The multi-instrumentalist’s seductive and sinister sounds, supporting Chino Moreno, are assembled and arranged with a Les Paul, a Schecter hollowbody, a Fender lap steel, synths, and a highly customized Fractal FM9.
What if Deftones’ lead singer Chino Moreno fully leaned into his love for the Cure and Depeche Mode (think “Digital Bath,” “Teenager,” “Anniversary of an Uninteresting Event,” and “Cherry Waves”)? The short answer is Crosses (often stylized as †††). And the sole sonic sniper pillowing and piercing through Moreno’s moodily melodic vocals is multi-instrumentalist Shaun Lopez.
Prior to working with Moreno in Crosses, Lopez cofounded Far—an influential post-hardcore 1990s contemporary of the Deftones in Sacramento—and has tallied a variety of producer credits, collaborating with Chon, Rob Zombie, Lupe Fiasco, Dead Sara, Whitechapel, and others. That versatile background is evident when experiencing Crosses with a pair of headphones or seeing them live onstage.
Lopez and bassist Chuck Doom had been jamming together in the late 2000s, and later recruited Moreno to front the dark dance party. As Crosses, the trio released three EPs and a self-titled debut full-length between 2011 and 2014, before going on hiatus in 2015.
Crosses was revitalized in 2022 with fresh material. Then, following the departure of bassist Chuck Doom, the remaining duo doubled down on their digital-based dynamism to feature even more synths, keys, and electronic experimentation. Now, for almost 15 years, the band has been weaving together sounds of new wave, electronica, goth rock, industrial, and ambient pop, as if they’re producing a soundtrack to a neo-noir readaptation of The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.
Part of Lopez’s post-hiatus experimentation included sampling his guitar through his keys. “When we started Crosses, I was just learning to play piano,” he shares. “I think, back then, I wanted to make synthy-sounding songs, but I didn’t know how to play synths. I was like, ‘How can I get my guitar to sound like a synth?’ So I just incorporated pedals, lap steel, and anything else to make my guitar unrecognizable.
“Since those first songs, I’ve really learned how to play keyboards, and by better understanding that new instrument, at times, I’ve become more inspired by synths over guitar,” recalls Lopez.
But no matter how many synths or keyboards get put to tape, you’ll still see Lopez onstage with a guitar draped over his shoulder.
“I do prefer to play guitar live because it’s more fun and I can run around,” he shares. “I am always chasing sounds no matter the instrument it takes to get there. My sound is growing because I’m always learning. I think if you stop learning, you stop progressing … but guitar will always be home.”
Before Crosses’ sold-out show at Nashville’s Marathon Music Works, Lopez welcomed PG’s Perry Bean onstage to dissect his setup. The lone instrumentalist showed off six stellar guitars, broke down the heavy lifting his FM9 endures for Crosses’ sets, introduced a peculiar pedal he can’t live without, and demoed a Gretsch that sounds like an angry orca.
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C Beast
“It’s the best-looking guitar I’ve ever seen in my life,” contends Lopez. The Gibson Les Paul Custom 20th Anniversary 1974 model is set for drop-C duties, and takes a custom set of Dunlops (.011–.070). He upgraded its original pickups with a set of Bare Knuckle Warpig alnico-5 humbuckers.
Special for Standard
Chino left this over at Shaun’s place long enough that Lopez fell for the devilish doublecut. Before he bonded with Chino’s SG Special, Lopez stayed away from SGs because of the uncomfortable neck dive, but he says this rocker balances really well (especially with a wireless pack), and the P-90s make a perfect contrast to his other guitar tones. This one rides in standard or drop D, and like the rest of Lopez’s electrics we’ll see, it takes a more standard fare of Dunlop strings (.010–.046).
Little Red Corvette
While he was picking up a 1978 P bass at Guitar Center in L.A., Shaun spotted this 1960s Gretsch Corvette. It had been at the GC for months collecting dust, so they made Lopez a sweet deal and he left the store with both instruments. While the Les Paul might be his favorite guitar, he did admit that this cherry Corvette is his favorite to play, and that’s clear with all the finish that’s been thrashed during this Crosses tour.
Shaun tunes it to standard or drop D, but when the crowd hears it, they won’t believe their ears—as he uses the pitch-block parameters within the Fractal Audio FM9 to drop down the Corvette 17 levels. It sounds like an angry orca!
Midnight Cruiser
The above Gretsch G2420T Streamliner Hollow Body Single-Cut with Bigsby was resting in backup duties compared to its Schecter counterpart, but its hotter BT-3S humbuckers have proved it mightier for the stage.
