Jon Spencer – The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion: Guitars / Amps / Pedals / Etc.

An attempt at a timeline covering gear at live performances only and disregarding tv, radio and in-store performances – this list is incomplete and will contain errors.

Please contact the site with any corrections / additional information.

Gear info and research by Sha Rivari (comacat.bandcamp.com)

Guitars:
"Zim-Gar" / FujiGen EJ-2-T with headstocks cut straight (at least 3 of them, original on right) 1991-2016
Ibanez Blazer BL-300NT 1993
Amps:
Sunn Alpha 212r 2x12 combo amp, serial # A69502 1992 - 1999 (Stolen)
CMI Electronics (Gibson) SG Systems SG-212 100 w tube combo amp1992-1997
Marshall JCM800 head + unclear cab Kennel Club 1992 / Casbah 1994
Marshall head (possibly JMP 2203)+ Ampeg 4x10 cabBarcelona 1993
Peavey Heritage VTX 2x12 comboCirca. 1996 - 1998?
Mesa/Boogie Mark II short head + Mesa/Boogie 2x12 cab London 2002
Mesa/Boogie Caliber 50 1x12 combo amp, 1987 (1st) edition + 4x12 Marshall cab (spelling 'arsha' on grill cloth) Knitting Factory, NYC 2002
Kustom K200-B2 amp head (in blue Naugahyde, reverb and treble knobs have been replaced with non-Kustom ones) + Vox 2x12 cab2002-ca.2005
Kustom K200-B2 amp head + Vox 2x12 cab + Kustom 100 + 1x12 Mesa/Boogie cab (possibly)2002
Mesa/Boogie Mark IV 1x12 combo + 4x12 cab (possibly Marshall) Rome 2008
Mesa/Boogie Mark IV 1x12 combo + FAD 2x12 cab 2005-2011
Mesa/Boogie Mark II or III head + Mesa/Boogie Rectifier 2x12 cabNew York 2008
Mesa/Boogie Mark IV 1x12 combo + Mesa/Boogie 1x12 cabinet 2010
Fender 4x10 cabinet with Mesa/Boogie Mark IV 1x12 combo and Mesa/Boogie Rectifier headNiceto Club, Buenos Aires, Argentina, 2011
Mesa/Boogie Mark IV 1x12 combo + FAD Exploder head + FAD 2x12 cab
Exploder head designed for Jon Spencer
2010, 2012
Kustom 200 head (in blue Naugahyde) + Peavey Bandit 65 + Vox 2x12 cab DC 2012
Kustom 200 head (in blue Naugahyde) + Vox 2x12 cab with “heavy-metal” speakersUS/Canada 2010
FAD Exploder head + FAD 2x12 cab + FAD comboPrimavera 2011
Kustom 100w amp head (in black Naugahyde) + Peavey Bandit 65 + unclear 2x12 combo (possibly FAD) Birthdays, London 26 Sept 2012
Kustom 200w amp head (in black Naugahyde) + Peavey Bandit 65 + FAD 2x12 cab Electric Ballroom, London 2012, Turin 2013, Coachella 2014
Mesa/Boogie Rectifier head + Mesa/Boogie 4x12 angled cab Bluebird 2013
Mesa/Boogie (possibly Mark IV)1x12 combo + Roland Jazz Chorus 120 2x12 combo Sled Island 2013 and probably Zanne 2013
Magnitude Banditooo 65 combo + Magnitude Dirty Hill 1512 cab

The Banditoo 65 is a modded preamp Peavey 65 with a Celestion K100 speaker, made by request from JS
Brescia 2015
Peavey Bandit 65 + Sunn Alpha 212r Carrboro, Kansas City 2015
Kustom 100 (in blue Naugahyde) + Peavey bandit 65 + Vox 2x12 cabBarelona 2012
Fender Hot Rod Deluxe + Roland Jazz Chorus 120 2x12 combo Rosemount 2015
Mesa/Boogie combo + Mesa/Boogie 4x12 angled cab2011

Mesa/Boogie Mark IV 1x12 combo + FAD 2x12 cabTrieste 2011
Peavey Bandit 65 + unclear comboSan Jose 2015
Kustom 200 head (different model with more knobs) + Peavey bandit 65 + Vox 2x12 cab Canada 2013
Marshall 2x12 comboCasa do Conde, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil, 26 April 2001
Pedals / etc.:
Altair PW-5 Power Attenuator
(used with Kustom 200 head)
nb. “This unit is for reducing the decibels produced by your amp to get the sounds from a bigger amp in
a smaller venue.”
Circa 2004 +
Boss FS-5U footswitch2013
Boss TU2 tuner Circa 2000-2016
Peavey 2-button footswitch (used with Peavey Bandit 65)-
2-button footswitch (possibly Fender, used with Kustom)Circa 2002-2016
unclear pedal/effect2008
Strings:
GHS Boomers Custom Shop custom sets (.011, .015, .018, .028, .036, .050) 2012 +
Picks:
Dunlop Tortex 0.73mm 2000 +
Theremins:
Moog Vanguard with 2 white round and 2 white chickenhead knobs
(modified with two added input or output jacks at front,
connect to PA).

"...live we go just direct line through the PA. It saves you having to carry around an extra amp." - Jon Spencer, Fiz Interview
Circa 1992 - 1999 (Stolen)
Moog Etherwave (black cabinet) 2002
Moog Etherwave (ash cabinet)1999-2012
Hiwatt Echo-Theremin
nb. sometimes two are used on stage at the same time
Circa 2001 - 2012
Mark Keppinger vacuum tube theremin FS
nb. "There were only eight of these fine instruments built. I still have the first one. The second went to The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion." - Mark Keppinger
2013
Mark Keppinger custom-built white theremin with light 2013 - 2016
Moog Vanguard with standard black knobs 2001
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