Chad Weaver explains the full rig Brad Paisley uses on the road
Click here to read this month's interview with Brad. |
The original guitar rig was built by Brad and his first tech, Zac Childs. It's gone through many configurations over the years, but the basis has stayed the same. Brad and I have taken it apart twice and I've done it at least three times on my own, but the latest version was assembled by David Friedman of Racksystems in Los Angeles. I had been having a lot of noise issues and David was able to correct them all and give us back a guitar rig anyone could be proud of.
The 'brain' of the rig is Digital Music's GCX and Ground Control system. I have two GCXs, giving me a total of 16 loops for both effects and amp outputs. Each loop has an āinā, āoutā, āsendā and a āreturnā. David internally wired the 'ins and outs' of the GCXs in series so there's no need to jump from one loop to the next on the backside of the units. You only need to 'send' and 'return' to each of your effects pedals, which makes the view in the back of the rig a little cleaner with fewer cables in there.
We use a Shure UR4D wireless to start the chain, but unfortunately it doesn't have an internal combiner for its two channels, so I send them both into a 4-channel Shure mixer. This also allows me to make sure my wireless signal is equal to that of plugging a guitar with an instrument cable straight in. The mixer output hits the front end of GCX 1 and from here the effects begin.
There have been articles written about what Brad uses, but pedals and amps change in and out of this rig quite oftenāI'm confident that by the time this article goes up online, it will have changed again. The effects as of now are a Boss CS-2 compressor, Hermida Zen Drive, Keeley-modded Ibanez 808 Tube Screamer, Line 6 M13, Way Huge Aqua Puss, Boss DD-2, Empress Super Delay, Wampler Analog Echo and a Real McCoy Picture Wah. To further the possibilities, I can use any of the Empressās eight delays in its single loop. I can also trigger any of the Line 6 M13's expansive modeling effects by assigning a midi channel in the Ground Control. All of the M13ās effects can be had while only using one loop in the GCX.
The last five loops are amp outputs, one with a Hermida Mosferatu in line so it only hits that amp. The amps (as of last Saturday night) were a handwired Vox AC30, Dr. Z Z-Wreck, Bruno Underground 30 and a Dr. Z Remedy. The fifth output is used only as a spare.
By using the Ground Control I can program any effect with any amp on any channel, and it keeps the signal path to a minimum. All of the loops in the GCX are true bypass so it helps keep noise down and also gives a truer guitar-amp tonality without a āprocessedā overtone. 95% of the time when Brad is playing, youāre hearing a single pedal and a single amp. Thatās all. And with the ability to switch amps like we do, I can either use an amp with a Tube Screamer in front of it or just dial up the Remedy. All of the tones that were created in the studio can be mimicked and effectively used live.
Iāll manage all of the effects and amp switching in a show from the stage area we call "guitar world," but Brad has a Ground Control at his feet on stage if he decides he wants to hear something different. On TV and at awards shows, you wonāt see me but Iāll be laying on the floor behind the drum riser, hiding behind a piece of the set or truly being the āman behind the curtainā doing the same thing.
Now that you have an understanding of the way the rig is set up, I'll be back next month to walk you through a frustrating grounding issue we encountered, and the fix I found.
Rich Eckhard talks with top Nashville picker Mark Gillespe of Trace Adkins'' band.
Trace Adkins and Mark Gillespe
Mark, you and I have been friends for almost 15 years, and weāve played together with a respectable number of artists. But this is the first time weāve gotten to travel together on a major tour. Iāve seen you play several different axes over the years. What guitars are you playing with Trace?
Right now, I have three electrics, one acoustic and one mandolin out on the road with me. For my main single-coil guitar, Iām using my ā89 Strat with Lace Sensor Gold pickupsāit has that great Strat sound that I love. For the songs that I need Humbuckers on, Iām using my PRS Modern Eagle. That guitar is a beast! I also have a Taylor electric model with three single-coil pickups. My acoustic is a Taylor GS7 with their Expression pickup system. Itās the most natural-sounding pickup system Iāve used. It is a great instrument. My Mandolin is a Gibson F5-L thatās about 10 years old with a Fishman pickup. I feel lucky to have a Charlie Derrington-signed model.
