Alex Lifeson’s Rush reunion pedalboard and live rig has been revealed, and it confirms that there are no tube amps on the Fifty Something tour.
The Canadian virtuoso had recently revealed to Rick Beato that his signature IK Multimedia TONEX pedal was to play a key role in his new live rig as he looks to recreate classic Rush tones throughout the set. Now we know exactly how he's doing that thanks to an Instagram post from his gear brand, Lerxst.
In Rush’s later years, Lifeson had ditched tube amps for a Fractal Axe-Fx amp modeler. However, the traditional modeler route, Lifeson told Beato, usually used the same cluster of tones shared between dedicated hot, dirty, and clean channels.
So, to see him doubling down and expanding his use of digital gear isn’t a surprise. The beating heart of Lifeson's new rig is his signature IK Multimedia TONEX pedal, which has captured some of his most prized amps and tones from across his career. Beyond that, he’s got a few other tricks up his sleeve.
Joining the 12-foot-strong Fractal FC-12 foot controller and his TONEX pedal is a Tech 21 wah pedal, a Paul Cochrane Timmy overdrive, and a TC Electronic Ditto X2 looper.
Rounding out the bunch is the Morley x Lerxst ATWAS, a wah-and-volume pedal in one. While its successor, the Blah Blah, was released in 2024, Lifeson is staying true to the two-trick pedal. It got used right off the bat, too, with – spoilers ahead – Lifeson and Geddy Lee donning double-neck guitars for their epic set opener, Xanadu, on opening night.
The ATWAS is likely being employed as a volume pedal here, with the Tech 21 catering to all of Lifeson’s wah-y needs.
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Lifeson has been busy with Lerxst releases in the years between Rush’s apparent farewell 11 years ago and their triumphant comeback with Anika Nilles and Loren Gold. The firm has dropped the Limelight S-style guitar, a reimagining of his iconic Hentor Sportcaster; a pre-wired Limelight pickguard; CHI head and 1x12 cab; and the By-Tor drive and boost pedal, among others.
It’s perhaps a surprise, then, that only one piece of Lerxst-branded gear has made it onto his latest pedalboard, but it’s a high-powered ‘board all the same, and his guitar tones have been getting rave reviews so far.
In related news, Gibson Custom Shop Greeny has also made its way into his live rig, while Epiphone – its finger firmly on the pulse – has now reissued Lifeson’s ES-355.
