The Floyd Rose artist relations team had a chance to speak with Phil Collen of Def Leppard.  Phil took time out of his busy schedule and we talked all things Floyd hardware, guitar shop & more!  His world is sure to get hectic once again when Def Leppard touring resumes, so we want to express our thanks to Phil for his time and longtime loyalty to Floyd Rose.

Q: When did you first see or hear about Floyd Rose bridges?

In the late 70’s my Friend and fellow guitarist Rudi Rivière introduced me to the whole Planet Eddie Van Halen.

Q: Did you get one soon after?

I had a tried another brand initially & it was mid 80’s when I got my first Floyd!

Q: Given the inherent tuning stability design-what other benefits do you feel the FR hardware gives the guitarist?

It gives more sustain, and when it is setup (correctly) it makes the guitar feel like a living entity.

Q: Do you have your FR bridges setup floating? any special setup preferences or tips?

I do have them floating almost flush flat with the body so I can pull it up or go all the way down equally.

Q: You use a number of guitars live due to bands live set requirements. At home, what is your favorite guitar?

At the moment my favorite guitar is a Jackson PC Custom Supreme with the fattest neck Jackson have ever made. It was initially made as a fun thing but it has the best tone out of any of my guitars. It is also the guitar that anyone who sees DL usually comments on the sound of it.

Q: Has the band got any touring plans locked in yet?

 We were scheduled last year for a giant stadium tour. We’re definitely going to reschedule all of the dates. Just waiting for the world to give us the green light.

Q: Any more residencies planned?

Not as of yet but I’m sure we’d do it again.  We had a blast last time.

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Formed in 1977 in Sheffield, England Def Leppard combined their love of their favorite rock bands and youthful energy to reach for the stars.  They achieved those rock and roll dreams by the early 80’s with Def Leppard’s music as part of the burgeoning new metal scene.  The hard rocking & well-crafted songs with clever studio production are core elements of their initial success.  Def Leppard’s continued enthusiasm to rock music with devotion to (and expressed back from) their fans vaulted this band into iconic status. Now Rock and Roll Hall of Fame members, Def Leppard have sold millions of records and still tour to sold out crowds worldwide. Until the Covid pandemic dragged touring plans to a grinding halt, the group was poised to bring their exciting live shows to stadiums across the US.  If C19 health restrictions allow, Phil Collen and his band mates may yet perform live in 2021!

Special thanks & our appreciation to Helen Collen: http://www.helencollenphotography.com/