“Billy Gibbons pulls out this big-ass yellow 17-string bass and he’s like, ‘Okay, we’ll play it for a song, right?’” ZZ Top’s Elwood Francis on teching for Joe Perry, lying to Steve Vai – and the curse of playing that viral 17-string bass

Elwood Francis.

Before taking over low-end duties from the late Dusty Hill in ZZ Top, Elwood Francis was a DIY punk who traveled the world as a tech for some of rock’s biggest stars. With an affinity for Frank Zappa and a knack for tearing into guitars with reckless abandon, Francis worked with Joe Perry, Steve Vai, Izzy Stradlin and Gilby Clarke before a case of burnout led him to step away from the industry.

But when Billy Gibbons came calling, it led to a wild adventure that’s seen Francis go from restringing “pain in the ass” fuzzy guitars to brandishing a 17-string bass for ZZ Top. “I don’t know if I can put it into words,” he says. “It’s just a weird feeling stepping into that role.