Seattle indie rockers Deep Sea Diver released their fourth full-length record, Billboard Heart, earlier this year via Sub Pop, and their supporting cross-country tour took them to downtown Nashville’s Blue Room at Jack White’s Third Man Records.

PG’s Chris Kies connected with singer and guitarist Jessica Dobson in 2020 for a virtual Rig Rundown, but this time we get a close-up, in-person look at Dobson’s tour kit, including her signature Benson stomp box and a custom guitar.

Lighten the Load

Dobson picked up this slick Bilt S.S. Zaftig to replace her beloved but terribly heavy Fender Starcaster. This one has Lollar Regal Wide-Range humbuckers in it.

Regrets, I’ve Had a Few

Dobson purchased this used Fender Elvis Costello Jazzmaster in 2010, and has since met the person who sold it—and totally regrets it. It’s strung with D’Addario .011–.052s, and tuned to E standard.

Blue Benz

U.K.-based builder Elliott Trent modeled this custom Trent guitar for Dobson on her mother’s old blue Mercedes, and loaded it with P-90s.

Benson Boom Box

Dobson’s amp of choice, taped to perfection, is this 30-watt Benson Chimera 2x12 combo.

Jessica Dobson’s Pedalboard

Dobson runs a busy board powered by a Voodoo Labs Pedal Power 2 Plus and operated via a Boss ES-8. There’s also her signature Benson Deep Sea Diver, plus a Benson Germanium Preamp, JHS Pulp N Peel, Sarno Music Solutions Earth Drive, Benson Germanium Boost, EHX Deluxe Memory Man, Strymon blueSky, EHX POG2, Chase Bliss Brothers Analog Gainstage, and Menatone Pleasure Trem 5000, plus a TC Electronic PolyTune 2 Noir.

Benson Deep Sea Diver
Benson Chimera
Benson Germanium Preamp
JHS Pulp 'N' Peel Compressor Pedal
Benson Germanium Boost
Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man Analog Delay / Chorus / Vibrato Pedal
TC Electronic PolyTune3 Noir
Strymon blueSky
Electro-Harmonix POG2
Voodoo Labs Pedal Power 2 Plus
Boss ES-8