Easy Rider
The previous Gretsch took over first-chair hollowbody touring duties for this Schecter Coupe’s sibling that’s safe at home, but Lopez notes that the Coupes were the most-used guitars while recording Crosses’ 2023 release, Goodnight, God Bless, I Love U, Delete.
T Time
Lopez caters many of Crosses’ sounds around the Tesla TV-ML1 humbuckers found in his Schecter Coupe. He tried to acquire another hollowbody, but Schecter no longer makes that model—however, they pointed him towards their PT Fastback that uses the company’s UltraTron humbuckers, which are very similar to FilterTron-style pickups.
To Infinity and Beyond!
Shaun slides around on this Fender FS-52 Deluxe Lap Steel. All the strings are tuned to D, creating a powerful droning effect.
Also, notice below that the FS-52 sits a Sequential Prophet-6—a 6-voice analog synthesizer that gets used throughout Crosses’ albums and live sets. And the Novation Launchkey 49 MK3 controller triggers samples, loops, and works with Ableton Live for show production.
Shaun Lopez's Pedalboard
Creating Crosses’ serpentine soundscapes involves an abundance of gear. Lopez doesn’t really document his methods on their recordings, so when playing live, he’s left to recreate his tones from scratch. To help accomplish that feat in a compact and efficient fashion, he centers his live rig around a pair of Fractal Audio FM9 units powered by a Fryette LX II Stereo power amp. One transforms guitars into everything but, and the other partners with his FS-52, unleashing a tidal wave of Daniel Lanois-inspired washes and sustain. Two effects that the FM9 couldn’t replicate were the Chase Bliss Mood and a modded vintage Electro-Harmonix Micro Synthesizer. Utility boxes include two tuners—Peterson StroboStomp HD and TC Electronic PolyTune 3—MIDI Solutions Thru 2-output box, a pair of BeardBuilds AB boxes, a Dunlop Volume (X) Mini, a Mission Engineering SP-1 pedal, and offstage, a Radial ProD8 8-Channel Rackmount Direct Box. A Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 2 Plus and Truetone 1 Spot juices everything up.
Shop Shaun Lopez' Crosses (†††) Rig
Gibson Custom 1968 Les Paul Custom Reissue
Gibson SG Special
Gretsch G2420T Streamliner Hollowbody Electric Guitar
Schecter PT Fastback Electric Guitar
Sequential Prophet-6 - 6-voice Analog Synthesizer
Novation Launchkey 49 MK3 49-key Keyboard Controller
Electro-Harmonix Micro Synthesizer Analog Guitar Microsynth Pedal
Peterson StroboStomp HD Pedal Tuner
TC Electronic PolyTune 3 Polyphonic LED Guitar Tuner Pedal with Buffer
Dunlop DVP4 Volume (X) Mini Pedal
Mission Engineering SP-1 Expression Pedal
Radial ProD8 8-channel Passive Instrument Direct Box
Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 2 PLUS 8-output Isolated Guitar Pedal Power Supply
Truetone 1 SPOT Slim 9V DC Adapter
PRS Guitars now builds its S2 Series instruments with USA-Made pickups and electronics, including the renowned 85/15, 58/15 LT, and proprietary Narrowfield and TCI pickups.
Meaning “Stevensville 2,” the S2 Series was named for a second manufacturing line that was created inside the PRS Stevensville, Maryland shop. However, since its introduction, the S2 Series has grown to be fully integrated into the same production line as PRS Core and Bolt-On instruments.
“This just makes sense,” said Paul Reed Smith. “We have worked very diligently on pickups for the last several years and made big strides. To infuse the S2 Series with the life that comes with this kind of attention to detail was the next logical step for these instruments.”
Loaded with PRS's renowned 85/15, 58/15 LT, and proprietary Narrowfield and TCI pickups – made right in PRS’s Maryland shop – the S2 Series now carries more PRS DNA than ever. The PRS S2 Series also comes with the same electronics as PRS Core instruments, including potentiometers with extreme audio tapers and other components with custom-designed features. To top off the specs, all Maryland-made PRS electric instruments feature a nitrocellulose finish. This finish is thin, allowing the guitars to have a resonant, organic tone. The nitro finish also has a natural feel, elevating the playing experience from the moment the guitar is picked up.
With thirteen model choices, the S2 Series features both variations on well-known PRS models (like the Custom 24 and McCarty 594) and also truly distinct model choices found only in S2 (like the S2 Vela, S2 Standard 22, and S2 McCarty 594 Thinline).
