What’s more punk rock than dueling, angry P-90s straight into classic Marshalls? Nothing!
Nearing their fourth decade as a band and celebrating their just-released 17th album, Age of Unreason, the punk-rock pioneers toured the south including a rare Nashville stop.
PG’s Perry Bean stopped by Music City’s Cannery Ballroom before soundcheck to check out how punk’s elder statesmen Mike Dimkich, Brian Baker, and bassist Jay Bentley (above) still don’t use pedals, why they prefer P-90s over humbuckers, and explain what piece of their rig was inspired by our AC/DC episode.
Guitarist Mike Dimkich’s (formerly of the Cult, Suckerpunch, Channel 3, and Steve Jones) main ride for Bad Religion is this refin 1958 Gibson Les Paul Junior. Before becoming part of Dimkich’s arsenal, this gem had several headstock repairs. You may ask, how does he know for sure? Well, before buying the guitar in Canada, fellow guitarist Brian Baker and the shop suggested he take the guitar next door to the porn store to use their black light to identify any cracks or breaks, and voilà, surgery was found! Besides sounding like a beast, he loves this one because it’s the Johnny Thunders model with a Steve Jones refin color—two of his favorite guitarists of all time. He still owns the original P-90 but swapped it out for a J. M. Rolph dog-ear P-90. The band tunes down a half step and all of Mike’s guitars take .011–.052 strings.
Mike Dimkich’s other main stage guitar is zeroed in as a late 1959 Les Paul Junior because of its rounded edges on the body and huge neck profile. Upgrades include a Seymour Duncan Antiquity P-90 and patent-pending Grover tuners.
This 30th Anniversary 1982 Gibson Les Paul goldtop rarely sees stage time, but it’s the second guitar Mike Dimkich ever bought out of the Recycler for about $400.
Here’s part one of Mike Dimkich’s two-amp setup—a 100-watt Marshall JMP. He bought the head for $350 and the 4x12 for $300. Both were a part of his sound in the Cult and his early days in Bad Religion.
Another major influence for Mike Dimkich is Clash guitarist Mick Jones who used a similar Mesa/Boogie Mark II bamboo-enclosed combo. The 12" speaker is detached and instead the combo feeds a Marshall 4x12 cab.
Brian Baker has been a fixture of Bad Religion since 1994 and this 1955 Gibson Les Paul Junior has been along for much of that ride. Aside from the hunk of woods used for the body, neck, and fretboard, there are no original parts on this guitar. The pickup is a Seymour Duncan Custom Shop Dog-Ear P-90 made with a ceramic magnet. Baker prefers these pickups because of the “glass brilliance, 3-D quality of their sound, and overall tonal definition throughout the sweep of the volume knob.” The bridge is now a Music City Bridge Stud Finder that was designed by Nashville’s Joe Glaser.
Here’s another 1955 Gibson Les Paul Junior for Brian Baker. He won’t say if either ’55 is his No. 1 as he goes back and forth—it typically depends on what one is less temperamental that day.
This run of dates saw Brian Baker go into his vault and bring along some humbucker-equipped guitars like this 2002 Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul Custom. It is loaded with a set of Seymour Duncan Custom ’buckers.
And one of Brian Baker’s newest 6-string friends is this Chicago Music Exchange Exclusive Gibson Custom Shop “R9” Les Paul Standard that’s based on a 1959 model. He spends most of the time on the bridge pickup, but when it comes time for the solo in “Sorrow,” he’ll go with the rhythm pickup because that’s how Brett Gurewitz recorded it in 2001.
Brian Baker tours with a pair of early 1990s Marshall 1987X 50-watt plexi handwired Reissues. Both amps have the “dookie” mod (explained in our Green Day Rig Rundown) that creates a cascading gain structure that allows you to control the input volume. After watching the AC/DC Rig Rundown, Baker took the idea of the Kikusui PCR4000M Power Supply that Angus Young used and applied it to his rig. He doesn’t have the financial standing to tour with those, but after some online sleuthing, he found a cheaper solution in the AmpRX BrownBox that gives his amp safe, consistent power. (One of the heads was actually a loner from Billie Joe Armstrong, but fortunately for Baker, Armstrong hasn’t missed the head so he’s been enjoying it onstage for years.)
And to give the FOH engineer some live options, Brian Baker totes along a Kemper Profiler so he can choose between the tube amps or the modeling rig, depending how it sounds in each room each night.
The self-proclaimed “tallest member” in Bad Religion is cofounder Jay Bentley and he’s played bass from 1980-1982 and then again from 1986 through today. For Bentley, “my ideal bass sound is a P with an ash body and maple neck.” This 1977 Fender Precision has been upgraded with a DiMarzio DP122 pickup and Badass bridge. And as you can see, it has no controls, because as Bentley says, “turning down isn’t an option in this band!”
