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The Gear - Landing Gear

From December 2001's Bass Player Magazine:

Since 1997, DeLeo's main bass has been the Schecter model-T. He built the first prototypes himself while working at L.A.'s Sunset Custom, which later became Schecter Guitar Research.

"When I moved out to California in '88, I bought a Music Man StingRay because of Louis Johnson. I loved the tone of that bass-the low end and the snap on the top-but I wasn't really into the midrange. I wasn't slapping anymore, and I wanted to create something that could be heard in a rock format. When I started working at Sunset Custom, I put together a J-style version of what I use now, with a thumbrest that marked the position of that one Music Man pickup. I used that on Core later, it seemed like the PJ setup was more voicing I was hearing for the band's sound; this bass just made a lot more sense that way. It took awhile to get there." Schecter has a 5-string version of the Model-T, but Robert doesn't play it. "I'm old-fashioned. I don't know if I could get around on a 5."

In the studio, DeLeo has also used an unidentified upright, a '50s Danelectro Long Horn baritone guitar, '66 Fender Precision, '70s Fender MusicMaster, '76 Rickenbacker 4001, G&L-2000, and an Orlando, which Robert describes as a "Japanese bass from the '60s that's like a Gibson version of a Vox Beatle bass."

Robert uses SIT strings, gauges .050-.105. His live rig consists of three 2x12 and three 4x10 Eden cabinets, an old Alembic F-1x preamp, and a QSC MX 1500 power amp. His favorite studio setup-copped from Chris Squire producer Eddie Offord-splits his signal between a '67 50-watt Marshall Plexi guitar head/'69 Marshall keyboard 8x10 and a '59 Bassman with a custom 1x15. "That bass tone stands the test of time. I crank it up-there's a lot of guitar to cut through, and the Marshall gives me midrange. It's that nasal, honking sound.

"You're gonna hear guitars, no matter what. But if the music isn't happening, the first thing you say is, 'Where's the bass?' You don't ever ask about the guitars. I ride [producer] Brenden O'Brien during the mixes: 'Put that bass up!' Generally, he's on my side."

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