Jorma Kaukonen

According to Kaukonen's blog post, he started using ES-345s between 1965 and 1966.

IN 1965 or ’66, I bought a Red ES-345 Stereo at Sherman and Clay in San Francisco for about $400. I bought it on time… it seemed like a lot of money back then. That guitar became the guitar I developed my sound in the JA on. I owned a number of ES-345’s and ES-355’s back in that day, but that first red one was always the one. I gave it to my friend Maj when I was flush with cash and buying a lot of guitars. It was stolen from him in London and has been gone for over forty years.

He mentioned the use of ES-345s in 2012 Guitar World interview.

When I play electric in Hot Tuna, I use two guitars: a Chet Atkins SST with acoustic strings for finger picking and a Gibson Les Paul Standard for rock and roll. Back in the day, the 345 and then the 335 defined my electric sound, but I stumbled onto this Les Paul and I just fell in love with it. It sounds great and it’s nice and light. I’m getting old, what can I tell you?

Kaukonen's gear website mentions 2016 Custom Shop ES-345, which is a replica of his red 1964 Gibson ES-345. The guitar was built by Gibson Memphis.

Photos of Kaukonen with ES-345: Unknown date/place.

Performances of Kaukonen with ES-345: Live at Capitol Theatre, 2nd December 2012.

J-50 is one of main guitars of Kaukonen. He used a 1958 J-50 for "Embryonic Journey".

I bought my 1958 Gibson J-50 in Dayton, Ohio at Pop’s Music Store in 1959. It cost a hundred bucks, and worth every penny. I learned to finger pick on that guitar… it’s the guitar I played Embryonic Journey on. Learned to pick, sing and write on that guitar. It was the musical story of my life for… well, a long time. When I’m gone it will belong to my son Zach.

Performances: Mann's Fate with Jack Casady, 1969.

In this photo, Kaukonen can be seen playing a Gibson Firebird V. Kaukonen's gear website also mentions a "1993 Gibson Firebird", which has Fralin pickups, and RS Guitar Works caps and pots. This could be the guitar in this photo. The guitar was used for Hot Tuna's Last Waltz tour in 2023, according to 2023 Guitar World interview.

Photos: Boulder, CA, 29th February 2020.

In this photo, Jorma can be seen playing a Fender Jazzmaster guitar.

In this youtube video Jorma can be seen playing a Gibson SG at 0:47 Live in Hamburg 05/10/68

"I love my Les Paul Gold Top. I was thinking while looking at a guitar that almost looked like a Les Paul, but wasn't. 'If you want a Les Paul, get one!' I have one and here it is." - Jorma Kaukonen

M-30 is Kaukonen's signature acoustic guitar, first released in 2010. Kaukonen was introduced to Martin guitars by David Bromberg, who had his own Martin signature model (M-42). He describes the M-30 in a 2010 Premier Guitar write-up, and is also mentioned as his signature guitar on his "Gear" page.

Kaukonen also mentioned the use of M-30 in a 2012 Guitar World interview, as well as used for recording Hot Tuna's 2011 album "Steady as She Goes", according to 2012 Vintage Guitar interview.

Live performances of Kaukonen with M-30: Genesis (Live at Fur Peace Ranch, 2011).

Photos of Kaukonen with M-30: Wilmington, DE, 21st January 2020.

Kaukonen mentions the use of Louis Electric amplifier on his website. He uses the Deltone Single 12 combo amplifier. The amp was also used on Hot Tuna's 2011 album "Steady as She Goes", according to 2012 Vintage Guitar interview.

I have a Gibson LP-295 I used on the electric stuff where I was fingerpicking, I used a Gibson Chet Atkins SST I’ve had a long time. I have a ’67 Fender Deluxe – which is not vintage to me, because I bought it new; it’s just old. I also used a Louis Electric 2×12, which is what I use onstage. On “Angel Of Darkness” I used a ’50s Bogan PA amp that’s been made into a guitar amp, and on “Children Of Zion” I used my SST through a ’30s Oahu steel-guitar amp.

The amp was used for Hot Tuna's Last Waltz tour in 2023, according to 2023 Guitar World interview.

For the Firebird, I’ve been using a Louis Electric custom amp. He’s a builder from Northern New Jersey. I love all this stuff.

