EFFECTS
In the early-mid 80s, Sonic Youth rarely used effects pedals. They relied on sheer volume for their distortion, and preferred to let their sound remain pure and free of too much processing. Towards the end of the decade they began to experiment w/ fuzzboxes, volume pedals, and of course, Lee discovered delay. Thurston typically relied solely on several distortion pedals before branching out to wahs & phasers & octave dividers in the mid 90s, while Lee had more freedom to roam about with modulation effects.
Below is the information I can confirm for sure -- where there are gaps in years and the same set-up appears on either side of the gap, you can infer that it was continuously used thru that period.
1986
In-Line Effects XE-751 Electric Tube/Hot Metal
Boss Compression Sustainer
1987
BOSS Heavy Metal
BOSS Compression Sustainer
Dunlop Cry Baby wah
Ibanez chorus(?)
Pearl delay(?)
1988
Morley Volume Pedal
Fender DGL-1 digital delay
BOSS DS-1 Distortion
1989
Pro-Co Rat
Boss Compression Sustainer
Dunlop Cry Baby wah
Fender DGL-1 digital delay
BOSS DS-1 Distortion
1990
MXR Phase Shifter (Phase 90?)
Dunlop Cry Baby wah
Fender DGL-1 Digital Delay
Tube Works Real Tube Distortion
1991
MXR Phase Shifter (Phase 90?)
Dunlop Cry Baby wah
DOD/Digitech PDS-1002 2-Second Sampling Delay
Fender DGL-1 Digital Delay (broke)
Tube Works Real Tube Distortion
Boss CS-2 Compression Sustainer
1992
Dunlop Cry Baby wah
MXR Phase Shifter (Phase 90?)
DOD Analog Delay (680?)
DOD/Digitech PDS-1002 2-Second Sampling Delay
Tube Works Real Tube Distortion
1993
Maestro Ring Modulator
Tube Works Real Tube Distortion
1994
Tube Works Real Tube Distortion
Ibanez AD80 Analog Delay
Maestro Ring Modulator
DOD/Digitech PDS-1002 2-Second Sampling Delay
1995
Tube Works Real Tube Distortion
DOD/Digitech PDS-1002 2-Second Sampling Delay
Maestro Ring Modulator
tc electronic Phase Shifter
Ibanez AD80 Analog Delay
Ludwig Phase II Guitar Synthesizer
1996
Electro Harmonix Big Muff?
tc electronic phase shifter
Ibanez AD80 Analog Delay
DOD/Digitech PDS-1002 2-Second Sampling Delay
Maestro Ring Modulator
Mu-Tron Bi-Phase (w/ separate expression pedal)
Ludwig Phase II Guitar Synthesizer
1997
Maestro Ring Modulator
DOD/Digitech PDS-1002 2-Second Sampling Delay
Mu-Tron Bi-Phase (w/ separate expression pedal)
Retrospec Squeeze Box compressor
1998
Mutron Bi-Phase (w/ separate expression pedal)
Maestro Ring Modulator
Overdrive Electronics Valve Grinder
Boss CS-3 Compression Sustainer
DOD Compressor (70s)
Ibanez Tube King
Ibanez AD80 Analog Delay
DOD/Digitech PDS-1002 2-Second Sampling Delay
Thanks to the now defunct original SY supersite evol.org, I can provide you with some photographs of SY's effects gear from the '98 "A Thousand Leaves" tour, specifically the 5/21/98 Portland, OR gig. Many thanks to Michael McCullough for taking these.
Digitech PDS-1002 2-second delay
Boss CS-3 Compression Sustainer
Digitech 2-second Delay
Boss Compressor, Ibanez Tube King, Ibanez AD80 Analog Delay
Mu-Tron BiPhase
Overdrive Electronics Valve Grinder, Boss Compressor, Ibanez Tube King, Ibanez Analog Delay
Maestro Ring Modulator
Maestro Ring Modulator
not sure what this is... expression pedal for Bi-Phase??
