
Ron Johnson has an impressive collection of 12-string basses and more
Name: Ron Johnson
Years played: 30 years of Bass guitar, lifetime of music (drums, keys, vocal)Ā Ā Ā
Home turf: Rockford, IL
Current/former bands: TRaSh 80s, The Rodeo Clowns, Hugh BetāCha, The FRAME
Website: trash80s.com
First guitar: Hofner Beatles Bass āknock offā
Favorite guitar: Spector NS-2 or any 12 stirng bass
Favorite amp: Furman PQ3 with DOD Crossover, BGW 250 and QSC 1151 setup
Favorite effect: '80s Ibanez Flanger
Favorite strings: Waterstone 12 string sets (for all 12 & 4 string basses), Fender flatwound for my fretless bass.
Not pictured gear in my stash:
Ampeg 350, Fender Bullet, Furman PQ3, DOD Crossover, BGW 250, QSC 1151, 2 Bag End 15" Cabs, 1 Sun 2x12", 1 Carlson 15" (used to belong to Jon Brant from Cheap Trick), Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer, Ibanez FL9 Flanger, Boss ODB3 Overdrive, PreSonus FIREPOD 8 Channel Firewire Preamp
Give us a back story on one item in your gear stash that you've sent a photo of.
The Hamer is an oddity. My bass teacher was friends with Paul Hamer and I asked if he could see if Hamer would build me a 12 string like Tom Petersson's Dream Police bass. He called Hamer, in Arlington Heights,
The following year I met Tom Petersson at a Bun E Carlos Experience show in Rockford, IL. He knew about me getting the bass, or as he put it "some kid ordering a 12 string." He wanted to know why, and I told him I wanted to keep the 12-string legend growing, I thought they were great basses and Jon Brant was no longer playing 12-strings. That summer I met John Entwistle at the '87 NAMM show in Chicago, IL and he remembered my name and the "Quadrophonic bass," as he called it. During that NAMM show Hamer began a production model called the B12A of the Dream Police style 12-string. My bass is the middle child of the Dream Police 12-String Bass legacy. It's different than the original and different than the production model. I still play out live with it every month.
Share a gear or gig story with Premier Guitar readers:
Iāve had the honor of playing several hundred shows over the last 31 years, and in 1994 my first major show was being asked to open for Cheap Trick in Decatur, IL by Rick Nielsen. At the time I was in a band called The Rodeo Clowns with Rickās son Miles, and drummer Pete Barr. One day after band practice, and two days before the show Rick asked if we wanted to open for Cheap Trick. We said yes, and then he told us we better not suck. Being a Cheap Trick fan since childhood it was a dream come true and also a nightmare. I have seen several bands booed, and chased off the stage while trying to open for Trick, and I didnāt want to be one of those casualties.
When we arrived at the venue we noticed our band name had been added to publicity poster, outside of the venue, with a Sharpie marker! That wasnāt a very good sign. Right before we had to go on, all of Cheap Trick was standing on the side of the stage to watch us play. The announcer introduced The Rodeo Clowns to a roar of silence. My two band mates took to the stage and then Rick grabbed me and smiled and said āHey, Ron. Donāt suck.ā I thought I was going to instantly lose every bodily fluid at the same time, and with great velocity. I took the stage and we broke into our set and didnāt come up for air until after the fourth song was over. Once we stopped we could feel the roar of the crowd, and they were clapping. Whoa! Probably the coolest part of the night was seeing Robin standing on the side of the stage singing along with some of the unreleased Cheap Trick songs that our band used to cover. After our set was done, Cheap Trick took the stage, and put on a great show. The promoter for the event was thrilled about the success of the double bill and he wanted to have us back, but in true Rock and Roll fashion, that was one of the last shows for The Rodeo Clowns.
Whatās your philosophy on tone?
My philosophy of tone is to have a full sound of fat bass and nice highs, with the mids cut back a tad and then just enough volume so I can pick up feedback on the bass when desired. I love the rumble of bass feedback. I only use a Flanger for a few songs and prefer natural overdrive of my rig, instead of a stomp box. But, since you canāt crank the volume at most gigs, I toss in an Ibanez Tube Screamer to help give me a little growl at low volume levels.
1986 Hamer 12 string & 1985 Spector NS 2 |
Waterstone Ozone 12 string bass (custom paint job) |
Dano mid-90s 6-string bass reissue & mid-90s Long Horn Reissue |
1978 Fender Fretless P-Bass & 1960s Framus Electric Mandolin |
1976 4001 Rickenbacker bass & Waterstone TP-12 "Target" 12 string bass |
Late '90s Fender Acoustic bass & unknown acoustic from the late '40s |
To joinĀ Ron as a Premier Collector, send an e-mail with photos and a description of your gear to rebecca@premierguitar.com |
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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:
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Well-designed pickups. Extremely comfortable contours. Smooth, playable neck.
Middle position could use a bit more mids. Price could scare off some.
$2,999
Ernie Ball Music Man StingRay II
A surprise 6-string collaboration with Cory Wong moves effortlessly between ā70s George Benson and Blink-182 tones.
Announced at the 2025 NAMM show, Cory Wongās new collaboration with Ernie Ball Music Man scratched an itchānamely, the itch for a humbucker-loaded guitar that could appease Wongās rock-and-R&B alter ego and serve as complement to his signature Fender Strat. Inspiration came from no further than a bandmateās namesake instrument. Vulfpeck bassist Joe Dart has a line of signature model EBMM basses, one of which uses the classic StingRay bass body profile. So, when Wong went looking for something distinctive, he wondered if EBMM could create a 6-string guitar using the classic StingRay bass body and headstock profile.