"For my onstage monitoring, I use their small Loudbox amplifier. It's got a sound larger than it is, and I can still lift it without wincing." - Jorma Kaukonen

Kaukonen uses Zendrive pedals from mid 2000s onwards, as they were recommended to him by Robben Ford. In 2023, Kaukonen used Zendrive on both Gibson Firebird and Gibson Chet Atkins SST for Hot Tuna's "Last Waltz" tour.

2023 Guitar World interview.

Robben Ford turned me on to those back in the mid 2000s, and I was very fortunate that I was able to get four or five of them direct from [Zendrive designer] Alfonso Hermida back in the days. They weren’t cheap back then, but they were nothing like they are today. They’re not vintage for me. They’re just old because I bought them new.

"And the one that I play most of all is that J-35. But I have that Advanced Jumbo also and I just had a feeling that it would record record well. The J-35 is a mahogany guitar. It sounds like a mahogany guitar and the AJ is a rosewood, which has a little bit of a different sound. And so when I got down to the studio, I just realized that these are the two I want to use for the session. I may use them for the next one too."

"The good folks at GHS Strings provide us with excellent products such as cleaners, polish, polishing cloths, and other guitar needs. Most importantly, Jorma will be playing GHS strings on all of his electrics."

Kaukonen has two Chet Atkins SST models; a 1993 blond, and a 1999 cherry burst. They are used mainly for Hot Tuna performances, according to a 2012 Guitar World interview.

When I play electric in Hot Tuna, I use two guitars: a Chet Atkins SST with acoustic strings for finger picking and a Gibson Les Paul Standard for rock and roll.

SST's were also used on Hot Tuna's 2011 album "Steady as She Goes", according to 2012 Vintage Guitar interview.

I have a Gibson LP-295 I used on the electric stuff where I was fingerpicking, I used a Gibson Chet Atkins SST I’ve had a long time. I have a ’67 Fender Deluxe – which is not vintage to me, because I bought it new; it’s just old. I also used a Louis Electric 2×12, which is what I use onstage. On “Angel Of Darkness” I used a ’50s Bogan PA amp that’s been made into a guitar amp, and on “Children Of Zion” I used my SST through a ’30s Oahu steel-guitar amp.

The guitar was used for Hot Tuna's Last Waltz tour in 2023, according to 2023 Guitar World interview.

I also use an Atkins SST for the fingerpicking Hot Tuna stuff. I’ve got a couple of them, but my favorite is a 1993 from the Custom Shop. It’s just a really, really good guitar.

"I use Martin Strings exclusively for all my acoustic work." - Jorma Kaukonen

"I’m a Gibson nut. In fact, Gibson is thinking about making a Jorma Kaukonen model J-35 right now that’s like the one I play on the album. When I was a kid, I started out playing a J-45 and then when I could afford it, I got a J-50."

"I have been using Audix MIcs for well over a decade. We have used them in every possible configuration on stage although my personal favorite is for vocals. They also made one in camouflage for us. Their Cab Grabber (for miking amps) rocks too!"

According to Martin's website, Kaukonen uses Martin M-36.

"I have been using Fishman products since the early 90's and I love them. Fishman Transducers are my choice and I get my sound to the board via their spectacular Aura. It's hard for me to describe this product other than, it works! Go to their website and check it out. they will explain it better that I ever could. " - Jorma Kaukonen

https://www.foundsf.org/index.php?title=Jefferson_Airplane_and_the_Psychedelic_1960s

what I was using on Surrealistic Pillow is a Guild Thunderbird. Yeah, a Guild Thunderbird

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DujhH14XgAApoat.jpg

In the image captured during Takes Off session Jorma can be seen playing a Guild Thunderbird.

These two are probably two different guitars of the same model, see the headstocks.

