Band Gear

GEAR CORNER

  1. Hey, surf fiends and gearaholics! Here’s the lowdown on the

  2. noise generating toys I use with BIG SURF.

                                                                       -Phil

Instruments

Fender ’65 Jazz master

Thanks goes to Bob Waitz, surf music afficianado and Big Surf fan for giving me the opportunity to own this great guitar! All original parts. The bridge pick up was rewound by Lindy Fralin.The body has been repainted black and the neck refinished. I put a reissue Mustang bridge on it. Twang and shimmer. Definetly my main axe. Strung with roundwounds .012-.52 with plain G.    

 

 
Teisco Del Rey ET-312

Mahogany body, small, bolt-on maple neck, 4/2 tuners per side, rosewood fingerboard, roller saddles, vibrato, 3 pickups with blender style slide switches on an aluminum pickguard. Original metallic blue/torquoise paint job. Looks like something Elroy Jetson would have played. Strung with roundwounds .011-.52 with wound G.

Arai Diamond
A Japanese Mosrite wannabe from the 60’s. Mahogany body, bolt-on maple neck. Rosewood fingerboard, plastic roller saddles, Jaguar-esque vibrato, 2 pickups with rocker switches on a faux tortoise shell pickguard. Translucent, dark forest green with black. Strung with flatwounds .011-.50 with wound G.

Framus
I don’t know what model this Bavarian beauty is. Jazz master shaped body, sunburst finish, laminated neck, bound rosewood fingerboard, 2 pickups, wonderful vibrato, lotsa chrome, and a superbly designed string mute. Way cool, defeat able, spring-loaded volume pot with a pinky hook on it! Strung with roundwounds .011-.49 with plain G.

Supro Comet lap steel
Late 50’s(?) six string. Black and white art decco look with three adjustable legs that screw into the underside. Tuned to B11. High to low E-C#-A-F#-D#-B. Strung with semi flatwounds, .016-.56 with wound third string.

Other Instruments
  • Farfisa mini compact organ
    What can I say? This baby is dirty, noisy, and made entirely of aged Italian cheese.

Amplifiers
  • Fender Band-Master, 1966. I run the two channels in parallel, one for lows and one for highs.

  • Fender Bassman cabinet loaded with 2-12 inch Jensens with alnico magnets.I got ‘em from a funeral home, where they had been used for organ.

  • Laub Manufacturing Unique Amplifier. Hailing from Mequon, Wisconsin in the 60’s, this 2-12 combo was probably intended for use as an accordion amp. With it’s dark sound, cavernous reverb, and trippy pitch shifting vibrato, it makes a perfect mate for the Bandmaster.

  •  Fender Deluxe Reverb, 1966. I use this in conjunction with the Bandmaster sometimes. It’s got a Celestion Vintage 30 in it.

  • Fender Tube Reverb, early 70’s, silver face

Effects (occasionally used for recording)
  • Boss TU-2 Tuner

  • Z. Vex Super Hard-on

  • MXR Dyna Comp (script logo) w/ true bypass switch mod

  • S.I.B. Varidrive

  • Diaz Tremadillo w/ true bypass switch mod

  • Hughes & Kettner Tube Rotosphere

  • Echoplex - solid state Market Electronics Co. era

Noise Toys
You can hear some of the effects of applying circuit bending techniques to childrens’ toys on the songs ‘Monsta Stomp’ and the intro to ‘Journey To the Stars’ from our ACTION HEROES cd. All sorts of weird and unexpected sounds can be produced by connecting circuits in unconventional and downright ignorant ways. Check out http://www.anti-theory.com/soundarts to find out more. Great fun!