Satch Running Guitars/Amps Differently Now

Still Using Peaveys, No Talk of Marshalls

GuitarCenter.com just put up a good interview with Chickenfoot, which, while documenting yet again the great chemistry these four guys have, also gets into the gear they use, notably Satch and Michael Anthony.

As you will read, Satch only talks about his Peavey JSX signature amps. There’s no mention of the Internet dust-up about Satch possibly “switching” to Marshalls in connection with Chickenfoot’s European tour. Since Chickenfoot is back in the states and this interview was posted recently, this all indicates Satch is still all about the JSX. (He also only talks about the JSX in a new Guitar Player magazine article.)

Don’t know if this means the whole Marshall episode will be swept under the rug or what, but there you go. Anyhow, here are the tone-related parts of the interview:

Satch

From the article:

Playing in Chickenfoot presents new challenges that have led to some important tweaks. “We’re tuning down to E flat,” Joe says, “so I moved up from a set of 9s to the D’Addario 10-46. And that’s great ’cause it’s a bigger sound and I’m playing rhythm most of the time, so it’s nice to have more string under my fingertips. And the JS guitar sounds so much better with 10s.” [That’s what he said! FYI, his pickups are: bridge DiMarzio Fred and neck DiMarzio PAF-Pro.]

Amp-wise, Joe is sticking with his signature Peavey JSX heads. But…he’s also setting the amp a little differently. “At a Joe Satriani show, I’m playing melodies and solos non-stop, so instead of making the guitar really aggressive, I would kind of soften it up because I’m playing all those screaming notes all night long for people. But now I’m playing rhythm 90 percent of the time with these guys, interacting with them, so I wanted a more dynamic, more aggressive sound. So now the resonance and the presence controls are on 10, which is really a great way to run the JSX 120 ’cause it really comes alive that way. It’s a subtle difference, but it really changes the nature of the amp quite a bit.”

On the new JSX 50. “The JSX 120…is a real modern amp. And so it’s trying to address all the gain you could ever possibly want, with all the modern features of switching and effects loops and all that kind of stuff. But with the 50-watt, what we’re looking for is a more in-your-face sound. The gain is dialed down a bit so that the sound has got a lot more tack, a lot more dynamic interaction with how you play. And it’s a simplified amp. It’s going to be a two-channel amp, not a three-channel amp.”

On the Vox Time Machine delay: “The Time Machine not only has a vintage mode, which adds a slight warble and a beautiful tape saturation, but it also has an EQ cut. You can bring the volume of the effect up, but because of the EQ cut and the saturation, the repeats have a way of always staying out of the way of all the busy stuff that you’re doing. The Time Machine just keeps creating that beautiful ambiance. That’s what I love about it. And we’re working on new pedals all the time, but I can’t talk about it, because, you know, national security.”

Mike

Mike relies on Yamaha basses. In fact, he’s been helping to design a new model. “It’s a new Yamaha BB model bass. It’s strung through the back of the body. A lot of times with singers you tune down a little bit. So we’re trying to keep good tension on the strings, even the low E with the de-tuner on there, so it doesn’t get too floppy.”

Like his bandmate Joe Satriani, Michael Anthony will be hitting the stage with a backline of Peavey amps. “I’m trying out these new VB3 Peavy amps and 8×10 enclosures that are sounding very snappy, very crunchy. Big with a lot of bang to them.”

Notable

> Chad Smith: “These guys are legendary – they’re amazing musicians and when we play together we’re all peers, but sometimes I look over and Mike’s singing those high parts that are just so signature, and I just can’t believe I’m in a band with this guy.”

> “Live shows, it’s heading back to live shows,” Sammy says. “We made a recording so that we could go out and play live, and however the people decide they want to get that recording is fine with me. They can buy it, steal it, trade it – I don’t care. I’m here for the live shows.”

> From the interviewer: “It’s impossible to spend any time in a room with these guys and not be blown away by just how much they love being around each other. The vibe is all smiles and the jokes fly fast and furious – more like a giddy group of kids in their first band than a seasoned crew of world-class players.”

Category: Chickenfoot, Gibson, Joe Satriani, Peavey, Yamaha