How Rick Eckhardt plans his rig for a European tour
Preparing for a seven-country tour of Europe is not a common practice for many musicians. However, it is an undertaking that I have faced a number of times in my career. In 1994, I conquered Europe with the R&B/ roots rock band Fish Heads & Rice. With David James on vocals and bass, Walter Ferguson on the Hammond organ and the late Stuart āStu Trainā Brower laying down the back beat, I was given the daunting task of assuming guitar duties after Memphis great Gary Talley (formerly of the band The Box Tops) left to pursue other interests. While in Europe, we performed in every cramped club from Big Mamaās in Rome to the barely inhabited tourist town of Terschelling, a 15-mile-long island off the coast of The Netherlands. We anchored those dates with two festivals in Switzerland and a once-in-a-lifetime appearance at the Sanremo Music Festival in Italy.
Our travel planning was simple. We rented a van in Milan and the four of us trekked across the continent spreading the good words and music of the Fish. On that tour my gear setup was also quite uncomplicated. The only guitar I brought along was a 1984 Fender Strat Plus with a Sunburst finish. Gearwise, I brought along a Boss tuner, Ernie Ball volume pedal and a couple of cables to hook everything up with. Our backline consisted of a makedo- with-what-they-give-you approach, even though at most venues I remember being able to score at least a Fender Twin Reverb. After tweaking and playing through several different Twins night after night, I did discover just how much individual character each of these amps really did possess. My tone was formidable, but varied each night. I remember one particular show at the Conga Club in Bellinzona, Switzerland, I played through a two-channel Ampeg amp marked āChannel 1: Guitar,ā and āChannel 2: Accordion.ā It was an experience Iāll never forget.
This winter, for the first time, Toby Keith is spearheading a major tour of Europe. Weāll be performing in England, Scotland, Ireland, Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Norway. This tour across the pond is a bit more difficult, and considerably more involved. Although our crew is stripped down to 30 essential people, they all need to be fed, housed and flown as we travel to all of our European destinations. Thankfully, I havenāt had to do any of the leg work involved in booking transportation or rooms, but there has been a great deal of preparation on my part to make sure that all goes smoothly at the shows. Due to space limitations, Iām not able to bring my normal arsenal of guitars. We went back and forth on the actual number that I needed for the show to not suffer and decided on my three main axesāmy U.S. Masters Super T Tele, my PRS McCarty and my Gibson ā58 Les Paul Reissueāplus my hollowbody singlecut PRS and Jerry Jones 6-string bass, which is a must-have to pull off one of Tobyās biggest hits, āShould Have Been A Cowboy.ā
All of the guitars will travel in trunks that will be ground transported from gig to gig. Weāll also be taping a few television shows in between concert dates, and to pull that off Iāll have to fly some of my guitars separately from the pack. Here in the States most airlines are cooperative about that, and only a few airline personnel have ever insisted I check my instrument when I show up at the gate with it in a gig bag. The musicians union has an official agreement with the FAA that allows musicians to bring their instrument with them on board as long as it fits in the overhead compartment. However, itās often at the discretion of the airline personnel (and what kind of day theyāre having) whether theyāll allow it onboard the plane.
Personally, I carry a copy of that agreement with me in all of my gig bags, although Iāve never had to present it. My strongest argument has always been that if there is a lack of space in the overheads, wouldnāt it make more sense to accommodate my fragile and expensive instrument, and gate check some of the carry-on bags filled with clothes and toiletries instead? When I do carry my guitar onboard I make sure itās my only item, which does strengthen my position when I need to play that card. Knowing that the airlines are a bit stricter about bringing guitars, for this tour Iāve also taken the precaution of putting my McCarty and my Super T inside ATA flight cases, so that I can fly them to these television dates safely in the belly of the plane. The only other gear Iām taking with me will be my Roland GT-8 pedalboard. My guitar tech had a case that fits it quite nicely, so it gets to travel in style on this trip. Now that my gear is packed and ready to go, I just have to be sure that my passport is up to date, and that I have enough minty-fresh toothpaste to last until I return home. Iām all set to tour the world!
Keep Jammināā¦
Rich Eckhardt
Rich Eckhardt is one of the most sought-after guitarists in Nashville. His ability to cover multiple styles has put him on stage with singers ranging from Steven Tyler of Aerosmith to Shania Twain. Rich is currently playing lead guitar with Toby Keith. His latest CD, Cottage City Firehouse is available online at CDbaby.com or at richeckhardt.com.
An amp-in-the-box pedal designed to deliver tones reminiscent of 1950s Fender Tweed amps.
