Monte Montgomery: Acoustic Guitar Goes Electric

Monte Montgomery “Moonlight Tango” / Winter ASGN 2010

“Monte Montgomery takes to the stage with a tune named “Moonlight Tango” during Muriel Anderson’s “All Star Guitar Night” charity event at the OC Pavilion Theater in Santa Ana, CA.”

When we think of the acoustic guitar, we think of sweet subtle nuances of sounds, light and airy melodies… all the things that an electric guitar is not.

Well, Monte Montgomery has effectively taken the acoustic guitar, and turned it into an electric.

He accomplishes this by using a combination of electric guitar effects and processing for starters. I say for starters because it’s not only the sound… it’s the playing.

If you think it’s only the effects, think again…

Monte has his trip down with electric guitar for sure, the riffs, the inflections, the speed… and it’s obvious that he’s been able to transfer it to the acoustic, or at the very least, play it on the acoustic.
Not an easy task because the acoustic just reacts differently, even when plugged in. It’s just not going to sustain as much as a solid body electric, and the attack to get out the same notes needs to be more aggressive than an electric touch.

Now you might be asking this question- why would a person do such a thing (play electric guitar on the acoustic)? Well, for starters, I wouldn’t be posting this if it were on the electric (ha ha), and I don’t think Muriel Anderson would have invited Monte to her acoustic all star guitar night if it were electric…

And  doing this on acoustic makes it so much more impressive, don’t you think?

If you are digging this video, I posted another one to check out that is just guitar (no vocals) that I think is even more impressive than this one. Check it out here

Monte Montgomery is a guitar monster, and he’s got the voice to go along with it as well. Kind of reminds me of a Jimi Hendrix on acoustic with the chops of Allan Holdsworth.  I think he’s got this market cornered.