Had the opportunity to open for Rosanne Cash a few years ago. It was only Rosanne & John in a duo, he played acoustic all night in the setup you described, one clean channel (through an amp), one channel with effects through a second amp. Rosanne played guitar on maybe half the songs so he really carried the show and there was never a dull moment. On records he often plays these seemingly simple, hooky lines but he let loose live a few times. Really stellar, fantastic stuff. And very easy to talk to backstage. Both were class acts.
Oh, wow. So happy I found this video! John Levanthal is my favorite guitarist and my favorite producer, and you even led with that famous Levanthal riff from Sunny Came Home. Excellent. Thanks for talking about Levanthal and what makes his sound special! I find Levanthal and Duke Levine to be among the most emotive Americana guitarists out there.
@@AskZac I watched your interview with Duke Levine a few weeks ago and enjoyed it so much, I sent it to a friend who’s a fellow songwriter and fan of his. The John Levanthal interview is next!
The work Leaventhal’s done recently with Sarah Jarosz is stunning, both as producer and guitarist. His work with her is particularly a great demonstration of your last point about working with the song and singer in mind foremost.
Leventhal is one of my top 5 producer/writer/musician guys. I'd learned the Chet Atkins "Waiting for Suzie B" which is in John's low C tuning and loved his acoustic parts on A Few Small Repairs, but I loved everything about that album! Thanks for revealing more about him!
Once again ,great way to spend some time hanging out with Zac.That Vox is something else great playing. I like to use a capo occasionally when I play with the band ill play off my friends acoustic just to bring something different sometimes.
This is so fantastic, Zac. And I will forever grateful to you for that interview you did with John for the True Tone Lounge video. I have gone back and watched my way through all three parts more times than I care to admit. He instantly became one of my all-time favorites.
Love it. Thanks for more Leventhsl content. I need my favorite band ( Tedeschi Trucks) to write another song with him. Previous one was called “Do I Look Worried”. I’m looking at changing my pedalboard all because of your videos . It makes more sense to take what you need, than just having them sit on the board unused. Thanks again, Zac!
I wired my ‘69 3 pickup that I did in 1970 for all possible combinations, any single, any pair, all 3. I would occasionally capo too. Rings the chords.
How did I not know about your Spotify list until now! I watch every episode and today I heard you mentioned Spotify. I’ve been creating my own list based on your episodes and I just realized you’ve already picked out the best songs. You’re awesome
Capos have a way of turning any guitar into a mandolin. Obviously it doesn't provide the string-doubling, but capoing higher up changes the string tension for strumming purposes. And since it also lowers the height of the strings against the fingerboard, one is obliged to pick differently as well. BTW, that capoed intro you played was really pretty. You'll also remember that I recommended the wiring of a 3-pickup Tele like Jon uses last year. I know some folks will have fancy switching schemes to enable every combination, but what I like about using a 5-way like that is that it gives me the traditional Tele settings as 1, 2, and 3, and then lets me go to "Strat mode" when I want. Simple and easy to adapt to, and ideal for gigging. Jon's smart for using it.
John Leventhal is a real musical and guitar GENIUS! Thanks for posting this video. All of these tips are great, especially the one about getting a good tone based on playing styles, rather than from a bunch of pedals.
Great video ! I remember on a Colvin LP , he had played a guitar part that was called 'Pencil' guitar . It sounded like he was attacking the strings by tapping them with a pencil .... Great sound and a cool idea ..... :D
I saw an interview with Glen Campbell talking about his Capo use in his 'Wrecking Crew' days, enabled him to play in awkward keys with horns e.t.c, Capo is a wonderful tool for guitar!
Great episode! Always thought using a capo on an electric is way underrated. I tried it after watching Dave Rawlins play with Gillian Welch. Though he used an archtop, the voicings he uses are so unique, but translate well to electric.
