Irishman Kryz Reid details additions to his Star Wars family of guitars and why he went from vintage to digital, while Stephan Jenkins’ tech explains why price tags don't matter.
Before the band's co-headlining slot alongside Jimmy Eat World at Nashville's Ascend Amphitheater, lead guitarist Kryz Reid took some time with PG's Perry Bean to update us not only on the additions to his guitar arsenal (yes, he still names them after Star Wars characters, although he has avoided using Jar Jar Binks), but also explains why he stored away his vintage Marshalls and Custom Shop Fender heads in order to embrace the 21st-century power of a Kemper. In addition, we get a peek at lead singer/guitarist Stephan Jenkins' lineup of electrics and acoustics thanks to tech Danny Nolan.
This is Kryz Reid’s No. 1 Gibson Les Paul. It’s named “The Emperor,” and is a custom ’59 made with aged wood and outfitted with relic’d hardware.
This Gibson SG (that’s actually Stephan’s guitar) is only in the touring vault because “Blinded” is in the set within a melody of jams and requires an odd tuning (F–A–C–F–A–E).
Another one the modern side, Kryz Reid plays a 2011 Fano JM6 named “Fett.” Based on a Jazzmaster, the guitar has Lindy Fralin P-90s in the neck and bridge positions and a Bigsby vibrato.
This is Kryz Reid’s Fano TC6 that’s named after Maul.
In our 2014 episode with Kryz Reid, he was traveling with a stock 1966 Fender Telecaster Custom, but this Fender Custom Shop Tele has taken over the touring duties and name of “TK-421.”
This is Kryz Reid’s 2009 Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul named “Tarkin” that is tuned a half-step up.
Here is the newest addition to Kryz Reid’s guitar family—a 2009 Gibson Les Paul Traditional II that comes with pull pots, but he wanted the guitar to be as black as possible (to match its dark name, “Vader”) so all the pots and pickguard were exchanged for something a tad eviler.
One of the newest guitars brought in by Kryz Reid is this Gibson Custom Shop R8 Les Paul that he’s dubbed “BB-8.” All of his guitars use D’Addario strings—this one and all other standard-tuned instruments take .010s. Guitars that are tuned down a whole step take .011s, and anything tuned lower than that uses .012s so Reid has a consistent feel under his fingertips.
This Gibson Custom Shop R0 Les Paul is nicknamed “Tydirium.” Reid keeps it tuned to open D (D–A–D–F#–A–D). It has a weight-relief body with a ’60s profile neck. Kryz shyly admits that it came specially loaded with a set of the same humbuckers put in Jimmy Page’s Custom No. 2.
For stage volume, feedback, and the ultimate, last-ditch backup, Kryz Reid has the Fender Tone-Master ready to rock. The custom finish was done by TokiDoki creator and Italian artist Simone Legno.
In our 2014 Rig Rundown, Kryz Reid was all tube, all day (using a ’93 Custom Shop Fender Tone-Master with a 1965 Marshall Plexi), but since then, and at the behest of the band’s FOH, he and Stephan made the move to the Kemper Profiler. Kryz admits in the video he was a big-time skeptic, but after working with “Dr. Kemper” aka Michael Britt to profile all his tube amps into the Kemper, he was onboard for the ease of touring.
And everything is under Kryz Reid’s control via his feet thanks to this RJM Mastermind GT and a trifecta of Mission Engineering EP-1 pedals.
This Gibson ES-335 used to be Stephan Jenkins’ longtime No. 1 before the Iceman came into the picture.
A second Gibson Explorer that is set to DADGAD for the song “Wounded.”
Here’s an old Gibson Explorer that Stephan Jenkins’ hasn’t toured with since 2002/03.
Paul Stanley’s John Hancock on the guitar’s back plate.
Stephan Jenkins' 1981 Ibanez Iceman
Before you laugh, you gotta watch the opening part of the video where Stephan Jenkins’ tech Danny Nolan explains why and how this became Perkins main ride. Yes, you read that right, a 1981 bolt-on neck Ibanez Iceman is Stephan Jenkins favorite touring guitar. About 10 days before the Nashville date, one of Danny Nolan’s buddies called him up and said that he just got an old Ibanez Iceman signed by Paul Stanley and wondered if he or Stephan would want it. Well, after inspecting it, it was determined it was obviously an import guitar from the early ’80s with a single owner. Danny bought the guitar for less than a new Squier and was walking back to the bus when Stephan spotted the black beast. He grabbed it, took it on the bus, and at soundcheck the next day, Stephan plugged it and blew the FOH guy away. It’s been Stephan’s go-to ever since because it sounds like Dokken—loud and raunchy!
Stephan Jenkins' 1954 Gibson LG-3
During a visit to the tone heaven that is Chicago Music Exchange, Stephan Jenkins nabbed this 1954 Gibson LG-3 and now uses it for most of the acoustic numbers. And to bring its voice to life onstage, tech Danny Nolan put in a Fishman Matrix pickup system.
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John Bohlinger gets the run-around from Keeley with their new, deep-and-watery chorus and Leslie-like modulator.
