Last year’s Manning Fireworks was a breakout moment for Asheville, North Carolina’s MJ Lenderman, which is both the name of the band and the actual name of singer and guitarist Jake Lenderman, who also plays in the band Wednesday. The record topped plenty of year-end lists and drew favorable comparisons to the likes of Neil Young, Dinosaur Jr., and other stars of the pre- and post-’90s indie-rock boom.
On tour behind the record, the band stopped in at Birmingham, Alabama, joint Saturn on February 1. PG’s Chris Kies met up with Lenderman, guitarist Jon Samuels, pedal-steel player Xandy Chelmis, and bassist Landon George before the show to get the dirt on their dirt.
Brought to you by D’Addario.The SG
Lenderman’s main guitar these days is this 1979 Gibson The “SG,” which he bought in Birmingham while opening for Plains. It’s tuned to D standard, with Ernie Ball Beefy Slinky strings.
Do the Mascis Mash
It’s no surprise that Lenderman digs the Squier J Mascis Signature Jazzmaster. He’s a big Dinosaur Jr. fan and got to sit in with them in Los Angeles to play “In A Jar” in December 2024. From top to bottom, this one is tuned C–G–D–G–G–E for “You’re Every Girl to Me.”
Tele Time
This Fender American Vintage II 1977 Telecaster Deluxe comes out for cleaner needs in the set.
Original Jazz
This is Lenderman’s iconic 2008 Jazzmaster, which he bought back in Asheville.
Hi-Steppin'
Lenderman borrowed a Hiwatt to use at some hometown shows in Asheville and fell in love, so he brings this Custom 50 out on the road now. He’s working his way to a full J Mascis setup, “one cab at a time.”
MJ Lenderman's Board
Lenderman’s clean, easy board has a D’Addario tuner, Death By Audio Interstellar Overdriver Deluxe, a Dunlop wah which he uses as a subtle filter, and TC Electronic Flashback 2.
Loan from Lenderman
Lenderman recorded plenty with this Fender Player Telecaster, but now Samuels puts it to work
Hartzman's Hot Rod
Another loaner, this Hot Rod DeVille combo is on long-term borrow from Wednesday’s Carly Hartzman.
Jon Samuel's Board
Samuels’ board, which is a hybrid of his own pedals and even more borrowed units, carries a Hardwire HT-6 polyphonic tuner, Death By Audio Fuzz War, JHS Double Barrel, Dunlop wah, J. Rockett Archer Clean Boost, Joyo Tremolo, EHX Nano Small Stone, and TC Electronic Flashback 2.
Xandy's ZB
Chelmis, also a member of Wednesday, plays this 10-string ZB Custom, made in the early ’70s with a proprietary pickup. It stays in E9 tuning, and Chelmis makes it sing with a steel he bought from a pawn shop. It runs through a Fender Twin Reverb outfitted with a single 15", and a Goodrich H-120 volume pedal handles swelling duties. From time to time, Chelmis adds in a Guyatone SD2 sustainer for some fuzzy fun.
Precision Vision
George’s go-to is this 2006 Fender Mike Dirnt Precision Bass, strung with Ernie Ball medium-gauge flatwound strings.
Better Beta
George runs through a Sunn Beta Bass head into an Ampeg SVT810E cabinet.
Landon George's Board
On his board, George packs a Korg Pitchblack tuner, Origin Effects Cali76 Compact Bass, Boss DD-7, Darkglass Electronics Alpha Omega, and a Noble Amplifier Company utility box: It’s a tube preamp, DI box, and power supply, all in one.
At 26, Blu DeTiger is the youngest musician ever to have a signature Fender bass guitar. The Fender Limited Player Plus x Blu DeTiger Jazz Bass, announced in September, pays tribute to the bassist and singer’s far-reaching impact and cultural sway. She’s played with Caroline Polachek, Bleachers, FLETCHER, Olivia Rodrigo, and more, and released her own LP in March 2024. In 2023, Forbes feature her on their top 30 Under 30 list of musicians. So how did DeTiger work her way to the top?
DeTiger opens up on this episode of Wong Notes about her career so far, which started at a School of Rock camp at age seven. That’s where she started performing and learning to gig with others—she played at CBGB’s before she turned 10. DeTiger took workshops with Victor Wooten at Berklee followed and studied under Steven Wolf, but years of DJing around New York City, which hammered in the hottest basslines in funk and disco, also imprinted on her style. (Larry Graham is DeTiger’s slap-bass hero.)
DeTiger and Wong dish on the ups and downs of touring and session life, collaborating with pop artists to make “timeless” pop songs, and how to get gigs. DeTiger’s advice? “You gotta be a good hang.”
Wong Notes is presented by DistroKid.
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