That humbucker acoustic thing is also used by John Butler. You can see that in his rig run down for many years back. Always intrigued me, but has never been down the rabbit hole. Thank you for the reminder!
Not gonna lie, the video started while I wasn't looking at my phone and I have airpods in, and was like damn, his amp sounds good in this vid, and then saw it was the vox. So clear, and bright. I think I may be a vox man.
I totally bought a Deluxe Reverb after watching Zac's video on why the DR is the best amp ever but my Vox was my own choice after playing it along side a Hot Rod Deville and a Supro .Though they all sound great I brought the Vox home 8 years later I got the DR.Both is the best.
This is SO interesting Sir!!! Thank you so much for your generosity and for the lovely playing. Man alive do I want a Telecaster!!! Such beautiful sounds and options :)
I echo WJ’s comments regarding Lauderdale’s Planet… I’ve always referred to that record as the “Encyclopedia of Bakersfield”. Also, huge fan of his work on “The List”. Check out “Miss the Mississippi…” I’m assuming that’s something like an L5 complemented his great lap steel playing. As ALWAYS thanks for your time Maestro.
Another great segment. Having worked with a lot of singer song writers (who need to pitch their songs for their voices as opposed to the guitar) and loving the sound of low open strings I had to embrace the capo on electrics years ago. Bo Diddley and the Everly's used them! I was frustrated until I found the Shubb and then everything changed for me. I continue to try all the new capos and keep coming back to the Shubb. I have some that are way over 20 years old. They actually sell replacement parts! Thanks again.
I love using capos on electric! I do it all the time because it gives you a more unique sound, and you’re able to get those G shape sounds in keys like Bb and B, kinda like you did at the beginning in key of D.
Ry Cooder used capo's on electric guitars. There are youtube videos of him playing live during the 1970's which show this. Thanks for another good episode Zac.
I own one pedal. Visual sound open road. Decades ago, I was in a two piece acoustic project. We used the black dimarzio sound hole pickups, and ran them through the clean channel of a Scholz rockman, using the delay and chorus, then into the P.A.
Such a beautiful sonic effect fully justifies using a capo on a solid-body electric, IMO... Besides, there's nothing unusual about it, even among some top-notch guitarists. E.g. Mark Knopfler uses a capo in at least two songs: 'Boom Like That'-on the 3rd fret of his Danelectro and 'Postcards From Paraguay' - 6th fret of a strat.
Adding a soundhole pickup is also great safe guard when a combo is all you can play through!! I have a guitar set up with the 2 pickup combo, it is a great option. In a pinch the sound hole pickup can double as an electric if needed, because you can use distortion to good effect without getting terrible feedback ;-) Love your videos Zac!
Gags for gigs…LOL! Love the minimalist pedal board. I also never had the money nor the ability to use my feet while maintaining my playing. I stuck with reverb from a Fender tank and never bothered with distortion since my Tweed Deluxe does that with the guitar volume up anyway
What about Reggie Wooten and Stan Lassiter to give your viewers a Nashville Jazz Fusion perspective ? It would be different musical ground for most and they are both mucho excellent !!!
@@AskZac Let me save you some leg work; Tele and capo.I think this guitar may have started out life as an Esquire.ua-cam.com/video/WdPAO6_suu8/v-deo.html
One of my favorite channels talking about one of my favorite guitar players…win/win.
Thank you so much, friend.
Had the opportunity to open for Rosanne Cash a few years ago. It was only Rosanne & John in a duo, he played acoustic all night in the setup you described, one clean channel (through an amp), one channel with effects through a second amp. Rosanne played guitar on maybe half the songs so he really carried the show and there was never a dull moment. On records he often plays these seemingly simple, hooky lines but he let loose live a few times. Really stellar, fantastic stuff.
And very easy to talk to backstage. Both were class acts.
That was a beautiful concert. Can you believe it‘s already been three years ago? I was there and remember that you were great, too. :)
That "little part you came up with" @5min is beautiful!!!
Oh, wow. So happy I found this video! John Levanthal is my favorite guitarist and my favorite producer, and you even led with that famous Levanthal riff from Sunny Came Home. Excellent. Thanks for talking about Levanthal and what makes his sound special! I find Levanthal and Duke Levine to be among the most emotive Americana guitarists out there.
Thanks, and I agree! I have interviewed both of them for the Truetone Lounge.
@@AskZac I watched your interview with Duke Levine a few weeks ago and enjoyed it so much, I sent it to a friend who’s a fellow songwriter and fan of his. The John Levanthal interview is next!
I'm with you! Serve the song!
The work Leaventhal’s done recently with Sarah Jarosz is stunning, both as producer and guitarist. His work with her is particularly a great demonstration of your last point about working with the song and singer in mind foremost.
Couldn't agree more about the William Bell album Zach. One of the finest R&B singers still and John's playing and production are magnificent.
Leventhal is one of my top 5 producer/writer/musician guys. I'd learned the Chet Atkins "Waiting for Suzie B" which is in John's low C tuning and loved his acoustic parts on A Few Small Repairs, but I loved everything about that album! Thanks for revealing more about him!
The guitar part of Sunny Came Home is instantly recognisable.
Once again ,great way to spend some time hanging out with Zac.That Vox is something else great playing. I like to use a capo occasionally when I play with the band ill play off my friends acoustic just to bring something different sometimes.
Leventhal produced some of my favorite all-time stuff, from "A Few Small Repairs" to his work with Rodney Crowell. Great production!
This is so fantastic, Zac. And I will forever grateful to you for that interview you did with John for the True Tone Lounge video. I have gone back and watched my way through all three parts more times than I care to admit. He instantly became one of my all-time favorites.
My pleasure!
Love it. Thanks for more Leventhsl content. I need my favorite band ( Tedeschi Trucks) to write another song with him. Previous one was called “Do I Look Worried”.
I’m looking at changing my pedalboard all because of your videos . It makes more sense to take what you need, than just having them sit on the board unused.
Thanks again, Zac!
I wired my ‘69 3 pickup that I did in 1970 for all possible combinations, any single, any pair, all 3. I would occasionally capo too. Rings the chords.
Beautiful sounds! If you’re in a rut move the nut. A capo will open up a world of ideas in any key.
How did I not know about your Spotify list until now! I watch every episode and today I heard you mentioned Spotify. I’ve been creating my own list based on your episodes and I just realized you’ve already picked out the best songs. You’re awesome
Thanks for listening
Capos have a way of turning any guitar into a mandolin. Obviously it doesn't provide the string-doubling, but capoing higher up changes the string tension for strumming purposes. And since it also lowers the height of the strings against the fingerboard, one is obliged to pick differently as well. BTW, that capoed intro you played was really pretty.
You'll also remember that I recommended the wiring of a 3-pickup Tele like Jon uses last year. I know some folks will have fancy switching schemes to enable every combination, but what I like about using a 5-way like that is that it gives me the traditional Tele settings as 1, 2, and 3, and then lets me go to "Strat mode" when I want. Simple and easy to adapt to, and ideal for gigging. Jon's smart for using it.
Thank you, Mark.
Zac, i think you're the Bob Ross of guitar. Such an enjoyable time watching your show. Hope to work with you one day since we are in the same biz.
That would be cool!
John Leventhal is a real musical and guitar GENIUS! Thanks for posting this video. All of these tips are great, especially the one about getting a good tone based on playing styles, rather than from a bunch of pedals.
Great video ! I remember on a Colvin LP , he had played a guitar part that was called 'Pencil' guitar . It sounded like he was attacking the strings by tapping them with a pencil .... Great sound and a cool idea ..... :D
Total Leventhal fan here!!
I saw an interview with Glen Campbell talking about his Capo use in his 'Wrecking Crew' days, enabled him to play in awkward keys with horns e.t.c, Capo is a wonderful tool for guitar!
