Rig Rundown - Def Leppard's Phil Collen, Vivian Campbell, & Rick Savage (2014)

Article and photos: bit.ly/DefLepRR
Def Leppard’s Vivian Campbell and Phil Collen took a break from their current arena-filling tour to discuss the rigs they are using on their current tour with Kiss. Campbell filled in the history of his life-long love of Les Pauls while Collen took us through his collection of Jacksons and one Strat with serious sentimental value. Guitar techs Scott Appleton, Roger Veage, and Dave “Wolfie” Wolff fill in the details on the rest of the gear.
PHIL COLLEN'S GEAR
Phil Collen travels with several vaults of spectacular guitars; way too many to cover here, so let’s just go with a few of his favorites. Collen’s Jackson X-Stroyer is based on his old Ibanez Destroyer, but the contours of the body have been inverted. It has DiMarzio Super 3 pickups and a Jackson Sustainer, however the center pickup is just a dummy. It did have an additional volume knob when it was first built, but it was in the way of Phil’s picking technique, so the volume pot was removed. The X-Stroyer features a Floyd Rose trem upgraded with FU-Tone titanium saddles and block.
Next is “Felix,” a late ’70s Japanese Strat that was a gift from Collen’s mother. It was notably used on almost the entire Hysteria album. It has sported various trems over the years, but recently Mike Kotzen at Jackson refitted the guitar with a Floyd Rose trem and a new set of DiMarzio Tone Zone S pickups.
The Jackson PC-1 “London 57” is a stock Jackson PC-1 made for Collen’s 50th birthday. The custom graphics include the year Phil was born and the Collen family crest. It has been equipped with FU-Tone titanium saddles and block.
To finish reading (with photos) the gear behind DL's setup, visit: bit.ly/DefLepRR

[@lenny2657]

Gotta love how humble Phil is, great guy and so easy going.

[@steveacourt9835]

Viv what a player. Loved his work from way back. Certainly does Steve's work justice without being gratuitous.

[@user-pe6lh3sx5f]

I agree! Viv is awesome. The tone he gets out of that gold top is just killer!

[@mccartney2]

jeez...every time I see Phil Collen..Hes such a humble genuine guy....

[@bellroad100]

I know, right? He always seems like just the nicest, most down-to-earth guy! I would love to meet all the guys, but probably him and Rick the most. ❤️

[@contemptcreatorarthurave4042]

It's really refreshing when an interviewer actually lets the subjects speak. 👍

[@AudiophileTubes]

One of the best sounding, most technical rock players ever.... the great Vivian Campbell!

[@chrisdee5032]

Damn right!

[@jasoncarpenter7108]

I was HEAVILY influenced by his work on the Dio albums. Vivian really tells it like it is at 8:27 to 9:02. You can have all the pedals, amps, and guitars money can buy, but at the end of the day the tone is coming from your hands. It's how you attack the strings. I believe SRV said the same thing in an interview.

[@tonyfondacaro1980]

So underrated.

[@chriskrausesmovie]

His side bands before the mid 90s rocked

[@daviddalziel884]

I’ve embarrassingly only started looking into Vivians playing as friends saw Last In Line recently in Scotland and said he was excellent. He plays with such presence and both his riffs and solos are brilliant! Must get to see him although it won’t be with Def Leppard as I’m not a fan .

[@axnyslie]

Phil's Ibanez Destroyer was such an iconic 80's guitar.

[@teresabosworth1481]

Did everyone join Def Leppard when I was 25 years old?

[@deathkampdrone]

You are right, that is one beautiful axe. But how about his Black Cracklejack or the Bela guitar? I guess Phil just makes guitars legendary :D

[@willknox7273]

I could listen to Phil talk for forever

[@williambroadstreet3353]

Love Collen. Wish he still had his Destroyer. The other thing I really love about PC is he'll when interviewed almost always mention the REAL genius of this band in the late brilliant Steve 'The Riffmaster' Clark. It is fact Steve used both Tele's and Strat's when recording in the studio cos he loved the sound, as he did his Firebirds that in Steve's words gave him "that dirty sound"..., and as people would've seen there is some good footage of Steve using Strats and a variety of Gibsons on KZbin. One of the most genuine people in the business is Collen.