A longtime user of Ampeg tube heads, Jay Bentley was frustrated with his tone after Dimkich and Baker predominately had shifted towards P-90s. The change left Bentley lost in the mix, so rather than reconfigure his bass, he opted to go after something different in the amp department. He landed on the Orange 4 Stroke 500 because it’s reliable, lightweight, and has a potent growl.
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Brent Mason is, of course, on of the most recorded guitarists in history, who helped define the sound of most ’90s country superstars. So, whether you know it or not, you’ve likely heard Mason’s playing.
Professional transcriber Levi Clay has done the deepest of dives into Brent Mason’s hotshot licks. At one point, he undertook the massive project of transcribing and sharing one of Mason’s solos every day for 85 or so days. Mason is, of course, on of the most recorded guitarists in history, who helped define the sound of most ’90s country superstars. So, whether you know it or not, you’ve likely heard Mason’s playing. Levi shares the insight he gleaned from digging deep, and he tells us what it was like when they shared a stage last year. Plus, Levi plays us some great examples of Mason’s playing.
For the first time ever, two guitar greats, John 5 and Richie Kotzen will be heading out on the road this year. The tour will launch October 16 and run through November, hitting markets across the U.S.
Find the full tour itinerary right plus a link for tickets & VIP, including additional dates featuring John 5 only. Reserved seating tickets will go on sale Friday May 16 though a fan presale will begin today at noon local time and fans are strongly encouraged to buy early to get the best seats.
Meet and Greets for both artists will be available. For John 5 please go to: https://john5store.com/collections/vip.
Today, John 5 also announces more details of his anticipated new album. Called The Ghost, it will be released October 10 and is led by the new track “Fiend,” featuring Kenny Aronoff.
John 5 continues running public tours this month for his Knights In Satan’s Service Museum of KISS Memorabilia in Los Angeles, California. Guided tours are open to the public for one month only (with a possible expansion). Current dates available are May 12-16, May 19-23 and May 27-30. Each will be led by John 5 himself who will provide tons of rich detail and answer any questions. Secure your place HERE.
JOHN 5 continues to tour with Mötley Crüe including an upcoming residency in Las Vegas in 2025.RICHIE KOTZEN &
JOHN 5 FALL 2025 TOUR
October 16 El Cajon, CA @ Magnolia
October 17 Riverside, CA @ Fox Performing Arts
October 18 Roseville, CA @ Goldfield Trading Post
October 19 San Jose, CA @ The Ritz
October 21 Phoenix, AZ @ Celebrity Theatre
October 22 Albuquerque, NM @ KiMo Theatre
October 24 Dallas, TX @ Granada Theater
October 25 Leander, TX @ The Haute Spot
October 27 New Orleans, LA @ House of Blues
October 28 Memphis, TN @ Minglewood Hall
October 29 Nashville, TN @ Fogg Street Lawn Club
October 30 Atlanta, GA @ Variety Playhouse
October 31 Orlando, FL @ House of Blues
November 1 Fort Lauderdale, FL @ Culture Room
November 2 Clearwater, FL @ Capitol Theatre
November 4 Richmond, VA @ The National
November 5 Leesburg, VA @ Tally Ho Theater
November 6 Patchogue, NY @ Patchogue Theatre
November 11 Glenside, PA @ Keswick Theatre
November 12 Derry, NH @ Tupelo Music Hall
November 13 Foxborough, MA @ Six String Grill & Stage
November 14 Stroudsburg, PA @ Sherman Theater
November 15 Lorain, OH @ Lorain Palace Theatre
November 16 Columbus, OH @ The King Of Clubs
November 17 Warrendale, PA @ Jergels
November 19 Wyandotte, MI @ District 142
November 20 Flint, MI @ The Machine Shop
November 21 Fort Wayne, IN @ Piere’s
November 22 St. Charles, IL @ Arcada Theatre
November 23 Belvidere, IL @ Apollo Theatre
November 25 Denver, CO @ Oriental Theater
November 29 Pioneertown, CA @ Pappy & Harriet's*
*John 5 only
AEROSMITH guitarist and songwriter JOE PERRY is set to return to the road for a series of August performances with THE JOE PERRY PROJECT. The 8-date run kicks off August 13 in Tampa, FL and wraps August 23 in Port Chester, New York, with an August 19 performance in PERRY’s Boston hometown (see the itinerary below). For the North American trek—which marks the first solo shows for PERRY this year—the legendary guitarist will be joined by his Aerosmith bandmates Brad Whitford (guitar) and Buck Johnson (keys), along with The Black Crowes’ Chris Robinson (vocals), and Stone Temple Pilots’ Robert DeLeo (bass), and Eric Kretz (drums).
“Well…it’s time to let the music do the talkin again,” PERRY says. “I’m really excited about the JPP line up this year!!!! Most of these guys played with me at The Roxy in L.A. at the debut event for my latest solo album [Sweetzerland Manifesto] in January 2018. They’re all busy as hell but thankfully they’re able to carve out some time for this run. And I’m not only lucky enough to have Brad Whitford onstage with me but Chris Robinson of The Black Crowes! [who sang ‘Fortunate One’ on Sweetzerland Manifesto MKII], Robert DeLeo and Eric Kretz from STP!!! and Buck Johnson who plays keys and sings with Aerosmith, the Hollywood Vampires, and is also a solo artist in his own right.”
