All you ever wanted to know about guitars, with Steve Earle

July 11, 2020 1:18 PM

In lockdown at his home in Tennessee, Steve Earle, the original hardcore troubadour, tells us about his guitar collection. This is a series of short, YT videos by Steve Earle where he picks a guitar from his collection to tell us about, he rambles a bit about stuff and sings a song which highlights the properties of the particular guitar he's chosen to showcase. His occasional failure to switch between cameras is endearingly incompetent, but the man sure knows his gee-tars.

Episode 1 linked above.

Episode 2

Episode 3

Episode 4

More to come I believe.

posted by essexjan (11 comments total)

I wonder if I'm the only one who immediately thinks of "Acoustic Guitar" by The Magnetic Fields when I see Steve Earle's name.

> Acoustic guitar, if you think I play hard
> Well, you could have belonged to Steve Earle
> Or Charo or GWAR, I could sell you tomorrow
> So bring me back my girl
> You'd better bring me back my girl
posted by robotmachine at 2:05 PM on July 11, 2020 [10 favorites]

I adore Steve Earle; thank you for this!
posted by MonkeyToes at 2:32 PM on July 11, 2020 [1 favorite]

Another big Steve Earle fan here. His new album Ghosts of West Virginia is his best in a while, I think.
posted by Paul Slade at 2:47 PM on July 11, 2020 [2 favorites]

He starts with his 1890s Martin. In the window of my local guitar shop (which reopened last week) a 1944 Martin has materialised. The pick-plate is scarred, and the wood is smooth and dark as coffee beans. The sign just says "Rare as........" and the price is £3,950. Admiring it is free though.
posted by MinPin at 2:48 PM on July 11, 2020 [3 favorites]

There's this scene in Treme - Steve Earle plays an old school street performer. And a young buck with a heroin problem approaches him, telling him that he's got this chance - a band wants him on guitar, but he already sold most of his gear. Earle is reluctant to loan him anything - "If you sell my shit..." he threatens, but he eventually agrees to loan the kid a guitar.

"The Telecaster?" the kid asks. There's a hopeful lift in his voice.

Earle replies with a little bit of scorn. "The Danelectro."
posted by entropone at 3:54 PM on July 11, 2020 [6 favorites]

To those (including about ten commenters) who hate on the sound quality on the first episode: he gets it right after that.
posted by tspae at 4:17 PM on July 11, 2020 [3 favorites]

It’s like Antique Roadshow hosted by Steve Earle!
posted by Drab_Parts at 4:20 PM on July 11, 2020 [1 favorite]

The "Episode 2" link goes to episode 1 again? Here is Episode 2.
posted by bleston hamilton station at 8:53 AM on July 12, 2020

My apologies and thanks bleston hamilton station.
posted by essexjan at 8:26 AM on July 13, 2020

Ep. 5: GUITAR TOWN WITH Steve Earle EP 5-1870'S AND 1931 MARTIN SIZE 0.
posted by MonkeyToes at 1:36 PM on July 13, 2020 [1 favorite]

“I started collecting in the 80s, but those guitars went in my arm.” Damn.
posted by spitbull at 2:28 PM on July 13, 2020