Paul Languedoc
Encyclopedia
Paul Languedoc was the soundman for rock group Phish
prior to the band's breakup in 2004. As the band's chief sound engineer and house mixer, he recorded their double-CD A Live One
, and all 27 volumes of the Live Phish Series
. He also built guitars and basses for Trey Anastasio
and Mike Gordon
. A luthier
by trade, he built his first guitar when he was 18 years old. He later spent four years working for Alan Stack at Time Guitars in Burlington, Vermont
, and by the time he had joined Phish
in 1986 at age 28, he had built hundreds of instruments. Since then, he has built only for Anastasio and Gordon, and his original designs have given Phish
its own unique instrumental identity. Languedoc has a preference for Europe
an hardwoods of the types used for building cellos, specializing in inlay work in mother-of-pearl and abalone. Languedoc first worked with Phish
on October 15, 1986, at a concert at Hunt's in Burlington, Vermont
. He remained with the band for their entire career, which ended in 2004 (or so they thought). Paul will not be joining the band on the road in 2009 or in the future, as he has retired from the road.
Named for its intricate headstock inlay, the Dragon bass (built in 1989) has a five-piece curly-maple neck and a bound ebony
fingerboard
. The body is solid koa
, with a face of curly-maple veneer. The guitar bridge and machine head
s were made by Schaller
. Mike Gordon custom-ordered the instrument's active, 18-volt Mørch pickups from Denmark
; they came with myriad knobs and switches Gordon didn't really want. "I have trouble making decisions," he says. "I probably change my instrument settings only every two years." The three larger knobs on the bass control volume (one per pickup) and pickup blend; the four micro-switches and three smaller knobs are for various midrange contours and high and low boosts. (Languedoc comments, "Even I don't know what they all do!")
Gordon and Languedoc both call the Fish — also named for its inlays — "a bit of an experiment." The bass, which was built about two years ago, has a two-piece curly-maple body with an interior chamber, a koa face with an f-hole and multiple-layered binding, and only one knob, which blends between the two EMG ASB-5 pickups. Mike eventually wants to add a piezo bridge transducer to accentuate the highs of the instrument's hollow body.
Gordon says Languedoc's striking instruments are only one aspect of the many talents he brings to the Phish
sound. "We're really lucky to have Paul. He gives us the freedom to do our own thing."
Paul has retired from his position as the sound man for Phish. He has decided to focus all his efforts on creating his now legendary guitars. In March of 2009, Garry Brown took over the task of soundman for Phish.
Phish
Phish is an American rock band noted for its musical improvisation, extended jams, and exploration of music across genres. Formed at the University of Vermont in 1983 , the band's four members – Trey Anastasio , Mike Gordon , Jon Fishman , and Page McConnell Phish is an American rock band...
prior to the band's breakup in 2004. As the band's chief sound engineer and house mixer, he recorded their double-CD A Live One
A Live One
A Live One is a live album by the American rock band Phish, released on June 27, 1995, by Elektra Records. The album was the Phish's first official live release, and the band's only "traditional" live album, wherein songs from several different shows are compiled into one composite "set"...
, and all 27 volumes of the Live Phish Series
Live Phish Series
LivePhish is an ongoing series of complete Phish concert recordings. The original twenty-volume series was released by Elektra Records and launched while Phish was on hiatus from recording and touring ....
. He also built guitars and basses for Trey Anastasio
Trey Anastasio
Trey Anastasio is an American guitarist, composer, and vocalist most noted for his work with the rock band Phish...
and Mike Gordon
Mike Gordon
Mike Gordon is a bass guitar player and vocalist most noted for his work with the rock band Phish. Gordon is also an accomplished banjo player, and is proficient at piano, guitar, harmonica and percussion...
. A luthier
Luthier
A luthier is someone who makes or repairs lutes and other string instruments. In the United States, the term is used interchangeably with a term for the specialty of each maker, such as violinmaker, guitar maker, lute maker, etc...
by trade, he built his first guitar when he was 18 years old. He later spent four years working for Alan Stack at Time Guitars in Burlington, Vermont
Burlington, Vermont
Burlington is the largest city in the U.S. state of Vermont and the shire town of Chittenden County. Burlington lies south of the U.S.-Canadian border and some south of Montreal....
