Pedals and Effects: The World's Strangest Weirdest Guitar with Spencer Seim

If you're playing in a band that's as innovative and out there as Hella, you're going to need a guitar that's equally as crazy! Picking up where we left off last week with Spencer, we take a look at what might be the world's weirdest, strangest, guitar. Plenty of knobs, switches and even a built in egg shaker? Spencer takes us through his history with the instrument and more.
Full feature here: www.pedalsandeffects.com/blog/...
and follow us online:
/ juanalderetebass
/ j_alderete
/ j_alderete
/ nickreinhart
/ bbqdbrains

[@hamblok0]

That's one of the most aesthetically pleasing guitars I've ever seen. Plus the beard burst is fucking hysterical.

[@chasmenear7130]

I experimented with multiple outputs at some juncture in the 80's, but never pondered the egg shaker feature! Awesome!

[@VocasoGK]

That's literally a singlecut bass guitar with guitar strings. Awesome!

[@orcabrain]

This is the greatest weird guitar thing I’ve seen probably. You’ve truly outdone yourselves.

[@oldheartrecords6996]

Didn’t even get to hear the nut pick up.....

[@saftovooey4569]

that was the main thing I wanted to hear!

[@TheTylrBllmn]

I've heard that Zappa had similar things in his guitar and have always wanted to hear what sorts of wonky harmonies result... I hope to put a pickup around the 12th fret inside the neck of a guitar someday too...

[@TheLocalZeroChannel]

Just looking at it, i didn't think it would actually be the weirdest guitar in the world, but it is kinda pretty damn weird.

[@aschen]

So that's what an Abasi Tele would look like

[@NeutralDepth]

I honestly thought it was an Abasi Tele

[@gooseabuse]

This was prophetic as Abasi Tele's are a thing now

[@Akira1296]

What a great interview and rig breakdown of Spencer, thanks for this! You guys are my favorite pedal duo, and if you got Omar on the show having a noise-off with Nick you will have fulfilled a deep musical fantasy for me.

[@scareware]

I've been waiting for this video since 2005. Obsessed over the scott french website too. Thank you.

[@patrickobdewllx9870]

I've always remembered seeing him play that guitar live and seeing what looked like some sort of faint design on the thing. It looked like little yellow or black lines. I couldn't make it out and definitely didn't think hair haha. That beard burst is genius! So stoked on this video!

[@joshmiller166]

This is literally the craziest guitar. So weirdly innovative and yet the guy is fucking rocking the plywood franken-guitar. What a legend.

[@joshmiller166]

James Blair Yeah I just said that because of all of the small functions that were added aswell as the fact that it uses plywood, which most "pure" guitarists are against. Didn't want to spark controversy, I just thought it was cool.

[@TheEMOkid66613]

Vox Ultrasonic XII wins for me. Built in G tuner, distortion, delay, has a built in palm wah pedal, and it’s a twelves stein with a Tremelo arm.

[@user-ellievator]

I like the beardburst finish.

[@analyticequals]

So many questions answered, but so many more questioned risen. Thank you pedals and effects, thank you Mr. Seim. And to Mr. French come back!!!

[@watcherofthemundane]

This dude's pants are way too tight. That can't be comfortable. The guitar ain't the only thing hiding egg shakers

[@s3xyn0sfera2]

Baby's arm holding an apple

[@kazumaslave]

Absolutely loving these interview rig rundown videos guys; this guitar blew my mind.

[@ChrisJ318]

Holy fuck Spencer Seim out of fucking nowhere PS BRING HELLA BACK

[@fuzzywumble]

the hair alone makes it the weirdest guitar lmao pretty cool tho

[@CaptainGalacticMusic]

I wanted to hear the nut pickup in action! I always play electric without an amp and I'm curious to hear what that dissonant effect would sound like amplified.

[@laughorgomad]

They need to sell these! Pure genius construction

[@ZeugmaP]

What about the nut pickup ?!! Nonetheless, that was really fun

[@TheMidst]

This video is incredible! Thank you folks!!

[@QuarrelsomeLocalOaf]

Now *_this_* is podracing!

[@sp5658]

We need a new Hella album

[@lymntria]

👀

[@sleepingchildhood5640]

Fuck aye

[@allanmarkersdagreyt9731]

I know hella + death grips = greatest thing ever

[@domokornmusic]

Peter Taylor at Chellee Guitars does some weird cool things in his work. Did a whole guitar wired with fiber optic lights, looked like stars all throughout the top. Best guitars I've ever gotten to play.

