
PAUL'S EQUIPMENT! (new members click here) UPDATED 17/05/08!
Let's start with a brief amp endorsement history:
www.paulgilbert.com FAQ wrote:
1986 -1987- early RACER X - 70's Marshall 50w head w/Lee Jackson mod
1988 - Live RACER X albums - stock ADA pre-amp into Ampeg V-4 head
1989 - MR. BIG first album - Metaltronix head and Ampeg/ADA system
1991 - MR. BIG "Lean Into It" - All of the above!
1993 - MR. BIG "Bump Ahead" - Ampeg VL1002 head
1995 - MR. BIG "Hey Man" - Laney VC50 combo
1997 - 2005 Paul Gilbert Solo CDs - Laney VC50 combo or GH100L head
2006 - "Silence Followed by a Deafening Roar" Marshall Vintage Modern combo (2266C).
So it's been a long search for the best tone, starting with Marshall and ending with Marshall. Playing on the "G3" tour and making guitar instrumental records really inspired me to focus on the details of a guitar tone, and I love the feel, the sound, the look, and yes, even the smell of Marshall amps.
And now for the more detailed description:
GOOMY Tour < Silence... setup:
Amp: Marshall Vintage/Modern 2266cc head
Cab: Marshall 4x12 Cab
Guitars: +Ibanez PGM models as well as some old Ibanez 'lawsuit' guitars (all hardtail).
+New Reversed Iceman models
+New
Sunburst PGM
+'Gilbert Les Paul' with sustainer (SFBADR)
Pickups: Dimarzio ToneZone's and PAF Pro's
Pedals: *Scroll down for PEDALBOARD EVOLUTION*
Marshall V/M Settings:Paul wrote:
First of all, the Vintage Modern doesn't even have a "Gain" knob. It has "Body" and "Detail"
knobs which are a really unique feature of the amp.
"Body" is a low frequency overdrive knob.
"Detail" is a high frequency overdrive knob.
So you can actually EQ the amp with these knobs before you start fine tuning with the usual treble, bass,
mid, presence knobs.
I vary my settings slightly depending on the acoustics of the room, but here are my favorite settings in
general:
BODY: 5.5
DETAIL: 4.5
MID BOOST: ON
DYNAMIC RANGE: HI
TREBLE: 5.5
MIDDLE: 4
BASS: 6
PRESENCE: 5.5
MASTER VOLUME: 8.5 (With the THD Hot Plate plugged in to reduce the output to the speakers)
REVERB: 1
This amp gives me the richest chords and biggest, punchiest single notes I've ever had. I hope you guys get
a chance to plug into one and CRANK IT UP!
Keep in mind, without a Hot Plate, this will be LOUD!
Also, this setting is my default 70's hard rock setting. To kick it into a METAL sound, I use an overdrive
pedal to boost the signal a little bit.
If you don't have a Hot Plate to use, just turn the Master Volume way down, and turn up the "Detail" a
little bit.
You won't have all the magic of the power tubes being pushed hard, but it will still sound really good. I
practice at home with this kind of setting all the time.
Enjoy,
Paul
PG Solo < GOOMY setup:Amp: Laney GH100L/GH50L
Cab: 2x12 Laney Cab
Guitars: Ibanez PGM models as well as some old Ibanez 'lawsuit' guitars (all hardtail).
Strings: Ernie Ball RPS10's
Pickups: Dimarzio ToneZone's and PAF Pro's
Pedals: *Scroll down for PEDALBOARD EVOLUTION*
Pauls GH100L Settings (GET OUT OF MY YARD):GOOMY GH100Presence - MAX
Bass - 3
Mid - 4(1/2) or 5 ish
Treble - 4
Gain - MAX
Pauls GH100L Settings (GETTING HEAVIER):GH GH100 1GH GH100 2GH GH100 3Paul's early Mr. Big Rig:Furman PL8 Power Conditioner
EV Wireless System
Alesis MidiVerb
Alesis Quadraverb
Akai PEQ-6
Eventide H3000 Ultra-Harmonizer
ADA MP1
Rockman Midi Octopuss
Rocktron HUSH IICX
Ampeg SVT
Metaltronix M-1000 x2
METALTRONIC RACKPauls Intense Rock I Rack:ADA Pitchtraq
ADA MP1 x2
Alesis Midiverb II
Rocktron Hush
BBE Sonic Maximizer
ADA RACKOld ADA-MP1 settings (Paul&Bruce):CLICK HERETHE PEDALBOARD EVOLUTION:(In descending order. The most recent setup is shown first)
FEB 2008 - straight
into a dimed 1x12 Vintage Modern combo with a purple Hotplate.
FEB 08 PEDALBOARDBoss Tuner
ADA Flanger (in Keeley looper)
Homebrew Effects Three Hound Chorus
Fulltone OCD
Fullttone Soulbender
8-24-2007:08/24/07 PEDALBOARDBoss Tuner
Fulltone OCD
Radial Big Shot EFX Loop Switcher (i believe)
FED INTO RADIAL LOOP 1: MXR Phase 90
FED INTO RADIAL LOOP 2: Electro Harmonix Poly Flange
ADA Flanger w/ attached Tone In Progress Expression Pedal
Xotic RC Booster Chrome Edition??? I think I'm wrong on this one.
Xotic AC Booster
Fulltone Soul Bender Fuzz
GIT CLINIC:GIT CLINIC PEDALBOARD- Boss TU-2 Chromatic Tuner (naturally...man's gotta stay in tune)
- Boss CE-2 Chorus Ensemble
- MXR Custom Shop Script Logo Phase 90
- Radial Big Shot True Bypass Looper
- Electro-Harmonix Bad Stone Phase Shifter (in Loop 1)
- Xotic Effects AC Booster (in Loop 2)
- Fulltone Soul Bender Fuzz Pedal
- Robert Keeley Modded Ibanez Turbo Tubescreamer
- Ibanez Mostortion(?) seems to be just sitting there and not even in the chain.
Guitar one (2006):GUITAR ONE PEDALBOARD1. Voodoo labs pedal power supply. Looks like a pedal power 2 plus.
2. Boss EQ
3. Fulltone OCD
4. A modded Tubescreamer. Its a Robert Keeley TS9DX FLEXI-4X2.
5. Electro Harmonix Deluxe electric mistress
6. MXR phase 90
7. TC electronics Stereo Chorus flanger
8. Boss DD3
9. Boss tuner
A little hint about the AC booster from Paul:Paul wrote:
The footswitch on the AC Booster is placed really close to the knobs. I have big feet, and I
often can't look at the pedals because I'm singing or making some rock and roll faces. So... I tend to step
all over the knobs and change the settings even when knobs are taped down. I thought I would try putting the
AC Booster in the loop pedal so I would be less likely to step all over the knobs.
That particular loop pedal also has the buttons a little too close to each other for my giant foot, so I
just discovered the Keeley loop pedal. It only has one button, so I can keep it any distance away from the
other pedals.
Ergonomics!
Now, if anyone wants to add something, post here and I'll include it in this post so we can avoid more 'how to get pauls sound' threads.