Mudhoney Rig Rundown Guitar Gear Tour with Mark Arm & Steve Turner
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Published 2023-12-20
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Universe: “Super Fuzz or Big Muff?”
Mudhoney: “Both!”
What else would you expect from a band that titled their mischievously visceral ’88 debut EP after both pedals (Superfuzz Bigmuff)?
Formed in the late ’80s by guitarists Mark Arm and Steve Turner after the dissolution of their band Green River (which included future Mother Love Bone and Pearl Jam cofounders Jeff Ament and Stone Gossard), Mudhoney long ago solidified themselves as the Seattle scene’s big brothers and tightest pack. Through their 11 LPs, five EPs, and six live albums, Mudhoney has routinely diversified and further defined their eccentric brand of raucous, aggressive, unfiltered rock ’n’ roll. Possibly more impressive than the band’s wide influence and devoted authenticity is the foursome’s bond. Drummer Dan Peters and bassist Matt Lukin (also a founding member of the Melvins) were the rhythmic bedrock for Arm and Turner’s exploding-M-80 tones since the beginning. (Arm and Turner have been friends since high school and have been playing off each other since then.) But Lukin left the band in 2001 because tour life became too much, and Guy Maddison has been thundering ever since. To see a group’s career that’s pushing past 35 years and only have one member swap is as inspirational as it is baffling. How?!
“We like each other a lot. We get along. We love what we’re doing,” remarks Arm. “Why stop, even if no one gives a shit?”
Friendship matters to Arm and Turner, but gear isn’t a concern unless it points them in one direction—east. More specifically, toward Detroit, Michigan. And even more specifically, to the Stooges. Both namecheck the livewire band and their raw power several times in our Rig Rundown. However, in a 2018 interview with Premier Guitar, they acknowledged regenerating sounds that echo influences from Neil Young and the Byrds to Devo and the Dead Kennedys. But after chasing “I-Wanna-Be-Your-Dog” sizzle, what else leads them to the gear they use? Has that mentality changed since the late ’80s?
“If you think about the aesthetics of where we come from—garage punk, and punk rock in general—a lot of it was made with cheap gear, and a lot of it was reclaiming gear that guitarists had kind of dismissed as garbage. Like the Mustang. That was my ultimate guitar back when I was a kid, but it was poo-pooed when I finally got one. I could get them for $150. The Danelectro and Silvertone amps were kind of high-rated garbage when we were getting into them. We based a lot of our sound on cheap gear, so it makes sense to me that I still buy the cheap gear,” concluded Turner.
They’re still pragmatic about their setups, preferring equipment that’s familiar and reliable. Where they chase the dragon is in stompboxes. Turner trusts the Big Muff (his favorite iteration is from the mid-’80s), while Arm’s torrid tone burns with a Super Fuzz clone. However, both have additional hot-sauce stompboxes and other effects on their pedalboards that are being auditioned trial by fire.
Hours before Mudhoney’s headlining set at Nashville’s Basement East, Arm and Turner brought PG’s Chris Kies onstage to catalog their setups. Turner started the party by talking about a pair of guitars—his battle-tested late-’60s Guild Starfire IV and a recently-acquired Fender Gold Foil Jazzmaster before kicking on his Big Muff and other pedals that unlocked Dante’s inferno. Then, Arm joined the fun by showing off his Gretsch Vintage Select ’59 Duo Jet that eventually gets pulverized by three different fuzzes.
