Herb Ellis on starting out as a musician.

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Herb Ellis discusses his guitar sound.

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Herb Ellis discusses the success of his career.

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Q: “For playing an amplified instrument, it never sounds amplified! It just sounds as though I’m sitting there and it’s a little louder than if you were just playing straight…”

A: Herb Ellis: “Well, that's a nice thing to say.”

Interviewer: “I know...”

Herb Ellis: “I mean, that's a nice thing for you to hear or feel because I don't like for it to sound severely electric. I like it to be audible as you say it, you know. And I'm very fortunate, I never have had too much trouble with amplifiers and guitars. A lot of guys do and it's just the way the ball bounces, you know. But I've been really lucky with it and getting just what kind of sound I want over the years and it hasn't always been the same amplifier or the same guitar, although I have had the guitar since I was with Oscar Peterson.”