What pedals do you use?
Iāve been using a lot of Jim Dunlop pedals lately. I just added an MXR Carbon Copy delay, which I just leave on a slap-back setting. I also added a MXR Dyna Comp and overdrive. My other pedals are a Boss Blues Driver, Crybaby wah, Boss DD-5 delay and an Ernie Ball volume pedal. I tend to try different distortion pedals oftenāI just always seem to be looking.
What amps are you running all that through?
The main amp Iāve been using for the past several years is a ā65 Fender Pro Reverb. It has been a great workhorse ⦠very reliable. I love those old amps with hand wiring and no circuit boards. Theyāre easy to fix and just keep on going. The Pro Reverb has two 12" Weber speakers. I put those in about four years ago, and they made a huge difference. Ted Weber just passed away in August. He was a great guy and a friend to a lot of us musicians, and Iāll miss him for sure.
How do you and Brian decide who will play which part live?
Thatās really easy to do; we just kind of split it up between us. I usually play the main acoustic parts, if there are any. Trace digs the two electric thing, which is really fun and a big sound.
You and I have always worked well together when we play in the same band because we approach the instrument so differently. Who are your influences?
Well, Iāve been playing since I was about 13, so Iāve had quite a few influences over the years. My main ones would be Willie Nelson, James Burton, Steve Lukather, Larry Carlton, Robben Ford, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Tony Rice and Sam Bush.
What other bands have you played with?
Before I moved to Nashville, I lived in Destin, FL, and I worked in some house bands where I really learned a lot. I still have great friends there. I moved to Nashville in 1995 and Iāve worked with several steady bands, like Steve Azar, Noel Haggard, Keith Urban, Claudia Church, Paul Brandt, Chalee Tennison, whom I married, and Kellie Coffey.
Thatās a lot of gig time! How long have you been playing with Trace?
I began working with Trace on Mar. 3, 2004. Itās been a good gig with some good guys in the band.
What was the first song you can remember learning on the guitar, and how old were you when you first started playing?
āWildwood Flowerā on acoustic and āJohnny B. Goodeā on electric. I was in the eighth grade, so I was 13 years old.
Do you play any other instruments?
I play the Mandolin, and a little bit of Dobro.
Do you own any rare or vintage guitars?
I have a mid-30s Dobro and a mid-70s ES-335. Are ā70s model guitars vintage yet? I also have an early Fender Custom Shop Tele. Itās the Buckaroo model.
Well Mark, it sounds like youāre keeping busy. Iām so glad to have you out with us on tour this year.
Thanks Rich!
Next month, weāll hear from Brian Wooten, the stage-right side of this axe-slinging team. Till then, keep jamminā.
Rich Eckhardt is one of the most sought-after guitarists in Nashville. His ability to cover multiple styles has put him on stage with singers ranging from Steven Tyler of Aerosmith to Shania Twain. Rich is currently playing lead guitar with Toby Keith. His latest CD, Cottage City Firehouse is available online at CDbaby.com or at richeckhardt.com.
Kevin Borden finishes his journey through vintage bass amplification history with early ''80s Peavey combos
Acoustic amplifiers are a misnomer. In the ā70s, I saw Led Zeppelin at Madison Square Garden. There was an amp onstage I did not recognize. It had the trademark light blue stripe and the big metal knobs. I asked a buddy what it was and was told it was an Acoustic 360 or 370, and John Paul Jones used it. I did not understand why a bassist would use an āacousticā amp.