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[Brought to you by D’Addario: ddar.io/wykyk-rr]
© Copyright Gearhead Communications LLC, 2023
0:00 - D'Addario When You Know You Know
0:15 - Steve Turner Playing Intro
0:47 - Steve Turner's Fender Gold Foil Jazzmaster
4:09 - Steve Turner's 1968 Guild Starfire IV
6:21 - Steve Turner's Fender Hot Rod DeVille III
7:46 - Steve Turner on Fuzz Pedals
10:31 - Steve Turner's Pedalboard
14:41 - Mark Arm's Gretsch G6128T-59 ’59 Duo Jet
16:17 - Mark Arm's Strings & Tunings
17:44 - Mark Arm's Fender Super Six
18:37 - Mark Arm on Fuzz Pedals
19:19 - Mark Arm's Pedalboard
#guitar #rigrundown #mudhoney #grunge #guitarist #guitarplayer #guitargear
All Comments (21)
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Shop the Rig: Guild Starfire IV: sweetwater.sjv.io/davngk Fender Gold Foil Jazzmaster: sweetwater.sjv.io/NkJ4W2 G6128T-59 Vintage Select ’59 Duo Jet: sweetwater.sjv.io/y2v9AW MXR Micro Amp: sweetwater.sjv.io/VmY3dk VOX V847A Wah: sweetwater.sjv.io/75VoqQ Ibanez TS9DX Turbo Tube Screamer: sweetwater.sjv.io/MmVyzo Strymon Flint: sweetwater.sjv.io/QyAKk9 MXR Phase 90: sweetwater.sjv.io/vNbBJj Peterson Stomp Classic Strobotuner: sweetwater.sjv.io/rQLdLj Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 2 Plus: sweetwater.sjv.io/LXm31V EarthQuaker Devices Life Pedal V3: sweetwater.sjv.io/jr2Z7e Catalinbread Epoch Boost: sweetwater.sjv.io/m5vZq1 Catalinbread Belle Epoch: sweetwater.sjv.io/LX14BY Catalinbread Valcoder: sweetwater.sjv.io/xkvQav Catalinbread Sabbra Cadabra: sweetwater.sjv.io/DKmnGd Ernie Ball Super Slinky: sweetwater.sjv.io/Pyq3zY Dunlop Heavy Core Strings (.010–.048): sweetwater.sjv.io/9gZOD3
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Steve: I don’t really know what that is, or what order it’s in. Host: Cool, let’s move on to Mark. Mark: Oh, Steve knows way more about this stuff than I do.
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Always love how a lot of the guys who’ve made a real, lasting impression on rocknroll seemingly don’t know, or don’t really care that much about their gear.
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Mudhoney is one of the best bands ever, thank you for posting this. One of my favorite memories is seeing them in Ballard at the Firehouse when I was a kid, my Dad dropped me off and I had to use the payphone to call him after the gig to come pick me up. Mark gave me a high five, which literally changed my life. Thank you Steve and Mark for inspiring me and countless others. Their guitar tone and playing is absolutely perfect.
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I remember listening to Superfuzz Bigmuff when I was in high school and learning about fuzz pedals. So...Mudhoney is responsible for all of my terrible financial decisions since. Thanks a lot guys!
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These guys are just consumate pros. One if the best live band ive ever seen. Great vid to see.
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Love these guys. And it goes to show that your gear and pedals and sound can evolve over time, and yet you can still sound like you.
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Yeah Mudhoney! Amazing band, and Steve Turner is one of my favorite guitar players.
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So happy for this rundown! For a while I was using a hollow body guitar with high amounts of fuzz and reverb because of Steve's sound. He's right it screams a bit but just enough to control and sound great in a mix
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Hell yes! Thank you for catching up with these pioneers.
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20:30 Love that Ibanez fuzz, sounds great!
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Been trying to get a Real Cool Fuzz for the last few years, thanks Steve for making it even harder
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MH and Green River were the originals.I remember seeing them and Flipper long before Nirvana or any of the other NWest bands. The stock Filtertrons on Gretsch's,- especially semi hollows,- lend themselves to Fuzz and clipped sounds; they maintain articulation with added harmonic content. Good to see all the Catalinbread pedals designed by Howard G ; don't get why he'd use a EHX Muff when they make better Fuzzes, - as is the EQD Hoof.The CB Octopussy remains one of the best octave types out there.
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Great video! Such legends. Just saw them live in Milwaukee in October. Sound as great today as they ever have.
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Recently saw Mudhoney at the Spanish Ballroom in Tacoma as the first gig on their Plastic Eternity tour. Such a great band and killer vibe. Very humble too. Spoke with Steve about his book and Mark about “the freewheeling Mark Arm,” they graciously signed a couple 45’s. Really appreciate the music and energy. Travel safe and keep on rocking!
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Awesome 👏 watched it twice already. Excellent vid!
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Love mudhoney i saw them twice and got to meet them back in october when they played in Cleveland they were amazing and mark and steve are very nice
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Great video Mark and Steve are legends. Im reading Steve's book now which is a great read so far
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Cannot wait to see the whole episode!
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Some of my absolute favorite guitar tones.
