Kiko Loureiro has switched to the Neural DSP Quad Cortex for Megadeth’s current tour

Thanks to his YouTube channel, Kiko Loureiro is doing a marvelous job of keeping us up-to-date with all things Megadeth, and the Brazilian electric guitar player recently shared a neat behind-the-scenes look at the band’s rehearsals ahead of their upcoming tour.

And, as well as providing a brief rehearsal room tour and a chat with returning bass guitar player James LoMenzo, the video also threw up a gear revelation – namely, that Loureiro has switched to a Neural DSP Quad Cortex for the forthcoming live shows.

It’s a notable departure from Loureiro’s previous tried-and-trusted Megadeth live rig, which featured Fractal’s digital amp modeler, the Axe Fx-II XL+.

After ambushing guitar tech Keaton Rich with his camera, Loureiro gives viewers a glimpse of his updated modelling unit-based rig, with which Rich fiddles while wielding the Megadeth man’s own Ibanez KIKO10 signature guitar.

With an eagle-eyed Loureiro filming, Rich can be seen tweaking one of the Quad Cortex’s presets, dialing up the gain and fine-tuning the tone by way of the unit’s intuitive parameter-sculpting control layout.

While Rich does his thing on the expression pedal-paired unit, Loureiro then reveals an additional pair of Neural DSP’s floor modelling units, which are hidden within the guitar player’s wider rig.

No comment is made by Loureiro at the time, though given his previous history in answering his fan's calls to film in-depth rig overviews – including his old Megadeth rig and live trio show setup – we expect a more thorough rundown to crop up in a future video.

And when it does, you best believe we’ll be all over it.

Megadeth's Metal Tour of the Year tour kicked off on August 20 in Austin, Texas –  a show that marked the first time in 12 years the band had played alongside James LoMenzo, who was rehired following David Ellefson's departure.

The band's next show is scheduled to take place this Thursday (September 9) at the Hollywood Casino Amphitheater in Chicago.

For a full list of dates, head over to Megadeth's official website.