Omar Alfredo Rodríguez-López (born September 1, 1975) is a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, producer, writer, actor and film director. He is best known for his roles in The Mars Volta and At The Drive-In, but has also been a member of a multitude of other bands as noted here on this website. He also has contributed performances to various other artists such as El-P, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Calle 13, and Erykah Badu. He frequently appears on best guitarist lists often being lauded for effect heavy and somewhat chaotic performances.
Omar was born in Bayamón, Puerto Rico and as a child his family moved multiple times leading him to live in South Carolina, Mexico, and eventually El Paso. Omar grew up in a family that celebrated music, with his father being a semi-celebrated salsa musician. He would begin forming and performing in punk bands as a teenager including the acts, Flood Plaza!, Jerk, and Startled Calf. During his adolescence he came into contact with Paul Hinojos and Cedric Bixler-Zavala who would later become bandmates. As a teenager Omar left home to hitchhike across the country. Eventually he ran out of money and reportedly developed an opioid addiction. He earned money by selling acid and his guitar. He eventually earned enough money to return to El Paso with the help of Cedric and he was enlisted as At the Drive-In’s bassist.
Omar has been open about his struggles with substance use in his youth, acknowledging periods of abusing opioids and stimulants, mainly crack cocaine. In If This Ever Gets Weird he acknowledges that he struggled with being able to stop his crack cocaine binges. As The Mars Volta began to make momentum he decided to cease hard drug use to help focus on the band. In addition, as he has gotten older he has been more willing to share about his sexuality, noting he was previously in a romantic relationship with Jeremy Michael Ward, and that he was made fun of for being identified as queer as a teenager. During a conversation with Johann Scheer regarding trauma he stated he was sexually abused by a family member as a child.
Gear
Guitar
- Squier Supersonic
Used during his tenure with At the Drive-In. His particular model is from the late 90’s and likely made in Korea. The neck pickup and toggle switch were removed.
- Gibson SG II
Used to record De-Loused in the Comatorium
- Fender Telecaster
Although not used live Omar has acknowledged use of telecasters when recording music.
- Ibanez AX120
Used frequently in the early days of The Mars Volta. Also used in ANTEMASQUE
- Ibanez ORM-1
Ibanez signature model
- 2004 Ibanez Cadet
Used off and on during the Bedlam tour.
- Supro Super
Using during Bosnian Rainbows. His version had a short scale neck.
- Supro Custom
Based off the Supro Super. Was made for him during the Bosnian Rainbows tour.
- 1974 Fender Mustang
Used during ANTEMASQUE because “The album rejected everything else.”
- Ernie Ball Music Man St. Vincent Signature
Used during the At the Drive-In tours from 2016-2018
- Ernie Ball Music Man Albert Lee HH
Guitar during At the Drive-In reunion tours from 2016-2018
- Ernie Ball Mariposa
Omar’s signature guitar since reforming The Mars Volta in 2022
Bass
- Unknown bass
There is one photo of the bass Omar used when he first joined At the Drive-In that you can see in this gig. The bass is yellow and the body has a black and white checkerboard pattern.
- Fender Jazz Bass
- Fender Mustang Bass
Used when playing bass with Le Butcherettes
Keys/Synths
- Virus T1
Used during the ORLG trio shows and Bosnian Rainbows
Effects
- Line 6 DL4 Delay Modeler
Used on multiple boards throughout his career
- Line 6 MM4 Modulation Modeler
- Line 6 FM4 Filter Modeler
- DigiTech WH-4 Whammy (4th Gen)
- Boss SL-20 Slicer
- EarthQuaker Devices Rainbow Machine
- Line 6 M9 Stompbox Modeler
Started using during the 2011 The Mars Volta tour
- Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi
Used during early The Mars Volta shows.
- MXR M101 Phase 90
On his 2011 board
- Boss DD-5 Digital Delay
- Empress Fuzz
- Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer
- MXR M133 Micro Amp
Used on the 2011 pedalboard
- Electro-Harmonix Holy Grail Nano
- Moog Moogerfooger MF-102 Ring Modulator
Used on multiple boards throughout his career.
