Song Rig
Sen-Sa-Shun
Freddie King · Let's Hide Away and Dance Away · 1961
Tone Overview
What Makes This Sound Unique
Freddie King's second most famous instrumental (after Hideaway) — a slightly slower, more melodic track from the same 1961 session. The tone has more warmth than the uptempo shuffle tracks, showing the Les Paul goldtop's ability to produce a singing, sustained quality at moderate gain.
Signal Chain
- 1Gibson Les Paul Goldtop (P90s, neck pickup blend)
- 2Gibson GA-40
- 3Metal fingerpick technique
Amp Settings
Slightly warmer than I Love the Woman — the neck pickup provides a rounder tone for the more melodic phrases in Sen-Sa-Shun. The slower tempo allows more sustain on individual notes.
Technique
How to Play It
Melodic single-note blues with vibrato — the slower tempo of Sen-Sa-Shun gives Freddie King room to demonstrate his expressive vibrato, a wide, arm-based movement that sustains notes longer than simple wrist vibrato.
Budget Alternative
Achievable With
Les Paul with P90s or PAFs → Gibson-style amp (or Fender at medium settings) → metal fingerpick → practice wide, arm-based vibrato: the vibrato motion comes from the elbow rotating rather than the wrist alone.
Your Gear
Adapt to My Amp
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