Years played: 23 years
Home turf: Los Angeles, CA
Current/former bands: Trip, Velvet Moon, Billy Mummys, Eccentromanics
Website: raaudio.com
First guitar: '80s Gibson Kalamazoo hand-me-down
Favorite guitar: '80s Japanese Fender Squier Strat (with vintage tuners, vintage single coil pickups in the neck and middle, and a Seymour Duncan Invader in the bridge)
Favorite amp: Mesa Boogie Triple Rectifier, Rectifier 4x12 cab
Favorite effect: What are effects?
Favorite strings: Rotosound Roto Reds 11 gauge
Favorite cable: My Star Sound
Favorite Pick: Dunlop Delrin 500 (Purple) 2.0 gauge
Other gear in my stash: Marshall JCM 2000 TSL 100W Head, Marshall Vintage (bottom) 4x12 cab, VOX AD30VT 30W 1x10, SWR Working Man's 15 Bass Combo, Danelectro Nifty Fifty, Dunlop Crybaby Wah.
Give us the back story on an item in your gear stash that you’ve sent a photo of: Back when I was in a punk band, my lead guitarist and I bought Marshall JCM 2000 TSL 100W amps. For some reason, we had the worst luck because both of the heads we bought did not work properly and had to be taken back to Guitar Center. This happened three more times! Apparently the shipment of Marshalls to GC were all bad, and we got stuck running back and forth returning the faulty gear. Eventually I hooked up with Hugh Gilmartin (now of Korg USA), and he promised if I sent my head to Marshall it would come back amazing. Hugh is a man of his word, because they put their best guy on it and bench tested, biased and tweaked my amp until no Marshall 2000 series would ever be its equal. Angus himself would drool if he played his SG through it!
Share a gear or gig story with Premier Guitar readers: I once played live on national television with my band Trip. We were invited to perform on Ed McMahon's Next Big Star, live from the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. Next Big Star was the last incarnation of Star Search, and we had a blast. We got the royal treatment, and lived like rock stars for the weekend. We even landed clothing endorsements from Johnny Suede and Sha-Sha Shoes!
What’s your philosophy on tone? No effects! Aside from reverb, I don't really use effects. Let the guitar, amp and your hands make it happen. I have never been a big fan of pedals or effects processors. I rarely even use the tremolo bar. If you need a specific tone for a track, then do what you gotta do to make it happen, but at the end of the day... it's all in the hands.
 ACOUSTICS (from left to right): Washburn EA20 Acoustic Electric (1990s), Ovation CC245 Celebrity 12-String (2000s), Martin D-42 Acoustic (2000s), Chinese Pipa (1990s), Ramirez Classical (1990s), Mexican Miniature Acoustic (2000s). |
 BASSES: Ibanez Soundgear 4-String Bass (Green, 2000s), Fender American Standard 4-String Jazz Bass (Tobacco Sunburst, 2000s), Hofner 500/1 Vintage '63 Reissue Beatle Bass (2000s). |
 AMPS (from left to right): Marshall JCM 2000 TSL 100W Head & Marshall Vintage 4x12 cab; Danelectro Nifty Fifty & VOX AD30VT 30W 1x10; Mesa Boogie Triple Rectifier & Rectifier 4x12 cab. |
 ELECTRICS (from left to right): ESP Viper LTD 7-String (2000s), Carruther's Guitar Shop Custom Telecaster Semi-Hollow Body (2000s), Danelectro '59 Dano Semi-Hollow Body (1990s), Gibson Les Paul Studio Lite with Seymour Duncan Burst Bucker Pro pickups (1990s), Fender Japanese Squier Strat with vintage pickups in the neck and middle position and a Seymour Duncan Invader pickup in the bridge (1980s). |
 ELECTRICS (from left to right): Gibson Les Paul Custom (1990s), Ibanez RG-560 (1980s), Danelectro Convertible Reissue Acoustic Electric (1990s), Fender American '62 Reissue Strat (2000s), Joe's Guitars Custom "Diner Series" (2009). |
CLASS ACT PHOTOGRAPHY
| To join Robert as a Premier Collector, send an e-mail with photos and a description of your gear to rebecca@premierguitar.com |
Premier Collector #12: Vintage Grails & Boutique Beauties
Premier Collector #11: Unique & Custom Basses
Premier Collector #10: One of Everything
Premier Collector #9: Pre-Gibson, Pre-Samick Valley Arts
Premier Collector #8: Vintage Strats and Custom Colors
Premier Collector #7: Martins and More
Premier Collector #6: Custom-Built Strats and Fender Tube Amps
Premier Collector #5: The Vintage Room
Premier Collector #4: Oddballs
Premier Collector #3: Vintage Fender Amps and Guitars
Premier Collector #2: Gibson Customs and Modded Marshalls
Premier Collector #1: Kramers, Coronados and More
Built on powerful dual‑engine processing and world‑class UAD modeling, ANTI 1992 High Gain Amp gives guitarists the unmistakable sound of an original "block letter" Peavey 5150 amplifier* – the notorious 120‑watt tube amp monster that fueled more than three decades of modern metal music, from Thrash and Death Metal, to Grunge, Black Metal, and more.
"With UAFX Dream, Ruby, Woodrow, and Lion amp emulators, we recreated four of the most famous guitar amps ever made," says UA Sr. Product Manager Tore Mogensen. "Now with ANTI, we're giving rock and metal players an authentic emulation of this punishing high gain amp – with the exact mic/speaker pairings and boost/noise gate effects that were responsible for some of the most groundbreaking modern metal tones ever captured."
