Chris Letchford is the lead guitarist and songwriter for the instrumental band Scale The Summit1. He is a Fractal artist who uses the Axe-Fx II both live and in the studio, and Fractal Audio Systems describes his playing as "a landscape of lush, clean textures that sit beautifully either on their own or up against some heavy rhythmic pummeling"1. His Seymour Duncan artist page lists his genre as metal and his country as the United States2.
His Fractal Axe-Fx rig
Letchford has been a Fractal artist for a while, starting with the Axe-Fx Ultra before moving to the Axe-Fx II1. He got the Ultra right before recording Scale The Summit's album The Collective, but only had time to use it for a few atmospheric patches on that record1. After that album he made patches on the Ultra for all the amps the band used in the studio, then dialed them in on the Axe-Fx II1. He had moved to the II before recording The Migration1.
He was introduced to the Axe-Fx through Dweezil Zappa. Scale The Summit toured with Dream Theater and Dweezil in 2009, and as Letchford puts it:
"It was through Dweezil Zappa actually. We toured with Dream Theater and Dweezil in 2009 and Dweezil was heavy into the Axe-Fx at the time, I hadn't heard of it at that point."
His bandmate, guitarist Travis Levrier, also uses the Axe-Fx II, and the two share patches1.
How he dials in his tone
Letchford's approach to amp settings is built around how the guitar sits in the full band mix:
"I usually start with everything in the middle, maybe bass below 12 o'clock, and go from there. I dial in the bare minimum amount of gain once the cymbals and both guitars are locked in…"
His amp model choices on the Axe-Fx II1:
| Use | Amp model |
|---|---|
| Rhythm | Spawn Q-Rod 1st |
| Leads | Spawn Q-Rod 2nd |
| Cleans (album and live) | USA Cleans |
For cleans he started out using the Deluxe Verb model and has since moved on to the USA Cleans, both on the album and live1. For cabinets, he likes the 2x12 cabinet models for cleans and Recto V30 impulse responses for distorted tones1.
He also builds effect patches for specific songs. On "The Traveler" he used the W@rped Vinyl preset (#109), tweaking it to work for him by changing the amp and modifying the pops1. His patch for "Whales" combines reverb and multi-tap delay with compression to keep the attack out, plus some auto-volume control1. On the ending of "Atlas Novus" he used a multi-tap delay with 4 different delays set up in 4 different time signatures1.
Seymour Duncan pedals and pickups
Letchford appears on Seymour Duncan's artist pages2, and his artist page there lists the gear he uses [F2 source set]:
- Vapor Trail Analog Delay Pedal2
- Andromeda Delay Pedal2
- Dirty Deed Distortion Pedal2
- Killing Floor Boost Pedal2
- Pickup Booster Guitar Pedal2
- Dynamic Chorus2
- Seymour Duncan Sentient Active Mount pickup2
- Seymour Duncan Pegasus Active Mount pickup2
That spread covers delay, distortion, boost and chorus duties, alongside the two active-mount pickups.
Questions
Does Chris Letchford use a Fractal Axe-Fx?
Yes. He uses the Axe-Fx II both live and in the studio, having started with the Axe-Fx Ultra before moving to the II. He got the Ultra right before recording Scale The Summit's album The Collective, where he used it for a few atmospheric patches, and had moved to the Axe-Fx II before recording The Migration.
How did Chris Letchford discover the Axe-Fx?
Through Dweezil Zappa. Scale The Summit toured with Dream Theater and Dweezil Zappa in 2009, and Zappa was heavy into the Axe-Fx at the time. Letchford says he had not heard of it before that point.
How much gain does Chris Letchford use?
The bare minimum. He starts with everything in the middle, maybe bass below 12 o'clock, and dials in the bare minimum amount of gain once the cymbals and both guitars are locked in, working in a band-mix setting rather than judging tones in isolation.
What band is Chris Letchford in?
Scale The Summit, an instrumental band. Letchford is the lead guitarist and songwriter. His Seymour Duncan artist page lists his genre as metal and his country as the United States.
Is Chris Letchford a Fractal artist?
Yes. He has been a Fractal artist for a while, starting with the Axe-Fx Ultra before moving to the Axe-Fx II, and he appears on Fractal Audio Systems' artist roster. His bandmate Travis Levrier also uses the Axe-Fx II, and the two share patches.
What genre is Scale The Summit?
Instrumental metal. Letchford is the lead guitarist and songwriter for the band, and his Seymour Duncan artist page lists his genre as metal. Fractal describes his playing as lush, clean textures set against heavy rhythmic sections.
Sources (2)
- Chris Letchford Ascends To New Heights With The Axe-Fx II, Fractal Audio Systems, 2017-11-07
- Seymour Duncan Chris Letchford, Seymour Duncan, 2024-12-20