Artist Spotlight - Johnny Winter

Johnny Winter is unquestionably one of the greatest electric bluesmen of our time. Though he never disappeared from the scene, his public profile had diminished slightly in recent years due to problems with his health. Now clean and healthy, Winter has reemerged with a new band, a Grammy-nominated album, and his playing is stronger and better than ever.

To pay homage to this true legend, Gibson has created a new signature model Firebird, Dunlop designed a signature slide made to his exact specifications, and better yet, Winter has also signed on as an official endorser of Seymour Duncan pickups. We proudly extend a most gracious welcome into our own family and were very honored to have the opportunity to speak with Mr. Winter about his latest endeavors, and discuss his preferences for gear and tone.

Tell us about your new signature model Gibson Firebird and how that was developed. Is it modeled after one of your personal guitars?

It is coming out soon. The Gibson Custom Shop used my '63 Firebird V that I acquired in the '70s, which is the Firebird I currently play.

How does the Firebird differ from your Erlewine Lazer guitars in terms of tone and playability?

With my Lazer, I can get both the feel of a Gibson neck with a Strat-style tone. It's the best of both worlds. I mainly use my Firebird for slide playing these days. The Lazer is my main guitar and I break out the Firebird for playing slide. The Lazer gives me a really bright tone that I like for soloing and recording.

How are your guitars set up? Does the set up on the Lazer differ from the Firebird? If so, why and how do they vary?

In my Lazer, I use a Seymour Duncan SSL-1 Vintage Staggered Strat model in the neck position and an SH-1B '59 model humbucker in the bridge position. My strings are D'Addario .010-.046 gauge and the string height is set fairly low. The fact that I tune down a whole step has something to do with that as well. On my Gibson Firebird, the action is set very high for my slide playing.

Do you favor the neck or bridge pickup when playing slide?

I don't favor either pickup in particular. It really depends on which one I switch to during a solo and which song I'm playing over.

What type of tonal characteristics were you looking for when choosing your neck and bridge
pickups?

I love a real bright and fat sound! I am constantly switching between pickups for different sounds and dynamics in my soloing.

What do you like best about the characteristics of your Seymour Duncan pickups?

I like the fact that they don't change my tone in a bad way, as some other pickups would. They actually provide better tone and sustain, especially at the volumes at which I play.

What type of slide do you prefer and which finger do you place the slide on?

I have always used a slide on my pinky. The Dunlop company is actually coming out with a signature slide called "The Texas Slider," which was developed from the one I use. It is made out of chrome and it's very thin. It's the same material that you would find on drum hardware.

What type of picks do you favor?

I use thumb picks that are heavy gauge.

Describe your live rig. What type of amp and effects are you currently using onstage?

I use Music Man HD-130 4x10 amps which have been modified by Matt Wells in New York.
I run them all on 10. For effects, I play through a Boss CE-2 chorus pedal.

What are your typical amp settings?

I keep the volume on 10, treble on 10, middle on 0, bass on 0, master volume on 10, and reverb off.

How does your live setup differ from the gear you use in the studio?

It's pretty much the same. The only difference might be in the way the amp is miked.

Tell us about your latest recording and current tour.

Right now I am on tour with my band, which includes Paul Nelson on guitar, Scott Spray on bass, and Wayne June on drums. We are currently promoting our latest Grammy-nominated album, I'm A Bluesman, which was released by Virgin Records in 2004.

Looking back on your catalog of recordings, which album or particular song do you consider to be the best example of your work? Do you have a favorite recorded solo that truly defines your style as player?

I have been listening to my first record, The Progressive Blues Experiment, quite a lot. I really think that's one of my best releases.

What do you listen to for enjoyment and inspiration?

Nothing but the blues! I enjoy Robert Johnson, T-Bone Walker, Muddy Waters, and listening to blues from the '50s.

Have your listening preferences changed at all over time?

Never!

How do you prepare for a gig? Do you have any particular warm-up routine that you go through before hitting the stage or before recording tracks?

I usually warm up for about an hour before, just playing bits and pieces of things.

Can you offer any advice to other guitarists who are trying to improve their skills and also develop a unique style and tone?

Practice!

What are your plans for 2006? When and where will you be performing or touring throughout the year?

I'll be doing more touring and recording. My website, www.johnnywinter.net, has a complete listing of our tour dates for this year.

Thanks to Paul Nelson for his help in coordinating this interview!

Lisa Sharken is Seymour Duncan's New York based artist relations consultant.