Get Total Guitar for iOS devices, Kindle Fire and Android: bit.ly/1NQOana The metal kings bring their live show to Europe, with an impressive array of interesting gear in tow. Bill shows TG around his rig...
Bill is such a down to earth, laid back mad scientist of a guitar player. I had a lesson with him last year and was nervous leading up to it but the moment he took us inside the venue and introduced himself, my anxiety vanished and it was like I already knew him. Really rad dude to spend an hour lesson with. He's really analytical and methodical like an engineer, but at the same time, not mechanical or like a living spreadsheet. True artist.
Bill will be a producer after he’s done playing in mastodon or when mastodon is no longer writing new material. He understands the technical side of music so well. Maybe not theory wise, but in terms of tone, mechanics, and above all order. He just has that side to him. Like an Adam d from killswitch but much more pronounced. If mastodon doesn’t win a Grammy I think bill will win one as a producer.
haha a year later and here we are with a totally new list of endorsements from different companies (The new Friedman Bill Kelleher heads and his LTD models). wish i could get my name on some gear lol
So true, but I would imagine (meaning it wouldn't surprise me) that for albums they are probably mostly on old Marshalls and Gibsons, because they like those old guitars that they have used for years and they play and feel better to them (you want your best performance in studio). What is important to know for more or less any high level band, is that in a live setting they will pretty much play anything that is given to them to a certain extent (and rightfully so) because 99% of the audience listening don't pick up on "bad" guitar tones, when it comes to studio work they are definitely not endorsing anyone, they will play what is best when needed, they will have a massive amount of gear to test and find/cherry pick the wanted tone, but that is completely unrelated to anything marketing wise
gibson (as a company) was really shit to bill. they gave him sub-par guitars that had things that he didn't want. www.gearnews.com/gibson-artist-leaving-company-stating-dont-care/
Bill still uses some of his old Gibson's, but because of their age they're mostly studio whores these days. Lol his ESP/Ltd models are pretty rad and more tour friendly. I just wish he had more finish options.
I see preset name on midi-controller "BILL EURO RIG", interesting, does it mean that there's another BILL USA RIG preset?) Everyone heared that perception of music (not only music, for exmpl IKEA found that after 10% increasing ALL dimension of their stuff in USA sales seriousluy increased, haha) in USA and Europe is different, so does it mean that band and sound-engineers consider that when making live sound?
+smokinace band Sorry, if I'm late to the party or if you've had your question answered. But in another Rig Rundown video (including Brent and Troy's rigs), Bill states that he has a rig that he leaves in Europe, specifically. This is purely out of convenience and mitigates any loss of guitars and equipment, which, has happened before when one of Bill's prized guitars was stolen.
+E Stark They use it here and there on a couple songs and albums. Oblivion, Ghost of Karelia, The Motherload, The Last Baron, Stargasm, Sleeping Giant and probably a few more I missed.
+awkwardpizza I think you misunderstood me. You were referring to Drop C, i.e. the LOWEST string is tuned down from D to C. But in addition to the three main Mastodon tunings, D standard, Drop C, and Drop A, Bill has now mentioned a fourth tuning in which the HIGHEST string is tuned down from D to C. He made it seem like this is used in only one or two songs, and I have yet to come across it when learning Mastodon songs by ear.
From everything i've read from people who own both, you get about the same quality with a nice epiphone that you would with a gibson. I've seen several people swear by epiphones but not care for gibsons because last few years gibsons quality control has been really hit or miss.
rkhale02 yah I’ve heard this argument for years too. As someone who lives in TN and has been to both epiphone and Gibson factories. I can assure you that the main difference in these guitars ( unless you order a custom ) are the pickups and the tuning pegs and epiphone does a little less finishing like for example you might have to shave the fret ends on your epi. But these are about the only main differences I’ve seen in these two guitars.
I just got a Halcyon. Its beautiful and I love it. Bill seems really cool too but "I designed it" regarding the Lace signature pickups? C'mon man. You even stated they sent you pick ups and you "chose" the one you liked best... Which is cool, but yeah. No. Props all around at any rate! Get back with Gibson 😊
It'd be cool for him to get back with Gibson, now that they have a CEO who really seems passionate about where he wants the company to go. Bill left Gibson a few years ago because of how awful he felt the company was treating his signature models. Wrongs strings, awful/no setups, incorrect specs. It's a real shame but I think Gibson will be getting their shit together in the near future.
Tom Ferramenti ESP, he will have an ESP sig and also the LTD version which he also plays. Just watched a video of him saying that. He still plays Gibson's as well.
