Today, in what is yet another sign that the give-me-tubes-or-give-me-death attitude is dying out among guitar players, Paul Gilbert has joined the ranks of digital converts – at least so far as the Fender Tone Master series of modeling amps is concerned.
The shred pioneer shared his latest rig on Instagram. Gone are the traditional Fender amps, and in their stead comes a pair of Tone Master Twin Reverbs.
“I’ve got one in front of me for a monitor, and one behind me to rock the house,” he wrote. “Classic tone that gets my pedals across loud, clear and full of WROC!”
Gilbert’s dual digital combo amp setup is a change of pace for him. This was not his rig for the recording of WROC, the album he wrote using lyrics adapted from George Washington’s guidebook for social etiquette, Rules of Civility.
WROC, tracked mostly live (those promo videos of him jamming with the band are largely what you hear on the record), saw Gilbert deploy a ‘90s Fender Custom Vibrolux Reverb into a Randall Isolation cabinet, with a Vibrolux from the ‘60s being used as a wedge monitor. Gilbert also used a Victoria Club Deluxe (ostensibly a single-channel Deluxe Reverb-style amp) as a volume boost for solos. All three are tube amps.
Is this shift to the digital Tone Master platform a permanent change? Time will tell. But it proves that, to Gilbert’s ear, the digital Twin is just as effective as the analog when it comes to pedal platforms – and with the right ‘board that makes for a compelling hard-rock rig.
Still, it’s kind of blowing people’s mind. As one commentator noted: “If you would have told me 15 years ago that Paul Gilbert’s main amp in the future would be a solid state Fender Twin, I’d have said you were off your rocker.” And you would have been right to say so.
This post also gives us a chance to examine Gilbert’s signal chain. There are a few familiar favorites on that pedalboard – the MXR Stereo Chorus, the “holy grail” A/DA flanger, the Jam Pedals RetroVibe – but some notable absentees. Where has his signature gain pedal, the JHS PG-14, gone? Where is the TC Electronic MojoMojo?
Well, maybe this is a job that the JHS Moonshine V2 overdrive pedal is now undertaking. But the big question is whether the tube amps will make a return, or if their digital alternates prove themselves to be just too effective and low maintenance to leave behind.
Earlier this year, Guitar World sat down with Paul Gilbert to discuss all-things-guitar, and asked why he was unable to give Wolfgang Van Halen a guitar lesson when Eddie came calling...
