Juan Alderete’ bass playing is just as diverse as the bands he’s been a part of. Whether he’s picking, plucking, or slapping for Racer X, The Mars Volta, or Deltron 3030, his famous sound sets the tone for the track.
Now, fans and fellow musicians alike have a chance to capture Alderete’s sound thanks to the over 700 bass guitars, pedals, and amps available now in The Official Juan Alderete Reverb Shop.
Alderete kickstarted his career with heavy metal band Racer X, which achieved mainstream success with Street Lethal in 1986. After stints with hard rock bands like The Scream, Alderete joined The Mars Volta in 2003, where he spent the next decade.
Alderete’s time with The Mars Volta reached a high point in 2008, when he was awarded a Grammy for Best Hard Rock Performance on the band’s single "Wax Simulacra." After The Mars Volta, Alderete worked with acts such as Lil Peep, Julliette Lewis, Deltron 3030, Domo Genesis, Mac Miller, Dr. Octagon (Kool Keith), One Day as a Lion, and, most recently, thegoodnews, a collaboration with rapper Del The Funky Homosapian. Now, Alderete is ready to pass a massive amount of gear from his collection to new players.
“All this gear should be in the hands of creative musicians who want to do what [the gear] is designed to do: make beautiful music,” said Alderete.
The Official Juan Alderete Reverb Shop features a Lakland Daryl Jones Signature used on The Mars Volta album The Bedlam in Goliath. Said Alderete: “I bought this Lakland bass at the Mesa Boogie store in Hollywood because I thought it sounded like David Wm. Sims’ bass in The Jesus Lizard.”
Additional items available in The Official Juan Alderete Reverb Shop include:- A Lakland Daryl Jones Signature used on The Mars Volta album The Bedlam in Goliath.
- A Fender Custom Shop Bass with an Oakland Raiders graphic.
- A Boss Custom Juan Vibrato that Alderete used extensively on numerous tours with The Mars Volta.
- A Mr Black Fwonk Beta Prototype in chrome, that Alderete described as a “super funky envelope filter.”
- A Mutron Micro V that Alderete used on tour with Deltron 3030 and Dr. Octagon (aka Kool Keith). “A lot of other companies tried to match what this envelope filter does. It’s very simple.”
- A Wren & Cuff distortion pedal that was custom built and never went into production.
The Official Juan Alderete Reverb Shop is open now.