, and by the time he had joined Phish
Phish
Phish is an American rock band noted for its musical improvisation, extended jams, and exploration of music across genres. Formed at the University of Vermont in 1983 , the band's four members – Trey Anastasio , Mike Gordon , Jon Fishman , and Page McConnell Phish is an American rock band...
in 1986 at age 28, he had built hundreds of instruments. Since then, he has built only for Anastasio and Gordon, and his original designs have given Phish
Phish
Phish is an American rock band noted for its musical improvisation, extended jams, and exploration of music across genres. Formed at the University of Vermont in 1983 , the band's four members – Trey Anastasio , Mike Gordon , Jon Fishman , and Page McConnell Phish is an American rock band...
its own unique instrumental identity. Languedoc has a preference for Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an hardwoods of the types used for building cellos, specializing in inlay work in mother-of-pearl and abalone. Languedoc first worked with Phish
Phish
Phish is an American rock band noted for its musical improvisation, extended jams, and exploration of music across genres. Formed at the University of Vermont in 1983 , the band's four members – Trey Anastasio , Mike Gordon , Jon Fishman , and Page McConnell Phish is an American rock band...
on October 15, 1986, at a concert at Hunt's in Burlington, Vermont
Burlington, Vermont
Burlington is the largest city in the U.S. state of Vermont and the shire town of Chittenden County. Burlington lies south of the U.S.-Canadian border and some south of Montreal....
. He remained with the band for their entire career, which ended in 2004 (or so they thought). Paul will not be joining the band on the road in 2009 or in the future, as he has retired from the road.
Named for its intricate headstock inlay, the Dragon bass (built in 1989) has a five-piece curly-maple neck and a bound ebony
Ebony
Ebony is a dense black wood, most commonly yielded by several species in the genus Diospyros, but ebony may also refer to other heavy, black woods from unrelated species. Ebony is dense enough to sink in water. Its fine texture, and very smooth finish when polished, make it valuable as an...
fingerboard
Fingerboard
The fingerboard is a part of most stringed instruments. It is a thin, long strip of material, usually wood, that is laminated to the front of the neck of an instrument and above which the strings run...
. The body is solid koa
Koa
Acacia koa is a species of flowering tree in the pea family, Fabaceae. It is endemic to the Hawaiian Islands, where it is the second most common tree. The highest populations are on Hawaii, Maui and Oahu...
, with a face of curly-maple veneer. The guitar bridge and machine head
Machine head
A machine head is part of a string instrument ranging from guitars to double basses, a geared apparatus for applying tension and thereby tuning a string, usually located at the headstock. A headstock has several machine heads, one per string...
s were made by Schaller
Schaller Guitarenparts
Schaller Electronic GmbH, generally known as Schaller, is a high-end German manufacturer of components for musical instruments, most famous for their fully enclosed machine heads which are standard on many top-of-the-line guitars and available as an extra cost option on many others.The company was...
. Mike Gordon custom-ordered the instrument's active, 18-volt Mørch pickups from Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
; they came with myriad knobs and switches Gordon didn't really want. "I have trouble making decisions," he says. "I probably change my instrument settings only every two years." The three larger knobs on the bass control volume (one per pickup) and pickup blend; the four micro-switches and three smaller knobs are for various midrange contours and high and low boosts. (Languedoc comments, "Even I don't know what they all do!")
Gordon and Languedoc both call the Fish — also named for its inlays — "a bit of an experiment." The bass, which was built about two years ago, has a two-piece curly-maple body with an interior chamber, a koa face with an f-hole and multiple-layered binding, and only one knob, which blends between the two EMG ASB-5 pickups. Mike eventually wants to add a piezo bridge transducer to accentuate the highs of the instrument's hollow body.
Gordon says Languedoc's striking instruments are only one aspect of the many talents he brings to the Phish
Phish
Phish is an American rock band noted for its musical improvisation, extended jams, and exploration of music across genres. Formed at the University of Vermont in 1983 , the band's four members – Trey Anastasio , Mike Gordon , Jon Fishman , and Page McConnell Phish is an American rock band...
sound. "We're really lucky to have Paul. He gives us the freedom to do our own thing."
Paul has retired from his position as the sound man for Phish. He has decided to focus all his efforts on creating his now legendary guitars. In March of 2009, Garry Brown took over the task of soundman for Phish.