ALEX LIFESON PRS PIEZO FULL
ALEX LIFESON PRS PIEZO SERIES

First was an Alpine White ES-355, based off the same model he’d brought on so many tours. The band’s huge sound would be heard on the drop-D tuned “Stick It Out” and the furious driving chords of “Time and Motion.” Digital ManĪfter so many years of using Gibson guitars, Lifeson would finally get two signature models from the company. The solid-state amps would stick around for the one-two pop punch of Presto and Roll the Bones before Marshall amps were reintroduced in the form of the gain-happy JCM900 Dual Reverb on Counterparts and Test For Echo.

Gibson guitars would re-enter the picture, along with a fleet of Paul Reed Smith double cutaways. Keyboards would gradually be downplayed as Rush entered the ‘90s, and guitars would come roaring back into its sound in a big way. Serious highlights of this unique sound include the F# anthem “Big Money” and the ringing pop ballad “Time Stand Still.” Cut to the Chase In spite of the unit’s scarcity, it remains a core part of Lifeson’s rig to this day. All effects would be rack-based from now on, mostly by TC Electronic, including classics like the 2290 Delay (also favored by U2’s The Edge), but a mainstay would be the rare 1210 Spatial Expander for his crucial chorus sound.

Lifeson would also pack away the tube-based Marshalls in favor of the solid-state Gallien-Kruger CPL2000 preamp, running into a Mesa Strategy 400 power amp. He’d later switch to the now defunct Signature guitars, each wired with EMG active single-coils.

ALEX LIFESON PRS PIEZO SERIES

An early adopter of humbucker-equipped Super Strats and Floyd Rose locking tremolos, Lifeson would have a series of custom “Hentor Sportscaster” guitars made for him equipped with Bill Lawrence humbuckers. Taking more of a background role but still contributing killer riffs, Lifeson’s tone during this time can be described as bright and expansive. Rush would alienate some of the hard rock crowd as they moved into a synthesizer-based direction as the ‘80s went on, but it would contain some of Lifeson’s most creative playing. Considered the holy grail of chorus effects, it can scarcely be understated how important this sound would become to thickening Lifeson’s tone, best heard at this time on the chiming opening chords of “Hemispheres: Book II.” His use of delay would also expand, perhaps best heard on the emotional stereo-delay solo of “Limelight.” We also must not forget his use of the Electro-Harmonix Electric Mistress, used for the swirling arpeggios of “Spirit of Radio.” New World Man Perhaps the most important effect Lifeson would introduce at this time would be the Boss CE-1 Chorus Ensemble.

ALEX LIFESON PRS PIEZO FULL

Around the time of Permanent Waves and the seminal Moving Pictures, Alex would make use a Howard Roberts Fusion, a rare Gibson hollowbody with a maple spur down the middle for a brighter tone.Īmps would be a combination of Marshall Club & Country combos and powerful Hiwatt full stacks. New guitars would include the Gibson SG Doubleneck (most famously used on “Xanadu”), along with numerous Stratocasters.

As Rush got more ambitious on LPs like A Farewell to Kings and Hemispheres, Lifeson’s backline would greatly expand.

Alex lifeson prs piezo