Take a cruise through the Gibson- and Marshall-heavy world of this Grammy-winning, hard-rocking duo.
Lzzy Hale and Joe Hottinger of the Grammy-winning rock band Halestorm recently took a break from rehearsals for their 2021 tour to talk rigs with Premier Guitar's John Bohlinger.
Shortly before this interview, Hale had become the first woman to be named a brand ambassador by Gibson. With several signature models under her name, and Hottinger's apparent obsession with SGs, it's not surprising this rundown features some primo Gibsons.
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Lzzyās No. 1
The Halestorm frontwoman's top dog is her Lzzy Hale Explorer in alpine white with gold hardware, featuring '57 Classic humbuckers, a mahogany body/neck, a rosewood bound fretboard, three control knobs (independent volumes and a master tone), and a 3-way pickup switch.
Black Dog
A study in contrast to her No. 1, this Lzzy Hale Dark Explorer in black and gold has '57 Classic humbuckers, an ebony finish, block inlays, and a solid mahogany body.
Head's Up
And here's the distinctive Explorer headstock.
Up on the Low-Down
When Lzzy wants to go low and rumbly, she plays her Custom Baritone Gibson Explorer gold top. It's got a 28" scale neck and her preferred two-tone-one-volume control setup.
Lzzy Bird
For something truly different, Hale plays her custom Explorer with a Firebird headstock, decked in black and red, with gold hardware and a pair of humbuckers from the 1970s.
Rock x 2
This EDS-1275 is literally the heaviest guitar in the Halestorm arsenal, with a standard top and baritone bottom, in SG white. It's strung with Ernie Ball paradigms (.10ā.52) on top and the company's Not Even Slinky .12s for the bari half. The pickups are her preferred '57 classics.
Anyone for Chess?
If amplification were a match game, Hale would be ready. She tours with two custom Marshall custom JCM800sāone white, one black.
White On
Here's one of her 4x12 cabinetsāgeared up in a finish to match the head that drives it.
Lzzy's Pedalstorm
The signal runs from Hale's guitars into a Jerry Cantrell JC95 Dunlop Cry Baby wah. Then it hits a Boss TU-3, an EHX POG2, an MXR/CAE Boost/Line Driver, a vintage Klon Centaur, and a Way Huge Aqua-Puss Analog Delay Pedal. The power supply is a Strymon Zuma.
You Want SGs?
Joe Hottinger's got SGsāa fat roadcase full when he tours. He bought this 2003 SG Standard new when he joined the band that year. The pickups were changed to Burstbuckers when the originals died while on tour in Europe.
The Green Monster
This is a great shade of green, allowing the character on the wood in this kornia-body SG to emerge. It's a 2001 Gibson Custom Shop creature with custom '57 Classic humbuckers.
Double ... or Something
Not to be outshined, Joe's EDS-1275 is in super-shiny Brunswick blue sparkle. The pickups on the 6-string side are a Burstbucker 1 and 2 set. On the 12-string side, they're a 2 and 3 set. Burstbuckers 1s are low output, 2s are medium output, and 3s are overwound and hot.
Give It Up for Lester
This white silverburst '61 reissue has a Maestro tailpiece and its design comes from the era when it was called the Les Paul SG. It is stock and was built in 2010.
It's Not Easy Being Green
But it rocksāat least on this 2020 Custom Shop '61/'59 Fat Neck SG Limited Edition with three humbuckers, just like Jimi's famed white "Dick Cavett" model.
Single-Coils Going Steady
When it's time for that P-90 sound, Hottinger reaches for his 2011 50th Anniversary Pete Townshend alpine white SG. Windmilling lessons not included!
Bari or Bust
This limited edition 2013 Gibson SG Baritone has a 27"-scale neck, a Richlite fretboard, 496R and 500T humbuckers, and push-pull volume pots.
Chet's Mix
Yes, this is also a Gibsonāa 1999 Custom Shop Chet Atkins SST. It has a solid top and a mahogany body, and a bridge transducer with an active preamp. Strings: Ernie Ball Acoustic Paradigm .12 sets. His electric guitars have Paradigm .10ā.52 sets, mostly, and the company's Not Even Slinky .12s are on the baritone.
