Mark Mcguigan

Mark Mcguigan

Mark Mcguigan is one of the generation of guitar players who has achieved a fair amount of fame thanks to YouTube. Mark is a great player with taste, chops and tone to match. I urge anyone interested in great guitar playing to check out his videos online. Here, Mark talks us through his rig and his thoughts on tone.

Dirtbox - Hey there Mark welcome to Dirt Box. Thanks for doing this short interview and discussing your rig with us. First off, can you tell us a little about your guitars?

Mark -Electric Guitar Wise I mainly use:
Suhr Pro Series S3
Ibanez JEM 7VSBL
Ibanez JEM 77 GMC
Ibanez RGA321FSB
Ibanez AF105NT
Ibanez RG7420
Gordon Smith Telecaster

Spot the Ibanez fetish?

Acoustics I have:
Fylde Magician
Antonio Sanchez Nylon String

Dirtbox – Whoa nice collection! As a Suhr owner myself I know how great those guitars are. What about amps?

Mark – Soldano Astroverb 16 1×12 combo and a Carvin Legacy 2×12 combo.

Dirtbox – Ah a combo man eh? Everyone at Dirtbox is dying to know….what about effects?

Mark – Digitech Whammy Pedal, Jim Dunlop Crybaby 535Q, MXR/CAE Line Boost and a Boomerang Phrase Sampler.

Dirtbox – Not a big fan of effects then? Why is this, are you a tone purist? Or have you not found anything that integrates well into your setup?

Mark - I used to have choruses n stuff but never used them. Never been in a covers band where such a thing would maybe be required. I prefer to just plug in and go, not so much a tone purist as such but I do think alot can be done just using the instrument and your fingers

Dirtbox – Ah I see. What are your philosophies on tone? Do you think good tone is an essential part of being a good guitarist?

Mark – To me a player’s tone is like their voice, everyone has a unique voice when they speak. Some people’s voices you like others you dislike, so it comes down to a personal taste thing rather than someone being ‘good’. It’s all very subjective, though there are some legendary tones that people may gravitate towards. From a player’s point of view, when you’re liking your sound, I think it inspires and generally enhances the playing experience. I also think that as players mature they gain more confidence in their playing and that comes across in their tone too. They way they attack the string, bends etc.

Dirtbox – I couldn’t agree more. It seems the better we get, the less gain we use hahaha… What are your takes on the analogue vs. digital war that is currently raging?

Mark – Personally I view modellers as great tools in the studio, very handy for recording. I once had to gig with a POD Pro and it didn’t suit my style of playing at all. I’m used to playing with valve amps and using the guitar volume knob to clean things up etc. In saying that I know guys who do gig with PODs etc. and they get a great sound, so horses for courses  .

Dirtbox – What are your opinions on boutique vs factory-made pedals?

Mark – Not had too much experience of comparing the two, but whatever gets the job done and done well tends to be my rule of thumb  . Cost issues can come into it, but with boutique you tend to get that payoff with better customer relations etc.

Dirtbox – And finally Mark…what is your all time favourite Dirt Box?

Mark – I think it has to be my MXR/CAE Line Boost and I only use that if I am gigging with my Soldano. It’s a classic single channel amp, so I use the boost to give the preamp stage a kick up the arse for soloing etc. It’s a great transparent boost, perfect for keeping things clear and crisp  .
I’ve used other pedals in the past, but I’ve always just returned to using the amp for my gain needs. The Legacy has plenty of gain for me so I have no need for a pedal with that amp.

Dirtbox – Mark, thanks so much for taking the time to do this interview, it has been an enlightening experience, all the best.

www.markmcguigan.com