Les Claypool thumps
his self-made custom
Pachyderm 4-string bass
at Bonnaroo on June 11,
2016. Both on tour and
in the studio, he’s also
currently playing his
Michael Kelly
resonator bass,
a vintage Eko
violin bass,
and an NS Design
5-string upright.
LES CLAYPOOL’S GEAR
BASSES
• Custom Pachyderm 4-string
• NS Design electric upright 5-string
• Michael Kelly Bayou 4-string
Resonator Bass
• Vintage Eko Model 995 Violin Bass
AMPS
• API 7600 the Channel Strip (multiple)
• Mesa/Boogie Subway D-800 heads (two)
• Subway 1x12 Ultra-Lite
Bass Cabinets (four)
EFFECTS
• Line 6 DM4 Distortion Modeler
• Line 6 DL4 Delay Modeler
• Boomerang III Phrase Sampler
• dbx 160A Compressor
• Korg AX3000B ToneWorks
Bass e s r ess r
• MXR M108 Ten Band Graphic EQ
• MXR M80 Bass D.I.
• Access Virus TI Synthesizer
with MIDI foot controller
STRINGS
• Dunlop sets
How does that affect the way you play?
Claypool: Any time you are making
music with anybody it should be like a
conversation. When you are having a
conversation with an individual, whether
60 PREMIER GUITAR SEPTEMBER 2016
Photo by Douglas Mason
Claypool: I think any strength in a
musician in general—whether they
are a guitar player or a … flautist—is
the notion that they have a signature.
I do feel like Sean has a pretty strong
signature. I noticed that as soon as we
started having our little jams in the back
of the bus. He would come up with
things that were unique. They weren’t
just these general responses to what I
was doing. I found that very intriguing.
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