We met up with the bass player and musical director Oliver McEwan during soundcheck at Voxhall (Aarhus, DK), where he showed us his set-up and shared his thoughts about how he gets his bass to sound perfect. Oliver is one of the busiest bass players in Denmark, playing with top acts like Medina, Mads Langer, Johnson and many more.

The centrepiece of gear

The newest addition to Oliver’s pedalboard is the Caveman Audio BP1 Bass Preamp.
“Before I started using the BP1 Bass Preamp, I thought I needed more options on the pedal. But it turns out the gain knob does more than turn up and down.
It has everything I need because the gain at 12 o’clock is neutral, and as soon as you go above 12 o’clock, it starts adding harmonic distortion, which beefs up the whole bass sound.” – Oliver McEwan

Oliver is always trying to improve his bass tone and is constantly searching for the right tools to help him improve his sound.

“My first experience when I added the BP1 was like lifting a blanket that had muffled my sound. It just opened up the sound, which I loved because not only was there like an EQ difference, there was a dynamic difference that I had to play a few concerts before I noticed. It was like it placed itself better in the mix for every song.” – Oliver McEwan

Learn more about the BP1 Bass Preamp: https://caveman-audio.com/bp1/

“The BP1 Bass Preamp from Caveman Audio is a shortcut to great sound.”
-Oliver McEwan

Oliver’s basses on tour

Oliver uses a Sandberg California TT-5 as his main bass.

He is also bringing a Yamaha Silent SLB-200 upright bass.

Pedals & effects used live

These are the effects that Oliver uses when playing:
Caveman Audio BP1 Bass Preamp
TC Electronic Sub ‘N’ Up
TC Electronic PolyTune
Dark Glass Super Symmetry
Dark Glass Vintage Deluxe
Dunlop Bass Q Wah
T-Rex Goliath Fuel Tank (Power adapter)
T-Rex Bass Juice

Oliver uses the Dark Glass Vintage Deluxe and Super Symmetry on his pedalboard. When playing with Johnson, he uses it as an always-on compressor.

He also uses two different Drive pedals: the Dark Glass Vintage Deluxe and the T-Rex Bass Juice.

The Bass Wah and the Sub ‘N’ Up Octaver is used for extra thickness when playing solos/fills.
There are only three musicians on stage in this particular Hip-Hop set-up, a Talkbox/synth player, a drummer and a bass player, which leaves a lot of space for bass fills in the show.

TC Electronic Sub ‘N’ Up Octaver adds both low end and a bit of octave above, used for solos in the show.

The T-Rex Bass Juice adds a bit of crunchy sound, used as a distant mild overdrive for the groovier punchier songs.

The Dunlop Bass Q Crybaby Wah is used for solos and fills.

Oliver’s keyboards

For keys, Oliver uses the Moog Subsequent 37, which he has an expression pedal for controlling the filter’s expression.

In two parts of the show, Oliver also plays the keyboard. For those parts, he is using the Korg Stage Vintage SV1.

We met up with guitarist Niklas Schneidermann from Magtens Korridorer in the band's rehearsal room in Copenhagen (September ’21). He kindly showed us his rig and demonstrated some of the settings he uses, when playing live with Magtens Korridorer. Niklas' main piece of gear is his 3 channel tube amp, that he uses for three different types of overdrive sounds.

The amplifier & cabinet

Niklas is an avid Caveman Audio user and has multiple custom-made products from Steen Skrydstrup. Niklas has been playing the VOX AC50 amp for many years. Three years ago he decided to shift to the Skrydstrup TD50 Triple Drive amp. Last year Niklas tried going back to the Vox amp, but quickly realized that after playing the Skrydstrup amp, there was no turning back. - It simply sounds better!

Niklas is getting his dirt sounds from the amp, which has three levels of overdrive. Channel 1 ranges from fat and warm clean tones to gentle overdrive, Channel 2 goes from fast overdrive tones to high-gain bliss, and finally, Channel 3 takes you from a punchy-power-chord type of sound to screaming high-gain lead tones.

The Skrydstrup TD50 Triple Drive is now called Caveman Audio X3 - 3 Channel amp. The name is new, but the amp is the same. The guitar cabinet used is a Caveman Audio 412-V30 Cab.

“For the past three years, I have needed to have my Skrydstrup amplifier with me, because it just sounds fantastic - even when I play it!”

-Niklas Schneidermann (Magtens Korridorer)

Niklas’ favorite guitars

Niklas uses a variety of guitars, but mainly uses three types, when playing live with Magtens Korridorer.

His main guitar is the Fender Custom Shop Esquire Telecaster, which has an old beat up look. He also has a spare Fender Custom Shop Esquire Telecaster, this one with fancy gold paint.

Niklas’ latest edition to the guitars, is the Fender Jazzmaster Firemist gold ’65 that he purchased last year.

Also added to the guitars that will be going out on tour shortly, is the Fender Custom Shop LTD 60 Strat Relic in shell pink finish and a rare Vox Mandoguitar from the 60’s.

"Back to basics - just with great sound”

-Niklas Schneidermann (Magtens Korridorer)

Pedals & effects used live

The switching is controlled by the SC1 Midi Foot Controller from Caveman Audio. Niklas appreciates the noiseless switching he gets when using the SC1 controller, opposed to a regular pedalboard. Niklas likes to keep his setup simple and does not have a lot of pedals. These are the pedals that he uses live:

Caveman Audio TRM1 Opto Tremolo

2x Caveman Audio BOS1 Boost 28 booster pedals

Boss DD-5 Digital Delay

Strymon El Capistan Tape Echo

“The great thing about the SC1 Midi Foot Controller, opposed to using a regular pedalboard, is that you can get the sounds from all your favorite stompboxes without all the noise and the hiss”

-Niklas Schneidermann (Magtens Korridorer)

Custom-built products

Niklas is using a Skrydstrup custom-built interface in his rig. When playing live he also uses a Skrydstrup Input Selector as well as a Skrydstrup Acoustic Preamp, to make sure his acoustic guitar sounds right when playing live.

Niklas Schneidermann's Gear