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Legendary Metal Guitarist John 5 Explains How One Piece of Equipment Keeps His Sound Consistent at Every Venue

Over a 30-year career of playing with world-famous acts that include David Lee Roth, Rob Zombie and Marilyn Manson, guitarist John 5 has performed at more venues than he can count. Over the decades he’s developed a collection of his favorite instruments and equipment, and he says the one tool in his arsenal that helps ensure he has consistent sound across varying stages is the Furman® P-1800 AR Prestige Voltage Regulator.

“Over time, you pick and choose what you love and what’s the best, and you know what brands produce the best products,” John 5 said. “I always want to use the best gear possible, and for clean power and equipment protection, that means using Furman.”

Touring professionals have an important task before every show to ensure they deliver the sound they want and the sound the crowd expects. Different room shapes and building materials affect how sound reverberates, but there’s an even more fundamental issue electric instrumentalists must evaluate – the source of their electricity.

Power can be finicky and unpredictable across venues, with voltages commonly ranging from about 110 volts to above 125, with 120 being optimal and the North American standard. According to John 5, dealing with this is a constant need that affects every performance. The Furman® P-1800 AR transforms the venue’s power into as close as possible to 120 volts.

“My rig sounds better with clean, steady power, and that’s where my Furman gear comes in,” he said. “We play so many different venues, from arenas to ballrooms to sheds, that I usually have to make adjustments to my settings to create the right sound. When I’m setting up my rig and see 118, 119, 120 volts coming from my Furman gear, I know it’s going to be a good night. My power draw fluctuates a lot throughout a show, and without a 120-volt power conditioner I can hear the tone change and wouldn’t be able to perform to even my own expectations.”

Consistent voltage is just one side of the Furman coin, though, with the other being perhaps even more vital: protecting tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of equipment from power damage. The P-1800 AR John 5 uses features Series Multi-Stage Protection and Extreme Voltage Shutdown that protects his expensive gear from spikes, brownouts and other large power fluctuations. It also filters and purifies AC power to reduce line noise.

“There is nothing worse than someone’s rig going down,” he added. “My Furman gear gives me confidence and sets my mind at ease so I can focus on playing the best show I can. The nightmare is that a power surge wrecks a whole rack of gear, which is not only expensive, but could end a concert. I’ve seen it happen, tragically, and the only way to prevent it is to use a trusted power conditioner and advanced surge protector. My P-1800 AR gives me all of that in a clean, simple package.”

With nine total outlets, including three that are widely spaced for bulky plugs and one on the front for convenience, isolated banks that minimize inter-component noise contamination, a large, easy-to-see voltmeter and ammeter, a front USB outlet for a USB lamp, and LED indicators that warn when incoming voltage is outside the target range, the Furman P-1800 AR delivers the clean, reliable, protected power required for live performances. Learn more at www.furmanpower.com.

To learn more about John 5’s first live solo album “It’s Alive”, the gear he loves, his current tour with his band John 5 And The Creatures, and the Rob Zombie summer 2018 tour, visit his website at www.john-5.com.

To download images, click here.

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