
The king and all of his lizard wizards, clockwise from upper left: Ambrose Kenny-Smith, Cook Craig, Joey Walker, Michael Cavanagh, Stu Mackenzie, Lucas Harwood.
The Aussie rockers revamp their axes and slither back with three new albums—following seven others since 2017—of rock 'n' roll weirdness.
Back in early 2017, Australia's ever-experimenting, genre-melding, envelope-pushing ensemble King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard released Flying Microtonal Banana, their initial foray into the world of microtonal music. The band's interest in microtones, or those notes that fall in between the keys on a piano, was piqued when Stu Mackenzie—one of the group's three guitarists, co-lead vocalist, and de facto ringleader—started fooling around with traditional Middle Eastern instruments such as the Turkish bağlama [also called the saz] and Persian setar. Mackenzie asked Aussie luthier Zac Eccles to add extra frets to the banana yellow guitar he was building—dubbed the "Flying Microtonal Banana"—in order to enable the guitarist to play strategically placed quarter-tones in specific, pre-determined keys. Eccles then modified instruments for the band's bassist, Lucas Harwood, and guitarists Cook Craig and Joey Walker, and they got to work adapting their sound to this new approach.
Despite the extensive effort that the band put into creating Flying Microtonal Banana, King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard soon drifted away from their microtonal explorations. They had plenty of other stuff on their mind, releasing four more albums in 2017 alone. After a hiatus in 2018, they returned the following year with Fishing for Fishies, which is a playful, boogie-centric romp; Infest the Rats' Nest, a brain-splitting heavy metal album; and a cadre of live recordings and archival releases. But microtones were again calling, and 2020 proved to be an opportune time for their return.
"We talked about coming back to it as soon as we finished playing Flying Microtonal Banana, because it was one of the funnest experiences we ever had," Mackenzie says. "We were experimenting with this new thing—with Flying Microtonal Banana we definitely did not yet feel super at home with what we were doing—but by the time we actually tracked that record, it felt way more intuitive than we thought it would. It just worked, which doesn't always happen, and because of that we were pining to go back. There are a handful of microtonal tracks scattered throughout a couple of records since then, but we hadn't taken the time to do a full record like that again. We also wanted to do all those records in between. But then the pull became too strong, and we started writing microtonal stuff again."
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - Intrasport (Official Video)
It'll come as no surprise to King Gizzard fans that this was fertile ground for the prolific group. "It was a free and creative time, and we accidentally wrote two records worth of songs, which was a huge surprise to everyone," says Mackenzie. Across both of those records, K.G. and L.W., the band dives back into the microtonal deep end to deliver 84-minutes of pounding psychedelia ripe with enough multi-meter grooves and warped tonality to keep your head spinning the whole way through. As a cherry on that double scoop, they've now also just released the strongly synth-centric Butterfly 3000, in June, and chances are that by the time you read this article, something else, perhaps even more incongruous, will be on the way.
The band was obviously enthusiastic about returning to their microtonal approach, but they also had their fair share of challenges. For one thing, their instruments created a hurdle. Mackenzie's custom-build is a well-made, high quality guitar, but that wasn't true for the others, who initially asked Eccles to add frets to their inexpensive bottom-feeder guitars.
Craig Cook's Gear
Before modifying his Rickenbacker 610 with microtonal frets, Cook Craig was using a Univox to perform music from the band's Flying Microtonal Banana album.
Photo by Jordi Vidal
Guitars
Rickenbacker 610 modified with microtonal frets
Fender 60th Anniversary Classic Jazzmaster with Gibson 496 pickups
Fender 60th Anniversary Classic Jazzmaster (tuned C# standard) with Gibson 496 pickups
Strings and Picks
- D'Addario XL (.012–.052)
- Dunlop Nylon Max Grip .60 mm
Amp
- Fender Hot Rod Deluxe
Effects
- AMT Electronics B1 Legend Amps preamp
- Boss DD-7 Digital Delay
- Dunlop Cry Baby
- TC Electronic Shaker Vibrato
- ZVEX Fuzz Factory
"I first recorded with a hunk of junk," says guitarist Joey Walker about the initial instrument he modified with microtonal frets. "It was a $300 AUD guitar [about $227 U.S. today], and that was modded and used for the record. We started playing at festivals in Australia and, as we were playing, that guitar started falling apart. Parts were falling off and the bridge started disintegrating. After two shows it was this crazy piece of crap. I then had to quickly mod another guitar that I already had."
