Positive Mental Trip

Luke Weiler of Positive Mental Trip has had a Fender VG American Stratocaster in his live show as his main electric guitar from 2008-2016. In 2017-2019 PMT era Luke has been seen using a Gibson Sg standard as well as a Godin Multiac nylon string synth guitar as well. The VG Fender Stratocaster is heard on almost all electric guitar tracks on Positive Mental trip’s “change your mind” (2012) and “The Black and White Album” (2017) The Fender american VG Stratocaster will always be a part of Positive Mental Trip’s live show and recordings even if it starts to be less and less as the years go on. Luke has said he will be using the Roland pickup on the guitar to utilize alternate tunings on the new album without having to change to a guitar with a different tuning. It’s always cool to try different tunings as it forces your to write differently and step outside of your comfort zone into another realm of guitar sounds.

Luke Weiler of Positive Mental Trip has used a Godin Multiac on and off for stripped down (loop show) PMT Gigs in 2018. He has sometimes been seen using it as an acoustic live for some smaller shows and sit ins. The Godin Multiac has a very nice classical guitar sound. You can hear it on songs like “Footsteps” on Positive Mental Trip’s 2017 album. During east coast Positive Mental Trip solo loop tours from 2008-2010 Luke did not have this guitar and was using his Gibson custom acoustic, a schecter C1 Elite w/synth pickup and a Roland GR-20 (for all bass and synth sounds), and a Fender Custom American VG Stratocaster for all lead guitar sounds. The Godin Multiac was not used for any acoustic guitar sounds on the 1 st Positive Mental Trip album “change your mind”. It only appeared on one song and used only for its classical guitar sounds on the 2017 Positive Mental Trip album . In 2018-2019 Luke has been using the Godin Multiac a lot on the newer recordings w/ the Roland GR-55 guitar synth guitar pedal. He uses the combination of the Godin Multiac and the GR-55 for all 2018-2019 PMT loop shows for looping bass lines and other experimental sounds.This combination tends to liven up the show and build thick fat heavy bass synth loops as well as ambient soundscapes. The newer PMT loop shows (2018-2019 era) Luke is ussually joined by a couple Positive Mental Trip band members. Luke has stated many times that after doing those solo loop tours in the 2008-2010 era playing alone is not what he wants to do musically. He is never seen using the Godin Multiac through his VOX AC 15 or any other electric amp. The Godin Multiac ussually goes into a Yamaha mixer with all other instruments to be looped and into the BOSS RC-30. Occasionally when sitting in with other acts or doing a very stripped down acoustic set Luke will use the Godin Multiac as opposed to the Gibson J-185 Custom acoustic he has been see playing on stage since 2007.

Luke Weiler of Positive Mental Trip was seen playing his 2009 Gibson SG Standard live for the 1 st time in spring 2017. He played it during the entire show at the Hyde Park amphitheater in stafford springs, CT may 26th of 2017. Luke rarely plays one guitar for an entire concert but played a few shows with the 2009 Gibson SG Standard as his only guitar for both sets in 2019. Mostly an American Fender Stratocaster was used for electric guitar parts on the 2017 Positive Mental Trip album but a few of the parts were played using the Gibson SG Standard as well toward the end of the sessions. The 2009 Gibson SG Standard has been a favorite during recording sessions for the 3 rd Positive Mental Trip album(2018-2019). Almost all electric guitar parts for the 3 rd album have been recorded using the Gibson SG or a Walt B Les Paul Custom Guitar. (Both with Gibson style humbuckers)

Luke Weiler of Positive Mental Trip has used a 2007 Fender American Custom VG Stratocaster live and in the studio since 2007. It was the only electric guitar used on the 2012 album “change your mind” and was used on almost all electric guitar tracks on the 2017 album as well. (“The black and white album”) Luke was known to play an American Fender stratocaster he was borrowing off of a friend and a Mexican Fender Stratocaster live during the 2005-2006 Positive Mental Trip Band era. The Fender Stratocaster will always be a huge part of Positive Mental Trip’s live guitar sound. Even when Luke Weiler is seen playing another guitar live you will always ussually see a Fender Stratocaster on a stand ready right behind him. Ussually if Luke is not playing a Fender Stratocaster live during a Positive Mental Trip set another guitarist is playing a Fender Stratocaster standing right next to him shredding.

