Rigs of Dad proprietor Ross Hurt welcomes PG into his tone zone to demo Dunable and Fender riff machines, stereo-amp setup, and overflowing pedalboards.
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 45th video in that format.
Do you love guitars, comedy, and peruse Instagram? Then take a break from PG to make sure you follow Rigs of Dad. (You can thank us in the comment section.) While you might think Ross Hurt, the man behind the spit-take spoofery hosted on Rigs of Dad, is the Weird Al of guitardom, rest assured, the axe is mightier than the sword (or in his case, keyboard).
The multi-dimensional Burial Waves is a D.C./Baltimore quintet created by longtime friends and touring mates. Singer Kyle Durfey (Pianos Become the Teeth), guitarists Ross Hurt (Black Clouds) and Matthew Dowling (Deleted Scenes, The Effects), bassist Kevin Hilliard (Flavor Waster, Caverns), and drummer Jimmy Rhodes (Black Clouds) blend their pedigrees to create a washy, spacy rock that ventures into realms of helium-grade post-rock and thunderous, amp-worshiping metal.
Just before putting out another new Burial Waves song, the Rigs-of-Dad guitar hero virtually welcomed PG’s Chris Kies into his D.C.-based art venue and practice space.
In this episode, Burial Waves sound architect Ross Hurt walks us through two solid guitar setups and a monstrous bass rig created by his personal collection of gear. He introduces us to a pair of custom Dunables and a couple revamped sig Jazzmasters, he explains the use (and signal flow) for a complex solid-state stereo rig, and we witness how a pedal problem proves beneficial when build post-rock boards.
Here’s Hurt’s main squeeze—a TV yellow Dunable Cyclops that is constructed with a mahogany body, maple neck, and ebony fretboard. The custom pickup configuration features a Dunable Grizzly (bridge) and an under-wound Banana Slug (neck). Both pickups come with coil-splitting options. It’s topped with Grover locking tuners and all the hardware is aged nickel.
Above is Ross’ second-favorite Dunable—a “pearl” shell pink Cyclops. Like the previous one, this one has a mahogany body, maple neck, and ebony fretboard. However, the pickups are different, with a Lollar Imperial (bridge) and Lollar low-wind Imperial (neck). Both his Dunable 6-strings are typically tuned down a whole step and take GHS Boomers (.012–.052).
The third axe in Hurt’s guitarsenal is a Squier J Mascis Signature Jazzmaster that has been overhauled with “jazzercised” Dunable Grizzlies (humbucker crammed into the JM-style, single-coil covers), Staytrem Jazzmaster vibrato arm paired with a Mastery vibrato and bridge. For post-rock, drone-note layers, he keeps this one tuned to C–G–C–G–C–G.
The third axe in Hurt’s guitarsenal is a Squier J Mascis Signature Jazzmaster that has been overhauled with “jazzercised” Dunable Grizzlies (humbucker crammed into the JM-style, single-coil covers), Staytrem Jazzmaster vibrato arm paired with a Mastery vibrato and bridge. For post-rock, drone-note layers, he keeps this one tuned to C–G–C–G–C–G.
Hurt’s pedal playground has a bit of everything—a little weird, a little wonky, a little wooly, and little whoa!
Below is his signal flow for Burial Waves.
Korg Pitchblack > ZCat Big Reverb TI > DigiTech Drop > DigiTech FreqOut > DigiTech Dirty Robot > Boss ES-8 Effects Switching System controller:
- Loop 1: Electro-Harmonix Mel9
- Loop 2: Antisleep Audio KWB Plus
- Loop 3: 1981 Inventions DRV
- Loop 4: Last Gasp Art Labs Gomorrah subharmonic fuzz
- Loop 5: Lehle P-Split (to send/return to dry amp)
- Loop 6: OBNE Rêver
- Loop 7: (introduces stereo) Wampler Terraform > Meris Polymoon
- Loop 8: Strymon TimeLine > Strymon BigSky—stereo outs into a TC Electronic Ditto X2 Looper.
This is Ross Hurt’s (that Matthew Dowling uses in Burial Waves) Fender Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster that’s been modded with Curtis Novak P-90s and a mastery bridge/vibrato. Hurt loves this because of the utilitarian 2-way toggle that goes between the lead and rhythm circuits (something Hurt sees as invaluable for his playing style). The offset takes GHS Boomers (.012–.052).
Unlike Hurt, Matthew Dowling goes digital-heavy by simply using an Ernie Ball VPJr Volume Pedal into an EarthQuaker Devices Palisades, and it hits the Line 6 HX Effects unit that does the bulk of tone shaping. The RJM MasterMind MIDI Foot Control handles the moody stage lighting. Everything rests on a board from Custom District Pedalboards.
For Burial Waves, bassist Kevin Hilliard borrows Hurt’s Dunable R2 finished in matte black. The swamp-ash 4-string has a 34" scale, a wenge neck, and rosewood fretboard. It has a standard P-bass pickup (neck) and Dunable Bigfoot (bridge). Hilliard rocks GHS Boomers (.045–.105).
