What does Willie Nelson call his guitar?

Willie Nelson famously calls his guitar “Trigger”, after Roy Rogers’ horse. The guitar is a Martin N-20 classical acoustic guitar that he bought in 1969 for just $750. It has been on almost every one of Nelson’s recordings since then and even has its own Wikipedia page. Willie regularly mentions Trigger during live performances, often referring to the song “My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys” as “the song I wrote about my old friend, Trigger”.

Willie Nelson’s Guitar: The Beloved Companion of a Music Legend

Willie Nelson, the beloved Country singer and songwriter from Texas, is a legendary figure in American music. Not only did he revolutionize Country and Western music but he has become an icon to many people around the world. What sets him apart from other musicians? One of his most famous pieces of equipment: Trigger, his guitar.

Trigger was given to Willie Nelson by fellow musician Hank Snow in 1969 and ever since then it has been a trusty companion for Willie Nelson’s musical journey. It isn’t just any ordinary guitar; Trigger is a Martin N-20 classical acoustic guitar that is unique due to its custom design with a hand-painted “trigger” on the pickguard which gives the instrument its name. This cherished item contains marks of wear and tear that are signs of all the places it had gone with Willie throughout his tours and recording sessions over the decades.

The sound produced by Trigger resonates with Willie’s distinct voice when played live or recorded in studio albums making them incomparable. This iconic piece of equipment has been used by him throughout his career on numerous albums such as Stardust (1978) or Phases & Stages (1974). It continues to be part of his persona as it is featured prominently at every concert he plays reminding us why Willie Nelson still remains one of our favorite musicians after all these years.

The Story of Trigger: An Iconic Name in the World of Music

The name “Trigger” has become iconic in the music world. It is one of the most recognizable nicknames for a guitar, and it belongs to none other than legendary musician Willie Nelson. The story behind this moniker is an interesting one that dates back nearly six decades, when the country singer first acquired the Martin N-20 classical acoustic guitar from his aunt back in 1969.

Since then, Trigger has become inseparable from its owner. In fact, many believe that he never plays any other instrument aside from his beloved axe. This notion was recently confirmed by Nelson himself during an interview with Rolling Stone magazine in 2020. He stated: “I just feel like I have such a connection with my old friend here [Trigger] and nothing else really works for me musically like it does.”.

Nelson isn’t the only celebrity who has given their musical equipment a special name – Jimi Hendrix famously referred to his Fender Stratocaster as “Black Beauty” while Bob Dylan dubbed his Gibson Hummingbird “Oscar”. Despite this tradition being popular amongst top musicians, Trigger stands out due to its memorable name and deep personal connection between artist and instrument alike; making it an unforgettable piece of music history.

What Makes Willie Nelson’s Guitar So Special? A Deep Dive into Its Features

Willie Nelson is known for having a beloved guitar, affectionately named “Trigger”. But what makes this instrument so special to him? It turns out that it has quite an interesting history and features that set it apart from other guitars.

Trigger was given to Willie in 1969 by his friend, Paul English, who bought the guitar from Sears Roebuck & Co. As a birthday gift for Willie. Trigger was made using parts of two different acoustic guitars; a body of one and the neck of another. It is believed that Paul used railroad spikes to fix the necks onto the body to give the guitar its distinct look and sound. Since then, Trigger has been through many makeovers with minor modifications done over time such as adding picks and truss rods-making it one of a kind.

Since receiving his beloved guitar, Willie Nelson has been playing it exclusively on stage during his concerts and recordings. Although made of relatively cheap materials at the time when compared to modern guitars, Trigger has been praised for producing a signature tone due to its unique combination of materials which includes: spruce top-wood, mahogany back-wood and rosewood fretboard-all creating a warm balanced sound with clear articulation in both highs and lows frequencies making it ideal for solo performances or accompaniment work alike.

Another great feature about Trigger is its stability; Due to all its customizations over time as well as multiple repairs done by various luthiers, Trigger can remain in tune even after long sessions on stage or extended transport journeys allowing Willie Nelson play hassle free no matter where he goes.

A Legacy of Music and Memories: Famous Songs Played on Trigger

Willie Nelson has created a legacy of music and memories with his beloved guitar, Trigger. Throughout the years, Willie has performed hundreds of hits on this instrument and built up a following of dedicated fans. He is known for having an intimate relationship with his acoustic six-stringed beauty, which he named after Roy Rogers’ horse in 1952. With its resonant sound and soothing tones, Willie’s beloved guitar has become an integral part of his success as a performer and songwriter over the past six decades.

Trigger was custom-made by Paul Bigsby in 1954 and it is the only non-electric model that he ever crafted. It stands out among other guitars due to its unique design; unlike most acoustic guitars at the time which had 14 frets, Trigger featured only 12 allowing Willie to reach higher notes than others could achieve with their instruments. This innovation also enabled him to play more intricate melodies using less movement across the fretboard. Over the years he continued to make modifications such as replacing the original single line tuners with double lines for greater stability when playing live shows or recording in studio settings.

Apart from being visually recognizable due to its distinct design features, Trigger is recognized all around the world for bringing some of Willie’s greatest hit songs alive like “On The Road Again” and “Always On My Mind”. Fans have come to associate these songs – written about heartache and loneliness – with great emotion thanks in large part to how they were delivered through this one special instrument – thus making Trigger an indispensable part of country music history forevermore.

An Ongoing Love Affair: Willie Nelson’s Relationship with His Guitar

Willie Nelson is famously known for his songwriting, singing, and of course his connection with his guitar. But what does he call it? For decades, Willie has had a love affair with an instrument that he has named Trigger. His iconic red-headed Telecaster guitar’s namesake comes from Roy Rogers’ horse – which Nelson said in a 2014 interview was the first thing that came to mind when selecting a name.

Nelson bought this famous instrument in 1969 at the Western Auto Store in Nashville and has kept it close ever since. He says it’s very comfortable to play and will always stay by his side during concerts, keeping him company while onstage. Not only that but they’ve also been through some tough times together – due to the fact that Willie often stores Trigger on tour buses or planes where temperatures can get extremely hot or cold, all while sustaining damages caused by years of traveling around the world together. Even after all these hardships though, Trigger remains as one of Willie’s most faithful friends up until today.

What makes Trigger so special? Maybe it’s because its sentimental value exceeds far beyond material worth; this traditional single cutaway body crafted from Ashwood may just be something deeply rooted into who Willie Nelson is as an artist and human being alike – providing him with both comfort and inspiration throughout their long journey together over the years.