Leo's Gear
Musicians are always searching for the perfect tone. I've had many amps and basses over the past fifty-five years and I've even built my own gear. I have over twenty basses and a half-dozen amps but below is a list of the basses and amps I'm currently using on 'The Road'
Basses
I still have my 1962 Fender Jazz bass which I still play out occasionally but my usual touring bass is a "Leo Lyons Woodstock' bass built for me by the Bass Centre, London. It's a replica of my '62 Jazz and has all the knocks and dents of the original. It's hard to tell the two apart aside from the headstock. The balance, weight, fingerboard and tone are exactly the same.
Basses two and three are Warwick Star Basses, a five and four string. They provide another texture of sound on the road and in the studio. When I began playing bass way back in 1959 I dreamt of owning a Framus Star bass but never managed to get one. Now Warwick/Framus make them again.
Bass number four is an upright bass made by the 'Chadwick Folding Bass Company' Nashville. It's an ingenious invention by Charlie Chadwick one of my Music City friends who's also a great bass player. The neck of the bass folds into the body for transportation. It sounds amazing, is fun to play, and I can even check the bass as extra baggage on flights.
Amps
I've just started using Warwick amps and cabinets. I have an LW1000 head powering WCA 112 LW CE and WCA 408 LW CE cabinets. I'm amazed at how full and powerful such a light and compact rig sounds. Maybe it's the sound I've been looking for.
Effects
I mostly use a clean sound splitting my signal between my Warwick LW1000 amp and an Avalon DI box.I don't currently use many effects but I'm always experimenting with various pedals so maybe I'll try out a few ideas when HSS next tour.
Strings
Elites 45 to 105 gauge. The strings sound great and hold the tone for ages. They're an English company too.