Both Walker and Craig decided to commit to reliable microtonal guitar setups, so Walker upgraded to a sturdier Godin Richmond Dorchester and Craig is using a Rickenbacker 610 outfitted with microtonal frets.
On the new material, all three guitarists tune their instruments to C#–F#–C#–F#–B–E and use the bottom four strings as drones while playing melodies on the top two. Bassist Lucas Harwood uses standard tuning, which required some extra problem solving as he and Eccles collaborated on a new bass.
As we were playing, that guitar started falling apart. Parts were falling off and the bridge started disintegrating.—Joey Walker
"For a handful of the songs on the new [guitar-driven] albums, K.G. and L.W., Stu programmed the bass using MIDI, and I had to reverse engineer a new instrument," Harwood says. "That took a few days of me sitting down with him and working out which notes I didn't have on my current instrument, and then designing a new fretboard that would cover all bases—excuse the pun." To gain easy access to all of the notes necessary to play the band's new material, Harwood ended up having Eccles install partial frets into his new bass. He explains, "Some frets cover one string or two or three. It looks really bizarre and more complicated than it is. Some of the songs also had notes that are lower than the low E on the bass, so I got a fifth string as well. That took another relearning. The 5-string bass is like picking up a different instrument compared to a 4-string. Your brain shifts gears when you pick up that instrument. The low B still trips me up now and then, but I am getting used to it."
When they're not on the road, King Gizzard spends an inordinate amount of time jamming, hanging out, and crafting songs and arrangements in a warehouse in Melbourne, which they also recently upgraded. "We moved into a new space just before lockdown hit," Craig says. "We built a new room in this warehouse. It's sound treated and has multiple rooms. It has a control room, tracking room, and a rehearsal room. We go there most days of the week, hang out, jam, and fuck around."
Although the band had recently set up a new space to rehearse and record, both K.G. and L.W. were recorded remotely in compliance with Australia's lockdown rules.
With the lockdown in full effect—and in Australia, as crazy as it may seem, musicians were not considered essential workers—the band was forced to record in isolation, which meant each member contributed ideas and recorded his parts at home, although Craig downplays the challenge. "We've made many albums together and know each other's vibe like the back of our hands," he says. "It is pretty easy to slot in together now, even though we weren't in the same room. It didn't feel too rigid or click-track-y or weird recording it separately."
K.G. and L.W. have that same organic, loose, improvisatory vibe King Gizzard is known for, but they did use a click, which was unusual for them. "Stu would send the sketch of a song with a drum sample, or Cavs [drummer Michael Cavanagh] would send a groove to Stu," Harwood says. "He would play something over it, and we would have a Soundcloud where everyone uploaded everything they did that day. At the end of the day, there'd be a bunch of new ideas to sift through. The main difference here, recording in isolation, is that everything was played to a click track, because when you're sending stuff from one place to another in the virtual world—especially if Cavs just uploads a drum beat—it's near impossible to play just to that if it's in free time. With everything everyone would upload, we'd say something like, 'This track is 120 BPM.' You can then drag it into your software, line it up in a grid, easily play to that, and send it on again."
Lucas Harwood's Gear
"It looks really bizarre and more complicated than it is," says bassist Lucas Harwood, who redesigned his Zac Eccles–modified fretboard to use partial frets. This gives him easy access to all of the microtones that are necessary to perform the band's new songs.
Basses
- Custom 5-String bass built by Zac Eccles
- 1972 Fender Musicmaster
Strings and Picks
- Flatwounds (no brand preference; .045–.105)
- Dunlop Tortex .60 mm
Amp & Cabinet
- Darkglass Alpha-Omega
- Ampeg 8x10 cab
Effects
- Ampeg SCR-DI preamp
- Ampeg Scrambler Bass Overdrive
- Dunlop Cry Baby Mini Bass Wah
- Electro-Harmonix Bass Big Muff
"Stu was like the brain in the center," Craig adds. "We all sent stuff to him and he organized it. He'd upload a bed and people could overdub on top of that. He chopped that up and did stuff like that. He sifted through the shit I guess. I used Logic a lot to make the new albums, because Logic is really easy to set to microtonal scales. You can play stuff on the keyboard and it is all in that scale. There were a lot more keyboards on this microtonal album compared to the original one. If we hadn't been in isolation and been actually recording the songs in a studio together, they would have been more guitar-based, I reckon. That's what it is. The time and the situation informed the music, which is cool and gives it a different sound."
