Billy F.Gibbons's guitarman shares everything - Premier Guitar

[Breen]

I thought this interview had much to share about the mystique and mojo of the Rev. Gibbons. Much nuggets of the way Billy Gibbons plays and how he uses his gear to get it.

Some cliffs :

There are no Mexican Pesos as picks.
At last count 12 years ago, Elwood Francis, Billy's tech, counted 450 stage guitars, not including private pieces.
The stable of touring guitars changes twice yearly with new pieces. Only the Furry guitar stays.
He uses iso cabs, with a Mojave amp to blend into Marshall JMP1s for the older stuff.
He has NO treble or presence in his EQ.
They use a non-scientific way to keep Billy's sound as close as possible to Pearly Gates, no matter if he is using a Tele or a Gretsch.
Billy's count of late 50s Les Pauls could be more then a handful, circa 1995.
The way he plays guitar in regards to his strap posture, string guage (.07s!), hi-gain and picking style contributes to a style most of us will find hard to emulate.

Recommended interview. And Rebecca Dirks is a welcome view in a gear video. She's married, just letting that little nugget slip.

 

[MrSoul]

Wow. He revealed all those secrets. Now it's pretty easy sound like Billy. Thanks for sharing this interesting clip.

 

[stranded horse]

chambered necks???

 

[73Telecaster]

Thanks for sharing real interesting.

 

[Doug 54]

His uber light guage strings, especially on 24 3/4" scale guitars says to me chronic hand, wrist or arm problems


.

 

[flatout9]

Very cool. Thanks for sharing

 

[WaylonFan76]

Awesome. Thanks for sharing.
Somebody needs to post this in the "heavier strings = better tone" thread.

 

[Northerntele]

I can't believe he actually uses .07s. I really thought that was just one of his tall tales.

 

[TG]

interesting
thanks

 

[TheGoodTexan]

His uber light guage strings, especially on 24 3/4" scale guitars says to me chronic hand, wrist or arm problems


.

Possibly. (Who really knows except for Billy himself, right?)

But I'm good friends with someone who knows Billy personally. My friend told me about 15 years ago that Billy used 7s and we even tuning down with those, and had been doing so for quite a while at that time. And it had something to do with a conversation that Billy and BB King had years before that.

For what it's worth, I've owned two Marshall JMP-1s and I've had a great Les Paul for years. It's not that difficult to get a good BFG tone. I ran the JMP-1 into the effects return of two 5150 combos and it sounded glorious (one had Greenbacks and the other had V30s). The key to sounding like BFG is phrasing... sluring into notes and bending three or four strings at a time.

I just wish I had not sold the JMP-1s. I bought mine used, but while they were still being manufactured, for about $300 each.

 

[MojoMonster]

And it had something to do with a conversation that Billy and BB King had years before that.

I recall reading about that conversation, so it must be in an interview somewhere.
The gist is that BFG found out directly from BB King that BB was using really light gauge strings 9's, maybe, contrary to the accepted belief that the blues must be played with the heaviest gauge strings your fingers could stand... or at least 10's.

BB said something along the lines of "ah, hell, it was all we could find to play on" or some such.

It doesn't surprise me that BFG plays 7's or 8's and has been for a while now. What surprises me is that people didn't believe he would/could.
Another part of me thinks he does it just to prove that it's possible.

Also, I can only imagine what a lifetime of playing guitar constantly does to your hands/wrists, etc., plus, he's an old dude.
I think we forget that part because he's so active.
Plus the light gauges/light pressure helps him maintain his zen master/minimalist approach to playing.
It ain't easy bein' that damn cool.

That was a nice interview and the married Mrs. Dirks was a welcome eye-candy change and contrary to some PG vid's I've seen at least knows she needs to keep the mic close to peoples mouths when they speak.

MM

 

[lewis]

Nice interview but I wish the language had been a little cleaner for any kid that's watching.

 

[3 Chord]

Or you could just hand him my Squier Telecaster and plug him straight into my PV classic 30 and he would sound pretty much as great as ever.

 

[Alex W]

I know this may make others want to burn me at the stake or something, but I've never much enjoyed the sound of BG's guitar and this video helps explain why: they deliberately make everything homogeneous. "He doesn't want you to know that he's playing a Telecaster" (or words to that effect) was the most revealing comment that the guy made. To my ear Gibbons' sound is very processed and over-produced, the opposite of what I like in the sound of electric guitar.

 

[3 Chord]

Alex,

Blue Jean Blues, waiting for the bus, just got paid...I am not hearing over-processed. I am hearing great licks though.

Granted after Eliiminator things got "homogeneuos" but he has had a long career and I am not suprized he messes around with his tone. But because he has evolved his tone with the times, doesn't that make his tone hetrogeneous?

just my thoughts.

 

[Alex W]

Alex,

Blue Jean Blues, waiting for the bus, just got paid...I am not hearing over-processed. I am hearing great licks though.

Granted after Eliiminator things got "homogeneuos" but he has had a long career and I am not suprized he messes around with his tone. But because he has evolved his tone with the times, doesn't that make his tone hetrogeneous?

just my thoughts.

I agree the older stuff is better. Listening to Blue Jean Blues right now. Much more feeling and a sense of space.

 

[Steveareno]

Interesting stuff. Thanks for posting. Can't believe they provided access and shuch detailed info on the rig. He says the amplification is quite simple and then shows us thru two identical full racks of complicated equipment. The guitars seem to be just for show, they all sound the same thru the rack. Also can't believe he can play in tune using .007's. Those tres hombres do put on a good show and have a strong, world wide, loyal fan base... so they're doing something right.
Swang on,

 

[Suicideking]

Great video thanks for posting..

 

[JeradP]

Nice interview but I wish the language had been a little cleaner for any kid that's watching.

Oh please, Billy's innuendo lyrics are much worse to a kids ear than s..t



I'm not a fan of ZZ (I think local radio stations ruined them) but I have to give their non-radio stuff a chance. BG is just cool. I bought a set of 7s, I can see why he likes them but I can't see how he can play them

 

[jaimed]

First Album shows "Pearly" and a tweed Deluxe.

Bleeb Billy's been trying to capture that original tone since.

jamie