Rig Rundown - Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real

One of Americana’s rising stars (and a son of an outlaw legend) goes deep on his vintage Gibson, using a dual-amp setup, and why he eschews most pedals.
Watch: bit.ly/LukasNelsonRR
Don't Miss a Rundown: bit.ly/RIgRundownENL
Lukas Nelson and bassist Corey McCormick hung with PG’s John Bohlinger before their rocking show at Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium to talk gear.
Lukas Nelson’s No. 1 is this 1956 Gibson Les Paul Jr. This mostly stock Jr has a MojoAxe bridge to help with intonation. Gibson is currently making a signature replica of this guitar. It stays strung with DR Pure Blues (.011-.014-.018-.028-.038-.050). Nelson’s leather guitar straps are made by Cody Hixon.
Planet Waves American Stage Cables: www.daddario.com/AmericanStageRR
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[@premierguitar]

Article & photos: bit.ly/LukasNelsonRR Don't Miss a Rundown: bit.ly/RIgRundownENL

[@freeman7079]

I have a hat that belonged to my grandfather: He had it signed by Hank; then my dad had it signed by Willie, Waylon and Hank Jr; and I had it signed by Lukas Nelson, Shooter Jennings, and Hank 3. It’s a prized possession.

[@Livelaughlimpbizkit]

Pondering Presbyterian that’s a really cool story, love to see how many people have signed it in a few generations

[@Fire_Marshall_Bill]

That had to be a really cool moment for all the younger generation folks but especially for hank 3. Since he never got to meet his grandfather it probably made him feel that much closer to him.

[@MM-rr1kp]

what you couldnt get Elvis too?

[@ronniewilloughby2035]

That's Great Prize !

[@smithcustomguitarco]

John is just as excited to say ‘high miles’ every time. I wait for it now.

[@mattheweastel129]

Holy crap, what a super humble guy. Happy to pull in his tech to explain the details about the gear, no BS. And the stuff with the local farmers is a very cool thing. Saw these guys backing Neil Young recently and they did a fantastic job. Lukas is some player

[@VonBluesman]

Love this band, I first saw Lukas in Alexandria, LA with his family and their bands. I saw them at New Orleans Jazz Fest last year and they were awesome. I always wanted a 1957 Les Paul Junior and finally bought one after hearing Lukas play his 56 model. Thank you so much for helping out the farmers, this year and last year has been hard on farmers because of the tariffs and all of the spring flooding. I think the Nelson’s are some of the finest people in America and they always show love and do acts of kindness and raise money for charities to help people. Please go see them and help support them as they support others in the world. Thank you. 👍🙏🎸✌️😎

[@docdarlin5491]

Increasingly Popular Opinion: Micah Nelson has the most raw artistic talent of the entire bunch.

[@MarkSD]

Willie or not, I'd bet a nickel to a dollar that Lukas first reaction in seeing his J200 autographed was, What the hell!!!!

[@OhanaFilms]

Take a look at his shirt. He was probably pretty mellow about it. 🙂

[@moonlightsea8]

Lukas is such a down-to-earth kid. Very likable. What a blessing to inherit one's father's talent to such a degree. Keep going Lukas!

[@vigilantebird8675]

I saw them in alaska back I January. That poor tech was running back and forth almost hanging from the side of the damn stage. He was getting frustrated so I finally yelled out "you're doing the lords work man" to make him feel better lol. Lukas heard me say that

[@JeffCJacobs1]

Saw Lukas & band last night. Incredibly talented & delivered an an amazing show!

[@OscarBenben]

13's !!! You would destroy my 9's every two songs !

[@PaulisMediocre]

John "what a great segway" Bohlinger 👍

[@margaretstoner4701]

Mr LUKAS NELSON...YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL STAGE HAND WITH MR.BRIAN HAGAR. WELL DONE ❤

[@marknason4572]

So happy to be surprised by this RR this morning! I've known about Lukas Nelson & the Promise of the Real for years but earlier this year I caught their performance on Austin City Limits. Then, 2 weeks ago, I saw them live in Bangor, Maine and I immediately became a huge fan of their music!

[@26ruben1]

Shout out to Rio Grand pickups out of Houston Texas ... they are AMAZING .... I have one in my Strat and one in my Tele .... if you are looking for a little Texas mojo ... check them out.

[@jonathon1334]

so great..."Hey Hager, I'm gonna need you to stick around and stop leaving" love it

[@yyzttr]

I love Corey's sound! He is a real cool cat as well.

[@margaretstoner4701]

And there's "our" Corey! Energy on stage!❤

[@johnfrederick6164]

Love Lukas Nelson & POTR such an awesome band

[@AnthonyBurrito1313]

Lukas is so cool and gets it

[@jonathangreig5939]

Lol at the bass player's pedalboard being bigger than Lukas'! Love POTR!

[@paulsimmons5726]

I heard his tech mention Bill Asher of LA as the guy who'd worked on his LP. Bill worked on one of my Rickenbackers years ago. Cool guy! This gear has some serious vibe. Great interview, John!

[@moose6676]

Lukas is a real nice guy 👍🏻 thanks 🙏🏻

[@johnfrederick6164]

Love Lukas and potr!

[@stevencancel1727]

Best rig, Best tone, nicest dude!

[@madsquirrelracing]

love this!

[@JC3D]

Nice Earthworks mics - love that NH company!

[@morganghetti]

They seem like cool guys. I guess I need to check out some albums.

