Brian Setzer Rig Rundown Guitar Gear Tour [2023]

Full Rig Details: bit.ly/BrianSetzerRig
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Two-time Grammy Award-winning rockabilly hero Brian Setzer recently played a sold-out show at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium in support of his new solo album, The Devil Always Collects. Tyler Sweet, who has teched for Setzer for 17 years, took PG’s John Bohlinger through the rig that rocked this town, and just about every other town in the world over Setzer’s 40 years of twanging and sanging.
With his recognizable arsenal of plucky semi-hollows, Setzer has probably done more for the Gretsch brand than any other player in the last half-century. On this tour, Setzer brought out some old friends, like this 1959 Gretsch G6120 with gold hardware, rebuilt and restored by TV Jones. Jones treated it to a total overhaul, including a neck reset, a refret with a new radius, new inlays in the upper register, fresh binding side dots on the bass side and lacquer on the neck, a new bridge, reversed toggle switches, and an upgraded Wilkinson Delrin nut-plus, he removed the zero and fret-fill behind the nut. Like all of Setzer’s guitars, this supercharged swing machine stays strung with D’Addario EXL 110s (.010-.046), which Setzer strikes with medium celluloid picks.
In a 2014 interview with Setzer, PG featured had a sidebar with guitar guru TV Jones who detailed what he did to Brian’s guitars and how he created his signature pickup: “TV Jones mastermind Tom Jones-who’s been rehabilitating old pickups and winding new ones for Brian Setzer for 20+ years-explains the process behind the Stray Cat’s new signature pickups.
“It’s my job to ensure that all of Brian’s guitars play and sound the absolute best they can possibly be,” says Jones, who debuted the pickups at the March 2014 Musikmesse gear show in Frankfurt, Germany. “A few years back, I found that a few of Brian’s new Hot Rod signature guitars-which were sent to me by Gretsch to set up for his upcoming tours-sounded slightly brighter acoustically. So I decided to design a new pickup to bring out the best in these guitars-higher fidelity on top, with a slight punch in the bottom end-by using sonically unmatched coils and custom steel-alloy pole screws. The results were beyond my expectations.”
Jones also reworked this 1960 Gretsch G6120, which bears nickel hardware. He scraped a new shape in the neck, then refinished the lacquered neck and face cap. Like his work on the ’59, Jones also removed the zero fret and filled behind the nut (another Wilkoloid Delrin), manipulated the pickups, replaced the fingerboard binding and inlays with side dots, fit a new bridge, turned around the toggle switches, and gave it a refret and new conical fingerboard radius.
For a more modern accent, Setzer plays his 2004 Gretsch G6120T-HR Brian Setzer Signature Hot Rod in magenta sparkle. This guitar is all stock.
Setzer tours with two blonde Bassmans-one from 1962 and the other from ’63, but both with a 6G6-B circuit. They run into matching Bassman 2x12 cabs, which run 12" Oxford speakers. Setzer usually uses one amp and has the other as a backup, but has been known to run both when it makes sense for the venue.
Setzer has a Boss TR-2 Tremolo in his line for the occasional tremolo, and brings as many as six of the stompboxes on the road with him, just in case. Ditto his Roland 301 Chorus-Echos, which range between 1983 and 1986 manufacture dates-the units are old and fragile, so in case one taps out, there’s another to take its place. Setzer wires his set up with Mogami cables, with Amphenol silent ends.
Full Rig Details: bit.ly/BrianSetzerRig
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[Brought to you by D’Addario XS Strings: www.daddario.com/XSRR]
00:00 - D’Addario XS Strings
00:15 - "Rock This Town" Intro
00:44 - Tyler Sweet & John Bohlinger Intro
01:32 - 1960 Gretsch G6120
05:16 - 1959 Gretsch G6120 "Smoke"
08:05 - 2004 Gretsch G6120T-HR Brian Setzer Signature Hot Rod
10:22 - 1980s Roland 301 Chorus-Echo
12:42 - Boss TR-2 Tremolo
14:17 - 1960s Fender Blonde Bassmans with the 6G6-B Circuit
© Copyright Gearhead Communications LLC, 2023
#guitar #rigrundown #briansetzer #gretsch #rockabilly #guitarist #guitarplayer