[@5olas]

This "Rig Rundown" series is fantastic, what true guitarist doesn't like talking about their gear? Thank you so much!

[@drkaplin98]

Viv is a class act. Dio was my first concert (Holy Diver). I got to open up for Last in line a few months ago. He was great and we had some real laughs. Great guy. It took a lot of control to not go "fan boy" with him, but he was so cool, we talked rigs (mine was a '79 red 50 watt mk II) that he loved. My girl got a great pic when he was telling me the story of him getting burned by the flash pots back in the 80's(that Ronnie and Wendy covered up so he didn't get any compensation, just medical bills. And Viv went along because he was a great team player). Nowadays, you'd get thousands for that type of burn. Again, one of the coolest guys out there and one of the greatest players too. I was lucky and honored to meet him and open for him.

[@MenaPaws21]

The dry ice throughout makes it a perfect 80's Rig Rundown.

[@StreetsleeperUK]

I saw def lep a few years ago and even though im not the biggest fan in the world they were really good and the live sound was top notch

[@losrogers13]

The High N Dry tones are still my favorite. Great Run Down; thanks PG!

[@jasonladd6400]

VIv is a nice guy, blazing player also.

[@nebraskadean9656]

Viv and Phil talking about their guitars, I wanna go guitar shopping with these guys.

[@ToLiveistoDie]

The best thing about this is that Def Lepard is a legit huge band, and that being said, they still do their own rig rundowns and interviews. Phil and Viv aren't sending their tech's out to do it. They show up and you get a real perspective on why they use what they use.

[@rezolution6272]

You know your rollin hard when you have a backup JMP1 and a backup Fractal. Excellent interview you have a great flow to your questions and great personality! These techs are amazing and they are \m/ Rockstars as well!

[@extrememike]

Thank you folks for covering this band. I am amazed how these guys are still touring after 30 years. I appreciate the transcript also since I did had a hard time understanding Phil. I like the way he says "destroyer". Love the guitar and the ghost paint Jackson!!!

[@varukerbrains]

Sending healing vibes to you dude. xx

[@tibonev]

Phil and Viv are such nice guys and know their stuff. This was a great vid. And i can't believe Phil uses 13 gauge strings.

[@someoneelse101]

I think Viv does as well. Phil using 13s demands five heavy springs in the trem cavities

[@nic8577]

@@someoneelse101 pretty sure they said Viv uses 11’s?

[@Les537]

I thought I was the only person in the world who liked to use p100 pickups in a les paul. Another solid rundown. Best show on the tubes.

[@Spidouz]

I love how people in the comment section are freaking out about the "Cheap $1,000 Les Paul"... guess what? Yes, $1,000 for an instrument that will be your main tools for your work and income, that's indeed cheap, even more considering a lot of Les Paul are way more expensive. People these days have no problem to spending $1,000 smartphones that will be obsolete 2 years from now, but they can't save this amount of money to invest it in a music instrument that could last 50 years or more with some proper care. If you don't get that and you're bitching about a "Cheap $1,000 Les Paul", you might need to revise your priorities in life...

[@mickeyl01]

He told that roadie to get out...what a rude prick!

[@SmokeRises]

@ Phil Smith - Priorities

[@tysonrinker5958]

only saw 1 person commentin about that

[@pittbrat7963]

even worse there's people who put their 10 grand custom shop les paul to a wall and stare at it. wether 500 $ or not for a les paul it ended up on a lot of albums and people didn't even know it...

