ARTIST APPROVED
MI: What is your all time favorite instrument? And how has it shaped your sound or performance style over the years? DW: I know you’re asking for one favorite, but I have two. I absolutely love the Fender Acoustasonic. I love that it’s so light and easy to travel with. I love that it has the ability to sound acoustic, electric or a combination of the two. As I’m not a huge gear head and have a limited collection of pedals, it’s important for me to have a warm yet versatile instru- ment. My other favorite is my red Epiphone Casino (Ruby). I love the narrow neck and warm soft sound it creates. I feel like it helps to inspire me to create soft, sensitive songs. MI: What instruments are currently in your arsenal? DW: My go-to for performing live are my Fend- er Acoustasonic and my Epiphone Casino, whichever mood or outfit I’m feeling it suits. Also, in my arsenal I have quite a few guitars that I collected from my dad before he
passed. He gave me the Steve Vai Jem, which is pretty cool and has a built-in handle bar. I have an Ibanez steel-string acoustic guitar that I had restored. It was crushed during travel. And I also have a nylon-string guitar, because I studied classical guitar in college. Finally, I have a cream Fender Telecaster and a black glittery Strat. I really love all my guitars, and they all offer something special. I still have my purple Daisy guitar that I got in high school. MI: Are there any new or emerging pieces of gear that have inspired you in the music-making process? DW: It’s not new or emerging by any means, but I love the [Shure] SM7B mic. My creative process is very personal and casual. The less pressure, the less sterile the environment, the better. I like sitting on a couch, holding the SM7. Typically, the demo is the final. I like to capture the initial emotion that the process of writing evokes. — By Kimberly Kapela
The LA-based singer-songwriter shares what her go-to guitar is at the moment. DANA WILLIAMS Music Inc.: What was your first instrument? DANA WILLIAMS: My first instrument was a steel-string Ibanez. It was one of my dad’s guitars, so when he gifted it to me, it was gigantic, and I remember the strings cut right through the tips of my fingers. I even adjusted the neck so far that the head snapped off. I was experimenting with being a guitar tech.
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