Folk legend Richard Thompson has shared his thoughts on the current guitar gear market and revealed he’s been impressed by some of the new equipment coming out – but that doesn’t mean he’s been fully won over by the digital revolution.
As guitar players, we are spoiled for choice when it comes to gear. From old-school-inspired tube amps to cutting edge amp modelers and everything in between, the market is stacked with just about everything an electric guitar player could ever need, and we very much are living through a golden age of gear.
Despite these advances, though, there are some players who still prefer vintage equipment, meaning that, while there’s certainly no shortage of amps and guitars that embrace 21st century technology, vintage gear is still often seen as superior.
Thompson, on the other hand, doesn’t subscribe to such a school of thought, and has instead been embracing modem gear, which he says can sometimes outperform more outdated, “overrated” examples of vintage alternatives.
And Thompson – ranked by Guitar World as the one of the best acoustic guitar players of all time – might not be a name usually associated with electric guitar gear, owing to his acoustic guitar and fingerstyle background, but that’s not to say he hasn’t done his fair share of electric experimentation.
“These days, I’m finding that new gear can actually sound really good, and that old gear can be really overrated,” he says in the new issue of Guitarist. “Again, sometimes it’s down to things like the tubes and things like studio microphones.
“I mean, everyone loves the idea of a vintage ’50s amp – but, yes, sometimes, you can’t get the tubes that you used to be able to get for that. So, sometimes, a modern version will sound better.”
Though Thompon is partial to a modern amp or two, he draws the line at totally breaking away from traditional designs and stops short of switching to amp simulations – arguably the most modern form of guitar amp technology there is.
“I think modern technology is fine,” he adds. “I’m just not a fan of digital versions of anything on the whole. I still tend to record analog in the studio. I don’t like digital simulations. I swear I can hear the difference.”
Visit Magazines Direct to pick up the latest issue of Guitarist, which also features interviews with Joe Bonamassa and Elliot Easton.
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