Song Rig

St. Thomas

Jim Hall · Intermodulation · 1966

Tone Overview

What Makes This Sound Unique

Elegant and lyrical — Hall's duo with Bill Evans demonstrates the chamber music approach to jazz guitar. The tone is transparent and warm, supporting rather than dominating, with each note placed for maximum musical effect rather than technical display.

Signal Chain

1Gibson ES-175
2Small tube combo at low volume

Amp Settings

Gain / Volume1

Bass6

Mid6

Treble5

Reverb3

Minimum intervention — Hall's goal was to be as transparent as possible alongside Evans' piano. The amp adds only the slightest amplification to an otherwise acoustic-level guitar.

Technique

How to Play It

Chord melody with inner voice movement — Hall could sustain an outer melody while moving inner voices to create harmonic motion, a pianistic technique applied to guitar.

Budget Alternative

Achievable With

Any archtop hollowbody → clean combo at bedroom volume → slight reverb. The Evans/Hall Intermodulation album is a lesson in musical restraint that rewards careful listening.

Your Gear