British Guitar & Bass magazine seems to like Gibson basses. Within a year they had a special about a Gibson bass collector, the Hobbit of Suzi Quatro (I sent that issue to Basvarken) and now a five page special about the role of Gibson in British pop in the '60s. I just bought it, so no opinion yet.
With a link to fly guitars.
Note: The last issue had something like Strats in the Eighties on the cover and now it's something like The Magic Of Strats. So don't buy the wrong one.
Quote from: Chris P. on June 11, 2015, 10:22:34 AM
British Guitar & Bass magazine seems to like Gibson basses.
Maybe a friend of Jules?
Just check through the magazine and see what companies have the big ads.
Then compare that to the major features and reviews. If the editor has features about brands that are not major advertisers (also go back and forward and issue or two) then you can tell if he favors certain brands. If they are just stroking advertisers, then it is business as usual.
I guess that's always the same. Every magazine has to think about their advertisers a bit. Some more than others. We stay away from it as much as possible with our mag.
But that aside, if they want to please Gibson it would be more logical to review a Tbird '15. A feature article about old Epiphones en Gibsons in the UK is much nicer.
Quote from: Chris P. on July 13, 2015, 04:00:59 AM
I guess that's always the same. Every magazine has to think about their advertisers a bit. Some more than others. We stay away from it as much as possible with our mag.
But that aside, if they want to please Gibson it would be more logical to review a Tbird '15. A feature article about old Epiphones en Gibsons in the UK is much nicer.
I agree! Being an old guy there were TONS of Gibson basses hung around the necks of Brit bands.
I actually thought that Epi's were made in Europe. . . but that was 1965 or so
Quote from: Rob on July 13, 2015, 08:36:58 AM
I actually thought that Epi's were made in Europe. . . but that was 1965 or so
Of course it has Greek founders:)
64-65 was the years when all British groups, with a good manager, and a record company backing them up, changed from Hofners to Gibson, Epiphone, and Gretsch. Fender was yesterdays paper, both bass- and guitarwise, and as lukewarm as the Shadows. Until Hendrix showed up, a couple of years later, very few of the bigger groups used Fenders. Well, except for the Swinging Blue Jeans, that is. Gibson must have had a smart manager i Gt Britain those years. Fourmost, Four Pennies, Applejacks, Searchers, Merseybeats. They only used Gibsons. Well, at least at photo sessions. Wonder how much they had to pay for their guitars, and basses?
It's true, Fender went out of fashion in the British Beat Invasion for a while because their instruments were - in England - heavily identified with The Shadows who weren't deemed cool at the time (though they have proved a lasting influece as every Dire Straits fan will tell you!). And Hendrix - probably oblivious to all this - did a lot to make the Strat cool once more with a lot of Gibson players subsequently defecting to Fender again (Clapton, Beck, Blackmore, Trower, Gallagher, Gilmour - it really was the 70ies guitar hero axe).
Quote from: uwe on July 14, 2015, 01:19:16 PM
It's true, Fender went out of fashion in the British Beat Invasion for a while because their instruments were - in England - heavily identified with The Shadows who weren't deemed cool at the time (though they have proved a lasting influece as every Dire Straits fan will tell you!). And Hendrix - probably oblivious to all this - did a lot to make the Strat cool once more with a lot of Gibson players subsequently defecting to Fender again (Clapton, Beck, Blackmore, Trower, Gallagher, Gilmour - it really was the 70ies guitar hero axe).
I think too much is made of Hendrix playing Strats. From what I've been able to gather, he mostly played Fender out of convenience. The Fender neck was easier to hit some notes. But Fenders also got out of tune a lot. I'm not a guitar nerd who can name every time Hendrix played a Gibson. But I know he played one on the Dick Cavett show and at the Rainbow Bridge and Isle of Wight concerts. I know there are more instances. I'm pretty sure he valued his Gibsons more than his Fenders. I think he considered those Strats somewhat disposable. Maybe he made Fenders cool, but I doubt that that was his intention.
