[Summary] Stevie Salas's equipment [Amps, guitars, effects]

Stevie Salas was born on November 1964, 11 in San Diego, California.
His Native American (Mescalero Apache) roots have had a major influence on his identity and musical expression.

He became interested in guitar in his teens and began performing in earnest with the local band "This Kids."
It is said that even at this time, he had begun to dislike doing the same things as others and had developed a desire to have his own sound and his own guitar.
By high school, he was already captivating audiences with his fierce cutting and wild solos, using a black Stratocaster guitar that he had modified himself.

The year 1988 marked a major turning point in his professional career.
Legendary singer,Selected as guitarist for Rod Stewart's world tourAnd the name quickly became known around the world.

In Rod's band, which is strongly influenced by soul and blues, Salas'Funky and energetic guitar soundacts as a strong spice.
This experience was a very important phase in his career, and it was the time when he developed what he would later call "the fundamentals of being a professional musician."

In 1990, the long-awaited solo album "Stevie Salas Colorcode" was released.
It was highly praised as a new guitar album that combined funk, rock, hip hop, and psychedelic elements.

It gained cult popularity in the UK and Europe.
In Japan, the band established a unique reputation with their 1994 album "Back From The Living" being selected as the "Best Album of the Year."

Even back then, he joked about his status as "not selling much in America, but being a rock star overseas."
His carefree character and overwhelming playing have made him a guitarist with a core fan base all over the world.

Stevie Salas:Mick Jagger, George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, TT Derby, Justin Timberlakeな ど
He has toured and recorded with countless top artists.

Among them, the 2001Mick Jagger's Solo World TourHe accompanied the band as guitarist and musical director and also appeared on Saturday Night Live.
By playing alongside the world's biggest rock icons, they have truly become "Salas of the World."

He also has deep ties to the Japanese rock scene.He often performs with B'z's Koshi Inaba and Takahiro Matsumoto..
The unit "INABA/SALAS" has done everything from producing music to touring nationwide, and has become a familiar presence to Japanese fans.

In addition to being a musician, SalasProducer of the documentary film "RUMBLE: The Indians Who Rocked the World"Also known as
The film depicts the influence that Native Americans had on the history of rock and blues, and was highly praised, winning the Audience Award at the Toronto International Film Festival.

For Salas, who is of Apache descent himself,Respecting and promoting indigenous culture is as important a theme as music.
He continues to pursue the goal of "communicating" not only through his guitar, but also through other methods such as documentaries and books.

In 2021, he published his autobiography, "The Worst and Best Life of a Guitar Player."
It describes his real experiences surviving in the rock world and his approach to music.

They are sincere about the guitar as an instrument and do not compromise on sound.
On the other hand, his musical philosophy has always valued the "power to make people dance with its groove" that funk has.
It is still evolving.

Stevie Salas' current main guitar.
A signature model featuring an offset body and bold looks.
It has a mahogany back and a maple top, and is characterized by a thick, lustrous midrange.

The pickup is a Seymour Duncan Phat Cat P-90 type.
It produces a unique sound that combines the brightness of a single coil with the thickness of a humbucker.
The Idolmaker name comes from Salas' history with "American Idol."

A single-cut model made by Framus that was used before the appearance of the Idolmaker.
It has a thick midrange and a mellow tone.
On stage, it matched the band's somewhat subdued set list and rhythm-focused playing.

Currently it is often used as a sub,
A piece that symbolizes Salas' love for Framus.

A Salas signature model that was active in the 90s.
This USA-made flagship model boasts flashy looks and excellent playability.

HSS arrangement, Seymour Duncan TB-4 (JB) humbucker,
Equipped with a Floyd Rose tremolo, it was highly acclaimed as a superstrat guitar.

It appeared frequently in live performances and music videos at the time, and is an important model that laid the foundation for the Salas sound.

A custom purple model used in the early 1990s.
It was made in collaboration with Leo Knapp at the Yamaha Custom Shop.Unofficial Signature.

Equipped with DiMarzio pickups and Yamaha tremolo
It can handle a wide range of sounds, from thick, sticky distortion to tight cutting.
The purple body and pearloid pickguard leave a strong impression.

A homemade black Stratocaster guitar that Salas has been using since high school.
The body is made of ash wood, and it is equipped with Bill Lawrence pickups and DiMarzio parts.

It was also used during the Rod Stewart era and the early Colorcode era.
He says, "I use this guitar on all of my albums."

He remains a lifelong presence and still appears in recordings today.

An artistic guitar with a steel body.
The famous model was used on stage when he performed with Michael Jagger.