That sound was informed by other non-musical considerations, too. "I only played on a handful of the tracks," Harwood says. "I was in lockdown with two kids. I don't have a home studio, I have my laptop and bass and a MIDI cable at my dining table, and I did that while trying to homeschool and having a toddler running around as well."
Stu Mackenzie's Gear
Holy tones! When he's not ripping microtonal riffs, Stu Mackenzie often reaches for his Gibson Holy Explorer, which features a unique take on weight-relief measures. Photo by Debi Del Grande
Photo by Debi Del Grande
Guitars
- Flying Banana Microtonal Guitar built by Zac Eccles
- Gibson Holy Explorer
- Hagstrom F12 12-string
- 1967 Yamaha SVG 800 Flying Samurai
Strings and Picks
- .011 sets, any brand, for 6-strings
- .010 sets, any brand, for 12-string
- Dunlop Nylon Standard .50 mm
Amp
- Fender Hot Rod DeVille
Effects
- AMT Electronics B1 Legend Amps preamp
- Boss TU-2 Tuner
- Boss DD-3 Digital Delay
- Devi Ever FX Torn's Peaker
- Dunlop Cry Baby
As the lockdown lifted in Australia in March, King Gizzard took their microtonal show on the road. It was also the band's first outing as a one-drummer band. Second drummer and manager Eric Moore left the band in August 2020 to focus more attention on running their label, Flightless Records.
"It's a little bit different," Harwood says about the impact Moore's departure has had on the band's rhythm section. "But Cavs has always been the main driving drummer, and I am still standing right next to him. Eric used to play off him as well. Sonically, and on stage, it hasn't changed too much for me. But we've all picked up little things to fill that void a little bit. Cavs has been playing double kick for a while, and he's expanded his playing with sample pads. We have a few more keyboards on stage. We're trying to fill that void in other ways, not in a rhythmic way, but more sonically."
"The shows we've played, we've only played the new microtonal stuff," adds Craig. "We haven't really played any of the older stuff, which has two drummers. I think once we start doing that, we'll probably notice the change. But for now, it's like everything is new, so you don't notice as much."
Joe Walker's Gear
Guitars
- 1965 Burns Short Scale Jazz Guitar
- Gibson Flying V
- Godin Richmond Dorchester modified with microtonal frets
Strings and Picks
- D'Addario XL (.011–.046)
- Dunlop Nylon Max Grip .60 mm
Amp
- Fender Hot Rod DeVille
Effects
- Devi Ever FX Torn's Peaker
The different lineup might not have hit Craig yet, but returning to a live audience has. "We played three shows in Melbourne, which was surreal," he says. "Just being around that many people. We were in the green room before the show, and socializing with more than 10 people was bizarre. You become like a hermit in lockdown. Playing was so good. It was still a bit weird because normally at our shows there are people moshing and, here, you look at the crowd and it is very contained and everyone is in their own little section. But it was amazing to perform in front of people again."
Whatever happens as the world pulls out of its COVID haze, King Gizzard will keep learning, growing, and venturing into uncharted waters. "I am a surface-level geek," Mackenzie says. "I am not the deepest studier ever, but I am an absolute music dork. When we wrote K.G. and L.W., we internalized a lot of new ideas and let them get involved in the music in their own way. In the writing process, we weren't thinking about all that stuff. We were just writing songs the way we usually do. But with anything you learn, or read, or ingest, it seeps its way in, in this fluid type of way. There's no particular song on either of the two new records where we're trying to do some specific thing, but we did learn a lot of things along the way that have infested the music."
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - Live in Melbourne '21
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard kick out a slew of microtonal rock jams in front of a live audience in Melbourne earlier this year. There are plenty of closeups throughout this concert-length video, so keep your eyes peeled for extra frets.
