Geared Up: Gina Volpe Dives Deep into Her Gibson SG Diablo, Guitar and Amp Set Up

While she’s no stranger to the music world, things can’t help but feel a little bit different for Gina Volpe. She is set to release her debut solo record, Delete The World, on February 23rd, 2024. But she is no newbie to any of this, having a lengthy, successful tenure as the frontwoman to BANTAM. The power trio released two albums and then a new single last year. Volpe’s time in BANTAM was preceded by her fierce 1990s punk band Lunachicks, which she formed with some classmates in high school. That band became an international touring act, releasing six albums. She then made the leap to lead singer when she formed BANTAM.

In 2017, Volpe released her debut solo EP, Different Animal. This was followed up in 2021 with the Chaos Agent EP. It’s taken some time, but we are finally almost at the release of Volpe’s debut full-length. This is her first full-length as a solo artist. The songs are a change from the style she stuck with on those EPs. Delete the World is a brooding, experimental batch of songs combining indie rock, synth pop and alternative rock. Many of the songs reflect on when coping mechanisms don’t serve you well and the unintended associated consequences.

With such a musical junkie, Volpe made for an ideal participant in our Geared Up interview series. Today, she discusses her Gibson SG Diablo and her elaborate amp setup.

First things first: what’s your current setup?

Gina Volpe: “I play a Gibson SG Diablo through my trusty silver Marshall Jubilee anniversary series half stack. When possible, i.e. local shows, it’s accompanied by two other custom-built amps that my mad professor of a husband created. One is a hybrid green and orange tube amp with a custom 4×12 cabinet. The other is a solid state Hilbish Sunn Beta clone with a crown power amp and a 2×15 Mesa bass cabinet. Do I need three amps on stage? No. But since I have three amps, then why not play them all at once?

“I rotate pedals on my board, but usually I have a custom delay pedal, a flanger, a modified wah, a spark volume pedal and Edison pre and post-amp pedals.”

What one piece of gear do you use to obtain your signature sound?

“My Gibson/Marshall setup is the meat of my sound, along with the Edison post amp pedals.”

Gina Volpe Riot Fest SG Diablo, photo by Hillary Terenzi

How did you come to possess all this gear? Give us the details.

“Way back in 1989, when my first band, Lunachicks, got signed to the British label Blast First Records, we didn’t really have much in the way of gear. All we could scrounge up at the time were a couple of shitty old solid state practice amps that made all kinds of horrible noise. The label took us shopping on 48th St (aka Music Row) in Manhattan to get some proper gear. We were so young and just learning our instruments that we didn’t know anything about gear, although I did know enough to walk in and say that I wanted a Marshall stack.

“The salesman at Manny’s Music said he’d give us a deal if we bought the silver Jubilee anniversary series that had come out a couple of years prior. Ok, fine, whatever, dude, as long as it’s a Marshall! To this day, I owe that sales guy a long overdue thank you. The Jubilee is my most favourite Marshall series, and I’m fortunate to have one.”

Gina Volpe amps, photo by Basil Rodericks

What made you choose this set of gear, and were there any close seconds or alternatives?

“Switching to guitars here. I got my first Gibson right after I got the Marshall. It was a ’70s Gold Top. Sounded great, but I never liked the way it played, so I would only use it to record. I rarely played it live. Then I got myself an SG 61 reissue because, duh, Angus Young. I love that guitar, but I hated how neck-heavy it was. Actually, I bought a large fishing weight (at the old fish and tackle shop that used to be in between the Chelsea Hotel and Chelsea Guitars on W 23rd St., more old NYC references), and I sewed it into a pocket with velcro.

“I would then wrap it onto the base of my guitar strap to keep my SG upright. Worked like a charm despite the funny looks I got from some of the other band’s guitar techs. I also always wished that the SG body was thicker and had more heft to it. Ultimately, what I wanted was an SG-Les Paul hybrid, which doesn’t really exist (at least not in the way I think it should). But the SG Diablo is closer with its archtop, and that is my current guy right now.

“Recently, though, the huz decided to take on the challenge of building my dream hybrid guitar, and it’s amazing. I traced the ’61 reissue and the goldtop and made a template for the shape. Once I gold leaf, it will be done and ready to rock. Although it weighs 13 pounds, and now that I’m a little older, I really feel the full weight of it after jumping around and rehearsing with it strapped to me for a couple of hours. Oof, careful what you wish for.”

Did you use this setup recording Delete the World? If so, please elaborate on how and for what parts.

“I did use the SG Diablo for much of the album. But I also had the good fortune of having the New York Dolls’ Sylvain Sylvain’s fabulous cherry red SG loaned to me by way of Barb Morrison, my producer. Sylvain’s guitar played beautifully and sounded great. If I could have owned it I would have in a heartbeat, but it’s owner wasn’t going to let it go. I did however get to write and record a few of my favourite songs on the album with it before I had to give it back.

“As for the amps on the album, I have to admit that since I record at home a lot of the time, I’m using plugins such as guitar rig, along with the FM3, which I’ve recently added to my gear collection. Occasionally, though, I will mic up my Marshall, which is in my basement. I have chords running up through the house, and blast away, which I’m sure the neighbours just love. But I do find the digital set up more immediate when I’m struck by inspiration and need to lay something down quick. So the latest single was done on the FM3.”

Do you have a special way that you recreate your album tones in a live setting? Or is it more just plug-and-play?

“This remains to be seen as I have yet to play the new stuff live. But my intent is to recreate as close as possible, which means having more people on the band. I may also be using the FM3 simply for all of the different presets I can make as each song on this album varies quite a lot from the other.”

We know you love this gear, but are there any major cons? (Ok, you can also list the
pros.)

“For The Marshall, cons: It’s kind of big and heavy; a tube can blow at any given moment. Luckily, this has only happened once before, albeit on stage during the second song with a packed house and no spare amp for miles.

“Pros: It’s cool as hell and not that common, and it’s silver. Oh yeah, and it sounds amazing. Also, I remade the letters to spell ‘arsehole’ over the years, though the ‘hole’ fell off and now it says ‘arse.’ Well, actually I think I’m just at ‘ars’ at this point.”

Gina Volpe, photo by Barb Morrison

What’s a brand or bit of gear that you love that no one else seems to?

“When I first started playing guitar as a teenager, my friend’s metalhead little brother lent me his BC Rich Warlock to learn on, which he later took back and then loaned me his Jackson (now that I think about it, how did a 13-year-old kid have so many guitars?) I got used to playing the Jackson and decided to buy myself a Charvel. It was 1989 in the heyday of hair metal, and there I was, a punk rocker in a punk band with a heavy metal guitar. Everybody had something to say about it. I had to eat a lot of crap for it, but I loved my Charvel.

“It may have been the infamous and hilarious Howie Pyro (R.I.P.) who dubbed it the ‘Poop Charvel.’ I suppose there was a poop shovel joke in there, but I cannot remember what it was. Anyways, I decided that I had to make it less metal-looking and give it a makeover more in my style. Out came the glue gun and the supermarket vending machine trinkets, Barbie doll heads, paint, stickers and whatever else I could find to stick onto her. I am happy to say that my beautiful ‘Poop Charvel’ now proudly hangs on display at The Punk Rock Museum. Go check it out and say hi to her for me next time you’re in Vegas.”

Gina Volpe Guitar World 2000, photo by Michael Halsband