Billy Strings & His Acoustic Guitar Rig

SpruceTop · #1 01-26-2020, 02:09 PM

Billy Strings has burst upon the bluegrass-music scene in a nuclear explosion of well-played, song-appropriate guitar and vocals. Here's a video that demonstrates Billy's guitar and vocal prowess and his guitar rig: a Preston Thompson custom dreadnought with a K&K system, played into a pedalboard with many pedals. This video reminds me of our AGF "Show Us Your Pedalboard" thread. Please add your comments and any further information you can add about Billy's gear. Thanks & Enjoy!

Zaxxon · #2 01-26-2020, 02:18 PM

Billy Strings is great. Just happened to watch this rig rundown with him a few days ago.

SpruceTop · #3 01-26-2020, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zaxxon

Billy Strings is great. Just happened to watch this rig rundown with him a few days ago.

Thanks, Zaxxon! What I love about Billy is he's fresh with a reverence for the traditional but pushes forward by embracing and incorporating the new, and thus creates something that should be engaging for everyone from 9 to 90, who like all kinds of music!

Methos1979 · #4 01-26-2020, 05:55 PM

Gosh, how I hate Bluegrass. But oh how I wish I could PLAY like they do!

I saw a recent video of Billy playing with Molly Tuttle. To have that kind of speed and command of the fretboard would be truly wonderful. But it takes a level of discipline to achieve that I do not possess!

I love rig-rundown videos. It's always so cool to see how much modifications they do to their guitars and signal path. I used to have and use a Freeze pedal. It was a ton of fun. Thanks for posting.

roylor4 · #5 01-26-2020, 06:47 PM

I saw Billy and Don Julin play up close (like 10 ft away on a hay bale close) at Shakori Hills music Festival.

His skill is incredible and his guitar has fantastic tone (don't remember what it was).

I thought he was a bit busy for my taste, kinda like Derek Trucks on the slide, but there is no denying his ability. Hope he goes long & far.

Zaxxon · #6 01-27-2020, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpruceTop

Thanks, Zaxxon! What I love about Billy is he's fresh with a reverence for the traditional but pushes forward by embracing and incorporating the new, and thus creates something that should be engaging for everyone from 9 to 90, who like all kinds of music!

Agreed, he can play an old traditional tune and then turn right around and cover someone like Pearl Jam. He can play a rapid fire bluegrass solo and then switch on a tasteful effect or two and play something totally different. He's a pretty good singer on top of it all too.

varmonter · #7 01-27-2020, 02:32 PM

First time i saw him about 7 yrs ago.
He was i asheville NC. Some club
thats a brewery. small venue.
He was great. great bg vocal and
flatpicking. Pure tradgrass folks probably dont like him because he
strays from the norm with pshycadeluc
interludes in his songs. But i like how
he intermixes this stuf and than
returns to the tradgrass. very entertaining. Ive seen him several
times since and he seems to be growing up a bit more each time.
hopefully he'll be around for a long time.

firelakekid2 · #8 01-27-2020, 10:33 PM

I saw Billy and Don close up also. This was at house concert in Michigan's upper peninsula. He was just wonderful. I think he and Don were having some kind of problems though. But I could see along with others at the concert, that Billy was an exceptionally talented guitarist. And also, he is a good singer too. I'm glad to see that he is having success.