The rising blues guitar star demos her No. 1 SG with her expanded pedalboard, and goes deep with her workhorse Jaguars, Stogie Blues cigar box, Delaney 512, Taylor acoustic, and Category 5 amps.
Rising blues guitar star Samantha Fish returned to Nashville for two packed nights at 3rd & Lindsley, on tour behind her excellent new album, Kill or Be Kind. Listening to the 10 albums she’s recorded over as many years, her evolution is audible and impressive. Fish’s playing reaches a fresh creative peak on her latest, as a songwriter, vocalist, and player. She’s consistently inventive and dynamic, and many of her solos boldly leap outside the box, with wild string-bending and ear-catching octave and delay effects, and she possesses a large tonal vocabulary, thanks to a collection of road guitars that include Fender Jaguars, a trusty Delaney semi-hollowbody, a raunchy cigar box, and her No. 1 white Gibson SG. We caught up with Fish on September 19, before the first show of her two-night Music City stand, and she displayed how much her arsenal of gear and sounds has grown since her first Rig Rundown, in January 2013.
Two Fender Jaguars accompanied the guitarist on this tour. This one’s a Classic Player Special with a pau ferro fretboard on a maple neck with a pair of Fender’s Special Design Hot Single-Coil pickups. Fish says she bought it thinking it would be her “rock ’n’ roll, Kurt Cobain” guitar, but that it’s so “light, jangly, and beautiful that it makes it onto all the R&B songs.”
There’s more than sparkle to this Danelectro ’56 Baritone—although that is a striking finish. Purchased at Chicago Music Exchange, it has a pair of high-impedance and high-output lipstick pickups, a master volume and tone control with a 3-way pickup toggle, and a 29.75" short-scale neck. This show was its onstage debut, and the guitar provides the low twang on Kill or Be Kind.
At one point, Fish played Delaney guitars almost exclusively, including her signature Fishocaster. You can see that instrument in our January 2013 Rig Rundown with the Kansas City, Missouri-born artist. This one’s a semi-hollow 512 with double humbuckers that she keeps in open D for slide. She uses a variety of open tunings on her songs, but changed the keys of several to D for onstage convenience. She says open tunings give her new perspectives for her songwriting.
Her other Jaguar is a recent gift from Fender: a Samantha Fish-approved seafoam green ’60s Vintera series model that’s currently being sold, with Fish’s autograph, via samanthafish.com. As you can see, she leaves the vibrato arm off her Jags. Oh, and P.S., Fender: She’d like a silver sparkle Jaguar, too.
This Stogie Blues cigar box guitar is a fan favorite. It has a P bass pickup and a floating bridge, and has seen a lot of road wear, but still roars like a gargling grizzly bear. “Nothing else sounds like it,” she says, “so when it breaks, so will my heart.” It appears on “Bulletproof,” Kill or be Kind’s opening number.
Fish’s No. 1 is a double-humbucker Gibson SG, which you can hear plenty of on her new album. She ordered it online in 2015 and has kept it stock. And it’s obvious onstage that she shares a bond with this bold-toned instrument.
Outnumbered but not outclassed, the sole acoustic on Fish’s stage is her Taylor K24ce—one of the first Taylors with V-class bracing. It has a koa top, an Expression System 2 pickup, a graphite nut and saddle, Gotoh tuners, and a 16" body width and 4 5/8" depth. It is a highly articulate instrument.
Category 5 is Fish’s amp brand of choice, and it’s usually a Camille head on a 4x12 cab, but for these shows, she played through one of the company’s 50-watt Andrew models and a 2x12 cab, with a Camille combo along for backup, as well as cab service.
