Mike's new set up

weege77

I'm seeing videos of pictures and Mike has a RJM 10 button midi controller on his board. The rest of his pedals look pretty standard like his wah, volume, phaser, pog, DL4 delay...The controller is where his Radial amp switcher used to be (now on Stone's board), but it looks like he's using the expression controllers and not the external switchers out of the back of the RJM. 

Using midi is a big change for his rig, I'm wondering if anyone has pics or ideas of what he's doing. Ideas, thoughts?

Interesting side note, both Stone and Mike are using solid state Fender amps from their Tone Master series. They're adding digital gear to their set up, but yet it still sounds amazing even in iPhone videos. 

bootlegger10

This is great info. Thanks for posting.  I don't know the answers to your questions, but I'm guessing that with all the advancement in digital over the years they have taken a step in the convenience and reliability direction and perhaps okay losing a little bit of tone (perhaps none at all).  The crowd certainly won't know the difference between the Tone Master and the tube amp version so why not bring a much lighter amp along that probably has less chance of wear and tear over the course of the tour.

BALLBOY

I have noticed Stone is playing an SG now. I have never noticed playing one before & maybe the Les Paul's are getting too heavy. Has Mike brought out any new guitars so far?

pjpjpaul

I think it's logical for the amps to be solid state due to the current tube shortage and the fact that digital emulation of tube tone has advanced quite a bit over the years. The difference is still noticeable to trained ears but it's getting to a negligible point and most people in the audience couldn't tell a big difference I'm sure. I bet their roadies are glad because the amps will weigh a lot less and they won't need biasing or tube changes. I still love tube amps but ss and modeling have come a long way and provide a different path to achieving goals for tone. 

gimmesometruth27

i saw a video from behind the stage from last night and stone is playing his white jcm 800 head, so he is still playing amps with tubes.

i will never go back to solid state. at this point i am not playing enough to require frequent tube changes and i have had all of my tube amps retubed and biased in the last year or so.

to me nothing replaces the feel of playing a tube amp.

weege77

Stone looks to be using a blonde tone master Twin (SS), a Marshall JCM800 and a Savage amp. There are a lot of amps facing backstage,  so I'm not sure if that's for Josh or the songs they play specifically for those crowds. Could be for backup too. 

I saw another pic from back of stage and it looks like they screwed some cover behind Mike's Fender amps to give it more a closed back cab feel. 

So far, this is the pedal rig, I'm seeing for Mike

Dunlop Volume (used to be Ernie Ball), WAH (CAE), Pog, some EHX Pedal (Chorus or Electric Mistress), Phase 90, unknown pedal, Boss Waza Craft Vibrato unlatched (saw him solo Even Flow in San Diego with this), Line 6 DL4, maybe one more pedal above it. 

Looks like he removed his MM4 for actual modulation pedals. I'm thinking he's using the RJM to control his drive pedals (or amps) because I'm seeing any overdrive or distortion pedals on his board, which is a first for me. 

Froggie

I asked this question over on the Porch but I'm hopefully more likely to get a response here.

Does anyone have any info on the sunburst Les Paul Mike has been using for a number of years, with the distinctive red circular mark below the bridge? Does he have a second 59 LP or is it a reissue? It has a zebra pick-up in the neck and a double white pickup in the bridge and kluson tuners. 

edocon

Guitar World mentions the solid state amps:
https://www.guitarworld.com/news/pearl-jam-digital-amps-rare-gibson-guitars-us-tour

BALLBOY

You will have to start a new post after he destroyed his rig after. I witnessed it in Amsterdam especially his pedal board. Not a fan of smashing up guitars but the tour in Europe had been very stressful & he just let it all go  

WEAPONX24

Anyone know what settings mike or stone dial in for their amps?

StuffnJunk

BALLBOY said:

I have noticed Stone is playing an SG now. I have never noticed playing one before & maybe the Les Paul's are getting too heavy. Has Mike brought out any new guitars so far?

Do you know which show or song he played an SG for? I always noted how Stone never played an SG on stage and I'm curious