Mu-Tron BiPhase
Overdrive Electronics Valve Grinder
1999
MOOG Moogerfooger ring modulator
DOD/Digitech PDS-1002 2-Second Sampling Delay
Maestro Ring Modulator
Hughes & Kettner Tube Factor
Hughes & Kettner Tube Rotosphere
Ibanez AD80 Analog delay
Mu-tron bi-phase w/ expression pedal
Korg EXP2 expression pedal (for keyboard)
2000
Ibanez Delay
Big Briar Moogerfooger Ring Modulator
DOD/Digitech PDS-1002 2-Second Sampling Delay
Hughes & Kettner Tube Factor
2001
MXR Phase 90 (phaser)
Moog MF-102 (ring modulator)
Moog EP-1 (expression pedal for ring mod)
MXR Blue Box (octave fuzz)
Ibanez AD-80 (delay)
Hughes & Kettner Tube Factor (distortion)
SIB! Fatdrive (overdrive)
DigiTech PDS1002 (delay)
BIAS BS-2 drum synth
2002
MARCH 2002:
Moogerfooger Ring Modulator (w/ expression pedal)
Line 6 DL-4 Delay Modeler
MXR Blue Box
Ibanez AD80 Analog Delay
Hughes & Kettner Tube Factor
DOD/Digitech PDS-1002 2-Second Sampling Delay
Here are some pictures I took of Lee's effects/performance area at his solo gig in Seattle on March 20th: (you may want to right click/open these in a new window, they're pretty big)
Back of Moogerfooger, expression pedal, Line 6 Delay
Line 6 Delay, Ring Mod expression pedal, Moogerfooger ring mod
Digitech 2-second delay, Hughes & Kettner Tube Factor (w/ Dunlop metal slide on top), Ibanez AD80 Analog Delay, MXR Blue Box (also depicted: violin bow)
Delay, Blue Box, Line 6, Moogerfooger
Digitech Delay, Tube Factor, Ibanez Delay, Blue Box, Line 6... plus discman & some bells.
Digitech Delay, Tube Factor, Ibanez Delay, Blue Box
Wide shot of all Lee's effects
Wider shot of Lee's performance space (see screwdriver, bells, violin bow, reverb/vibrato footswitch for Twin Reverb, etc)
Power bar w/ effects AC adaptors plugged in (hey, why not...).
Close-up of Line 6 Delay.
Weird close-up of Digitech delay, Tube Factor, Ibanez delay
Close-up of AD80 + Blue Box.
Another weird close-up of Digitech delay etc,..,.
Back of Blue Box, AD80, Tube Factor, Digitech Delay.
Close-up of Line 6 & Moogerfooger.
Another shot of the power bar...
MURRAY STREET SUMMER TOUR:
Electro-Harmonix Big Muff
Voodoo Labs Sparkle Drive
DOD/Digitech PDS-1002 2-Second Sampling Delay
Hughes & Kettner Tube Factor
Ibanez AD-80 Analog Delay
MXR Blue Box
Line 6 DL-4 Delay Modeler
Moogerfooger Ring Modulator w/ expression pedal
WITH: GTR/KORG A/B box (for organ) & a VOODOO LAB Pedal Power device
Here are photographs of Lee's entire effects rig I took before soundcheck at the August 30th, 2002 Murray Street tour show in Portland, Oregon at the Crystal Ballroom (some are fairly large so you may want to open them in a new window):
Big Muff & Sparkle Drive
Digitech Delay, Tube Factor, Ibanez Delay, MXR Blue Box, Voodoo Lab Pedal Power
Line 6 Delay, Moogerfooger expression pedal & Ring Modulator
2003
Based on video footage:
Voodoo Lab Sparkle Drive overdrive
DigiTech PDS1002 2-Second Digital Delay
Hughes & Kettner Tube Factor overdrive
Ibanez AD-80 analog delay
MXR Blue Box octaver
Line 6 DL4
Jim Dunlop Crybaby
Moogerfooger Ring Modulator w/ expression pedal
A/B selector for guitar/organ
2004
Based on video footage:
DOD/Digitech PDS 1002 2-second Sampling Delay
Klon Centaur?
Hughes & Kettner Tube Factor
Ibanez AD-80 Analog Delay
MXR Blue Box
Electro Harmonix Micro Synth
Moogerfooger Ring Modulator w/ expression pedal
WITH: GTR/KORG A/B box (for organ) & a VOODOO LAB Pedal Power device
2005
DOD/Digitech PDS 1002 2-second Sampling Delay
Klon Centaur
Paul Cochrane Tim Overdrive (temporary replacement for Tube Factor)
Hughes & Kettner Tube Factor
Ibanez AD-80 Analog Delay
MXR Blue Box
Electro Harmonix Micro Synth
Moogerfooger Ring Modulator w/ expression pedal
WITH: GTR/KORG A/B box (for organ) & a VOODOO LAB Pedal Power device
2006
Photographs taken by me July 14th, 2006 @ the Fillmore in San Francisco, CA.