[@MetalMayhem1978]

Phil Smith na new versions of phones come out every year ! Haha

[@Slapjabber]

I worked at Guild Guitars in Westerly, RI and Phil and Vivian visited the factory after hours and I walked by our break room and Vivian was sitting by himself, so I went in and said hi. Very friendly. I told him the octave lick he played in his solo in Rainbow In The Dark was one of my favorite octave licks. Right behind my own octave lick in my song ‘The Arguement’ by TGP. 🤪

[@PeterGreenProductions]

What an amazing & highly insightful video!

[@BentheMighty84]

This is a really good rundown. Clear, lucid, detailed stories involving recording using the gear and cool facts and details I didn't even know as a Def Lep fan

[@hottotty13]

That Irish Flag finish scheme is absolutely beautiful 💚🤍🧡

[@funkyflipper7]

Thank you! Such a great video- such nice lads!!!

[@nathanwells3566]

The interviewer really went for that Ace Ventura look.

[@junkface27]

he always does the ace venture look

[@krisjb1]

alrighty then

[@MetalMayhem1978]

Nathan Wells search the Richie Kotzen one with Bollinger. His hair is ridiculous

[@stevestringer7351]

LOL!!! I read your comment and then looked up... HAHAHA! On point!!

[@zigmeekane4361]

😅😅 ...

[@Charles53412]

Scott Appleton was Alex Lifeson's of RUSH guitar tech for years. It's cool to see guys like him, getting around as their main bands are down.

[@ak301]

Really enjoyed this and were hoping you'd do a Def Lep rundown after the Kiss one. Big thanks PG from a very long time Def Lep fan

[@Hallow334]

This is a pretty damned cool rig run down. Always been a Lep fan. Phil and Steve are the reason I started playing guitar back in 1987 when I was 15.

[@nananhana]

Yes!!! been waiting for this

[@jorgecorral]

all around guitar player one of a kind vivían is one of my favorites brilliant guy very smart

[@Alberto_Tellez]

What can I hecking tell anyone? I went to a Def Leppard/Journey concert with mom and dad and I had a BLAST there! I even SAW their instrument techs and MY GOLLY MY TIME HAD COME FOR DEF LEPPARD TO COME TO DALLAS AND FOR ME TO SEE THEM *OVERALL!!!*

[@rockhouse90]

Seeing Scott Appleton workin for Phil really threw me for a loop! I knew he worked for Phil before but I didn't know he was still doing it. I'm used to seeing him with Alex lifeson from rush lol

[@jbw9999]

Very good interviews! Viv and Phil and all three techs seem like really great guys.

[@cliffanderson7544]

One of my faverate guitar players Vivian So underrated….. the solos He wrote in the Dio era are on a whole nother level. One bad ass. Definitely one of my influences browning up a young kid wanting to play heavy metal guitar. \m/

[@ehambright]

You are the master of the rig rundown!!

[@JD_Ducas]

Finally getting to watch this and I must say... I love the gear rundown. Their racks are nice. I am playing a PRS CE24. It has a blues-Rock feel that I love. I play a lot of DL tunes on it and they sound great. I may swap out a pickup with the DZ Super 3 pick up. It sounds tuff and aggressive. Cuts though thew mix a bit more. Great Video! Thanks

[@DerEchteBold]

Wow, what nice and pleasant guys!

[@ryanholio]

Sheffield Wednesday made it on to rig rundown! UTO!!

[@davidsaxby5431]

WAWAW

[@frufru0071]

I saw Vivian when he was playing with Dio on the Sacred Heart tour. I went in (as) an Yngwie Malmsteen fan, and left the show being a Vivian Campbell fan-no matter who he was with. I ended up working with one of his older brother's friends. It's great to see him looking healthy, all the best to you, & 'keep yer home fires lit', Vivian Campbell!

[@trushack]

Definitely have a soft spot for Def Leppard, though I don't spend a whole lot of time listening to them as I once did (still love High 'N Dry though). I would definitely spend a day hanging with Phil and Viv if invited; they seem like very cool, regular guys who just dig talking about guitars and music. And they're both monster players for sure. What's not to like?

