The versatile, venerable guitar star sits down with PG contributor Nikos Arvanitis to discuss his thoughts on why streaming is for kids, the impacts of AI on music, how home studios dilute albums, reducing the PRS McCarty to its core, and what's on the horizon.
PG contributor Tom Butwin sits down with Dylana Nova Scott, president and amp designer at Third Power Amplification, to explore the all-new Highline series -- a flexible set of vertical combo configurations for 3rd Power's wide-ranging amplifier offerings. Dylana breaks down the design philosophy of the Highline Series, plus the innovative features and tonal possibilities of her hand-wired amps built for players who demand both classic voice and modern flexibility.
3rd Power Amplification
Highline Series
When the amp stands taller, the sound meets you halfway. The HIGHLINE Series is a reimagining of how a guitar amplifier occupies space - visually, physically, and sonically. Inspired by the tall "player-facing" combos of the early 1970s, this vertically oriented enclosure lifts the sound field off the floor and places it where it belongs: directly in front of the player, with the controls at natural standing height. The result is a commanding, immersive wall of sound that feels bigger, clearer, and more immediate - and much easier to use. With flexible speaker configurations including dual 12", triple 10, or a 15"/10" pairing, the HIGHLINESERIES delivers classic authority with modern versatility, wrapped in timeless design. This is not a new amplifier - it's a new way to experience one.
America’s most beloved and immature pop-punks Blink 182 set off on their Missionary Impossible Tour last summer, and along the way, they stopped at the Orion Amphitheater in Huntsville, Alabama. That’s where PG’s Chris Kies connected with Justin Sweet, guitarist Tom DeLonge’s tech, and Brian Diaz, bassist Mark Hoppus’ tech. They took us backstage for a tour of the guitars and rack equipment that DeLonge and Hoppus brought out with them last year in this new Rig Rundown!
This Fender Tom DeLonge Starcaster, like the others in DeLonge’s arsenal, was built by Brian Thrasher for Blink’s 2023 tour, and it’s been in service ever since. It’s got a single Seymour Duncan SH-5 Duncan Custom pickup and a lone volume knob. DeLonge runs it with a set of Ernie Ball Paradigm strings (.011–.052) with a wound G.
After receiving the guitar, DeLonge asked Sweet for some gaff tape, which resulted in the stunning look and breathtaking poetry featured here.
Tom DeLonge: The Next Michaelangelo?
Within a day of receiving it, DeLonge also subjected this guitar, nicknamed “Milo,” to an aesthetic overhaul via stickers and some Louvre-worthy Sharpie work.
Tom DeLonge’s Signal Chain
DeLonge has left the Mesas, Marshalls, and Voxes behind for now and uses a Fractal Axe-FX III unit on the road. His main sound is based on a jumpered Marshall plexi amp and a Soldano X88-IR. For clean sounds, DeLonge goes for a hybrid sound of a CA3+ (Custom Audio Amplifiers 3+ SE) and a Fender Deluxe Reverb. The drive sounds are pushed through a model of a Marshall 4x12 cabinet loaded with Celestion Vintage 30s, and the cleans crank through a Vox AC-30 IR. A Rupert Neve Designs 5211 preamp helps bring the tones to life.
Changes are handled by a Fractal FC-12 backstage, and a FC-6 for DeLonge onstage.
Green Ray
Only played a few times on this tour, this Ernie Ball Music Man StingRay bass was used to record Blink’s 1999 breakout record, Enema of the State.
Take Off Your Pants and Jag-et
According to Diaz, Hoppus will message artists he likes on Instagram to ask them to paint his basses, like this commission from Ohio-based artist Burrito Breath. Nicknamed “Stoned Fruit,” this Fender Jaguar bass—now a Limited Edition signature model for Hoppus—carries Hoppus’ now-signature “reversed P” pickup configuration of a set of Seymour Duncan Quarter Pound P-bass pickups.
Mark Hoppus’ Signal Chain
Check out Mark Hoppus’ rack! He rolls with this Neural DSP Quad Cortex unit. His main sound is based off of an Ampeg SVT, and other key modeled sounds include a Keeley Noble Screamer, an Orange Terror amp, and a JHS 424 Gain Stage.
Also in the rack are a Radial JX 44, Fretronics RSW switching system, and a Rupert Neve Designs 5211 preamp.
Dr. Z and EQD meld minds and come up with a most flexible tube preamp that can add life to the output from your amp or at the input of a DAW.
EarthQuaker Devices
ZEQD-Pre Preamp Pedal
A game-changing joint effort between EarthQuaker Devices and Dr. Z Amplification, the ZEQD-Pre injects your guitar rig with a healthy dose of tube-flavored character. Place this all-analog preamp pedal at the end of your signal chain, and you’ll revel in the harmonic-rich warmth and dynamic response you’d expect from a cylinder of glowing-hot glass. The ZEQD-Pre’s robust, passive 3-band EQ is just what the doctor ordered for fine-tuned tone shaping, pushing its preamp into ear-grabbing grit, or breathing new life into your favorite modeling patch. Moreover, this stellar stompbox features a switchable analog cabinet simulation for seamless DI recording and backline-free live performances. You also get a Boost footswitch with a dedicated Level control, delivering a wide-open volume bump that lets your solos soar high above the mix without sacrificing clarity or character. Finally, the ZEQD-Pre includes numerous thoughtful features, including a Ground Lift, Headphone output, and a balanced XLR DI output. Driven by an EF86 pentode — the same tube that fuels Dr. Z’s pristine, hi-fi amplifiers — the EarthQuaker Devices ZEQD-Pre offers a complete, all-analog amplifier system that fits right on your pedalboard.
