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MonoNeon, aka Dywane Thomas Jr., came up learning the bass from his father in Memphis, Tennessee, but for some reason, he decided to flip his dad’s 4-string bass around and play it with the string order inverted—E string closest to the ground and the G on top. That’s how MonoNeon still plays today, coming up through a rich, inspiring gauntlet of family and community traditions. “I guess my whole style came from just being around my grandma at an early age,” says Thomas.

His path has led him to collaborate with dozens of artists, including Nas, Ne-Yo, Mac Miller, and even Prince, and MonoNeon’s solo output is dizzying—trying to count up his solo releases isn’t an easy feat. Premier Guitar’s Chris Kies caught up with the bassist before his show at Nashville’s Exit/In, where he got the scoop on his signature 5-string, Ampeg rig, and simple stomp layout, as well as some choice stories about influences, his brain-melting playing style, and how Prince changed his rig.

Shop MonoNeon's Rig:

Fender MonoNeon Jazz Bass V - https://sweetwater.sjv.io/QyBQeM

Ampeg SVT - https://sweetwater.sjv.io/Jz03zN

DigiTech Whammy - https://sweetwater.sjv.io/q4LBRO

CIOKS SOL - https://sweetwater.sjv.io/jrPL2v

Full Rig Info: https://www.premierguitar.com/videos/rig-rundown/mononeon

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[Brought to you by D’Addario: https://ddar.io/wykyk-rr]

0:00 - Blu DeTiger & D'Addario

0:15 - MonoNeon Playing Intro

1:32 - Chris Kies Intro

1:52 - Working with Mavis Staples & George Clinton

2:40 - Expanding Songwriting on Quilted Stereo

3:49 - MonoNeon Signature Fender Jazz V Bass

4:51 - Flipping the Bass

5:27 - Family Means Everything to MonoNeon

6:37 - MonoNeon Tunings

6:50 - Exploring MicroTonal Music

7:27 - MonoNeon's String-Bending Style

8:15 - Prince Introduced the DigiTech Whammy to MonoNeon

8:53 - Impact of Performing & Recording with Prince

10:57 - Joe Glaser & D'Addario

11:13 - Humbuckers in MonoNeon Jazz V

12:27 - Ampeg SVT-CL Half Stack

12:51 - MonoNeon Pedalboard

14:42 - Making Melodies Out of Viral Videos

16:01 - MonoNeon's Love for Dadaism & Grandma's Quilts

17:14 - MonoNeon Outro Playing

17:59 - D'Addario Strings

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