The Gear that lights matchbox twenty's fire.
The guitar stations on either side of matchbox twenty's stage certainly look like they belong to a multi-Platnium rock band. The racks are filled with Paul Reeds Smiths, Fenders and Gibsons, as well as Taylor electric-acoustic models.
"The guys are looking for kind of a vintafe sound, but something with flexibility," explains Kyle Cook's guitar tech, Greg "Crash" Hearn.
Cook's ax collection includes a Fender Danny Gatton - model Telecaster, a Les Paul 1973 Custom and a pair of PRS McCarty models, one of which--an arch-top with f-holes--he plas on the mad season track "IF Your Gone." His acoustic guitar is a Taylor 614CE.
Like Cook, Adam Gaynor keeps a pair of PRS McCartys in stock--one purple and one green. He also playsa Fender Stratocaster and two Telecasters (one of whichis tuned to D-sharp for "Push"), two ASAT Classics (one of which is capoed on the third fret for "Real World") and three Taylors--two 614CE and an 814 he plays on "If Your Gone." Frontman Rob Thomas, meanwhile, plays a Taylor 514CE. All of the guitars sprot Dean Markley strings, and the players use Dunlop picks.
Cook and Gaynor's stereo rigs run through Budda amps positioned offstage and into ASO boxes. Cook plays out of two budda Super Drive 30s, while Gaynor uses a pair of Vervemaster 30s. Each player controls his effects through an Octave OC-2, an Expandora, a Vox wah-wah pedal and a Supershifter, while Gaynor employs an Expandora, an Ibanez Tube Screamer and a Vox Value Tone.
--Gary Graff (guitarworld.com)