Song Rig

Reba

Trey Anastasio · Lawn Boy · 1990

Tone Overview

What Makes This Sound Unique

One of the most beloved Phish compositions — a structured piece with a complex head and an improvised jam section that can extend indefinitely. Trey's tone is the core Languedoc setup at its most musical, with the jam section serving as the clearest example of his lyrical, jazz-influenced improvisation approach.

Signal Chain

1Paul Languedoc custom guitar
2Languedoc amp
3Electric Mistress Flanger (on specific sections)

Amp Settings

Gain / Volume4

Bass6

Mid7

Treble7

Reverb3

Medium clean-to-light-overdrive — the Reba jam section requires tonal versatility from a single amp setup. The Languedoc combination allows both clean chord work in the head and sustained lead tone in the improvisation.

Technique

How to Play It

Melodic motif development in improvisation — Trey uses 'composed improvisation' in the Reba jam: he introduces a melodic cell (a short 3–4 note phrase) and then develops it through repetition, variation, and harmonic displacement over the course of the jam.

Budget Alternative

Achievable With

Stratocaster → Fender Twin Reverb → Electro-Harmonix Electric Mistress → study the Reba jam on a live recording: identify Trey's initial motif (first clear melodic phrase) and follow how he develops it over the following minutes.

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