PG’s John Bohlinger joins Derek Wells in the studio to check out the decorated Nashville hit-maker’s recording rig, which includes a custom-built pedalboard and a six-pack of tube amps.
It might actually be easier to list the artists Derek Wells hasn’t worked with, than the ones with whom he has.
The Nashville-based multi-instrumentalist and producer has lent a hand to more than 100 number one singles over the years, with household staples like Kenny Chesney, Maren Morris, Dolly Parton, Carrie Underwood, even Shakira. He’s also piled up production credits with artists like Hardy, Lainey Wilson, Maddie & Tae, and Scotty McCreery, and over the years he’s collected a flashy mantle’s-worth of awards: the Academy of Country Music named Wells their Guitar Player of the Year two times, and he was MusicRow’s 2022 Guitarist of the Year.
Wells invited PG’s John Bohlinger to the studio to run down his main recording rig.
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Twang Town
Wells’ 1953 Fender Telecaster features a Fralin neck pickup and a Fender lap steel pickup in the bridge.
Golden Hour
This 2008 goldtop Gibson Les Paul also sports a Fralin in the neck position, while a vintage PAF pickup holds down the bridge.
Atkins Diet
Wells’ sharp 2003 Gretsch 6120 runs TV Jones FilterTron pickups.
Red Rider
This bloody good 2000s Danelectro Baritone has been upgraded with custom saddles and bridge from Jeff Senn.
Black Cat
Last but not least, Wells’ 2000s Duesenberg Double Cat is dressed up with an Asher Double Palm Bender.
The Magnificent Six
When Wells goes into a studio session, he doesn’t travel light. This time, he’s brought six trusty friends with him: a Supro Black Magick head, a 1960 Fender Tweed Deluxe, a ’67 50-watt Marshall Plexi, a Matchless HC-30 from 1996, a 1961 white knob Fender Bassman, and a quirky custom amp titled The Knob.
This heavy-hitting tonal bullpen runs through either a Matchless 1x12 or a Bogner 4x12.Drowned In Tape
Wells’ amp rack houses a gorgeous old Roland Chorus Echo RE-501, while the rest of his effects are on his pedalboard built by Nashville’s XAct Tone Solutions (XTS).
XTS Ecstasy
XTS constructed Wells’ do-it-all-and-then-some board utilizing a Gig Rig G3 Switching System. Right now, the stomp headquarters includes a Line 6 M9, Strymon’s Mobius and Timeline, a Mission Engineering Expressionator, Electro-Harmonix’s Micro Synth, a MXR Bass Compressor, and doubles of the Boss GE-7 Equalizer (which have both been modded by XTS). Wells gets his dirt from an Ibanez MT10 Mostortion, a REVV Shawn Tubbs Tilt Overdrive, XTS’ own Winford Drive, and Xotic’s RC Booster. A modded Digitech XP series pedal, a Boss FV-500H, and a Dunlop DVP3 round out the collection.
Shop Derek Wells' Rig
1961 Les Paul/SG
Gretsch 6120
Gibson Les Paul Standard
Danelectro Baritone
Supro 1695TH Black Magick Tube Head
Boss GE-7 Equalizer
Strymon Timeline
Strymon Mobius
Electro-Harmonix Micro Synth
Xotic RC Booster
MXR Bass Compressor
Revv Tilt Overdrive
Peterson Stomp Classic Strobotuner
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Getting in Shape
Not every guitar model looks good on every player. Could Friedman pull off Dimebag’s Dean machines? He doesn’t think so. But a Les Paul body is universally agreeable. “If an accountant picks up this guitar, he’s going to look really cool,” says Friedman. That’s why he went with the LP-style mahogany body on his signature Jackson Pro Series MF-1 with a cracked purple mirror finish. The design, of course, has a “Jacksonized” headstock and Friedman’s logo to set it far apart from its Gibson counterparts.
The guitars come loaded with Friedman’s signature EMG MF passive pickups, and Friedman strings his with D’Addario NYXL .010–.046s. He plucks with Dunlop picks.
On deck in case of emergency is a Jackson X Series Signature Marty Friedman MF-1, a budget-conscious alternative to the flashy Pro Series MF-1.
ENGL
Another signature piece, this ENGL Marty Friedman INFERNO Signature E766 is a 100-watt firebreather that Friedman designed with the German amp makers. Friedman says they started from the company’s Steve Morse signature amplifier, then pared back the elements he didn’t use, resulting in a cheaper but still incredibly powerful product.
Marty Friedman's Board
Friedman asked Sosa to build him a board based on his needs, and Sosa delivered this no-frills stomp station, which he operates backstage during the show. First, Friedman’s signal hits a Revv G8 noise gate which the tech dubs the most important pedal; he has his hand on it the whole show, tweaking its settings for different parts. After, there’s an MXR M87 bass compressor for clean tones, Maxon AF-9 Auto Filter, MXR Analog Chorus, MXR Phase 90, Ibanez Tube Screamer, and a Boss DD-500. Friedman runs to his board via a Shure GLXD6+ wireless system, and a Boss ES-8 switching system helps simplify Sosa’s job.
Settings and effect applications can change from night to night. Sosa will try out different things during the set, and afterward, he and Friedman will decide what worked and what didn’t.