Lizards in the Rat’s Nest
King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard first embraced microtones about four-plus-years ago, but that's not the only sonic adventure they've taken in that time. Another was turning up the volume with their 2019 release, Infest the Rats' Nest, which is when they—finally—embraced heavy metal. To do it right, their 12-string Hagstroms and vintage Yamahas weren't going to cut it. They needed new instruments that were more meaty and ferocious. For guitarist Stu Mackenzie, a Gibson Explorer was the obvious choice, although, being King Gizzard, that meant an Explorer with a twist.
"My guitar is a Holy Explorer," he says. "Gibson only made 350 of them. When they came out, everyone in the entire world was like, 'That's the worst guitar that Gibson has ever made.' I've been looking for an Explorer for years—being interested in heavy metal for my entire life—and when we talked about making a proper heavy record, it made sense for me to do it on an Explorer. They're cool, and they feel right. I like the shape of them. I like how they feel on you. I looked for ages trying to find something and a Holy Explorer came up in a store when we were on tour. I played it and thought, 'This is actually really dope. This guitar is awesome.' But I didn't buy it because I got scared. It was too bizarre to buy it and all the reviews online were like, 'Worst guitar ever made.' But I couldn't stop thinking about it, and about six months later I bought one off of Reverb that was in Malaysia. It's a beast. It's all still stock, everything on it, and it sounds amazing. Pretty much every guitar, every overdub, every single guitar sound [of mine] on Infest the Rats' Nest is that guitar."
Guitarist Joey Walker felt a similar vibe, and chose a Gibson Flying V. "Stu bought that for me when he was in New York about a year ago, just before we recorded Infest the Rats' Nest," he says, although there's more to it. "There's a picture going around of the Jonas Brothers playing the exact same guitars that Stu and I play—a natural woodgrain Flying V and a Holy Explorer. It's obvious, and under everyone's nose, but the Jonas Brothers are doing a tribute to the King Gizzard recipe."
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6V6 and EL84 power sections deliver a one-two punch in a super-versatile, top-quality, low-wattage combo.
Extremely dynamic. Sounds fantastic in both EL84 and 6V6 settings. Excellent build quality.
Heavy for a 9-to-15-watt combo. Expensive.
$3,549
Divided by 13 CCC 9/15
The announcement in January 2024 that Two-Rock had acquired Divided by 13 Amplifiers (D13) was big news in the amp world. It was also good news for anyone who’d enjoyed rocking D13’s original, hand-made creations and hoped to see the brand live on. From the start of D13’s operations in the early ’90s, founder and main-man Fred Taccone did things a little differently. He eschewed existing designs, made his amps simple and tone-centric, and kept the company itself simple and small. And if that approach didn’t necessarily make him rich, it did earn him a stellar reputation for top-flight tube amps and boatloads of star endorsements.
D13’s history is not unlike Two-Rock’s. But the two companies are known for very different sounding amplifiers and very different designs. As it happens, the contrast makes the current Two-Rock company—itself purchased by long-time team members Eli Lester and Mac Skinner in 2016—a complementary new home for D13. The revived CCC 9/15 model, tested here, is from the smaller end of the reanimated range. Although, as we’ll discover, there’s little that’s truly “small” about any amp wearing the D13 badge—at least sound-wise.
Double Duty
Based on Taccone’s acclaimed dual-output-stage design, the CCC 9/15 delivers around 9 watts from a pair of 6V6GT tubes in class A mode, or 15 watts from a pair of EL84s in class AB1 mode (both configurations are cathode-biased). It’s all housed in a stylishly appointed cabinet covered in two-tone burgundy and ivory—together in perfect harmony—with the traditional D13 “widow’s peak” on a top-front panel framing an illuminated “÷13” logo plate. Measuring 22" x 211/4" x 10.5" and weighing 48 pounds, it’s chunky for a 1x12 combo of relatively diminutive wattage. But as Taccone would say, “There’s no big tone from small cabs,” and the bigging-up continues right through the rest of the design.
