Derek Trucks

Derek Trucks slides that Allman Brothers SG vibe into the Tedeschi Trucks Band’s melting pot of blues, rock ’n’ boogie.

With the Tedeschi Trucks band there is a lot of music onstage. Derek Trucks’ tone has got to complement not only his wife Susan Tedeschi’s guitar and vocals, but keyboards, flute, trombone, trumpet, saxophone, bass, two drummers, and three harmony vocalists. His playing and gear choices are truly judicious though. Trucks has a signature Gibson SG but, live, he typically prefers his Gibson Custom Dickey Betts SG, aged by Tom Murphy. That it was a gift from Duane Allman’s daughter, lending it a sentimental value and a sense of familial connection that makes it impossible for Trucks to leave behind. With his SG and a glass Dunlop slide he goes straight into his Alessandro custom head and cabs and a Fender Super. Truck’s fingerpicking slide style naturally attenuates some of his amp’s gnarly treble, but he’ll constantly work his volume and tone pots in search of the sweet spots. It’s all about feel. That’s where the magic is…

1 GUITARS

GIBSON CUSTOM DICKEY BETTS SG ARTIST SERIES

“It was like brother to brother, the Duane/Dickey [artist proof] guitar. I think this is number four. Duane Allman’s daughter, Galadrielle, gave this to me when they copied Duane’s SG. They relic’d the heck out of it. It’s an extremely light SG. All of them are. The lightness is pretty great. I’ve noticed more and more, if you’re going between two guitars, even before you play them, like if you just pick up four or five Les Pauls, usually the light one is gonna sound the best. So if we are ever looking for a guitar that’s one of the things we check out.