Guitarist Luther Manhole and bassist Stin of OKC nu metal act Chat Pile, known for ethereal textures and sludgy riffs, broke down their live rigs from amps to guitars, to strings, and stomp boxes. Chris Kies of Premier Guitar met the band in Nashville to detail what goes into their tones and instrumentation on tour.
Kies and Luther Manhole first took note of Manhole's mainstay guitar, an Ernie Ball Music Man BFR Axis Super Sport 6 string baritone guitar with a starry burst finish. Being a guitarist who primarily plays in low tunings myself, it makes quite a bit of sense for Chat Pile to utilize extended necks for their predominantly Drop A tuned tracks while keeping a similar tautness of the strings as a standard guitar in standard E tuning. It was interesting to see that Manhole uses Mammoth Slinky strings ( 12 gauge to 62 gauge) on a baritone, where I often see the lowest string on a baritone be anywhere from 68 to 72, but hey, whatever works, works!
Stin uses a noted classic bass, the Peavey T-40, for the rumble from down under that is paramount for Chat Pile's signature sound. While the bass is a conventional four string instrument, Stin understandably uses 5 string bass sets to ensure intonation and tone in the lower tuned approach that the band typically takes for songwriting. Stin specifically uses "Slinky Cobalt Electric Bass 5 String" sets and omits the smallest gauge from his T-40.
Both members of Chat Pile noted that for their studio recordings, they primarily use vintage amps to really curate unique tones and textures. Luther uses a Quilter Tone Block 202, connected to a modified Ampeg VT-40 combo amp that has been repurposed to function solely as a 4x10 cabinet. the Quilter Labs Tone Block 202 utilizes tube behavioral replication, which helps create a more vintage tone that so many tube amp purists search for but without the bulky build. The official weight of the amp is a mere 3.3 pounds and includes a 3 band EQ, FX loop, and in amp reverb. So in essence, a little guy that packs a hell of a punch. Manhole has the amp run into a hollowed out Ampeg VT-40 combo that is functionally now a 4X10 cabinet.
Stin similarly uses a Quilter Labs Bass Block 802, much like the guitarist counterpart is a very lightweight head that has a 4 band EQ, effects loop, and packs a hell of a punch 800 watts of beefy low end. Stin also uses a 4X10 cab from Trace Elliot which has been used on every Chat Pile recording as well as their live performances.
Much like a lot of bands that have more unique tones and textures to their music, it is surprising how minimal Manhole is when it comes to his pedalboard. Manhole uses a TC Electronic Polytune guitar tuner, an Electro-Harmonix Memory Boy utilized for its chorus effect, A Suhr Riot distortion pedal to create extra grit and gain, and a TC Electronic Hall of Fame for reverb. Manhole noted that he has used these pedals for years and it is undeniable that he knows how to utilize them to the enth degree. Stin keeps it even more bare bones with a TU-3 Chromatic Tuner from Boss and a Tronographic Rusty Box, a trusty often sought after pre amp that allows for some extra push and character with gain, bass, middle, and passive EQ's as well as a "boost" footswitch. While these are reportedly back in production, a lot of gear threads for bass players in the past have either sought after clones or paid double the original price for this piece of hardware, so Stin definitely has a quality pre amp here that adds a lot to the rumble and attack for Chat Pile's low end.
Overall, what this rundown can show to both fans and aspiring musicians that are influenced by Chat Pile is that you do not need an elaborate pedal board or five + digits worth of gear to create your own unique and biting tones for your music. Simply use what's comfortable for you, learn and become familiar with a few pieces of hardware that are necessary for the tones and sounds you're looking for, and above all, put creativity into your playing. That's where Chat Pile shines, and it's inspiring to see them create the music they do with very little bells and whistles.
Watch the full Rig Rundown from Premier Guitar below:
