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Andy's Music Gear FAQ

 

What kind of guitars do you play??

                                                 

I am asked this pretty often.  I most often tour with Yariri Alvarez DY88's, one black (Mandy), and one blue, (Randy).   These guitars have been the tools of my trade. They are very dependable, very brilliant stage guitars. I add a 1972 Gibson Les Paul Custom guitar when I am performing with the Andy Kimbel Express Band.

Brand: Alvarez (2) Model: DY88BK Advanced Acoustic Electric Body Style: Closed Chamber Back & Sides: Mahogany Top: Spruce Finish: Black Body Binding: Ivory/Abalone Fretboard Material: Ebony Bridge: Hexaphonic Piezo Ebony Electronics: System 500

 

I occasionally perform with a quite amazing Collings OMHC model guitar.  I will use this for radio and television interviews select gigs.   This  is my guitar of choice when I am at home.  

Mahogany back and sides, select spruce top, cutaway design (not shown),  tortoise binding, prewar scalloped bracing, black/white wood nitrate strip rosette, tortoise style pickguard. Other features include a gloss-finished mahogany neck with ebony fingerboard and bridge with pearl dotmarkers, East Indian rosewood peghead overlay, mother of pearl Collings logo and nickel Waverly tuners.

   New......Tacoma DM9.   Thanks to the Three Rivers Folksong Society In Richland  Washington....

 

I also play a National reso-phonic guitar.  The National is just plain old fun.  I use several different tunings to generate lots of interesting music, never a dull moment.  The guitar was custom made with stereo Highlander electronics built in.   Touring with three or 4 guitars has been a bit cumbersome, but it is real nice to have a full palette on stage.

 

Do you prefer a particular brand of  strings?   

 

 I like John Pearse Strings . They deliver a consistent brilliant sound and are very dependable.  I have  on occasion used other brands such as D'addario and Eric Shoemberg Soloist. I do change my strings on all five performance guitars very often to allow a fresh crisp sound  at each show.    Switching brands seems to throw me off a bit so I do my best to stay with one for extended periods of time.

Speaking of Strings, when I was at The South Texas Music Festival years ago,  I was introduced to a great tuning device called the Intellitouch.  I  started using it.  It attaches to the head of the guitar.  Just think, no more looking at the floor to tune.  It "feels" the vibration of the string and does a darn good job of it most of the time.  That also means no plug in and no interference from room noise.    I have used many other tuners this is a  great invention!

How do you select a Capo?   

 

I guess that is a matter of personal taste. I use a Shubb and a Kyser.  It is easier to make fast changes with the Kyser. Shubb is the better capo.

 

You make good use of Capo's on quite

a few songs.  Is that to accommodate a

comfortable key or to change the

sound of the guitar?     

 

I sometimes use the capo to project a song a little better

maintaining the integrity and "feel" of the root chords.

I just saw your show in Ithaca New York.  You were going to give me some of the alternate tunings you use.  Can you e-mail me?

Here goes...I keep one guitar in standard tuning and will occasionally drop the "E" to a "D".  I also keep a  guitar in open "D" and will occasionally change that to D A D G A "D" or open "G".     The National guitar is either in standard tuning, drop D,  open D or open E.  I use an open D minor for "Motherless Child." I used to play around with  my own sort of open "C".  It takes up to much time and I only do a couple of songs in that tuning so I have pretty much been staying in the open "D" and DADGAD.  On the "Blues and Other Moods" CD, Drivin' is in a variation of the open "C".

You played with with Lenny and the Soul Senders on Keyboard.  What a pleasant surprise!  You should combine some piano songs in your shows.  

And we can't forget the keyboard: Ensoniq SQ2

Home studio Gear:

  Korg D-1600, Two Rode NT3 Microphones, 1 AT3035 and 1 M58 and a bunch of others.

Additional questions..??. E-mail us.   Andy will respond about once a month..

Andy Kimbel Show... Anytime You Want ... Order the Blues & Other Moods CD at:

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