freedom s goblin

Segall’s favorite Travis Bean guitar figured prominently into his latest album, “Hello, Hi,” as did a vintage Martin D-35 and a Neumann U67.

Photo by Denée Segall

Segall’s new album Hello, Hi” sounds just like Southern California. A heady mix of sun-drenched folk and exuberant psych-rock, it materialized at his home-based Harmonizer Studio—a brimming lab where vintage and custom outboard gear, 2" tape, a classic top-end microphone, and plenty of coffee helped fuel his giddy return to the acoustic guitar.

On a much-needed break from the first leg of his current tour with his road-tested Freedom Band, Ty Segall takes a seat in his mood-lit studio control room, mug of hot java in hand, and looks around with a visible expression of what can only be described as wonder. “You know, to have my own place to work on stuff is just pure joy,” he says. “I’m often like, ‘How did this even happen?’ It’s a great place to hone my skills and to get weird ideas going, with no pressure. The clock’s not running. We’re not burning a budget here. You get to do whatever you want. It’s just totally insane.”

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