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Rig Rundown: Social Distortion [2015]

Guitarists Mike Ness and Jonny Wickersham show off their tried-and-true rock ’n’ roll machines.

Hands-down the pedal freak of the band, Wickersham travels heavy with three stompboxes—a Boss TU-2 Tuner, an MXR Micro Amp that he utilizes as a clean boost to push the amp a bit more while still retaining the guitar’s natural tonal characteristics, and a J. Rockett Audio Designs Archer that he uses as a fairly-transparent dirt box that fills his tone out and adds harmonic richness.

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Montana’s own Evel Knievel

If artists aren’t allowed to take risks, and even fail, great art will never be made. Need proof? Check Picasso, Hendrix, Monk, and Led Zeppelin.

In sixth grade, I went to a strict Catholic school. When you have an Italian-Irish mother, that’s just part of the deal. The nuns had the look and temperament of the defensive line of the ’70s Oakland Raiders. Corporal punishment was harsh, swift, and plentiful–particularly toward boys—and we all feared them. All but one second grader. I can’t remember his first name; nobody used it, because his last name was Knievel. His uncle was Evel Knievel, the greatest and perhaps only celebrity ever to come from my home state, Montana. On the playground, we would watch in awe as this wild Knievel kid raced by us, nuns chasing in an awkward, sluggish pursuit as he knocked kids over, dust, books, and gravel flying behind his path of terror. This kid was fearless. It was truly inspiring to watch.

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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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Kemper updated the entire product range introducing the all-new Kemper Profiler MK 2 Series. More Power. More Flexibility.

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The Billy Idol guitarist rides his Knaggs into Nashville.

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