[@gonzavalverde]

looks like a regular fodera bass

[@SweetSpotGuitar]

I remember visiting Scott French's site a lot many years ago, and I remember this thing--esp. the "Beardburst." :) French is such a great builder. I LOVE his designs.

[@VincentSebastianMusic]

I'd love to hear the individual strings sent to their own distorted amps. You would get some crazy sounding chords.

[@philz_corsia]

spencer seim, nick reinhart and juan alderete in one room. thats the craziest thing the internet has brought us

[@plume...]

Two of my favourite guitarists having a chat! I remember seeing Tera Melos live in Cardiff years ago, I was wearing a Tera Melos "ZOO" shirt when I thanked Nick after the gig for an amazing performance (They had finished playing and immediately run down to the merch stands to sell shirts!!), and he said "Thanks man... Ooh, that's an expensive shirt to get imported dude!". Only cost me 25 quid but still :) Love you Nick, please come to Cardiff again, and bring Tricot as your support :)

[@jasonstallworth]

Dudes, I felt like I was in the room hanging out with you guys! I do like being able to see where I’m at on the fretboard when it’s darker...it’s easy to get lost!

[@matthewdobsson3883]

I’ve watched this too many times. Its incredible.

[@charizardoystersauce]

Oh wow so awesome thanks y’all! This video is sick, we need to see a Tera Melos/Hella collab soon! That being said check out the new Tera Melos Documentary Trailer!

[@droleheart]

What is the song from Church Gone Wild that Nick mention it on 20:17?

[@rabokel]

Very creative build. I love it

[@brakgeluid]

15:23 I immediately thought of 'Songs for Swinging Larvae' from 'Renaldo and the Loaf'

[@Emi_Alvarez]

Can we take a second to admire how good Spencer's bear is trimed?

[@kevinkosmatka7923]

FUCK YES

[@aidancocchiara9092]

anyone knows what song that is at 20:39

[@urbanwikstrom9246]

That is totally insane! I love it. Thanks!

[@DoomedMoviethon]

Can we get a special episode of Pedals and Effects, maybe a two-parter, with Nick's favorite guitars and Juan's favorite basses?

[@misterbuckethead]

i really want a guitar with a contact mic + egg shaker now

[@jornvandenberg7715]

Where can I find one of those indiviual sting-bridges? I need this.

[@poopyjoe7883]

anybody know the song at 20:39 ?

[@KarlKarsnark]

Love that little Ampeg stack.

[@AndyvanderRaadt1]

I would have loved to hear this mic'd/panned stereo. Wild.

[@SeanPierceJohnson]

Fucking Hella man! I remember seeing this guitar in person at a Hella gig at the Echo in like 2005 or 2006. Always LOVED this guitar. So much more in it than I originally expected. So cool to see!

[@jamminshaman5935]

PedalsAndEffects what was the name of the guitar factory you toured in Germany? Can't find "wurwood guitars" or w/e on google. Thnx!

[@m.f.3347]

Warwick

[@spynae]

Damn, Spencer's packing some serious heat

[@enkiea8322]

Jesus, lol

[@WalrusDoom]

Yeah man noticed that too

[@Iggytommy]

what does that mean?

[@Iggytommy]

:o

[@just.some.dud3]

I takes that kind of confidence to rock a hat like that lol

[@z1reticuli]

This is how you approach the prepared guitar idea in a right way!

[@onesyphorus]

14:56 that sounds a lot like the sway in the morning door closing sound effect

[@heylookitsn0ah]

what was he playing at 17:26 ? that 4 seconds sounded rad!

[@mggtmthr]

at 18:58 you can see the track names for Trash Generator by Tera Melos on the white board.

[@benjaminsantiagosstuff]

is the other guy the dude from tera melos?

[@Chig__Bungus]

Benjamin Santiago's Stuff yes

[@drippinglass]

Is that the muller shirt guy? He needs a lipa fuzz.

[@danieloux]

I need one of those asap!

[@syken3572]

This absolutely rules big time

[@javiceres]

It must be a terrific sonic experience in the room

[@jonnda]

If you think this is weird, check out the axes made by Teisco and the Italian accordion brands in the 60s.

[@flatfingertuning727]

At least when using humbuckers, it's possible to split the bass and treble strings by using soft steel bars to selectively "mute" strings on a pickup. My guitars mute the top four strings on the bridge humbucker, and are then wired to allow the balance between the bass-string humbucker and the everything-else pickups.

