Step into the world of colossal, meticulously crafted pedalboards that power some of the heaviest, most creative guitar tones in modern music.
In this Best Of compilation, we revisit our biggest, wildest, and most intricate metal rig rundowns to date, featuring Matt Pike (Sleep), John Baizley & Gina Gleason (Baroness), Page Hamilton (Helmet), Erik Bickerstaffe (Loathe), Will Swan (Dance Gavin Dance), Sunn O))), Reba Meyers (Code Orange), and Will Putney (END).
From boutique one-offs to vintage rarities, from precision routing to total chaos, these pedalboards redefine what’s possible in heavy guitar tone.
Josh Smith opens up about finding his voice in the blues (and beyond), crafting his signature tone, and why authenticity—not imitation—is the heart of his playing. The engaging exchange is a prime example in developing musical identity through introspective intention and detailed execution.
Being a contemporary bluesman has its pitfalls, dead ends, and challenges. Josh Smith reflects deeply on his relationship with the blues, acknowledging the cultural origins of the music and his position as modern ambassador (and interpreter) for the artform. He then discusses how switching from Strats to Teles shaped his own sound and playing style more than any other gear choice.
As the interview continues, Smith delves into the art of live performance and improvisation, valuing intent, rhythm, and connection with both the audience and bandmates. Smith talks honestly about the current challenges younger musicians face—namely the lack of live-gig opportunities—and contrasts that with his own development through hundreds of early gigs (even before the age of 18). The conversation ends with Smith detailing his ongoing experience as a producer, what he enjoys about helping artists realize their vision through his own expertise & instincts. Whether working with artists like Andy Timmons or playing in Joe Bonamassa's live band, Smith prioritizes rhythmic precision with present spontaneity and trying to be musical in every moment.
Frontwoman Jessica Dobson plunges into the depths of her Benson-powered road rig.
Seattle indie rockers Deep Sea Diver released their fourth full-length record, BillboardHeart, earlier this year via Sub Pop, and their supporting cross-country tour took them to downtown Nashville’s Blue Room at Jack White’s Third Man Records.
PG’s Chris Kies connected with singer and guitarist Jessica Dobson in 2020 for a virtual Rig Rundown, but this time we get a close-up, in-person look at Dobson’s tour kit, including her signature Benson stomp box and a custom guitar.
Dobson picked up this slick Bilt S.S. Zaftig to replace her beloved but terribly heavy Fender Starcaster. This one has Lollar Regal Wide-Range humbuckers in it.
Regrets, I’ve Had a Few
Dobson purchased this used Fender Elvis Costello Jazzmaster in 2010, and has since met the person who sold it—and totally regrets it. It’s strung with D’Addario .011–.052s, and tuned to E standard.
Blue Benz
U.K.-based builder Elliott Trent modeled this custom Trent guitar for Dobson on her mother’s old blue Mercedes, and loaded it with P-90s.
Benson Boom Box
Dobson’s amp of choice, taped to perfection, is this 30-watt Benson Chimera 2x12 combo.
Jessica Dobson’s Pedalboard
Dobson runs a busy board powered by a Voodoo Labs Pedal Power 2 Plus and operated via a Boss ES-8. There’s also her signature Benson Deep Sea Diver, plus a Benson Germanium Preamp, JHS Pulp N Peel, Sarno Music Solutions Earth Drive, Benson Germanium Boost, EHX Deluxe Memory Man, Strymon blueSky, EHX POG2, Chase Bliss Brothers Analog Gainstage, and Menatone Pleasure Trem 5000, plus a TC Electronic PolyTune 2 Noir.
PG contributor Tom Butwin explores the Henriksen Bud SIX, a compact 9″×9″ amplifier that delivers 120 watts of clean, full-range sound. Weighing just 13 pounds, this U.S.-built amp is designed for working musicians who need reliable tone, real power, and maximum flexibility in a small footprint.
Each of its two channels features XLR and ¼″ combo inputs, phantom power, a five-band EQ, reverb, and presence control. Independent effects loops allow for detailed signal routing whether you're playing acoustic or electric, singing, or using backing tracks through wireless or aux input. The Bud SIX also includes a post-EQ and post-reverb XLR line out, a headphone jack for silent monitoring, an extension speaker output, and a tweeter defeat switch. It comes with a tilt-back wedge and a padded gig bag to make setup and transport easy. Whether you're a jazz guitarist, a solo performer, or running a pedalboard-heavy rig, the Henriksen Bud SIX is a powerful and clear solution that adapts to almost any stage or studio environment.
