# Garrett Mason



## whammybar (May 7, 2008)

I can't believe I just found out about this guy. Amazing guitarist with a sense of the blues that blows my doors off. Here's a track off his Love & Sound CD called 'And Everything'. Garrett Mason - Live at the Capital Bar - And Everything on Vimeo Tell me you could sit still while you watched this. So far this one CD is starting to rewrite my understanding of blues and really moving me away from the 'british' sound and linear lead breaks. At least to me, it's like Elmore James lived to be 120 years old and got all amped up.


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## Sneaky (Feb 14, 2006)

Can't watch at work. He's Dutch Mason's son isn't he?


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## ronmac (Sep 22, 2006)

I had the great pleasure of working with Garrett this summer, doing sound for a festival his band played. He is a very talented musician, and a real nice guy to boot. 

BTW, his setup was the easiest I have ever done. He showed up with his own mic (EV ND967) on a stand, told me he didn't want any monitors and that his band mates only needed a touch of his vocals in their monitors. Slide faders into position, sit back and enjoy the show. They rocked!


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## whammybar (May 7, 2008)

Sneaky said:


> Can't watch at work. He's Dutch Mason's son isn't he?


Yup he is, but I have to say, this boy lights me up a whole lot more than his daddy. There are a few other cuts on his web site www.garrettmason.com that are equally amazing, although this is one of the few times that when you buy the CD you are pleasantly surprised that the music is even better than the promo stuff on the site. For example 'I wanna Shout' is just amazing. There is a great YouTube version of him playing it (don't have the link with me). His music just seems to be the link I always felt was missing between the old delta blues guys and that modern british sounding blues. I just hope he keeps writing more.


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## whammybar (May 7, 2008)

ronmac said:


> I had the great pleasure of working with Garrett this summer, doing sound for a festival his band played. He is a very talented musician, and a real nice guy to boot.


So I got to thinking about his setup for guitar. Did you get a chance to see what pedals and other effects he uses on a gig? I know there's a vibe in there some of the time but have no clue what else he's using to get that huge tone (other than that Bassman. Any insights you might have would be great. Also what is that odd looking box that always sits on top of his amp?


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## ronmac (Sep 22, 2006)

I'm pretty sure he was using an old Showman head and cab, and I remember two pedals sitting on top. Sorry I don't have more details.


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## Prosonic (Apr 28, 2009)

whammybar said:


> So I got to thinking about his setup for guitar. Did you get a chance to see what pedals and other effects he uses on a gig? I know there's a vibe in there some of the time but have no clue what else he's using to get that huge tone (other than that Bassman. Any insights you might have would be great. Also what is that odd looking box that always sits on top of his amp?


Garrett gets his "huge tone" from being awesome. There is no gear trickery there. He does use a Rotovibe and a few other pedals, but most of the time it's just guitar and amp. 

The thing he has on top of his amp is usually a Roland 201 space echo.


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## whammybar (May 7, 2008)

Yeah sorry never meant to imply _trickery _ but while he is an awesome and incredibly original guitar player, I was still curious as to his pedals. I know a vibe, which he often uses, can really thicken up tone (not to mention an enormous archtop) but his tone is still great with a solid body guitar. I was curious about any OD pedals or fuzz he might have added as well. No doubt about it this man rocks. I am always amazed that he is not know in so many circles. I only hope he continues to write and play. I just can't get enough.


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## whammybar (May 7, 2008)

I just thought I'd put the question out there one more time to see if anyone knows what stomp boxes Garrett Mason uses to get that huge sound. Maybe he just has old flabby speakers and a dimed amp but I'm betting there are a few stomp boxes in there somewhere. Anyone?


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## Prosonic (Apr 28, 2009)

Like I said, his tone comes from being great. Although he does have a small pedal board, at the last gig I played with him he plugged his guitar straight into a re-issue Vibrolux. The Fender spring reverb gives the guitar a little extra bite when you dig in, and he tunes down half a step and plays with his fingers (no pick) which contribute to a full sound. 

That being said, he would sound like himself through whatever he plays.


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## whammybar (May 7, 2008)

Prosonic said:


> Although he does have a small pedal board


That's what I'm interested in. That small pedal board. I realize he's a great guitar player, but amplified sound comes not just from the fingers nor being awesome (just unplug the guitar from the amp and we would all agree the tone changes dramatically.)

In the Joe Bonamassa DVD of the Royal Albert Hall (and Joe is awesomeness defined) his tone is staggering. In the extra features where he's playing straight through an 18 watt Marshall combo while sitting on the bus, his tone is not. It is incredibly informative (the bus interview) and he is still an awesome guitar player, but his tone bears no resemblance with his RAH tone. So with Garrett Mason, what I'm curious about is what is on that small pedal board that adds to his huge sound.


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