[@danielcastillo1225]

Great interview

[@kentbeery4697]

I met him on the Holy Diver Tour he was a really Nice guy a great Memory of mine

[@brownsfanlarry1340]

LOVE FU-TONE! I just put a floyd rose original 1984 w/ a 34mm big brassblock in my jem jr. Oh yeah plus a Super 3 in the bridge & a paf pro in the neck. SOUNDS PHENOMENAL, THANKS PHIL, I FOLLOWED YOUR LEAD ON IT!

[@mtrich8113]

I have a marshall jmp-1 that I have not even plugged in yet because I have to get my 9100 Marshall Poweramp re-Tubed . but someday hopefully I'll be rocking out to it.

[@disturbdesignjd3321]

Gotta love Def Leppard

[@Steven-xd5kn]

Sustainers built in, interesting. As a drummer Im always learning as well.

[@SticksAandstonesBozo]

I would love to see this on the new tour to see what’s changed in the rack.

[@SuperGorgar]

Rebecca, great job on the interview

[@shaneedmundson7506]

Id love to see The Killers , Panic At The Disco and/or 30 Seconds To Mars rig rundowns, someday. Great RR's, guys!

[@disturbdesignjd3321]

I love how meaty & throaty that bass guitar sounded @ the intro of the video. And the guitars sounded sexy of course.

[@chunk4funk]

great interview with viv!!

[@PaulRoseMusic]

Anyone else see the I

[@AccuracySpeaks]

Man, all the guys in the video are just so cool! Phil, Vivian and their guitar techs are just so accommodating and just generally seem to truly be excited to share their time and information with us all! And as usual, John does a great job interviewing everyone as well! This is awesome!!

[@guitarslinger48]

This guy is so much better than the one I saw one I saw interviewing on the Gwar episode.

[@tonyfondacaro1980]

I swear audio engineers and gear techs speak a different language.

[@lefty99riffs]

I wonder if Viv still has that white charvel jackson with the skulls and red squares on the paint job from the live at the spectrum Dio video loved that guitar

[@jhs5150]

I saw Viv with TL in '11. What a great show. I wish he could have hung on longer with them but then DL went on tour so they got Damon Johnson.

[@Alberto_Tellez]

I LOVE DEF LEPPARD OVER ALL!!!

[@georgediavolitsis4735]

What's that thing between the Marshall jmp-1 and the Fractal ax fx? I don't think he mentioned it

[@sakitakungtyan]

oooohhhhh! Just good vibes.

[@DreidMusicalX]

Def Leppard just kicks ass!

[@xDooksx]

Love this band

[@Alberto_Tellez]

Me too!!!

[@WarriorMigs24]

Def Leppard so good

[@mrserv0n18]

Love Phils sound, Lets ask if he will upload his fractal patches lol

[@daleparker6308]

Love my Fractal. but it is not the easiest to interface with~ I usually give up on programming due to lack of persistence lol

[@uktmaxx]

Rick Savage was a Hamer and Trace Elliot guy at one stage... i have the same bass that he used to use, a USA Chaparral 5 with EMGs. mine is plain, his were like a stone/granite paint job :)

[@bigblockelectra]

32:57 scott also works with alex lifeson from rush

[@sheikhabrahim3463]

Adrenalize-the best underrated DEF LEPs album.

[@rumpelelvis]

cool Clip !!

[@fransvenrooy1078]

that's what friends are for !!!everybody needs friends and i'm everyones friend too and give and take and work and give and live.

[@wildbill7]

not my fave band ever, but what a great bunch of guys and a top rundown! Respect.

[@samuelherman4859]

beautiful bass

[@sebaseba33]

It is pretty straightforward... The signal, together with the piezo through the trimpot, goes into the system switched and then moved in and out, ah there's also the wah in the front, to the jmp, and the chorus to the fractals on the Palmer and the final to the people and, without the in ears, on the stage... Because he learned the mastermind and a friend of his, via phone, has all the sound of the album in it... Right...? :)

[@216trixie]

Pretty close. But you left out the dual stereo output signals sent to gates in the front and the back. And not to mention, the crappy front-end changes are done through pre-connected volume swells.

