John 5 Reveals Why He Prefers a Very Simple Rig, Explains Decision to Swap Marshall for EVH Amps | On the Record

UG Exclusive: “I just like an old-school setup with a couple stomp boxes. When I say a couple, I mean a couple.”

A guitar maestro playing with a massive arena act always needs a complex rig, right? Well, some of them might, but as far as John 5 is concerned, all he needs is a great amp and a few pedals, along with his recognizable Telecasters and impeccable guitar-playing skills. It seems to be working perfectly for Mötley Crüe, as well as his own projects.

One of the reasons why we wanted to chat with John 5 is exactly his decision to go with a pretty straightforward setup, which is what his tech, David Vela, revealed some months ago. In the new edition of our “On the Record” podcast, we sat down with John to discuss all things guitar and more.

John 5: On the Record

You’re in one of the biggest rock bands in history and yet I’ve been told by your tech that your rig is remarkably simple. Why do you keep it so simple?

“I just like an old-school setup with a couple stomp boxes. When I say a couple, I mean a couple. I use very few stomp boxes. A good amp, a good guitar, and a couple good pedals — that’s it. I just keep it so simple.”

“I just want to be able to play a show with any kind of equipment and not be relying on something. Like, I have to have this or I have to have that. I can actually go play show anywhere with any kind of equipment and I think it’s all up to your hands. But I just choose to use very simple things like a great amp, great pedals, a great guitar, and that’s it.”

Do you mind telling us what a couple of those pedals are or your go-to amp? Is it a stock amp?

“Everything is stock. There’s nothing that’s modified. I’m using EVH heads. I was using Marshall, but it was very difficult for me to get Marshall amps and Marshall products, because we’d be traveling so much and there’s multiple rigs and things would break down and they couldn’t get me gear. I’m like, ‘My God, something’s wrong’ and we’re playing the NFL draft the next day or something. I need a head and they were like, ‘We don’t have anything.'”

“It was really tough because we were flying all over the world and I needed rigs here and I needed rigs there and it was very difficult. So I moved over to EVH and they’ve been just wonderful, and they sound incredible. So I’m just using EVH, nothing’s modified, everything’s stock.”

“I just use Boss pedals, a Super Overdrive, I’m using a Boss Super Chorus. I have a delay for the end of a couple songs, nothing crazy, that’s a Boss analog delay, but it’s very elementary. And I’m using my Ghost John 5 guitar from Fender, which I love, I carry it everywhere. We’ll be walking through the airport, and I’ll have the guitar and the other guys will be like, ‘…great disguise, dude,’ – I carry it everywhere, because I’m always picking.”

Yeah, I’ve always known that about you. It’s rare to see you without a guitar. And I love the Ghost, by the way. That’s amazing. Something about the painted fretboard I just love.

“I know, it’s really cool. It’s very difficult for Fender to do that painted fretboard – its difficult putting those frets in, because when you put the frets in, it hits that paint, it’s tough. That’s why you probably don’t see a lot of painted fretboards.”

You’re always a busy man. It’s very rare to catch you at home. So I’m glad that you were able to take some time to chat with us while you’re at home. But what does the rest of 2024 have in store for you?

“In about eight days, we’ll go and do some shows with Mötley. I think we’re going to Illinois. It’s funny. Going out with Mötley, it’s great because I don’t really have to worry about anything. I’m just turned into the area I’m supposed to go to, and then I just walk over there and play. It’s incredible because everything is taken care of. Everything you can imagine is taken care of. So I don’t really have to even worry about anything about where I’m going or how I’m getting there or anything. I just worry about being on time and playing the best show possible. And that’s wonderful. So I’m going to go do that in about eight days with Mötley and then… We’re gonna go do some more shows. We’re gonna come home, do some more shows. We’re playing at this place called Mohegan Sun and right after that show, I jump in a bus and go right to my first [solo] gig the next day.”

“So I’m starting in Boston for the instrumental tour, and we’re going everywhere. It’s starting in Boston, then we’re hitting a bunch of places and going all through Canada. I enjoy it so much doing the instrumental stuff. I just enjoy playing guitar. I just really enjoy having a guitar in my hand and playing. If you can find something that really makes you happy, I think just do it, and that’s what I do. It just makes me really happy to be doing that. I love talking with people and hearing people’s stories. I don’t wanna hear my stories. I’d rather talk to you and say, ‘what do you got going on?’ But real talk and stuff. I really like talking to the fans and stuff like that. I get a real pleasure out of that.”