With a preamp stage that’s kin to the D13 CJ11, the front end of the CCC 9/15 is a little like a modified tweed Fender design. Driven by two 12AX7 twin triodes, it’s not a mile from the hallowed 5E3 Fender Deluxe, but with an EQ stage expanded to independent bass and treble knobs. Apart from those, there are volume and master volume controls with a push-pull gain/mid boost function on the former. In addition to the power and standby switches, there’s a third toggle to select between EL84 and 6V6 output, with high and low inputs at the other end of the panel. Along with two fuse sockets and an IEC power-cord receptacle, the panel on the underside of the chassis is home to four speaker-output jacks—one each for 4 ohms and 16 ohms and two for 8 ohms—plus a switch for the internal fan, acknowledging that all those output tubes can get a little toasty after a while.
“Set to 6V6 mode, the CCC 9/15 exudes ’50s-era tweed warmth and richness, with juicy compression that feels delightful under the fingertips.”
The combo cabinet is ruggedly built from Baltic birch ply and houses a Celestion G12H Creamback speaker. Construction inside is just as top notch, employing high-quality components hand-soldered into position and custom-made transformers designed to alternately handle the needs of two different sets of output tubes. In a conversation I had with Taccone several years ago discussing the original design, he noted that by supplying both sets of tubes with identical B+ levels of around 300 volts DC (courtesy of a 5AR4/GZ34 tube rectifier), the EL84s ran right in their wheelhouse—producing around 15 watts, and probably more, in cathode-biased class AB1. The 6V6s operate less efficiently, however, and can be biased hot to true class A levels, yielding just 9 to 11 watts.
Transatlantic Tone Service
Tested with a Gibson ES-355 and a Fender Telecaster, the CCC 9/15 delivers many surprises in spite of its simple controls and is toothsome and dynamic throughout its range. Between the four knobs, push-pull boost function, and 6V6/EL84 switch, the CCC 9/15 range of clean-to-grind settings is impressive regardless of volume, short of truly bedroom levels, perhaps. It also has impressive headroom and a big, robust voice for a combo that maxes out at 15 watts. Leaving the boost switch off affords the most undistorted range from the amp in either output-tube mode, though the front end will still start to push things into sweet edge-of-breakup with the volume up around 1 or 2 o’clock. Pull up that knob and kick in the boost, though, and things get thick and gutsy pretty quick.
While the power disparity between the 6V6 and EL84 settings is noticeable in the amp’s perceived output, which enhances its usefulness in different performance settings, you can also think of the function as an “era and origins” switch. Set to 6V6 mode, the CCC 9/15 exudes ’50s-era tweed warmth and richness, with juicy compression that feels delightful under the fingertips. The EL84 setting, on the other hand, ushers in ’60s-influenced voices with familiar British chime, sparkle, and a little more punch and cutting power, too.
The Verdict
If the CCC 9/15 were split into different 6V6 and EL84 amps, I’d hate to have to choose between them. Both of the amp’s tube modes offer expressive dynamics and tasty tones that make it adaptable to all kinds of venues and recording situations. From the pure, multi-dimensional tone to the surprisingly versatile and simple control set to the top-flight build quality, the CCC 9/15 is a pro-grade combo that touch-conscious players will love. It’s heavy for an amp in its power range, and certainly expensive, but the sounds and craft involved will make the cost worth it for a lot of players interested in consolidating amp collections.
Two Iconic Titans of Rock & Metal Join Forces for a Can’t-Miss North American Trek
Tickets Available Starting Wednesday, April 16 with Artist Presales
General On Sale Begins Friday, April 18 at 10AM Local on LiveNation.com
This fall, shock rock legend Alice Cooper and heavy metal trailblazers Judas Priest will share the stage for an epic co-headlining tour across North America. Produced by Live Nation, the 22-city run kicks off September 16 at Mississippi Coast Coliseum in Biloxi, MS, and stops in Toronto, Phoenix, Los Angeles, and more before wrapping October 26 at The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in The Woodlands, TX.
Coming off the second leg of their Invincible Shield Tour and the release of their celebrated 19th studio album, Judas Priest remains a dominant force in metal. Meanwhile, Alice Cooper, the godfather of theatrical rock, wraps up his "Too Close For Comfort" tour this summer, promoting his most recent "Road" album, and will have an as-yet-unnamed all-new show for this tour. Corrosion of Conformity will join as support on select dates.