Do you want to have an amplifier the size of a toaster that gives you the quality of tone for BOTH electric and acoustic instruments that you’d expect from a studio situation with enough volume to cover almost any gig? Of course you do. That’s why if you play guitar, or any stringed instrument with a pickup for that matter, you need a Bud. The Bud has every feature you need and more than enough volume to get your bandmates or club manager to ask you to turn down, and coupled with the extension cabinet you can keep up with the heaviest-handed drummer with no problem. The amp and cabinet are naturally feedback resistant which limits the need for artificial notch filtering and other suppression technologies that negatively effect your tone.
But it’s not all about size and volume, there are lots of tiny, loud amplifiers on the market. You’ve tried them. You know what they sound like. The Bud is different. Henriksen Amplifiers is all about tone first, the incredibly portable size and feature set of The Bud were developed around the sound, not the other way around and you can definitely hear the difference. Our pre-amp, from input to output, is designed using the highest grade audio components. We offer a 5-band EQ with carefully chosen center frequencies which were fine-tuned by ear to meet the demands of different playing environments using the widest possible array of musical instruments. We give you two identical pre-amps, each with independent EQ and reverb and actual 48 volt phantom power, and an auxiliary input on each channel so that whatever you are using it for can be EQ’d separately from your instrument signal.
The doomgaze titans from Texas hit the road this year to celebrate more than two decades together, and they brought some of their favorite noisemakers for the occasion.
Post-rock/doomgaze outfit This Will Destroy You, formed in San Marcos, Texas, in 2004, are marking 21 years together, and 20 years of their self-recorded debut Young Mountain, with an anniversary tour. In late June, the band played Nashville’s Basement East, where guitarists Jeremy Galindo and Nicholas Huft and bassist Ethan Billips met up with PG’s Chris Kies to share what gear they packed for the roadtrip.
Galindo started off playing electric on his brother’s FenderTelecaster, and he’s never looked back. He’s played various models over the years, but got this Fender American Performer Telecaster two years ago. He strings it with .011–.052 strings for slightly more body and fullness, and tunes it to E-flat standard. Galindo mostly plays with his fingers, but when he picks he uses some of the thinnest picks he can find.
No Tubes? No Problems
A Music Man HD-130 is Galindo’s always-and-forever, but on the road, he likes this Roland Jazz Chorus 120 for its tubeless reliability and easy clean sounds.
Jeremy Galindo’s Pedalboard
The Boss DD-20 Giga Delay and Tech 21 Boost R.V.B. have been with Galindo since the early days, and he considers the Tech 21 to be the most essential tool of his kit. Aside from those, there’s a Walrus Canvas Tuner, Ernie Ball VP JR, Friday Club Fury 6-Six, Walrus Jupiter, Walrus Fundamental Ambient, Boss RE-20, and Mr. Black Deluxe Plus. A Walrus Aetos powers the party.
Smooth as Sandpaper
This Fender Jazzmaster, Huft’s first, was bought from Full of Hell guitarist Spencer Hazard, who equipped it with its “awful sandpaper texture” finish. Huft doesn’t use the rhythm circuit, so he’s taped it off. He plays with both pickups engaged at all times, including the humbucker rail pickup in the bridge.
United Solid-States
Huft has a soft spot for 1970s solid-state amplification, which makes this Peavey Standard Mark III series a perfect match for TWDY: It’s cheap, and it’s loud.
Nicholas Huft’s Pedalboard
Along with an ABY switcher, Huft runs a Boss TU-3, Ernie Ball VP JR, Gremlin Machine Shop Worshiper, Dead Air Portrayal of Guilt/Matt King Dual Drive, Boss DD-200, Boss RC-500, Red Panda Context, Boss DD-3T, Beautiful Noise Exploder, and Walrus Slo.
Cheap and Cheerful
Billips explains that he and his bandmates grew up on cheap instruments, and they still feel like home, so that’s why he rocks with this Marcus Miller Sire bass.
Community Cranker
Billips and his bandmates split on this Darkglass Electronics Microtubes 500 v2 head, which they share collectively.
Ethan Billips’ Pedalboard
Billips runs an Ernie Ball VP JR Tuner, a prototype bass overdrive from Mr. Black, a Death by Audio Bass War, Walrus Badwater, Danelectro Talk Back, Catalinbread Topanga, and a Radial BigShot ABY.