Luke Weiler of Positive Mental Trip player a Gibson Custom J-185 rosewood cutaway acoustic guitar live at almost every show from 2008-2018. However after 10 hard years of rock n roll the Gibson has been retired from live shows in hopes that it will stay in good condition. The guitar is still played almost every day in the studio and is on many recordings and will always continue to be. The Gretsch Rancher Falcon Jumbo acoustic guitar will be the live Positive Mental Trip acoustic played by Luke Weiler from 2019-?. Luke played the Gibson at over 500 shows and even took it on a plane to the San Francisco California in 2010 for “Power To The Peaceful” where he played an opening set @ The Fillmore opening for Michael Franti. Cappy Franti and loud and Conscious (who were members of Positive Mental Trip at the time) took the stage at the Fillmore as Positive Mental Trip that night. The Gibson was brought upstairs where every member of michael Franti and spearhead was asked to sign it. (as well as cappy Franti) The Gibson J 185 Custom rosewood is every acoustic guitar part recording during the applehead recording sessions on “change your mind”(2012) The Gibson J 185 is also the only steel string acoustic heard on “the back and white album”. The Gibson J 185 Custom and the Gretsch Rancher Falcon Jumbo acoustic guitar have both been used on many sessions for the 3 rd album. If it’s a really special show at an amazing venue or an anniversary show it may come out of “live show retirement”. However it was time for the Gibson to pass the live torch to the Gretsch Rancher Falcon before she ”lost her cool” sound on records of the future.

Luke Weiler of Positive Mental Trip will play a Gretsch Rancher Falcon live as his acoustic guitar 2019-?. The Gibson J 185 Custom rosewood cutaway guitar was retired/played its final live show at the Athens Jam For Tots in December 2018. The Grestch Rancher Falcon is already on 2 recordings. Has been a favorite in the studio right along side the J 185 Custom which will continue to be recorded on all future albums.

Luke Weiler of Positive Mental Trip has used a Schecter C1 Elite since 2006. It was his backup guitar at many many shows in case the Fender Stratocaster broke a string.(as it often would early on with the live band) During the solo loop PMT era (2008-2010) the Schecter C1 Elite has a Roland Synth Pickup installed on it and (using the Roland GR-20 Luke used to have) provided all the basslines and synth craziness Luke used to loop live on those solo loop tours. It is still one of his favorite guitars to this day and it is said to have needed way less setups then any of his other guitars.

Luke Weiler of Positive Mental Trip plays what he believes is a white Mexican Stratocaster which was a gift from his father. He used it on the very strange guitar track on “Drag To Need” blasting it into the BOSS PH-3. He has used it live in 2016-2017. “I plan to put a sustainiac pickup in the neck position so it’s like that fender Radiohead guitar. I’ll probably switch out the other pickups for some Seymour Duncan single coils. The guitar is already a Frankenstein but I love it ...it was a gift from my father so I’ll always play it and keep it around and modify it into something more awesome then a standard Mexican strat. It has a Wayne’s World neck plate and I covered the stickers that were on it with NYS Music and NY band stickers of my favorite NY Jambands Moe. and Formula 5. I feel like a sustainiac pickup will really make this guitar one of the best guitars in my collection and will give me some sounds none of my other guitars can give me.”

Luke Weiler of Positive Mental Trip has played a Taylor 814ce on recordings such as “The Happy Old Man” (2017) and on a couple of the newer PMT recordings for “Love Never Dies”.(release date August 2019) Luke enjoys different flavors of mics blended, electrics blended, and acoustics as well. Luke will only be playing a Gretsch Rancher Falcon jumbo live but often uses a Gibson Custom J185 rosewood cutaway or a Taylor 814ce in the studio.

Steve Repka uses a Gibson Les Paul Standard Electric guitar on the recording of “Circles” on “The Black and White album”(2017). Steve does not appear on this album a lot even though he was playing live with the band heavily in that era of PMT. This is the only song ever recorded by Positive Mental Trip that Steve Repka has used a Gibson Les Paul to track guitar. He appears on a few other tracks on “the black and white album” using an American Custom Fender Strat. He appears on the forthcoming “Love Never Dies” album on a few songs playing Luke’s 09’ Gibson SG Standard. Walt B was gracious enough to let us use the “For The Grateful” practice space to record and also let steve use his Les Paul. We recorded these guitar parts at the “afterparty” as PMT and For The Grateful has played Hyde Park Ampitheater that day/night. Luke talked to Steve into coming to the afterparty to track and everything fell into place and we kept the tales from that “after midnight” session.

During a loop set at the MTN Jam After Party in NY w/Gift Of Gab of Blackalicious...Luke from PMT can be seen using a Godin multiac to play acoustic parts as well as bass lines during the set.