[@premierguitar]

Full Rig Details: bit.ly/BrianSetzerRig Subscribe to PG's Channel: bit.ly/SubscribePGKZbin Win Guitar Gear: bit.ly/GiveawaysPG Don't Miss a Rundown: bit.ly/RIgRundownENL Merch & Magazines: shop.premierguitar.com

[@sloan4778]

Brian was one of my absolute favorite customers while managing Valdez Guitars in Los Angeles circa 1980. No BS nor attitude, just totally unpretentious, real and down to earth. It was always a great pleasure to interact with, and help him with his instruments. All the best brother. Glad to see you still cranking 'em out, and giving the audience what they need! :-)

[@alexmorissey9029]

This week on Rig Rundown: Magic hands into vintage guitars, into vintage tape echo, into vintage amps. Nuff said.

[@ronlee2611]

This cat is a legend. I remember seeing the Stray Cats around 1981. Truly a master of the guitar. Ridiculous talent.🎸⚡🎶🎵🔊

[@Annunaki_0517]

You are lucky. I was a very early Stray Cats fan but I didn’t discover them until early ‘82 when I was 14. But once I did I was all in and I had the very first import album (on vinyl because there was nothing else), the one with the comb and can of Nu-Nile on the back. Here’s a story. Because I was a Rockabilly kid, I searched far and wide for a can of Nu-Nile, thinking it would make my hair look like the Stray Cats hair. Found a can in an old, single owner pharmacy and bought that stuff. Omg, that stuff was so thick and greasy no amount of shampoo could get rid of it and my mom was furious with me because I ruined like four pillowcases before it finally came out. So much for looking like your Rock and Roll heroes.

[@vintagepipesnightmares]

He told John 4 times that first guitar was made in 1960😂😂

[@standinsilence]

Well he had to.. LOL..

[@vintagepipesnightmares]

@@standinsilence 😆👍

[@user-vs1ee2jr3n]

Really bad short term memory !!

[@caseycarlson5953]

So you’re saying it’s not a ‘59? 😅

[@vintagepipesnightmares]

@@caseycarlson5953 🤔 I am not sure 🤣👍

[@andrewpappas9311]

The first Rundown with Brian was one of the first Rig Rundowns I can remember watching, I also remember a friend of mine that I knew from college is a huge rockabilly fan and started playing guitar because of Brian and it definitely shows in his playing. Awesome as always, guys

[@boomtap7554]

We went to this show in Nashville. It was awesome! I was hoping that there’d be a rig rundown. Loved it.

[@premierguitar]

thanks for watching!!

[@Annunaki_0517]

I was a very early Stray Cats fan. I discovered them in early ‘82 when I was 14. And once I did I was all in and I spent $15 (huge money for an album in 1982) for the very first import album (on vinyl because there was nothing else), the one with the photo of a comb and can of Nu-Nile hair dressing on the back. Here’s a story. Because I was a NYC Rockabilly kid, I searched far and wide for a can of Nu-Nile, thinking it would make my hair look like the Stray Cats hair. Found a can in an old, single owner pharmacy and bought that stuff. Omg, that stuff was so thick and greasy no amount of shampoo could get rid of it and my mom was furious with me because I ruined like four pillowcases before it finally came out. So much for looking like your Rock and Roll heroes. There’s no way they used that stuff in their hair. No chance. It was like Vaseline but 5x stiffer.

[@streamofconsciousness5826]

Maybe the Glop you used was too much. I can see them needing a stiff gel being under lights and sweating for a hour. I spent my 15$ on The Alarm. Another oddball retro ish band in the New Wave Synth era.

[@lancegrey1225]

Sorry for your MOM , AND THOSE POUR PILLOW CASES! HA HA!

[@Meditech509]

Awesome kid growing up story.

[@kevinwaddle447]

There was a lot of Aqua-Net in those early Stray Cats photos.

[@sethtravins3647]

Because of that album I used nu Nile and Murray’s pomade daily for my high school years.