DOD/Digitech PDS 1002 2-second Sampling Delay
Klon Centaur
Hughes & Kettner Tube Factor
Ibanez AD-80 Analog Delay
MXR Blue Box
Danelectro Wasabi
BJF Honey Bee
Electro-Harmonix Microsynth
Ernie Ball Expression Pedal (for Moogerfooger)
Moogerfooger Ring Modulator
2-second Delay, Klon, Tube Factor, Analog Delay, Blue Box, Wasabi, Honey Bee
Blue Box, Wasabi, Honeybee, Microsynth, Expression Pedal, Moogerfooger
2-Second Delay, Klon
Tube Factor, Analog Delay, Blue Box, Wasabi
Wasabi, Honey Bee
Honey Bee, Microsynth, Exp Pedal
Microsynth, Exp Pedal, Moogerfooger
2-Second Delay
Klon Centaur
Tube Factor (w/ slide)
AD-80, Blue Box
Pedal Power w/ E-Bow
Wasabi, Honey Bee
Micro-Synth
Expression Pedal
Moogerfooger
2007
Here are two pictures I took of Lee's effects on July 21st, 2007: DOD 2-Second Delay, Klon Centaur, Hughes & Kettner Tube Factor, Ibanez AD-80 Analog Delay, and BJF Honey Bee and Moogerfooger Ring Modulator w/ Expression Pedal, Electro-Harmonix Microsynth, and MXR Blue Box -- Looks like only the Danelectro Wasabi is missing.
2009
Surprisingly, Lee's effects haven't actually changed since 2007!
DOD/Digitech PDS 1002 2-second Sampling Delay
Klon Centaur
Hughes & Kettner Tube Factor
Ibanez AD-80 Analog Delay
BJF Honey Bee
MXR Blue Box
Electro-Harmonix Micro Synthesizer
Moogerfooger Ring Modulator
Ernie Ball Expression pedal for Ring Mod
Voodoo Lab Pedal Power
In addition, Lee also has the 'Antenna Box', a custom delay built for him by Matt Zivich. It sits on a platform connected to his mic stand, and he uses it for the intro of 'Antenna'.
PIX: Digitech Delay, Klon Centaur, Tube Factor, Ibanez AD-80, Honey Bee / Blue Box, Microsynth, Exp pedal, Ring Mod / Digitech Delay, Klon Centaur / Tube Factor (note the slide!), Ibanez AD-80, Honey Bee / Blue Box, Microsynth / Expression pedal, Ring Mod / Microsynth / Ring Modulator / Digitech notes / AD-80 notes / The ANTENNA BOX!
That last one would make pretty cool wallpaper...
2011
DOD/Digitech PDS 1002 2-second Sampling Delay
Klon Centaur
Hughes & Kettner Tube Factor
Ibanez AD-80 Analog Delay
BJF Honey Bee
MXR Blue Box
Electro-Harmonix Micro Synthesizer
Moogerfooger Ring Modulator
Ernie Ball Expression pedal for Ring Mod
Voodoo Lab Pedal Power
OTHER
Miscellaneous instruments/tools.
Synth -- Sequential Graphics Pro-One Synthesizer used on various improvisations as well as "Lightnin".
Organ -- Korg Organ used on "Sympathy for the Strawberry". Lee runs this thru a Boss GE-7 Equalizer pedal. Here's a picture of the organ from Portland.
Zither -- Lee used a modified zither for portions of "Inhuman". This is now displayed at the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland!
Screwdriver -- placed under the strings behind a specific fret, a screwdriver helps construct Lee's guitar parts on "Confusion is Next" "The World Looks Red" "Early American" "I Love Her All The Time" and "Flower".
Drumstick -- the classic Sonic tool, utilized on all sorts of songs, including "Burning Spear" "Making the Nature Scene" "I'm Insane" "100%" & "Youth Against Fascism".
Dunlop Metal Slide -- a handful of Lee's parts on SY songs revolve around use of a slide, including "Marilyn Moore" "Expressway" "Sunday" & "Stil".
Capo -- used on "Theresa's Sound-World" "Female Mechanic Now On Duty" "Hoarfrost" & "She Is Not Alone" ('99 version).
Oil drum lid -- Lee held up an oil drum lid and banged it at the end of "Ghost Bitch".
Gong -- on the Gila Monster Jamboree performance of "I'm Insane", Lee bangs a gong-like object during the intro.
Bow -- Lee uses a violin bow on his guitar during many 'noise' sets, as well as the intro to "Pink Steam".
BIAS BS-2 drum synth -- Lee used this Japanese device as a noisemaker onstage during the early 2000s.
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