Positive Mental Trip

Luke Weiler of Positive Mental Trip is shown using Monster Studio Pro 1000 cables in the video for "Brand New Day," uploaded by Positive Mental Trip - Topic on YouTube.

Luke Weiler uses many Fender Custom Shop Series tweed patch cables on his pedalboards.

Luke Weiler of Positive Mental Trip uses the BOSS GE-7 for many purposes. “I was very let down by the Korg wave drum as the bass in the middle sound is twice as loud as the rim hits or snare like sounds. Using a GE-7 to bring the treble up on the snare and the bass down out of the middle of drum head helps. I really got the wave drum to use for my djembe skills I picked up playing in the reggae/dubtronica bands when I stopped Positive Mental Trip (2014-2015) When I’m playing Djembe the bass hit in the middle and the snare like pop on the rim being equally loud is extremely important to me for live looping or recording.” Luke also used the GE-7 with the Zvex fuzz factory and other Big Muff style pedals on recordings. “Sometimes an EQ pedal like this can make the fuzz pedal sounds stand out a little more in the mix. Sometimes they need a bit more girth and an octave pedal isn’t always the answer” Luke used the GE-7 as a clean boost on the live board with Positive Mental Trip in 2017. “The GE-7 is a very useful pedal for me as I use a lot of effects and a lot of instruments that might need a push in one direction or another. BOSS is a brand that really builds pedals that last. I’ll be using this pedal until the day I die for way more than one purpose.”

Luke Weiler of Positive Mental Trip is madly in love with most of the sounds in the Strymon Timeline. “Im a huge fan of delay in general. I’m also a fan of pedals like this that give you amazing presets that are just full of inspiration. This pedal right away brings a riff and a recording/song, or many straight to life with one preset/patch. Almost all of them I find use-able in the musical context of Positive Mental Trip. I thought the MOBIUS would be the same way but it was not. I look forward to trying the Big Sky and many other STRYMON pedals in the future. They really give “digital” a good name. I love my analog pedals but I also love really inspiring presets, and the TIMELINE brings them to the table more then any other pedal I have ever played in my life.”

Luke Weiler of Positive Mental Trip has experimented musically with the Earthquaker Devices Data Corrupter. It is unknown whether any guitar tracks using the Data Corrupter will end up on the new PMT album set to be released in August 2019.

Luke Weiler of Positive Mental Trip has experimented with the delay and reverb sounds of the Avalanche Run on guitar. He enjoyed the pedal a lot and some sounds he recorded with it may end up on the 2019 PMT album.

Luke Weiler of Positive Mental Trip has used the Empress Tape Delay on electric guitar.

Luke Weiler of Positive Mental Trip used a Line 6 M 13 stompbox Modeler for a short amount of time while touring in 2009-2010. He saw a girl use it in florida while on tour in 2008 and thought it sounded good on her violin. However the line 6 M 13 had a “ghost on the machine” issue and turned on and off and very important festival gigs and large club gigs. “Basically that pedal not only ruined my show but also ruined my reputation with those promoters and clubs in that city. It’s a terrible feeling when your pedal keeps turning on and off like that during a gig and your the main musician carrying the show. To watch possible fans walk out of the venue and know they will never come see your act again is the worst. It was not a cheap pedal I bought it new for $500 from guitar center. I was so sickened by the sight of it I gave it away for free to a bass player who could use the filters in it on bass and the looper.”

Luke Weiler of Positive Mental Trip used the Line 6 POD X3 Live for electric guitar sounds on the PMT demos and Solo Loop tours from 2008-2011. “Unlike the M13 the X3 live was good to me. Had some great wah and lead guitar sounds for looping with my Stratocaster. I sold it when I was really pressed for $ and needed to finish a tour after some clubs did not pay us on the road. I’ve heard a lot of people complain about this pedal malfunctioning but this 1 of 3 Line 6 units I’ve known was good to me. I liked it so much that I bought a Line 6 POD HD 500(not the X where they fixed the footswitches) The X 3 Live is the only Line 6 pedal that did not let me down while I owned it.”

Luke Weiler of Positive Mental Trip used a Roland GR-20 13 pin connected guitar synthesizer pedal from 2008-2011. “The Roland GR-20 is still my favorite Roland synth pedal. It was not housed in a metal chasis and after touring around in the back of a van with it for 3 years I figured I’d move onto to the newer metal hours Roland GR-55. I sold the pedal but had a son which led to no more touring. I didn’t end up owning the Roland GR-55 until 2018. This is why there are no synth guitar sounds on Positive Mental Trips 1 st 2 studio albums “change your mind”(2012) and “The Black and White Album” (2017) There are great Roland synth sounds on the 2019 album “Love Never Dies”. (studio album not the demos toured with 08-2010!) The album is set to release at the end of August 2019. We have been tracking this album since early 2018.”

