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Hilary Scott

Hilary Scott performs on a Yamaha Compass Series guitar and uses Dean Markley medium-gauge strings. She also plays a KORG Triton Le keyboard, and a Yamaha electric violin.

Mike Robertson

I've been playing a Carvin 50th Anniversary Model 6-string fretless bass for close to ten years now. That was my instrument when I met Hilary - before that I worked principally with a Fender Jazz bass on which I had installed a fretless neck. I've been playing exclusively fretless bass for about half of my career. It's the Jaco influence, isn't it. He got that gorgeous trombone tone on Joni's albums by using a fretless Jazz bass.

I love the Carvin. I jumped from four to six strings without bothering with a five-string bass. I knew I would eventually want that sixth string, so why not dive right into it? I've been using Carvin round-wound strings. Moving to fretless meant I would no longer have access to the sharp bite of the string against fret, especially for funk and other slap-styles, but it was really no sacrifice for me. Although I love good funk, my tastes have always tended toward softer, more melodic tones. And I discovered pretty quickly that I could punctuate pretty effectively using a sharp pull on a higher string and get a hint of aggression in the tone when I needed it. This was helped by my selection of amps. I've used exclusively solid state amps for years now. Hartke and Gallian Krugers. I currently have two amps, a GK 100  combo which is extremely portable, and a GK 800 with a 4-10 Hartke cab. The small rig is perfect for most gigs, especially blue grass and other acoustic folk ensembles, and works as a stage monitor for me at big gigs, where the signal is lined out to a good PA system.   And since I gave up cars and exclusively get around on a scooter, I can go to practices and gigs with this amp tucked between my knees and my bass strapped to my back  Middle sized gigs I do with the big rig, which gives me all the push and tone I want in medium to large clubs and outdoors with or without a PA to supplement the sound. I have tried a variety of outboard gear, foot pedals and such, but have quickly abandoned them every time. I always prefer the pure tone of the instrument without effects, especially in folk music.

Carol Elliot

Carol first learned to play on a loaned Kay cello. She used to lovingly polish it with Pledge furniture polish but now knows one is not to use that stuff on instruments.  When she was 14, her parents bought her a French cello made around the 1920s by the Laberte and Magnie workshop in Mirecourt, France.  They were shocked that a cello cost as much as a compact car.  Carol played on this cello nicknamed “Monsieur Laberte” for some 30 years.  It always embarrassed her with its bright red varnish. 

In 1997 she sold the French cello and purchased a cello built in 1996 by the William Harris Lee workshop of Chicago.  The first time she opened the case to see what was inside, it immediately struck her that this cello’s varnish was as beautiful as a mink coat…and no way was it red.  The cello was instantly nicknamed “Hillary” based on the meaning of the name (cheerful, happy) since this cello was to bring so much joy into Carol’s life.   Hilary and Carol have discussed what a coincidence it is that Hilary (the singer/songwriter) and Hillary (the cello) have the same name!   (By the way, the cello is a boy.)

In recording the cello tracks for RTH Steve Gardner, the sound engineer, used a Josephson C42 condenser mike and Chandler germanium preamp he describes as delivering a rich “beefy” sound suitable for the cello.  

Carol’s live performance setup with the Hilary Scott Band utilizes a Fishman piezo ceramic pickup and Fishman preamp.  The piezo transducer is placed in the wing slot of the cello’s bridge. A standard guitar cable attaches to the pickup and runs into a Fishman PRO-EQ platinum instrument preamp.  Carol is still experimenting with the settings on the preamp and has no particular advice except find a soundman who appreciates the cello and who you can trust to make the cello sound its electronic best.

Bill Adams

Capo: Kyser Quick Change -  KG6

Rob Lampe

I used my, lets say '82 (though I'm not sure) Custom Strat with Lace Sensor pickups, and locking tuners.  I switched out the original Wilkenson roller nut and put in an LSR roller nut (much better) and I took out the Hip shot trem setter (I hate those things).   I used D'Addario EXL 110's. Most of the rhythm tracks were done straight to the board in the studio (The Bridge), and we used one of their virtual amps (can't remember which one). I know I over dubbed most of those tracks, maybe all of them.  All the over dubs were done at Steve Gardner's studio with my Music man 110 RD 50 w. I think everything was run, even the originals, through the Boss ME-50 effects pedal. The only effects I used were the distortion, and the delay. All the slide parts were done on my ancient National Lap steel with a large Dunlop round slide. The lap steel is strung in open E tuning Low to High E,B,E,G#,B,E, with really heavy strings 70,54,40,26,18,10. I used as always a Dunlop 1.14mm delrin pick.

Matt Griffin

Matt "Griff" Griffin uses Hohner Big River Harmonicas. His microphone is a custom Astatic JT30 shell loaded with a vintage black label Shure 520 controlled reluctance element. The amplifier he currently uses is a one off custom made by VanSickle Audio. It is a 40 watt twin 6L6 tube PA head based on a Masco design. It contains a variable paraphase inverter section which is used a a feedback control device, phase selection, and a hot/ cool bias switch. The amp head is housed in a vintage pine finger-joined Trojan explosives crate. The speaker cabinet used is twin 10" cab loaded with 1968 Jensen ceramic speakers.

Loyd Warden

Yamaha Recording Custom Drums, Zildjian Cymbals, Ayotte Sticks, Latin Percussion cowbell

Michael Bielski

Remo Djembe

Claves

Shakers