[@billyrouse4813]

I was first introduced to Brian by seeing him play Eddie Cochran in La Bamba. After that I was hooked.

[@tattoo_suit6197]

Same here always loved when his scene came up

[@Rski1234]

Tyler is a great guy, I've known him for years.

[@snapfinger1]

Hugely popular with the punk/new wavers in late ‘70’s early 80’s. Epic under card on The Clash tour. Sexy & 17 forever.

[@macanoodough]

Brian Setzer is the most underrated player ever. People talk Hendrix, Clapton, Beck, etc., but nobody has been on the road more with flawless performances. The only reason is because he plays passe genres. That doesn't stop him from writing hits or packing audiences in around the world, and in some countries he's bigger than Elvis. But here in America we just take it for granted, so he's never in the conversation or on Rolling Stones' stupid greatest guitarist list anywhere near his rightful position, if he's on it at all.

[@alfsmith4936]

He's certainly the best alive in his genre but Danny Gatton was the most underrated player ever, followed closely by Jimmy Bryant.

[@Corporations8MyBaby]

Tell Tyler that Brian's echo tone was generated (England 198) by the reliable old Boss DM-2 Analog Delay foot pedal. That's what's on the recording of "Rock This Town"

[@PurposefulPorpoise]

FENDER WE NEED A BLONDE BASSMAN REISSUE

[@5after4am]

Agreed , and not at a 'vintage' price .

[@schwabit989]

Saw Brian and his orchestra do a Christmas concert in Phoenix years ago. He is truly an underrated guitarist!

[@tomterrif8503]

underrated by WHOM??? Every guitarist on Earth knows who he is.

[@j.d.leslie8458]

​@@tomterrif8503I know. Apparently every famous guitar player from the last 60 years is underrated. Seems to be about 10,000 of them now.

[@GRBAquatics]

So Very, Cool. Brian is Such a Champion, as is Tyler, and such an Inspiration to me Loving Guitars and especially Gretsch Guitars SO Much. All the Best. Cheers

[@michaelcollums4197]

I first saw Brian and Stray Cats in 83, this man does not get the credit as a guitar god he should, he is very hard to copy, his talent is out of this world, you know who it is within the first few seconds of hearing song. He is a smoking hot one of a kind original player.

[@michaelszczys8316]

It's because they played ' rockabilly ' which I found is the most hated music in the world. When I played a lot of rockabilly I had to go out in my garage or in a moving car.

[@omarloera86]

Lmao this dude is always getting corrected… “59?… 60… oh 60 sorry!…. Scratch pad? …. Oh yeah pickgaurd “

[@gregmize01]

I had his Star Licks vhs!🎸🎸🎸🎸

[@jeffmazzei8520]

Great rig rundown ! John finally asked about strings and picks ‘ finally

[@captainkirk70]

Except for the speakers. Celestion and Jensen are companies not speaker names. I hate that. I'm sure the info is readily available. One of the most important links in the sound besides the guitar. Might as well just say he uses Fender amps or Gretsch guitars.

[@MrJingles021]

Brian Setzer is the sound of my childhood Christmases. I want a Gretsch because of him.

[@dave-ox2eo]

Free shipping, too!

[@LiveFromAhch-To]

It's a f^n crime Brian was left off that recent Rolling Stone list, WTF...

[@tomterrif8503]

RS has ALWAYS sucked

[@Flyingwithoutmings]

Brian being left off completely discredits that article

[@breft3416]

For sure! I started playing in 1960, so I cut my teeth on Chuck Berry, Elvis, Gene & Eddy, Carl Perkins and Ricky Nelson. All the Burnette tunes. When the Stray Cats hit the radio, I zoomed to the store for that first album. They revived the genre and Brian set a new standard for the rockabilly style. Then he just got better! Jazz player, arranger for big band and solo guitar and the best live tone. Crystal clear with perfect use of reverb. A grievous oversight by RS.

