Jon Rauhouse probably gets sick of everyone noting who he has played with rather than noting his significance as a solo recording artist and performer. Therefore Gearwire is not going to mention that he has played with Neko Case, Calexico and The Waco Brothers. Rauhouse is known for his slide, Hawaiian and his steel guitar playing. His latest recording, Steel Guitar Heart Attack, was released earlier this year on Chicago's Bloodshot Records. Rauhouse talked about his choices in guitars and banjos and also a little about travel cases and recording.

Rauhouse says what he likes, and looks for, in a guitar is tone. And he says what makes good tones is different to different ears.

"I lean more toward archtops for electric." he says.

He plays a Slingerland Songster from the mid to late 1930s.

"It is my favorite. I have an after-market pickup (from WD), mounted on the pick-guard," he says. "The old Slingerland my wife bought me--one of my favorite things ever--it sounds great and it means something to me."

His style differs when he plays his solo music he tends to play more rhythm while with Neko Case tends to do melody. In addition to the Slingerland he also uses a Kay.

"I use really old strings on it. The one I have a friend bought in two pieces for $20. You can do the Freddy Green 'chunk chunk' thing with it and it sounds great." says Rauhouse. "I leave the old strings on the Slingerland too because it gets a different sound from everybody else. Even playing with Neko Case--she has such a crazy good voice there is no reason to have me wanking through there."

Another guitar Rauhouse uses is a Gretsch guitar from their historic series. It is a Hawaiian guitar, a "straight up acoustic with a pick-up."

Since Rauhouse travels a lot transporting his instruments is an issue. He doesn't take his prized Slingerland out or other old or fragile instruments.

"I'd take it (the Slingerland) with me if I didn't think I'd crush it." he says.

He doesn't want an irreplaceable instrument or one with immense sentimental value at the mercy of a hung over baggage handler. There are exceptions to this; if you are loading and unloading your gear on your own or you have an indestructible case. In the latter instance you might wind up with a case that costs more than the instrument inside. When you get to a certain point you go with the expensive case.

"We did a show with Emmylou Harris and her guitar case looked like a lunar lander," he says.

Another option when traveling is to get an instrument that plays good enough but that won't make you want to hang yourself in the attic if it gets damaged. Rauhouse uses a Fender FB-59 banjo that Fender gave to him.

"I got it because my banjo I play is one of the first instruments I ever bought (in 1973). I was on the third case and I took that as a warning," he says. "I don't want to buy a $6000 banjo and have some guy in Australia drop it off the plane"

And while some "banjo snobs" might look askance Rauhouse says it plays fine. It also helps to prevent a nervous breakdown on the road.

Rauhouse also recorded and engineered his last record. He used an Electrotron Omega Interface. He records in an old ceder plywood garage with a table, computer and monitors.

"I use regular old, nothing special mics," he says. "It is the room. If you are just talking it sounds great."

Rauhouse also has a different take on recording than many. He doesn't become insane over every glitch but rather worries about the overall performance and feel.

"On my record you hear people breathing and a chair squeeking. I don't understand guys who agonize over every inch of tape," he says. "If I had to listen to a song that many times I'd cut my own head off."

Rauhouse doesn't believe everyone has to do it his way. He freely admits that the more compulsive engineers and musicians often make great music. It just isn't his way of doing it. He also keeps his gear limited--and notes that a lot of the great music of the past was done with even less gear. The ever expanding gear available is both a blessing and a curse. Take modern foot pedals.

"How many modern pedals are there? You should have three or four to choose from" he says with a laugh.

Rauhouse uses a mid -70s MSA volume pedal for his steel (through Fender twin 65 custom 15--reissue with 15 inch speaker). For Hawaiian guitar he uses only the built in amp distortion.