Premier Guitar features affiliate links to help support our content. We may earn a commission on any affiliated purchases.

Rig Rundown: Charlie Parra Del Riego

Capcom and Kramer both wanted a piece of this South American shredder and mash-up master. Travel below the equator to see his studio setup.

Facing a mandatory shelter-in-place ordinance to limit the spread of COVID-19, PG enacted a hybrid approach to filming and producing Rig Rundowns. This is the 26th video in that format.

Since starting his YouTube channel in 2008, Peruvian guitarist Charlie Parra Del Riego amassed over 800k subscribers and totaled up 160 million views. In 2010, he wowed millions with his ā€œmetalā€ rendition of his homelandā€™s national anthem. Sure, like most guitar-dominated channels, he has the typical gear demos and reviews, but Charlieā€™s magnetism as a player and content creator shined in his renditions of popular themes songs and mash-ups from video games, pop music, and iconic TV and movie themes. (His YouTube popularity and absolutely geekery of video games elevated his profile enough that Capcom hired Charlie to work on soundtracks for games and preview trailers.) The best part of his videos isnā€™t his lightning-fast fretboard sorcery, but Parraā€™s engaging charisma and positive energy. (Itā€™s even evident and palpable to non-Spanish speakers.) And at the beginning of 2020, he was honored with a dream for many gearheadsā€”his own signature guitar. Parraā€™s 6-string namesake is a modern take on the sharp Vanguard features an extended cutaway, EMG 57/66 alnico V pickups, a satin maple neck, and an ebony fretboard with owl inlays.

In between making more content for his own channel, Parra virtually welcomed PGā€™s Perry Bean into his studio in Lima, Peru. In this Rig Rundown, the outgoing and upbeat YouTuber opens up about creating his ultimate shred machine, making the jump to digital amps and effects, and being a Peruvian punk rocker pigeonholed as a power metal purveyor. (Spoiler: heā€™s okay with it.)


Click below to listen wherever you get your podcasts:

Listen on Apple PodcastsListen on Google Podcasts
Listen on StitcherListen on Spotify


Mooer's Ocean Machine II is designed to bring superior delay and reverb algorithms, nine distinct delay types, nine hi-fidelity reverb types, tap tempo functionality, a new and improved looper, customizable effect chains, MIDI connectivity, expression pedal support, and durable construction.

Read MoreShow less

Some of us love drum machines and synths and others donā€™t, but we all love Billy.

Read MoreShow less

An '80s-era cult favorite is back.

Read MoreShow less

The SDE-3 fuses the vintage digital character of the legendary Roland SDE-3000 rackmount delay into a pedalboard-friendly stompbox with a host of modern features.

Read MoreShow less