The Gear I REALLY Need and Use EVERY DAY - Much LESS than you Think

For my Presets visit: johnnathancordy.gumroad.com/
For ArtistWorks courses: www.artistworks.com/
For TrueFire courses and All Access Memberships: prf.hn/click/camref:1100lqzr3
Use the code JNC40 for a 40% discount off all courses, or JNC100 for $100 off all access membership!
So I know a lot of KZbin stuff is about pieces of gear that either folks are sent or paid to review, but here's a video of the only pieces that I really see as essential to my workflow, from Guitar right through to Computer, Plugins and Cameras.
00:00 Intro
3:17 What's this video about
4:10 The Only Guitar I'd NEED
4:30 The Franklin Strap
4:45 D'Addario Black Ice 1.5mm Picks
5:00 Loaded for Bear or Boss cables
5:25 D'Addario XL 10s
5:39 The other important guitars to me
6:10 Pick a Modeler (or two)
6:50 Backups? Gigging guitars?
7:37 Modeler for Live use
7:47 NO Pedals and NO Amps!
8:18 Balanced Jack to XLR cables
9:05 My Audio Interface - Steinberg UR RT 4
9:18 My Studio Monitors
10:24 PC Specs
11:10 My DAW - REAPER
11:27 The plugins I use
14:27 the Camera I use
15:17 the One Mic I have
16:07 My Live Rig
I'm using the preset Litigator Lead for Helix/HX stomp
/ johnnathancordy you can get my backing tracks and lesson tabs here.
www.buymeacoffee.com/johnnath... - if you like what I do and
only if you wanted, you could buy me a coffee!
Get my PADs bundle here: www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr... (this folder will grow, and I'd encourage you to ask for different keys/songs and stuff that might suit this type of preset?)
I've decided to make it possible to grab both my Helix/HX Stomp bundles (the expression bundle with freeze presets has always been separate) together - www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr... - I will then email you a link to both bundles!
Try my general patches for Helix or HX Stomp in this bundle using this link - I will then send out the patches! www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr...
You can get my EXPRESSION patches in this bundle using this link - I will then send out the patches! www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr...
Try my patches for Pod GO using this link - I will then send out the patches! www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr...
/ johnnathancordy get my backing tracks here
www.buymeacoffee.com/johnnath... - if you like what I do and
only if you wanted, you could buy me a coffee!

[@orcsong]

John, your channel is proof that you don’t need to be a cinematographer to share great info and talent. Don’t get sucked in to the “orange and teal” trap. I appreciate the fact that your vids don’t look like you’re trying to impress anyone with transitions, etc. Not that your vids look bad. It just feels like you’re keeping “first things, first”. Thanks!

[@marq.branco5978]

My essential setup is: - My fender MIM; - Neural DSP Cory Wong - Reaper - Some youtube backing tracks

[@johnnathancordy]

Nice a fellow Reaper user!!

[@musicafteroldage]

Is this the Father's Day Gift Ideas video? haha Thanks man!

[@michaelbreach5862]

you got me choked up when you said grandmother's funeral

[@Stoffendous]

Grandfather's funeral. Grandsons funeral. Granddaughters funeral. How u feel now?

[@elkhornslough]

Thank you for putting out this video! Really informative and helpful.

[@joemiller9856]

Great behind the scenes vid! Thanks John.

[@angrybuzzy]

Aside from your great playing and advice the balance of your spoken audio and music is always on point, JNC.

[@steelhead197]

Thank you! Great delivery! Very informative! Cheers mate 🇨🇦👍🏻

[@BrianVallotton]

You are consistently one of my favorite KZbin channels. Keep up the great work! God bless you John.

