
Tommy Thayer talks about recording Sonic Boom, fitting in with the legendary band and the gear he uses in the studio and on stage
Tommy (right) and Gene. Photo: Jasen Petersen
What do you remember about 1974, if you were around? Inane sitcoms on network television. Gasoline shortage. Recession. The resignation of a corrupt U.S. president. But if music was, and still is, your heart and soul, perhaps what stands out most in your memory is the way your life was changed by a KISS albumātheir first, self-titled: loud, heavy on the guitars and melodic rock, recorded on tape.
Thirty-five years later, some things havenāt changed. Inane network television. Gasoline shortage. Recession. A KISS albumātheir 19th original studio project and first new album in 11 years, Sonic Boom: loud, heavy on the guitars and melodic rock, recorded on tape.
Thirty-five years is an impressive stretch for any relationship, particularly one that began this way: āHe was wearing overalls and he had a beard,ā Paul Stanley recalls of his first meeting with Gene Simmons. āI didnāt like him. Steve [Coronel, friend and co-writer] said, āGene, Paul writes songs also.ā Gene said, āOh yeah? Play one.ā I did. He looked at me and went āEh.ā ⦠I wasnāt crazy about ever seeing him again ā¦ā
So much for first impressions. On their second meeting, Stanley and Simmons locked into a groove that has outlasted most marriages. Together, they have survived the best and worst of times: venom from the media, personnel changes, a fragmented and imploding music industry. Through it all, the recording and relentless touring continued, and KISS fans, the loyal millions, never wavered.
KISS today is Stanley, Simmons, drummer Eric Singer and guitarist Tommy Thayer. Itās a powerful, well-run machine, and thatās no accident. Being part of a band that operates on pure adrenalin, focus and determination, that cares not a whit about outside opinions, and whose members are beholden to its rock and roll history is not a ājobā from which one clocks out when the platform boots are put away every night. According to Tommy Thayer, being in KISSābeing KISSāis a musical and personal commitment. Itās about partnership, respect, hard work and a lot of loud guitars.
Thayer spoke to Premier Guitar about the making of Sonic Boom, KISS 2009, and what it means to have the ultimate gig as lead guitarist in a band that knows no middle ground.
When did plans begin to record a new album?
Paul spearheaded this project and he decided to do a studio recording again. During my years with Gene and Paul theyāve been very ambivalent about it because they were put out with the whole thing. Psycho Circus [1998] was not a great experience, and the results werenāt satisfying to anybody, really. It left a bad taste, to a certain extent, and over the last few years the state of the recording industry has been funky. Where KISS is in their career, to do something is challenging and risky because youād better hope it comes out the right way, otherwise it can be more of a liability than a positive thing. Fortunately, Sonic Boom turned out well. Paul is smart; he made a band album and he took control. We did it on tape, recording together, no outside writers, none of the silly things bands do to try to please and play politics. We have a KISS record and weāre not bound by anybody else. So we wrote, recorded and finished it, and nobody heard anything until it was done. Itās KISS in the purest sense, it worked out very well, and when it was finished we all said, āWe made a damn good record.ā
How long had it been since you recorded on tape?
At least 10 years. I thought it was obsolete! We recorded at Conway Recording Studios, in Hollywood, with Greg Collins. The setup is great. We had Ericās drums in a booth, Paul, Gene and I were together, we had the amps in iso and we cranked it out. We rehearsed the songs at Mates and at SIR in Hollywood. When we first got together, Gene, Paul and I, in different combinations, the point was to write and not over-think. In 20 minutes weād get a cool idea together, the basic structure, take it to rehearsal, make sure the arrangement was good, practice it four or five times and take it to the studio. We didnāt record the album all at once. We did it in sections. We were touring here and there, and then we did the first three songs. We went to South America, and on days off we were in our hotel rooms with guitars and mini-Marshalls, putting songs together and recording on our laptops. Weād come home and do the same thing: rehearse, record three songs. We did vocal and guitar overdubs at Gregās private studio, The Nook, in Studio City. The whole thing, from start to finish, took a total of six weeks, which is a relatively short period by todayās standards. My vocal on āWhen Lightning Strikesā took 20 minutes.
Which computers and software did you use on the road?
We all have Macs and Mac Pros and GarageBand. Itās the easy way to record. No one in this band is super technical. Gene, in particular, is low tech. You send him an e-mail with an attachment and he e-mails you back and says, āI donāt do attachments.ā He does it to the band, to Doc McGhee, no matter who you are! Or if the e-mail is too long, āI donāt scroll.ā Thatās where he is. He hasnāt figured out how to do attachments; he doesnāt know how! The fact that we can all turn GarageBand onāI figured that out!
How did working with tape change your approach to recording, if it did at all?
One of the main things we did differently from other groups is that we recorded very organically, together as a band. Today, 99.9 percent of people record a drum track and build from there, adding guitars and vocals, step by step. We recorded all the basic tracks together as a four-piece, occasionally fixing bass notes and doing vocals and guitar solos, the way it was done in the 1970s and before. Itās a different approach, and I know that from experience.
