WHAT THE FORMER SMASHING PUMPKINS GUITARIST SEES WHEN HE LOOKS DOWN
Interview by Andrew Daly
“I HAD AN existential crisis with my pedalboard after leaving the Smashing Pumpkins. I had nothing else besides my touring rig based on my Revv Generator 120s and Line 6 Helix. My board is a work in progress, but here’s what I’ve been using lately.
“I took a modular approach using one main board and one satellite. I wanted it to be malleable without sacrificing tone. In the summer of ’23, the Smashing Pumpkins toured with Rival Sons, and I spent a lot of time with their guitarist, Scott Holiday. Although simplified, the board I put together is inspired by what he’s doing.
“My board’s heart is the Line 6 Helix [multi-effects floor processor]. I use it in many ways: straight into the PA using a combination of pedal and amp models, the Helix preamps into a power amp and cabinet, or strictly as an effects unit running into standalone amps.
“I could easily use the Helix alone, but I like incorporating other pedals, hence the hybrid nature. The signal chain is: guitar into Helix; the output of the Helix into a PA or mixing console, into amps, or both. Connected to the Helix are three separate pedal chains, two mono and one stereo. Effects Loop one contains a Mid-Fi Electronics Demo Tape Fuzz, an EarthQuaker Devices Special Cranker [overdrive] and an Analog Man modded Boss DS-1 [distortion].
“Effects Loop two contains three EarthQuaker Devices pedals: the Aurelius [Tri-Voice Chorus], Rainbow Machine [Polyphonic Pitch Mesmerizer] and the Afterneath [V2 Reverb]. Effects Loop three and four are combined in