Amps? You Betcha
These two 2020 Marshall SV20H Studio Vintage plexi-style heads are just the tip of the iceberg of Joe's amplification setup.
Blasting from the Past
These two Marshall Super Leads are also in the game. The red one is from 1971 and the purple head is from 1973. Note the jumped inputs.
Big, Bad Bogner
This Bogner 4x12āone of two in Joe's rigāfeatures Beyma Liberty 8-ohm speakers, which are super versatile, sonically.
Clean Stomp Space
Hottinger keeps a neat pedalboard, running cable into an Xotic XW1 wah to a Xotic XVP 250K High Impedance Volume Pedal. From there, it's a Tru-Fi Octavia Fuzz, Bogner La Grange, overdrive, Tru-Fi Colordriver 18V, Keely 30 ms Automatic Double Tracker, Electro-Harmonix POG2, Earthquaker Devices Afterneath, and Strymon TimeLine. It's all juiced by a Strymon Zuma power box.
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- Rig Rundown: Nick Raskulinecz - Premier Guitar āŗ
- Halestorm's Lzzy Hale and Joe Hottinger: The "Woo" Factor ... āŗ
- Gibson Unveils the Lzzy Hale Signature Explorerbird - Premier Guitar āŗ
- Lzzy Hale's Signature Kramer Voyager Guitar āŗ
Featuring a newly-voiced circuit with more compression and versatility, these pedals are hand-crafted in Los Angeles for durability.
Messiah Guitars custom shop has launched a pair of new pedals: The Eddie Boostdrive Session Edition and Lilā Ed Session Drive.
The two pedals are full-size and mini-sized versions of a newly-voiced circuit based on Messiahās successful Eddie Boostdrive. The two new āSessionā pedals feature more compression and versatility in the overall tone, and showcase Messiahās ongoing collaboration with Nashville session guitarist Eddie Haddad.
The new Session Boostdrive schematic includes a fine-tuned EQ section (eliminating the need for the Tight switch on the earlier Boostdrive) and two independently operated circuits: a single-knob booster, and a dual-mode drive featuring a 3-band EQ. The booster consists of a single-stage MOSFET transistor providing boost ranging from -3dB to 28dB. At low settings, the boost adds sparkle to the tone, while a fully cranked setting will send your amp to a fuzzy territory. Thebooster engagement is indicated by a purple illuminated foot switch.
The overdrive contains a soft-clipped op-amp stage, inspired by a screamer-style circuit. The pedal includes a classic Silicon clipping mode (when activated, the pedalās indicator light is blue)and an LED mode for a more open, amp-like break up (indicator light is red).
The active 3-band EQ is highly interactive and capable of emulating many popular drive sounds. Although both effects can be used separately, engaging them simultaneously produces juicy tones that will easily cut through the mix. Both new pedals accept a standard 9V pedal power supply with negative center pin.
āI love my original Boostdrive,ā says Haddad, ābut I wanted to explore the circuit and see if we could give it more focused features. This would make it more straightforward for guitarists who prefer simplicity in their drive pedals. The boost is super clean and loud in all the right waysā¦it can instantly sweeten up an amp and add more heft and sparkle to the drive section.ā
Like their custom guitars and amplifiers, Messiahās pedals are hand-crafted in Los Angeles for durability and guaranteed quality.
The Lilā Ed Session Drive pedal includes:
- 5-knob controls, a 2-way mode side switch
- Durable, space-saving cast aluminum alloy 1590A enclosure with fun artwork
- True bypass foot switch
- Standard 9V/100mA pedal power input
The Eddie Session Edition pedal features:
- 6-knob controls, a 2-way mode switch; space-saving top-side jacks
- Durable, cast aluminum alloy 125B enclosure with fun artwork
- Easy to see, illuminated optical true bypass foot switches
- Standard 9V/100mA pedal power input
The Eddie Boostdrive Session Edition retails for $249.00, and the Lilā Ed Session Drive for$179.
For more information, please visit messiahguitars.com.
Eddie BoostDrive and Lil' Ed pedal review with Eddie & Jax - YouTube
Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.With 700 watts of power, built-in overdrive, versatile EQ options, and multiple output choices, this bass head is designed to deliver unparalleled clarity and performance in a lightweight, rugged package.
