Welcome to the Jason Stallworth Music Gear page! Below you’ll find all the music gear and equipment that I use for studio recording, guitars and amps, and for playing live solo shows.
I keep this page updated as things change!
Contents:
- Studio Recording Gear
- Guitars, Amps & Effects
- Gear for Live Solo Gigs
***I’m now a proud affiliate for Sweetwater! The majority of the links below will take you to the product or line of products on their website. I do get a small commission if you decide to purchase through them and I appreciate your support!
Studio Gear
This is my home recording studio set up and not too much has changed over the years. To me, the longer that you use your gear the better you know, and that makes the process more seamless with fewer headaches. I also try to avoid the shiny-object syndrome.
However, I am looking to make some upgrades soon and as mentioned above, I’ll update you below as those changes are made. Also, I’m running on a late 2013 iMac.
- PreSonus Studio One Pro 5 (DAW) – I’ve been using Studio One Pro since 2009
- PreSonus Quantum Audio Interface – This link takes you to the Quantum Series; I have the Quantum 2, which they no longer make.
- KRK Rokit 5 Studio Monitors – I’ve had these monitors since 2009. If I do an upgrade, I’ll more than likely stick to KRK.
- KRK 6400 Headphones – These headphones are good for silent recording but not the best when recording with a live amp or for vocals. I plan to upgrade to the KRK 8400.
- Shure SM7B Microphone – My primary mic for recording vocals (and perfect for death metal or any extreme metal vocals).
- Shure SM57 Microphone – My primary mic for recording guitar amps.
- Positive Grid BIAS Amp 2 and FX 2 – Positive Grid has been my go-to plug-in for virtual amps and effects for several years now. Though I’ve tried (and own) many other amp sims, I always revert back to Positive Grid.
Guitars & Amps
I use my guitars and amps in both the studio and certain ones for playing live solo gigs (mainly my acoustic and Ibanez for solo gigs).
Guitars
- ESP E-II Horizon FR-7 – It’s just a beast made for metal and plays effortlessly.
- ESP LTD M-1000 Deluxe – The model I own is black and is from the mid-2000s. This link goes to a newer version.
- Ibanez Prestige RG1570 – This guitar is a 2001 model. What I like the most is the wizard neck. The link goes to the Ibanez Prestige series. I also use this guitar for my live solo gigs.
- Shroedder Marksman ’87 – This guitar was made for me by Mike Shroedder, an independent guitar maker in Germany. And the link goes to his website. It’s an awesome ax and he’s big on the 80’s style guitars.
- ESP LTD D-5 Bass – I’ve had this bass guitar since 2013 and it’s been great for recording (its primary use).
- Takamine G Series Acoustic – This is my primary guitar for playing live solo shows. The link goes to the Takamine G Series.
- Exilir Strings – I’ve been using Elixir guitar strings for as long as I can remember. For 6-string guitars, I use the Nanoweb super lights (.09 – .42), for 7-string, I use the Nanoweb lights (.10 – .56), and for acoustic, I use the Nanoweb lights (.12 – .53).
Amps
- EVH 5150 III EL34 50 Watt Head – EVH is awesome for metal but also the most versatile amp I’ve ever had.
- EVH 2×12 EL34 Cabinet – It just made sense to me to get the matching cabinet.
Pedals/Effects
- MXR Smartgate – Great noise gate with plenty of additional features for taking care of unwanted noise.
- Truetone 1SPOT Pro CS-7 – Perfect for powering multiple pedals.
I’m not using many pedals these days as I’m using my amp mainly for recording in the studio and I’ll use virtual effects like delay, compression, reverb, etc. on the recorded tracks.
Gear for Live Solo Gigs
I started playing live solo gigs (mainly acoustic) back in late-2020 and this has grown into playing 2-3 gigs a week. So here’s everything I’m currently using for the stage. And as you may know, I’m sharing more tips and gear for live gigging on my YouTube channel.
- Mackie ProFx10v3 Mixer – Small, compact, and perfect for live solo gigs. And there are enough channels for a duo or trio and a ton of features including onboard effects.
- Electro-Voice ZLX 12BT 1000W Powered Speakers – I have two of these for my live solo gigs and they’ve definitely served their purpose and product quality sound.
- Electro-Voice PXM-12MP 700W Powered Floor Monitor – For a while, I played solo gigs without a floor monitor but this has helped so much, especially as some of the venues I play have larger stages. This monitor also works great for two people (my wife sings some songs with me).
- On Stage Speaker Stands – These serve their purpose in holding up my Electro-Voice speakers; however, one of the stands has a screw stripped where you tighten the height of the bottom legs (after over a year of use, playing to gigs a week on average during that time). It still holds the speaker up as the bottom rubber pieces on the legs hold it in place.
- On Stage Mic Stands – I have two of these for myself and my wife and have had no issues with them. They’re sturdy.
- ProCo Cables – I use these cables live and in the studio, both for instruments and XLR. They’re solid.
- Boss WL-20L Guitar Wireless System – I play both acoustic and electric on stage and switching this makes it easy t switch from one guitar to the next (I use the POD Go for effects for both).
- Line 6 POD Go – This has simplified my stage setup for my live solo shows and I have created patches for both acoustic and electric. It works great.
- TC Electronic Ditto X4 Looper – Although the POD Go has a looper function, I chose to get an external looper. I went with the Ditto X4 as it has a dedicated stop. But I wish I had gotten the Ditto X2 and the X4 is more than I need in regards to functionality.
- Shure Beta 58a Microphone – This is my primary vocal mic for solo live shows.
- Shure SM58 Microphone – I use the SM58 as a backup mic if needed.
- TC-Helicon Mic Mechanic 2 Vocal Effects Pedal – Although my mixer has onboard effects, the reverb and delay on the Mic Mechanic sound much better. And this pedal also allows me to quickly turn off those effects when talking between songs.
***Personal disclaimer: It also has pitch correction, which I do NOT use and never intend to!
Alright, that’s all of the gear I’m currently using from the studio to the stage! Again, I keep this page updated as I add new gear or if anything changes. More than often, when I add new gear I’m also taking something away. I like to keep things simple.
Keep it Metal,
Jason