[@abrahamtalamantesramirez2032]

Speechless

[@statixxxmetal1243]

This video is really good...sweets sounds.

[@millerperrigo7678]

MUSEUM OF JURASSIC TECHNOLOGY!!!! I've been going there for 20 years. Way to put the "muse" in museum.

[@mariog.m.6577]

es interesante, como que le quisieron dar la forma de los bajos fodera, es muy extraña esa guitarra

[@citrusavenue13]

no homo, but spencer is packing that heat at 4:10

[@tonytaurus3676]

Showing off that egg shaker.

[@josephmartelmusic]

We need a demo with each amp miced!!!

[@NikkoWhitworth]

If Scott French isn't doing custom builds much anymore (sez his website), who am I gonna get to build me an instrument with one of those nut pickups? I've been wanting to try this ever since checking out the double bassist Mark Dresser. Check him out if you wanna see some who has taken the amplification of both sides of the string to the next level!

[@pipn9090]

i’m sure a luthier could install one for ya

[@401ja]

My guess is it's an under-saddle acoustic guitar pickup cut down and fit under the nut. The wire would then have to run through the neck and into the electronics cavity. This is probably done alongside the fiber optics in a channel underneath the fingerboard parallel to the truss rod.

[@danielbell4007]

There are other companies that put a piezo under the nut. I’m drawing a blank at the moment, but it’s an option that’s out there.

[@lucaszembrzuski]

I actually like the shape of this guitar alot, maybe a different color, and pickups ;)

[@daniels1293]

my dadhas one of those bently series 10 super strats with the crackle finish from the 80's those series 10's were decent guitars

[@Grayham4]

My friend did the same fiber optic thing on his first bass

[@sammadden5540]

Finally!

[@MosheAlvarez]

This is a design based on a contrabass (6 string) by Anthony Jackson

[@401ja]

the individual string outputs remind me of 1970s Bartolini Hi-A hexaphonic pickups

[@joefagot218]

18:35

[@peyotepete6532]

I thought it was a lap steel at first glance. Very cool though and very unique

[@vvvvaaaacccc]

HELL YEAH! bring back spencer!

[@RisikoAO]

Crazy. I love it.

[@CAKmusic]

Fuck yeah Hella baby yeah

[@Tidalbridge]

Nick, check out Rick Toon's guitars. they are like spaceships.

[@dlsNi]

dude i've got no idea how to play guitar but i want one

[@Pthaloblue2]

15:23 those sound like cartoon sound effects

[@Iggytommy]

love the egg shaker!

[@anthonygillen1621]

I love the copy of the benavente neck pocket

[@djtourtellotte]

I know it’s been 4 years but you didn’t play the nut pickup - do over???

[@buibuibuiestudio5561]

NICE!

[@thomasburkhard2784]

Wow, just wow

[@tuckerwooten4744]

i need it. all of it.

[@xxXthekevXxx]

With all those different pedals, it sounds like a stereotypical cartoon car crash hahaha

[@RadityoPramAdi]

You can replace that breakout box with Sound Sculpture 8F, tons of weird signal routing capability....

[@RadityoPramAdi]

oh, wrong title.... world's COOOLEST Guitar!!!!

[@eriziasbasses]

Scott French is a freakin great builder!!

[@TheLambLive]

All into a DAW, pan them across the stereo field, AMP sim on each one, power chord.

[@chaosharmony]

I always wanted a nut pickup!! Siiiiiiick

[@raammaharsh3029]

It's f**** AMAZING!!!!

[@philippr6107]

It's like "mhm this guitar doesn't seem weird, if he just had him rebuilt his old guitar with slightly different body" and then you enter the rabbit hole and it goes down deeep

[@lewisbirkett4428]

that is beautiful

[@nickchappelGOE]

I...I want it so badly

[@jakko123rock]

Legends

[@SoilentGr33n]

Holy shit a different fuzz on every string. Complete assault.

[@johnhell1453]

WHATS THE SONG IN THE INTRO

[@nathanoises]

better get a broom

[@viniciuskolbe5167]

Better get a broom!

[@Ryan-xq3kl]

by hella

[@marike1100]

The upper horn (for lack of a better word) is copied from lots of bass guitar manufacturers like Mattison, Ibanez Cerro SR, et al.

[@PushedBox]

Damn it’s ingenious

[@nuclearhunter99]

make an album together