Mdou Moctar

Developed in collaboration with Moctar, who was inspired by the distortion of Van Halen. One was raffled off on July 12, 2020, as featured in this Instagram post. It is also pedal 60 in Stompbox: 100 Pedals of the World's Greatest Guitarists, as can be seen in the quick browse video at 0:25.

In 2019 we made a limited number (50) of the ROCKTAR FUZZ designed for Mdou Moctar. The pedal was Inspired by Mdou’s favorite guitarist Van Halen’s fuzz and overdrive. These quickly sold out. This particular pedal was used on a number of recordings in the studio and was with us for the entire 200 shows in 2019. From now until Sunday, June 14th at 11:59pm ET send us a DM of your screenshot donation of AT LEAST $25 to COLOR OF CHANGE (@Colorofchange), ACLU (@aclu_nationwide), THE LOVELAND FOUNDATION (@Thelovelandfoundation), or BLACK LIVES MATTER and we'll raffle a winner for the pedal! This handmade pocket-sized pedal will allow you to bring the raw and powerful Agadez sound anywhere you go. It features JUST a gain control knob with an adjustable volume trim pot inside for achieving maximum volume. This pedal runs off your standard 9-volt power (Boss style center negative power supply). Circuit designed and hand built by @championleccy Art by @dcoltun Assembled by @hey_buddy6 & @les_rhinoceros .

On the Ilana (2019) tour, Mdou Moctar is using an Earthquaker Devices Acapulco Gold. The item can be seen at 0:10 in this video from a concert at the Star Theater in Portland, Oregon (4/13/19).

On the Ilana (2019) tour, Mdou Moctar is using an Electro-Harmonix Bad Stone Phase Shifter. The item can be seen at 0:10 in this video from a concert at the Star Theater in Portland, Oregon (4/13/19).

Specified in this May 19, 2021 Music Radar interview.

What were the main guitars used on Afrique Victime? How would you describe their sound and character?

“It’s hard for me to answer this question. I don't really know [the terminology]. I definitely can say that I have a white Standard Stratocaster for the electric parts. And then I have this other acoustic guitar, which I bought in New York, but I can't for the life of me remember it because it's got very weird name! And that's the one I use for Layla. For the song, Layla and Tala Tannam.”

[At this point we hit the limit of our combined abilities in communicating the terminology across the language barrier and agree to get an email update on his gear list, which you can check out on the right]

Guitars: (white) left-handed Fender American Strat, (black) left-handed Fender American Strat, CME (Blue) left-handed Fender Jaguar

Amps: 2x Roland JC-120s (a Boss DD-6 is used for a slight ping delay between the two)

Pedals: D'Addario CT-20, TC Electronic Polytune 2, Boss PH-3, Earthquaker Devices Acapulco Gold, Rocktar Fuzz Pedal, Boss DD-6

Visible in the background throughout this October 17, 2018 D'Addario & Co. "Guitar Power" interview. It is also mentioned in this November 6, 2020 Twitter post, which specifies its use on Mdou Moctar Mixtape Vol. 7, in addition to this May 18, 2021 Guitar World interview.

Twitter, November 6, 2020

Vol. 7 consists only of recordings made in Niger. These recordings showcase more of the songwriting process as we experiment with new ideas at weddings and as we sip tea for hours, blasting guitars through tiny Roland cube amps.

Guitar World, May 18, 2021, "Mdou Moctar: 'I really like the Stratocaster sound. Whatever tone I need, I can have it in that guitar'"

Circa-2019, he would use a pair of Roland Jazz Chorus 120 combos, with a pedalboard populated by a Boss OD-3, the Hoof fuzz and Bellows overdrive from EarthQuaker Devices, plus an Electro-Harmonix Bad Stone and a Boss DD-6 delay that would be run in stereo.

Pedals remain a new frontier, with phaser, chorus and delay all favorites. Moctar will return from tour with different items of gear, but at home digital modeling amps such as the Fender Mustang and Roland Cube offer all-in-one solutions for processed guitar tones.