Kevin Hilliard’s bass board flows this way: Ernie Ball VPJr volume pedal > Fuzzrocious "Bob" Demon (with blend knob and gated boost) > custom Fuzzrocious TS-808 circuit built with blend knob (Phantasm art) > Sanford and Sonny Bluebeard Fuzz > Akai Headrush delay/looper > kill switch. Everything rests on a board from Custom District Pedalboards.
The updated bass strings are designed to work with short-scale bass guitars where a little extra length is required.
Battle Creek, MI (May 3, 2017) -- GHS Strings are pleased to announce their short scale bass strings are now longer. The updated bass strings are designed to work with short scale bass guitars where a little extra length is required such as those that use a tailpiece or are strung thru-body.
Traditionally, the winding length (ball end to taper / silk) of a short scale bass string has been 32”. However, this measurement did not work easily with all short scale basses, and players resorted to buying medium scale strings instead. To help resolve this issue GHS have been working with Big Country bassist, and short scale instrument designer and expert, Scott Whitley. With Scott’s help, GHS discovered the optimum winding length for short scale bass strings to be 32.75” long. The result is the same great quality strings now in a winding length more conducive to a wider range of short scale basses.
GHS short scale bass strings in the updated 32.75” winding length, are available now in the following ranges:
- Short Scale Bass Boomers
- Short Scale Pressurewound
- Short Scale Phosphor Bronze
- Short Scale Precision Flats
- Short Scale Brite Flats
GHS Strings’ new updated Short Scale Bass Strings offer players the complete solution where a little more winding length is needed for their bass guitar.
For more information:
GHS Strings
Not a fan of changing strings? Swap in a set that can offer longer life.
Extended-life strings—especially in the coated category—remain a hot debate. Visit almost any players’ forum and you’ll find a passionate thread about the subject. Some guitarists really love them, some really don’t. The bottom line is there are a number of options like the 10 here that offer longer life, so you can spend more time working your strings—not changing them.
ERNIE BALL
Everlast Phosphor BronzeThese strings use nanotechnology to repel unwanted moisture and oils that can negatively impact tone. The proprietary treatment is applied to both the inner-hex core and outer-wrap wire to provide protection without compromising tone or feel.
$16 street
ernieball.com
ELIXIR
Acoustic 80/20 BronzeThe 80/20 coppper/zinc ratio and ultra-thin Nanoweb coating of this set was designed to deliver bright and lively tone together with extended tone/string life. The coating provides reduced finger squeak and a smooth feel for enhanced playability.
$14 street
elixirstrings.com
CLEARTONE
Heavy SeriesBoasting heavy-duty reinforced construction and enhanced core-to-wrap ratios, these strings are intended for hard-playing guitarists. For extended life, the strings are “treated” with a 1-micron-thin application that’s guaranteed not to flake.
$13 street
cleartonestrings.com
GHS
Coated BoomersMade with top-quality, nickel-plated steel wire, these strings are produced using a process that coats the outer wires before wrapping them around the core wire. The plain steel strings are also coated for a well-balanced feel.
$8 street
ghsstrings.com
D’ADDARIO
EXP16 Coated Phosphor BronzeThese strings feature break-resistant, high-carbon steel wire for advanced strength and pitch stability, and the high-quality wrap-wire materials are micro-coated on D’Addario’s proprietary machinery for a set that boasts uncoated tone and four times more life.
$11 street
daddario.com
DR STRINGS
Black BeautiesProprietary K3 coating has been shown in factory tests to last at least nine times longer than the company’s previous coatings and with no stripping away or peeling under any playing condition, yet players still report greater clarity and volume than uncoated strings.
$10 street
drstrings.com
BLACK DIAMOND
Black Coated Phosphor BronzeDesigned for dramatically longer string life and to bring clarity to a guitar’s tone, all six strings in this set are treated with Black Diamond’s black coating for a balanced feel and full protection from hand oils and environmental decay.
$15 street
blackdiamondstrings.com
ROTOSOUND
NexusThese strings feature a polymer coating that’s intended to offer a smooth feel, windings that are almost self-cleaning and unaffected by perspiration, and tone that will outlast most conventional strings.
$12 street
rotosound.com
C.F. MARTIN & CO.
Lifespan SPThe SP core wire in this set is engineered to resist breaking and for superior tuning hold with a rich tone and responsive attack. All six strings are treated with proprietary technology to help deliver the longest possible string life without sacrificing tone or feel.
$9 street
martinguitar.com
CURT MANGAN
Nickel Wound CoatedThe proprietary in-house coating process for these strings, which was developed in 2008, is four-to-five times more resistant to tarnish and corrosion than an uncoated string, and was designed to not compromise tonal quality or alter feel.
$12 street
curtmangan.com