At his home studio -- dubbed "Rancho Relaxo" -- the venerable Les Claypool has a vintage API console. He loves the clear, punchy tone his basses get running direct through an API channel so much, he decided to take that tone on tour with him, via a pair of API 7600 Channel Strips.

We spoke over the phone with Les, who is currently on tour supporting Of Fungi And Foe, his latest solo studio album. There's a wide variety of basses featured on the album, including as acoustic resonator bass, a Ned Steinberger electric upright, and the wonderful one-stringed Whamola. . . each of which gets top-shelf preamplification on the road courtesy the API 7600s.