Arctic Monkeys – Favourite Worst Nightmare (Standard Version)

Guitarist Alex Turner uses the Hughes & Kettner Tube Tools Tube Rotosphere MKII during Arctic Monkeys Favourite Worst Nightmare era. This Pedal can famously be heard during the “Teddy Picker” solo. Pictured on the right of Turners pedalboard next to his TS808 on the left hand side of this picture.

The Hughes & Kettner Tube Rotosphere II summons true Leslie tone in a hefty, steel-faced pedal through features like fast and slow modes, a rotor balance controls, and individual knobs for drive and output. Built on the foundation of an actual Hughes & Kettner 12AX7 vacuum tube which is visible on the front, the second iteration of the Rotosphere introduces a guitar/keyboard switch on the top which allows for wholly separate impedance and EQ settings.

The Rotosphere offers two rotation speeds and fine harmonic tube distortion generated by an ingenious high-voltage tube circuit. The Rotation simulations can be heard on the bands second album.

Alex Turner uses a Selmer Zodiac Twin 30 combo amp as his primary amplifier for almost all of Arctic Monkeys records and live performances. During the bands early shows and first tour, Alex used primarily an Orange Combo amp or a Vox AC30, even earlier The amp can first be seen during the recording of the bands second album, “Favourite Worst Nightmare,” as it was seen being used in the “Teddy Picker” music video. Looking though pictures of all the bands recording sessions the amp can be seen, usually in combination with a smaller amp for a more dirty, vibrato tone.

In an interview with long time producer James Ford, from Sound on Sound, Ford goes into detail on how him and the band went about using their gear in this 2011 interview. Ford states, “They took all their own guitar amps and stuff that we've used quite a lot before, a great old Selmer and Magnatone amps. We knew what we were doing, really. I've been in quite a few sessions where it's pretty up in the air and there's just too many things to think about, so it's harder to concentrate on the actual sonics and the performance. This time it was much easier in that respect.” James continues, “Alex Turner's rig typically featured him playing his faithful Fender Bronco or occasionally a Gibson Les Paul through his crocodile‑skin Selmer Zodiac and '60s Magnatone amps. "Al does more rhythmy stuff, and for that it was just pretty straight, quite bright and punchy into the Selmer. We sometimes ran that and his old Magnatone at the same time. It has a really nice vibrato on it and reverb. So sometimes we'd mix those two signals together, but just onto the one track.”

The band also has an identical version of this amp, which can be seen amplifying various keyboards and synthesizer throughout their live shows.

An example of how Turner likes to keep the setting on this amp would be the song “Fluorescent Adolescent“ off the bands second record. The amp has a distinct British tone, clean with a bit of chime and breakup.

Pictured is Alex’s Selmer Zodiac Twin 30 during the recording of “Suck It And See” at Sound City Studios in Van Nuys in the San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles.

(Sound on Sound, James Ford: Producing Arctic Monkeys) http://www.soundonsound.com/people/james-ford-producing-arctic-monkeys%3famp

Alex Turner uses a Fender Vintage Reissue '65 Twin Reverb 2x12-inch 85-watt Tube Guitar Amplifier at different recording sessions and live with Arctic Monkeys. Early on, Alex played this amp during the bands second tour of their “Favourite Worst Nightmare” album. Years later the Fender can be seen amplifying his keyboard during the “Tranquility Base Hotel and Casino” tour. The Twin Reverb connects a Sennheiser e906 Dynamic microphone that he also uses on his guitar amp, which is typically his Selmer Zodiac Twin 30 or later on a larger Magnatone.

The '65 Twin Reverb is a meticulous reissue of a true American classic. The iconic 85 watt, all-tube combo amp serves up definitive clean tone. The amp is also devastatingly loud at 85 watts, it speaks with authority at any volume sounding beautifully chimey, glassy, and full throated. Sonically, the Fender Twin Reverb is based on their classic 1965 Blackface circuitry, and it delivers the legendary sound.

Pictured, Alex can be seen using the Twin Reverb during a live show during Arctic Monkeys 6th studio album’s live tour. Turner has used the amp before to amplify his guitars, but on this tour he switched back to a single amp for his guitar tones, the first time since the bands first record. The Fender amps his main keyboard during the tour, about half way though at around the bands Manchester/Sheffield shows, Alex switched to a Dynacord Rex to amp his keys.

Alex Turner plays a Magnatone Custom 280 that replaced his long used Selmer Zodiac Twin 30 for live performances during Arctic Monkeys 6th tour of their “Tranquility Base Hotel and Casino” tour. Turner switched his amps on the bands UK tour of their 6th album in 2018 around the time of their Manchester and Sheffield shows. Alex uses this Magnatone for guitar, replacing his Selmer Zodiac that he has been using since the bands “Favourite Worst Nightmare” tour. Alex also uses a Dynacord Rex, this amp replaced his Fender Twin Reverb that he used to amplify his Wurlitzer 200.

Magnatone's top of the line amplifier of the late 1950's was the true stereo output amplifier called the 280. The 280 comes with two input channels each with "volume", "treble", and "bass" controls in a Baxandall tone stack arrangement. The inputs are mixed through the Stereo F.M.Vibrato. Turner’s tone during the “Tranquility Base Hotel And Casino” era is vastly different compared to previous years. Alex switched back to a single amplifier, formerly his Selmer and now this Magnatone. During the “AM” tour, alex used a Magnatone 480 with his Selmer for vibrato and reverb tones. This amp is the best of both worlds for what Alex seems to get out of his amps.

