Nick Hipa has consistently distinguished himself as a man of myriad artistic pursuits, musically and beyond, from his days in Wovenwar and As I Lay Dying to his current menagerie of metal guitar duties with MIRE — the band he formed in 2017 — and hitting the stage as God Forbid’s live rhythm guitarist. Nick’s Artist Profile is your one-stop spot for all things at the intersection of Nick Hipa and Sweetwater: gear, content, music, and much more presented alongside behind-the-scenes looks at Nick’s artistry, creative processes, and sonic philosophy.
Scroll on to learn more about Nick’s live and studio rigs, stream the latest MIRE music, and discover what powers his polychromatic performances!
- Signature Nick Hipa Caparison Angelus-NH Guitar Up Close
- Nick Hipa’s Live Gear: Guitars, Sounds, and Supports
- In the Studio with Nick Hipa
- Stream the Latest from MIRE: Pale Reflection
- Content Spotlight: Caparison Angelus-NH Signature Guitar Showcase
Signature Nick Hipa Caparison Angelus-NH Guitar Up Close
Have you ever wondered what’s behind the hardware, tonewood, and design choices of Nick Hipa’s signature Caparison Angelus-NH? Now you get the answers straight from Nick himself! Just mouse over and select points on the image to learn more about each element underpinning Nick’s signature six-string.
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You can learn more about how Nick utilizes the Multi-Voice technologies of the Fishman Fluence Modern pickups aboard his signature Caparison Angelus-NH.
Nick Hipa’s Live Gear: Guitars, Sounds, and Supports
Across main-stage MIRE mayhem and guest-starring guitar spots with God Forbid, Nick Hipa’s on-stage sound is built from a beastly yet methodically streamlined setup that fuses cutting-edge tone sculpting technology with time-tested sound shaping tools, effortlessly transmuting his carefully crafted studio sonics into a live barrage no-holds-barred brutality.
Caparison Guitars: Signature Sound is Only the Beginning
Nick Hipa’s Caparison Angelus-NH signature guitar is the cornerstone of his sonic armory, but it’s not the only guitar in his Caparison garrison.
Kemper, Mesa/Boogie & More: Boundary-pushing Sonic Tech Meets Historic Live-sound Power
The emergence and popularity of floorboard modelers and IR-capture capabilities ignited dimensions of debate that make the “solid-state versus tube” discussion seem like child’s play. Nevertheless, Nick’s onstage sound pairs the best of both worlds for an uncompromising array of metal musicality, running his Kemper straight into his Mesa cab “for onstage sickness.”
In addition to this foundational firepower, Shure and Mission Engineering are critical supports for Nick Hipa’s live playing. And no matter the axe in question, Ernie Ball guitar strings are part of every performance while a trusty SKB iSeries Fly Rack Case ensures road-caliber protection, from takeoff to curtain call.
Fishman Fluence Modern Pickups: Cutting-edge Sound Shaping for All
The state-of-the-art tech of the Fishman Fluence Modern humbuckers have cemented them as a staple among players of hard-hitting and technically demanding styles, thanks to their innovative Multi-Voice capabilities. Nick Hipa’s signature Caparison is no exception, and the sleek black pickup design offers an eye-grabbing visual contrast to the Transparent White finish that supercharges Nick’s style and substance with equal aplomb.
In the Studio with Nick Hipa
Between MIRE and his ongoing connections with and contributions to artists around the world, Nick Hipa’s studio setup is the central nervous system of his artistic output, the source of power for his devotion to bringing creativity to life. From haymaker hardware to essential software and supports, this is the gear powering Nick’s studio.
Amplifiers: Diezel Dynamism & Peavey Precision
Nick Hipa’s heavy guitar tones, playing, and style utilize the time-tested tone machines that are the revered Diezel VH4 and the Peavey 6505 as his foundation for MIRE as well as for additional features. While the discontinued 6505+ is essential to Nick’s studio tones, Peavey’s 6505 II and 6505 1992 tube heads employ the same DNA. Nick also uses an active Countryman Type 85 direct box.
At home, Nick’s BOSS Waza Tube Amp Expander is critical for tone-crafting and recording needs, using it with his VH4 and 6505+ — both the Core and Standard models supply an expansive array of attenuation, IR loading, cabinet emulation, and further sonic supports.
Adam Audio & IsoAcoustics: Balanced, Pristine Playback
Balanced playback is essential for Nick’s multidisciplinary ventures, from original music and collaborative contributions to mixdowns and his extensive video work — that’s why ADAM Audio and IsoAcoustics are the bedrock of his home-studio listening needs.
Home Studio Software: Pro Tools, Fab Filter, Omnisphere, Toontrack, and More
Avid’s Pro Tools DAW software is the industry standard for a reason, and it’s right at home in Nick’s sonic sanctuary. It sits at the heart of his setup alongside choice plugins that include Toontrack’s Superior Drummer 3, Neural DSP’s Parallax X plugin, Solemn Tones’ Loki Bass 2, the Soundtoys complete collection, an array of FabFilter plugins, and the flagship soft-synth power of Spectrasonics’ Omnisphere.
Additionally, you can find a Universal Audio Apollo Twin audio interface and a Shure SM7B in Nick’s home studio.