It features a sound that is somewhere between acoustic and electric.
It is possible to maintain complex harmonics even when combined with distortion.

The classic tube amp that formed the core of Stevie Salas' rock sound.
It was used as the main amplifier during tours and recordings in the 1980s and 90s.
The punchy midrange and sticky distortion produced a funky and aggressive tone.

There are also testimonies that during the Colorcode era, they used a modified 50W head.
It was a wonderful support for Stevie's playing, which relied not only on tone but also on the three-dimensionality and power of the sound.

Used for clean tones and playing in small venues.
The warmth and rich sparkle that only a tube amp can provide is a perfect match for Stevie's funk-like cutting.
It features a core tone that comes to the fore even when played cleanly.
If necessary, you can use overdrive to add crunch.

In recent projects such as INABA/SALAS,
The amplifier head used is made by LAA Custom of Italy.

With a clear and crisp midrange and modern high gain capabilities,
Suitable for a wide range of playing from clean to lead.
It's also a great match for taking advantage of Salas' picking nuances.

A high-gain amplifier that has been spotted at some live shows and stage settings.
It features thick distortion and a sound with a strong attack.
Used to support groovy backing and powerful solos.

A multi-function amplifier with 3 channels.
It is designed to cover everything from Plexi to high gain in one unit.
Stevie has introduced it as the perfect option for live performances where he covers multiple songs with just one unit.
It is well known for its responsiveness and deep lead sound.

A vacuum tube amplifier from Shinos, a boutique Japanese amplifier manufacturer.
It has also been used during INABA/SALAS activities and tours in Japan.
While based on a Fender-style clean sound, it also has a beautiful, smoothly distorted crunch.
The delicate dynamics blend beautifully with Salas' picking touch.

This classic wah pedal is an indispensable part of Stevie Salas's routine.
He sometimes has two Cry Babies on his live board, which he uses depending on the song.
Especially when combined with crunch tones, it emphasizes the graininess of brushing and the peak of solos.
They create a unique sound that combines the rhythm of funk with the aggressiveness of rock.

A small purple pedal, Stevie Salas' signature auto-wah.
It automatically produces a filter-type effect, producing a distinctive tone with a distinctive midrange that sounds "brill."
Although it is a simple operation with only sensitivity (THRESHOLD) and return speed (DECAY), the adjustment range of the effect is wide,
He contributes the intense wah tone heard on tracks like "Stand Up."

A compact pedal with a bright red housing.
An all-around distortion effect that covers a wide range of effects from crunch to deep distortion.
Stevie Salas uses it to achieve a light drive feel with a distinctive mid to high range.
It has a tone character similar to the Guyatone SHR-2 Stevie Salas Distortion that I used in the past.

Warm overdrive with a focus on the midrange.
Stevie uses this pedal to push the amp, giving it a thick, crisp crunch.
It is easy to use as a replacement for Tube Screamer.
It is highly useful for funky lead phrases that require a mid-heavy tone.

A classic phaser, also known for being used by Eddie Van Halen.
Salas uses phasers to add swell to clean arpeggios,
Use it to add a psychedelic fluctuation to distortion solos.
The standard type with an orange casing is often used.

A classic analog phaser that produces a darker modulation that is different from the MXR.
Salas uses Phase 90 depending on the song.
Choose this pedal when you want to bring out more "undulation" and "stickiness."

A stereo vibrato/chorus unit that adds rotary speaker-like three-dimensionality and sway to clean tones.
Stevie uses it to create a dreamy atmosphere in songs such as "Blind."
It adds depth to the tone without making the mids muffled, making it a great choice for clean riffs and spatial solos.

This is a representative pitch shifter pedal that can be used for a wide range of purposes, including octave soaring, dive bombs, and pseudo bass lines.
Stevie has been used since the 90s, and is actively used for sound effect parts and slide phrases in songs.
This sound can also be heard in songs such as INABA/SALAS' "AISHI-AISARE."

The 7-band equalizer can be used to boost the mid-range during solos or cut unnecessary low frequencies.
It is also used on stage in combination with a distortion pedal to fine-tune the sound and enhance the guitar's presence.

An equalizer that operates with a smoother curve than the GE-7, allowing you to create a more "natural" sound.
Salas is used in conjunction with the GE-7, allowing for fine tuning of the bandwidth depending on the situation.

This is a pick that Stevie Salas has used for many years.
The 0.96mm thick Delrin material provides an excellent balance of attack and control when cutting.

He also uses custom picks with his own name and artwork on them, and sometimes throws them into the audience during live performances.
It was chosen as a non-slip, easy-to-use model that can withstand the complex rhythm work of funk and rock.