Premier Guitar | 1 year ago

Full Rig Details: https://bit.ly/3sTKsp6
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“Gear is meant to be destroyed in the line of duty,” laughs Ruban Nielson. “I realize I prefer to see my equipment all dinged up rather than sitting perfect in my basement—that’s a dorky thing to do.”

That doesn’t mean Nielson doesn’t care about his sound. He noted in a 2015 interview with PG that he spends countless hours in his basement tinkering on breadboard circuits and swapping out components, trying to maximize a pedal for his needs. “I like the idea that instead of buying your sound, you’re building your sound,” he said.

Over the course of 14 years, five albums, and thousands of touring miles, Nielsen has been custom-fabricating his guitar voice. But as we all know, the quest is never-ending, like trying to catch the horizon. After all, isn’t it the journey, not the destination, that matters?

“I used to be too much of a savage to care about a clean boost or headroom,” says Nielson. “‘Just give me a distortion pedal already!’ But now I’m exploring the intricacies, subtleties, and nuances of guitar.”

Ahead of Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s headlining performance at Nashville’s Brooklyn Bowl, Ruban Nielson welcomed PG’s Chris Kies onstage to explore his current sonic lab. Nielson covers his two space-age guitars (and what inspired them), explains how he convinced Benson to put a Monarch inside a vintage solid-state Yamaha, and details the pedals—including a few of his own designs—that extract a kaleidoscope of moods.

Shop the Rig:
Benson Monarch - https://sweetwater.sjv.io/xkq4J5
Shure SM7B - https://sweetwater.sjv.io/DKMXWn
Strymon Deco - https://sweetwater.sjv.io/3eRx9n
Benson Germanium Boost - https://sweetwater.sjv.io/QyxmYA
Boss DD-3 Digital Delay - https://sweetwater.sjv.io/21QdzO
Danelectro Back Talk Reverse Delay - https://sweetwater.sjv.io/9gB5Vy
Electro-Harmonix Holy Grail Reverb - https://sweetwater.sjv.io/q4k2Mn
Boss TU-3 Chromatic Tuner - https://sweetwater.sjv.io/jryA4M
Electro-Harmonix Switchblade - https://sweetwater.sjv.io/rQ16ER
Lehle Little Dual II ABY Switcher - https://sweetwater.sjv.io/jrjoR5
Ernie Ball Super Slinky Strings - https://sweetwater.sjv.io/Pyq3zY

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© Copyright Gearhead Communications LLC, 2023

0:00 - D'Addario
00:15 - Ruban Nielson Playing Intro
01:17 - Ruban Nielson & Chris Kies Intro
01:34 - Baranik B3-R
06:14 - Why Light Guitars
08:14 - Baranik B3-R Pickups
11:30 - Strings & Tunings
14:02 - Wearing the Guitar
15:23 - Baranik B3-R Electronics & Controls
17:33 - Jerry Jones Electric Sitar
21:24 - Putting Benson Monarch in Yamaha TA-20
26:38 - Original Yamaha TA-20 Speakers
27:40 - Benson Nathan Junior
28:34 - Ruban Nielson's Pedalboard
48:10 - Recording V with Family in Hawaii

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