Unknown Mortal Orchestra Rig Rundown Guitar Gear Tour with Ruban Nielson
Full Rig Details: https://bit.ly/3sTKsp6
Subscribe to PG’s Channel: http://bit.ly/SubscribePGYouTube
“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
Full Rig Details: https://bit.ly/3sTKsp6
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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
#guitar #rigrundown #guitarist #unknownmortalorchestra #rubannielson #guitarplayer
#Unknown #Mortal #Orchestra #Rig #Rundown #Guitar #Gear #Tour #Ruban #Nielson
Originally posted by UC5J-hZ4wNf7OlkzIn49LHoQ at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYJe4mKfWv0
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
And his strap is ten inches long
Dude weirds me out especially if I was dosed like he seems like he’s going to jump and attack you at any moment in time. He’s just like a video game character you’re designing and they’re in position and ready to take off lol
Not often you hear a New Zealand – kiwi – accent on a Rig Rundown! Chur Bro!
I spent a good 20 mins at the Manchester gig trying to work out what that amp was ????
Yoooooo we've been waiting for this one!
"On lead guitar…..rain man!!! Sweet flood pants too!
My dude's got a whammy-neck-mount.
????????????????????????
ruben is so fucking awesome
awesome rundown, thanks for the inside looks!!
This man made my acid trips great
Just got a Baranik last week! Love it.
Seeing out of the window that it’s day time and cars are driving by took me out of the moment. So weird to me for some reason
I think he is one of the most original guitarists of the last 10 years. absolutely love his playing.
love this "V" much
He’s got such a unique playing style and tone
Give him some water!
I love Ruban’s harmonic sense.
oaaaaaaa
Is the guitar strap hanging only off of his shoulder in the beginning of the video giving anybody else extreme anxiety?
Australian ‘old guy’….? Tommy Emmanuel? Just wondered
Love seeing Ruban on here, I feel like he is one of the premier modern guitar players, and UMO has put out some of my favorite songs of the past 10+ years. Saw them live in Philly a few years ago, and they crushed, definitely worth seeing.
YOOO he’s got the Gus’s shirt
fascinating. the FOH engineer might be pleased to hear that there's now a way you can balance the dry and wet signal in a live setting so that the audience doesn't just get a windswept wash of quiet, flangey 300hz reverby mess.
D'Addario strings suck, I put some Pyramid flat wounds on my guitar and they lasted for 9 months with weekly rehearsals, gigs and very aggressive playing. I've had to now replace 2 but the others haven't even shown the slightest bit of rust. I don't even wipe them down after gigs.
the best guitarist right now
Been trying for hours to find the strap that he uses on the Baranik. It looks similar to the fender super deluxe strap, but the ends where the strap buttons go are widened out and reinforced in a way that looks both sturdier and cooler. Anybody have any idea what it is?