PowerStage 700 Bass is compact and durable for easy transport yet powerful enough to fill any venue. This world-class bass head can also serve as the ideal clean power platform to amplify your preamp or modeler. Streamline your rig without compromising your sound and focus on what truly mattersāyour music.
Designed by Seymour Duncanās legendary engineer Kevin Beller, a lifelong bass player, this 700-watt bass head delivers unparalleled clarity and performance in a lightweight, rugged package. Whether plugging in on stage or in the studio, PowerStage 700Bass provides tight low-end and rich harmonics, with a footswitchable built-in overdrive for an extra layer of sonic versatility.
A robust, bass-optimized EQ (treble, low mid, high mid, bass and presence) tailors your sound to any room. Need to switch between active and passive basses? Youāre covered - PowerStage700 Bass includes a convenient -10db pad control. Multiple output options (Ā¼ā, Speakon, XLRDI, and headphone) work for any setup, whether powering cabinets, going direct to a PA, or recording straight into your audio interface.
- 700 Watts of Power at 4 ohmsā¢ Preamp voiced for a wide range of vintage & amp; modern bass sounds
- Built-in Overdrive that can go from a light vintage saturation to full-throttle bone-grinding distortion (with optional foot-switchable control)
- Effects loop allows for post-preamp processing and easy integration with modelers and preamp pedals
- 4 band EQ, Sweepable mid controls, and presence button offer dynamic tone shaping possibilities
- Aux input
- Super lightweight and durable chassis for easy transport with our optional gig bag or rack ears.
For more information, please visit seymourduncan.com.
Tone, Power, Portability: PowerStage 700 Bass | Seymour Duncan's New Bass Amp Head - YouTube
With both feet squarely in the rodent realm, the Bat spreads its wings to range outward to fuzz, lo-fi, and creamy OD zones.
A thousand shades of RAT, spanning lo-fi, fuzz, and creamy OD. Gets along with every kind of amp and guitarāas long as you like things a bit filthy and mysterious.
Not many, really. Maybe a little extra bass range is asking too much?
$199
Supercool Barstow Bat
supercoolpedals.com
One of the most visceral, thrilling sound baths I ever experienced came courtesy of a Turbo RAT. This roar was an amalgam of trashy punk spittle, string detail, Black Sabbath mass, and an imploding Fender tweed. I might have been even happier if the Supercool Barstow Bat was onstage that night instead.
The Bat, resplendent in Ralph Steadman-style acid-nightmare graphics, is unmistakably a RAT at its core. But with the inclusion of a āTurboā button and a low/mid/high EQ stack in place of a RATās filter control, the Bat enables you to explore very specific tone spectra the original could only hint at. And when you factor in the Batās ability to work with virtually any guitar tone-and-volume combo, youāre sorta looking at a pedal thatās as different as a real rat is from real bat.
Okay, maybe the difference isnāt that extreme. As I said, RAT genetics are easy to hear here. But the very effective tone controls mean you can transform the RAT vocabularyāwhich spans low-gain overdrive and lacerating distortionāinto 1960s buzz-fuzz realms, exploding lo-fi student-amp zones, and other extremes ranging from fat and blurry to laser-beam trebly. Youāll have to know this pedal well to cover all this ground on a stageāa path well worth pursuing. (Itās just five knobs for cryinā out loud). And because it finds copious goodness as easily in a 6L6 Fender as an EL84 Vox, itās the kind of pedal that you should try with any amp, in any musical situationābut especially in the studio, where its unique, rangeful RAT-related voice could be the best kind of chameleon.
Angus is plugged in and ready to go, so we get to hear some of the moves in actionāincluding how loose, light gauge strings create the signature Sabbath sound, how it encouraged some parts of Iommiās lead moves.
Angus Clark is an expert of all things Tony Iommi, and he has the gear to prove it! The Trans-Siberian Orchestra and Rock of Ages guitarist shows us a couple sweet Iommi tribute SGs as he walks us through Black Sabbathās discography, breaking down Iommiās vocabulary, sound, and gear, and how Iommi created some of the most identifiable riffs in all of rock. Angus is plugged in and ready to go, so we get to hear some of the moves in actionāincluding how loose, light gauge strings create the signature Sabbath sound, how it encouraged some parts of Iommiās lead moves.