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Pro Pedalboards 2018

Ten of the most intriguing stomp stations from our last year of Rig Rundowns, including Warpaint, Mr. Big, J Mascis, the Fall of Troy, Eric Gales, Silversun Pickups' Nikki Monninger, and Primus' Larry LaLonde.

Dinosaur Jr.'s J Mascis

Dinosaur Jr. frontman J Mascis sported a hefty board way back in our 2012 Rig Rundown shoot, and in our more recent visit with him we found that he continues to rely on a bevy of pedals controlled by a Bob Bradshaw-built Custom Audio Electronics (CAE) switcher. Standout stomps include a combo pedal (bottom right corner-in a new enclosure since our 2012 video) made by Built to Spill's Jim Roth. One side is a clone of a ToneBender MkI, and the other apes a Rangemaster. Mascis also brought along his first Electro-Harmonix "Ram's Head" Big Muff (top right), an EHX Electric Mistress, an MC-FX clone of a Univox Super-Fuzz, a CAE Twin Tremolo (upper left), and a ZVEX Double Rock (two Box of Rocks in one, bottom left). Other differences between our latest and the previous Rig Rundown include a newer Tube Works Real Tube Overdrive, a Moog MF Delay, an Ibanez Analog Delay Mini, and a Boss TU-3S Tuner. An MXR/CAE MC403 Power System and an MXR M238 Iso-Brick supply the juice.

Belltone Guitars has partnered Brickhouse Toneworks to create a one-of-a-kind, truly noiseless Strat/Tele-tone pickup in a standard Filter’Tron size format: the Single-Bell pickup.

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Though Lou Reed seemed to only use a handful of chords, his shrewd right-hand strumming created limitless rhythmic variations.

Beginner to Intermediate

Beginner to Intermediate

  • Focus on syncopation.
  • Add muted strums to enhance your rhythm playing.
  • Learn how to modify complex rhythmic patterns into smaller, more comprehensible figures.

Though usually more lauded for his lyrics than his guitar playing, Lou Reed had a distinctive style of strumming that can make replication a challenge and seemingly impossible for beginners to comprehend. With a combination of syncopations and muted strums, Reed’s rhythm guitar—from his time with the Velvet Underground to his solo career—has a groove and feel that all guitar players can learn from.

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Stringjoy has introduced the Ariel Posen Signature String Set, a heavy-gauge Nickel Wound set designed in close collaboration with acclaimed slide guitarist and singer-songwriter Ariel Posen.

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Nashville luthier and guitar tech Dave Johnson shows us the baker's dozen of tools he thinks any guitar picker requires to be a guitar fixer.

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