Rig Rundown: Guitars

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So, I think I may finally have the guitar arsenal that needs to get the range of tones for all of the music and guitar sounds that I want to make. My playing is generally a blues-rock style, but I like to incorporate what I pick up from a range of other styles, like country and folk, and even punk and early thrash metal.

To hear a demo of all of my guitars: Josh's Rig Rundowns

Francine – Epiphone LP

Francine, named for the ZZ Top song, is usually my #1. The neck pick up is a smooth and creamy tone, and the bridge pickup is a little rawer, with just a (tiny) hint of twang. It has great sustain for long bends or holding that last vibrato note in a blues solo.


Maybelle – Squier Telecaster

Maybelle is the newest addition to my stable. Named for Mother Maybelle Carter (name a more influential country guitarist), this is my new go-to for that classic country tone. With a covered mini-humbucker at the neck, a Strat-type pickup in the middle, and a Tele-type pickup in the bridge, it also has some tonal range. My favorite tones are in the second and fourth position of the five-way switch – very clean and very twangy. Run it through an overdrive and a compressor pedal into the cranked clean channel of my Blackstar HT Stage 60 and it sings.

Cherlene – Epiphone Wildkat

Cherlene is named for the Country music persona of the fiery redhead on Archer. With covered P90s at the neck and bridge and a semi-hollow body, it has a growling and dirty tone. Combine that, the Bigsby bridge, and a slightly high action, it makes me want to crank out some rockabilly whenever I pick it up.

Bad Monkey – Peavey T-60

My first guitar. I received it as a gift when I was 16. This guitar has “toaster”-style humbuckers, which are split when the tone knobs are turned all the way up. This guitar has all of the twang of a Tele, but hotter. It’s super slim neck and low action make it great for shredding. And it’s the most solidly built guitar I have ever felt.