Rotary speaker cabinets impart a one-of-a-kind type of chorus effect. This pedal faithfully recreates the swirling textures and vintage warmth of those rotary cabinets. Tucked inside Keeley's laser cut aluminum case is a brand new set of circuit boards delivering the finest tone we've ever achieved.
KEY FEATURES:
- Sculpt your rotary tones with our finest sounds to date
- Updated circuits for maximum fidelity
- Simple and intuitive controls for live and studio use
- New LED speed indicator - Become one with the sound
- True Stereo for perfect integration in modern rigs
- True or Buffered Bypass - Switchable on the fly
Featuring Bluetooth input, XLR inputs, and advanced amplifier platform, the KC12 is designed to offer exceptional sound quality and versatility for a wide range of applications.
The KC12 is a first-of-its-kind, 3-way, 3000-watt active loudspeaker system encompassing the visual aesthetic of a column loudspeaker while surpassing the acoustic performance of conventional designs. Simple and easy to deploy, the elegant KC12, available in black and white, is ideal for a wide range of customers and applications from solo entertainers, musicians and bands, mobile entertainers and DJs to corporate AV, event production, and static installations.
Column-style portable loudspeaker systems are most often put into service due to their unobtrusive form factor. However, typical designs lack clarity and definition, particularly when pushed to high output levels, forcing the user into a form-over-function compromise. Solving this common dilemma, the KC12 cleverly utilizes a 3-way design featuring QSC’s patented LEAF™ waveguide (first introduced in L Class Active Line Array Loudspeakers) combined with a true 1-inch compression driver, two 4-inch midrange drivers, and a high output 12-inch subwoofer, while still maintaining the desired, elegant appearance of a “column” system. The KC12 produces an outstanding full-range horizontal coverage of 145 degrees and 35 degrees of audience-directed vertical coverage with clean and natural sound at all output levels.
The system features three inputs: a Bluetooth ® input combined with a 3.5 mm TRS stereo input, as well as two combo XLR inputs (Mic/Line/Hi-Z and Mic/Line/+48 V), with independent, assignableFactory Presets for each XLR input, making it ideal for small events where two microphones are needed for different uses. The rear panel incorporates a multi-function digital display, offering control and selection of several loudspeaker functions, including Global Parametric EQ, Subwoofer level, Presets and Scenes, Bluetooth configuration, Delay (maximum of 200 ms), or Reverb. Bluetooth functionality also provides True Wireless Stereo (TWS), which ensures low latency pairing between the music source and both left and right loudspeakers simultaneously.
Additionally, the KC12 can be deployed with or without its lower column pole, making the system ideally suited for utilization on a floor, riser or raised stage. The system is backed by a 6-year Extended Warranty (with product registration).
“The KC12 exquisitely resolves the form-over-function compromise that has frustrated users of this category of products since they made their market introduction over 20 years ago,” states David Fuller, VP of Product Development, QSC Audio. “With the benefit of time, experience, extensive customer research, and cutting-edge innovation, our talented design team has truly created something very different from the status quo – not simply a differentiated product, but an overall better solution for the customer.”
The feature set and performance characteristics of the KC12 are complemented by a new, advanced amplifier platform, first incorporated into the L Class LS118 subwoofer released this past October. Fuller adds, “Among the platform’s key attributes are layers of real-time telemetry and protection to ensure uninterrupted performance day after day, which is a foundational QSC brand attribute.”
“Just like our first K Series reset the bar for powered loudspeakers, elevating customers’ expectations for performance, quality, reliability, usability, and professional appearance, the K Column offers a compelling, new approach to a familiar category and is destined to redefine the whole notion of what a ‘column’ is for users of portable PA products,” states Ray van Straten, VPBrand, Marketing & amp; Training, QSC Audio. “The product is simply stunning in its sleek and elegant appearance, but with the marketing tagline, ‘Just Listen’, we’re confident that once again, QSC sound quality will ultimately be the reason customers will quickly embrace the K Column as the next ‘New Standard’ in its category.”
The QSC KC12 K Column carries a MAP price of $1,999.
For more information, please visit qsc.com.
This pedal is designed to offer both unique distortion qualities and a tonal palette of sonic possibilities.
At the heart of the Harvezi Hazze pedal is a waveshaper designed around a unijunction transistor - a relic from the early days of the semiconductor industry unearthed from the e-waste bins of flea markets in Tbilisi, Georgia, the Eastern European country's largest city.
The unijunction transistor offers unique properties allowing one simple component to replace a number of very complex devices. Therefore. depending on the operating mode, users can access a distortion, a limiter, a waveshaper and a generator - with smooth transitions among each of these.
The name "Harvezi Hazze" translates from Georgian as "a fault on the transmission line" or "signal jamming", and both the semantic and phonetic nature of these translations imply what users can expect: an impediment to the input signal, which can range from pleasant harmonic distortions to complete obliteration. The signal chain of Harvezi Hazze consists of an optical compressor with fixed parameters; a dual-mode distorting amplifier with either softer or harsher clipping; a waveshaper built around a unijunction transistor; and a tone stack section designed to tame these sonic building blocks.