Double the Fun
Wong is, by his own admission, a single-coil devotee. Thatās where the core of his sound lives and it feels like home to him. However, Wong is as inspired by classic Earth, Wind & Fire tones and the pop-punk of the early ā90s as he is by Prince and the Minneapolis funk that he grew up with. The StingRay II is a guitar that can cover all those bases.
Ernie Ball has a history of designing fast-feeling, comfortable necks. And I canāt remember ever struggling to move around an EBMM fretboard. The roasted maple C-shaped neck here is slightly thicker in profile than I expected, but still very comfortable. (I must also mention that the back of the neck has a dazzling, almost holographic look to the grain that morphs in the light). By any measure, the StingRay IIās curves seemed designed for comfort and speed. Now, letās talk about those pickups.Hot or Not?
A few years ago EBMM introduced a line of HT (heat-treated) pickups. The pickups are built with technology the company used to develop their Cobalt and M-Series strings. A fair amount of the process is shrouded in secrecy and must be taken on faith, but EBMM says treating elements of the pickup with heat increases clarity and dynamic response.
To find out for myself, I plugged the StingRay II into a Fender Vibroverb, Mesa/Boogie Mark VII, and a Neural DSP Quad Cortex (Wongās preferred live rig). Right away, it was easy to hear the tight low end and warm highs. Often, I feel like the low end from neck humbuckers can feel too loose or lack definition. Neither was the case here. The HT pickup is beautifully balanced with a bounce thatās rich with ES-335 vibes. Clean tones are punchy and brightāespecially with the Vibroverbāand dirty tones have more room for air. Individual notes were clear and articulate, too.
Any guitar associated with Wong needs a strong middle-position or combined pickup tone, and the StingRay II delivers. I never felt any significant signal loss in the blended signal from the two humbuckers, even if I could use a bit more midrange presence in the voicing. The midrange gap is nothing an EQ or Tube Screamer couldnāt fix, though. And not surprisingly, very Strat-like sounds were easy to achieve for having less midrange bump.
Knowing Wongās love for ā90s alt-rock, I expected the bridge pickup to have real bite, and it does, demonstrating exceptional dynamic range and exceptional high-end response that never approached shrill. Nearly every type of distortion and overdrive I threw at it sounded great, but especially anything with a scooped-mid flavor and plenty of low end.
The Verdict
By any measure, the StingRay II is a top-notch, professional instrument. The fit and finish are immaculate and the feel of the neck makes me wonder if EBMM stashes some kind of secret sandpaper, because I donāt think Iāve ever felt a smoother, more playable neck. Kudos are also due to EBMM and Wong for finding an instrument that can move between ā70s George Benson tones and the hammering power chords of ā90s Blink-182. Admittedly, the nearly $3K price could give some players pause, but considering the overall quality of the instrument, itās not out of line. Wongās involvement and search for distinct sounds makes the StingRay II more than a tired redux of a classic modelāan admirable accomplishment considering EBMMās long and storied history.
Ernie Ball Music Man StingRay II Cory Wong Signature Electric Guitar - Charcoal Blue with Rosewood Fingerboard
StingRay II Cory Wong - Charcoal BluePG contributor Tom Butwin dives into five clever, gig-ready tuner optionsāsome youāve seen, and at least one you havenāt. From strobe accuracy to metronome mashups and strap-mounted stealth, these tools might just make tuning fun again.
Korg Pitchstrap Guitar and Bass Strap Tuner - Black
KORG Pitchstrap is the worldās first strap-mounted tuner and features a state-of-the-art technology that allows the tuner to detect the pitch of the guitar or bass from the strapās vibrations.
Peterson StroboStomp Mini Pedal Tuner
The StroboStomp Mini delivers the unmatched 0.1 cent tuning accuracy of all authentic Peterson Strobe Tuners in a mini pedal tuner format.
Peterson StroboClip HDC High-definition Rechargeable Clip-on Strobe Tuner
The StroboClip HDC features a high-definition, color backlight display, rechargeable battery and over 65 Sweetened Tunings. With tuning accuracy of 0.1 cents, the StroboClip HDC is the ultimate clip-on tuner.
Cherub Pix Tune (WST-915Li)
The latest Cherub Pix Tune (WST-915Li) offers 16 vibrant display modes, allowing users to customize their tuning experience to match their own styles. There are 5 meter styles, 3 animal cartoon styles, 2 sports styles, and 6 user customizable styles. You can conveniently upload your boot-up animation and tuning display pictures through the accompanying APPs. With its engaging visuals, tuning has never been this enjoyable!
Taylor Beacon Digital Clip-on Tuner - Black
The Taylor Beacon combines a tuner, metronome, timer, and flashlight in one compact device, offering five tuning modes, 12 time signatures, and up to 100 minutes of practice timer.
The Melvins' Buzz Osborne joins the party to talk about how he helped Kurt Cobain find the right sounds.
Growing up in the small town of Montesano, Washington, Kurt Cobain turned to his older pal Buzz Osborne for musical direction. So on this episode, weāre talking with the Melvins leader about their friendship, from taking Cobain to see Black Flag in ā84 to their shared guitar journey and how they both thought about gear. And in case youāve heard otherwise, Kurt was never a Melvins roadie!
Osborneās latest project is Thunderball from Melvins 1983, something of a side trajectory for the band, which harkens back to this time in Osborneās life. We dig into that and how it all relates and much more.