Rig Rundown – Journey’s Neal Schon (2014)
Article and photos: http://bit.ly/NealSchonRR2014
Schon’s well-documented history of guitars includes a plethora of Gibsons and Kramers, but his current #1 is a NS-15 Neal Schon Signature Model from PRS (he also carries a few NS-14s on the road as well).
Every aspect of the design had Schon’s fingerprints on it and it went through many incarnations before finally settling into the current specs. The NS-15 is strung up with a set of .009-.042 D’Addario strings (he ups the 6th string to .046 for dropped tunings).
Most of Schon’s guitars feature a Fernandes Sustainer as well as a DiMarzio Fast Track 2 pickup in the neck position and a Seymour Duncan Custom Custom in the bridge. He uses medium Dunlop celluloid picks, although recently he’s been using his fingertips more during solos—which he explains has opened up different tones.
Even though Schon has a guitar boat loaded with PRS guitars, his go-to on “Lights” is a relic’d Fender Custom Shop Stratocaster. The bridge pickup and headstock is reversed and the relic job is straight from the custom shop.
To finish seeing and reading about Schon’s setup, visit: http://bit.ly/NealSchonRR2014
#Rig #Rundown #Journeys #Neal #Schon
Originally posted by UC5J-hZ4wNf7OlkzIn49LHoQ at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LKnBemKEb8
Neal has always been a fantastic player, with great tone, but he can keep those PRS guitars. His best work was done on a Les Paul!
Ya… maybe stick to a pick.
Oh man yeah Neil Shon's been around since before Randy or Eddie no kidding!… First concert I ever attended in my life Santana tour 77!.. just before Perry got there.
Man is a legend just for his ‘fro back in the day. Add in his licks on the guitar and he is without a doubt legendary!
Who wouldn't want this guy in their band?!
I’d love to see an updated rig rundown with all his customs from iHush and more of his Gibson’s and other guitars he’s carrying on this stadium tour
Almost every Schon interview I've seen, Neil has a guitar in his hands and he is noodling the whole interview. It's like breathing for him.
Neal Schon is a certified lickmaster….. no doubt
I love Neal – he's my favourite guitar player of all time, but I hope he fired his stylist for telling him he should have been dressing like Justin Bieber.
Underrated guitar player but since 2010 he play with a lot of mistakes even failing some licks .
Who cares? I'm so glad I can play my own guitar. Build my own amps and play my own guitars. Freedom from the rest of you.
What is the song playing In the intro??? I can't remember
That man doesn’t age.
I still have a Fender. I've owned 8 over the years because I thought it was cool to have a strat or a telecaster. I just don't like them. They look cheap and feel cheap. The neck feels wrong to me. I like to play a pretty guitar, not something that looks like it just went through a planer, slapped with a coat of paint, and had pick-ups thrown in. Just my 2 cents. Neal has some beautiful instruments.
I've never seen a pretty Fender. Have you? I own beautiful Gibsons, Ibanez, and PRS guitars that feel better and sound better than any Fender.
Dam i love Neals playing 🙂
I used cellophane/shrink wrap to protect my pedal board from spilled drinks by audience members too close to small stages. Keeps sweat,blood and,or any other body fluids off it,too.
To be honest you knew Eddie van Halen had his pickups dipped in wax to get rid of the feadback
Mr Schon, had to throw in Mr cause when your famous the Mr is required, ask Mr Big they will confirm lol. The way you play from your soul is incredible, majestic! You lit up guitar players over the world with the feel not a million notes. Just a fan showing appreciation as a guitar player myself.
Loved Santana love look into the future which still holds true today.journey was doing an album in New Orleans during mardi Gras mid 80's and my ship U.S,S. AUSTIN LPD4 docked next to the pier the band was set up in a warehouse at.they gave our crew all kind of stuff.those dudes are legend and quite down to earth.i always been a fan always will be….I got the tramps green Zack Myers prs se…..Im into green guitars like Neal's there,might have to add to list of acquirements I like his better.that and always wanted a l.p. style w/trem.
lol plastic over everything….
That is one butt-ugly guitar.
Sorry, to me, PRS guitars are just an average sounding axe. Nothing special about them, But hey, maybe Im wrong. A lot of great players like them. What do I know.
To me, One of my least favorite rig rundowns. Adam Day aND the interviewer were kinda jerks. Adam was a jerk in the SLASH one, too.
Neal Schon = LEGEND. That Journey Houston LIVE 1981 is KONG. ????????
A cool dude.
Legendary? ABSOLUTELY
I've loved Neil Schon since the early 70s. He's was an inspiration for my personal guitar journey.
Great, great songwriter and player. Cool guy too. City by the bay ee aaa…
Neil has been playing for decades and still plays like a hungry 20 year old trying to make it. You can tell her loves playing, loves music. One of the greatest
What’s the intro song?
Great Video , love the Fernandez sustainer , but for me i just cant' get them to work or they stop working after a while. Wonder who Neal gets to look after these.
Neil is a favorite player. I saw Journey live in 2013 and honestly there were just too many ambient effects on his solos-echo, verbs, chorusy things. He’s a fantastic guitarist and didn’t need all that stuff washing things out, especially when he plays fast-which is often. I saw Journey live 3x in the late 70s through early 80s and Neil always sounded fantastic, perfect through a Marshall with no or few time based effects. I wrote off the 2013 show to things likely sounding great to Neil in his in-ears/wedges and unfortunately that (too) wet mix was sent to the house.
Relic..blah blah. Not me. Who pays lots of money for a beat up guitar to LOOK like it's used….never understood why people wanna front like their guitar is truly vintage
I love how he has the Fernandez sustainer in all his guitars
There's so much to learn from Neil Schon and his amazing musicality. Everyone talks about Steve Perry, but those iconic riffs and solos are all Neal. Not to put Steve Perry down, but to lift Neal up. Without Neal's playing the songs just wouldn't have the same feel.
Why would send some numpty who has no idea how to ask good questions for something like this? Super complex rig and instead of talking about the capabilities he just goes "Wow. Ok so next thing….".
Neal Schon – fantastic player, terrible taste in shoes.
Beyond The Thunder is one of my all time favourite Albums, magical.
Lol the dumb comments here. This is a guy who's played more gear you could imagine, and then these idiots have the audacity to question his gear choices lol.
He used to be so clean but now the fast stuff is just mush. When he slows down he's unbelievable
Lynryd Skynyrd would sit and come up with their solos slow and analytically but I still think they do a great job of having a particular feel to them. (Though I do prefer Schon’s playing for the most part)
he seems a little self conscious. Much respect tho.
Man, how does it feel to just hold the guitar of a legend? I wouldn't have returned it to him so easily ????
By far one of the best guitarists ever.A technical genious.Ive been a fan since the beginning and one of my greatest influences.I know and have worked with some of the best guitar players out there.I don't get star struck but I think I'd be in awe of meeting Neal just because I've admired him for so long.
behind every 'great' guitarist is an anonymous guitar tech…
I loved the way he played with Santana and on the first three Journey albums.
I luv him
That black prototype signature guitar is a fuckin beauty!
Gorgeous instrument and just all of the function you're looking for..
That "cellophane" looks more like visqueen to me..
So funny how we guitar players (not just Neal) stop playing when we are talking, but then when someone starts talking to us, we go back to noodling around on the guitar!