Luke Weiler of Positive Mental Trip experimented heavily with the Chase Bliss Audio Warped Vinyl MKII for 4 months in 2018. He did not play any shows with it live and he did not use it on any guitar tracks recorded on “Love Never Dies”.(release date August 2019) “Chase Bliss Audio makes very interesting guitar pedals. However I must admit there was a bit of a learning curve for me with this pedal. I enjoyed a lot of the sounds and I made a chronicle of what I liked about it on my underground YouTube channel. There are some sounds on the album that sound like they came from this pedal... they did not. All rotary speaker style sounding guitar tracks (there is only a few so far) came from the STRYMON MOBIUS. I do like Chase Bliss Audio. I just didn’t want to make too many sounds on this album with pedals I don’t own unless they really blow my mind. I borrowed this pedal for about 4 months in 2018.”

Luke Weiler of Positive Mental Trip used an Electro-Harmonix "Black Russian" Big Muff Pi V8 from 2007 to 2017. Although the pedal was primarily used for home practice, it saw limited live use. Due to a missing battery back plate and the inability to connect a power supply, Luke eventually sold the pedal to a friend for $15 to fund a Christmas gift. Despite this, he appreciated the pedal's sound and currently uses a Way Huge Russian Pickle for similar tones. Luke plans to expand his collection with various Big Muff versions in the future. In a 2017 performance at The Cannery Music Hall, as documented by I 3 Productions on YouTube, Luke's affinity for the Big Muff sound is evident.

Luke Weiler of Positive Mental Trip has used a Line 6 POD HD 500 since 2013. Luke used it live sometimes until 2 of the footswitches broke on it in 2015. Line 6 did fix the footswitches on these units quickly releasing the Line 6 POD HD 500 X. It is believed there is not a lot of difference other then they put way better footswitches on the 500X as the HD 500 footswitches end up like Luke’s. “I still use the Line 6 POD HD 500 at home in the studio for certain amp models or certain sounds it does surprisingly better then the pedal I use live for those sounds. On “The Black and White Album” (2017) a lot of the guitar tracks were played through the LINE 6 POD HD 500. I went with amp modeling in it rather then using mics on the VOX AC 15 or Marshall cabs. It was just easier to record at night with it. I really don’t mind having a better tone live then on the album as long as I like the tones on the album. Most guitarists struggle to sound as good as there album live and it’s always the opposite with PMT. I always have guitar sounds better then the album live. I just don’t think the digital amp modeling can hang with a VOX AC 15 tube amp in my personal opinion. They are pretty close with a lot of the high gain stuff the Diesel amps and such. I don’t even think the Kemper, Fractal, or Line 6 Helix stuff is better then my VOX AC 15 or a proper Mesa Boogie amp live. The digital and Midi technology gets better but in the 2017-2020 era I don’t feel it’s quite there yet 100 percent across the board. I liken replacing a VOX AC 15 with a line 6 Helix live like I liken replacing a pianist with a Roland GR-55 synth guitar. You can do it but I don’t reccomend it. It’s not for me for live performance, it might be fine for some.”

Richard Goddeau a talented blind drummer who trained at Crane School of Music and also played country music in Nashville TN has been a part of PMT since 2006. Richard played many shows with his 13 piece Pearl Masters series kit with Gibraltar rack and roto-toms at many 2005-2007(early era) Positive Mental Trip concerts. You can hear Richard and his Pearl Masters series drum set on “Back Up Again” on PMT’s “Change Your Mind” album. (2012) Richard Goddeau and his Pearl Masters series drum set can also be hear on the epic 12 minute version of “circles” which ends the Positive Mental Trip’s “The Black and White Album”. Richard Goddeau player “circles” 100’s of times at practices and live shows back in the day so he was the obvious choice for the album version. “We hope to hear rich and his 13 piece Pearl Masters Series drum kit on at least 1 or 2 songs we are tracking for the “Love Never Dies” album in August 2019.”

Luke Weiler of Positive Mental Trip used a LINE 6 ECHO PARK Digital Delay as his only delay pedal during the late 2005-2014 era. “It is the only delay pedal that I still wish I owned... I gave it to a friend thinking ahh it’s old and there is probably a new pedal that does all it does and then some. However I’ve not found a pedal “single pedal size” like that that does what that pedal does the way that pedal does it. It really is a unique and awesome Digital Delay pedal. I definitely consider it “the one that got away”. I hope to find one in decent condition used locally sometime. I’m always hesitant to trust the tonecore pedals or any Line 6 pedal for that matter to buy used online. The ECHO PARK definitely is the best LINE 6 pedal I’ve ever played.” -Luke Weiler

Luke Weiler of Positive Mental Trip used the Electro-Harmonix Small Stone Phase Shifter from 2005-2015. When he bought a BOSS PH-3 and put it on his pedalboard and loved it’s functionality he gave it to another guitarist who plays with Positive Mental Trip. (Steve Repka) Steven Repka (who has played many PMT shows on lead and rythm guitar 2015-2019 era) also plays in Brother Z Band. He performs with the well loved signature phase shifter sound of the EHX Small Stone (large box) Phase Shifter live and sometimes on Brother Z Band recordings. Definitely check out Brother Z Band on Bandcamp. Great power trio from upstate NY.

