Adam Brisbin is a New York–based guitarist known for his thoughtful, space-driven playing and strong sense of musical taste. Rather than filling every moment with notes, he focuses on tone, feel, and serving the song. His style blends elements of rock, folk, and improvisation, creating parts that feel natural and deeply connected to the music around him.
Brisbin’s early influences came from both hardcore punk and blues, which gave him a wide emotional range and a fearless approach to the instrument. Over time, his playing shifted toward restraint and intention, shaped in part by his work with musicians like Doug Wieselman, who helped him refine his sense of structure and arrangement. This evolution led him to become a trusted session guitarist, known for his ability to quickly find the right role within a song.
He has worked closely with singer-songwriter Buck Meek since 2013, contributing guitar parts that support the songs while adding subtle hooks and textures. Brisbin is also active across a wide range of projects, collaborating with artists such as Cassandra Jenkins, Sam Evian, Joan As Police Woman, and Nuria Graham. His versatility and listening skills make him a sought-after collaborator in both studio and live settings.
Brisbin’s gear choices reflect his minimalist philosophy. He often plays a Telecaster straight into a tweed-style amplifier, using few pedals and relying instead on touch and dynamics. Whether on stage or in the studio, Adam Brisbin continues to build a reputation as a guitarist who values space, honesty, and musical connection above all else.
🎸 Q & A
You’re known for playing with a lot of restraint and intention. Was that something you developed consciously, or did it come naturally over time?
It’s funny, I feel like the playing that comes most naturally to me is more in the vein of being completely unintentional and unrestrained. I got into guitar when I was a kid because I loved hardcore punk music. I also loved SRV, and he got into that territory too. It’s a zone of pure abandon where you transcend and subvert what it is you're supposed to be doing. It’s like, okay, I’m supposed to be standing here playing guitar, but in the heat of the moment something snaps and suddenly the guitar is flying through the air or being dragged around on the stage.
The other side of that coin was developed more intentionally as a response to that, as I got older and more interested in what the instrument could do. When I moved to New York, I played a lot with Doug Wieselman, who helped me un-noodle my playing. He taught me a lot about giving myself limitations, coming up with a part, being sensitive to the other musicians in the band, finding a role to play in the arrangement, etc.
What does your current guitar practice routine look like?
Mostly working on restraint and intention, ha. I’m trying to see how much I can do with as little effort as possible. I’m doing an exercise where I’m going to the extreme and just barely pressing down with the fretting fingers, not even fretting the note, just kind of touching the string, with the metronome on and the right hand doing the same thing. Just getting a feel for that lightness, because I’ve found that the tone is much better when I’m light like that, and I can think more clearly about what’s coming next and construct a more coherent improvisation.
It’s really fun but hard for me. I can feel my brain squeezing after a few minutes of it. I’m also working on string squeak with acoustic guitar, trying to get that sorted. The last few years I’ve become more of a session guitarist, and that’s really helped me hear what I’m doing in a more detailed way. It’s helped me realize some things.
How do you usually start a composition—through the guitar, a mood, or something more abstract?
I’ve been doing a lot of song-a-days and song-a-weeks with friends where I don’t do a full song but a seed of an idea, like a 45-second thing on Voice Memo. And usually they have a rule that if you don’t send in your song, you get removed from the group.
Having that accountability really helps kick things off. I wait until the last second to make it and turn it in right before it’s due. This way I can’t second-guess myself at all, and what comes out is always surprising and fun, and I love hearing what the other people in the group come up with. Then later I’ll take the ideas and fit things together or plug pieces into other ones. The communal aspect makes it really cozy too.
How did you first start working with Buck Meek, and what do you see as your role within his music?
I started playing with Buck in 2013. I met him at a party at my apartment shortly after I moved to New York. He was taking songwriting lessons with my roommate Jolie Holland, who I had moved to town to play with. He’s from Texas too, and I’d already heard his name a bunch from our mutual friend Albanie Falletta, who’s an incredible guitar player.
So it was great to meet him and hear him play his songs. They’re like these beautiful scenes that you can really see and put yourself in. His songs are so visual to me, but also hit in a fundamental emotional place that’s abstract yet fully comprehensible and profound. So yeah, we became buds and played together around then. My role with him is to support and explore. Come up with some hook lines. He really lets me sort things out on my own. We trust each other like that.
Buck’s music leaves a lot of room—how do you decide when to step forward and when to stay out of the way?
It’s pretty intuitive, I’d say. His songs make it clear what to do and when. All I gotta do is listen and respond. When I’m playing with him, I have no fear. I just try and follow my formulas a little bit in terms of coming up with a “part,” a simple event that repeats and feels part of the song. For me, I’ve learned that trying to “play less” really helps.
What gear (guitar/amp/pedals) are you using lately—and why?
A couple years ago I saw my friend Tim Carr play guitar at Sunny’s. He was in town from LA and needed to borrow my guitar and amp. It was a Strat and a 1955 tweed Champ. The things he played that night completely blew my mind, and it was interesting because it was my stuff but a completely different sound and approach.
Ever since then I’ve been exploring that setup, which is no pedals, Telecaster into a tweed Champ. Nothing else. The new Buck record that’s coming out is that setup, though I think James Krivchenia, who produced it, added some effects on later.
I love tweed amps. Right now I have a tweed Champ, 5E3 Deluxe, and 5F4 Super. I find that tweeds cut in a live setting the best and have the best amp overdrive, and they fuzz out and get crazy when you crank them. I just love how unhinged they can get, whereas later-era Fenders are perhaps a little more polite.
For guitars, it’s a parts Tele that I’m still tweaking. I’ve settled on the pickups, which are Throbak, and everything else, but still exploring neck options.
Guitar Mill is a great company from Tennessee who makes nice bodies and necks and do great finishing. I do have a pedalboard still, but it’s been broken down to the basics.
I love the Drybell Vibemachine for a Univibe sound. Origin Effects makes my favorite overdrive pedals. I fucking love BOSS. Got a BOSS EQ and DD-5. Love the Mid-Fi Electronics House Amp. A Strymon Flint, which I wish could be replaced with a Victoria Reverberato, but it just doesn’t make sense with the kind of traveling and gigs I’m doing now.
In general, I’m less interested in sounding like a synth and more excited about what’s happening with the guitar’s more inherent tonal range. There’s so much there.
What’s coming up next for you, both with Buck Meek and in your solo work (or other projects)?
With Buck, we’re about to put out a record, so we’re doing some UK/EU touring in March, then some US dates. More sessions with producer Phil Weinrobe — there’s one coming up in Ireland that I’m excited about. Lately I’ve been playing with Lefty Parker, Paul Spring, Dig Nitty, Ian Davis, Wish Wish, Sam Evian, Nuria Graham, Cassandra Jenkins, and Joan As Police Woman. Hopefully some other fun surprises will come up.
⚡ Lightning Round
One album every guitarist should listen to?
Harry Nilsson - Nilsson Sings Newman
Desert island guitar and amp?
Probably a really nice Gibson L-00
What up & coming guitarist should everyone know about?
Nuria Graham shreds
