If you were a session player what would be your #1 for cleans?

[james...]

Hypothetically let's say you're a high paid session guitarist for any number of genres. What would be your go-to axe for clean tone?

 

[ldizzle]

Gretsch. Or strat. Or tele. Depends on the type of clean.

 

[JDandCoke]

Depends what the session requires surely?

I suppose the go-to would be a strat (despite not being my favourite)

 

[Dale]

Tele

 

[Sean French]

Tele or Strat into a BF/SF Fender.
Strats are cool for me until they need to be on a strap. Then the balance is weird.
So, for studio use when sitting they are fine.
Tele is fine ant time.

 

[terrapin]

Strat into a BF Deluxe Reverb.

 

[Flyin' Brian]

Totally depends on what the contractor wants.

I've heard guys say "Bring ANYTHING but a fckuing STRAT!"

 

[axe4me]

Rickenbacker 660 into a Top Hat 35 watt 2x12 Ambassador.

 

[scott520]

I gotta go with an es-335. You can get big, fat, thick neck tone if needed but it can also thin out some in the middle position and give you a bit more of a fragile tone if necessary.

 

[Steve Hotra]

Gretsch hollow body

 

[a player]

Tele with B/F Fender amp .!

 

[WrapAround]

A Tele with a Strat pickup in the middle.

 

[84superchamp]

I gotta go with an es-335. You can get big, fat, thick neck tone if needed but it can also thin out some in the middle position and give you a bit more of a fragile tone if necessary.

on a similar note; a casino with P90's. just watch the feedback.

 

[dhdfoster]

Gretsch jet with dynasonics, middle toggle position.

 

[kenneth]

What kind of music are we talking about? there are many kinds of "cleans"...

 

[texstrat]

CS strat into my Longhorn Amps Texas Tru Tone. A killer combo.

 

[Baxtercat]

Same as it was then.

 

[s2y]

Tossup between a Nashville-style Tele or ES-335 type guitar.

 

[Phletch]

If they didn't specify it would be a 335, the one guitar that does it all. Carlton got his because, with up to three different sessions a day, he was tired of lugging around different guitars.

 

[Stratburst70]

Totally depends on what the contractor wants.

I've heard guys say "Bring ANYTHING but a fckuing STRAT!"

Pretty much this.

Let's say the contractor does want a Strat sound. Is it a 50's Strat sound with a maple neck, a 60's tone with a rosewood board or a super-glassy sound from EMG's? That's why all the big session guys have cartage services; they need to bring their entire collection to a session.

For instance, you'd think a Tele would be de rigeur in Nashville. But apparently a lot of guys are going Gretsch these days because it splits the difference between a Tele and a Les Paul.