In his journey to the digital realm, Stephen Carpenter encountered an unexpected struggle, leading him to revert to tube amps for Deftones' current tour.
Deftones' Stephen Carpenter Revamps Live Rig with Tube Amps
Deftones guitarist Stephen Carpenter has made a significant change to his live rig, moving away from amp modelers and re-incorporating tube amps. This shift comes after a series of issues with his digital equipment and the reliability of tube amps.
Carpenter's live setup is now headed up by Bogner Uber-Ultra heads, each loaded with KT88s, and a wall of Bogner cabinets. This change was prompted by Carpenter's belief that "the amps never fail."
In the recording process of Deftones' latest album, private music, Carpenter used a collection of 100-watt tube amps. Interestingly, he added an amp for every take during the recording process, utilising a whole pile of amps he's been collecting over the past decade.
Greg Dubinovskiy, Carpenter's guitar tech, managed the amps during the recording process, while Carpenter himself did not touch them. This decision was a specific one that revolutionised Carpenter's relationship with amp modelers and his tone.
Now, Carpenter keeps the factory programming of his amp blocks and presets untouched, including those of his Strymon BigSky, Timeline, and Mobius pedals. He currently uses Mesa Boogie tube amplifiers in his live setup after switching from amp modelers.
Chino Moreno of Deftones, along with Carpenter, chased sounds before crafting songs for private music. The highly anticipated 10th album from Deftones was released last month.
Carpenter's past setup included a compromise hybrid rig running his Helix into a Fryette power amp. However, the reliability and improved tone of his new setup have made it the preferred choice for his live performances.
private music is a testament to Carpenter's dedication to his craft and his commitment to delivering the best sound possible. With his new tube amp-centric rig, fans can expect even more powerful and authentic performances from the Deftones guitarist.
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