Fish’s pedalboard has expanded since her previous Rig Rundown, but her go-to pedal remains the same: an Analog Man King of Tone. It’s road-worn, and the red channel doesn’t work anymore, but it’s well-loved, so it stays. A Dunlop Volume Pedal is her first stop, though, and she often uses it to regulate tone and dynamics during her shows. For a more aggro distortion, there’s a JHS Mini Foot Fuzz, with its full-throated and classic silicon sound. You can hear it on the gnarly solo in “Love Letters,” off her new album. And there’s a Boss PS-5 Super-Shifter and an Electro-Harmonix POG for those times when cool weirdness is called for. Her delay is an MXR Carbon Copy. Her newest stomp acquisitions are a JHS Tidewater Tremolo and a Line 6 DL-4 specifically for some reverse delay. There’s an LR Baggs Para Acoustic D.I. for her Taylor. And, by the way, her preference for slides these days is brass.
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Few musical acts did more to put their fame and fortune to good use than punk rock icon Wayne Kramer. Known for his enduring commitment to activism, especially in justice reform, his life story embodies the defiant, DIY ethos of punk, directly inspiring generations of bands and musicians who followed. Now, fans and fellow musicians alike can attempt to emulate Kramer’s incendiary sound with the new, limited-edition pedal.
Designed before his death in February 2024, Wayne Kramer—together with friend Jimi Dunlop (Dunlop CEO) and Daredevil Pedals owner Johnny Wator —the pedal features artwork from artist and activist Shepard Fairey (Obey Clothing founder). A majority of profits from the sale of the pedal goes directly to Kramer’s charity supporting the rehabilitation of incarcerated people of all ages, genders, and backgrounds.
In honor of his close friend, Tom Morello—the innovative guitarist behind Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave, the Nightwatchman, and more—demoed the pedal, showcasing its sound and shining light on Wayne Kramer’s incredible legacy.
Tom Morello Introduces MC5 Wayne Kramer-Inspired Pedal For Charity: MXR Jail Guitar Doors Drive
"What they've tried to bake into the MXR® Jail Guitar Doors Drive distortion pedal is not just Wayne's sound but Wayne's attitude, and the grit and the rawness of Detroit and of the MC5," said Morello, one of Kramer’s best friends, during his demo of the pedal. "This is the guitar pedal that was used on the song 'Heavy Lifting' that I recorded with Wayne for the last MC5 record.
"Named after the late rocker's charity—which provides instruments and art workshops to incarcerated individuals as rehabilitation tools—the MXR® Jail Guitar Doors Drive pedal aims to capture all of the high-voltage energy of Wayne Kramer's sound. It features two uniquely voiced gain circuits cascaded together with a singular pot controlling both the output level of each circuit and the overall saturation level of the distortion.
Music makers looking to capture Kramer’s raw, fiery sound can pick up the new MXR® Jail Guitar Doors Drive pedal, exclusively on Reverb via The Official MXR Jail Guitar Doors Drive Reverb Shop for $199, here: https://reverb.com/shop/the-official-mxr-jail-guitar-doors-reverb-shop.
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).
PG contributor Tom Butwin reveals his favorite songwriting secret weapon: the partial capo. Watch how the Shubb C7 and C8 can simulate alternate tunings without retuning your guitar—and spark fresh creative ideas instantly.
Shubb C8b Partial Capo for Drop-D Tuning - Brass
The C8 covers five of the six strings, leaving either the low E or high E string open, depending on how it's positioned.
- Standard setup: Placed on the 2nd fret while leaving the low E string open, it simulates Drop D-style sounds—except you're still in standard tuning (key of E). You get that big, droning bass feel without retuning.
- Reverse setup: Flipping the capo allows the high E string to ring, giving you shimmering drones and new melodic options across familiar chord shapes.
- A flexible tool that lets you simulate alternate tunings and create rich sonic textures—all while keeping your guitar in standard tuning.
Shubb C7b Partial Capo for DADGAD Tuning - Brass
The C7 covers three of the six strings—either D, G, and B or A, D, and G—depending on how it's flipped.
- Typical setup (D, G, B): Creates an open A chord shape at the 2nd fret without needing your fingers. This frees you up for new voicings and droning notes in the key of A.
- Reversed setup (A, D, G): Gets you close to a DADGAD-style tuning vibe, but still keeps you in standard tuning—great for modal, spacious textures often found in folk or cinematic guitar parts.
Use it alone or stack it with the C8 for wild, layered effects and truly out-of-the-box inspiration.