Gillian Welch

According to Premier Guitar, Welch uses 1956 Gibson J-50.

On this picture Welch can be seen playing a vintage Martin D-45, which was, according to stories on the internet, a 1942 model formerly owned by country singer Wilma Lee Cooper. Rumors say that she had to pay around $175,000 for it.

According to Premier Guitar interview, Welch uses 1939 Martin D-18.

Dave Rawlings:

"The method that Matt Andrews, who has engineered most of the records I’ve done, and I came up with has been gradually dialed in over the years. I’ve always used a Sony C-37A microphone—a tube microphone made in the late ’50s and early ’60s—and an old Neve 1055 preamp module.

The sound of my and Gillian’s guitars is a combination of what bleeds through the vocal mics—we use a Neumann M49, usually—and the mics we use on our guitars. We’re usually sitting close enough that every sound blends through every microphone. So the sound is a composite.

The only other constant in my guitar chain is a Fairchild compressor I bought years ago that has a particular tone. I’m not interested in the compression as much as the sound its transformers add to the chain. It gives a little point to the midrange that makes it easier to poke out from Gill’s guitar and be present under the vocals."

Dave Rawlings:

"The method that Matt Andrews, who has engineered most of the records I’ve done, and I came up with has been gradually dialed in over the years. I’ve always used a Sony C-37A microphone—a tube microphone made in the late ’50s and early ’60s—and an old Neve 1055 preamp module.

The sound of my and Gillian’s guitars is a combination of what bleeds through the vocal mics—we use a Neumann M49, usually—and the mics we use on our guitars. We’re usually sitting close enough that every sound blends through every microphone. So the sound is a composite.

The only other constant in my guitar chain is a Fairchild compressor I bought years ago that has a particular tone. I’m not interested in the compression as much as the sound its transformers add to the chain. It gives a little point to the midrange that makes it easier to poke out from Gill’s guitar and be present under the vocals."

In a live performance captured by The Current on YouTube, Gillian Welch is seen playing a Gibson Hummingbird guitar alongside David Rawlings during "Cumberland Gap."

According to Premier Guitar, Welch uses D'Addario EJ17 guitar strings.

In this picture Welch can be seen having a Kysers on her D-45.

Welch plays a 1925 Vega Whyte Laydie

In this 1997 performance of Annabelle at the Grand Ole Opry Welch can be seen playing her Guild D-25.

DAVE RAWLINGS' GEAR Fretted Instruments 1935 Epiphone Olympic archtop Early ’50s Gibson F-12 mandolin

Strings and Picks Martin Darco 80/20 Bronze light gauge strings (.012–.054) Fender heavy picks

GILLIAN WELCH’S GEAR Guitars 1956 Gibson J-50 1939 Martin D-18

Strings and Picks D’Addario EJ17 Phosphor Bronze medium strings (.013–.056) Vintage tortoise shell picks

In this Instagram post, Gillian Welch can be seen playing a ‘60s Silvertone 1444 Bass. According to the caption, it was used during the recording of the song “Cumberland Gap.”