Great episode! Always thought using a capo on an electric is way underrated. I tried it after watching Dave Rawlins play with Gillian Welch. Though he used an archtop, the voicings he uses are so unique, but translate well to electric.
That humbucker acoustic thing is also used by John Butler. You can see that in his rig run down for many years back. Always intrigued me, but has never been down the rabbit hole. Thank you for the reminder!
Ah, the break through capo story! Good start!!! The more I use a capo; which isn’t as often as I think, the more I realize its potential…
So true!
Capo guys that come to mind: Muddy W, Glen C, Keith R., George H
The album he produced for Sarah Jarosz, World On the Ground, is wonderful. That one won a Grammy, too.
John's work with Sarah Jarosz has been impressive.
Not gonna lie, the video started while I wasn't looking at my phone and I have airpods in, and was like damn, his amp sounds good in this vid, and then saw it was the vox. So clear, and bright. I think I may be a vox man.
That vox is outstanding. I’ve spent a long time looking for “my amp sound” and I’ve decided that vox hits all the sweet spots.
I love my Vox.Sometimes I just look at it admiring the design .
I totally bought a Deluxe Reverb after watching Zac's video on why the DR is the best amp ever but my Vox was my own choice after playing it along side a Hot Rod Deville and a Supro .Though they all sound great I brought the Vox home 8 years later I got the DR.Both is the best.
I really do agree the DR might be the best combo amp ever.
Yes very cool. Capo is a tool and an extension for creativity. Who ever thinks it is not ok.....they're not ok...lol
Thanks Zac
I wired up my three pickup Tele the way you described and I love it! I was able to do away with the push-pull pot, which I’ve never liked using.
John putting the tremolo before the overdrive was an interesting concept.
This is SO interesting Sir!!! Thank you so much for your generosity and for the lovely playing. Man alive do I want a Telecaster!!! Such beautiful sounds and options :)
Thank you kindly!
Nice to see the Esquire again. Lovely guitar and another great episode. Thanks Zac.
Glad you enjoyed it!
I echo WJ’s comments regarding Lauderdale’s Planet… I’ve always referred to that record as the “Encyclopedia of Bakersfield”. Also, huge fan of his work on “The List”. Check out “Miss the Mississippi…” I’m assuming that’s something like an L5 complemented his great lap steel playing.
As ALWAYS thanks for your time Maestro.
Mississippi is a Tele with a mini humbucker in the neck.
Another great segment. Having worked with a lot of singer song writers (who need to pitch their songs for their voices as opposed to the guitar) and loving the sound of low open strings I had to embrace the capo on electrics years ago. Bo Diddley and the Everly's used them! I was frustrated until I found the Shubb and then everything changed for me. I continue to try all the new capos and keep coming back to the Shubb. I have some that are way over 20 years old. They actually sell replacement parts! Thanks again.
I have a ton of them, and finally bought the C4 models for my old Fenders with 7.25 radiuses. They work so much better. Capos rock
@@AskZac Indeed! I've got 'em marked on the levers for radius. For a while I had brass ones for the Gibson radius. Made 'em easy to find.
Johnny Marr is a maestro of the capo (and tuning up to F#) to make the electric guitar really zing
I love using capos on electric! I do it all the time because it gives you a more unique sound, and you’re able to get those G shape sounds in keys like Bb and B, kinda like you did at the beginning in key of D.
I don't even play guitar but I love listening to this channel. 😉 This was stellar! Big fan of John Leventhal's playing. Thanks, Zac!
Wow, thanks!
Keef, Ry Cooder, George Harrison? Call it a loan.. David Lindley..
Don’t forget Muddy
I just got to say, that is a gorgeous lookin guitar! Thank you for the content you are sharing on this channel!
Thank you kindly!
Incredibly sensual chime-tone. Thanks.
Thanks another interesting lesson and a lot of good ideas. As for the Capo no one ever told Keith it was not cool to use one !!!!
