This article series is about the tools of popular guitarists. What are their favorite guitars and how is it related to them? This time with Chris Seefried (Lady Blackbird).
When you start guitar playing and do you remember your first guitar?
I started at 10 and had a Stella harmony acoustic that was hard to play and almost impossible to tune. But it was a cool cherry sunburst with a white pick guard and had all the tuning pegs on one side like a Strat. I Dont remember what happened to it but I bought one about 5 years ago, same exact model, still impossible to play.
What are your influences and which guitar players are your faves?
My influences as a guitarist started with The Beatles, which was a good book, because they explored lots of different musical places and were using stretch chords, which led to my interest in jazz guitar players, and psychedelic soul players as well as acoustic guitar finger picking and tunings. For psycho soul Jimi, Curtis, Cornell Dupree, Phil Upchurch come to mind as players that inspire me always. For blues I just love Peter Green’s tone and fluidity. Also of course BB. For jazz, I love Joe Pass for chord embellishments. Grant green, Jim Hall are a few faves.
How many guitars do you own and what are your favorite models?
About 30… too many, not enough. I am sort of obsessed with guitars in general. I like vintage guitars because of the life they’ve had before I put my hands on them. I’m obsessed with vintage Gretsch guitars because of George Harrison. My first good guitar was a 1961 Chet Atkins Tennessean 6119. That was the model Harrison had during the „Help“ period. I also have a 1967 „cats eye“ 6117 Gretsch that was Richard Lloyd’s from the band Television. A seminal CBGB’s OG punk guitar weaver New York City style. All my guitars are favorites in their own way because they have records and live gig memories attached to them.
What do you think makes the perfect guitar and amp?
I love my 1969 tele into my 1976 silver face fender vibrolux. No peddles. Just amp tremolo as slow as it goes and just used slightly for added dimension and the amp reverb.
How do you feel about the question of modeler or tube amp?
I’m happy to go directly into a pre amp or the console or to use some peddle if it says something. I prefer to mic on an old tube amp because I do have quite a few and they do different things. The combination of guitar and amp will surprise you and help you find the thing you’re searching for.
Which guitars and amps were used on the new album or for recordings?
On „Slang Spirituals“ I plugged directly into a vintage 1971 maestro guitar .. On the wow wow sound. I used this on „Matter of time“ and the Bettye Swan cover we did of „When the game is played on you“. It’s a unique early envelope sound that reminds me of classic 70’s soul like a Shuggie Otis or a Cornell Dupree type thing. I also used my 1976 and my 1965 ampeg reverb rocket that has a beautiful clear resonant sound that cuts through mixes nicely without it needing to be loud. I used a 1966 guild thunder-one reverb that has a separate speaker for the reverb. I tend to mic that speaker to get a freaky 60 psychedelic Sound. I used this on the outro of „whatever his name“ for a velvet underground type of thing.
When you only can choose one guitar, which one will you take?
Well I’m always between the road and the studio so For the studio- I love my 1964 Gibson Es-125 with flat wounds. The single coil P-90 is so lush and fat. Just by using the volume and the tone control you can get so many beautiful variations from it. On the road – I use a Strat with active pickups so I can vary the sound from song to song. It’s versatile and like all fenders, stays in tune and travels well!!