[@leicaman100]

Please come and tour the uk Brian 🙏

[@jcsolomon6470]

❤ This!I Vintage Wired and put 2 Vintage PIO White Russian, .022 Tone Caps in my Gretsch 2420T Streamliner!Sounds Awesome!Took me 3 to 4 Hours to do This!Worth The Results!Just wanted to Share,Take care!Jcsx

[@captainkirk70]

I have one of those. I wish they would make an access point in the back like solid bodies. They could even make the cover out of wood. There's already F-holes and pickup holes. I seriously doubt a cutout on the back properly sealed would make any difference. Hell, some pros stick socks or foam in their high end hollowbodies. Especially if we are talking about entry level guitars that 75% of people want to mod anyway. Grrrrrrr.

[@lancegrey1225]

Great work, love you guys. Keep up the great work. ROCK IT inside out!

[@markt747]

I have a couple of questions. What's the benefit of removing the zero fret? Two what non skid material is safe for the surface contact on the Bigsby?

[@danstrachan]

what a straight up dude, makes sense he's Brian's guy. Great set up, great interview. My favorite part was when he said, (in regards to house sound guys asking him to turn down) "do you want to play guitar tonight?"

[@captainkirk70]

Those blonde Bassmans are ungodly loud. I swear it's one of the loudest amps I've ever heard. In a smaller (300pl) club you can't even put them in the mix.

[@user-mh5pi7vn4e]

Brian once said in an interview that before his first appearance at the Ryman Marty Stuart told him "The louder you play here, the worse it's gonna sound"

[@Obiekb]

Great rig rundown! ❤

[@Dustbunny57]

Knife Feels Like Justice and Live Nude Guitars still blow my mind!

[@Clown321321]

Lovely, thanks!

[@SteveSchuffert]

I can say this… I own a Chet Atkins model and the only strings where the guitar stays in tune perfectly are with Elixir nano webs. I believe it’s because of that little bit of coating on them…the string simply moves smoother through the nut and the saddles. Any other brand and they get caught up…no kidding. (I’m a pro player 50 yrs now)

[@bleeknoir]

Just one of the best to ever do it.

[@SalvvOrtiz]

Thanks John for the email about this Rig Run Down!

[@glenhietala2529]

I saw Brian and the Rockabilly Riot this last October. Two songs into the show the 301 went down. Tyler had it swapped out with the one in back in minutes. It took Brian a few minutes into the next song to get it dialed in (really just a few tweaks to the settings) and he didn't touch it for the rest of the night. Awesome show.

[@george-st-george]

Thanks for this !!!!!! super great !!!!!!!

[@Barry101er]

Superb!

[@joehansonguitar]

Awesome video! Love it!

[@5150show]

Just incredible

[@BMichel347]

I was there in Montreal at that show during the Jazz Festival, he did put the place in fire 🔥🚒

[@kx250ryder]

Leo Fender: Vibrato bridge is called tremolo Tyler Sweet: Tremolo pedal is called vibrato 12:45 Guitar industry: Giving pedants aneurysms since 1954

[@melgrant7404]

Love Brian ❤

[@SurrendertheEctypeofficial]

Impressive work. Well done.

[@d0nniebr00ke7]

Love how his set up basically hasnt changed. Saw him just a few weeks ago. He played the same guitar all night. Never went out of tune. The new bassist and drummer are great for this show. Bassist was having issues with his rig, especially the pickup for the upright. I know Brian is the man, but I would have liked to have seen the upright bass rig as well.

[@DoceVicioBlues]

Incrivel o set de Brian Setzer! The Master of Rockabilly Rocker !

[@Halliday7895]

Brian Setzer The Dirty Boogie was one of my First CDs....along with Sky Is Crying The Best of Stevie Ray Vaughan. my older cousin think gave them to my dad but I took them since my dad wasn't big into CDs in 1998 haha its been ages since i listened to it...but i will now.

[@masonfarleyproductions]

love this video and Brian Setzer

[@Jason-cm6uh]

The F'n MAN! TV Jones is also the F'n MAN! Been rocking his Power Plus pickup's for years. Very high quality

[@handle433]

John it’s a ‘60, not ‘59!!

[@richardbeaton7324]

Can't believe Johnny Cash is Brians guitar tech ! 😄

[@Halliday7895]

micing the amp cab with SM7 SM7b and ...something else. i wish they talked about that too haha

[@therealbarnekkid]

I saw this guy with the Stay Cats in a small venue. His tone was the screamingest treble I ever heard in my life.

