The founding guitarist shows how he breaks the post-hardcore mold with single-coils, old-school amps, and extreme stereo effects.
As Cities Burn founding guitarist (and occasional frontman) Cody Bonnette opens up his home to PG’s Perry Bean (a longtime friend) to talk through and demo the everyman gear that energizes his band’s dynamic post-hardcore sound that can go from moody alt-rock to intense, swaggering hardcore pandemonium.
“Butterscotch” (named by Perry Bean) is Cody’s birth-year guitar—a 1983 Fender American Strat. This one gets used on softer songs when Cody sings tracks from either Come Now Sleep or Hell or High Water. Tunings vary from C# standard and Eb standard.
Cody’s main love is this 2004 Fender American Standard Telecaster. The only change he’s done to it (other than the stage wear) is swapping the stock neck pickup for a Seymour Duncan Five-Two Tele model. He did this because it rolls off the EQ where the original one seemed too bassy and too shrill in extreme settings.
His “newest” guitar is this 1979 Peavey T-60 that he bought for $350. It sees some stage and studio time because of its flexibility. Backing off the tone control a bit turns the neck single-coil into a full humbucker. Additionally, it has a phase switch to provide some funkier Strat-like settings.
To fill venues with a blanket of coalescing tones, Bonnette goes with a stereo-amp attack. This tweed combo started life as a Fender Blues DeVille 410 reissue. Touring life took a toll on it, so Cody had a Nashville friend at Black Tape Amplifiers overhaul the components and simplify its circuitry that mimics a ’60s Fender.
Here is the second part to Cody’s amp equation—a mid-’60s blackface Fender Bassman that runs through a 2x12 cabinet.
Cody’s stomp station is filled to the gills with goodies including an Electro-Harmonix 720 Stereo Looper, Dr. Scientist BitQuest, ISP Decimator II, Walrus Audio Warhorn, Classic Audio Effects Passive Volume Roller G2, Roland RE-20 Space Echo, Walrus Audio Julia, 1981 Inventions DRV, and an EHX Micro POG. A Radial BigShot ABY switcher controls the amps while the TC Electronic PolyTune keeps everything in check.
Ten volume pedal options aimed at making guitarists feel swell.
A volume pedal may not be the sexiest effect on a pedalboard, but for many, going without hands-free volume control—not to mention all the other interesting things you can do with one—is a scary thought. Here are 10 that’ll help you get your swell on.
LEHLE
Mono VolumeThe magnetic sensor in this pedal allows it to run nearly wear-free, and its buffered direct output can be used to supply a DAW, tuner, or second amp without affecting the sound.
$279 street
lehle.com
DOD
Mini VolumeSized right to maximize pedalboard space, this pedal features a long-throw treadle for full range of control, a built-in treble-bleed circuit, and a gear drive for worry-free performance.
$99 street
digitech.com
JIM DUNLOP
DVP4At about half the size of its big-brother DVP3, this mini features adjustable rocker tension, a low-friction band drive for durable action, and expression-pedal mode with the flip of a switch.
$119 street
jimdunlop.com
ERNIE BALL
MVPHoused in aircraft-grade aluminum and designed to provide an ultra-smooth foot sweep, the MVP features a powerful gain boost permitting an increase of the audio signal up to 20 dB.
$154 street
ernieball.com
SONUUS
VoluumMuch more than a standard volume pedal, the Voluum also boasts onboard features such as a chromatic tuner and five effects including compression and tremolo.
$299 street
sonuus.com
GOODRICH SOUND
H-120 StandardWhether you’re behind a pedal steel or a 6-string, this stomp features dual outputs and is equipped with an Ultra Life million-cycle potentiometer to ensure many hours of trouble-free use.
$229 street
goodrichsoundcompany.com
HILTON ELECTRONICS
Pro GuitarBuilt to last and adjustable, these volume pedals house an internal preamp that’s responsible for helping to preserve pickup frequency response at any volume.
$319 street
hiltonelectronics.com
MISSION ENGINEERING
VM-1 AeroThe ergonomically designed VM-1 Aero features an illuminating base and houses a passive “no tone suck” circuit, an isolated tuner out, and an integrated mode switch.
$179 street
missionengineering.com
CLASSIC AUDIO EFFECTS
Passive Volume Roller G2This pedal incorporates a unique Kevlar drive-belt system and preserves real estate by trading the treadle for a roller to manipulate volume.$119 street
classicaudiofx.com
ELECTRO-HARMONIX
VolumeThis lightweight-yet-rugged volume pedal features smooth action and a selectable high- or low-impedance switch for universal compatibility.
$63 street
ehx.com