Was it worth it?
Oh, absolutely! Part of doing it this way is what gives it that real, spontaneous sound. If you make a record too perfect, if you do it step by step, it ends up sounding good, but the feel can be generic. This way, the flow has a real feel.
Walk us through your gear: the room, guitars, amps, how you created that organic sound.
It was pretty simple. I used Les Pauls and my Gibson Wine Red Deluxe. Itās not a guitar I use on the road. I got it in the mid-ā80s and itās a good sounding Les Paul for the studio and at home. I borrowed Paulās Gibson 61 SG Reissue and used that more than the Les Paul for rhythm and solos because it has a nice mid-range. I used an old Marshall, my H&K Tommy Thayer Duotone and Statesman combo amp, and an orange practice amp of Gregās for the raspy edge on my solos. My strings are Ernie Ball Hybrids, 9-46 gauge. The only pedal I used in the studio to give my solos a nicer boost was an Ibanez Tube Screamer. Itās an original from the 1970s or ā80s that I borrowed from Doug Aldridge of Whitesnake 24 years ago and never gave back. Every time I see him, he asks for it and I say, āIāll give it right back!ā Doug gave me a really nice lead guitar sound on this album!
What is your role as lead guitarist in a two-guitar band, and how does it change from studio to stage?
They turn me up and turn Paul down, and that works! Two-guitar bands are my favorite because of the interplay, especially in KISS. When weāre writing, we try to have that counterpart and interplay between the guitars and voicings so that weāre not doing exactly the same thing. Thatās a big part in the way the songs were written. The other thing that makes the sound of our two guitars distinctive is that we use different approaches and settings to set the two off, and the more we do that, the better we are. The familiarity we have, the years of playing together, including Gene, have solidified that sense of rhythm and feel. Weāre all locked in together. It gives us a lot of power and weāre all good at that. It just works.
What are you using onstage?
My live set-up is very straightforward: four Hughes & Kettner Tommy Thayer Signature Edition Duotone amplifiers, plus four Hughes & Kettner 4x12 speaker cabinets. I use four Gibson Custom Shop '59 and '60 reissue Les Pauls in sunburst, black and silver sparkle, one Custom Les Paul with rocket/gerb firing system [pyrotechnics], and a Gibson Custom Shop Explorer in Silver Sparkle. I use no effects onstage besides an octave divider and an MXR digital delay used in my guitar solo.
Tommy's combo during the recording of Sonic Boom Tommy Thayer's Signature H&K In 2008, Tommy Thayer partnered with Hughes & Kettner for the launch of his line of Tommy Thayer Signature Edition guitar amplifiers. As mentioned by Thayer and Sonic Boom co-producer/engineer Greg Collins in their interviews with Premier Guitar, the Duotone was used for recording the album and performing live. What makes the Duotone particularly special is that Thayer donates 100 percent of the royalties earned from sales of the amp directly to the Childrens Hospital Los Angeles. Thayer is on the Board of Trustees at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Ore. He works to bring new musical instruments into school band programs in his home state and has made speaking appearances at middle and high schools. He also hosts the annual Pacific University Legends Golf Classic, bringing together musicians, celebrities and PGA pros to raise funds for Pacific Universityās Athletics Program in Oregon. Thayer credits his parents for instilling his philanthropic interests. āI get a lot of that from them,ā he says. āMy dad taught me that it is very important to help people and that it should not be all about yourself; that helping others is a quality you should always have.ā |
Youāve been involved with KISS for 20 years.
I began songwriting with them after Gene produced Black āN Blue. I recorded demos with them. Then Black āN Blue ran its course and I needed a job. I worked for KISSā organization and helped out on projects; itās now 15 or 20 years ago. It evolved quickly, with more responsibility and spearheading projects, conventions, the reunion tour, DVDs, editing. As Ace and Peter bowed out again, I was heir apparent because I knew how to do it.
When did you begin to feel like a band member?
There was always a strong familiarity between us, knowing each other very well, even when I worked in their office. I got in the band in 2002-2003. One of the main elements to making things work in a band is being comfortable with each other. Gene and Paul have been around a long time, and one of their main criteria is that everyone be comfortable and compatible personality-wise. People think that being in a band is all about how you play, and certainly that is a big part, but personalities are important too. It took me a year or two to feel confident and a part of the band, and thatās understandable. KISS has a long history, and you canāt just come in feeling like youāre a big part of this. Having had a lot of input with the new album, I definitely feel very much like a solid member.
When fans attend KISS concerts, they want to hear the songs played a certain way. How do you stay true to form without feeling like youāre playing in a cover band?
