Talking Tone with Rhett Shull
Rhett Shull isn’t your average guitar player. He doesn’t follow trends to buy the latest or most vintage piece of gear you can overpay for. What Rhett Shull is, is a true connoisseur of tone. He carefully calculated a pedal board and amp configuration that would be suitable for allowing any guitar’s true tone to shine through. Rhett is best known as the guitar player for Noah Guthrie, a YouTube sensation. Today, Rhett has agreed to let us into his world of tone. Gear up, because we are in for some tasty sounds!
Fender ’52 Hot Rod Tele
A versatile telecaster, Rhett has changed the stock single coil bridge pickup for a hotter Lollar Special T. Featuring a mini Seymour Duncan humbucker in the Neck position it brings to mind players such as Andy Summer’s (The Police) telecaster. Rhett uses this guitar for genres ranging from country to funk to blues to rock.
Fender John Mayer Black1 SE Strat
Fender’s limited run of 500 guitars, Rhett picked this one up used. Featuring Mayer’s signature Big Dipper pickups, the Black1 contrasts from the hotter pickup equipped guitars in Rhett’s arsenal. Being low output and mid-scooped, it delivers that “quacky strat tone that everyone likes” according to Rhett.
Gibson Custom Shop ES-335
A 2011 model year ES-335, this is Rhett’s go-to guitar. His preferred gigging guitar, he used this guitar when opening up for the Beach Boy’s July, 4th 2012 concert in front of 55,000 people. Featuring stock Gibson PAF humbuckers, this is Rhett’s hottest and loudest guitar.
Morgan AC20 Deluxe
An all hand-wired take on the Vox AC30, the Morgan AC20 features EL84 power tubes at 20 Watts. The amp is voiced darker than a typical Vox. It features a couple neat options by allowing you to switch pre-amp tubes from EF86 or 12AX7, brilliant switch, and a bass cut switch. Thus allowing Rhett to precisely shape his tone. With only three knobs (volume, cut, power level) the AC20 makes a statement that simplicity delivers.
Port City Pearl
The Port City Pearl is Rhett’s workhorse amp. It has been extensively used on Rhett’s live performances and studio sessions. Featuring two 6L6 power tubes at 50 watts it delivers a brilliant clean tone. The Pearl has the ability to handle pedals extremely well.
Pedal Board
Timmy Overdrive
Timmy is an overdrive known primarily for one thing: transparency. Rhett uses this pedal to boost his amps natural tone. Timmy also excels when used to stack multiple overdrives. For example, Rhett stacks the Timmy pedal with the BB Preamp to obtain a ‘Dumble-esque’ type lead tone.
JHS Pulp ‘N’ Peel Compressor
After going through a number of compressors, Rhett decided on the Pulp ‘N’ Peel due to it’s ability to “make your guitar cut through [the mix].” The compressor helps to add volume as well.
Jimi Hendrix Signature Wah
This was Rhett’s first pedal. It has remained constant throughout the evolution of his pedal board. “It just works” says Rhett, stating he would get another if it ever gave out.
Eventide Space Reverb
None of Rhett’s amps feature reverb, thus this unit fills that gap. Reverb is a significant part of his tone. Rhett uses reverb to create a ‘wash’ under his tone. Reverb is an excellent way to help add presence to a guitar in a band or solo mix.
Additional Pedals
Include: Strymon Timeline (Delay), Electro-Harmonix Stereo Pulsar (Analog Tremolo), BB Preamp (Overdrive), JHS Morning Glory (Overdrive), JHS Charlie Brown Channel Drive (Overdrive), Ernie Ball VP JR (Volume Pedal with JHS Mod), and TC Electronic PolyTune (Tuner).
To find out more about Rhett check out his Official Facebook Artist Page.
To see Rhett live with Noah, check the tour dates at: http://only1noah.com
Article by: Andrew Hardel