Duff's Gear Gunnery

[GypsySoul]

GUITAR WORLD?S Bass Guitar
June/July 2004 Issue

Same As It Ever Was
Duff?s Gear Gunnery


Photo credit:  ANNAMARIA DISANTO (GEAR)

When Guns N? Roses received their first advance from Geffen Records in 1986, Duff McKagan took his share and purchased a Fender Jazz Bass Special.  ?I liked how it sounded through my Gallien-Krueger,? he says.  ?It was kinda funky, but it still worked with rock and roll.?  He?s been using Specials ever since.  After the model went out of production in the early Nineties, the Fender Custom Shop built McKagan several copies, each with Dunlop straps and strap locks.

Duff?s combination of Rotosound RS66 Swing Bass strings and Dunlop Tortex .73mm picks lets him cut through the mix at will.  As for amps, he?s been a Gallien-Krueger man from day one and uses G-K 2001RB amps with G-K RBH 4x10 cabs.  In the studio, Duff goes direct but sometimes mikes his 4x10 cabinets, a G-K 15-inch and a Marshall 12-inch for extra crunch.  He has also recorded some tracks with a G-K head and an Acoustic 2x15.

Duff stomped through a few Ibanez and Boss chorus pedals before switching to a rackmounted Yamaha SPX90 multi-effects.  His only other effect is an MXR ?80 D.I.+, which provides powerful gain and distortion tones.  Onstage, Duff uses a Bradshaw Custom Audio Switcher and a Samson UHF Synth 32 wireless.  His tech, Mike ?McBob? Mayhue, keeps everything ready to rock.
-E.E.B. (E.E. Bradman)


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[Oddy]

"and Dunlop Tortex .73mm picks"

um is that true?........i play guitar and use .53mm.....and that's damn light. Most guitarists use around 1m pics. What is Duff doin playin a bass with .73mm picks? And what boggles my mind even more, how does he get his attack that he's known for on a bass with such flexible picks. Someone plz clear this up for me. It just doesnt add up to me.

oh.....and yeah thanks for posting the article

[AdZ]

Thanks gypsy!

Maybe they mean 1.73?

[blues_rock_axeman]

Duff looks really young in that second pic... oddness.

Thanks Gypsy!  

[Slashly]

Cool quick information, thanx Gypsy!!!!!!

[GypsySoul]

"and Dunlop Tortex .73mm picks"

um is that true?........i play guitar and use .53mm.....and that's damn light. Most guitarists use around 1m pics. What is Duff doin playin a bass with .73mm picks? And what boggles my mind even more, how does he get his attack that he's known for on a bass with such flexible picks. Someone plz clear this up for me. It just doesnt add up to me.

Maybe they mean 1.73?

The mag does read "Dunlop Tortex .73mm picks" so if that's wrong it's the mags typo NOT mine.  

[Miz]

Duff uses the 0.73mm Tortex.  You can even see in the picture at the top.  The yellow pics.  I dunno why, but it seems to work for him.

[Captain P?l]

Duff uses the 0.73mm Tortex.  You can even see in the picture at the top.  The yellow pics.  I dunno why, but it seems to work for him.

it actualy works for me too... funny too see that we actualy uses the same pick!! i bought it 'cuz it was large and a little bendy... so i understand duff for liking those pics