GEAR GUIDE: Here’s how to sound like every 2021 GRAMMY Awards Best Rock Performance nominee (beginner-friendly)
In 2021, women in music are making massive strides in breaking down the barriers built around the “female guitarist,” as proven by the record-breaking, all-female-fronted Best Rock Performance category sweeping the 2021 GRAMMY Awards.
HEADS on TV wanted to both honor this incredible feat, and also find a way to give back to the future females set to dominate rock genre—for every Joan Jett and Kim Deal, there’s a Phoebe Bridgers in the wings ready to carry the torch.
Here’s our guide to sounding like your favorite Best Rock Performance nominees (without breaking the bank).
Note: This article does not include sponsored content. All views and product recommendations are our own.
Photo: Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images
PHOEBE BRIDGERS
Phoebe’s swirling and airy guitar tone is brought to life by a few of her trusty favorites: a Danelectro ‘56 Baritone and Fender Telecaster. Both are great companions to any Phoebe cover, or even a Phoebe-inspired song of your own. She most often pairs her playing with a Fender Deluxe Reverb Amp, designed to mimic the vintage, reverberated tones of traditional Fender models of the 1960s.
Try one of these vintage-inspired electrics:
Danelectro Baritone Black Electric Guitar
Squier Affinity Series Telecaster
Photo: Associated Press
BRITTANY HOWARD
In both her solo work and time with Alabama Shakes, Brittany Howard is frequently spotted with a Gibson SG. As the owner of an Epiphone SG myself, I can confirm it’s both a great learner guitar for its wide fretboard, and even holds up well on stage. The pickups keep Brittany’s tone rooted in rock, generally speaking, though she often brings magical melodies out of her SGs on lead.
Here’s a beginner SG model to get a feel for the neck and pickups:
Photo: The Current
ADRIENNE LENKER (BIG THIEF)
Big Thief’s Adrienne Lenker is an avid Martin Guitar player, often spotted with a vintage acoustic model onstage, or during stripped-down acoustic performances. As an active musician, acoustic buys are one of the few exceptions in which investing in a better-quality build is a smart option, knowing it’s one of those instruments you’ll be carrying with you throughout your career. It’s also a great instrument for bouncing between genres (as Big Thief is known for their rock-meets-folk vibe).
Here’s a great beginner Martin to get you started:
Martin D-X1E-04 Acoustic-Electric Guitar with Gig Bag
Or if you’re on a tighter budget, another great starting place for acoustics:
Fender FA-135CE All-Mahogany Concert Acoustic-Electric Guitar Mahogany
BONUS TIP: If you plan to take your guitar to gigs, you’re going to want to make sure you’ve invested in an acoustic-electric model (both of the models above are)!
Photo: The Standard Hotels
FIONA APPLE
For those who have been Fiona fans since the 90s, you’ll remember her captivating live performances behind a piano, whether solo or accompanied by a band. The trick to choosing a great beginner piano (or keyboard) is making sure it has a full set of 88 weighted keys. Especially on her latest album, Fetch The Bolt Cutters, Fiona makes use of all 8 octaves, meaning you’ll want to pay just a little bit more for the full-key experience. The good news? There are plenty of super-affordable weighted keyboards on the marketing to get you started.
Here’s where you can “fetch” your first weighted keyboard:
Photo: @lordofkorg via Twitter
HAIM
The HAIM sisters have been known to keep a trusty line of Gibson and Fenders handy, many of which are vintage and seriously cool (if you haven’t yet, go check out some of their earlier Coachella performances). Generally speaking, Danielle is more often spotted with a Gibson SG in her hand, while sister Alana sports a Gibson ES-339 (they do this to balance out their tones, by the way—Danielle’s SG offers more of a crunch, while the ES-339’s hollow body adds an acoustic undertone).
Bassist Este Haim is most often spotted with “Blondie,” her vintage 1970s Fender Precision Bass that she’s had with her for much of the band’s career.
Here’s how to scope out your first HAIM-inspired guitar:
Danielle: Epiphone SG Standard Cherry
Alana: Epiphone ES-339
Photo: Douglas Mason/Getty Images
GRACE POTTER
Not only is Grace an absolute powerhouse guitar player, but she’s known for keeping fantastic female musicians in her touring lineup (friend of HEADS on TV, drummer Jordan West, has traveled with Grace on tour). Grace has her own signature Flying V guitar with Gibson, a model she herself helped re-popularize after it initially lived out its 70s/80s hair metal rock days. Grab a fuzz or distortion pedal with this guitar and you’ll have fun for hours.
Here’s your best bet for getting Grace-inspired tone and stage presence:
Jackson Rhoads JS32T - White with Black Bevels
Watch the GRAMMY Awards with us live on Sunday, March 14th—follow along on Twitter @headsontv!