For the shows, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee says “the set list is gonna include my fav JPP cuts, STP, Black Crowes, and with Brad we’ll be hitting the Aero hits and some deep cuts and then ya never know!!!! Gonna be a BLAST, and if you’ve ever been to one of my shows you know the words GARAGE BAND on STEROIDS come to mind! See you there!!!!”
DATE | LOCATION | VENUE |
Wednesday, August 13 | Tampa, FL | Seminole Hard Rock - Tampa |
Thursday, August 14 | Hollywood, FL | Seminole Hard Rock - Hollywood |
Saturday, August 16 | Toronto, ON | HISTORY |
Sunday, August 17 | Muskoka, ON | Kee to Bala |
Tuesday, August 19 | Boston, MA | Wang Theatre |
Wednesday, August 20 | Hampton Beach, NH | Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom |
Friday, August 22 | Mashantucket, CT | The Premier Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino |
Saturday, August 23 | Port Chester, NY | Capitol Theatre |
A sample page from the author’s analog log.
Seasonal changes are tough on your acoustic. Here’s how you can take better care of your prized instrument.
As you read this, spring is in bloom in most of the US, or maybe it has been for some time. I’m timing this column specifically to ask acoustic guitarists, in this season of increasing humidity and comfortable conditions, to prepare for what’s coming. It’s never too soon, and time flies. Before you know it, we’ll be back to the maintenance phase and you might be blowing up the phones of your local guitar shops, luthiers, and techs. I’m here to encourage a decidedly old-school approach to preventative guitar maintenance, and yes, it starts now.
Why, you ask? Well, as the lead luthier at Acoustic Music Works, I can tell you that in my nearly 15 years in this position, this was the worst winter ever for preventable repairs on acoustic guitars. Fret sprout, bridge lifts, top sink, soundboard cracks, back cracks, loose binding, general malaise… These hit us very hard in the winter that spanned 2024 and 2025. Am I complaining? On the one hand, no. This is part of how we make our money. On the other hand, yes! Repair schedules related to dryness and humidity issues can stretch into weeks and even months, and nobody wants to be without their favorite instruments for that amount of time. With a little thoughtfulness, however, you might get through next winter (and every one thereafter) without hefty repair bills or time apart from your musical companion.
Our preparation is going to start with an unlikely but very important guitar accessory: the humble notebook. Plain, lined, grid, day planner… it doesn’t matter. We all need to actively participate in our instrument maintenance, and in my experience, fancy apps that track humidity via Bluetooth breed a kind of laziness, a feeling of safety that might prevent us from actually physically looking in on conditions. Better we keep an analog, well, log, so that we know where things stand, and I suggest checking in daily.
“This was the worst winter ever for preventable repairs on acoustic guitars.”
Track your relative humidity, both in the case and in the room where your instruments mostly reside, but also take notes on your action height, top deflection (StewMac has some great tips for measuring this) and anything related to playability that you believe you can observe empirically.
Dryness is the root cause of most guitar issues that manifest in the fall and winter months. Symptoms of dryness include sharp fret ends, falling action and dead frets, sunken top around the sound hole, and cracks and bridge lifts. With your trusty notebook, you’ll get a feel for the sensitivity level of your instrument, and that knowledge is power!
A few other basic implements will not only assist you in your observations, but may also satisfy your need to buy guitar-related things (at least for a minute). Getting quick and comfortable with a fret rocker is a great skill to have, and is invaluable in diagnosing buzzes due to high frets or frets that have come unseated due to dryness. A well-calibrated relief gauge might seem luxurious, but it can prevent you from making unnecessary or extreme truss rod adjustments. A string action gauge, or even a simple machinist’s rule or set of feeler gauges, will help you keep track of your action. Get a three-pack of hygrometers so you can average their readings, rather than depending on one.
Lest we forget: A guitar can not only be too dry, it can also be too wet. By beginning your maintenance diligence in the spring/summer, you’ll also be able to tell if your instrument is the victim of a too-humid environment. The signs of over-humidification are subtle: Your action may rise from a puffed-up top, and in extreme cases, glue joints could begin to fail. In my experience, an over-humidified guitar will suffer from dulled tone, almost like a sock in the sound hole. If you’re sensing a lack of clarity in your guitar all of a sudden, start with new strings. If it persists, it might be due to over-humidification, and you may want to introduce a desiccant to the case for a time. The more lightly built your guitar is, the more sensitive it will be to seasonal changes.
By getting into these habits early, you’ll be empowered by knowing your instrument more intimately. You’ll understand when and why changes in tone and playability might have occurred, and you’ll hopefully save on repair bills year-round. Feel free to reach out with any questions. Who knows? I might just send you a notebook with an AMW sticker on the cover!