In The Style Of Warren Haynes

This week we focus on Warren Haynes and that means we are going to talk about tons of equipment used in each concert and specifically a lot of that tonnage is going to carry the logo of a certain brand that starts with 'G' and ends with 'Ibson'.

Both in the Allman Brothers and in Gov't Mule Haynes mainly employs two Gibson Les Paul Standards baptized as Chester (because the ‘Les Paul Standard’ name plate is replaced by the signature of Chet Atkins) and Lester. Both guitars are predominantly used with Gov't Mule and in their day with the Allman Brothers. To these two guitars, based on his own model Gibson Les Paul 58 Reissue, there is a third 'twin' Les Paul that only has a P-90 instead of the humbuckers.

   



His Gibson collection continues with a number of Firebirds, several ES-335’s, with one from 61 being his most precious semi-hollow. So as not to spend the whole article talking about Gibsons we will close this section by mentioning a very special model that is in his hands and that is the 12-string Gibson Les Paul that he owns and that, according to his own technician, is one of only two that the American brand made worldwide. Now that is a collector's item.


   



So let’s now turn to the world of Warren Haynes amplification and pedals since we have access to many videos in which we can observe all his equipment in detail, and some things are worthy of mention.   Among his favorite amps we can find his omnipresent Soldano SLO-100 but also he has two others that accompany him, which are the PRS Dallas and the customized Diaz CD-100. We say accompanying and not substituting since, as happens with his guitars, this ‘master of tone’ looks for the perfect sound for each song and that leads him to use many different guitars in his concerts but also many amps; separately, at the same time and in different combinations. We will not forget to mention one of his key amps in the studio: his Marshall Plexi of 1969.



As for the 'china shop' that unites all of the above we have to highlight one of the pillars of his sound: the already mythologized and therefore inflated value of the Klon Centaur. In certain stores they are already asking for over 2,000 dollars to buy one of the originals meaning that this pedal enters into the sad olympus of guitar material that is no longer available to any guitarist on the planet ... except for blessed exceptions such as Warren Haynes .

   



Other pedals on which he bases his sound are classics such as Jim Dunlop's Cry Baby (without forgetting his own Warren Haynes Wah G-Lab), the Boss OC-2 or the Boss DD-2 Delay - although less common effects such as the Diaz Texas Ranger or the Emma Discumbobulator are also part of his pedalboard.  

   

 

We remind anyone new to this theme that this man, with all his equipment, had the mission of trying to make Allman Brothers fans not miss too much a certain Duane Allman, and not only did he achieve that but he made his own name among the greatest and most acclaimed guitarists on the rock planet, both with the band led by Greg Allman, until his death, and with his own blues and southern sounds machine called Gov't Mule. Not bad for a 'substitute'.