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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The author, middle, with bassist Ross Valory (left) and Steve Smith (right) of Journey.
Do you know who’s hanging around your gigs? Our columnist shares a story about the time Journey’s bassist was in the audience during soundcheck.
I’ve always loved what I do for a living. Even long before it became a career, doing the work every day to get better was something I fell in love with right away. As a result, I’ve never had any issues with stage fright or nerves when it comes to performing—even if there are some mega-influential or important musical people in the room.
Luckily, throughout my career, I usually only find out if there’s been someone major in the audience after the show. I’m not very social on tour these days. I’m the last one to soundcheck or show and the first one out of the venue afterwards. I’m often asleep in the hotel before some of the rest of the band have even left the venue.
But once in a while, I do get caught off guard—and this little story from a night on tour last week highlights how you just never know who’s listening … or watching.
I’ve been playing with Steve Smith (former drummer of Journey and inductee of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame) for over 10 years, first as sidemen with Mike Stern in a band with Randy Brecker, and for the past five years as a member of Steve’s band Vital Information. Throughout that entire time—hundreds of shows, rehearsals, soundchecks, recording sessions, and clinics—I haven’t once played a Journey bass line around him.
It’s that thing of being way too on the nose to even hint at. Knowing that the Journey chapter of Steve’s life is musically very much in the past, it honestly just never crossed my mind. So, what on earth possessed me to start playing the bass line to “Any Way You Want It” during soundcheck in Oakland last week?!
I don’t even get through the first two bars of the song when I hear, “Looks like I’ve been rumbled….” I look up, and there’s Ross Valory, the original bass player for Journey.
I had never met him. I had no idea anyone besides the band and the crew were even in the venue during soundcheck. Aside from the embarrassment of doing that in front of one of your bass heroes, it really got me thinking about how you just never know who is listening.
I don’t know who the phrase “be ready when the luck happens” should be credited to—or if that’s exactly how it was originally said—but I’ve thought about little else since my Ross Valory moment. If you’re considering a career in music, or working to further the one you already have, it might be something worth thinking about for yourself.
“I had no idea anyone besides the band and the crew were even in the venue during soundcheck. Aside from the embarrassment of doing that in front of one of your bass heroes, it really got me thinking about how you just never know who is listening.”
Like I said before, I’ve been in love with the work since the beginning. I still set aside vast amounts of time every day to practice and work on my music. I’m constantly tinkering with my goals, large and small. I’m realistic about the time it will take to reach them, the work I need to do to get there, and the fact that some goals may well change over time—and I have to be totally okay with that and adapt as quickly as possible.
The success of the work and the attainment of the goal is also going to rely at least a little bit (and if I’m being honest, sometimes a lot) on luck. Being ready to capitalize on luck involves constantly updating my daily routine. I have to find the balance between working on very specific elements of my playing for long periods of time, and letting them go once I know they’re an internal part of my vocabulary.
Jazz pianist Chick Corea talked about memorizing versus knowing a piece of music. When you read through a chart and start to memorize it, you’re essentially just taking the music from the sheet and creating a picture of it in your brain. You then end up looking for that picture the next time you want to play it—and all you’ve done is take away the physical paper while keeping the concept of reading. That’s not knowing the material like it’s a natural part of your vocabulary. The repetition I aim for in my daily routine is what helps me play the language of music as fluently as I speak English.
The confidence gained by putting in the work can make you so much more ready for your moment than you’ve ever been before.
Set goals, love the work, and always be ready.
You never know who’s listening….
The veteran Florida-born metalcore outfit proves that you don’t need humbuckers to pull off high gain.
Last August, metalcore giants Poison the Well gave the world a gift: They announced they were working on their first studio album in 15 years. They unleashed the first taste, single “Trembling Level,” back in January, and set off on a spring North American tour during which they played their debut record, The Opposite of December… A Season of Separation, in full every night.
PG’s Perry Bean caught up with guitarists Ryan Primack and Vadim Taver, and bassist Noah Harmon, ahead of the band’s show at Nashville’s Brooklyn Bowl for this new Rig Rundown.
Brought to you by D’Addario.Not-So-Quiet As a Mouse
Primack started his playing career on Telecasters, then switched to Les Pauls, but when his prized LPs were stolen, he jumped back to Teles, and now owns nine of them.
His No. 1 is this white one (left). Seymour Duncan made him a JB Model pickup in a single-coil size for the bridge position, while the neck is a Seymour Duncan Quarter Pound Staggered. He ripped out all the electronics, added a Gibson-style toggle switch, flipped the control plate orientation thanks to an obsession with Danny Gatton, and included just one steel knob to control tone. Primack also installed string trees with foam to control extra noise.
This one has Ernie Ball Papa Het’s Hardwired strings, .011–.050.
Here, Kitty, Kitty
Primack runs both a PRS Archon and a Bad Cat Lynx at the same time, covering both 6L6 and EL34 territories. The Lynx goes into a Friedman 4x12 cab that’s been rebadged in honor of its nickname, “Donkey,” while the Archon, which is like a “refined 5150,” runs through an Orange 4x12.
