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Rig Rundown: AWOLNATION’s Zach Irons

A Japanese Strat, Fender Bassman tones from a Kemper, and a whole lot of distortion help Awolnation’s lead 6-stringer recreate unconventional guitar tones onstage.

Tessa Jeffers
By Tessa JeffersDec 23, 2015
Tessa Jeffers

Tessa's career in journalism has taken her from the Midwest to the Middle East and back. In addition to writing about music for publications like SPIN, Tessa has worked as an arts editor and investigative news reporter. She currently lives in Music City, Tennessee.

See Full Bio

Irons’ pedalboard was built by Awolnation’s guitar tech, Jovaughn Clay. The chain starts with a Kemper footswitch and goes to a Boss DS-2 Turbo Distortion. “I use that mainly for the heaviest tones, the most brutal thing you can imagine,” Irons says. Next is an Electro-Harmonix Holy Grail reverb, a Strymon TimeLine delay, an Electro-Harmonix POG2, a Boss OC-3 Super Octave, two Boss digital delays (a DD-5 for slapback and a DD-6 for feedback), a Boss Tremolo TR-2, an Electro-Harmonix Big Muff (he uses on the song “Hollow Moon”), a Boss tuner, and an Ernie Ball volume pedal.

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