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Rig Rundown: Todd Rundgren

The multi-instrumentalist, producer, and all-around sonic shaman explains the origin story on his No. 1 “Foamy," discusses fixing Clapton’s “Fool” SG, and reveals how he stays musically energized after nearly 50 years.

Guitarist Jesse Gress has been Todd Rundgren’s main 6-string sideman for years. And Jesse’s go-to has been around his neck even longer. Here is his psychedelic Strat that technically contains mostly Fender parts, but as Jesse describes in the video, it was put together and stylized to his preferences by friend and San Francisco shop owner, Gary Brawer. The neck is actually one from a Jeff Beck Signature Strat and the pickups are Lace Sensors. (He eventually swapped out the roller nut for this upgraded model that has ball bearings for maintaining his secret “D note” that he gets by picking the 3rd string behind the nut.) Brawer added a pull switch that allows him to engage the neck pickup to unlock all the tonal possibilities inside the guitar. Both his guitars use Ernie Ball Regular Slinky .010s.

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