Live rigs revealed: The Gaslight Anthem's Brian Fallon
Total Guitar caught up with The Gaslight Anthem on their most recent UK tour and persuaded frontman Brian Fallon to talk through his stripped-down, all-killer live setup.
Click onwards to find out what he uses to get that signature raw rock 'n' roll sound...
Gibson Custom 1956 Les Paul Goldtop VOS
“The main guitar that I use is a ’56 VOS Goldtop Gibson Les Paul. I flip the volume knobs, so that the bridge volume is closer to my finger – then I can grab it with my pinky and do volume swells.”
Dr Z Remedy head
“You just get the perfect amp. I’ve got four of them and they all sound the same. It’s essentially all the things you like about old Marshalls and Fenders, but without all the high-end and with no squishy bottom end.
"The bass and the trebles are right around nine o’clock and the mid is around 11. A guitar is essentially a mid-frequency instrument, so I boost the mids and it helps me cut through the sound, but it doesn’t get in the way of Alex [Rosamilia, guitar and backing vocals].”
Luther Lee P-90 pickups
“I use these pickups that I get custom made in New Jersey. They’re called Luther Lee Pickups. He takes old magnets and re-winds them exactly the way that they were and by hand so you get that actual '50s sound."
Orange PPC 412 speaker cabinet
“I use Orange cabs when I’m in Europe, but usually I use Dr Z 2 x 12 Z Best cabinets. There aren’t a lot of 2 x 12 cabinets in Europe, but I think if you’re going to use a 4 x 12 cabinet then Orange makes probably the best.”
Mad Professor Sweet Honey Overdrive
“I use this on a lot of the older, faster stuff. They’re amazing because you can leave the pedal on all the time and control what’s going on through the volume. It doesn’t mess up your sound, though; it just adds a little bit of a ‘chime’.”
T-Rex Replica Delay
“I use a T-Rex Replica delay pedal, mostly for a solo or a volume swell or something like that. I use it like a slapback Elvis Presley kind of sound. It just kind of goes on once in a while.”
Liked this? Check out more of the same in Live Rigs Of The Rich & Famous or watch The Gaslight Anthem: Three Riffs In Three Minutes video lesson
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