Seth Lee Jones is an Oklahoma guitar powerhouse. Not only does he build his own solidbodies and acoustics, but he’s a formidable performer. His latest, Tulsa Custom, melds blues-rock, funk, and gumbo into a punchy sound that’s made for FM radio and dimly lit bars coast to coast. In addition, he has developed innovative slide techniques and approaches to guitar construction. Let’s hear from the Okie builder/player on his latest moves.
The track “110” has seriously fat tone. In this day of DI recording, it sounds like a tube amp and good miking technique.
“110” was recorded with some great vintage mics. I’m not much of a studio buff when it comes to mics, but I used a ’68 Super Reverb and a ’61 Concert, both 4x10s with Warehouse orange-frame speakers. We re-amped the guitar track through a ’93 Fender Tonemaster head and 4×12 cab. So it’s actually three amps on that track. We did that on a few songs and it makes for huge tone.
“Bird of Paradise” is a great slide display. Describe your bottleneck approach, combining slide with that multi-lever Hipshot bridge.
The slide approach is something I’ve been working on since the early 2000s. I’d played lap steel since I was a teenager, so making the transition to playing it on a guitar was not that far of a stretch. The song has elements of pedal-steel and what folks call “bottleneck,” but for me that’s just the result of years of messing with the Hipshot and string gauges until it stuck.
A number of songs have that swampy groove we associate with the “Tulsa sound.”
That’s pretty varied these days, depending on the age and genre of the players. I’ve got a great rhythm section in drummer Matt Teegarden and bassist Bo Hallford, and they play for a lot of folks other than me. As the groove setters in any group, they can swamp anything, given the opportunity. But they also play in jazz outfits and serve food, too (laughs). They can really do anything.
Which pedals did you use on the record?
I used a Keeley DDR, Seafoam chorus, Mini Compressor, and Halo delay. Also a Hudson Electronics Broadcast preamp, Hilton low-profile volume pedal, and a Morley Lead Wah. I’ve also got a ReVibe harmonic tremolo and spring reverb, made by Bob Peck. I always leave the trem on, just a touch. It gives a bit of space and warmth that moves very subtly.
What makes one of your SLJ builds different from the usual Fender-type solidbody?
First, I’m doing it all by hand. No shade to CNC makers at all; that’s just how I’ve done things the last 18 years, being in the 400-square-foot space where I do restoration and repair. I make the truss rod, dots, guards, bodies, necks – as much of it as possible is done in that little building.
Secondly, as a player, I build my preference of feel into each guitar. I use unique woods, sometimes salvaged from old buildings, barns, or furniture. I source walnut and really lay my hands on every aspect of the process. I’m also pretty picky about hardware and pickups. I use products I believe in because I’ve tested them playing live rather than an online review or something of that nature.
How long does it take to build one?
I split my time between playing and working in the shop. That balance is difficult, but I’m navigating it pretty well. The main challenge for building is paint. The modern finishes are not that much trouble, but the nitro finish can be a pain. I don’t have a spray booth and in Oklahoma the weather can be tricky. It takes between 18 to 28 hours, but with backlog I generally end up four to six months on an electric build, a bit longer on an acoustic.
Do you have a unifying philosophy that serves you as a player and builder?
There are a lot of ways you can look at one single job, and I’ve paid attention everywhere I’ve worked as a builder. I’ve done the same as a player. I’ve taken lessons from lots of players, I still surf Youtube to pick up game both as a player and a maker. If you never stop learning, you never stop growing.
This article originally appeared in VG’s July 2024 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.
