Talked to Billy Gibbons' guitar tech

[cdntac]

I was able to speak with Elwood Francis, Billy Gibbons' guitar tech before tonight's ZZ Top show. Gibbons' playing amazes me but that's a whole 'nother story....

 

Elwood told me that Gibbons' uses 7-gauge strings. Talk about light! I had read that he uses light strings but wow! That's light!

 

He sets the action pretty low --- all by feel --- and there's likely some buzzing though he doesn't know for sure since he's never played them acoustically (always plugged in). He commented that John Bolin slots the nuts quite low, hence his reason to suspect that there likely is some buzzing. The Explorer-style guitar that Gibbons is currently using for "Just Got Paid" has the action a bit higher since a slide is being used.

 

The necks are set dead straight. He said (as he laughed) "There's no tension with those strings so the neck is going to be dead straight!"

 

Gibbons' guitars are modded by Bolin. Though they make originally be Gretsch or Gibson, Bolin mods them (didn't say what specifically but said Gibbons' likes very light guitars).

 

Effects? Dunno....couldn't get an answer to that.

[NeoConMan]

Very cool!

I had read that he used 8's, but never heard which guitars.

Wow, 7's...

 

[jaxson50]

I have been in John Bolin's shop many time's, he did the setup on my Strat. Bolin also builds guitars for Steve Miller and Keith Richards, and has built some wild stuff over the years;

http://www.bolinguitars.com/

[cabba2203]

Wow, 7's are like hair - LOL!

[Rocky4]

I can't imagine playing slide with 7s

[LarryUK]

If I remember right. Brian May uses 6s and old six pence pieces for plectrums. For non brits thats an old british coin.

[Twiz]

7's! Holy crap. I guess that's proof that tone comes more from the player than anything else. Cool story man.

[WahKeen]

That's crazy..... I don't believe I've seen 7's at stores. This is even more insane when you realize that SRV played with 13's (even though he often tuned a half step down, but still)...

[cdntac]

I tried searching for 7's online just to see what the rest of the gauges were. No luck...couldn't find any!

[tazzboy]

Yeah that is light alright.

[cdntac]

Found the strings online. Dunlop makes them for him.

 

http://www.jimdunlop.com/index.php?page=products/strings_pip&id=426&pmh=products/strings

[Mr. Natural]

[brundaddy]

BFG is of the opinion that string gauge is tonally inconsequential on an electric, therefore it is foolish to sacrifice playing comfort.

[Big Bill]

If I remember right. Brian May uses 6s and old six pence pieces for plectrums. For non brits thats an old british coin.

 

 

Okay, I was blown away when I heard about the 7s, but 6s! Ahh you're yanking our chains.

 

[WahKeen]

My grandma plays with 9's. That's messed up!

 

not really, I just said that for the effect...lol

[milod]

Mostly on electrics I've been using 9-42 - preferably Elixirs...

 

But on that old Guild SG-type, I've used 8-38 since I bought it over 35 years ago.

 

The problem with the reeeeeally light strings - never played 7s, sheesh! - is that you reeeeally have to be right on with chords or it's way too easy to bend when you don't want to. That's even the case with the 8s. The 9s seem a lot easier for that not to happen - although I'll wager that on a longer "F" type neck it might be.

 

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