WALLICE WATANABE
HAILS FROM LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA USA PLAYS SOLO (MONOMOUSLY) SOUNDS LIKE HONEY-SWEET, TWEE INDIE-POP LATEST DROP OFF THE RAILS (EP OUT NOW INDEPENDENTLY)
What’s your current go-to guitar?
My current go-to and only electric guitar I have is my Fender Stratocaster Eric Johnson Signature in vintage white. I absolutely love how it’s semi-hollow and lightweight. I also love the way Strats play, and I got mine set up and it’s so perfect for me to play. I really just love everything about it and it’s also so cute.
How did you initially fall in love with the instrument?
My first guitar was a super entry-level black Squier Strat. My dad put me in some of those neighbourhood rock school vibe classes, and I learned “Put Your Records On” by Corrine Bailey Rae because that’s what the teacher’s favourite song, but I’ve always liked playing “Creep”.
What inspires you as a player?
My favorite guitar player is Adrienne Lenker of Big Thief, but I simply cannot play as well as her yet. She experiments with different tunings and finger picking. My boyfriend Callaghan is also an amazing Jazz guitarist and teacher, and he has been giving me lessons, so hopefully I can get to Lenker’s level one day.
Are you much of a gear nerd?
Slowly I am becoming slightly more of a gear nerd. I got my first big boy amp which is a Fender Deluxe reverb tone master, and I am so happy with it and its relatively lightweight so I can carry it around. The classic Tonemaster is too heavy for my scrawny arms. My friends are annoyed with how much I talk about how lightweight it is at this point. I also have been beefing up my guitar pedals more recently with a Big Muff and a new tuning pedal, but I have a list I’m slowly checking off.
Do you have any ‘white whales’?
My friend sent me a picture of this vintage bass amp that was at a repair shop that was custom designed, and the face of the amp had cow print. I hadn’t realized that was what I’m missing from my life until I saw it. I want to customize my band’s amps to be like that. I also really want a telecaster and a POG pedal.
What would your signature model look like?
Currently I would like a Telecaster. I want it to be a matcha green color with a natural light wood neck, and gold and vintage white accents. It would be sick to design my own guitar. When it comes to electronics I’m not that knowledgeable yet, so as long as it sounds good then it’s good with me.
If you could jam with any guitarist, dead or alive...
I want to jam with Adrienne Lenker, but there’s no way I could handle the heat. I’d be enamored and just listen to her play. I’d want to play some Big Thief songs with her, or hear how she sounds playing and singing Bossa nova because I haven’t heard her do that and I’m curious.