Photo courtesy of PRS Guitars
Over the next few months, we're bringing you a special series of blog posts in partnership with PRS Guitars to give you essential tips from established musicians. In this installment, vocalist/guitarist Trevor McNevan of Canadian rock band Thousand Foot Krutch shares his top five essential pieces of studio gear.
I’ve been blessed to be writing and playing professionally for over 20 years now. I spend a lot of time in the studio creating and fleshing out ideas, trying new pieces of gear, and am always looking for the right sound for the right moment. These are my top five essential pieces of studio gear.
1. PRS guitars
Image via musicradar.com
Price: varies depending on model
What can I say? Paul Reed Smith and his guitars have been wowing me since I first held one in the studio recording our first independent record, That’s What People Do, back in 1997 (with producer Andrew Horrocks). Ever since, I spent years wanting to feel that again, and thankfully, that eventually came true.
My band is rock/hard rock, but I’m constantly songwriting across all genres, and these guitars have it all. I want to thank PRS Guitars for always raising the bar, and for believing in me! They are truly a company I’m excited and comfortable growing with in any genre I’m working in. They have every tool in their arsenal you’ll ever need to track or play the perfect song, the way it was meant to be heard. Some of my favorites are:
- PRS Custom 24
- PRS Singlecut
- PRS SE Baritone
- PRS SE Clint Lowery
2. Revv Generator 100w guitar head and cab
Image via reverb.com
Price: $2,199 (other models and prices also available)
This I had to see to believe. But guitar friends, it is the real deal. The moment I realized that this thing could not only get the perfect crunch and high gain you need, but also the sweetest clean tone, and variations of all three, it was a game changer – mind blowing! This Canadian-based company has done the impossible. I’ve shown this amp to many a pro guitar friend since, and they’ve felt the same; it speaks for itself. And I love gear that speaks for itself. Case closed. Go get it.
3. Wunder CM7 vocal mic
Image via wunderaudio.com
Price: $6,350
I’ve tried and collected some great mics over the years, but this tube microphone comes with the original large-style U47 transformer that was used in the earlier U47's, including the legendary "Large Badge” U47. These first couple of hundred U47's are very sought after sonically, and after trying it, I rarely switch up when recording vocals.
4. Focal Twin6 Be studio monitors
Image via sweetwater.com
Price: $3,700 for a pair
These are three-way active studio monitors, with dual 6.5" woofers, 1" beryllium inverted dome tweeters, and 40 Hz to 40k Hz frequency response (each). They’ve become my new faves – they’re very well rounded, and I now see why they’re Focal’s leading monitors. For an extra-natural perspective, I double-check things on my Sennheiser HD 600 headphones.
These things are a must-buy for anyone checking mixes on the go, or just wanting a more realistic look at how things are sitting individually or overall. I’d recommend them to anyone, though. You’ll want to listen to every record you have again for the first time.
5. Manley VoxBox
Image via sweetwater.com
Price: $4,140
The VoxBox is now my primary vocal go-to. It combines the legendary Manley Mono Mic Preamp, the ELOP reborn as a lower ratio compressor, the mid-EQ blown out as a full-range peak-dip-peak EQ, and a de-esser with a second ELOP limiter at the end.
Emerging guitarists: Want to win your very own PRS guitar? Find out more by clicking here!
