Justin Chancellor

Justin Chancellor
Justin Chancellor appearing with Tool at the Roskilde festival in 2006.
Background information
Born	November 19, 1971 (1971-11-19) (age 38)
Origin	England
Occupations	Musician, Book and record store owner
Instruments	Bass guitar
Associated acts	Tool Peach Isis

Justin Gunnar Walter Chancellor (born November 19, 1971) is a British-American musician, best known as his position as the bass player for Grammy Award-winning progressive metal band Tool, and formerly of the band Peach^[1]. Chancellor is of Norwegian and English descent.^[2] Since settling in the US, along with his engagement in his musical projects, he and his wife Shelee run a store called Lobal Orning in Topanga, California, dedicated to music, literature and film "that shaped and changed" both of them. Some of Justin's favorite musicians include Jimi Hendrix, Fugazi, The God Machine, and Swervedriver. Chancellor is the youngest member of Tool at 38 years old.

Equipment

Basses

• Wal - Chancellor’s main bass is a Wal 4-string he bought on a friend’s recommendation during the recording of Ænima. The bass’s woods and electronics help create the midrange cut and punch for which he is known. Justin also has three other four-string Wals: an identical model to his main bass, but with less midrange response (used on "Wings For Marie (Part 1)" and "10,000 Days (Wings Part 2)", a Mark III with a greenburst finish (used for the harmonic sections in "Right In Two"), and a lined fretless with a walnut top (used in the second verse of "Lateralus", all of "Intension", "10,000 Days (Wings Part 2)", and parts of "Rosetta Stoned"). Justin normally plays Ernie Ball Hybrid Slinky strings (.045, .065, .085, .105) He switches out the low .105 string for the .110 from the Ernie Ball Power Hybrid set.
• Music Man Stingray - Used on "Forty-Six & 2", "H." and "No Quarter".
• Gibson Thunderbird - Used once for "Prison Sex" live in 1996, when he first joined the band.

Amplification

• Mesa Boogie Roadready 4x12
• Mesa Boogie Roadready 8x10
• Gallien-Krueger 2001RB head x2 (1 Dirty Channel, 1 clean Channel)
• Demeter Amplification VTBP-201S Bass Preamp running direct to PA

Formerly used

• Mesa Boogie M-2000 head
• Mesa Boogie M-Pulse
• Mesa Boogie Bass 400+
• Mesa Roadready 8x10 (in place of the 4x12)

Effects

• Guyatone VTX Tremolo
• Digitech Bass Whammy - Used on "Eulogy" (fifth up/sixth up harmony), "Pushit(Live)" (fifth up/octave up harmony) "Third Eye (octave up)," "Schism" (octave down/octave up), Ticks and Leeches (fifth up/octave up harmony), "Lateralus" (octave up), "Disposition" (fifth up/octave up harmony), "Vicarious" (octave up harmony), "The Pot" (octave up) and "Right In Two"(fifth up/sixth up harmony).
• Tech 21 SansAmp GT2 Distortion
• Boss CE-5 Chorus Ensemble
• Boss BF-2 Flanger
• Boss DD-3 Digital Delay
• Guyatone BR-2 Bottom Wah Rocker Envelope Filter
• Colorsound Tone Bender Fuzz
• Foxx Fuzz/Wah/Volume

Other pedals

• Boss GEB7 EQ - run into his 4x12 after the Turbo RAT for a grit channel, for a slight low end boost.
• Pro Co RAT Turbo Rat Distortion Pedal - run with low gain into his 4x12 before the GEB-7 for a grit channel.
• Crowther Prunes & Custard - Used on "The Pot" live.

These pedals have not been confirmed to be used on any recordings, but have been seen on his board in studio snapshots.

• Lovetone Ring Stinger
• Lovetone Flange With No Name
• Line 6 FM4
• Lovetone Wobulator
• Lovetone Brown Source
• Lovetone Big Cheese
• Lovetone Doppelganger
• Lovetone Meatball

Playing Style

Justin uses many guitar techniques which include using a pick, chords, harmonics, effects, and hammer ons and pull offs. He uses his many effects to create guitar like textures. For example, in the song "The Pot", he uses a delay, wah, whammy, and fuzz to create a guitar-like solo in the breakdown. The intro to the track "Schism" from the album Lateralus demonstrates his use of hammer ons and pull offs. He often plays harmonies with fellow Tool member Adam Jones; the intro to "Vicarious" is a good example of his harmony work. In addition, the track "Rosetta Stoned" features completely different riffs to those played by guitarist Adam Jones, giving the song a "push and pull" feel. He also often plays odd and complex rhythms, working with drummer Danny Carey to create an interesting rhythm section.

Appearances

• Chancellor played bass on the Isis song 'Altered Course' on their 2004 album Panopticon.
• Chancellor also provided additional sounds/bass guitar on Isis song "Weight" on their 2006 live Clearing the Eye [DVD].

References