For more information, please visit prsguitars.com.
USA-Made Pickups Now in PRS Guitars S2 Vela & Custom 24-08 | First Look
In the guitar market, classic models still have the biggest influence, but the future is lurking.
In the ever-evolving music industry, the electric guitar stands as an enduring stalwart, having shaped the sonic landscape for generations without much physical change. I’ve joked about the state of the guitar before, but let’s take a more serious view of what’s happening in the guitar business. It’s apparent that the classics continue to wield influence, while also undergoing a transformation reflective of the current tech era.
First, let’s consider the resonance of tradition. The vintage trade has never been more robust, and sale prices are at an all-time high. Of course, those rising price tags mean that more cost-effective, vintage-inspired designs are continuing to attract buyers. As a consequence, budget-conscious guitarists are gravitating towards instruments that pay homage to the golden era of rock ’n’ roll, which now encompasses “shredder” guitars as well. At the higher end of the price range, boutique luthiers and established brands alike continue crafting instruments that marry the timeless elegance of yesteryear with modern touches—with varying results.
The aftermarket is awash with the same strategy. Take, for instance, the drumbeat of PAF-style pickups—the holy grail of vintage tone. It’s the tone that everyone wants, but few have actually heard firsthand. Still, discerning players seek out guitars fitted with these replicas, their imaginations yearning for the warm, creamy sound that defined the bluesy (recorded) licks of legends. With the marketplace flooded with PAF imposters, it may be just a matter of time before more recent pickup designs become subject to widespread recreation. A case in point is the resurgence of the T-Top Gibson humbucker, which was the less cherished replacement to the PAF.
And it’s not only pickups. In the spirit of this quest for retro authenticity, some builders have gone a step further, meticulously recreating or improving upon other vintage components, ostensibly to capture the elusive magic of bygone eras. The difficulty for consumers to compare these products to the “real” thing is a conundrum that works in the maker’s favor. In the end, if you like what you hear, that’s what matters.
“As vintage-aesthetic fatigue sets in among some players, carbon fiber, aerospace alloys, and 3D-printed components are pushing the boundaries of what was once deemed sacred.”
Despite the constant dialogue about the golden age of guitars, the electric market is no stranger to innovation. Effect and amp builders offer both digital and analog impressions of vintage products, and there is a faction also pressing ahead into options never imagined in the past. In a world fueled by technological leaps, guitar amplification has embraced a metamorphosis in the realm of digital signal processing, where guitars are not mere instruments but also game controllers for a myriad of sonic possibilities. More and more, modeling technology is becoming the alchemist’s potion, allowing players to summon the tones of iconic amps and effects with a simple twist of a knob. Or at least, as the saying goes, close enough for rock ’n’ roll. It’s tempting to write off these devices based on early attempts, but as processing power gets more powerful and costs come down, we may see the final triumph of solid-state.
The tech touch is also evident in the rise of avant-garde designs and materials. As vintage-aesthetic fatigue sets in among some players, carbon fiber, aerospace alloys, and 3D-printed components are pushing the boundaries of what was once deemed sacred. Whereas previous attempts to integrate aerospace materials were laughable, modern-day artisans are crafting guitars that twist convention, challenging players to rethink their perceptions of what a cool electric guitar can be. The juxtaposition of tradition and innovation is not always a clash but a quest, where the echoes of the past might resonate in harmony with the cutting-edge present.
The democratization of luthiery has also given rise to a thriving custom and boutique market. When I started building instruments, there was no StewMac, and information was a guarded secret. Now, with social media as their stage, thousands of small-scale builders showcase their take on the past or their stab at the future. Like the craft-beer movement, small-shop guitar-making has turned into a significant hobby. These creations stand as testament to the artisanal spirit now driving the guitar market forward.
Yet, as we traverse the landscape of the electric-guitar market, it’s crucial to acknowledge the challenges. The digital age has ushered in a paradox—while virtual instruments and home-studio setups offer unprecedented accessibility, they also pose a threat to the tactile experience of playing a physical instrument. The allure of instant gratification in the form of digital plugins challenges the traditional methods that have defined the soul of the electric guitar for decades.
In my view, the electric-guitar market is a tapestry woven with threads of tradition and innovation. It’s a place where vintage sensibilities mix with cutting-edge technology, and the esoteric meets the mainstream. As players and builders continue to search for new ways to differentiate themselves, the electric guitar remains an ever-evolving muse, resonating with the echoes of the past while charting a course towards an exciting future. In other words, just as it has always been.