[@KeeperOfPoops]

I don't wanna be that guy again but it's still lacking when it's a techie doing the gear again. But hey, at least Tyler wasn't chewing on gum in this interview like he did when Shawn Hammond interviewed him back in the day about Brian's gear

[@mariobross-ff2bd]

Montreal jazz festival was a awesome show please find it

[@TMoody]

Those frets on Smoke look HUGE. Oh yeah, Stray Cats is the best rockabilly band that ever existed.

[@michaelszczys8316]

Saw early Stray Cats in Detroit in 1982. Best concert I ever saw. Just the three of them with their small set plus big sound system. Brian played his old Gretch and played everything under the sun. They had to take breaks for Brian to comb his hair. I thought his old Gretch got swiped?

[@davidschmaus1]

That’s a beautiful 59’

[@qddk9545]

Just say it enough times, and it will turn into a ´59 🙂 🙂

[@SammySalsa]

Ty Ty Ty Ty Ty

[@jdfolbre]

What an amazing career Brian Setzer has had.

[@MattTee1975]

My last remaining guitar hero.

[@mvarnzo5709]

I need to see Abbath on here please. Please. Enjoyed this one too.

[@admarhermans1]

Still a big influence and inspiration! I sometimes wish I would’ve become a guitarist, instead of a bassplayer, so I could play a Gretsch and a Tele! 🤣 Yes, I know, there are Gretsch basses... But those I like are a little too expensive. But, I love everything guitars, so this episode is a treat for me too! 🖖

[@stoneangel777]

Really good bassists are hard to find and underrated😎

[@moksja667]

Most underrated guitar player ever, together with Alvin Lee.

[@80srocker65]

💯 cool

[@ericajohnson7535]

Nom nom

[@richardcrompton6009]

The first guitar is a 1959 right ?

[@premierguitar]

Flame top is 1960 and the middle one “Smoke” is a 1959 6120

[@tomterrif8503]

@@premierguitar so, it's a 59, right?

[@standinsilence]

**ROFLcopter**

[@earle4370]

One last question: just how long is the cable from the guitar to the amp?

[@jonathansteadman7935]

He uses a 50 foot cable, he says it adds to his sound set up. Must get them made because you cant buy many 50ft jack leads.

[@m0j0b0ne]

The chorus is most likely on "I Won't Stand In Your Way". NOT everything I need to know, though; anybody got a line on the amp mics? One seems to be an SM7B; the other looks like a Shure LDC...guess I'll click the link, duh.

[@Two_Seat_Pete_FatA55]

Let me guess before i watch. Gretsch guitars, Bassman amp and some echo unit or other? 😁 fantastic guitarist but i guess im in for the least surprising rundown yet !

[@Annunaki_0517]

What happened to the Black Cat sticker and the dice knobs on his original guitar? That’s the one I associate with Brian Setzer. It’s the iconic Stray Cats guitar.

[@BoyleJr]

Retired I'd assume.thing must be worth a fortune.fragile too

[@Meditech509]

He quit playing it years ago and Smoke is his goto for past 25 years.

[@Flyingwithoutmings]

He’s took those off, smoke isn’t the original stray cats guitar. There’s a video of Brian talking about it on KZbin.

[@Donaldsilverman]

You should get Brian Setzer to try out a Nocturne Mystery Brain.

[@flrpitflrp1965]

I first read RIP at the top of the thumbnail 😬🤣

[@tonyjones7731]

Surprised he didn’t pick up on the fact that the pink Gretsch doesn’t have volume or tone controls!

[@markt747]

Which model cab & head makes up the Bassman amp?

[@premierguitar]

Setzer tours with two blonde Bassmans-one from 1962 and the other from ’63, but both with a 6G6-B circuit. They run into matching Bassman 2x12 cabs, which run 12" Oxford speakers. Setzer usually uses one amp and has the other as a backup, but has been known to run both when it makes sense for the venue.

[@captainkirk70]

He can't remember the one song that the newer guitar with a capo is used? How many sets has he done with it?

