Premier Guitar features affiliate links to help support our content. We may earn a commission on any affiliated purchases.

Rig Rundown: Steve Wariner

Designated a "certified guitar picker" by former boss Chet Atkins, the multiple Grammy-winning session ace and songwriter for country legends shows off his favorite gear.

C.G.P. aka Certified Guitar Player—a title bestowed to him by friend and mentor Chet Atkins—Steve Wariner invited PG down to his personal studio (and gear museum) in Franklin, Tennessee. Here John Bohlinger the crew had to do everything they could to keep their jaws off the floor as Wariner paraded out vintage guitar (complete with wonderful stories) and vintage guitar. What a treat!

Steve Wariner worked closely with Gretsch to design his signature G6120T-SW Nashville Gentleman. The 6120 body features a 25.5" scale neck and a pair of TV Jones pickups (Classic Plus in the bridge and a Paul Yandell Duo-Tron in the neck). Wariner also uses a custom set of D’Addario strings (.010–.014–.017–.028–.038–.048) and small Dunlop thumbpicks.

For most of his career, Wariner’s No. 1 was this 1986 Joe Glaser Telecaster loaded up with a B-bender and Ron Ellis custom pickups.

Wariner has more vintage instruments than we can list here, but a few of his favorites include this 1954 Fender Telecaster that still has the original bridge pickup and a Seymour Duncan pickup in the neck.

For that middle pickup vibe, Wariner plays this 1960 Fender Stratocaster. It’s all original but did recently have a refret.

One of Wariner’s first gigs was playing bass for country legend Dottie West. This ’61 Fender Jazz served him well during those years and still has a spot in his studio.

This matching ’61 Fender Showman was used by Wariner along with the Jazz bass on the Dottie West gig. Both were a gift from his uncle who bought them new.

For this rundown, Wariner played his like-new 1958 Fender Bassman. A few other favorites included a 1965 Fender Deluxe Reverb, a 1966 Fender Pro Reverb, and a Todd Sharp = JOAT 20.

Wariner’s expansive board was built and designed by XTS in Nashville. From the guitar, the first thing on the board is a custom interface designed by XTS. From there it hits a Vox wah, XTS Fermata Compressor, MXR Phase 90, Crowther Hot Cake, Maxon OD808, Ernie Ball Volume pedal, Austone Vibro-Stomp, a vintage Boss CE-1, Dunlop Echoplex, Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man, and a TC Electronic Hall of Fame Reverb.


Click below to listen wherever you get your podcasts:

Listen on Apple PodcastsListen on Google Podcasts
Listen on StitcherListen on Spotify

D'Addario XT Strings:https://www.daddario.com/XTRR