Ryan Primack’s Pedalboard
Primack’s board sports a Saturnworks True Bypass Multi Looper, plus two Saturnworks boost pedals. The rest includes a Boss TU-3w, DOD Bifet Boost 410, Caroline Electronics Hawaiian Pizza, Fortin ZUUL +, MXR Phase 100, JHS Series 3 Tremolo, Boss DM-2w, DOD Rubberneck, MXR Carbon Copy Deluxe, Walrus Slo, and SolidGoldFX Surf Rider III.
Taver’s Teles
Vadim Taver’s go-to is this cherryburst Fender Telecaster, which he scored in the early 2000s and has been upgraded to Seymour Duncan pickups on Primack’s recommendation. His white Balaguer T-style has been treated to the same upgrade. The Balaguer is tuned to drop C, and the Fender stays in D standard. Both have D’Addario strings, with a slightly heavier gauge on the Balaguer.
Dual-Channel Chugger
Taver loves his 2-channel Orange Rockerverb 100s, one of which lives in a case made right in Nashville.
Vadim Taver’s Pedalboard
Taver’s board includes an MXR Joshua, MXR Carbon Copy Deluxe, Empress Tremolo, Walrus ARP-87, Old Blood Noise Endeavors Reflector, MXR Phase 90, Boss CE-2w, and Sonic Research Turbo Tuner ST-200, all powered by a Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 2 Plus.
Big Duff
Harmon’s favorite these days is this Fender Duff McKagan Deluxe Precision Bass, which he’s outfitted with a Leo Quan Badass bridge. His backup is a Mexico-made Fender Classic Series ’70s Jazz Bass. This one also sports Primack-picked pickups.
Rental Rockers
Harmon rented this Orange AD200B MK III head, which runs through a 1x15 cab on top and a 4x10 on the bottom.
Noah Harmon’s Pedalboard
Harmon’s board carries a Boss TU-2, Boss ODB-3, MXR Dyna Comp, Darkglass Electronics Vintage Ultra, and a Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 2 Plus. His signal from the Vintage Ultra runs right to the front-of-house, and Harmon estimates that that signal accounts for about half of what people hear on any given night.
Kiesel Guitars has introduced their newest solid body electric guitar: the Kyber.
With its modern performance specs and competitive pricing, the Kyber is Kiesel's most forward-thinking design yet, engineered for comfort, quick playing, and precision with every note.
Introducing the Kiesel Kyber Guitar
- Engineered with a lightweight body to reduce fatigue during long performances without sacrificing tone. Six-string Kybers, configured with the standard woods and a fixed bridge, weigh in at 6 pounds or under on average
- Unique shape made for ergonomic comfort in any playing position and enhanced classical position
- The Kyber features Kiesel's most extreme arm contour and a uniquely shaped body that enhances classical position support while still excelling in standard position.
- The new minimalist yet aggressive headstock pairs perfectly with the body's sleek lines, giving the Kyber a balanced, modern silhouette.
- Hidden strap buttons mounted on rear for excellent balance while giving a clean, ultra-modern look to the front
- Lower horn cutaway design for maximum access to the upper frets
- Sculpted neck heel for seamless playing
- Available in 6 or 7 strings, fixed or tremolo in both standard and multiscale configurations Choose between fixed bridges, tremolos, or multiscale configurations for your perfect setup.
Pricing for the Kyber starts at $1599 and will vary depending on options and features. Learn more about Kiesel’s new Kyber model at kieselguitars.com
The Sunset is a fully analog, zero latency bass amplifier simulator. It features a ¼” input, XLR and ¼” outputs, gain and volume controls and extensive equalization. It’s intended to replace your bass amp both live and in the studio.
If you need a full sounding amp simulator with a lot of EQ, the Sunset is for you. It features a five band equalizer with Treble, Bass, Parametric Midrange (with frequency and level controls), Resonance (for ultra lows), and Presence (for ultra highs). All are carefully tuned for bass guitar. But don’t let that hold you back if you’re a keyboard player. Pianos and synthesizers sound great with the Sunset!
The Sunset includes Gain and master Volume controls which allow you to add compression and classic tube amp growl. It has both ¼” phone and balanced XLR outputs - which lets you use it as a high quality active direct box. Finally, the Sunset features zero latency all analog circuitry – important for the instrument most responsible for the band’s groove.
Introducing the Sunset Bass Amp Simulator
- Zero Latency bass amp simulator.
- Go direct into the PA or DAW.
- Five Band EQ:
- Treble and Bass controls.
- Parametric midrange with level and frequency controls.
- Presence control for extreme highs.
- Resonance control for extreme lows.
- Gain control to add compression and harmonics.
- Master Volume.
- XLR and 1/4" outputs.
- Full bypass.
- 9VDC, 200mA.
Artwork by Aaron Cheney
MAP price: $210 USD ($299 CAD).