Specified in this May 19, 2021 Music Radar interview. Moctar's first time playing it is documented in this November 7, 2019 video by Chicago Music Exchange.

What were the main guitars used on Afrique Victime? How would you describe their sound and character?

“It’s hard for me to answer this question. I don't really know [the terminology]. I definitely can say that I have a white Standard Stratocaster for the electric parts. And then I have this other acoustic guitar, which I bought in New York, but I can't for the life of me remember it because it's got very weird name! And that's the one I use for Layla. For the song, Layla and Tala Tannam.”

[At this point we hit the limit of our combined abilities in communicating the terminology across the language barrier and agree to get an email update on his gear list, which you can check out on the right]

Guitars: (white) left-handed Fender American Strat, (black) left-handed Fender American Strat, CME (Blue) left-handed Fender Jaguar

Amps: 2x Roland JC-120s (a Boss DD-6 is used for a slight ping delay between the two)

Pedals: D'Addario CT-20, TC Electronic Polytune 2, Boss PH-3, Earthquaker Devices Acapulco Gold, Rocktar Fuzz Pedal, Boss DD-6

Visible throughout "Live in Niamey, Niger" starting at 2:58. It is also mentioned in this May 18, 2021 Guitar World interview.

Circa-2019, he would use a pair of Roland Jazz Chorus 120 combos, with a pedalboard populated by a Boss OD-3, the Hoof fuzz and Bellows overdrive from EarthQuaker Devices, plus an Electro-Harmonix Bad Stone and a Boss DD-6 delay that would be run in stereo.

Pedals remain a new frontier, with phaser, chorus and delay all favorites. Moctar will return from tour with different items of gear, but at home digital modeling amps such as the Fender Mustang and Roland Cube offer all-in-one solutions for processed guitar tones.

On the Ilana (2019) tour, Mdou Moctar is using a Boss OD-3 OverDrive. The item can be seen at 0:10 in this video from a concert at the Star Theater in Portland, Oregon (4/13/19).

Mentioned in this May 1, 2019 EarthQuaker Devices interview.

AB: What is your current rig – guitars, amps, drum machines, synths, and pedals?

MM: My band is Ahmoudou Madassane who plays rhythm guitar and sings, Mikey Coltun who plays bass, and Souleymane Ibrahim who plays the drums. With my Fender Stratocaster I use a D’Addario pedal tuner, Boss OD-3, EarthQuaker Devices Hoof and Bellows, Electro-Harmonix Bad Stone, Boss DD-6 which runs stereo into two Roland Jazz Chorus 120s. I use D’Addario strings.

AB: What kind of access to gear do you have in Niger? Do you have to look elsewhere for gear?

MM: We don’t have the places to buy the strings or anything like that. When I come to the United States, I get strings and amps to bring back home with me.

AB: When did you start using guitar pedals, and what role have they played in shaping your sound?

MM: In 2017 I got my first pedal. I like that I can get more sounds out of the guitar with pedals.

Specified and pictured in this May 19, 2021 Music Radar interview.

Guitars: (white) left-handed Fender American Strat, (black) left-handed Fender American Strat, CME (Blue) left-handed Fender Jaguar

Amps: 2x Roland JC-120s (a Boss DD-6 is used for a slight ping delay between the two)

Pedals: D'Addario CT-20, TC Electronic Polytune 2, Boss PH-3, Earthquaker Devices Acapulco Gold, Rocktar Fuzz Pedal, Boss DD-6

It's early in his chain for this video (first seen at around 0:44). The distinctive stripes, three knobs, and big Zvex logo at the top are visible.

We can see on this session video at 12:47 an earthquaker devices westwood pedal

In a November 2018 Instagram post, Mdou Moctar is seen using a Fender Silverface Champ (Vintage Combo) amplifier.

On the Ilana (2019) tour, Mdou Moctar is using a Boss DD-6 Digital Delay. The item can be seen at 0:10 in this video from a concert at the Star Theater in Portland, Oregon (4/13/19).

