Sturgill Simpson

In 2017 Simpson's longtime lead guitarist Laur Joamets left his band. Since then, Sturgill has been playing lead/electric guitar at his shows.

Source video shows Sturgil playing his white tele live. He's also been seen playing at least two other Teles, as seen in these videos (first and second video might be the same guitar, with the decal added sometime between 2011 and 2017): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsrsrOB0zNQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aU19dWpeWTg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P58tvWhP8MM

In this article in the Martin Journal of Acoustic Guitars, Sturgill talks about his number one guitar, his HD-28v. He tells the story of trading for the guitar at Gruhn's Guitar's in Nashville. This is the main acoustic Sturgill used throughout the first few years of his career. Sturgill carved his name and strumming pattern into the guitar so he could never sell or trade it.

Sturgill aquired this Ditson-style dreadnaught (modeled after the origional Martins built for Ditson department stores in the 1920s) after becoming a Martin Ambasador. It has mahogany back and sides, adirondack spruce top, is 12 frets to the body, and features a slotted headstock.

In his interview for the Martin Journal of Acoustic Guitars (Vol. 5, January 2016), Sturgil talks about why he chose this particular guitar: "I like a lot of bottom end, because I'm primarily a rythm player and a singer," says Simpson. "I picked up a couple 12-fret older model Dreadnaughts in the stores, and they just felt like more resonant, louder guitars. And then I saw the Ditson in the Martin Museum when I toured the factory and just kind of fell in love with the simplicity of the aesthetic of it. No bells or whistles, just a workhorse. This one's really alive already, I can tell, and I'm excited to hear it in a couple of years. I really would like to meet the luthiers who made it, 'cause it's just an absolute tank. It sounds like a cannon." (https://issuu.com/cfmartin/docs/martinjournal_vol5_jan2016)

Sturgill Simpson LIVE: Welcome to the Earth (Pollywog) / It Ain't All Flowers / The Promise, Outlaw Country Music Festival, Xfinity Center in Mansfield, MA, September 21, 2018 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nx9FyWVJIZk

Hiwatt themselve say Sturgill uses one in their April 2018 catalog, and can be seen in his Bonnaroo set. https://www.rollingstone.com/country/news/sturgill-simpson-plays-brace-for-impact-at-bonnaroo-2018-w521453

Used for the acoustic guitar on A Sailor’s Guide to Earth, as stated by producer David Ferguson in this May 4, 2016 Mix Online interview.

On the songs that include acoustic guitar, such as the second track, “Breakers Roar,” Simpson plays while he sings and Ferguson captured his guitar with an AKG 451, into a UA 2-610 preamp, and to Pro Tools HD11.

You can see Sturgill Simpson playing a Gibson Les Paul Standard at the Special Forces Foundation Benefit in October 6, 2019

According to the L.R. Baggs website Simpson uses this pedal.

Used as a vocal mic, as stated A Sailor’s Guide to Earth producer David Ferguson in this May 4, 2016 Mix Online interview.

Simpson told Ferguson he likes to sing into a beyerdynamic M 160 mic, which Ferguson appreciated. “Those ribbon mics will take a lot of sound pressure and they don’t leak very much,” Ferguson says. “You get any mic in a room with a bunch of drums, bass amps, and all that sh[*]t going on, and it helps to have a mic that doesn’t leak very much but has a warm, smooth sound.” Also in Simpson’s vocal chain: the same UA 6176 pre that Ferguson used with Johnny Cash, and a rented Fairchild 660.

Used for the acoustic guitar on A Sailor’s Guide to Earth, as stated by producer David Ferguson in this May 4, 2016 Mix Online interview.

On the songs that include acoustic guitar, such as the second track, “Breakers Roar,” Simpson plays while he sings and Ferguson captured his guitar with an AKG 451, into a UA 2-610 preamp, and to Pro Tools HD11.

The lack of specification suggests an original E version.

Sound and fury liner notes contain two photos with sturgills pedalboard.

Used for vocals on A Sailor’s Guide to Earth, as stated by producer David Ferguson in this May 4, 2016 Mix Online interview.

Simpson told Ferguson he likes to sing into a beyerdynamic M 160 mic, which Ferguson appreciated. “Those ribbon mics will take a lot of sound pressure and they don’t leak very much,” Ferguson says. “You get any mic in a room with a bunch of drums, bass amps, and all that sh[*]t going on, and it helps to have a mic that doesn’t leak very much but has a warm, smooth sound.” Also in Simpson’s vocal chain: the same UA 6176 pre that Ferguson used with Johnny Cash, and a rented Fairchild 660.

Used for vocals on A Sailor’s Guide to Earth, as stated by producer David Ferguson in this May 4, 2016 Mix Online interview.

Simpson told Ferguson he likes to sing into a beyerdynamic M 160 mic, which Ferguson appreciated. “Those ribbon mics will take a lot of sound pressure and they don’t leak very much,” Ferguson says. “You get any mic in a room with a bunch of drums, bass amps, and all that sh[*]t going on, and it helps to have a mic that doesn’t leak very much but has a warm, smooth sound.” Also in Simpson’s vocal chain: the same UA 6176 pre that Ferguson used with Johnny Cash, and a rented Fairchild 660.

During the "Johnny Blue Skies" performance at Outside Lands in 2024, two Magnatone Panoramic Stereo amps can be clearly seen positioned on either side of Sturgill Simpson.

In his "Johnny Blue Skies" performance at Outside Lands, Sturgill Simpson plays a modified, red Gibson ES-335 (possibly a 60s model) for the entire show. It appears to have had headstock repairs that resulted in a different inlay and finish.

Pro Tools HD11 was used to record the acoustic guitar on A Sailor’s Guide to Earth, as stated by producer David Ferguson in this May 4, 2016 Mix Online interview.

On the songs that include acoustic guitar, such as the second track, “Breakers Roar,” Simpson plays while he sings and Ferguson captured his guitar with an AKG 451, into a UA 2-610 preamp, and to Pro Tools HD11.

In the Premier Guitar "Rig Rundown" video featuring Sturgill Simpson, the Fulltone Custom Shop True-Path Hard Touch ABY Switching Box is visible on his pedalboard at the 11:24 mark.

In a recent rig rundown featured on Premier Guitar's YouTube channel, Sturgill Simpson is shown using the Lily P4D Microphone Ducking System to manage the stage's volume levels. This information is confirmed during a segment of the video where Simpson, alongside Laur Joamets, discusses their gear setup for the Johnny Blue Skies Tour.

In a recent rig rundown with Premier Guitar, Sturgill Simpson's use of the Peterson VSS-C Stomp Classic Strobotuner was highlighted, as it is one of the few pedals featured on his minimalistic pedalboard.

Sturgill Simpson is confirmed to use the AEA KU5A microphone during his Johnny Blue Skies tour in 2024-2025. This is evidenced by a show review from Americana Highways, authored by David Nowels, which specifically mentions Simpson using this microphone on stage at The Criterion in Oklahoma City in 2024.