Gear Rundown: PVRIS
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Gear Rundown: PVRIS

GUITARS

ERNIE BALL MUSIC MAN STINGRAY

 

 

Prior to touring with heavy rock giants Bring Me The Horizon, Ernie Ball Music Man gifted PVRIS with two prototype models of their recent Music Man StingRay guitars, featuring dual humbuckers and a design based on its bass brethren. Since receiving her all-white prototype model, frontwoman Lynn Gunn has adopted the StingRay as her main touring guitar, while fellow guitarist Alex Babinski can also be seen playing one in a stripped back performance of the band’s song ‘You And I’ at Firefly 2016.

 

 

ERNIE BALL MUSIC MAN REFLEX

 

 

While Gunn typically uses a StingRay live, Babinski can often be seen playing an Ernie Ball Music Man Reflex. Combining elements of Ernie Ball’s EVH model with Telecaster aesthetics, Babinski’s Music Man Reflex contains an additional boost switch alongside typical tone and volume controls, which he uses to overdrive the signal of his guitar for a warm crunch to suit the band’s heavier moments.

 

H&S CUSTOM JAZZMASTER

 

 

Before jumping ship to her Music Man StingRay, Gunn used to favour a custom-made Hanson & Sheldon Jazzmaster-styled guitar in a white finish, featuring a Seymour Duncan humbucker in the bridge position, simplified switching, a Telecaster styled neck and unique fretboard inlays. 

 

 

Occassionally, Gunn can be seen playing an all-black Fender Jazzmaster as well, which is also fitted with two humbuckers.

 

FENDER HH STANDARD TELECASTER

 

 

Whilst touring with Bring Me The Horizon, Babinski began playing a dual humbucker Fender Telecaster, possibly using it as a live alternative to his MM Reflex.

 

BASS GUITARS

FENDER JAZZ BASS

 

 

Throughout PVRIS’ early years, bassist Brian MacDonald predominantly played a sunburst Fender Jazz Bass; however, he recently auctioned the instrument to charity, which he discussed with Bass Guitar Magazine last year: “My first bass guitar was a Fender Jazz; I got it in 2011 on my birthday, and I remember telling my dad what I was going to do with it, and he was super stoked. I just recently auctioned it off for charity. I did this little event on Twitter, where I put it up on eBay and it sold in four seconds! The person who bought it sat down with me on a Skype session. That bass has been all around the world with me. My heart was hurting a little bit to let it go, but I know it’s going to a good cause. I do miss it, though.”

 

ERNIE BALL MUSIC MAN STINGRAY BASS

 

 

MacDonald also used to perform with a white Music Man StingRay with a maple fretboard while touring the band’s first album; however, he mentioned it was “long gone” in the aforementioned Bass Guitar Magazine interview, implying that he’d sold it, possibly to attain his newer Fender Precision.

 

FENDER PRECISION BASS

 

 

For PVRIS’ new LP All We Know Of Heaven, All We Need Of Hell, MacDonald made the switch from J to P, favouring the tone and feel of Fender Precision basses both in the studio and for live performances. MacDonald uses a black model with a maple neck live, and resorts to a white and rosewood model whilst recording.

 

AMPLIFIERS

 

 

On guitar, both Gunn and Babinski play through either Marshall or Orange heads, with Gunn favouring Orange Rockerverb 50W and Marshall JCM 800 heads while Babinski plays through Rockerverb 100W or Marshall JCM 2000 heads.

 

 

For holding down the low end, MacDonald uses a Kemper Profiler Rack rig, although he used to play through an Ampeg bass stack.

 

EFFECTS

 

 

In the above video, Babinski runs through his current effects setup with Ernie Ball, discussing his use of a Boss TU-3 Tuner, a Boss NS-2 Noise Supressor, a Strymon TimeLine Delay and a Strymon BigSky Reverb.

 

 

Gunn also keeps a relatively restricted effects setup, with her board consisting of a TC Electronic Hall Of Fame Reverb, a TC Electronic Flashback Delay, a Boss NS-2 Noise Supressor, a Fulltone Full-Drive 2 Mosfet, and a Korg Pitchblack tuner. 

 

SYNTHESISERS / SAMPLERS

KORG WAVESTATION

 

 

As well as playing bass in PVRIS, MacDonald often jumps on the synth for the odd song or two and plays a Korg Wavestation synth live for tracks such as ‘My House’.

 

AKAI MPD32

Similarly, an Akai MPD32 can also be seen on the keyboard stand above MacDonald’s Wavestation in the above video, which is used for triggering samples and hits throughout the set. MacDonald can also be seen often using an Akai MPX-8 sampler for similar purposes in other performances by the band.

 

 

Catch PVRIS on tour from Wednesday June 13 to Sunday June 17. For tickets and tour dates, visit Live Nation.

 

Feature image via Matty Vogel.