On the Ilana (2019) tour, Mdou Moctar is using a (or two) Roland Jazz Chorus 120. The amplifier can be seen at 0:06 in this video from a concert at the Star Theater in Portland, Oregon (4/13/19).

First seen around 0:44 in this D'Addario Guitar Power interview with Dweezil Zappa, the "Boss ME-80" can be clearly seen at the bottom left of the screen - after his pedal train board.

In his mini board, next to his Boss Overdrive, the blue two-knob chorus can be seen (around 0:44 in the video) with the distinctive Ibanez footswitch easily distinguishable from a Boss one.

Mentioned in this May 1, 2019 EarthQuaker Devices interview and this May 19, 2021 Music Radar interview.

EarthQuaker Devices, May 1, 2019, "Interview: Mdou Moctar"

AB: What is your current rig – guitars, amps, drum machines, synths, and pedals?

MM: My band is Ahmoudou Madassane who plays rhythm guitar and sings, Mikey Coltun who plays bass, and Souleymane Ibrahim who plays the drums. With my Fender Stratocaster I use a D’Addario pedal tuner, Boss OD-3, EarthQuaker Devices Hoof and Bellows, Electro-Harmonix Bad Stone, Boss DD-6 which runs stereo into two Roland Jazz Chorus 120s. I use D’Addario strings.

Music Radar, May 19, 2021, "Mdou Moctar: 'My intention is for the guitar to be spitting out the sound of revolution'"

Guitars: (white) left-handed Fender American Strat, (black) left-handed Fender American Strat, CME (Blue) left-handed Fender Jaguar

Amps: 2x Roland JC-120s (a Boss DD-6 is used for a slight ping delay between the two)

Pedals: D'Addario CT-20, TC Electronic Polytune 2, Boss PH-3, Earthquaker Devices Acapulco Gold, Rocktar Fuzz Pedal, Boss DD-6

Mentioned in this May 1, 2019 EarthQuaker Devices interview.

AB: What is your current rig – guitars, amps, drum machines, synths, and pedals?

MM: My band is Ahmoudou Madassane who plays rhythm guitar and sings, Mikey Coltun who plays bass, and Souleymane Ibrahim who plays the drums. With my Fender Stratocaster I use a D’Addario pedal tuner, Boss OD-3, EarthQuaker Devices Hoof and Bellows, Electro-Harmonix Bad Stone, Boss DD-6 which runs stereo into two Roland Jazz Chorus 120s. I use D’Addario strings.

AB: What kind of access to gear do you have in Niger? Do you have to look elsewhere for gear?

MM: We don’t have the places to buy the strings or anything like that. When I come to the United States, I get strings and amps to bring back home with me.

AB: When did you start using guitar pedals, and what role have they played in shaping your sound?

MM: In 2017 I got my first pedal. I like that I can get more sounds out of the guitar with pedals.

Specified and pictured in this May 19, 2021 Music Radar interview.

Guitars: (white) left-handed Fender American Strat, (black) left-handed Fender American Strat, CME (Blue) left-handed Fender Jaguar

Amps: 2x Roland JC-120s (a Boss DD-6 is used for a slight ping delay between the two)

Pedals: D'Addario CT-20, TC Electronic Polytune 2, Boss PH-3, Earthquaker Devices Acapulco Gold, Rocktar Fuzz Pedal, Boss DD-6

Pictured in this May 19, 2021 Music Radar interview.

Used on Funeral for Justice, as stated by producer Mikey Coltun in this May 28, 2024 Guitar World interview. An image of Moctar with the guitar at Coachella 2024, taken by Frazer Harrison, is included.

What can you tell us about the guitars Mdou used on Funeral For Justice?

“Mdou used his American Professional series left-handed white Strat. We got this in 2018. It’s a newer American-made Strat with Lollar pickups and a Sustainiac pickup at the neck. He uses D’Addario NYXL 10s and doesn’t like the sound of new strings. I think the ones that were on the guitar for Funeral For Justice were two years old.”