Designed as an all-in-one DI amp-in-a-box solution, the ZAMP eliminates the need to lug around a traditional amplifier. Youāll get the sounds of rock legends ā everything from sweet cleans to exploding overdrive ā for the same cost as a set of tubes.
The ZAMPās versatility makes it an ideal tool for a variety of usesā¦
- As your main amp: Plug directly into a PA or DAW for full-bodied sound with Jensen speaker emulation.
- In front of your existing amp: Use it as an overdrive/distortion pedal to impart tweed grit and grind.
- Straight into your recording setup: Achieve studio-quality sound with easeāno need to mic an amp.
- 12dB clean boost: Enhance your tone with a powerful clean boost.
- Versatile instrument compatibility: Works beautifully with harmonica, violin, mandolin, keyboards, and even vocals.
- Tube preamp for recording: Use it as an insert or on your bus for added warmth.
- Clean DI box functionality: Can be used as a reliable direct input box for live or recording applications.
See the ZAMP demo video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJp0jE6zzS8
Key ZAMP features include:
- True analog circuitry: Faithfully emulates two 12AX7 preamp tubes, one 12AX7 driver tube, and two 6V6 output tubes.
- Simple gain and output controls make it easy to dial in the perfect tone.
- At home, on stage, or in the studio, the ZAMP delivers cranked tube amp tones at any volume.
- No need to mic your cab: Just plug in and play into a PA or your DAW.
- Operates on a standard external 9-volt power supply or up to 40 hours with a single 9-volt battery.
The ZAMP pedal is available for a street price of $199 USD and can be purchased at zashabuti.com.
You may know the Gibson EB-6, but what you may not know is that its first iteration looked nothing like its latest.
When many guitarists first encounter Gibsonās EB-6, a rare, vintage 6-string bass, they assume it must be a response to the Fender Bass VI. And manyEB-6 basses sport an SG-style body shape, so they do look exceedingly modern. (Itās easy to imagine a stoner-rock or doom-metal band keeping one amid an arsenal of Dunables and EGCs.) But the earliest EB-6 basses didnāt look anything like SGs, and they arrived a full year before the more famous Fender.
The Gibson EB-6 was announced in 1959 and came into the world in 1960, not with a dual-horn body but with that of an elegant ES-335. They looked stately, with a thin, semi-hollow body, f-holes, and a sunburst finish. Our pick for this Vintage Vault column is one such first-year model, in about as original condition as youāre able to find today. āWhy?ā you may be asking. Well, read on....
When the EB-6 was introduced, the Bass VI was still a glimmer in Leo Fenderās eye. The real competition were the Danelectro 6-string basses that seemed to have popped up out of nowhere and were suddenly being used on lots of hit records by the likes of Elvis, Patsy Cline, and other household names. Danos like the UB-2 (introduced in ā56), the Longhorn 4623 (ā58), and the Shorthorn 3612 (ā58) were the earliest attempts any company made at a 6-string bass in this style: not quite a standard electric bass, not quite a guitar, nor, for that matter, quite like a baritone guitar.
The only change this vintage EB-6 features is a replacement set of Kluson tuners.
Photo by Ken Lapworth
Gibson, Fender, and others during this era would in fact call these basses ābaritone guitars,ā to add to our confusion today. But these vintage ābaritonesā were all tuned one octave below a standard guitar, with scale lengths around 30", while most modern baritones are tuned B-to-B or A-to-A and have scale lengths between 26" and 30".)
At the time, those Danelectros were instrumental to what was called the ātic-tacā bass sound of Nashville records produced by Chet Atkins, or the āclick-bassā tones made out west by producer Lee Hazlewood. Gibson wanted something for this market, and the EB-6 was born.
āWhen the EB-6 was introduced, the Bass VI was still a glimmer in Leo Fenderās eye.ā
The 30.5" scale 1960 EB-6 has a single humbucking pickup, a volume knob, a tone knob, and a small, push-button āTone Selector Switchā that engages a treble circuit for an instant tic-tac sound. (Without engaging that switch, you get a bass-heavy tone so deep that cowboy chords will sound like a muddy mess.)
The EB-6, for better or for worse, did not unseat the Danelectros, and a November 1959 price list from Gibson hints at why: The EB-6 retailed for $340, compared to Dano price tags that ranged from $85 to $150. Only a few dozen EB-6 basses were shipped in 1960, and only 67 total are known to have been built before Gibson changed the shape to the SG style in 1962.
Most players who come across an EB-6 today think it was a response to the Fender Bass VI, but the former actually beat the latter to the market by a full year.
Photo by Ken Lapworth
Itās sad that so few were built. Sure, it was a high-end model made to achieve the novelty tic-tac sound of cheaper instruments, but in its full-voiced glory, the EB-6 has a huge potential of tones. It would sound great in our contemporary guitar era where more players are exploring baritone ranges, and where so many people got back into the Bass VI after seeing the Beatles play one in the 2021 documentary, Get Back.