Tickets will be available starting Wednesday, April 16 at 10AM local time with Artist Presales. Additional presales will run throughout the week ahead of the general onsale beginning Friday, April 18 at 10AM local time at LiveNation.comTOUR DATES:
Tue Sep 16 – Biloxi, MS – Mississippi Coast Coliseum
Thu Sep 18 – Alpharetta, GA – Ameris Bank Amphitheatre*
Sat Sep 20 – Charlotte, NC – PNC Music Pavilion
Sun Sep 21 – Franklin, TN – FirstBank Amphitheater
Wed Sep 24 – Virginia Beach, VA – Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater
Fri Sep 26 – Holmdel, NJ – PNC Bank Arts Center
Sat Sep 27 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Broadview Stage at SPAC
Mon Sep 29 – Toronto, ON – Budweiser Stage
Wed Oct 01 – Burgettstown, PA – The Pavilion at Star Lake
Thu Oct 02 – Clarkston, MI – Pine Knob Music Theatre
Sat Oct 04 – Cincinnati, OH – Riverbend Music Center
Sun Oct 05 – Tinley Park, IL – Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre
Fri Oct 10 – Colorado Springs, CO – Broadmoor World Arena
Sun Oct 12 – Salt Lake City, UT – Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre
Tue Oct 14 – Mountain View, CA – Shoreline Amphitheatre
Wed Oct 15 – Wheatland, CA – Toyota Amphitheatre
Sat Oct 18 – Chula Vista, CA – North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre
Sun Oct 19 – Los Angeles, CA – Kia Forum
Wed Oct 22 – Phoenix, AZ – Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre
Thu Oct 23 – Albuquerque, NM – Isleta Amphitheater
Sat Oct 25 – Austin, TX – Germania Insurance Amphitheater
Sun Oct 26 – Houston, TX – The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
*Without support from Corrosion of Conformity
MT 15 and Archon 50 Classic amplifiers offer fresh tones in release alongside a doubled-in-size Archon cabinet
PRS Guitars today released the updated MT 15 and the new Archon Classic amplifiers, along with a larger Archon speaker cabinet. The 15-watt, two-channel Mark Tremonti signature amp MT 15 now features a lead channel overdrive control. An addition to the Archon series, not a replacement, the 50-watt Classic offers a fresh voice by producing retro rock “classic” tones reminiscent of sound permeating the radio four and five decades ago. Now twice the size of the first Archon cabinet, the Archon 4x12 boasts four Celestion V-Type speakers.
MT 15 Amplifier Head
Balancing aggression and articulation, this 15-watt amp supplies both heavy rhythms and clear lead tones. The MT 15 revision builds off the design of the MT 100, bringing the voice of the 100’s overdrive channel into its smaller-format sibling. Updating the model, the lead channel also features a push/pull overdrive control that removes two gain stages to produce vintage, crunchier “mid gain” tones. The clean channel still features a push/pull boost control that adds a touch of overdrive crunch. A half-power switch takes the MT to 7 watts.
“Seven years ago, we released my signature MT 15 amplifier, a compact powerhouse that quickly became a go-to for players seeking both pristine cleans and crushing high-gain tones. In 2023, we took things even further with the MT 100, delivering a full-scale amplifier that carried my signature sound to the next level. That inspired us to find a way to fit the 100's third channel into the 15's lunchbox size,” said Mark Tremonti.
“Today, I’m beyond excited to introduce the next evolution of the MT15, now featuring a push/pull overdrive control on the Lead channel and a half-power switch, giving players even more tonal flexibility to shape their sound with a compact amp. Can’t wait for you all to plug in and experience it!”
Archon Classic Amplifier Head
With a refined gain structure from the original Archon, the Archon Classic’s lead channel offers a wider range of tones colored with gain, especially in the midrange. The clean channel goes from pristine all the way to the edge of breakup. This additional Archon version was developed to be a go-to tool for playing classic rock or pushing the envelope into modern territory. The Archon Classic still features the original’s bright switch, presence and depth controls. PRS continues to stock the Archon in retailers worldwide.
“The Archon Classic is not a re-issue of the original Archon, but a newly voiced circuit with the lead channel excelling in '70s and '80s rock tones and a hotter clean channel able to go into breakup. This is the answer for those wanting an Archon with a hotrod vintage lead channel gain structure without changing preamp tube types, and a juiced- up clean channel without having to use a boost pedal, all wrapped up in a retro-inspired cabinet design,” said PRS Amp Designer Doug Sewell.