Signal flow and controls
Following the input, the signal goes to the Compressor, Distorting Amplifier, Waveshaper, and then to the Tone Stack and output stages. Harvezi Hazze features six control knobs, a three-way switch and a footswitch.
- Gain Control: This controls the output amplitude of the signal in the distorting amplifier section. Depending on the position of the switch, the distortion introduced by this section is soft (with the switch in the left position) or more aggressive with an abundance of high harmonics (with the switch in the middle position).
- Spoil and Spread: This knob controls the operation of the unijunction transistor (waveshaper section). Spoil sets the point on the amplitude axis at which the wave will fold, and Spread sets the amplitude of the folding. The higher the Spread value, the more severe the distortion will be, while Spoil will change the timbre and response threshold. By adjusting Spoil, users can achieve various gating and cutoff effects; at low Spread values, distortion sounds are mixed into the clean sound.
- Tone: This knob adjusts the brightness of the sound. With higher values, higher harmonics become present in the signal.
- Three-way switch. This feature regulates either the distortion mode in the amplifier section (left and center positions), or turns on the total feedback mode (right position) when the values of all knobs begin to influence each other. In this position, effects occur such as resonance at certain frequencies and self-oscillation.
- Level knob: This controls the output volume of the signal.
- Footswitch: This routes the signal through the effect circuitry or from input to output directly (true bypass).
The array of switches on the side of the unit provides even further tonal options; the lower position of the switch enables the specific function:
- Tone Stack: Routes the signal through the tone stack section (Tone knob).
- Bass Boost: Enhances bass frequencies.
- Tone Mode: Changes the behavior of the Tone knob (tilt or lowpass).
- Notch Freq: Changes the central frequency of the filter.
- High Cut: Attenuates high frequencies.
- Compressor: Routes the signal through the compressor.
Harvezi Hazze is priced at €290. To learn more, please visit https://somasynths.com/harvezi-hazze/.
Ibanez Blackout series acoustic guitars feature all-black aesthetic, high-quality electronics, and in-demand woods. Models include AEG721 with Fishman S-core pickups, AEWC621 with Ibanez AEQ-SP2 preamp, and TCY621 with Ibanez under-saddle pickup. With prices ranging from $249.99 to $399.99, these guitars offer a unique and stylish option for musicians.
Ibanez has unveiled its new Blackout series of acoustic guitars to their lineup. Inspired by the popular Iron Label series, these instruments feature an all-black aesthetic, including a matte black finish and black hardware. The Blackout series offers three distinct models: the AEG721 7-string acoustic-electric, the AEWC621, and the TCY621. Each model boasts in-demand woods, including a Spruce top, Sapele back and sides, and Macassar Ebony or Purpleheart for the fingerboard and bridge.
To complement their unique appearance, the Blackout guitars are equipped with high-quality electronics. The AEG721 and AEWC621 feature Fishman’s S-core pickups and Ibanez AEQ-SAP2 preamps, while the TCY621 utilizes an Ibanez under-saddle pickup and AEQ-2T preamp.
For more information, please visit ibanez.com.
AEG721
- AEG body
- 634mm/25" scale
- Spruce top
- Sapele back & sides
- Comfort Grip 3pc Nyatoh/Maple neck
- Macassar Ebony fretboard & bridge
- Black dyed Bone nut & saddle
- Black Die-cast tuners (18:1 gear ratio)
- Fishman® S-core pickup
- Ibanez AEQ-SP2 preamp w/Onboard tuner
- Balanced XLR & 1/4" outputs
- Ibanez Advantage™ bridge pins
- D'Addario® XTAPB1253, plus .070 guage Phosphor Bronze
- String Gauge: .012/.016/.024/.032/.042/.053/.070
- Factory Tuning: 1E,2B,3G,4D,5A,6E,7B
- Recommended case: AEG10C/MAP: $169.99
- Finish: Blacked Out
LIST PRICE: $599.99
ESTIMATED STREET PRICE: $399.99
AEWC621
- AEWC body
- 634mm/25" scale
- Spruce top
- Sapele back & sides
- Comfort Grip Nyatoh neck
- Macassar Ebony fretboard & bridge
- Black Die-cast tuners (18:1 gear ratio)
- Fishman® S-Core pickup
- Ibanez AEQ-SP2 preamp w/Onboard tuner
- Balanced XLR & 1/4" outputs
- Ibanez IACS6C coated strings
- Recommended case: AEG10C/MAP: $169.99
- Finish: Blacked Out
LIST PRICE: $599.99
ESTIMATED STREET PRICE: $399.99
TCY621
- Talman Double Cutaway body
- Neck joint at 16th fret
- Spruce top
- Sapele back & sides
- Okoume neck
- Purpleheart fretboard & bridge
- Black Die-cast tuners
- Ibanez Undersaddle pickup
- Ibanez AEQ-2T preamp w/Onboard tuner
- Ibanez Advantage™ bridge pins
- Recommended case: TM50C/MAP: $179.99
- Finish: Blacked Out
LIST PRICE: $374.99
ESTIMATED STREET PRICE: $249.99