“It sat in my closet until Guitar Hero III came out. I slapped the stickers for the controller onto the fretboard, and everything connected from there”: Stray Kids guitarist Garrett Jones on his journey from suburban Detroit to K-pop session pro

He’s made a name in the K-pop world – but Les Paul-slinger Garrett Jones started somewhere very different. “I grew up in metro Detroit, but no real music happens in the suburbs, so Detroit raised me,” says the 32-year-old.

That’s why his soulful-meets-sinful licks are loaded with plenty of vintage R&B vibes while his modern and versatile approach works for K-poppers Stray Kids.. “I wanted to create my own story,” Jones says of how he applied himself. “Traveling the world as a guitarist felt like a liberating concept.”

Of course, it’s not always been easy. “I used to feel my playing was behind everyone else’s. I kept challenging myself to learn from those around me, but I didn’t get around players that helped me grow until my early 20s. They helped me understand how others interpret the role of a guitarist, and what was being asked of me.”

He’s learned that it takes time to build towards the next phase of growth. “Anyone can find anything they want and display it on social media; I’m finding a lot of rushed products,” he says.

“We live in a content-forward era; it seems the craft isn’t perfected before it’s displayed. It’s easier to be discovered – but what you’ve put on the screen doesn’t always translate to real life.”

Jones found his six-string path after his parents bought him a classical nylon guitar when he was 11. “It sat in my closet until Guitar Hero III came out on PS2 a few years later. I slapped the stickers for the controller onto the fretboard, and everything connected from there.”

After doing “anything from alt-rock or country music to jazz fusion and gospel” around Detroit, he went to LA, where things got serious. “I’ve worked with R&B artists like Ms. Lauryn Hill, Giveon and Victoria Monét to a mix of genres in pop and rock – Ravyn Lenae, Duncan Laurence, Grandson and Aries, to name a few.”

His refusal to stick to a single genre led him to the usually non-guitar-centric K-pop scene. “My introduction was recording guitar for Focus by NCT 127 on their Sticker album,” Jones says. “It’s a versatile genre. I can see why my resume and style are a good match – especially for the genre flexibility in Stray Kids’ music.”

To the uninitiated, it can be hard to grasp the scale of Stray Kids’ success – in 2023 they were the third biggest selling artist in the world, behind only Taylor Swift and fellow K-pop icons Seventeen. They have had more than 10 billion YouTube views. It is, it’s safe to say, a truly ‘big’ gig.

“I received a call from a talent manager; I was recommended to without my prior knowledge,” he says of how he joined them. I remember it all happening very fast, as most things do in the industry. I had a good feeling about it; I’m glad I trusted my gut.”

Stray Kids’ audience have embraced him with open arms. “Their fanbase, called STAY, really shows support and appreciation,” he says. “It gives me hope in this new age of social media that people can still be inspired to learn an instrument.

“Each night we’re headlining stadiums with these massive audiences. It feels like everything I dreamed about or read in Guitar World years ago.”

Still, K-pop isn’t exactly known for guitar heroics. “But I think it can be,” he argues. “I’m big on learning the chord progressions and inversions in records first. There are a lot of interesting progressions in the music.”

Jones’ rig give him ample room for tone-shaping. “I chose a Gibson Les Paul Standard, a Fender American Professional II and a Gibson J-45,” he reports. “If I need thick, heavier tones, I use the Les Paul, then keep the Strat for cleaner, snappier songs.”

“I need multiple tones throughout every song. There are times when I use my T-Bone Telecaster from LSL – it’s very special to me, and sonically it can cover a lot of ground.”

He keeps it open regarding amps too. “I never fully switched from analog to digital; I always used a hybrid,” he says. “Now I’m using a Helix Floor and integrating it with my Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier heads. You’re not sacrificing authenticity because it’s digital. My rig is sort of a science project, pushing those boundaries. It’s all about how you use it.”

He currently has a moment to catch his breath after a long spell of touring. “I’m interested in creating for myself again,” he says. “I write, produce, and play other instruments. I was even DJing for a short bit. I tried the rock-fusion instrumentalist thing – it didn’t feel right for me.

“I had an album on DSPs, but I took it all down because it felt like I was trying to be someone else. I have much more to offer, and I think I have a new take on the rules about to break. I have more options than I know what to do with. It’s more reassuring than daunting, thankfully.”

• Stray Kids’ latest album Karma is on sale now.