[@christopherjbutler]

Saving this video for when I head out to lunch. RIght now.. Can't wait to hear the intro blasting over my car stereo. :)

[@jakestewartmusic]

Dig the video! It doesn't take much gear these days! Outside of my keys/synth rig, all I really use is a Gibson Explorer and HX Stomp for gigging, recording, scoring, teaching, etc. My amp and Esquire don't get out as much anymore. I don't even use 3rd party plugins outside of Helix Native. Love having a simple rig

[@plankspankersparadise3113]

Thax Jonathan for the comprehensive insights.For many years I have been using a Matrix Q12A, an active fullrange speaker that has a Celestion coaxial speaker. Since I play many hybrid concerts with electric and acoustic guitar, my plan was always to play both singals through one system. I find the Matrix Q12A great because it "doesn't sound too nice" and has enough bite. But believe that it is no longer built. For in-ear gigs I have one ear open so I have one channel on the box and one on the headphones. So I have only one box but a stereo guitar sound (in my head). Sounds strange, but I've been doing it that way for 20 years and I'm very happy. Especially when times the in-ear fails...

[@trebleboost7]

Kali makes some really good monitors too. I am using the IN8 version 2's and they are great for what I do.

[@Sean_Plays_Guitar]

Great video John! I love getting down to the nitty gritty. What I need is: - My 78 Les Paul Deluxe - My MIJ Nashville Tele - My Fender GTX 100 - My computer for recording I have many more things than that ("gear for gear's sake as you said") but that's honestly all I would need to play happily. I don't even need an interface (or the computer as I can record direct to my phone with my GTX) because the GTX has USB out and can be used on it's own in a DAW. Good stuff, man! Makes a person think about needs over wants and I love it.

[@bartnettle]

You do a good job and your sound and picture is totally acceptable!

[@martyshwaartz971]

3:33 that side eye though 😂

[@jremi]

Oh man. I’ll do my best to help you get to 100K subscribers, because you totally deserve it!

[@jremi]

Interesting comment on cables that have a lifetime guarantee but that break often. Thanks for the tip on Loaded for bear and Boss. In this day and age, it’s certainly worth spending more to get something that lasts!

[@robertkingi5087]

Hey John, I am really enjoying your personable approachable over a cuppa coffee type presentation. Just had a thought which I think might be an interesting spin on your usual content. Review the Positive grid spark GO.

[@benjaminnaidoo9776]

Great content, as always. Are you planning on doing any more Headrush content? I'm still holding my breath to see what rigs you come up with, and what your opinion is after some time with the MX5.

[@etherboy3540]

This is really useful to me because I use Reaper and Helix Native. Thanks!

[@thomaspodmore7424]

Best intro jams on you tube for real

[@nunolance23]

So happy to see that youre into Sleep Token, latest album is an absolute banger!

[@dannyllerenatv8635]

I boiled down just to my Suhr HSS and a handful of pedals. Granted, I do own a tube super reverb, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with DSP or SS gear, at all.

[@Cherry_Sunburst]

EXCELLENT, thanks a lot.

[@DrProgNerd]

Investing in a good computer and monitor(s) pays in dividends daily for me. I had a buddy (over)build me a machine and I bought two 34" monitors. When I run REAPER, I have the grid on one screen and the mixer on the other screen. I love it. It was a bit of a punch-in-the-gut initially, but I'm so glad I did it. ....also - add my Adam A77X's to that. I no longer have a traditional amp/pedals rig. Just running plugins. The Adam's sound outstanding.

[@montygibbon1905]

🖐️✋🫱🫲🫳🫷✋🫴🫸🫷🤌👈👉🤲🙌 Voted 'like' for the high quality handwaving content throughout. Please never listen to detractors moaning the handwaving makes them seasick. Keep up the good work! A round of applause from me 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👐

[@mortonwilson795]

