Wes Montgomery — Rig Network

Montgomery's definitive instrument — the L-5 CES (Cutaway Electric Spanish) with two humbucking pickups is the pinnacle of archtop jazz guitar construction. The floating humbuckers, the spruce top, and the maple back and sides produce Montgomery's warm, projecting tone when thumb-picked. He uses the neck pickup almost exclusively, with the tone control rolled back.

Early career guitar before the L-5 — the ES-175's laminated spruce top and single pickup produce a brighter, less expensive version of the archtop jazz sound. Used on his earliest recordings.

The Fender Twin for clean headroom — Montgomery rarely approaches distortion. The Twin's crystalline clean platform at low to moderate volume allows the L-5's natural acoustic qualities to project through without coloration.

Earlier career amplification — the GA-40's small speaker and moderate output at moderate volume provides a warmer, slightly colored tone that appears on the Riverside period recordings.