In his autobiography "Been So Long: My Life and Music" he says: "I realized that my beautiful old L-5 was inadequate for rock and roll, so I sold it for $250 and bought a Guild T-Bird...We had seen the Lovin' Spoonful at some bar in North Beach earlier, and Zal Yanovsky was playing a Guild Thunderbird. He was a great guitar player so of course I checked out his gear. The T-Bird was one of the most different-looking guitars I had ever seen. It was a solid-body guitar with a shape like Mr. Tooth Decay. I had to have one ... and I got one. This was the six-string guitar I used on the Takes Off, as well as the Rickenbacker twelve-string...I also bought a Standel Super Imperial because Zal was playing through one...it's the gear I used for the solos on "Somebody to Love" as well as "White Rabbit". It worked out OK for me...Around the time of Pillow I was transitioning from the Guild Thunderbird guitar and the Standel amp to the Gibson and two Fender Twin Reverbs, but I was still waffling between two setups. The solos on "White Rabbit" and "Somebody to Love" were done with the Thunderbird and the Standel (minus the horns [he had added an upholstered box from Kustom with two high-frequency horns]). Saturating the sound with spring reverb was the deal. The other tracks were done with the Twins and the ES-345 Stereo.

https://books.google.by/books?id=TntJDwAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&hl=ru#v=onepage&q&f=false

Jorma Kaukonen can be seen holding a Gibson L5-S.

Here's a Hot Tuna concert captured on video with Jorma playing this guitar until "I Wish You Would" performance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IiniZha6PQM

In this picture, one can see Jorma Kaukonen stepping on a Cry Baby pedal. The picture dates back to the 8th May '76, Hot Tuna concert at the Beacon Theatre in New York. So I believe it's a Thomas Organ one as Jen Italian made ones used to have white binding around them and that one does not seem to have any.

In his autobiography "Been So Long: My Life and Music" he states: "The high-singing electric guitar lines are my Gibson ES-345 Stereo with the neck pickup through an Ampeg Scrambler into two Fender Twins. The bridge pickup was run through an original Thomas Organ Cry Baby Wah, also through two Twins". Regarding tone on Jefferson Airplane subsequent albums.

Kaukonen's website mentions the pedal to be a 1965 model.

Jorma Kaukonen can be seen practicing with a Gibson Firebird I Non Reverse.

Here's the guitar in action, used for the last two songs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IiniZha6PQM

Here's a Hot Tuna concert recording.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=Ucti8H6cCZk

Jorma's playing two different Strats, both having custom finishes. It is really hard to tell what color the first one is, but the second one's got US flag finish and, given time, neck binding appeared to have been installed, see the image above.

Kaukonen mentions the backstory of the "American Flag" Stratocaster in an interview with Glide Magazine.

I do not. That guitar, I got it like that and that was a 1957 Strat that whoever owned it before me painted it like an American flag. You know, things come and go in life and you can’t have everything but I wouldn’t mind having that one back. That was a good one. But I got that in probably 1974, maybe 1975, but when I was disassembling my life with my ex-wife, we were getting ready to split up and stuff, we hocked a lot of stuff. We used to call it, putting it in storage, although I never went to get it back. So anyway, to make a long story short, I hocked it on a pawn shop on 5th Street in San Francisco and strangely enough one of my friends who didn’t even know it was mine bought it and he’s still got it in LA. That’s a nice guitar.

https://www.collectorsweekly.com/articles/jefferson-airplane-guitarist-sheds-rock-star-mask/

When Paul Kantner suggested he get a Rickenbacker 12-string guitar because Roger McGuinn of the Byrds played one, Kaukonen, who already took his guitar choices very seriously, dutifully cashed in enough of the Israeli savings bonds his grandparents had given him and bought one.

In his autobiograhy he says: "This was the six-string guitar [the Guild T-Bird] I used on the Takes Off, as well as the Rickenbacker twelve-string".

https://books.google.by/books?id=TntJDwAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&hl=ru#v=onepage&q&f=false

In his autobiography "Been So Long: My Life and Music" he states: "...I got together with a couple of guys and we started an extremely short-Iived band. We called ourselves the Headstones, because we smoked pot and like the Rolling Stones. I had a 1937 Gibson L-5 and an early fifties Fender Princeton amp that I had bought from a fried a year or so before. The guitar had a DeArmond pickups and that was the axe I played in the Headstones. I can't remember if we played more than one gig. I rather doubt it. I don't think we were very good...I realized my beautiful old L-5 was inadequate for rock and roll, so I sold it for $250 and bought a Guild T-Bird. I remember thinking that I had made a killing selling the old L-5; I bought it and the Princeton amp for sixty bucks, so selling the guitar alone for $250 seemed like a killing. I remember briefly thinking I should have opened a music store. Such an instrument today would bring about $25.000. Remember, this was before some genius thought up the "vintage" concept. Back then secondhand meant cheap!"

