Dustie Waring is one of the two guitarists in Between the Buried and Me, where he and Paul Waggoner handle the guitar duties and construct the band's soundscape, "sometimes heavy and melodic, sometimes rhythmic and intense, sometimes lush, and always epic"1. His live rig is built around a Fractal Axe-Fx Ultra feeding a Mesa/Boogie Stereo 2:100 power amp, with a small board of expression pedals, a tuner and a boost around it2.
Dustie's rig is a modeler rig, not a traditional pedalboard. The amp modeling, drive and effects all live inside the Axe-Fx Ultra; the physical pedals on his board are only a tuner, a boost and expression pedals2.
The live rig
Dustie's core signal chain is the Axe-Fx Ultra into the Mesa/Boogie Stereo 2:100, which powers two Port City 212 cabinets running in stereo, each loaded with Celestion Vintage 30s2. He carries a Mesa/Boogie Stereo 2:50 as a backup power amp2. Paul Waggoner runs the same modeler into a different Mesa power amp, a Simul-Class 2:902.
| Piece of gear | Role in the rig |
|---|---|
| Fractal Axe-Fx Ultra | Amp and effects modeler, the center of the rig2 |
| Mesa/Boogie Stereo 2:100 | Main power amp2 |
| Mesa/Boogie Stereo 2:50 | Backup power amp2 |
| Two Port City 212 cabs | Speaker cabinets, running in stereo, Celestion Vintage 30s2 |
| Fractal MFC-101 | Foot controller for the Axe-Fx2 |
| Mission expression pedals | Volume and wah through the Axe-Fx2 |
| TC Electronic PolyTune | Tuner2 |
| Port City Salem | Boost on his board2 |
| Line 6 Relay G50 | Digital wireless unit2 |
He sets his patches based on basic tones2:
- Main "chunk" sound: based on a Mesa/Boogie, with an Xotic BB+ in front2
- Main clean: a Dr. Z and Fender Twin with reverb and delay2
- Clean lead: the clean patch with the Xotic BB+ added2
How he came to the Axe-Fx
Dustie was introduced to the Axe-Fx by Daniel Klein from Port City Amps, and by touring with Cynic and Devin Townsend, who were both using it. In his own words:
"We were touring with Cynic and Devin Townsend who were both using the Axe-Fx and we thought they sounded phenomenal."
He and Paul ended up getting two Ultras, and he has since used both the Axe-Fx Ultra and the Axe-Fx II1.
Presets and tones on Parallax II
Dustie described how he built tones for Between the Buried and Me's Parallax II material1:
- Leads, dirty and clean: the BB Pre drive block1
- Clean tones: the Double Verb model blended with another amp model1
- "The Black Box" and "Telos": the Crystal Echos preset with the amp model switched to a Plexi1
"Songs like "The Black Box" and "Telos" use the Crystal Echos preset, I just switched the amp model to a Plexi with some minimal grit to give it some body."
Guitars and tuning
Dustie plays modified PRS Custom 22s built to be lighter weight with obeah wood, loaded with his signature DiMarzio pickups and a Floyd Rose2. He tunes to C# standard with custom gauge D'Addario strings: .011, .014, .021 (wound), .032, .044, .0562.
Asked about players whose tone he listens to, he names Jerry Douglas, Warren Haynes and Andy Timmons, calling Timmons "the master" of tone and adding, "he's my man"1.
Questions
What amp does Dustie Waring use?
He runs his Fractal Axe-Fx Ultra into a Mesa/Boogie Stereo 2:100 power amp, which drives two Port City 212 cabinets loaded with Celestion Vintage 30s and running in stereo. He keeps a Mesa/Boogie Stereo 2:50 as a backup power amp. His main chunk sound inside the Axe-Fx is based on a Mesa/Boogie model with an Xotic BB+ in front.
How did Dustie Waring start using the Axe-Fx?
He was introduced to it by Daniel Klein from Port City Amps, and by touring with Cynic and Devin Townsend, who were both using the Axe-Fx on those tours. He and Paul Waggoner thought those bands sounded phenomenal, ended up buying two Axe-Fx Ultras, and built their live rigs around the unit from there.
What power amp does Dustie Waring run his Axe-Fx through?
A Mesa/Boogie Stereo 2:100 power amp, driving two Port City 212 cabinets loaded with Celestion Vintage 30s in stereo. He also carries a Mesa/Boogie Stereo 2:50 as a backup power amp. His bandmate Paul Waggoner runs his own Axe-Fx Ultra through a Mesa/Boogie Simul-Class 2:90 instead.
What preset did Dustie Waring use on The Black Box?
On The Black Box and Telos, both from Parallax II, he used the Crystal Echos preset and switched the amp model to a Plexi with some minimal grit to give the part body. For lead tones, dirty and clean, he runs the BB Pre drive block in the Axe-Fx.
Does Dustie Waring use a pedalboard or a modeler?
A modeler. His core rig is a Fractal Axe-Fx Ultra controlled by a Fractal MFC-101 foot controller, with Mission expression pedals for volume and wah. Around that he keeps a small board with a TC Electronic PolyTune tuner and a Port City Salem boost.
Sources (2)
- Paul Waggoner and Dustie Waring Between The Buried And Me, Fractal Audio Systems, 2017-11-11
- Inside the Gear of Between the Buried and Me, Premier Guitar, 2013-03-20