Interesting vid - always enjoy your Intro playing . . . clearly you have a set-up that works! I kept the control room / mix room from my studio so if I'm recording I can bring in our engineer, who runs the plug-ins (Waves / East/West etc.) and we also have a nice Bricasti Reverb, vintage Dimension D etc. I'm old school - grew up with WEM Kopicat, Roland Space Echo and what have you so my actual pedal board leans in that direction - not sure I'm up for sophisticated modelling technology at this point in my life! My rig is: - Roger Sadowsky NYC S Style (HSH) and occasionally - 1968 LP Custom, Epi Casino, Duesenberg Starplayer, Mexican Strat. - Paul Crowther Double Hotcake - Effectrode Blackbird Valve Pre-Amp Pedal (my 'Dumble' option) - Victory V4 Valve Pre-Amp Pedal (my 'AC 30' option) - Boss Stereo Passive Volume Pedal - MXR Analog Chorus - Neo Ventilator II (Leslie in a pedal) - Strymon Deco (good for 'doubling' and 'tape compression touches) - TC Electronic Alter Ego (Tape style delays) - Strymon Flint (nice Spring & Plate options) That said, for 10 years or so I simply went into my Vox Valvetronix Blue Box and straight into the desk . . . good if you're in a hurry to dial up sounds with clients breathing down your neck! 😂 Over the years I have picked up Nylon & Steel String Acoustics for sessions, K.Yairi, Taylor, Yamaha, Ovation.

[@johnnathancordy]

Hell of a rig! Also how are those Bricasti verbs??

[@mortonwilson795]

John, we have the M7, single rack. Bought several years ago - I had to close my Singapore studio and forfeit our old Lexicon there and I read that a couple of the guys from Lexicon had founded Bricasti and it looked like a good option for HK, since I couldn't bring the Lexicon to HK. I like it and used it on some album stuff a few years ago - vocals and acoustic guitars - but recently my engineer prefers software reverb for smaller projects . . . I just like old rack stuff! Do Bricasti do software stuff? Still have an Eventide H3000SE but I suspect these days most guitarists would go for the Eventide H90 and/or H9000 which seem to be pretty classy.

[@MoXyiD]

Appreciate the insight! I feel very much the same. Sold my Orange amp/ pedal board for an axe fx 3 years ago - the camera work is something i enjoy (but understand if it's not your cup of tea), but its not the main event. My strat is also my go-to. Had it for 10 years, but havent bought another guitar since... HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE to get that vintage-ee antiqued look in a guitar! Play it every day for a decade and still no paint wear. Bothersome. ^^. Ciao mate!

[@ZofoZofo]

I love the counter balance between watching this and watching Paul Stafford Cook with just his iPhone for recording. Both great but both different.

[@Thomas-xs2kq]

Also Tom Bukuvac. Only iPhone. He's the best.

[@gusblacksmith9]

Hey John! Have you done something to the paint of your blue K-line? It looks a bit more gray than blue... damn that's a nice color!

[@ianthomas4568]

Love buying gear just love it!

[@stavrou0]

That Litigator lead patch for the Helix has the sauce... Just the right amount of crunch and compression for your playing style. Great Vid as always!

[@TLMuse]

You asked for listener gear experience: Back in 2010, with a bit of a lump in my throat, I spent a kilobuck on a good audio interface-an RME Fireface UC (and as I recall it was a demo model, so the kilobuck was the discounted price). Prior to that, I'd used fairly inexpensive interfaces from M-Audio and Mackie. Those interfaces sounded good-while they lasted. But practically every OS X/macOS update led to software and/or driver issues, and neither manufacturer supported their gear well after a couple years. I just got tired of support headaches and having to "upgrade" my interface, so I invested in the RME because of their reputation for a combination of great sound and unbeatable firmware and driver support. Here I am, 13 years after that RME purchase, and RME is still providing timely driver updates for that unit. That Fireface still sounds great, and has never given me a hiccup. Probably my best audio investment, and compared to having to replace cheaper gear every 2 to 3 years due to lack of support, I've probably saved money. But mostly what I've saved is headaches-and that's worth a lot! Time is money, and all that! -Tom

[@TKDmasterX]

RME is the best around

[@readysetmoses]

I also use Reaper and would love a video walking through how to set some of this stuff up!

[@emaneercsadeeni]

Thanks for the reassurance that I don’t have to have anything real sophisticated to have something that sounds good enough for me to become a living room guitar maven!

[@trebleboost7]

Check out Music Man - Cutlass RS HSS is an awesome all-rounder in my opinion. Love your K-Line!

