zack lopez

Inside the three-rig setup for the two-man band.

Premier Guitar's Tessa Jeffers is on location in Nashville, Tennessee, where she catches up with guitarist Zack Lopez of Middle Class Rut. Lopez discusses his new current live setup with a full band, as well as the three-rig configuration used for the two-man attack that MC Rut is known for. He also demos his "simplified" rig which is built upon a tonal foundation made up of a Gibson Les Paul Jr. and a Orange Rockerverb, which he manipulates and colors with a healthy pedalboard.

Guitars Middle Class Rut guitarist/frontman Zack Lopez has a huge affinity for Les Paul Juniors because of their heaviness. “I love feeling like I have a tree around my neck,” he says. His main LP Jr. is a ’57 reissue acquired in 2001 from the Gibson custom shop on the suggestion of recording engineer Joe Barresi. “I made my whole sound out of this guitar,” Lopez says. It has a stock P-90, but Lopez swapped the bridge for a Leo Quan Badass bridge. He also has a backup LP Jr., but it’s “too light” compared to the No. 1.

Read MoreShow less