In his autobiography "Been So Long: My Life and Music" he states: "I had a 1937 Gibson L-5 and an early fifties Fender Princeton amp that I had bought from a fried a year or so before".

Since "early fifties" may be seen as the years 1950-1953, the Princeton amp Jorma is referring to as "early fifties Fender Princeton amp" is either TV Front Princeton (1948-1953) or Wide Panel Princeton (1953-1955) variation (both used the same circuit, the only difference was cosmetics). And since Wide Panel Princeton was just introduced in 1953, a TV Front Princeton is the most likely amp Jorma owned.

"I also bought a Standel Super Imperial because Zal [Yanovsky] was playing through one. It was a completely solid-state amp with two fifteen-inch speakers, and no guitarist would probably voluntarily choose one. That said, it's [along with the Guild T-Bird] the gear I used for the solos on "Somebody to Love" as well as "White Rabbit". It worked out OK for me. Years later at a gig in New Jersey at the Tabernacle I found myself sharing the stage with John Sebastian [a founder of the Lovin' Spoonful]. We got to talking and I told him how I got the Guild and the Standel because the Lovin' Spoonful guys had that gear. "We hated those amps," he told me. "We had to use them because we were endorsers." I couldn't stop laughing. Again, it worked out for me...Back then I knew nothing about the gear so when I heard him [Zal Yanovksy], I had to have what he was playing. As if the Super Imperial weren't brittle enough, I added an upholstered box from Kustom with two high-frequency horns. Around the time of Pillow I was transitioning from the Guild Thunderbird guitar and the Standel amp to the Gibson and two Fender Twin Reverbs, but I was still waffling between two setups. The solos on "White Rabbit" and "Somebody to Love" were done with the Thunderbird and the Standel (minus the horns). Saturating the sound with spring reverb was the deal. The other tracks were done with the Twins and the ES-345 Stereo".

https://jormakaukonen.com/cracksinthefinish/?p=9114

"I bought my first Gibson ES-345 and two fender twin reverbs from Sherman & Clay in San Francisco. That was the first time I bought something on time and started to establish my credit, such as it was. Electric guitars took a back seat to pianos, brass, woodwinds and violins at Sherman and Clay".

In this picture above Jefferson Airplane perform on stage at the Webster Hall concert venue, New York on January 8th, 1967. One can see Jorma plays through two Fender Twin Reverbs (vibrato channels). It was barely noticable in the b&w image. Still, they are the Blackface era Twins, I colorized the picture, take a closer look.

In his autobiographical book he states: "Around the time of Pillow I was transitioning from the Guild Thunderbird guitar and the Standel amp to the Gibson and two Fender Twin Reverbs, but I was still waffling between two setups. The solos on "White Rabbit" and "Somebody to Love" were done with the Thunderbird and the Standel (minus the horns [he had added an upholstered box from Kustom with two high-frequency horns]). Saturating the sound with spring reverb was the deal. The other tracks were done with the Twins and the ES-345 Stereo".

http:// https://books.google.by/books?id=TntJDwAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&hl=ru#v=onepage&q&f=false

I had my Fender Musicmaster guitar

https://www.foundsf.org/index.php?title=Jefferson_Airplane_and_the_Psychedelic_1960s

In this November '96 interview he was asked: At one time you were playing with an Ampeg Scrambler?

Yes, my favorite fuzztone. I still have one.

Then the journalist asked him: That was on Baxter’s?

Yeah, it started on Baxter’s, and I used that until I quit playing with the Airplane.

It's kinda weird since the Ampeg Scrambler was introduced in early 1969. Anyway, Jorma knows the thing as he used it, maybe it was something else before '69, but then that was the Ampeg fuzz pedal.

In his autobiography "Been So Long: My Life and Music" he states: "The high-singing electric guitar lines are my Gibson ES-345 Stereo with the neck pickup through an Ampeg Scrambler into two Fender Twins. The bridge pickup was run through an original Thomas Organ Cry Baby Wah, also through two Twins". Regarding tone on Jefferson Airplane subsequent albums.

He also mentions that in the aforecited interview.

The front pickup was the wah-wah channel, and the neck pickup was the fuzztone channel.