martin_gotte's Country Music Gear Setup

This amp has a phantastic clean sound and a great, saturated and rich singing lead sound when the gain is maxed and the bass is turned down. It is a bit less perfect for crunch sounds in my opinion. The cleans are not as deep as a blackface Fender, but more stable and in the same ballpark. The reverb sounds classic and great. It is hard to believe that the amp has a hybrid design (solid state preamp, 2 x 6L6 tube power amp, 12AX7 preamp-tube driven lead channel); to me it sounds and feels like my all-tube amps. It takes pedals very well. The amp is loud and is able to cut through an 8 piece band with a Hammond organ and a horn section. The sound also does not get lost in an open air setting. I have been gigging with the amp for 35 years, and it is highly dependable, lightweight and easy to carry. It sounds great both with humbucker and single-coil equipped guitars. If you are a player who is happy with one great clean and one great lead sound, this is the amp for you.

I own a 2009 cherry red Gibson Memphis ES-335. Wide slim taper mahogany neck, rosewood fretboard, laminate maple/poplar body with center block, 57 Classic pickups. Very low action and very easy to play. Extremely responsive and dynamic. This guitar sounds awesome on all pickup positions, with a great balance of warmth and brightness. It is a most versatile guitar suitable for all musical styles.

I own a black 1987 American Standard Strat from the first run. Heavy 3 piece alder body with 'swimming pool" route, one piece maple neck with low action and 9.5 radius, jumbo frets. The original pickups sounded great in position 2 and 4, but a bit harsh and sterile when played alone. The guitar is now equipped with Fender Tex Mex pickups (neck, middle) and a Seymour Duncan JB jr bridge pickup, which sound great in this guitar. When combined with aftermarket Fender locking tuners, the American Standard Tremolo works realĺy well. This is an excellent playing versatile guitar, which I have played on countless gigs and in the studio. I own three Fender Stratocasters, and this one has a modern Pop-Rock sound, and the best-working tremolo. If you are looking for vintage Strat sounds, other models are better options. This is a great workhorse which suits a wide range of styles.