First of all, I donāt want to do it any other way. People sometimes suggest, āYou should put more of your personality into the old songs.ā No. I want to play them the way they were written and recorded originally, because when I see a new guitarist in a band, I want to see him nailing it the way itās supposed to be. I hate going to concerts where the new guitarist is playing a new interpretation of the songs. That doesnāt work for me. The other side of that is that sometimes I take flak for copying Ace. No, Iām playing KISS songs and making them sound the way they should. Ace was a part of the 1970s sound, and I donāt want to do them another way. Capturing the KISS sound is a big part of the new record, and if people say Iām an Ace clone, fine, all Iām doing is capturing the classic sound of KISS. Tommy Thayer is there, too, but itās not 75 or 80 percent Tommy Thayer. Thatās a different direction, although my style is very similar to Aceās style, and he was one of my influences.
Are the members of KISS underrated as musicians and songwriters?
I think that has always been true with KISS. They took a lot of flak in the old days: āOh, they canāt play.ā To me, they were the band with great nights and off nights, so that can make them seem less consistent. The band today is fiery and in your face. We go out every night and lay it down, and the point of view that someone may have taken before doesnāt apply anymore. Eric is one of the greatest rock drummers out there, I donāt do so bad, Gene and Paul have been at it for a long time, and weāre all very cohesive and strong when weāre together. Weāre coming from the same place in how we approach the songs, and that can be very lethal onstage, especially with a big P.A.!
Does being the guy who replaced the guy [Frehley] who replaced the guy [Kulick] who replaced the guy [St. John] who replaced the guy [Vincent] who replaced the original guy [Frehley] cost you rep points? Can you be Tommy Thayer, guitarist, and not just Tommy Thayer, replacement guitarist in KISS? Or is being Tommy Thayer, replacement guitarist in KISS, the gig and thatās enough?
Itās more about that, because at this point does it really matter? Look at the Stones. There have been a lot of configurations in that band, and theyāre still around. I donāt try to compete with that concept. Iām the guitarist in KISS 2009, the band is kicking ass, and so Iām not worried about what came before me. This is where I am now, and Iām standing proud with a great new record, enough said. It is what it is. Iām the guy onstage, Iām doing it very well, and thatās all I need to know.
Is there a guitar album in your future?
Honestly, I donāt aspire to do a solo or guitar album. It doesnāt seem like something I want to try to approach. It would never be as good or as important as KISS and I have no desire to do it. It doesnāt appeal to me. Remember, I like two guitars!
What is the difference between playing guitar and being a guitarist?
Thereās a big difference. Playing guitar, to me, is more a technical, rudimentary thingāpicking up a stringed instrument, making chords and playing solo lines. A guitarist, especially in a band like KISS, opens up a whole other world of attitude and point of view and approach thatās unique. When someone listens to the new record and says, āTommy did real well and heās on the mark,ā or when fans say that, part of me thinks, I am on the mark. Not that itās about what people say, because I feel it inside and the guys tell me Iām doing it right, and thatās reassuring. To do this and do it well is not as simple as some people think. Combine it with the personalities involved, and living KISS day to dayāitās not a simple thing. Making it work so smoothly is part of being the guitarist in KISS. And I can assure you that being the guitarist in KISS is completely different from being the guitarist in any other band.
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 thatās 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 donāt want to have to ditch another thatās working fine. But recent fixations with spatial economy find me rethinking that relationship. MayFlyās Le Habanero (yes, the Franco/Spanish article/noun mash-up is deliberate) consolidates boost and fuzz in a single pedal. Thatās 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.
āLe Habaneroās fuzz circuit has a deep switch that adds a little extra desert-rock woof.ā
The fuzz section has a familiar Fuzz Face-like tone profileāa little bit boomy and very present in that buzzy mid-ā60s, midrangey kind of way. But Le Habaneroās 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 fuzzās flexibilityāespecially 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. Thatās a good thing, particularly when you introduce hotter settings from the boostās treble and bass controls, which extend the boostās 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 urgeāindeed, the needāto 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.
Bossā firstWaza Tube Amp Expander, built with an integrated power amp that enables boosted signal as well as attenuated sounds, was and remains the OXās 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 arenāt 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. Thatās 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 theyād 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, thatās not a big problem. But if you use the TAE Core in a small studioāwhere one less cable is one less headacheāor 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 Coreās app is just as intuitive.Less Is More
One nice thing about the TAE Coreās more approachable $699 price is that you donāt have to feel too bad on nights that you āunderutilizeā 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 youāre tracking ābigā 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, thereās the TAE Coreās ability to āexpandā as well as attenuate, which means you can use the TAE Coreās 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 TAEās super-tunable āresonance-Zā and āpresence-Zā 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 āair feel levelā 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 āprofessionalā 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, VIRā¢, 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 Jaarās 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 trioās 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 Nashvilleās Brooklyn Bowl, where Harrington broke down his complex signal chains for PGās Chris Kies.
Brought to you by DāAddario.
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 DāAddario 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
Harringtonās 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, thereās less loss of definition and competition for frequency space.
Dave Harringtonās Pedalboards
Harrington says he never gives up on a pedal, which could explain why heās got so many. Youāre 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 NOTAKLĆN, 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 Slƶer, 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 Harringtonās beloved Line 6 DL4āhis desert-island, must-have pedalāalong 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.