Jorma Kaukonen

"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

"When I play songs with Electric Hot Tuna that I would normally play acoustic on (if I were sitting in my living room) My old Gibson SST's get the call." - Jorma Kaukonen

"It seems like I have waited all my life for this guitar. I now play Martin acoustic guitars exclusively and the Jorma Kaukonen M-30 explicitly. This is definitely the next to the last part of the cat over the fence." -Jorma Kaukonen

"I used the Jorma M-30 that Martin makes. But since this is Vintage Guitar, I have to add that I still have my ’59 Gibson J-50 I bought new for a hundred bucks at Pop’s Music Store in Dayton, Ohio – which sort of defined my guitar playing life for so many years. I don’t have any of the old electric guitars – they’re long gone – but I’ve got that J-50. It’s sort of fragile in its old age, but it’s still a great-sounding guitar."

"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?"

"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."

"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."

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

In this photo, Jorma can be seen playing a Gibson Firebird V.

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

"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

Talking about the Louis Electric amp Jorma Kaukonen says "
If an old Fender Bassman piggy back were red it might look like this. This amp loves all my electric guitars and I love it."

"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

"Robben Ford turned my onto Alfonso Hermida's Zendrive in February of 2009 " - Jorma Kaukonen

"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!"

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

"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."