Installed in Moctar's American Professional Stratocaster, as stated by producer Mikey Coltun in this May 28, 2024 Guitar World interview. It can be seen in an included image of Moctar with the guitar at Coachella 2024, taken by Frazer Harrison.

What can you tell us about the guitars Mdou used on Funeral For Justice?

“Mdou used his American Professional series left-handed white Strat. We got this in 2018. It’s a newer American-made Strat with Lollar pickups and a Sustainiac pickup at the neck. He uses D’Addario NYXL 10s and doesn’t like the sound of new strings. I think the ones that were on the guitar for Funeral For Justice were two years old.”

Used on Funeral for Justice, as stated by producer Mikey Coltun in this May 28, 2024 Guitar World interview.

What effects did Mdou use for the sessions?

“In terms of pedals, we had a TC Electronic PolyTune 2 and an EarthQuaker Devices Acapulco Gold. I had the latter modded for an internal trim pot to not blow amps – Mdou tends to just turn the knobs on pedals all the way up so I needed to find a boost, but not too much, since the EarthQuaker pedal has a lot of headroom.

“There was the Union Tube & Transistor Shiny pedal, our signature [Champion Leccy] Rockstar Fuzz V1 – this pedal is almost always on as his preamp for slight crunch – and the Boss PH-3 Phaser and a Boss DD-7 for slapback delay.

“I took a few different DI signals from Mdou. There was a clean guitar without pedals, DI with pedals, and a DI with an amp simulator, which was just used for headphone monitoring. With the clean DI, I did use a few different Analog Man pedals such as the King Of Tone and Astro Tone Fuzz through an old Vibro Champ – that’s what you’re hearing on Takoba.”

Used on Funeral for Justice, as stated by producer Mikey Coltun in this May 28, 2024 Guitar World interview.

What effects did Mdou use for the sessions?

“In terms of pedals, we had a TC Electronic PolyTune 2 and an EarthQuaker Devices Acapulco Gold. I had the latter modded for an internal trim pot to not blow amps – Mdou tends to just turn the knobs on pedals all the way up so I needed to find a boost, but not too much, since the EarthQuaker pedal has a lot of headroom.

“There was the Union Tube & Transistor Shiny pedal, our signature [Champion Leccy] Rockstar Fuzz V1 – this pedal is almost always on as his preamp for slight crunch – and the Boss PH-3 Phaser and a Boss DD-7 for slapback delay.

“I took a few different DI signals from Mdou. There was a clean guitar without pedals, DI with pedals, and a DI with an amp simulator, which was just used for headphone monitoring. With the clean DI, I did use a few different Analog Man pedals such as the King Of Tone and Astro Tone Fuzz through an old Vibro Champ – that’s what you’re hearing on Takoba.”

Used for the studio recording of "Takoma", as stated by producer Mikey Coltun in this May 28, 2024 Guitar World interview.

What effects did Mdou use for the sessions?

“In terms of pedals, we had a TC Electronic PolyTune 2 and an EarthQuaker Devices Acapulco Gold. I had the latter modded for an internal trim pot to not blow amps – Mdou tends to just turn the knobs on pedals all the way up so I needed to find a boost, but not too much, since the EarthQuaker pedal has a lot of headroom.

“There was the Union Tube & Transistor Shiny pedal, our signature [Champion Leccy] Rockstar Fuzz V1 – this pedal is almost always on as his preamp for slight crunch – and the Boss PH-3 Phaser and a Boss DD-7 for slapback delay.

“I took a few different DI signals from Mdou. There was a clean guitar without pedals, DI with pedals, and a DI with an amp simulator, which was just used for headphone monitoring. With the clean DI, I did use a few different Analog Man pedals such as the King Of Tone and Astro Tone Fuzz through an old Vibro Champ – that’s what you’re hearing on Takoba.”

Used for the studio recording of "Takoma", as stated by producer Mikey Coltun in this May 28, 2024 Guitar World interview.

What effects did Mdou use for the sessions?

