Brian Bell's equipment: Difference between revisions

==Guitars==

===Pre Weezer===

According to Brian on a Guitar World interview in 2017, his first guitar was a Ibanez Roadstar II, this line of guitars was discontinued in 1991.

{{Gray quote box|[[Image:Brianhead.png]]|I wish I was lucky enough to start on a Gibson guitar. My first guitar was an Ibanez Roadstar II that I bought with my own money. I kind of wish that I had that guitar still, it was more of a Strat shape.}}

===1993: Blue===

Brian joined the band in the fall of [[1993]], halfway into the recording of the [[Blue Album]]. While none of Brians equipment is included in the album (Rivers re-recorded all of [[Jason Cropper]]'s parts due to lack of time) he was playing a red 1963 Gibson SG Melody Maker at the time. According to Karl, the SG had a missing tremolo bar assembly and the headstock had the early rectangular shape. The pickups are believed to be Seymour Duncan Hot Rails.

{{Karlify|Anyway, Brian has said it was a '63, while some folks insist its a '66. In any case, it had a very low 4 digit serial number (possibly #1030?) so it was old.}}

During this time Brian would also acquire a yellow Kapa Challenger that would not be used live. According to Karl, the guitar ended up being gifted to Brian's sister.

===1993: After Blue===

To replace the Kapa Challenger, Brian picked up a solid aluminum necked Travis Bean.

===1995: Spring/Summer Touring===

When both the Red SG and the Travis Bean were stolen from Brian, he picked up a Fender Thinline, which he usually used live for Surf Wax America, among other songs.

===1996: USA===

In '96, Brian started using a 1996 sunburst Fender Stratocaster which he still uses to this day. He also started using a Gibson Les Paul Jr. Double Cut, which can be seen in the music video for [[The Good Life]].

===2001: Hooptie Tour===

{{Karlify|The band made some significant changes to their touring gear at the start of the [[Hooptie Tour]], in order to adapt to extreme constraints of storage space and tour budget, as this tour was entirely a money-losing promotional thing. Some very compact gear was invested in, which would more than save money by eliminating the need for a huge truck.

After much experimentation, the guitar techs recommended trying the Line 6 "POD" system, which is basically a very modern "virtual amplifier" which actually sounds really good, unlike the many rackmount systems of thew past which always sounded like a bad computer trying to copy an ampo sound (which is really what they were) The Pod actually DOES sound like real amplifier, so despite the extreme reservations of the band, they were tried out in rehearsals, and were an instant hit! So Rivers and Brian each got a guitar pod, and Mikey got a bass pod. The strange thing about the POD system is the POD's are kept offstage where the guitar tech's can service them if needed, so there is literally nothing on stage except the drum kit! The sound is sent directly from the POD's to the PA system, eliminating the need for speaker cabinets with microphones trained on them.}}

For songs in E tuning, Brian kept using the 1995 maroon Gibson SG and a mid 70s Gibson Les Paul Jr. (both previously used by Rivers.)

===2008: TV Appearances===

For the 2008 MTV Live session of [[Thought I Knew]] we can see Brian playing an Epiphone Hummingbird with an additional pick up over the scarf hole. This guitar also shows up in the Video Game Awards performance of [[The Greatest Man That Ever Lived]].

===2018-19: Black Album tour===

On March 27, 2018 Brian uploaded a video to Instagram testing a prototype of a Fender Custom George Harrison Tribute Telecaster, he then posted on April 6th that he bought it and was later seen on the [[Black Album]] tour.

{{Gray quote box|[[Image:Brianhead.png]]|Bringing a very solid, sturdy guitar though, is the right thing to do, so I found that Gibson Explorer has the best of both worlds, a good tone and also a battle ax; you can go to battle with that thing. I like to have one that is used for what we call "Weezer tuning." (...) If I break a string, which I rarely do anymore, then I have a backup, which is another Gibson Explorer.}}

==Gear==

===1993: Blue===

===2001: Hooptie Tour===

Brian uses the Schure U4D wireless system, but the signal is sent back to his pedal board before going to the POD. Brian's pedalboard routing goes through the POD footswitch, to a ZVEX Super Hard-on into an Ibanez Tube Screamer, into a TC Electronics chorus flanger, into a Boss GE-7 Graphic Equalizer (set for mid frequency boost, used in [[Tired of Sex]]), into a Boss TU-2 tuner, used only as a mute switch. Then the signal goes back to the Line 6 POD Pro.

{{Karlify|At this point, everyone switched over to an in-ear monitor system, where tiny wireless headphones are worn by each band member, through which a custom mix is pumped, depending on what the band member requires. This eliminated the need for monitor wedges all over the stage, which made things a lot easier during the Hooptie Tour with its tiny stages. The band has fallen in love with the system (also after major uncertainty and doubts), as they get a much more consistent sound night after night.}}

===2010: Raditute and Hurley touring===

He used at least one Boss D-1 Distortion effect pedal live.