Itās sadder, still, how many original-era EB-6s have been parted out in the decades since. Remember earlier when I wrote that our Vintage Vaultpick was about as original as you could find? Thatās because the modelās single humbucker is a PAF, its Kluson tuners are double-line, and its knobs are identical to those on Les Paul āBursts. So as people repaired broken āBursts, converted other LPs to āBursts, or otherwise sought to give other Gibsons a āGolden Eraā sound and look ... they often stripped these forgotten EB-6 basses for parts.
This original EB-6 is up for sale now from Reverb seller Emerald City Guitars for a $16,950 asking price at the time of writing. The only thing that isnāt original about it is a replacement set of Kluson tuners, not because its originals were stolen but just to help preserve them. (They will be included in the case.)
With so few surviving 335-style EB-6 basses, Reverb doesnāt have a ton of sales data to compare prices to. Ten years ago, a lucky buyer found a nearly original 1960 EB-6 for about $7,000. But Emerald Cityās $16,950 asking price is closer to more recent examples and asking prices.
Sources: Prices on Gibson Instruments, November 1, 1959, Tony Baconās āDanelectroās UB-2 and the Early Days of 6-String Bassesā Reverb News article, Gruhnās Guide to Vintage Guitars, Tom Wheelerās American Guitars: An Illustrated History, Reverb listings and Price Guide sales data.
An '80s-era cult favorite is back.
Originally released in the 1980s, the Victory has long been a cult favorite among guitarists for its distinctive double cutaway design and excellent upper-fret access. These new models feature flexible electronics, enhanced body contours, improved weight and balance, and an Explorer headstock shape.
A Cult Classic Made Modern
The new Victory features refined body contours, improved weight and balance, and an updated headstock shape based on the popular Gibson Explorer.
Effortless Playing
With a fast-playing SlimTaper neck profile and ebony fretboard with a compound radius, the Victory delivers low action without fret buzz everywhere on the fretboard.
Flexible Electronics
The two 80s Tribute humbucker pickups are wired to push/pull master volume and tone controls for coil splitting and inner/outer coil selection when the coils are split.
For more information, please visit gibson.com.
Gibson Victory Figured Top Electric Guitar - Iguana Burst
Victory Figured Top Iguana BurstThe SDE-3 fuses the vintage digital character of the legendary Roland SDE-3000 rackmount delay into a pedalboard-friendly stompbox with a host of modern features.
Released in 1983, the Roland SDE-3000 rackmount delay was a staple for pro players of the era and remains revered for its rich analog/digital hybrid sound and distinctive modulation. BOSS reimagined this retro classic in 2023 with the acclaimed SDE-3000D and SDE-3000EVH, two wide-format pedals with stereo sound, advanced features, and expanded connectivity. The SDE-3 brings the authentic SDE-3000 vibe to a streamlined BOSS compact, enhanced with innovative creative tools for every musical style. The SDE-3 delivers evocative delay sounds that drip with warmth and musicality. The efficient panel provides the primary controls of its vintage benchmarkāincluding delay time, feedback, and independent rate and depth knobs for the modulationāplus additional knobs for expanded sonic potential.
A wide range of tones are available, from basic mono delays and ā80s-style mod/delay combos to moody textures for ambient, chill, and lo-fi music. Along with reproducing the SDE-3000's original mono sound, the SDE-3 includes a powerful Offset knob to create interesting tones with two simultaneous delays. With one simple control, the user can instantly add a second delay to the primary delay. This provides a wealth of mono and stereo colors not available with other delay pedals, including unique doubled sounds and timed dual delays with tap tempo control. The versatile SDE-3 provides output configurations to suit any stage or studio scenario.
Two stereo modes include discrete left/right delays and a panning option for ultra-wide sounds that move across the stereo field. Dry and effect-only signals can be sent to two amps for wet/dry setups, and the direct sound can be muted for studio mixing and parallel effect rigs. The SDE-3 offers numerous control options to enhance live and studio performances. Tap tempo mode is available with a press and hold of the pedal switch, while the TRS MIDI input can be used to sync the delay time with clock signals from DAWs, pedals, and drum machines. Optional external footswitches provide on-demand access to tap tempo and a hold function for on-the-fly looping. Alternately, an expression pedal can be used to control the Level, Feedback, and Time knobs for delay mix adjustment, wild pitch effects, and dramatic self-oscillation.
The new BOSS SDE-3 Dual Delay Pedal will be available for purchase at authorized U.S. BOSS retailers in October for $219.99. To learn more, visit www.boss.info.