This article series is about the tools of popular guitarists. What are their favorite guitars and how is it related to them? This time with Ron Meyer (Black Sheep Brothers).
When did you start guitar playing and do you remember your first guitar?
I started playing when I was about 5 years old. My dad was a musician and his band, The Bristols, was on “Ikon Records” when he was 16. So, there were always guitars at our house. My first guitar was an old Epiphone acoustic guitar that my parents bought at a yard sale for $5.00.
What are your influences and which guitar players are your favs?
I’ve been heavily influenced by mostly country, rock and blues guitarist. My biggest influences are David Gilmore, Jimmy Page, Ritchie Blackmore, Alex Lifeson, Brian May, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, Eddie Van Halen, and Steve Morse. But my early influences are David Gates, Roy Clark, Jerry Reed, Merle Travis, Albert Lee, and the Almond Brothers. I also love BB King! Musically, I am a serial guitar enthusiast.
How many guitars do you own and what are your favorite models?
As of today, I have 21 guitars. I have given many guitars to kids. I want to see what the next generation comes up with. My current favorite guitars are three Gibson Les Pauls and one 1962 Fender Stratocaster, which is a Pre CBS reissue. Let’s start with the Pauls. I have a 1990s Gibson Les Paul Studio, a 1960s reissue and a 1959 reissue. My favorite guitar is the new 1959 reissue. It’s a solid guitar, just like the original 1959 Les Pauls. It’s heavy and that thing means business. Her name is Rosie.
What do you think makes the perfect guitar and amp?
The perfect guitar amp has tubes. I love many amps for many different reasons. But the perfect amp tone for me is a tone stack. I like to combine amps in a series so I can target specific formants from different amps. One of my first tube amps was a Fender Twin Reverb I bought from Greg Golden at Bizarre Guitar in Reno Nevada. It was 85 watts, and it roared. The perfect amp for me is a versatile amp; it has to have a good range of clean, crunch and dirty. I don’t use distortion pedals. I prefer to use drive pedals, and do not own a distortion pedal. Right now, my favorite combo is the Egnater Tourmaster. It does a ton of heavy lifting in all the key areas (Clean, crunch, and distortion). I do not care for one-trick pony amps, I prefer a variety of tones.
How do you feel about the question of modeler or tube amp?
One of the bands I’m in played a show with Firehouse. I was playing my racked guitar rig with two GCX channel switchers, a Voo Doo Labs Ground-Control, a TC Electronics G-Major, a TC Electronics G-Force, A Lexicon and several hard-wired stomp-boxes in trays. I was sitting on the edge of the stage and Bill Leverty said he loved my guitar rig. Mine consists of four separate amps that can be played in any configuration for tone stacking. and that he would rather be playing his big-rig. Then he asked if I had ever seen the Fractal Ax-8. He briefly walked me through some of the patches and it sounded absolutely great. I ordered one the next day, and it simplified my quest for tone. I am a tweak-head and love to program effects processors. I am a huge fan of the Fractal Audio Products. I have done lots of testing and Fractal has done an absolutely amazing job at tone matching many of the greatest amps ever made. And they’ve done it in a way that an old-school guitarist can easily understand and program. I also love that I can mix and match heads and cabs, play with the caps, tubes, and biasing.
Which guitars and amps were used on the new album or for recordings?
I played my 90s Gibson Les Paul Studio, 1960s Gibson Les Paul Standard, and 1962 Fender Stratocaster Pre CBS Reissue. I also played an old Epiphone Master-Built Acoustic guitar on many of the songs. I did most of the playing on a Fractal. However, I also recorded some of the solos using my Egnater, Tourmaster.
When you only can choose one guitar, which one will you take?
I will take Rosie; she’s a brand new 2022 1959 Gibson Les Paul Reissue in Iced Tea Burst with a AAA Top. You’ll be able to catch this guitar on the new album we are working on right now. I’ve owned lots of guitars over my lifetime, and this brand new Paul is about as perfect as they come straight from the factory. Thanks to my bros at Sweetwater for running this one down!
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