- Boss VB-2 Vibrato
On his 2009 pedalboard
- Strymon TimeLine
Used during the 2016-2018 At the Drive-In pedalboard
- Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man (Big Box)
- Electro-Harmonix EH-7700 Polychorus
On his early The Mars Volta board
- Death By Audio Echo Dream 2
On his 2015 ANTEMASQUE tour board
- George Dennis Phaser
On his 2009 pedalboard
- Dunlop JD-4S Rotovibe
On his 2009 pedalboard
- Ibanez Tone-Lok DE7 Stereo Delay/Echo
On his 2009 pedalboard
- Electro-Harmonix Frequency Analyzer XO
- Electro-Harmonix Memory Boy
On his 2011 pedalboard
- Boss HR-2 Harmonist
On his 2011 pedalboard
- Catalinbread Callisto
- A/DA Flanger
On his early The Mars Volta pedalboard
- Moog Minifooger MF Chorus
Used on his 2015 ANTEMASQUE board
- Electro-Harmonix EH-4800 Small Stone
On his 2009 board
- Empress Superdelay Digital Delay Pedal
- Electro-Harmonix XO Deluxe Memory Man
Used until 2011
- DigiTech Whammy WH-1
On earlier boards
- Dunlop Cry Baby 105Q Bass Wah
On his early The Mars Volta pedalboard
- DigiTech X-Series Synth Wah
On his early The Mars Volta pedaloard
- JHS Warble Tron
On his 2015 ANTEMASQUE pedalboard
- Boss PN-2 Tremolo/Pan
On his 2009 pedalboard
- Ibanez WH10 Wah
On his 2011 pedalboard
- Ibanez Tone-Lok TC7 Tri-Mode Chorus
On his 2011 pedalboard
- Catalinbread Semaphore Tremolo
On his 2014 ANTEMASQUE board
- Blackout Effectors Whetstone Analog Phaser
- Wampler Faux Spring Reverb
On his 2015 ANTEMASQUE pedalboard
- Boss SYB-3 Bass Synthesizer
On his 2009 The Mars Volta pedalboard
- Ibanez SB7 Bass Synthesizer
On his 2009 The Mars Volta pedalboard
- Ibanez DML20 Modulation Delay III
On his 2009 The Mars Volta pedalboard
- Boss TU-2 Chromatic Tuner
- Catalinbread Semaphore
- Dunlop Cry Baby GCB-95
On his 2015 ANTEMASQUE pedalboard
- Guyatone MD3 Micro Digital Delay
On his 2009 The Mars Volta pedalboard
- DOD Analog Delay 680
Seen in “If This Ever Gets Weird.”
- Bixonic EXP-2001 Expandora II
Used with At the Drive-In in 2001
- Pro Co RAT
- Univox U-915 Uni-Vibe
- Toasted Project FuzzFace
- Boss BF-2 Flanger
- Xotic Effects Robotalk
- MXR M102 Dyna Comp
- MXR M-132 Super Comp
- banez Tone-Lok PM7 Phase Modulator Pedal
Amplifiers
- Orange OR-120
Used during At the Drive-In shows before the 2001 break-up.
- Ampeg SVT-CL Classic
Used during the early days of The Mars Volta
- Orange AD140 HTC
Used live until about 2011.
- Orange Crush Pro 4x12" Closed Back Speaker Cabinet
Used live until about 2011
- Orange Amplifiers Rockerverb RK50C MKII 50W 2x12 Tube Guitar Combo Amp
- Marshall Super Lead 100-Watt Head
Used during the reunion At the Drive-In shows.
- Roland RE-201 Space Echo
Used during early The Mars Volta shows.
Accessories
- Dunlop Tortex Standard 0.60mm Guitar Picks
Mentioned during 2012
- Ernie Ball Medium Gauge Nickel Wound Guitar Strings
Per one of his rig rundown videos “I use Ernie Ball strings gauged .013 to .056 with a wound third.”
Bands
- Le Butcherettes Bass
- Marcellus Wallace Guitar
- Food Plaza! Drums
- Jerk Guitar, vocals
- Faust & Omar Rodriguez-Lopez
- Kimono Kult Guitar, synths, strings
- Crystal Fairy Bass
- Startled Calf Vocals
- Omar, John & Flea Guitar
- Omar Rodriguez-Lopez Quintet Guitar
- Vato Negro Guitar, Keys, Vocals
- Bosnian Rainbows Guitar / Keys
- ANTEMASQUE Guitar
- Omar Rodriguez-Lopez Group
- At The Drive-In guitar
- Omar Rodriguez-Lopez
- De Facto Bass
- The Mars Volta guitar, backing vocals, production, direction
