Versatile Guitar

**sgcim** · 02-11-2020, 04:30 PM

I just finished a two-week run of the show, "The Addams Family". Like most new shows these days, I figured I'd use my Parker P-44 for all the nylon string sounds and rock stuff.
I was surprised that the P-44 with .009s just seemed too weak for both the nylon sounds (it's got a piezo) and the rock sounds.
I wasn't gonna change to a higher gauge, so I used my Borys Jazz Solid with 011s, and it fit in perfectly.
The nylon string parts blended in nicely, and the rock stuff was pretty light, so that worked fine.
The guitar book called for:
Solid Body
Semi-Hollow Body
Archtop
Banjo
Ukelele
I just brought the B-222, and the MD didn't say a word, and thanked me for doing an "awesome" job.
They've got so many instruments to worry about, I don't think they care if you bring a banjo for the one or two songs that use it, unless you're playing a show like "Mame" (in which case you'll get fired if you don't use one).

**neatomic** · 02-11-2020, 05:50 PM

makes me think of tommy tedesco of wrecking crew la session fame...he'd take all sorts of liberties like that...bring in requested instruments and then switch to his regular guitar...tune his stranger instruments like bouzouki to guitar tuning..anything to look like he was followin' the rules, but always purely what he wanted to do!!..an irreverent rebel..what a great!

example- (from la times interview)

There’s the one about the first recording of Michel Legrand’s “What Are You Doing the Rest Of Your Life?,” the ballad Legrand wrote for the 1969 movie “The Happy Ending,” with Jean Simmons, John Forsythe and Lloyd Bridges.

“It’s a story of how you have to please the leader on a recording session,” Tedesco, 62, explained on the phone from his home in Northridge. “We played the tune for the first time and Michel says to me, ‘Tommy, you playing with a pick or your fingers?’ Now I have to think about what he wants. So I tell him I playing with a pick because I know he’s going to say, ‘Play it with your fingers and it will sound much better.’ Of course, I tell him ‘Sure, OK.’

“So then we go back into the studio, and everybody knows I’m going to play it with a pick. That’s just the way I play and all the guys in the band knew it. So I played the same solo with the pick, and we went back and listened to it and Michel looks at me and says, ‘See, Tom? It sounds so much better without the pick.’ ”

cheers

**Woody Sound** · 02-11-2020, 08:24 PM

I’m confused. You mention the “nylon” parts. But no mention of nylon guitar. Were you referring to the Uke parts?

As a primarily show guitarist these days, you are right about directors not understanding the nuances of different guitar sounds.

There’s a great interview out there w/TD where the director suggested he switch to 12-string, so he said “ok,” but didn’t, and after the take the director yelled MUCH BETTER.

**sgcim** · 02-11-2020, 10:35 PM

Originally Posted by Woody Sound

I’m confused. You mention the “nylon” parts. But no mention of nylon guitar. Were you referring to the Uke parts?

As a primarily show guitarist these days, you are right about directors not understanding the nuances of different guitar sounds.

There’s a great interview out there w/TD where the director suggested he switch to 12-string, so he said “ok,” but didn’t, and after the take the director yelled MUCH BETTER.

No, nylon string guitar, CG.

**Doctor Jeff** · 02-12-2020, 05:04 PM

Surely there's a Digitech or EHX pedal that has all those sounds built in?

As far as banjo, you could try this:

There's also a string damper thing that one attach to the guitar body--the Guitar-Jo:

Sorry! Something went wrong!

Of course you could also bring along a 6-string banjo tuned to guitar tuning. And a uke is not a big deal to bring along.

There's a funny story that's told about Tommy Tedesco and the Wrecking Crew. A producer (?Phil Ramone) was having Tommy play all different kinds of sounds for a session--would ask for a banjo, bazouki, etc.. There was a wall or screen in front of the musicians, so Tommy would lean down and pretend to pick up an instrument, then just pick up his usual guitar and make a sound that sounded more or less like what was requested. The producer loved it, and had no idea Tommy was just playing his same old guitar.

It's Lee Sklar talking at about 4'30" here:

**Doug B** · 02-12-2020, 07:42 PM

Originally Posted by Doctor Jeff

Surely there's a Digitech or EHX pedal that has all those sounds built in?

Try this: Hotone Omni AC Acoustic Simulator Pedal

Hotone Omni AC Acoustic Simulator Pedal - YouTube

Hope that helps.

Doug

**ronjazz** · 02-13-2020, 09:43 AM

I always use a Godin Multiac nylon for pit work, Digitech RP processors work very well with the RMC pickups in the Multiac, even for rock scores. Doing thoroughly Modern Millie next month, so my old tenor banjo with guitar tuning will be utilized extensively (works really well to blend, lose some of the ear-piercing jangle with the Dgbe tuning) and the guitar and ukelele parts will be cake on the Godin. It's really more about feel than what guitar one chooses. If I were stuck in the pit, I'd probably use my Roland GR55 synth for the banjo stuff, but I'll be visible, so I'll use a real banjo.