Lita Ford | Pedal Boards

Lita Ford has always been a fan of the simplicity and power of a guitar plugged into a loud amp, with very little in the way of effects. 

“In the Runaways I was too focused on learning my instrument first. Guitar – cable- amp.  That’s it.” 

Lita also never succumbed to the use of rack mount gear in its ’80’s heyday, and currently uses a very straightforward, yet uniquely curated, board.

Thanks to tech Jarod Woznik for giving us the scoop.

What pedals does Lita currently have in her board?

Ever since I’ve been working with Lita, she has kept her gear pretty simple and straightforward.  At the moment on her board we have a Dunlop DVP3 volume pedal into a Cantrell wah into a TC Electronic Flashback mini delay into MXR analog chorus.  Four pedals, that’s it!  

On the TC delay mini I created a custom dynamic digital delay toneprint that fits her playing and doesn’t muddy the sound.

The Cantrell wah is a relatively unusual choice – what is it about that one in particular that she digs?

From Lita … “The Cantrell Wah Wah has a customizable sweep and is in your face!  Standard Cry Baby’s are a bit more subtle. They are just BAD ASS and there is no mistaking the attitude.”

How have Lita’s effects choices changed over the years?

As an artist, sometimes she wants to try a different vibe and exchange a pedal for another.  For the most part her setup hasn’t changed too much while I’ve been working with her.  She likes to keep the sound raw (guitar cranked through a Marshall DSL100 head) and only add effects when the song calls for it.

How was the order of pedals on the board determined? 

The pedal chain was put together by myself and approved by Lita.  Even though she only has 4 pedals on her board, if they were put together in a completely different order, the sound and audio quality would be different.

What kind of power supply and cables does she use?

We have tried a few different power supplies but the one-spot w/ 3 pedals jumped (the volume pedal is passive) just works!  Because the routing goes from left to right I needed custom length cables so I reached out to my friends at George L’s cables and they helped make the board cleaner.

Are you involved in her technical decisions as far as gear?

Yes.  As far as gear, if I think something can be done better I put together a system and we try it.  90% of our shows as of late have been fly dates so really condensing our “fly pack” has been the focus.  Luckily, technology has allowed us to cut back on many unneeded pieces of gear while adding quality.

Full interview and photo of Lita’s chosen pedal will be featured in the Stompbox Book, coming summer 2020.

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