Since when was Jimi obsessed with being slightly out-of-tune? :mrgreen: I think he probably played a Strat because the Fender scale was more convenient for his outsize hands - those were Stanley Clarke-type huge. There must have been a reason for him chosing Strats as he played right hand models left-handed which on a Strat is more inconvenient than on a, say, ES-335, SG or Flying V.
And I do believe he played the Flying V because it was flashy. 99% of all Flying V players are attracted to the shape, me included. I currently have my Dean Razorback in the rehearsal room and you can just see my serious-minded, non-heavy-metal-background co-musicians wince when they see me with it (hesitantly: "Is that a real razor blade in there?")! :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
(http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn204/cannibal_corpse18/RBVGreen.jpg)
Nothing says "serious-minded, not image-conscious, adult, no-frills musician" like this bass. Mark's overknee boots excepted of course. ;)
Built for blues, obviously...
Quote from: westen44 on July 14, 2015, 03:26:49 PM
I'm pretty sure he valued his Gibsons more than his Fenders. I think he considered those Strats somewhat disposable. Maybe he made
I don't remember seeing any photos of him setting a Gibson on fire, fr'instance.
Was that an act of disrespect for Fender or a statement about a Strat's musical value? I doubt it. Flying V's were rare in the late sixties (only a few had been built in the fifties and none yet reissued) and Strats plentyful. So they got the privilege of being "sacrificed".
http://www.flying-v.ch/gallery/gallery.htm
There is a reference in Wikipedia without citation to "Some instruments were assembled from leftover parts and shipped in 1963, with nickel- rather than gold-plated hardware."
Lonnie Mack's flying vee is #003, purchased in a neighborhood music store in Cincinnati...many years ago.
Quote from: uwe on July 14, 2015, 04:26:44 PM
Since when was Jimi obsessed with being slightly out-of-tune? :mrgreen: I think he probably played a Strat because the Fender scale was more convenient for his outsize hands - those were Stanley Clarke-type huge. There must have been a reason for him chosing Strats as he played right hand models left-handed which on a Strat is more inconvenient than on a, say, ES-335, SG or Flying V.
And I do believe he played the Flying V because it was flashy. 99% of all Flying V players are attracted to the shape, me included. I currently have my Dean Razorback in the rehearsal room and you can just see my serious-minded, non-heavy-metal-background co-musicians wince when they see me with it (hesitantly: "Is that a real razor blade in there?")! :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
(http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn204/cannibal_corpse18/RBVGreen.jpg)
Nothing says "serious-minded, not image-conscious, adult, no-frills musician" like this bass. Mark's overknee boots excepted of course. ;)
I'm sure he liked the way the Flying V looked. Really I should have more info on this. I know I've read somewhere about his attitude toward his guitars. I'm also pretty sure he played a custom made Flying V, but that was not long before he died. I did find my copy of "Electric Gypsy." That's considered one of the definitive Hendrix biographies. But I didn't find the info about guitars very useful. It was basically unrealistic gushing about how great Strats are supposed to be and I simply do not agree with that. That's the author's opinion, not necessarily Jimi's.
i think this is the one he is playing in rainbow bridge.(http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff246/tonypbass/jimisflyingvandme.jpg)
I was always impressed by the good taste of Wishbone Ash, and particulary by the photos of the band on Argus. 1 Strat, 1 V, 1 T-bird. Looks future! Great designs!!!
http://rarerecordcollector.cfhdesign.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/mdks8006-wishbone-ash-argus-gatefold.jpg
There is a new 2015 remaster of Argus by French label Culture Factory and it kicketh the proverbial butt. It has so much detail, it sometimes sounds like Steve Upton doing a demo for Paiste cymbals. :mrgreen: Martin's breathing, it's all there.
Much as Martin Turner is identified with his beloved Donnervogel, there are actually more WA recordings (from his eras) without than with it! It's his stage bass because he likes its handling and looks, that's all. Argus is all Rickenbacker 4001, so much that when Martin rerecorded the classic album with his own version of WA a few years ago, he reverted to a loaned Ric because he couldn't get the sound he wanted out of the TBird. A lot of the later Laurie Wisefield and Ted Turner-reunion stuff was recorded with a Fender Precision.
