From Robin Trower to Eric Johnson to Tom Morello, Joe Bonamassa, the Edge, Green Day, Eric Clapton, and more—10 S-Styles that’ll give you 6-on-a-side envy!
Here’s PG’s stats on Strats—the top 10 Rig Rundowns featuring Fender Stratocasters and other Strat-style guitars. We’re not giving away who’s number one, but you’re welcome to guess—or simply watch the compelling show-and-tells in this video. You’ll see a slew of signature models close up, with guided tours from Robin Trower and Eric Johnson (who also show off vintage Marshalls), and by Eric Clapton and the Edge’s stalwart techs. Meet the 1958 Fender Strat that John Oates played on virtually all of Hall & Oates’ smash hits. (Can you go for that?) Plus, get the lowdown on Doyle Bramhall II’s hard-played 1964 Stratocaster and the left-of-center pickup configuration employed by Khruangbin’s Mark Speer.
Still want more? How about the super strat rocked by Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong, or a demonstration by Tom Morello of his famed scratching technique—with a slide. (Hint: It’s not a kill switch, and he’s an inventive badass.) And Joe Bonamassa tells you why he bought a guitar that was presented to him as the “best Stratocaster” ever, and makes a compelling case for exactly why it’s that, by a good 5 percent. Spoiler alert: There’s a lot more great gear details you’ll pick up along the way. F’rinstance, does Clapton really never change his strings unless they break? How funky do flatwounds needs to get until they’re perfect? How many Flying V’s does the Edge use during a concert? What pickup settings yielded the sounds you’re heard on classic recordings? How many marmots does it take to fill a VW bug? (Just seeing if you’re playing attention.) Sure, the Stratocaster and its variants have been around since 1954, and we’ve heard them played on countless recordings, but you won’t leave this Top 10 Rig Rundown without learning something new about Leo Fender’s greatest hit!
Strats, Explorers, Les Pauls, AC30s, and a healthy amount of delay help form some of the most iconic tones ever recorded. Famed tech Dallas Schoo walks us through the ins and outs of The Edge’s expansive setup.
This past June, PG traveled to the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia to catch U2’s eXPERIENCE & iNNOCENCE Tour. Before the band’s soundcheck, John Bohlinger hung with Dallas Schoo, who has been taking care of The Edge’s ever-changing collection for over 30 years.
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The Edge’s guitar playing blew our brains out. Besides that, here’s a glimpse of who played what on the farm, including Red Hot Chili Peppers, Royal Blood, Kaleo, Umphrey’s McGee, and others in between.
More than 65,000 music enthusiasts grazed the Manchester, Tennessee, farm during the 16th installment of good vibes an hour south of Nashville. Bonnaroo is always fantastically entertaining with plenty of surprises around every corner. There’s the high-fives between strangers, twerking workouts with Big Freedia, the silent disco, and the fake snow falling 24/7 at the Christmas Barn stage. Hey, there was even a dance party around a toy unicorn, dubbed the Roonicorn, that went viral. For all this festival is, it leaves a music enthusiast absolutely invigorated, exhausted, inspired, and, well, awaiting next year. You can never see it all, and there’s a lot more than guitar, but here’s what we saw in the world of strings played through cranked amplifiers. And let’s be honest: The main event was seeing the Edge and hearing his magical trademark delay cascade into the universe for two hours. Simply, he’s a master. It was flawless and incredibly awesome. See for yourself in the clips below.