[@macshock632]

I have never achieved to get a sound in hx native even close to my floor. And always thought it must be my interface (focusrite). But since yours is not better than mine probably, there must be something else. Perhabs this would be an idea for a video. How exactly set up native, daw, interface to get it right. Just an idea. Your tone is sublime.

[@PuRe_AdDicT]

It’s about the type of signal thats hitting the plugin vs. What’s happening direct to the board. Are you using hi-z input on sound card? Are you adjusting preamp gain on sound card? Don’t forget you might also have an input buffer active on board and not on the sound card. Are there also other pedals? Set a patch on board you like and then replicate it in native. You should be able to get very close with just input gain adjustments

[@Snoopdave2000]

hey John, iv'e just been using my stomp with the same balanced jacks as you but instead of going into my interface like you, the leads go straight into my speakers (kali lp6's) is this good or not? cheers!

[@xderiwx]

Are those Black Ice picks sized similar to Jazz iii’s? Sound and feel similar to Tortex? Thanks!

[@v0rtex116]

My essentials: ibanez AG95, fender vibro champ XD and pedalboard.

[@johnnathancordy]

There seem to be quite a few of those Fender smaller amps that are sleepers right?

[@v0rtex116]

For sure! They are really good honestly, love your videos man!

[@dreadnotpop]

What are the specs of you EV speaker?

[@PainDive1]

After trying elixir polyweb strings I cannot use anything else. All other strings my fingers get stuck, elixir polyweb my fingers slide for weeks

[@timothy5974]

Thanx JC, I am on the hunt for a line6 HX or podgo used here in the states. What would you say is a good fair used price for these units?

[@johnnathancordy]

Typically they seem to hold their value to the point where in some ways I'd think buying new might be better to have the warranty protection depending on how old the units are? In the UK they seem to go anywhere from 50-75% of the new value

[@CraigFlowersMusic]

Just so you know, KZbin actually attenuates the audio of your video if your LUFS-i is above -14dB. You said you go for -13, so it's possible they're slashing your volume during processing before they publish it for you.

[@prodbyjuneg]

what strat is this?

[@Kharnimani]

Thank you for sharing your wisdom guitar-markiplier :) I'm trying to have less gear, but nice gear. Make it count!

[@renatosuetake]

Hey, A bit of a noob question here: I have a Line6 Helix LT and I record stuff directly from the USB port to my laptop. Would it make a difference (for better) if I plug like Helix > Interface > Laptop instead of just using the Helix usb > Laptop?

[@johnnathancordy]

Not a huge difference - are you having any issues?

[@renatosuetake]

Not really having issues, but I usually have to give it a boost in the DAW afterwards as the "raw" recording sounds a bit quieter/with less range than what I hear when I'm just playing, but I guess that could be me doing something wrong lol. Thanks for the reply btw!

[@stephenbedford1395]

Don't worry mate... I have trouble with saying 'remarkable' too.

[@bgrierofficial]

Somewhere in the distance, Truefire is crying :)

[@ksharpe10]

Is one of the Masters JOHN CORDY??? on artist works??

[@abelinolopez1957]

I tried daddarios string but they suck. I'll just keep using elixirs they're the best and really last forever

[@3mstudiospalmdesert]

You should consider making a video of what gear you would use if you were rich and could get whatever you want, more or less.

[@gusblacksmith9]

Oh I got another question about the blue K-line. What was your #1 guitar before that? And how do you know/feel you've found your #1? By comparing it to others? Can you have more than one #1 at a given time? lol I think it's time for a JNC FAQ maybe. Cheers!

[@kingfisher7960]

Yeah but you get to try out a ton of stuff none of us get too. So at the end of the day, if I was you, all I would need is my favorite guitar and some strings, and someone to pay the electric bill every month....

[@mlowack]

Thanks for that, it´s the question i told yesterday answered. The K-Line is not availible in Germany (third world).

[@gavinw5469]

Germany is not third world :)

[@Thomas-xs2kq]

​@@gavinw5469 That's a joke, man...