Song Rig

Elmer's Tune

Danny Gatton · Redneck Jazz · 1978

Tone Overview

What Makes This Sound Unique

Gatton's early debut album showcasing his country-jazz hybrid — a Western Swing-influenced track that draws on Bob Wills and Django Reinhardt simultaneously. The Telecaster provides the twang that anchors it in country while the jazz chord vocabulary lifts it above pure country music.

Signal Chain

1Fender Telecaster (custom-modified, both pickups)
2Fender Vibrasonic or Bandmaster

Amp Settings

Gain / Volume3

Bass5

Mid7

Treble7

Reverb2

Dry, country-influenced clean tone — the Western Swing tradition favoured a dry, unprocessed guitar sound that focused on note definition. The minimal reverb keeps the jazz chord changes clear.

Technique

How to Play It

Western Swing chicken picking — the rapid alternating between flat-pick and middle finger creates the 'chicken' attack characteristic of country jazz picking. In Western Swing, this technique is applied to jazz chord progressions rather than country pentatonic lines.

Budget Alternative

Achievable With

Telecaster → clean Fender amp → practice the chicken picking technique: use flat pick on the bass strings, middle finger on treble strings, alternating rapidly. Apply to jazz chord arpeggios (ii-V-I progressions) for the Western Swing sound.

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