Many thanks for the comment and in answer to your question, I’d say ‘Never Say Never’ as the saying goes. I’ve recently re-stringed my Nashville tele with the Ernie Ball Super Slinky 9 gauge strings and the difference in the feel of the strings on the tele is so much different, as I was pretty sure that 10’s were put on it prior to me purchasing the guitar about two or three years ago. In that space of time in case you’re wondering, I had been gigging with the Strat quite a lot and the tele wasn’t getting played as much, but thought I’d use it more often, especially with this being a country solo cover.

@davemartinguitarist I liked the strat as it proved that you don't have to have a tele to play country. Had it on austin city limits not long ago and the guy in vern gosdin band played a strat the whole time solos and all. Amazing tone he had. Check it out probably from 84...

Hi Mark. Many thanks for the kind comment. As guitarists, we always strive to be the best that we can, not just from our playing ability of course, but also from a tonal perspective and I always like to an try and get as close as I can to guitar tones as I hear them. I hope to upload some more content soon 😊😎🤠🎸🇺🇸🎸🇺🇸🎸🇺🇸

Hi there. The gear I was using a Marshall 250DFX through an old Boss GT8 with saved presets on. A good bit of delay and chorus to help bring the tone out to life.

No, it’s Brent Mason doing the solo on this track 👍

Thanks ​@@davemartinguitarist I remember I happened to do the solo by two-hand tapping somewhere in the middle of the fret!!!❤❤

Many thanks Deirdre 😊 It’s one of my favourite TOTO songs, amongst so many others. With me being a huge TOTO fan, what more can I say 😉😊

Surprisingly, they’re just your standard Strat single coil pick ups

Many thanks for the kind comment, although I feel the tone isn’t quite right as I was playing through a Marshall 250DFX, and ideally I could have done with using a more cleaner amp like a Deluxe Reverb. What did help however is the Wampler Ego Compressor which I use in my rig and coincidentally Brent Mason and most top Nashville session players use them or the Keeley Compressor.

The compressor I use is the Ego Compressor by Wampler, played through a Marshall 250DFX. The ironic thing however is that when I play my telecaster through my amp, the Brent Mason tone just isn’t quite there for me. That says to me that the pick ups need changing, so at some point I’m gonna look to putting some Seymour Duncans on my tele, and turn my Tele into a Mason style Tele, as Fender won’t make Brent Mason’s signature Tele available left handed, which is an insult in my eyes

Most if not all the top Nashville session players including Brent Mason use the Ego Compressor. Also, another compressor that’s said to be really good is the Keeley Compressor which I believe Brent used in the mid to late 90’s, when he did the Alan Jackson and Brooks and Dunn sessions

Yea I like ego aight. The new wood shed by Suhr is really good. I have a koji too as well as a dynassor. I think I’m gonna get one of those cocaine German made comps as well. I like to hear guys chicken picking on a strat like that too. That was nice man.

How long u been chick picking man ?? Your technique is really good

My chicken picking technique improved when I studied Country guitar on my Higher Diploma course circa early to mid 2009, when I had a Country module as part of my course. And from there I pretty much just took what I learned and continued to practice it. Like all of us, I’m still learning new things. Many thanks for the kind comment 🤠🙂

Hi Mark, for the entire cover I used the BOSS GT8, with made up patches, speaking of which the clean tone I used had compression on as that’s country patch that I used, before getting my analog pedalboard. For the lead tone, I did use compression on that. I remember creating patch doubles and put some on a different bank and on the new bank, I then altered it to a rock channel, resulting it in what you hear. I can’t fully remember what other patches I used to create that rock tone as it was a good few years ago when I reprogrammed the board. That being said, if you’ve got a good compressor, be it a Boss Comp Sustainer, Keeley Compressor or even the Ego Compressor, a good overdrive pedal and a good delay and chorus pedal, I believe you should be able to find what you’re looking for tone wise. I hope this helps? 🙂

@@davemartinguitarist Superb. Thanks for the information. I've always loved that tone, very late 70s, early 80s tone. When I first heard it I thought it might have a harmonizer on it, so I bought one, but listening to it again, I don't think it does. You nailed the sound perfectly.

Still have the strat, but thought I’d make a change for this one

Redd. I don't like the term 'best' for obvious reasons but if forced, I'd take redd but that's just what my ears like the best right now, next week my answer may be totally different depending on what I'm playing or who I'm stealing licks from in that moment. Lol

Brad or Brent or John Jorgensen .. Their parts are the most technical here.