Guitarist Billy Gibbons’ and bassist Dusty Hill’s toys can be summed up by three Bs: bold, Bolin-made, and because they said so.
“It wouldn't be a story on Dusty's gear without the furry,” tech TJ Gordon says. John Bolin made this Bo Diddley-inspired Gretsch box for Dusty Hill. Dubbed “Furbo,” it has a TV Jones Filter’Tron and lots of fur. Hill plays this bass on “Legs.”
ZZ Top approaches gear like they approach facial hair: Go big or go home. Billy Gibbons’ tech Elwood Francis and Dusty Hill’s tech Ken “TJ” Gordon give us the behind-the-scenes rundown of the current touring setup.
Billy Gibbons’ Gear
Here’s a glimpse at what Billy’s been using live, but let it be known that it’s already changed. “We started the tour using the Les Pauls for the encores, but that gave way to whatever guitars we happened to pick up along the way,” said Billy Gibbons’ tech Elwood Francis from the road in mid-November. “Things change at the drop of a hat. In the past week, we've acquired four guitars and six fuzz boxes—and the tour only has three more gigs.”
Dusty Hill’s Gear
Tech Ken “TJ” Gordon describes Dusty Hill’s bass tone as, “Texas blues with a little nastiness and a lot whoooo!” Here he guides us through Hill’s gear, including a collection of basses that were custom-made to match the guitars of bandmate Billy Gibbons.
If you see a curl on your capo, you know it was made by Kyser in Texas. They did a unique thing by bringing production to NAMM and showed how they make their acoustic guitar capos. There's only a few parts on their capos, but they're all high-grade components that make a secure, snug, dependable hug on your guitar's neck.
Available in 10- and 20-foot lengths, these cables combine reliable signal transmission with a distinctive braided design that adds a unique visual element to any setup.
The Backline Series braided instrument cables feature classic 1/4-inch straight to right-angle connectors for a secure connection and a durable 6.5-millimeter braided jacket that delivers a retro aesthetic. Players can choose between three color combinations – black and black, black and grey, or brown and yellow(tweed).
Each cable has a 23-gauge, 99.99% oxygen-free copper conductor and copper spiral shielding to provide a clear signal and eliminate interference. The low capacitance minimizes signal loss and supports wider audible frequencies, providing a richer, uncolored tone. Reusable ties ensure cables remain organized during transport.
Gator Cableworks offers a comprehensive selection of audio cables, including XLR, instrument, and speaker cables. Whether selecting from the Backline, Composer, or premiumHeadliner Series, consumers can trust Cableworks to deliver reliability, durability, and top-tier performance in any setting. For more information on Cableworks, visit www.gatorco.com.
Juniper II Baritone
Orangewood unveils an upgraded version of their popular Juniper Rubber Bridge guitar.
The company has made noticeable upgrades to the instrument, developing a more versatile and professional instrument for those who are looking for the unique rubber bridge sound. The Juniper II Rubber Bridge model is available in all Mahogany and Satin Black. It is also available in a baritone scale in Satin Black.
Even after the initial success of the first Juniper model, the Orangewood team continued to explore different ways to improve the instrument. Shortly after launching the first Juniper model, the team started testing a number of pickups to find the right pickup that could add more clarity to the muted tone so that the rubber bridge sound could mix even better in a live or recording environment. The team landed on the Seymour Duncan Hot Rails® pickup, and also added a coil split function and a tone control knob – making it a versatile and exceptional rubber bridge instrument. Additionally, the highly requested baritone scale version was added to the collection.
In order to accentuate the vintage-inspired aesthetics, the Juniper II models now feature oversized dot inlays and a diamond trapeze tailpiece. Strung with premium flatwound strings, Juniper II also features Grover open-gear tuners for excellent tuning stability and vintage-style cupcake knobs for volume and tone controls.
STANDARD SCALE KEY FEATURES
Body Shape: Parlor
Top: Solid Spruce or Mahogany Top
Back/Sides: Layered Sapele Mahogany Back & Sides
Scale: 24.75''
Pickup: Seymour Duncan Hot Rails® Pickup with Volume and Tone Controls
Electronics: Coil Split
Tuners: Grover Open Gear Tuners
Nut / Saddle: Bone Nut / Rubber Wrapped Saddle
Bracing: Reinforced Non-Scalloped X Bracing
Neck Joint: Vintage Style 12th Fret Neck Joint
Strings: Ernie Ball Light Stainless Steel Flatwound Guitar Strings 11–50
Truss Rod: Headstock Access
Gig Bag: Included
Price: $645
BARITONE SCALE KEY FEATURES
Body Shape: Grand Concert
Top: Solid Spruce or Mahogany Top
Back/Sides: Layered Sapele Mahogany Back & Sides
Scale: 27”
Pickup: Seymour Duncan Hot Rails® Pickup with Volume and Tone Controls
Electronics: Coil Split
Tuners: Grover Open Gear Tuners
Nut / Saddle: Bone Nut / Rubber Wrapped Saddle
Bracing: Reinforced Non-Scalloped X Bracing
Neck Joint: Vintage Style 12th Fret Neck Joint
Strings: D'Addario Chromes Flatwound Electric Guitar Strings 15-65
Truss Rod: Headstock Access
Gig Bag: Included
Price: $645
Every Juniper II is professionally set up by Orangewood’s in-house guitar technicians before shipment and includes a gig bag. The guitar retails at $645 and will be available directly online at orangewoodguitars.com/collections/rubber-bridge in February. Customers can now head over to the Orangewood website to sign up to be notified when the Juniper II models are available to purchase in February. Juniper II models will also be available through select retailer partners. For more information about Orangewood, please visit orangewoodguitars.com.
Two things that go together like peanut butter & jelly are Spector and Living Colour bassist Doug Wimbish. Making new waves with their longtime partnership they collaborated on a fresh trio of 4-strings under the Doug Wimbish Euro 4 banner that is built with a quilted maple top paired with maple body wings, Doug's preferred slim neck profile, and custom-wound EMG pickups. The bad news, it doesn't come with Doug's flashy, funky, musical chops!