J Mascis

GC: The leads for "Alone" off of Hand It Over sounded a little bit different. Can you describe the tone you got for that and how you got it?

Mascis: "Alone" had a lot of effects. I think a lot of it is the LoveTone Meatball and the Ibanez AD9 delay from the same era as the Tube Screamers everybody liked.

"And a lot of fuzz boxes. A lot of different ones. I just plug in a bunch of fuzz boxes, like I’d use a Roland BeeBaa Fuzz, a Super Fuzz, Big Cheese Love Tone, an Analog Man. I’d just plug in a bunch of pedals together and see what it sounded like.”

Listed in the box in linked article: J Mascis’ Gear -Purple Dunlop Tortex (1.14 mm)

J mentions using a renecked blue flower strat to cover the Stooges song "TV eye" in this rig rundown

“At home I use a 1966 Twin Reverb, I wish I had one over in England. But for this tour I’m using the reissue… it gives a little more top-end to my sound, so I’ll try to use more of it for my solos. It’s another ingredient in the soup. A pinch of Fender, some Marshall, a bit of Hiwatt…”

J Mascis talks about using this guitar on his album "Sweet It Into Space" - inspired by Thin Lizzy's Scott Gorham (Guitar World interview, 2021).

J Mascis discusses his at Super Fuzz at 9:33 in this video interview. “Some guy in Australia just copied a Super Fuzz. And that’s the smallest one to fit on the pedal board and it sounds good. Smaller is better to fit as much stuff on as you can.”

The Super Fuzz is demonstrated by J at 22:49.

In a YouTube video titled "J. Mascis and the Stomp Under Foot Ram's Head," J Mascis showcases his use of the Stomp Under Foot Ram's Head fuzz pedal, highlighting its role in his guitar setup.

"GC: On your most recent release, what guitar do you play and with what pickups?

Mascis: I think it's a '58 Tele. I don't remember the pickup, but I think it was from another guitar from the '50s, maybe '54 through a tweed 310 Bandmaster."

In a 1993 interview with Guitar World, Mascis specified this to be a '59 Bandmaster.

"This Bullfrog 4x12 Guitar Cabinet from the 1970's is Owned by J Mascis, guitarist of the legendary indie rock band Dinosaur Jr.

All original 1970's Bullfrog 4x12 guitar cabinet. Storied to have been J's very first guitar cab used in Dinosaur Jr.

'That was my first cab I ever bought and used with Dino for first 2 lps and all shows' - J Mascis

Cab can be spotted in this 86 footage which is attached to this listing.

These LP's would have been Dinosaur and Yr Living All Over Me. So cool.

Cabinet is in functioning condition. Currently running at 4 ohms. It has been well loved as you can see in the chips in paint and missing caster. We have tightened up the input jacks and this bad frog should be ready to hook up and go!"

"I don't think it is a blackface. I think it's like a early '70s, but someone put a blackface thing on it. It sounds good, but I just got another blackface one. I brought it out a bit in the last few years."

He uses one in this rig rundown.

In this performance of "Freak Scene", J Mascis uses a Fender Acoustasonic Jazzmaster.

GC: The leads for "Alone" off of Hand It Over sounded a little bit different. Can you describe the tone you got for that and how you got it?

Mascis: "Alone" had a lot of effects. I think a lot of it is the LoveTone Meatball and the Ibanez AD9 delay from the same era as the Tube Screamers everybody liked.

"I had two main recording setups: a Gibson Les Paul Junior through a tweed Fender Deluxe amp"

On the website you will see a video of J Mascis's interview for Skullcandy. The item can best be seen 0:36 into the video. He used this guitar in the studio with producer John Agnello working on a song titled, "The Only Other Way".

According to Guitar Geek's rig diagram, he used this pedal.

J Mascis frequently uses the Shubb S1 Deluxe Guitar Capo with Dinosaur Jr., as shown in a user-uploaded photo on Flickr.

On this photo you can see J Mascis playing Rickenbacker 620/12 during Dinosaur Jr. live performance at Live Music Hall, Cologne, Germany, November 3, 2016. Dinosaur Jr. Tour 2016

In Reverb studio J Mascis discussing his methodology when it comes to fuzz and drive pedals. On this video he is telling about his guitar Rickenbacker 620/12

"...i brought out this Rickenbacker i have. and that wasn't really working with all my stacks. It has hollow body and pickups seemed to loud and were feeding back all the time..."

"JM: Well, just when I started playing guitar. I had the intention of starting Dinosaur, so I knew I needed a fuzz box. I don’t know how I came across one, maybe at the mall. I came across this Deluxe Big Muff that I bought. That’s the first one.

KR: Is that what we hear on those early Dinosaur records?

JM: Yeah, that’s on the first two albums, then it got stolen one night. Then I traded a Music Man 100 watt amp head for another one. This guy I knew had one. I didn’t like this amp too much, and he thought I was crazy to trade a whole amp for a pedal, but...

KR: Was that another Deluxe Big Muff?

JM: Yeah, but it didn’t sound quite as good somehow.

KR: The circuits changed a few times in the Deluxe Big Muffs, and there were two versions.

JM: Oh really?

KR: Yeah, minor changes, but some of them sound slightly different.

JM: It was weird. The problem I had with it is it had a weird kind of ghost fuzz, even when it was turned off, you could hear this little buzz."

In the video for the release of his Signature EHX Big Muff + several articles, J revealed that the pedal was stolen at CBGB’s while preforming with GG Allen. He got another one after that didn’t sound the same after trading a Music Man head for it. “ “The Deluxe Big Muff was the first one I had, The first got stolen, then I got another Deluxe, which was hard without Reverb or the internet. I found one guy somewhere who had one. I traded him a Music Man head for the Big Muff, which everyone thought it was insane at the time. But it was my sound. I needed it.”