[@danielemilazzo432]

The dude is fit!

[@jessehoopes7042]

I destroyed a guitar putting 13's on it when I was a kid it wasn't an expensive guitar luckily my logic had something to do with tuning but I wasn't tuning low just drop d here an there. Live an learn I see no reason to use anything higher than 10's and 9's do the job in most cases I have an epiphone les paul custom I can put 9's on and tune to D and it responds well really well I had get the frets leveled on it to help achieve that but it does it, it's a nice player

[@KenMickey]

That Yamaha Bass is sweet.

[@iwillnevergetone5]

at 4:13 eh, sorry man that's just not true. use any gauge that works for you in the moment. thick tone is a mix of many things

[@LAW___ONE23]

♥️

[@eflizotte]

It’s a niiiiceeee combination - nick cage

[@solan417]

I run 11's on my Jr they feel so slinky I'm always surprised when people go wow

[@joeduffin5344]

Does anyone know when Lukas signature Les Paul junior will be available to buy?

[@ryanjohnson985]

It's available now for $1,599, but currently out of stock. I love that he wanted an affordable guitar rather than one over $5,000 like most Gibson Signature models.

[@dezionlion]

Wilmington N.C.?

[@johnthornton4266]

Not too many folks could be like "Dad thought the guitar was for an auction so he a signed my J200

[@jprmac1]

Unusual situation where the guitarist has basically no pedals, and bass player has a significant board

[@doug6631]

Could premier guitar do a rig rundown with the band pepper

[@danashane]

Hager! I need ya, buddy

[@jarrinborg8090]

I had a Maggie and they're actually PCB amps. Nothing wrong with that, but they're not hand-wired like many people claim.

[@agustinriosjimenez2721]

😃❤️💚💚🥰

[@davidormiston1898]

Gibson banjo inlays on the jumbo

[@stepitupandgo67]

that les paul jr though...

[@muse63027]

[@eg6272]

Aguilar never build a 6x10 nor a 6x12... A bit dizzy bassdude? 8x10 & 4x12 is your real deal.

[@dezionlion]

Why does it look like they’re wearing tights?

[@HARTYNMUGHES]

dezionlion it doesn’t?

[@dezionlion]

Martyn Hughes that’s because you are a girl..

[@dezionlion]

Martyn Hughes ok Martina

[@jonduke3919]

How tall r u John ?🎸🎼🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶✌️🇺🇸

[@freeman7079]

Jon Duke like 6’

[@johnjonestheman]

He's 6'2" . He seems a lot taller because for some reason musicians as a whole tend to be on the shorter side... they're larger than life onstage, but IRL they're mostly little Tom Cruise-sized fellows...

[@jonduke3919]

Ok.. I’m 6’ 1” and looks taller than me..

[@kbbl102.5]

He’s gotta be 6’2-6’4

[@johnjonestheman]

@@kbbl102.5 He's mentioned it in one of his Last Call KZbin videos. He himself said he was 6'2".

[@jovanstepic9439]

John Bohlinger should never laugh again

[@thehound2161]

Same story... artists never know what PUP's are in their guitars. How is that possible? Yet it happens almost every rig rundown.

[@morganghetti]

Because a lot of guys just want to make music. They don't obsess over gear.

[@greatwhite3676]

@@morganghetti nope i call bullshit. Thats the stock "cool" phrase. Why watch a rig rundown then? He knew what was in the strat. The guitar player community has these little stock sayings that people repeat constantly. You sound like CNN.

[@dezionlion]

Neil who? Most ambiguous rr ever, come on John , you got one job, ask more questions, so we know who’s who

[@mattr2128]

dezionlion Neil Young. He clearly said it himself, there’s no need to ask him

[@johnjonestheman]

Do you not know who Neil Young is? It's just, like, understood. It's like if he's talking to a rock guy and they say, "Eddie" or "Satch."

[@CorbCorbin]

John Jones Yeah, I love Eddie Hazel, and Satchel Page was the best.

[@johnjonestheman]

@CorbCorbin Lol okay but 99 out of 100 rock guitarists- wait, make that 999 out of 1,000- would immediately infer Eddie Van Halen and Joe Satriani... ;) And in this instance, good grief- no one would think he was talking about Neil Geraldo or Neil Zaza, and he sure as hell wasn't talking about Neil Peart, lol...

[@dezionlion]

Of course I know who Neil young is. Neil was the last straw. Names kept getting dropped, of which I had no idea

[@noodles74]

Her name is Cristina...stops watching.

[@hotdogflavouredmilkshake]

😂😂😂

[@hotdogflavouredmilkshake]

He has names for his guitars 😂😂 I'm guessing he names then after his exes lol well the female named guitars i mean

[@johnjonestheman]

Naming guitars is pure, weapons-grade cringe... seems like a cool guy, though; authentic, committed, and dialed-in to what he's doing...

[@MrWags33]

John Jones agreed. Haven’t named a guitar since I was 15.

[@lucienfournier0]

Right, because Lucille, Lenny, Blackie and Brownie are some of the cringiest guitars in the world

[@MrWags33]

Lucien Fournier yea I get what you’re saying but it still seems weird to me. Especially when they name it a girls name. Lucille being the exception since there’s a story there. Most people I’ve come across don’t name their instruments.

[@lucienfournier0]

Bryan Wagschal I mean, true. People name their cars all the time too

[@johnjonestheman]

@Lucien Fournier Yeah that's also complete cringe.