[@chriskrausesmovie]

So easy a kid can understand

[@michaelhall736]

I wonder what happened to that Ibanez Destroyer Phil used in the Photograph, Foolin, and Rock of Ages videos.

[@elguiridelondres6]

Great to see Vivian Campbell fighting fit.

[@patrickmcleod111]

*Note* Read the red lettered writing in the very center of the screen at 15:44, just above the word 'Lightweight'. Uhm, who exactly does that particular equipment case belong to?

[@funnyharleyman]

When I started playing guitar years ago, it was a simple guitar in the amp with a few stomp boxes. I quit for many years (regret it everyday) and now you practically need to be an engineer.

[@stevestringer7351]

Oh boy it that ever true!!! I just still do it old school.

[@myworstenemy680]

Phil Collen has the best looking guitars I've seen on RR. Obviously that's just my opinion, but Jackson makes some beautiful guitars. I own a PC-1, and the production models sound, play and look great. They are a little pricey, but worth every penny.

[@Djarra]

Viv's story about how hard it was to get a Gibbo or a Fender in the UK (it did wonders for Yamaha, most British new wave acts of that era used Yammys as they couldn't get US guitars) is a slice of history but he could have done what Gary did, go on a day trip to Dublin which didn't have a trade dispute with the US.

[@avocate2017]

Also, Yamaha made better quality guitars back then than they do now. Some of those Yamaha SG guitars had great tones. Just listen to Stuart Adamson of Big Country.

[@tysonrinker5958]

Did anybody notice it was the same guitar story vivian said and his tech said but they said it about different guitars

[@ZackBrannon]

they should do a black sabbath rig rundown that would be too cool!

[@aaronlettman9491]

What does Vivian use the Gibson J 200 on in terms of songs?

[@Gorazd1974]

Changing bass string every day or on three days? Omg. Hehe, i didnt change mine strings since i bought new Ibanez SDGR 5 string ash in 2013, they are Elixires

[@souniert]

I absolutely love how ALL guitar guys can sound so down to earth talking about what they love…..guitars!

[@tjcoffey]

The FU-Tone block does make a big, big difference in tone. I put one in my custom shop Soloist last fall, and the tone of the guitar just exploded.

[@marknorris3769]

he has a titanium sustain block on his floyd rose ? 24 :28 , i assume he has them made , it's not like they are for sale anywhere

[@patrickthometz6365]

Phil is as good as they come. Viv is pretty fucjing amazing too

[@benlogan430]

Dang that’s a lot of smoke? True rock stars! Pass it around to these guys too?

[@werecatFireFang]

I’m not a guitar tech but can someone please tell me what they were referring to by “wedges”?

[@serdar213]

Hey, give me the patch for Love Bites on G Major 2

[@VonBluesman]

John's best rig run down.

[@waynelewis4466]

The great old Marshall jmp1 preamp.

[@scythe74]

Bless him…the £580 he paid for his first LP..allowing for inflation, is something like £3500 now. Which is roughly $5000 in 2014. He must have had a sweet paper route.

[@shughy1]

Viv is such a gentleman, and has such great energy for interviews, always a smile on

[@DrScrambles]

I clicked on this video just cause I saw the tech The Guitar Sanctuary shit! Fuckin love that shop! Miss living near there. Just wish I could afford some gear from their hahaha

[@edmuniz52]

Is there any published material of vivs first band Sweet Savage before he played with Ronnie James Dip???

[@MetalMayhem1978]

Ed Muniz never heard of a Ronnie James Dip sorry

[@bassnm8]

Wolfe and Viv are great guys and know their shit!

[@JohnGaray]

guitar techs. the true heros!!!!