Tommy Emmanuel: Who Is His Luthier?

[Charmed Life Picks]

Does anyone know who works on most of TE's guitars? I know he's based in Nashville.

Does he have a guitar tech who goes on the road with him?

Just curious.

Thanks Much,
Scott Memmer

[taylorgtr]

Tommy travels with sound and lighting crew....but I don't know that he travels with a guitar tech - he's as likely to work on someone else's guitar as his own.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46AecWmXgBI

When he's home in Nashville, I think he works with Joe Glaser - who is one of the top guys in the industry.

http://www.sherioneal.com/wordpress/...rs-instrument/

[colins]

Hey Scott, not relevant for the US but may help satisfy your curiosity,.... my luthier here in Australia is Jim Cargill and he hand built an acoustic guitar for Tommy some years ago. At the time Jim told me that Tommy had around 80 guitars.

Could be a busy gig for his preferred tech in Nashville!

Col

[grandstick]

Originally Posted by Charmed Life Picks

Does anyone know who works on most of TE's guitars? I know he's based in Nashville.



Does he have a guitar tech who goes on the road with him?



Just curious.



Thanks Much,

Scott Memmer

I saw Tommy perform at the Ryman a couple of months ago. He was partway through one of the first songs of his set, when he shouted offstage “Get me my truss rod wrench!” He kept playing, then walked to the side of the stage as he finished that song, someone tossed him the wrench, he pulled the feedback buster out of the soundhole, did a quick adjustment, replaced the buster and tossed the wrench back. All while the audience was applauding the song.

I’ve had several conversations with him over the past few years. Other than when his guitars suffer from some major structural issues, he’s comfortable working on them himself.

[colder]

Originally Posted by grandstick

I saw Tommy perform at the Ryman a couple of months ago. He was partway through one of the first songs of his set, when he shouted offstage “Get me my truss rod wrench!” He kept playing, then walked to the side of the stage as he finished that song, someone tossed him the wrench, he pulled the feedback buster out of the soundhole, did a quick adjustment, replaced the buster and tossed the wrench back. All while the audience was applauding the song.

I’ve had several conversations with him over the past few years. Other than when his guitars suffer from some major structural issues, he’s comfortable working on them himself.

Haha. That's great.

[Seagull S6]

In one of his short instructional videos about capos, he said that one trick to changing the key of a song right in the middle of playing it is to just plain old throw the capo away. The demo was kinda funny. I don't think he lost even 1/2 of a beat doing it.

[Sonics]

Originally Posted by grandstick

I’ve had several conversations with him over the past few years. Other than when his guitars suffer from some major structural issues, he’s comfortable working on them himself.

Indeed, and he also works on fan's guitars too.

[Boy Howdy]

Saw him play in Orlando a few weeks ago. During his set, he mentioned the humidity in Florida and its effect on his guitars. He also said that one of the "meet & greet" patrons had asked him exactly the OP's question before the show. He said when he tours with a band, which is rare, he brings a guitar tech. When performing alone, he does his own guitar work. He said that about a half hour before every show, he grabs that wrench and tweaks the truss rod on his guitars, and that he found that especially important in Florida. He brought three guitars onto the stage, and played two of them. One had significantly more fret buzz than the other.

As a fan, it was a fabulous show. As a guitar player, it was an extremely humbling experience.

B. Howdy

[Boy Howdy]

Saw him play in Orlando a few weeks ago. During his set, he mentioned the humidity in Florida and its effect on his guitars. He also said that one of the "meet & greet" patrons had asked him exactly the OP's question before the show. He said when he tours with a band, which is rare, he brings a guitar tech. When performing alone, he does his own guitar work. He said that about a half hour before every show, he grabs that wrench and tweaks the truss rod on his guitars, and that he found that especially important in Florida. He brought three guitars onto the stage, and played two of them. One had significantly more fret buzz than the other.

As a fan, it was a fabulous show. As a guitar player, it was an extremely humbling experience.

B. Howdy

[Big Band Guitar]

Originally Posted by Seagull S6

In one of his short instructional videos about capos, he said that one trick to changing the key of a song right in the middle of playing it is to just plain old throw the capo away. The demo was kinda funny. I don't think he lost even 1/2 of a beat doing it.

Throw the capo away. Been saying that for years.

[taylorgtr]

Originally Posted by Boy Howdy

Saw him play in Orlando a few weeks ago. During his set, he mentioned the humidity in Florida and its effect on his guitars. He also said that one of the "meet & greet" patrons had asked him exactly the OP's question before the show. He said when he tours with a band, which is rare, he brings a guitar tech. When performing alone, he does his own guitar work. He said that about a half hour before every show, he grabs that wrench and tweaks the truss rod on his guitars, and that he found that especially important in Florida. He brought three guitars onto the stage, and played two of them. One had significantly more fret buzz than the other.

As a fan, it was a fabulous show. As a guitar player, it was an extremely humbling experience.

B. Howdy

The thing that sets Tommy E apart (other than his skill) is his sense of what entertains a crowd - he has been in front of audiences since he was a kid...and he says he's as much of an entertainer as he is a guitar player....that comes out in things like when he does the slides on top of the neck in "Guitar Boogie", playing an open chord pattern with his right hand...while doing something completely un-related with his left...or all the percussion stuff he does.

For the capo trick, it's during "Here Comes the Sun" - played in A, capoed at the 7th fret - so when he hits the IV chord (the E, but played as an A), he keeps hitting the two top strings with his RH, flings the capo with his left....and lightens up to just hit the low E for a couple beats until his left hand can hit the E chord in open position.

He had to get a capo that could be operated with one hand....then practice a lot until it got smooth, but it was all done specifically to get the crowd to go "Oooh!" - because he made it look effortless....that's what an entertainer does.

[Charmed Life Picks]

Thanks for your insights and great stories, everyone.

These remind me of my hero Steve Goodman. Steve had this bit where he'd intentionally break a string in the middle of a song. He'd called for the roadie backstage to reach into his case and bring out a string. While still playing the song, he'd remove the old string, put on the new one, tune it up and go right back into the song. People were laughing so hard, they were literally on the floor, including me.

But the joke REALLY was on us. I didn't learn till about twenty years after Steve died that this was a standard bit of his, that the broken string thing was all planned and staged. Just so hilarious and wonderful.

I should have know right there that something was up when Prine said later during his set, "Steve knows how to play that song without breaking his A string."

thanks, everyone,
scott

[taylorgtr]

Watch this video of "Guitar Boogie" and note how much of it is stagecraft, showmanship and performing vs. playing. Sure, he's an amazing player - but he puts just as much effort in knowing just when to bring up the tension, ham it up, make it look goofy - all in the name of giving a good show.

[murrmac123]

Originally Posted by taylorgtr

Watch this video of "Guitar Boogie" and note how much of it is stagecraft, showmanship and performing vs. playing. Sure, he's an amazing player - but he puts just as much effort in knowing just when to bring up the tension, ham it up, make it look goofy - all in the name of giving a good show.

Link fixed ....

[Charmed Life Picks]

Showmanship. Exactly. There are a lot of great guitarists, but TE has a winning personality and he is an entertainer. That is the difference. Bingo.