Shown up close on Mascis' pedalboard at 4:16.

"I used to use that with a microphone during a Dino show and say 'Thank you' into it and loop it and so it's going 'Thank you!' and drive people insane between songs."

"This Marshall 8x10 Cabinet Model 1990 Basketweave Early 70s is part of the private collection of J Mascis.

From Marshall in the early 70's is this 1990 Basketweave 8x10 Speaker Cabinet. This thing speaks for itself.

When I think of J playing the guitar the first image that comes to mind is him, surrounded by a wall of amps in a semi-circle. This 8x10 was part of that storied image accompanying J on countless tours as his reliable cab companion. It wasn't until he found an amp setup he preferred that this cab was retired from the road rotation. Now it's available to you.

Not only are these rare in the first place, the fact that it included this storied history only adds to the story. Not to mention this cab sounds MASSIVE. We are unable to confirm the blank speakers inside of the cab but have photographed them for your perusal. The cab runs at 8 ohms. The staining on the front is water. You could remove these marks by cleaning the basketweave, but why would you? This is the DiVinci of J's store here on Reverb."

It was used during the recording sessions for Dinosaur Jr.'s Farm, as seen in this episode of Pitchfork's In The Studio.

Sold on Reverb.com in 2017.

This Gibson 1959 ES125T is part of the private collection of J Mascis.

The Gibson ES-125T was introduced in in 1956. It was presented as an alternate thinline version of the Gibson ES-125.

It was originally at the introductory Gibson price point. This guitar was largely considered a student or beginner guitar at the time. After 13 years of moderate success and popularity Gibson ultimately discontinued the ES-125T in 1969. With a 16 3/4" Laminated Maple Body topped with Gibson's classic Tobacco Sunburst this guitar bares a very familiar and vintage look. The classic vintage look of this instrument is only icing on the cake for this guitar. The Laminated Maple allows for an incredible tone before it is even plugged in. This body build creates a more accurate and controlled tone. It also allows the P90 pickup and vintage electronics and wiring to really shine.

Although considered a "Student" Model this guitar features fine appointments. These include a Brazilian Rosewood Fretboard, Pearl Dot Inlays, Mahogany Neck, Nickel Plated Tail Piece. It also had Kluson Deluxe tuners with white oval plastic buttons, height adjustable Brazilian Rosewood bridge. It's finished off with a Tortoise Pickguard, and a black plastic covered single coil, "dogear" P-90.

For a vintage instrument this 59 Gibson ES-125T is probably in the best condition of any guitar in J's shop. Excellent sound both plugged in and acoustic, this guitar will prove excellent on the stage, in the studio, on the couch or on the road. Some scuffing and rash on the top and bottom sides. There are several marks around the input jack. One small nick on the headstock. We have done our best to capture these in the photographs here on the listing. Pots are clean and date correct. Neck is straight as an arrow and a beautiful sunburst finish. Polish this badboy up and timewarp back to 1959.

Ships in an OHSC which (unfortunately) is missing the handle.

All items in J's Reverb Shop ship fully insured with a signed and embossed Certificate Of Authenticity by J Mascis.

Sold on Reverb.com in 2017.

This Gibson 1966 B25 Acoustic is part of the private collection of J Mascis.

Gibson's smaller-than-dreadnought offerings are totally off most players' radar, but once you get one in your hands you'll never forget. They are undoubtedly Gibson in tone and playability. They have a voice that is both woody and punchy and are just plain addictive. The B-25 has a the adjustable metal saddle that is a key to 60s Gibson tone.

We have left the strings on this noteworthy instrument the way it came to us from J. You may want to switch them out as they are absolutely used and rusted, but for a collector, leaving them as-is is totally understood!

There are a two noteworthy things here on the body, On the top of the body are two substantial cracks. One is leading from the top of the bridge to the base of the guitar. The other is on the lower bout on the front near the center of the guitar. While this may want to get looked at sooner than later, this is currently not effecting the sound or playability of the instrument. Some significant sound-hole wear from years of being played.

The bridge is at the beginning stages of separating from the body. This guitar could stand to have the neck reset in order to correct this issue. We have done our best to capture this in our photography of this guitar.

On the front lower bout is some denting and scuff marks. Pick rash on the front both on the sound-hole and near the lower portion of the bridge. Some denting on the front bouts. This is also on the rear of the guitar as well.

This instrument was absolutely played, well loved and tossed around. The best instruments often are and this one is no exception. Wonderful, full bodied sound. An excellent fingerpicker or campfire strummer.

Ships in an OHSC. This is a work of beauty from the heyday of Gibson acoustics and can be yours today.

All items in J's Reverb Shop ship fully insured with a signed and embossed Certificate Of Authenticity by J Mascis.

Farm was recorded in Mascis’s home studio. I figured that asking about gear was a good place to start our conversation. “It’s on the top floor, the third floor of the house. We recorded to Pro Tools. We have a pretty good setup. It sounds pretty good.

In this Rig Rundown. J mentions that he replaced the pickups in his signature Squier with Seymour Duncan Antiquity Pickups.

"J mascis Playing Wren and Cuff Caprid fuzz"...what more can I say?

Shown up close on Mascis' pedalboard at 4:16.

"I made this mini pedalboard which is like, clones of all pedals that I use, like, y'know, that's a Rangemaster clone, (points to Hustle Drive) that's kind of a OCD...

"GC: What's your mic-ing set-up? Do you use one mic?

Mascis: [Producer] John Agnello used a Shure SM57, Sennheiser MD-421 and a Shure SM87 on one track, just bound together. They're all close, all right on line."

An MD-421 was also used during the recording of Dinosaur Jr's Farm, as seen in this episode of Pitchfork's In The Studio.