“Could I even afford a real-life amp that sounds like that modeler? I don’t think so. Living in L.A. makes this tough”: Session guitarist to the stars Justus West explains why plugins are essential even in high-profile studios

Justus West performs during Future X Sounds Concert at John Anson Ford Amphitheatre on August 31, 2019 in Hollywood, California.

Justus West is quickly building a reputation as one of the most in-demand session guitarists for some very (very) high-profile acts. His hefty résumé includes working with Thundercat, John Legend, Ariana Grande, Mac Miller, Alicia Keys, and Snoop Dogg – not to mention Beyoncé – and, oh, did we mention that he's also one of John Mayer's favorite contemporary guitarists?

So, it's only fitting that he's lifting the veil on the lesser-known aspects of working as a session musician in 2025 – including navigating the worlds of plugins, amps, and digital modelers – all in pursuit of the right tone.

“There are great guitar plugins out there, Neural DSP and Safari Pedals, really stellar stuff. Producers do not know about these plugins!” he tells Guitar World.