When Leroy Weiler (Luke’s Dad) came up from West Palm Beach, Florida to Woodstock NY for the “Change Your Mind” recording sessions in 2011 he gave Luke this Cry Baby. This limited edition White Cry Baby has sentimental value to Luke for that reason. This wah was used during the recording sessions for “Change Your Mind”, and was also used live during the Northeast shows in support of that album. Luke has used this wah live at multiple shows in CT, Mass., NY, VT., and elsewhere during the 2011-2016 PMT era. Luke still uses this Dunlop Cry Baby live and in the studio. In late 2017 Luke started to use the XOTIC XW-1 a bit more live in the studio....but....will always love and use the White Dunlop Cry Baby as it was a gift from his dad and has sentimental value. “There is something about the Dunlop Cry Baby that people either love or hate. I love this wah, I have many others but this a great simple wah Pedal. Legendary Hendrix-Vibe Cry Baby sounds. I can dig it.” -PMT Luke

An AKG C 414 XLS condenser mic was used to capture the sound of Luke’s Gibson custom J 185 rosewood cutaway acoustic guitar.... during recording sessions at applehead in Woodstock/saugerties NY. Songs off the 2012 “Smile”, “Change Your Mind”, “Break of Dawn”, “Good Times”, and “Paradox” are either all acoustic clean or have a clean acoustic blended in. The 1 st track on the PMT 2012 album “Change Your Mind”...”Brand New Day” was recorded at Blue Sky Recording Studios in Delmar, NY. The AKG C414 condenser mic was used on that track for all rythm and lead acoustic parts played on the Gibson as well.

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.

A Shure SM 57 was used on Richard Goddeau’s snare drum to capture the sound of his Pearl Custom Masters Series set on “Circles”. Richard Goddeau only appears on 1 song on “the black and white album”(2017). However an SM 57 was also used on his snare drum on “Back Up Again” and “Brand New Day” tracks 1 and 7 on Positive Mental Trip’s 1st professional studio album “Change Your Mind”(2012)

On the forthcoming 2019 Positive Mental Trip albums “Love Never Dies” and the PMT’s 1 st instrumental album titled “Instru-Mental Trip” many envelope filters have been used. Steve Repka as well as Luke Weiler use many digital as well as Analog Envelope filters on the forthcoming 2019 albums. You can clearly hear the use of the Line 6 FM 4 Filter Modeler on “Salsa Dancing With My Confusion”. Since there will be a few instrumental tracks on “Love Never Dies” Vol.1 2019 it’s unsure which album this track will end up on.

An AKG C 451 Microphone was 1 of the amazing arsenal of microphones that were used to capture drum sounds on 5 songs on “Change Your Mind”. The Positive Mental Trip recording sessions at applehead captured all drum sounds on “smile”(Reggae), “Change Your Mind”, “Paradox”, “Good Times”, and “Break of Dawn”. These particular 5 songs recorded at Applehead are still to this day the best sounding drums recorded on any Positive Mental Trip album. On the title track “Change Your Mind” alone there are 200 tracks if one opens up the session files on that song to take a listen and an arsenal of drum mics were used. (Snare bottom and top, rack, ride, overheads etc etc.) “I’m happy with a lot of the drum sounds we have on Positive Mental Trip albums. Especcially considering we have recorded on very little budget for many many years. Those 5 songs at applehead on “Change Your Mind” definitely are the best drum sounds that will ever be on a Positive Mental Trip album. They sound amazing.” PMT Luke

Chris Gartdrumm Gartmann used C and C custom drums on “smile” (reggae), “Change Your Mind”, “Paradox”, “Break of Dawn”, and “Good Times”. All 5 songs appeared on Positive Mental Trip’s 1 st professional studio album “Change Your Mind”(2012). Chris played a few shows live with Positive Mental Trip but was too busy to fully dedicate to the project as his nationally touring act “3” and “Joey Eppard and Friends”, and “E.G.O.(Eppard, Gartdrumm, and Orr) were his 3 main acts in that era. Chris’s C and C custom drums sound great on that album. Awesome kit. Great drummer too as a live performer or session musician.

Positive Mental Trip has used the Electro-Voice RE 20 dynamic mic on vocals and bass drum tracks.

Positive Mental Trip has used the Elektron Analog Drive on guitar parts on the new album.

Luke Weiler of Positive Mental Trip now plays a Pearl Masters series maple drum kit. It can be heard on circles from the 2017 album and the forthcoming positive Mental Trip album “Love Never Dies”.(2019)

In a 2019 studio session, Positive Mental Trip showcased their use of the Xotic Effects SP Compressor. Featured in a YouTube video by PMTluke, the pedal is praised for its compact size and high-quality compression, making it a studio favorite.

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.

Positive Mental Trip's guitarist, Luke, is confirmed to use the MXR M299 Carbon Copy Mini delay pedal, as evidenced by YouTube videos and Instagram photos showcasing his live rig setups. In a YouTube video by user PMTluke, he discusses various delay pedals, mentioning the MXR Carbon Copy Mini alongside other gear, which he uses during performances.