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Rig Rundown: The Offspring’s Kevin “Noodles” Wasserman

Video

The punk-rock vet likes it both simple and high-tech, with signature Ibanez axes and an Axe-Fx combining to create a consistently brutal sonic punch.

Although in the past Noodles has always used amps both live and in the studio, for the Offspring’s current tour he switched to a Fractal Audio Axe-Fx II for both amp tones and what few effects he uses. He says the reason for the change was to get more consistent and reliable tones without having to worry about how varying conditions (e.g., performance-venue acoustics, power-supply inconsistencies, and climate-related factors) would affect the tube amps he typically uses. Wasserman uses Fractal’s “Friedman BE” preset (which is based on a Friedman BE-100 Brown Eye/Hairy Brown Eye) for all his dirty sounds, and the “Bassguy Bass” preset (based on a Fender ’65 Bassman) for clean tones. The Fractal also sends a signal to a Matrix GT1000FX-1U power amp, which powers two Egnater Tourmaster 4212 cabinets loaded with Celestion Vintage 30 speakers, to move some air onstage.

Just minutes before doors opened for the Offspring’s sold-out show at the War Memorial Auditorium in Nashville, guitarist Kevin “Noodles” Wasserman took a break from the pre-show madness to give Premier Guitar’s Perry Bean the details on his surprisingly high-tech touring gear.

Thanks to Noodles’ tech, Tim Kennedy, for his help with rig and setting specifics.

Kernom Elipse Review

Analog modulation guided by a digital brain willing to get weird.

Fun, fluid operation. Capable of vintage-thick textures at heavier gain settings. High headroom for accommodating other effects.

MIDI required to access more than one preset—which you’ll probably long for, given the breadth of voices.

$369

Kernom Elipse

kernom.com

4.5

If you love modulation—and lots of it—you can eat up a lot of pedalboard space fast. Modulation effects can be super-idiosyncratic and specialized, which leads to keeping many around, particularly if you favor the analog domain. TheKernom Elipse multi-modulator is pretty big and, at a glance, might not seem the best solution for real estate scarcity. Yet the Elipse is only about 1 1/4" wider than two standard-sized Boss pedals side by side. And by combining an analog signal path with digital control, it makes impressive, efficient use of its size—stuffing fine-sounding harmonic tremolo, phaser, rotary-style, chorus, vibrato, flanger, and Uni-Vibe-style effects into a single hefty enclosure. Many of the effects can also be blended and morphed into one another using a rotary control aptly called “mood.” The Elipse, most certainly, has many of those.

Pickin’ Like Paisley: Use Those Open Strings!

Advanced

Intermediate

Learn how to incorporate open strings all the way up the fretboard.
Build velocity in your playing without practicing speed exercises.
Discover an easy way to steal licks from the pros using YouTube.

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It’s universally known in the guitar community that Brad Paisley isn’t just some guy that strums a guitar and sings country songs. He’s widely respected as one of the best players in the country music scene and takes an unusual approach to achieve the sonic insanity that spills out of his guitar. From Telecasters, G-benders, and cranked Dr. Z amps to instrumental records and wild guitar solos getting mainstream country radio airtime, Paisley has solidified his place in the discussion of all-time greats, and not just in the country world. In this lesson, we’ll dive into one of the cornerstones of Brad’s playing that makes him so unique: open strings.

Jackson Introduces Lee Malia Signature LM-87 Pro Series

Unleash your inner metal icon with the Jackson Lee Malia LM-87, a high-performance shred-ready axe designed in collaboration with Bring Me The Horizon guitarist Lee Malia. Featuring custom Jackson signature pickups, a fast D-profile neck, and a TOM-style bridge for rock-solid stability, this signature model is a must-have for commanding metal tone and smooth playability.

Rig Rundown: The Offspring’s Kevin “Noodles” Wasserman

The punk-rock vet likes it both simple and high-tech, with signature Ibanez axes and an Axe-Fx combining to create a consistently brutal sonic punch.

Analog modulation guided by a digital brain willing to get weird.

Modulator With Many Masks

Enunciation Modulation

The Verdict

Ex. 1

Ticks

Ex. 2

Ex. 3

Brad Paisley - Time Warp (Live on Letterman)

Ex. 4

Brad Paisley - Water

Ex. 5

Brad Paisley - Water (live ACM Awards 2010)

Features Include:

Unleashing the Pro Series Signature Lee Malia LM-87 | Jackson Guitars - YouTube