The 360 and 370, while being completely different amps, share an amazing commonality, which is the creamy, deep tone that comes out of them. The Acoustic has a wonderful trait: while the tone goes deep, every note is discernable and articulate. Deep does not equal muddy with these amps. A very controlled top end could also be coaxed out of these amps without sounding shrill. In the very early ā80s, Acoustic introduced a fabulous series of bass amps culminating in the channel-switching 320 head and model 408 4x15" cabinet. My SVT/Cerwin Vega rig (that I mentioned in a previous article) was sold to purchase this very rig. This amp retained all the goodness of the older series amps, and it was able to stand up to a B00 Stingray. Acoustic amps can still be found on the market for fair money. The little brothers to the 320 head were the 120 and 220, and these can be found reasonably priced. A lot of the older model amps have been around the block and most likely need some service.
Fender had an interesting dilemma. They made the world-class line of basses but never had the world-class bass amp. Their amp line was centered on the Bassman series, which had the Bassman 50 and 135 models, which were piggybacked. The cabinets were huge compared to the wattage of the head, which sounded pretty good with a non-offensive generic tone. Zillions were sold, making them a commercial success, but I personally believe they sold primarily because of the Fender name. The stepchild to the Bassman line was the Bassman 10, which may have been the best amp in the lineup. This amp was not 10 watts, but a 4x10" configuration, emulating the tweed Bassman. Although heavy and clumsy to transport, the size is compact, and the tone was tight and controllable. Like its predecessor, it became a favorite of guitar players. Fender also had a full line of practice amps aimed at the Musicmaster and Mustang crowd. There is really little drawback to a silverface Fender amp: theyāre reasonably priced, tough as nails and offer reasonable tone. These amps offer major cool guy factor (CGF) for the capital outlay.
Sunn All Who fans raise your hands. In the ā70s there was a small city on stage behind John Entwhistle nicknamed Mini-Manhattan. Mini-Manhattan was literally a wall of amplifiers either primarily or totally made by Sunn. Sunn had three primary bass amps: the Coliseum and Concert Bass amps, which were solid state, and the Model T. Sunn amps did a few things other transistor amps did not do: they were reliable for the day, they sounded good, the front ends were robust and you could actually play an Alembic or a T-Bird through them and achieve a nice sonic response. Like the Fender amps, they are reasonably priced, tough as nails and offer reasonable tone. These amps also offer major CGF for the capital outlay.
The Early Modern Era
During the very early ā80s, bass amplification changed foreverāthe auto industry maybe the principal reason. In the early ā70s, vehicle sizes were drastically reduced and with fuel prices soaring, the old behemoths faded away. Big amps could not be transported in the new smaller cars that dominated the late ā70s onward. The other issue was that some of the components in tubes are not so nice to the human body, and American and Western European production basically ceased. This resulted in two major changes: first, the shift to solid-state technologies; second, the major downsizing of gear. Before this period, combo amps were low-volume applications. The ā80s saw the introduction of killer combo amps. The company fully responsible for this was Peavey.
In summer 1982, I walked into Sam Ash and Nabil Goudy, the bass manager, called me over. He pointed to this little amp, a Peavey Combo 300. This was the first amp I ever heard with the modern tone. I purchased that amp and a new B.C. Rich Eagle Bass that was used to demo the amp. I used that amp for twenty years. After that, boutique amplifier manufacturers were springing up. The seeds for GK, SWR and the like were all being planted, and things changed forever.
The Lowdown Wrap-up
There is nothing as cool as a gigantic bass amp played loud enough to blow your pants around. The old stuff requires patience; youāll have downtime and expenses for maintenance. On a player-grade amp, donāt shy away from re-coned speakersāexpect it. Changed speakers, changed tolex or grille cloth will devalue the amp. Before you drop big bucks on a very rare amp, get it checked! Yes, there are amplifier forgeries or swapped major components. Remember: keep your hands out of the inner workings. Amps can electrocute you.
I hope you enjoyed this series. Until next time, drop the gig bag, bring the cannolis!
Kevin Borden has been a bass player since 1975 and is currently the principle and co-owner, with āDr.ā Ben Sopranzetti, of Keboās Bass Works: kebosbassworks.com.
He can be reached at: Kebobass@yahoo.com. Feel free to call him KeBo.