Pictured during the bands show in 2018 at Austin City Limits, the Magnatone 280 can be seen behind the keyboard next to Alex’s Gretsch Reverb Unit and Roland Space Echo.

Alex Turner used a vintage Jennings Electronic Industries J40 1968-1973 around the time of their second album for recording and touring. The amp can be seen in pictures of the tour and recording of Favourite Worst Nightmare, and had not been seen until Arctic Monkeys released the video "Warp Speed Chic,” which is a video about the recording of Tranquility Base Hotel and Casino. This could allow the assumption that this amp was also used on the recording of this album.

In common with the Jennings J100 (and the Vox solid state line), the J40 had a three position mid-range boost switch, position "0" being off, the other three (1-3) switching in an inductor and capacitor network to provide different resonances. Speakers are Celestion alnico's, T1096s, wired in parallel for a total impedance of 15ohms.

Alex Turner used this Selmer 30ss “Super Reverb” during the Favourite Worst Nightmare era. The amp can be seen pictured alongside Turner’s other Selmer, the Selmer Zodiac Twin 30, during the recording of “Teddy Picker” in their music video.

This is a 30 watt solid state amp, equipped with two 12" speakers. Two channels, with simple volume, bass and treble controls. Reverb fitted to second channel. Great for a clean 60's sound which Turner uses on songs such as “Florescent Adolescent” which is a great example of that clean, bitey British sounding tone that Selmer amps can achieve.

Alex Turner used a Hiwatt Studio/Stage 2x12 Combo during performances at different points thought Arctic Monkeys career. The amp, which Jamie Cook has the exact same model of, can be seen at different points though out their second tour, Favourite Worst Nightmare. While only being seen at that tour, it has been mentioned in an interview with Jim Abbiss during the recording of their first album, “Given the channel limitations, in terms of effects, Abbiss and Barny were working with only an Echoplex tape delay and mono plate reverb. “‘The other effects were all from ambient miking and the amazing spring reverb built into Alex’s Hiwatt amp. So that was it. And we were riding it live. It was really good fun. You basically just did a few performances and chose the one you thought was best.’” While not specifically mentioning the type of Hiwatt used, there is the assumption that he is referring to this model as Alex has been seen playing it.

Turner had not been seen using this amp again until Arctic Monkeys live performance at Maida Vale in 2018. The amp was likely hooked up to one of the pianos or keyboards used. In this picture we can see the Hiwatt Studio/Stage 2x12 Combo and a Selmer Zodiac Twin 30 next to each other amplifying keyboard and pianos. The Selmer is the same model Turner used for his Guitar set up and can be seen in this picture next to his Vox Starstream.

(Sound on Sound interview with Jim Abbiss) https://www.soundonsound.com/people/arctic-monkeys-i-bet-you-look-good-dancefloor

(Arctic Monkeys Live at Maida Vale in 2018) https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=aR7blaZOPa4

Jamie Cook uses a vintage Selmer Futurama Bassist Major during the recording of the bands second album, “Favourite Worst Nightmare,” as seen in the “Teddy Picker” music video which shows footage of the band recording this song as well as the set up for the rest of the recording sessions. The amp can be seen at 00:22 seconds into the video, next to Jamie’s Hiwatt stack.

Around the time of Arctic Monkeys second album, the band acquired multiple vintage Selmer amplifiers. Alex started to play a Zodiac Twin 30, which became his main amp for each album following, and a Solid State 30, Jamie played through this Futurama series amp.

The amp can also be seen in the bands music video for their song “Four Out of Five” off of their 6th album titled “Tranquility Base Hotel And Casino.” The amp has not been seen used live by the band, as Jamie uses his Hiwatt Studio/Stage 2x12 and his BadCat during the bands second tour.

it's clearly seen at 12:05.

you know, I was saying "so... I rated that Hot Cat amp as completely incorrect, because I can see that his cable goes not to the edge of panel, but to the middle. I can't find any amps like that". I was searching for that amp for long... 15 minutes. really, I just opened AM forum and saw that Jamie used Wild Cat model. there's tons of content for Equipboard, like John Ashton (their touring keyboardist/guitarist during Humbug and early Suck It And See tours) equipment. heck, he doesn't even has his own page here.

anyway, it's Bad Cat Wild Cat amp. Jamie used it during FWN and early Humbug eras.

The image of Jamie Cook's pedalboard from the Favourite Worst Nightmare tour shows an EHX HOG Foot Controller and an M-Audio EX-P Expression Pedal, which are used to control the Electro-Harmonix HOG Harmonic Octave Generator. Although the HOG unit itself is not visible, its presence is implied by these controllers, suggesting it is likely placed under the raised section of the pedalboard. The distinctive sound of the HOG can be heard on several tracks from the Favourite Worst Nightmare album and its b-sides, notably in the song "What If You Were Right The First Time?" at 1:32, where Jamie Cook utilises the expression pedal to bend the notes and add a high octave effect during the breakdown. It is used more subtly on other songs, such as 'Do Me a Favour' and 'This House is a Circus'.

Nick O'Malley used this amp during the "WPSIATWIN" and "Favourite Worst Nightmare" era.