"Interviews with Guitar Enthusiasts Reveal Surprise at Ty Segall's Unconventional Approach - From SG Modifications to Destroying a Vintage Gibson and the Special Significance of a Nearly Extinct Fuzz Pedal in His collection"
Ty Segall, the renowned American musician, has unveiled his latest solo album, Possession. The record, which features quintessentially American stories, showcases Segall's unique sound, with his prized possession, a customized 1962 Gibson SG guitar, taking centre stage.
This customized SG, equipped with late-1960s humbuckers, replaced Segall's longtime main studio guitar, a Les Paul, which only appears on one song in the album. The SG, with its dirtier and cleaner sound, is the primary guitar featured on most songs of the album.
According to Segall, the album's bigger sound was achieved by strategically pointing microphones. This approach allowed for distant microphone placement for guitars, such as in the room for Harmonizer II, where the long space enabled a more natural sound. However, the short ceiling caused issues with harshness for drums.
One of the standout tracks on the album, Shoplifter, empathizes with a character going through economic turmoil. The harmony section in Another California Song features gritty, vintage fuzz tones, achieved with a Univox Super-Fuzz pedal, one of Segall's three favourite pedals in his studio.
Possession occasionally erupts with psych-garage six-string bombast but is one of Segall's most purposefully toned-down guitar albums. The song Alive was inspired by the Donner Party case, while Fantastic Tomb includes a line about someone's "last guitar just breaking." Interestingly, all other songs on Possession were written on the piano initially.
Segall's vintage modified Fender Quad Reverb amp from 1972, which has a Peavey power transformer, is another key part of his tonal setup on the record. This amp, which Segall has used for the past 13 years, contributes to the album's unique sound with its "extra fried" tone.
Despite the challenges of moving his home studio, Harmonizer, to a smaller location for Possession, Segall has managed to create an album that showcases his exceptional talent and unique sound.
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- Ty Segall's prized possession, a customized 1962 Gibson SG guitar, takes center stage on his latest album Possession, replacing his longtime main studio guitar, a Les Paul.
- The Univox Super-Fuzz pedal is one of Segall's favorite pedals, contributing to the gritty, vintage fuzz tones in the harmony section of Another California Song on his album Possession.
- Apart from the Les Paul, which only appears on one song in the album, most of the guitars used on Possession were recorded using microphones strategically placed to achieve a bigger sound.
- Segall's vintage Fender Quad Reverb amp from 1972, with a Peavey power transformer, is another key component of the unique tone on Possession.
- Music enthusiasts may find more information, potentially saving on subscriptions, by visiting our website for updates on Segall's guitar collection and recording techniques on his albums such as Possession.