Archon 4x12 Cabinet
As in the Archon 1x12 and 2x12, the mega-sized PRS Archon 4x12 speaker cabinet features Celestion V-Type speakers and a closed-back design, delivering power, punch, and tight low end. Also like its smaller brethren, the 4x12 is wrapped in durable black vinyl and adorned with a British-style black knitted-weave grill cloth. The Archon 4x12 is only the second four-speaker cabinet in the PRS lineup, next to the HDRX 4x12.
PRS Guitars continues its schedule of launching new products each month in 2025. Stay tuned to see new gear and 40 th Anniversary limited-edition guitars throughout the year. For all of the latest news, click www.prsguitars.com/40 and follow @prsguitars on Instagram, Tik Tok, Facebook, X, and YouTube.
The Austin-based guitarist sticks with a tried-and-true combo of American guitars and British amps.
If you’ve been on the path of this spring’s Rhett Schull/Zach Person tour, you’ve been treated to one of the coolest rock ’n’ roll double bills criss-crossing North America this year. Person, who is based in Austin, put out his second full-length record, Let’s Get Loud, in March 2024, and it was packed with alt-, blues-, and psychedelic-rock anthems built around his take-no-prisoners playing.
This year, Person is road-doggin’ it around the United States as a two-piece unit with just a drummer, and PG’s Chris Kies caught up with him before he and Shull played the Eastside Bowl in Madison, Tennessee, to see what goods Person is bringing for this spring’s shows.
Brought to you by D’Addario
Customized Custom
This Gibson Jimi Hendrix 1967 Custom SG came from Gibson’s custom shop, and for Person, an SG with humbuckers is a hard combination to beat. He removed the Maestro trem system and had a tailpiece installed for tuning stability on the road, and he subjected the neck humbucker to a “Jimmy Page mod,” which entails removing the pole pieces to get closer to single-coil tones. This SG stays in standard tuning, with Ernie Ball or D’Addario strings (usually .010–.046s). Person digs Dunlop Flow Grip .88 mm picks.
Brown Sound
Person brought this 1967 Gibson SG Special back to life with a list of modifications and upgrades, including new pickups and a refinish, but its wood, neck shape, and original frets all made it worth it to him. The neck shape is narrow but chunky in Person’s hands, landing somewhere near the feel of Tyler Bryant’s 1962 Stratocaster. The pickups now are OX4 P-90s, and like the Custom, this one’s had its Maestro system amputated.
Jeannie Comes Alive
One Thanksgiving at his in-laws’ home in Dallas, Person mentioned how badly he wanted a Gibson LG-2 acoustic. As it happened, his father-in-law suspected his mother had one, which had been relegated to storage in a shed. Person and his wife’s father ventured through rain to dig it out, and sure enough, a very beat up LG-1 was withering away in its case. No local techs in Austin thought it was worth saving, except for Elaine Filion, who was used to taking on bigger restoration projects. Filion succeeded, taking the top off and installing an X-bracing system to turn the LG-1 into an LG-2-style guitar. Now, it’s got an L.R. Baggs pickup and bears the nameplate “Jeannie” on its headstock to commemorate his wife’s grandma, the original owner. Jeannie usually stays home, but Person brought her out specially for the Rundown.
Marshall Muscle
This Marshall JTM45 MkII is Person’s usual go-to. It runs just at breakup volume and gets pushed with some variation of a Pro Co RAT, his favorite dirt box.
Supro Signature
This Super Black Magick Reverb, Tyler Bryant’s signature, is along for the ride as a backup to the Marshall.
Zach Person’s Pedalboard
Person has done tours with just an overdrive pedal and nothing else, so by comparison, this two-tiered Vertex board is luxurious. Still, it’s compact and carries all he needs at the moment. The JHS Pack Rat is the core sound, set fairly heavy and dirty. The rest includes a Boss TU-3, EarthQuaker Devices Double Hoof, Vox Clyde McCoy wah, Boss BF-2, DigiTech Drop, Strymon El Capistan, and an Interstellar Audio Machines Marsling Octafuzzdrive. A TC Helicon Mic Mechanic rides along as a vocal effect so Person can keep control over his voice from night to night.