Key Features:
- A complete emulation of the early '90s 120‑watt tone monster that defined new genres of modern metal
- Powerful UAFX dual-engine delivers the most authentic emulation of the amp ever placed in a stompbox
- Complete album‑ready sounds with built‑in noise gate, TS‑style overdrive, and TC‑style preamp boost
- Groundbreaking Dynamic Room Modeling derived from UA's award-winning OX Amp Top Box
- Six classic mic/speaker pairings used on decades of iconic metal and hard rock records
- Professional presets designed by the guitarists of Tetrarch, Jeff Loomis, and The Black Dahlia Murder
- UAFX mobile app lets you access hidden amp tweaks and mods, choose overdrive/boost, tweak noise gate, recall and archive your presets, download artist presets, and more
- Timeless UA design and craftsmanship, built to last decades
For more information, please visit uaudio.com.
- YouTube
MonoNeon, aka Dywane Thomas Jr., came up learning the bass from his father in Memphis, Tennessee, but for some reason, he decided to flip his dad’s 4-string bass around and play it with the string order inverted—E string closest to the ground and the G on top. That’s how MonoNeon still plays today, coming up through a rich, inspiring gauntlet of family and community traditions. “I guess my whole style came from just being around my grandma at an early age,” says Thomas.His path has led him to collaborate with dozens of artists, including Nas, Ne-Yo, Mac Miller, and even Prince, and MonoNeon’s solo output is dizzying—trying to count up his solo releases isn’t an easy feat. Premier Guitar’s Chris Kies caught up with the bassist before his show at Nashville’s Exit/In, where he got the scoop on his signature 5-string, Ampeg rig, and simple stomp layout, as well as some choice stories about influences, his brain-melting playing style, and how Prince changed his rig.
Brought to you by D’Addario.
Orange You Glad to See Me?
This Fender MonoNeon Jazz Bass V was created after a rep messaged Thomas on Instagram to set up the signature model, over which Thomas had complete creative control. Naturally, the bass is finished in neon yellow urethane with a neon orange headstock and pickguard, and the roasted maple neck has a 10"–14" compound radius. It’s loaded with custom-wound Fireball 5-string Bass humbuckers and an active, 18V preamp complete with 3-band EQ controls. Thomas’ own has been spruced up with some custom tape jobs, too. All of MonoNeon's connections are handled by Sorry Cables.
Fade to Black
MonoNeon’s Ampeg SVT stack isn’t a choice of passion. “That’s what they had for me, so I just plugged in,” he says. “That’s what I have on my rider. As long as it has good headroom and the cones don’t break up, I’m cool.”
Box Art
MonoNeon’s bass isn’t the only piece of kit treated to custom color jobs. Almost all of his stomps have been zhuzhed up with his eye-popping palette.
Thomas had used a pitch-shifting DigiTech Whammy for a while, but after working with Paisley Park royalty, the pedal became a bigger part of his playing. “When I started playing with Prince, he put the Whammy on my pedalboard,” Thomas explains. “After he passed, I realized how special that moment was.”
Alongside the Whammy, MonoNeon runs a Fairfield Circuitry Randy’s Revenge (for any time he wants to “feel weird”), a literal Fart Pedal (in case the ring mod isn’t weird enough, we guess), and a JAM Pedals Red Muck covers fuzz and dirt needs. A CIOKS SOL powers the whole affair.
The Epiphone Jimi Hendrix “Love Drops” Flying V features a careful recreation of the psychedelic graphics that Jimi Hendrix hand-painted on his original guitar.
As part of the Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom Collection, the Epiphone Jimi Hendrix “Love Drops” Flying V is now available at Authorized Epiphone dealers and worldwide on www.epiphone.com.
“Jimi’s artistic expression was all-encompassing. It went far beyond creating magical music and expanded into another dimension of art that allowed us to see the beauty of his music,” says Janie Hendrix, Sister of Jimi and President and CEO of Experience Hendrix LLC & Authentic Hendrix LLC. “When he hand-painted his Flying V, which was an expression of his love for his instrument and his music. With the Epiphone series, Gibson has recreated Jimi’s artwork beautifully! We are excited to partner with them! Seeing Jimi’s handiwork come alive in this spectacular collection is extremely gratifying.”
The Epiphone Jimi Hendrix “Love Drops” Flying V with custom hardshell guitar case.
Originally a Sunburst, Jimi Hendrix customized his Ebony-refinished Gibson Flying V with striking psychedelic graphics that he hand-painted on the original guitar, which are carefully recreated here on the Flying V. As a fitting tribute to one of the world’s most legendary and famous lefty guitar players, the Epiphone Jimi Hendrix “Love Drops” Flying V is available in right and left-handed versions. The Jimi Hendrix “Love Drops” Flying V also features a mahogany body, a one-piece mahogany neck with a Rounded C profile, a laurel fretboard, and 22 medium jumbo frets.
An Inspired by Gibson Custom logo and reproduction of Jimi’s signature adorn the back of the 1967-style Flying V headstock. Epiphone Deluxe tuners anchor the strings at the headstock, while a short Maestro Vibrola anchors them at the other end. The electronics are first-rate, with a pair of Gibson Custombucker humbucker pickups wired to CTS potentiometers, a Mallory tone capacitor, and a Switchcraft 3-way pickup select switch and 1/4” output jack. An Epiphone hardshell guitar case with Inspired by Gibson Custom and Authentic Hendrix™ logos is also included.
Learn more: www.epiphone.com.
