pickup to a Seymour Duncan model used by Derek Trucks. Harrington runs it with D’Addario NYXL .010s, which he prefers for their stretch and stability.
The standout feature is a round knob installed by his tech behind the bridge, which operates like an expression pedal for the Line 6 DL4. Harrington has extras on hand in case one breaks.
Triple Threat
Harrington’s backline setup in Nashville included two Fender Twin Reverbs and one Fender Hot Rod DeVille. He likes the reissue Fender amps for their reliability and clean headroom. Each amp handles an individual signal, including loops that Harrington creates and plays over; with each amp handling just one signal rather than one handling all loops and live playing, there’s less loss of definition and competition for frequency space.
Dave Harrington’s Pedalboards
Harrington says he never gives up on a pedal, which could explain why he’s got so many. You’re going to have to tune in to the full Rundown to get the proper scoop on how Harrington conducts his three-section orchestra of stomps, but at his feet, he runs a board with a Chase Bliss Habit, Mu-Tron Micro-Tron IV, Eventide PitchFactor, Eventide H90, Hologram Microcosm, Hologram Chroma Console, Walrus Monument, Chase Bliss Thermae, Chase Bliss Brothers AM, JHS NOTAKLÖN, two HexeFX reVOLVERs, and an Amped Innovations JJJ Special Harmonics Extender. A Strymon Ojai provides power.
At hip-level sits a board with a ZVEX Mastotron, Electro-Harmonix Cathedral, EHX Pitch Fork, Xotic EP Booster, two EHX 45000 multi-track looping recorders, Walrus Slöer, Expedition Electronics 60 Second Deluxe, and another Hologram Microcosm. A Live Wire Solutions ABY Box and MXR DC Brick are among the utility tools on deck.
Under that board rest Harrington’s beloved Line 6 DL4—his desert-island, must-have pedal—along with a controller for the EHX 45000, Boss FV-50H volume pedal, Dunlop expression pedal, Boss RT-20, a Radial ProD2, and another MXR DC Brick.