Lonnie, you are absolutely right. I should have looked to Keith.
Ry Cooder used capo's on electric guitars. There are youtube videos of him playing live during the 1970's which show this. Thanks for another good episode Zac.
@@lostrittojoe Where were those videos when I needed them?
If it makes the sound you hear in your head, use it.
The intro you came up with reminds me of David Rawlings. Cool stuff, Zac!
It’s from the Shawn Colvin song, Sunny Came Home
John's work with Sarah Jarosz is fantastic. Check it out if you haven't already.
I own one pedal. Visual sound open road. Decades ago, I was in a two piece acoustic project. We used the black dimarzio sound hole pickups, and ran them through the clean channel of a Scholz rockman, using the delay and chorus, then into the P.A.
Killer
I started using one after seeing Jimmy Vaughan use a capo. …another Texan learning from a Texan.
Such a beautiful sonic effect fully justifies using a capo on a solid-body electric, IMO... Besides, there's nothing unusual about it, even among some top-notch guitarists. E.g. Mark Knopfler uses a capo in at least two songs: 'Boom Like That'-on the 3rd fret of his Danelectro and 'Postcards From Paraguay' - 6th fret of a strat.
Adding a soundhole pickup is also great safe guard when a combo is all you can play through!! I have a guitar set up with the 2 pickup combo, it is a great option. In a pinch the sound hole pickup can double as an electric if needed, because you can use distortion to good effect without getting terrible feedback ;-) Love your videos Zac!
Great tip!
Love his playing! Thanks Zac just what I needed! You Rock!
Gags for gigs…LOL! Love the minimalist pedal board. I also never had the money nor the ability to use my feet while maintaining my playing. I stuck with reverb from a Fender tank and never bothered with distortion since my Tweed Deluxe does that with the guitar volume up anyway
Love it when you play 👊
Your capoing up reminds me a song by a long-departed songwriter named Terence Martin, a song called A Sky The Wrong Color. It's on YT.
Great stuff! Thanks Z.
Thx Zac, always learning something new from your show, keep up the great work !!
Thanks, will do!
Great stuff Zac! Cheers!!
Great show as always! Thanks, Zac.
My pleasure!
Zac ,you’re the Tone Ranger
What about Reggie Wooten and Stan Lassiter to give your viewers a Nashville Jazz Fusion perspective ? It would be different musical ground for most and they are both mucho excellent !!!
Hey. Somehow got unsubscribed to your channel. UA-cam is freaky these days. Missed your videos!
Thanks for coming back!
What kind of pickups are on the blonde tele with the maple neck? Nice mellow tone.
Original 50s
Outstanding
Rory Gallagher used a capo on his telecaster.Why not check him out ?
I will!!
Rory was great, and growing up in Ireland he was our only really well known player in the 70s. He still sounds great
@@AskZac Let me save you some leg work; Tele and capo.I think this guitar may have started out life as an Esquire.ua-cam.com/video/WdPAO6_suu8/v-deo.html
Note that Zac says he’s a Texan. Not I’m from Texas. There’s a difference ……
Love it!
Thanks!!
nice guitar part zac i like that
What kind of capo do you use Zac?
I like shubb the best. I just got a C4 for my Esquire, to properly fit on the 7.25 radius. Next week's video has more on capos.
@@AskZac Thanks brother.
Hell yeah!
Been a Tele guy since Joe Strummer in the early ‘80s
His work on Lauderdale's 'Planet of Love ' album is great
Agreed!
Glen Campbell made a career out of using a capo
YES
Isn't John Leventhal married to Roseanne Cash?
Once again, I should watch the whole video before asking a dumb question.
Capo on electric? Ask Keith Richard’s. It’s always been acceptable. What bubble are you living in dude?
Love a bubble bath
Dude you talk too much.
You type too much
@@AskZac you suck on guitar too. Total meh.