Darwin-based Danger Den has shared their favourite instrument choices and how they add that next level to their unique sound.
The super-group from Darwin took some time to have a little breather from rocking out to chat about their favourite instruments of choice.
If you’re a music nerd or not, have a read below and who knows, you might just learn a thing or two.
Let’s get to it then, come and geek out with Darwin-based pop-punk band Danger Den.
Jeremy (Lead Vocals / Guitar) – Gibson Les Paul Junior “50-something Reissue”
Jeremy: Out of all the guitars I own my number one would have to be my Gibson Les Paul Junior. I think it’s a 57 Reissue, I’m not exactly too sure which year it’s reissuing but it’s definitely a reissue. I’m also not exactly too sure which year this reissue is but it’s one of those Gibson Custom VOS.
I like the way the neck feels, it’s nice and thick which is great because I’ve just recently been told by my mate Seb that apparently I’ve got long “Elder Wand” fingers. It’s got a pretty good weight to it, it’s not too heavy or too light and I just love the way how it looks in general. The tone is also great, in my humble opinion I think that this guitar’s pickup has the best rhythm guitar sound in the world. P90s are also a good alternative if you wanna switch it up from your usual humbucker sound which for me kinda gets old, but each to their own.
In saying all of that though this thing sucked real bad at staying in tune when I first got it. I mean it doesn’t even have a proper bridge, it’s just a tailpiece. I strum really hard and I used to play with really heavy picks so every time I played rhythm it would just go badly out of tune in seconds. But over the years, I guess I’ve developed a sort of technique and a touch that doesn’t get me out of tune anymore.
James (Lead Guitar / Vocals) – Orange Thunderverb 30 and his 30 other Fender American Strats
James: No great tune like ‘New Year’s Eve’ is complete without the presence of an Orange amp. Used throughout the majority of the session my Orange Thunderverb 30 (TH30 for short) was the main amp used by Liam, Jeremy and myself for the rhythm parts and lead guitar parts respectively. This amp sounds like a warm hug that will vandalise your speaker, Airpods and even mosh pit if ‘Given’ the chance. This combined with the heavy sound of a Fender 65 Stratocaster with Seymour Duncan Cool Rails adds to the perfect frequency range for lead playing, these are my go-to equipment for all music endeavours.
Liam (Rhythm Guitar / Vocals) – Warmoth Partscaster Strat
Liam: The guitar that has me always coming back is my Warmoth Partscaster Strat. It’s a little beaten up and worn. It could do with a few replacement pieces but I love the way it is. It always plays and sounds exactly how I want it to and I can’t imagine parting with it.
It’s been with me on many gigs and through recordings and Stratocaster has always felt like THE guitar for me. They’re comfortable, easy to play and look insanely cool.
Luke (Bass / Vocals) – “Birdy” the Epiphone Thunderbird and the Orange Bass Butler
Luke: A whole heap of neck diving and a sore shoulder after every gig is a very small price to pay for the tone that my Epiphone Thunderbird (or “Birdy”, as I like to call it) provides me. Crispy treble and booming lows with a variety of different sound options that can be tweaked with a volume knob for each of the two pickups and one for tone.
It’s the very first bass that I bought when I was 14 and it has never failed me. It stays in tune forever, especially in drop D tuning, which comes in handy when playing with Danger Den, who I highly recommend you check out. Pairing the Thunderbird with my Orange Bass Butler pre-amp pedal creates some really punchy tones that help me cut through the mix in Danger Den, who already have three beautifully heavy-sounding guitars. The thing just looks really cool too.