“In terms of pedals, we had a TC Electronic PolyTune 2 and an EarthQuaker Devices Acapulco Gold. I had the latter modded for an internal trim pot to not blow amps – Mdou tends to just turn the knobs on pedals all the way up so I needed to find a boost, but not too much, since the EarthQuaker pedal has a lot of headroom.

“There was the Union Tube & Transistor Shiny pedal, our signature [Champion Leccy] Rockstar Fuzz V1 – this pedal is almost always on as his preamp for slight crunch – and the Boss PH-3 Phaser and a Boss DD-7 for slapback delay.

“I took a few different DI signals from Mdou. There was a clean guitar without pedals, DI with pedals, and a DI with an amp simulator, which was just used for headphone monitoring. With the clean DI, I did use a few different Analog Man pedals such as the King Of Tone and Astro Tone Fuzz through an old Vibro Champ – that’s what you’re hearing on Takoba.”

Used for the studio recording of "Takoma", as stated by producer Mikey Coltun in this May 28, 2024 Guitar World interview.

What effects did Mdou use for the sessions?

“In terms of pedals, we had a TC Electronic PolyTune 2 and an EarthQuaker Devices Acapulco Gold. I had the latter modded for an internal trim pot to not blow amps – Mdou tends to just turn the knobs on pedals all the way up so I needed to find a boost, but not too much, since the EarthQuaker pedal has a lot of headroom.

“There was the Union Tube & Transistor Shiny pedal, our signature [Champion Leccy] Rockstar Fuzz V1 – this pedal is almost always on as his preamp for slight crunch – and the Boss PH-3 Phaser and a Boss DD-7 for slapback delay.

“I took a few different DI signals from Mdou. There was a clean guitar without pedals, DI with pedals, and a DI with an amp simulator, which was just used for headphone monitoring. With the clean DI, I did use a few different Analog Man pedals such as the King Of Tone and Astro Tone Fuzz through an old Vibro Champ – that’s what you’re hearing on Takoba.”

Used for Funeral for Justice as stated by producer Mikey Coltun in this May 28, 2024 Guitar World interview.

What details can you share about Mdou’s amp setup?

“[Mixing engineer] Seth Manchester and I reamped Mdou’s guitar through a Soldano SLO-100 and a Traynor 4x12 cab. This amp is made for Mdou. Since Mdou doesn’t play with a lot of dynamics and it’s pretty much just hard fingerpicking on the bridge pickup, there tends to be a lot of bright sizzly highs and not enough clarity. The SLO just scoops all the unwanted high frequencies out. For mics, we used a Neumann U 77 and Coles 4038, like, 3ft to 5ft away going into API preamps.

“After reamping, I throw a Space Echo [RE-]201 on the left and right sides for a bigger sound. There were no Roland JC-120s on this record – however, on some songs like Oh France, I used a Roland Chorus Echo [RE-]501 for that chorus sound.

“The chorus on the 501 is a bit different than the JC-120 – it’s more similar to the Roland battery-powered Cube chorus, which is widely used throughout all of West Africa and one of Mdou’s favourite amps.”

Used for Funeral for Justice as stated by producer Mikey Coltun in this May 28, 2024 Guitar World interview.

What details can you share about Mdou’s amp setup?

“[Mixing engineer] Seth Manchester and I reamped Mdou’s guitar through a Soldano SLO-100 and a Traynor 4x12 cab. This amp is made for Mdou. Since Mdou doesn’t play with a lot of dynamics and it’s pretty much just hard fingerpicking on the bridge pickup, there tends to be a lot of bright sizzly highs and not enough clarity. The SLO just scoops all the unwanted high frequencies out. For mics, we used a Neumann U 77 and Coles 4038, like, 3ft to 5ft away going into API preamps.

“After reamping, I throw a Space Echo [RE-]201 on the left and right sides for a bigger sound. There were no Roland JC-120s on this record – however, on some songs like Oh France, I used a Roland Chorus Echo [RE-]501 for that chorus sound.

“The chorus on the 501 is a bit different than the JC-120 – it’s more similar to the Roland battery-powered Cube chorus, which is widely used throughout all of West Africa and one of Mdou’s favourite amps.”