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Custom Electrical Guitar Company Baritone
Årabrot artistic leader Kjetil Nernes owns several custom Electrical Guitar Company instruments, but the one he's been using the most currently is EGC's baritone model. He tunes it to drop C and says the bari mixes well with bandmate Karin Park's Moog bass analog synth. He employs a custom set of Black Harbor strings (.012–.060).
Kjetil Nernes' Pedalboard
"I actually have a pedalboard these days, which is remarkable for a guitar player like me," says Nernes. "For years, I was only using the Fulltone OCD and it's became the backbone of Årabrot's sound."
He still prefers the OCD for its "sharpening" touch to his metallic EGC tones. The Electro-Harmonix POG2 hits his Hiwatt (Custom 200 DR201 bass amps) for an added signal boost. (As you can see, he's dialed out most of the octave effect.) His second Electro-Harmonix stomp is the Superego, but it's used simply as a glorified synth-y reverb to cover material on 2021's Norwegian Gothic. Heavier, chunkier, repulsive gain happens when the Hudson Electronics Broadcast runs into the Fulltone OCD. And while it wasn't plugged in for the Rundown, Nernes enjoys getting filthy with the Gamechanger Audio Plasma Pedal. Everything is powered by the Strymon Ojai.
Hiwatts Galore!
Using more Hiwatts than Pete at Leeds, Nernes blends vintage guitar heads with modern bass pillars. The guitar stacks on the left are comprised of two 1970s Hiwatt models—a DR112 Custom Built PA 100 head (left) and a venerable Custom 100 DR103. Both heads run through their own pair of Hiwatt 4x12 cabinets: one is loaded with Celestions and the other with Fanes. Nernes likes the blend of speakers with the guitar heads because he feels the Celestions add a current complement to his monstrous roar. The right half of the British-voiced battalion features Hiwatt Custom 200 DR201 (KT88) heads matched with Hiwatt SE115410F cabinets loaded with four 10" and one 15" Fane Sovereign speakers.
Through an extensive collaboration between Alex and Gibson, Epiphone pushed the boundaries of the classic Les Paul to create the exclusive Alex Lifeson Les Paul Standard Axcess. The guitar includes a pair of powerful Epiphone pickups - the Pro Bucker 3 bridge pickup and the Ceramic Pro neck pickup. It also includes coil-splitting options via the push-pull volume controls and a Graph Tech Ghost Floyd Rose system. Together these features give the player access to both traditional magnetic humbucker tones as well as the Ghost's realistic acoustic tones. For added flexibility, you can blend acoustic and magnetic voices to create a rich layered sound and then route them through either a traditional mono jack or use two cables to access the individual magnetic and piezo outputs.
Video Featuring Two New Song Snippets
"The introduction of the Epiphone Alex Lifeson Axcess model based on my Gibson Les Paul Axcess model has all the same attributes and characteristics that I desired so much when we originally designed it," says Alex Lifeson, Rush guitarist. "The look, the sound, the playability and the utility--it's all there for the player-at any level. I'm very proud of this guitar."
"We have been honored to have Alex as part of our family for decades," says Elizabeth Heidt, Vice President of Cultural Influence. "He is an incredible, iconic artist, innovator, philanthropist, and an inspiration to so many. We are excited to partner with him on the Epiphone Axcess and to celebrate this collaboration with his fans around the world."
The Alex Lifeson Les Paul Standard Axcess
To mark the occasion of his collaboration with Epiphone and the release of the new Alex Lifeson Epiphone Les Paul Standard Axcess guitar, Lifeson is proud to debut two brand new songs titled "Kabul Blues" and "Spy House." Fans can get a first listen to "Kabul Blues" and "Spy House" in the new interview with Alex Lifeson, Here, and listen to the songs in their entirety exclusively via AlexLifeson.com. These two instrumental songs mark the first new music from Alex Lifeson in close to a decade.
More on the Epiphone Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess
In his work with Rush, Alex Lifeson has redefined the boundaries of progressive rock guitar, with playing that soars beyond the drama and the bluster to reveal truly stunning virtuosity that has been praised and admired by fans—and players—of all stripes. Created through extensive work with Alex Lifeson and Gibson™, Epiphone's Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess Standard similarly redefines the boundaries of the classic Les Paul™ in an accessible package. This guitar carries all of the traditional tones that have made the Les Paul legendary, along with unprecedented levels of sonic and performance versatility. The Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess Standard carries powerful Epiphone Ceramic Pro neck and ProBucker 3 bridge pickups with coil-splitting options via their push-pull volume controls and a Graph Tech Ghost Floyd Rose system that not only provides the world's most efficient vibrato but is also loaded with Ghost piezo bridge saddles. Access traditional magnetic humbucker tones, mix it up with coil-split options, tap the Ghost's realistic acoustic tones, or blend acoustic and magnetic voices — the sky's the limit from this sonic chameleon, whose sound-shifting depths are virtually limitless. You can route it all through a traditional mono jack or use two cables for individual magnetic and piezo outputs. All this and the Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess Standard still presents that timeless Les Paul look that has remained a classic for more than 60 years. An EpiLite™ case is also included.
Price: $899
epiphone.com