MonoNeon, aka Dywane Thomas Jr., came up learning the bass from his father in Memphis, Tennessee, but for some reason, he decided to flip his dad’s 4-string bass around and play it with the string order inverted—E string closest to the ground and the G on top. That’s how MonoNeon still plays today, coming up through a rich, inspiring gauntlet of family and community traditions. “I guess my whole style came from just being around my grandma at an early age,” says Thomas.His path has led him to collaborate with dozens of artists, including Nas, Ne-Yo, Mac Miller, and even Prince, and MonoNeon’s solo output is dizzying—trying to count up his solo releases isn’t an easy feat. Premier Guitar’s Chris Kies caught up with the bassist before his show at Nashville’s Exit/In, where he got the scoop on his signature 5-string, Ampeg rig, and simple stomp layout, as well as some choice stories about influences, his brain-melting playing style, and how Prince changed his rig.
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Orange You Glad to See Me?
This Fender MonoNeon Jazz Bass V was created after a rep messaged Thomas on Instagram to set up the signature model, over which Thomas had complete creative control. Naturally, the bass is finished in neon yellow urethane with a neon orange headstock and pickguard, and the roasted maple neck has a 10"–14" compound radius. It’s loaded with custom-wound Fireball 5-string Bass humbuckers and an active, 18V preamp complete with 3-band EQ controls. Thomas’ own has been spruced up with some custom tape jobs, too. All of MonoNeon's connections are handled by Sorry Cables.
Fade to Black
MonoNeon’s Ampeg SVT stack isn’t a choice of passion. “That’s what they had for me, so I just plugged in,” he says. “That’s what I have on my rider. As long as it has good headroom and the cones don’t break up, I’m cool.”
Box Art
MonoNeon’s bass isn’t the only piece of kit treated to custom color jobs. Almost all of his stomps have been zhuzhed up with his eye-popping palette.
Thomas had used a pitch-shifting DigiTech Whammy for a while, but after working with Paisley Park royalty, the pedal became a bigger part of his playing. “When I started playing with Prince, he put the Whammy on my pedalboard,” Thomas explains. “After he passed, I realized how special that moment was.”
Alongside the Whammy, MonoNeon runs a Fairfield Circuitry Randy’s Revenge (for any time he wants to “feel weird”), a literal Fart Pedal (in case the ring mod isn’t weird enough, we guess), and a JAM Pedals Red Muck covers fuzz and dirt needs. A CIOKS SOL powers the whole affair.
About creating the guitar, Mars said “I don’t think of myself as a guitar player. I’m more of a frustrated songwriter. Every song is like a puzzle you have to solve, and a good guitar can bring something out of you that can help take you to the finish line. That’s what I wanted from this guitar.” He added, “It was also important to have a workhorse that I could depend on for performing live and writing in the studio, whether it be rhythm or lead.”
Fender Bruno Mars Signature Stratocaster - Mars Mocha
The Bruno Mars Stratocaster is crafted from resonant ash with sculpted American Ultra body contours for superior comfort and unparalleled access to the upper registers of the fingerboard. The Mars Mocha Heirloom nitrocellulose lacquer finish creates a gracefully aged aesthetic while allowing for maximum resonance and pure tone. The 9.5"–12" compound-radius maple fingerboard and stainless-steel frets provide a silky, polished feel for smooth bending and effortless playability. The custom Bruno Mars Stratocaster pickups are fine-tuned to achieve Bruno’s favorite tones for classic Strat sparkle and singing lead sounds. The 2-Point Synchronized Tremolo and Deluxe Locking Tuners provide enhanced tuning stability with modern convenience, while a full complement of Heirloom Aged Gold Hardware gives this high-performance guitar the broken-in look and feel of a well-used, treasured instrument. Also included are a custom leopard print strap and an extra 3-ply mint green pickguard.
For more information, please visit fender.com.
“We wanted to fashion a guitar that shows Fender’s respect for the artists marking today’s musical hall of fame, as well as displays Bruno Mars’s supernova qualities,” said Justin Norvell, EVP of Product at FMIC. “Bruno has been a tried and true Fender player since the early days of his career and we’re thrilled to include his signature among our roster. Between the all-new finish to the custom-voiced pickups, we’re confident this will be one of our largest signature launches to date.”
Exploring the Limited Edition Bruno Mars Stratocaster | Fender Artist Signature | Fender
Eric Clapton’s 1958 korina Gibson Explorer on display is likely the second one he owned, which was acquired in the early ’80s. His more famed Explorer appeared on Slowhand’s 1975 live album, E.C. Was Here, and traveled the world with him on his 1974-’75 tour.
Keith Richards’ ’53 Fender Telecaster
Richards’ ’53 Tele sports a Broadcaster neck. The Rolling Stones’ guitarist played this instruments in the ’80s and ’90s.
Photo courtesy of Frist Art Museum
Brian Setzer’s ’56 Gretsch Silver Jet
The former Stray Cat strutted with this sparkling example of a Gretsch classic for about 20 years, starting in 2000.
Freddie King’s ’63 ES-335
This guitar is among the iconic Gibsons associated with King during his career, which helped define the sound of blues rock. King’s other favorites included a 1954 Les Paul goldtop that was destroyed when it was tipped over by his children at play, and a 1964 ES-345 that he used on his 1971 album, Getting Ready.
1930s Stella Gambler Deluxe
This Oscar Schmidt-built 12-string work of art, circa 1930, came decorated with overlapping playing cards in a nod to America’s preoccupation with gambling.
John Lee Hooker’s ’65 ES-335
The great bluesman employed a wide variety of models during his career, which spanned more than a half-century, ranging from Stella acoustics to the Epiphone Sheraton to this Gibson ES-335.
Gibson Style O
Gibson made these Style O hand-carved archtops from 1908 to 1925. It has a spruce top and maple back and sides.
Celebrity Guitars
This wall of guitars played by famed musicians also includes a 1954 Stratocaster owned by Eldon Shamblin, a member of Bob Wills’ Texas Playboys who helped craft the Western swing sound; Les Paul’s 1975 Recording model, which was a guinea pig for many of his mod experiments; a rare salmon-finish 1963 Strat; and a 1955 Strat played by Ronnie Wood.
Courtesy of Frist Art Museum