Tyler Childers Plays Guitar Through His Pa-Paws Old TV
Tyler Childers is currently on his much-anticipated “Send In The Hounds Tour” after taking three years off from major touring during the pandemic. For the new tour, Tyler has unveiled a rather elaborate stage setup that looks to evoke the outdoors and days gone by. This includes a wooded backdrop, taxidermied big horn sheep and possum, as well as an old living room setting where Tyler sits and stands each night complete with an old antique chair, coat rack, and a vintage console TV.
Of course, most of this stuff is just for show. But apparently, the console TV is just as much function as it is form. Folks have been noticing that during Tyler’s concerts, old shows will play on the console TV. But that’s not all. The TV actually dubs as a custom made amplifier for when Childers plays electric guitar. And this particular console TV comes with some sentimental value.
“It was his pa-paws old TV that he held on to for years and always wanted to do something with it,” says Matt of the Austin, TX-based Square Amps. “Tyler found me a few years back on Instagram and we made it happen. Its a TV/tube guitar amp combo with a DVD player as well. When Tyler plays his Tele, he is plugged into the TV as the amp.”
Square Amps specializes in finding vintage wooden tube radios form the 1930’s and 1940’s, and turning them into guitar amplifiers. Every amplifier is a custom piece, so each one tells a story. Tyler’s is no different, except it happens to be built out of a TV instead.
“At 13 I learned to play guitar and found myself with a Strat and a small practice amp making all kinds of interesting noise,” Matt of Square Amps says. “Once I learned how to play I needed a better amp so I went to my local music shop where I found a beat up Peavey Delta Blues for a good deal. I plugged in, turned it to 10 slammed an E chord shook the building and rattled the windows…I was hooked on the tube guitar amp sound and became infatuated with what was going on inside those glowing magic glass envelopes.”
May 7, 2023 @ 9:04 am
Awesome story! I love the TV/ amplifier, but the rest of that stage looks cluttered AF. It makes me want to get a Glad bag, a bottle of Pledge, and start reddin’ up.
May 7, 2023 @ 9:34 am
“It makes me want to get a Glad bag, a bottle of Pledge, and start reddin’ up.”
: D Dam* son, if we could bottle you, we’d make a bloody fortune.
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“I found a beat up Peavey Delta Blues for a good deal. I plugged in, turned it to 10 slammed an E chord shook the building and rattled the windows…I was hooked on the tube guitar amp sound and became infatuated with what was going on inside those glowing magic glass envelopes.”
Flipping Love this!
And, this is the best!
“It was his pa-paws old TV that he held on to for years and always wanted to do something with it,” says Matt of the Austin, TX-based Square Amps.”
Kept his Papaw’s old t.v. ????
Tyler knows what’s important
May 7, 2023 @ 5:09 pm
Most guitar players faver the tube amps. Sure, transistor amps are quiet, no hum or hiss, but they just don’t have the character of a well made tube amp. In fact, really old antique tube amps have become quite sought after. My cousin just gave me an ultra rare 1939 Recording King amp, made in Chicago by Valco. It’s wooden! Looks like an antique radio, but it’s a tube amp designed for lap steels and those old archtops with p90s. I got an amp tech servicing it right now. Needs new capacitors and cap filters. Can’t wait to hear what a telecaster sounds like thru it! Best gift ever from my cousin!
May 7, 2023 @ 5:31 pm
I love Tyler (and the Troubadours and Whiskey Myers) but the whole singing/screaming along at the top of their lungs on every song on all of these live videos has turned me off to actually going to a show – I guess I may be a grumpy old man but if I am going to pay $100 for a show I don’t want to hear the person next to me singing…
May 7, 2023 @ 7:20 pm
You already know what he sounds like. Have fun vocalizing! Catch the vibe!
May 7, 2023 @ 6:36 pm
I own several old tvs from the late 70’s thru the mid 80’s. It’s kinda hard to focus while watching movies on them compared to newer Tvs, even though it’s what I remember growing up. There is a charm to them however and the lack of entertainment options before the internet.
I remember thinking who would ever want an iPad or tablet. And I’m typing this on an iPad. Ugh
May 8, 2023 @ 6:00 am
When I was a kid with rock star dreams I bought and old Fender Strat with a small Fender tube amp at a garage sale. It wasn’t in the greatest shape, but I loved that guitar. Had no idea how to play it when I bought it, but I made some great noise with it. I joined the Army and have no idea what happened to that old guitar. Dad probably threw it away after years of me killing my parents ears with it. Wish I still had that old guitar and amp. I still remember the hum and static when I plugged the guitar in.