SAMANTHA FISH

A minute's all it takes to discover what makes a great guitarist tick. Before she jumped into her limo for the airport, we grabbed a quick chat with this hard-working American blues phenomenon.

- PHIL BARKER

GT: Do you have a type of pick that you can’t live without? 

SF: I prefer a 1mm standard pick. It’s super common, and it’s what I’m used to.

GT: If you had to give up all your pedals but three, what would they be?

SF: I’d keep my Analog Man, King Of Tone, MXR Carbon Copy, and maybe the JHS Mini Foot Fuzz. 

GT: Do you play another instrument well enough to do so in a band? If so, have you ever done it? 

SF: I started on drums, and I have gigged on the bass guitar before. Am I good enough to do it in a band? Not really, but it’s good to stretch out. 

GT: If a music chart were put in front of you, could you read it? 

SF: I can’t sight-read on the fly, but I could figure it out. There are a lot of shorthand ways to write charts that aren’t the traditional method. 

GT: Do guitar cables really make a difference? What make are yours? 

SF: I’m sure they do, but it seems like they all degrade and break the same. The road is hard on gear. I have some Ernie Ball cables, Monster, MXR. But usually I just replace the bad cables as I go. I go more off of length and jack type. 

GT: Is there anyone’s playing (past or present) that you’re slightly jealous of?

SF: Derek Trucks is incredible. His dynamics and phrasing… and he really moves people. 

GT: Your house/studio is burning down: which guitar do you salvage?