Mike Stern is a jazz fusion guitarist who came to fame through his tenure with Miles Davis, an honor he shared at one point with John Scofield. His playing on Davis's album The Man With The Horn melded Hendrix and Montgomery, and Davis even titled a tune, "Fat Time," after the then much heavier guitarist1. Since then Stern has recorded almost two dozen solo records, including Upside Downside, Who Let The Cats Out?, and Trip1.
His sound has been instantly recognizable for its distinctive pitch-shifted guitar signal, courtesy of a Yamaha SPX 90 harmonizer effect1. After his initial tenure with an MXR Distortion +, his sound has stayed essentially the same1.
Boss pedals in Mike Stern's rig
Stern has remained loyal to Boss compact pedals, on a Boss pedalboard of course, and he is candid that the relationship is not a commercial one.
Mike Stern uses Boss pedals in his rig, including the more unusual Multi-Overtone, which he favors for bringing out specific octaves from the overtone series1.
His current pedalboard, as described in a June 2020 interview, displays a Boss SD-1 for overdrive, but until recently he was using the Boss DS-1 distortion pedal1. The DS-1 was the first distortion pedal Boss made, with a distinctive hard-clipping sound suited to high gain rock and metal while keeping the character of the original guitar2.
Other Boss pedals that have passed through his board include the Adaptive Distortion (the discontinued Boss DA-2) and the Boss AW-3 Dynamic Wah1. He also favors the more unusual Boss Multi-Overtone, which brings out specific octaves from the overtone series1.
| Pedal | Type | Status on Stern's board |
|---|---|---|
| MXR Distortion + | Distortion | His initial distortion pedal1 |
| Boss DS-1 | Distortion | Used until recently before a 2020 interview1 |
| Boss SD-1 | Overdrive | On his current pedalboard1 |
| Boss DA-2 Adaptive Distortion | Distortion | Discontinued; passed through his board1 |
| Boss AW-3 Dynamic Wah | Filter | Passed through his board1 |
| Boss Multi-Overtone | Pitch | Favors it for octaves from the overtone series1 |
Playing again after the picking-hand injury
In 2016, crossing a street in Manhattan, Stern tripped over some construction debris. The fall resulted in nerve damage to his picking hand1. His recovery was fast but difficult, as he described himself:
"It happened in July and by the second week of October I was playing. But, it was hard. The pick wouldn't stay put because there was not enough strength there."
The solution to the slipping pick came from an unexpected source: a drummer who has difficulty holding his sticks due to being burned in a fire told him to try wig glue, and that helped him grip the pick1.
Questions
What distortion pedal does Mike Stern use?
Stern started out on an MXR Distortion +, then used a Boss DS-1 Distortion for years. As of a 2020 interview his pedalboard carried a Boss SD-1 for overdrive instead, and a discontinued Boss DA-2 Adaptive Distortion had also passed through his board.
Does Mike Stern endorse Boss pedals?
No. In a 2020 interview he said he uses Boss pedals all the time without any endorsement deal. His board has carried the DS-1, SD-1, DA-2 Adaptive Distortion, AW-3 Dynamic Wah and the Multi-Overtone.
Did Mike Stern use a Boss DS-1?
Yes. Until shortly before a June 2020 interview, Mike Stern used the Boss DS-1 Distortion pedal, the first distortion pedal Boss ever made. His board at the time of the interview showed a Boss SD-1 overdrive in its place.
What happened to Mike Stern's hand?
In 2016, crossing a street in Manhattan, Stern tripped over construction debris and fell, resulting in nerve damage to his picking hand. He was playing again by the second week of October that year, though the pick would not stay put at first for lack of strength.
How does Mike Stern hold his pick after his injury?
A drummer who has trouble holding his sticks after being burned in a fire suggested wig glue. Stern tried it, and it helped him grip the pick despite the reduced strength in his picking hand.
Why did Miles Davis call a tune Fat Time?
Miles Davis titled a tune "Fat Time" after Mike Stern, who was much heavier at the time of his tenure with Davis's band in the early 1980s. Stern came to fame through that period, playing on the album The Man With The Horn.
Sources (2)
- Visiting Mike Stern, Stompbox Book (stompboxbook.com), 2020-06-13
- Boss DS-1 Distortion Analysis, GuitarPCB