[@MisterTee]

Decent little guitar player

[@robertsimington911]

What are they talking about with the neck radius?

[@jonathansteadman7935]

The curve across the neck, they vary between Gibson, Fender, Gretsch and model, year it's made, and personal preference.

[@valchillmore]

LOL!!! @ 8:00

[@FrankRemley]

What strings does Brian play?

[@Flyingwithoutmings]

Daddario 10-52

[@joeldowdy404]

The tech seems a little nervous being on camera

[@kevinobrien9626]

Stand By You = I won't stand In Your Way ...?

[@ZeBubba]

Where’s the drummer?

[@goyatley]

What about his baritone?

[@jonathansteadman7935]

He only uses it on 5 years 3 months 2 days. I can't remember if that's all correct but I saw him I London in 2001 on the 'Ignition' tour and he used it on that one song if my memory is correct.

[@williamb2845]

Wait…is that a ‘59?

[@jimcastile1905]

I'd have bet dollars to donuts there is an overdrive in his signal chain somewhere. Was it overlooked or does he just push those Blondes?

[@chb8037]

nope... but the echo might boost the signal a bit to hit the amps harder.

[@Flyingwithoutmings]

Brian plays a lot cleaner now than he used to

[@drkaplin98]

Why wasn't Brian doing this?

[@toddlogan9023]

John would be such a cool dude to drink a beer with probably smoke a joint…and just shoot the shit talk about life and gear for hours

[@tremolo73]

The guy looks like he desperately needs to take a leak...

[@davidwilson2065]

What a “fun” lighting situation. This must have been tough to shoot, and awful to edit…

[@stevecrounse1789]

Thank God the tech is on point. Or this would have gone nowhere.

[@taokichavez9319]

X ray to figure out a fretboard radius? Yeah... Sure

[@glencampbell136]

Tom Jones?!

[@tomterrif8503]

TV Jones is a guitar repairman and makes pickups.

[@tommikakko6888]

Hang on. You can ”re-radius” a neck?

[@VirtualX11]

Yes, there are all kinds of videos about it on here.

[@admarhermans1]

I see a nice bassrig, two actually, just on the right. Possibly for both electric and double bass, I guess. That would’ve been a great topic too. But, ....: nothing!!! Why? I guess, it isn’t because the bassist didn’t want to talk to you folks; nor his tech. It’s because of y’all. Sorry to say, but that’s stupidity altogether, because any bassguitar ís a guitar, and any double bass is a stringed instrument too and hugely important to both the sound and music of the artist. Especially this one.. So, you’re messing up. Why? THINK! 😉 & get it together from now! 🖖

[@61Slughi]

1:29 Dude's hair is distracting. Did he just roll out of bed?

[@rickjason215]

Where's Brian? Too much of a big shot to show up?

[@user-ug3ev7qo4s]

or maybe he's busy working, or the schedules didn't line up, or doesn't like talking to press about gear... (i.e. the reason doesn't have to mean he's a 'big shot')

[@Burnt_Gerbil]

Usually the tech knows more about the gear than the artist. Brian just plays the music.

[@rickjason215]

@@Burnt_Gerbil The tech didn’t even pick up the guitars and show where all the work was done. I never saw a tech do that on any rig run down. He was afraid to touch the guitars. I really don’t want an interview with a tech. I want an artist show me what he does and how he does it. Brian has been playing the gear for 50 years. He knows everything. If Brian doesn’t want to be interviewed for 10 minutes. Move on to another artist. This is free publicity. Premier Guitar should change their policy. Don’t show me 15 seconds of a concert and then stick a tech, who doesn’t even know the songs in front of me.

[@Burnt_Gerbil]

@@rickjason215 - This same tech was wearing one of his guitars in the previous interview. He didn’t play any songs however. Not sure if that matters. It could be something as simple as Brian has a routine he does before a show and doesn’t want to be interrupted. Some artists need to have a zen moment. No different to a sports athlete. I see no issue with this rundown. It’s about the gear, not the artist.

[@jk-76]

They were running through the light show. I'm sure the sound check was done and they don't want to screw anything up.