Mike McCready says using a digital amp modeller has pushed him to play better than ever: “I just felt more confident”
For every guitarist who isn’t yet a digital amp modelling convert, there’s another who’s made the switch. Recently, the Black Crowes’ Rich Robinson spoke of his hesitancy around amp modellers, admitting that “they’re getting close” to the real thing, but noting the “symbiotic relationship” a guitarist has with their analogue amplifier.
But on the flip side, Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready has readily adopted a digital guitar rig, even admitting that doing so has made him a “better guitar player”.
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Speaking to Guitar World in a new interview, McCready shares that he used a Fender Tone Master Pro – which we gave a strong 8/10 in our 2023 review – while touring Pearl Jam’s 2024 album Dark Matter, and it also makes up part of his home rig.
He does, however, admit that he’s still very partial to analogue gear – it’s just about striking the right balance.
“It’s a mixture of modelling and real amps, so I keep both the analogue and digital worlds,” McCready says. “I love the Tone Master… I play on it every day. I can pick up any kind of pedal on that thing and it sounds pretty great.”
On Pearl Jam’s Dark Matter tour, McCready ran the Tone Master Pro through Fender Tone Master FRFR (full range, flat response) cabs. He says his current rig – newer digital technology combined with classic analogue gear – has made him a sharper guitar player.
“I know there’s purists that probably aren’t into that, but I felt like my amp modelling system along with the old analogue stuff has made me a better guitar player,” he continues.
“It was the consistency of the amps over the Dark Matter tour that pushed me to play better than I have ever done. I just felt more confident.”
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Source: www.guitar-bass.net