Don't we all live and learn. And when WA continued without Martin, the ultimate insult added to injury was - according to Martin's biography - Andy Powell's offer to buy Martin's TBird so the new guy could use it.
Flying Vs are popular in twin guitar bands (Wishbone Ash, Judas Priest, Scorpions, UFO, Accept) because they have a thinner sound and don't get in the way. They are kind of Gibson's Telecaster.
Quote from: uwe on July 15, 2015, 04:10:15 AM
There is a new 2015 remaster of Argus by French label Culture Factory and it kicketh the proverbial butt. It has so much detail, it sometimes sounds like Steve Upton doing a demo for Paiste cymbals. :mrgreen: Martin's breathing, it's all there.
AmazonUk has the UK release date on 24/7. Hopefully remastered from the original tapes ? I love most of Martin Tuner's remix but the guitar separation on the end-solo on Throw Down The Sword sucks big time ..........
I already have it, they shipped it two weeks ago, it's basically Martin's work of a few years back (pitch-corrected backing vocals and all, he was a little off on the original and it bugged him for decades), but with a high quality remaster showing a lot more detail. The Culture Factory remasters (they have also done much of BÖC's work and a couple of 70ies Status Quo albums which also benefitted greatly from the treatment) are of divisive nature to hifi purists (many consider their remasters "overcooked"), but I like them, they put the rrraunch back in rrrock'n'rrroll. I first came across them when they remastered the two New York Dolls albums (which sounded like I had never heard them before - a real sonic onslaught) and I have been a fan ever since.
Yeah, I know about the Ric on the rec. I'm talking about the pics, and the pics only. Really cool! Ric had the same problem with Macca, right?!? No shots, just the sound.
Quote from: uwe on July 15, 2015, 08:23:56 AM
it's basically Martin's work of a few years back.
Bugger ...... AFAIK it's the 1st CD release that has the original artwork, UFO an' all and I was hoping for a remaster of the original mix ......
What was wrong with Martin's remaster/subtle remix of 2007? To my ears it sounded even better than the 2002 remaster (which was already good). And this new Culture Factory remaster has Wishbone Ash standing in your living room and playing.
I was referring to the 2002 remix/remaster. I love the way it brings more sparkle to "the A-side" but I just can't get used to the 2 solo guitar parts being that high in the mix ( in comparison to the Original mix ) on Throw Down The Sword.......
I've found some more info about the Gibsons that Hendrix played--
http://www2.gibson.com/News-Lifestyle/Features/en-us/Hendrix-Gibson-Guitars.aspx
I think Hendrix played mainly Strats because that thin, bright tone best suited his frilly R&B inflected, Curtis Mayfield inspired rhythm guitar style. That type of playing tends to get lost in the sauce on a Gibson...their thicker tone has other uses, of course.
Notice that Jimi often used a Gibson (first the painted V, then an SG Custom, then the custom ordered lefty V, as well as the '56-ish Les Paul Custom he played only a few times ca. 1968) for live performances of Red House. Notable exception: at the Isle Of Wight he used the custom Flying V on quite a few numbers, alternating between that and the black Strat...guess he really liked that guitar!
Maybe it's because I used to have a Tele, but I've always felt they were underrated and Strats were overrated. In fact, Hendrix is playing Noel Redding's Telecaster on "Purple Haze" & "Hey Joe." Also, the Strat he played at Woodstock had a Tele neck. I didn't plan to go off on such a tangent since this is supposed to be about Gibson basses in the UK.
Yeah, I know, but the Internet was made for going off on tangents!
Well, Teles do what they do, which is considerable, especially considering that they are arguably the first production solidbody electric Spanish guitar, but a Stratocaster is more versatile. (As well as more comfortable/ergonomic for most players). The very reason that there may be some backlash against Strats is that they've been such a success.
Quote from: uwe on July 14, 2015, 04:26:44 PM
Since when was Jimi obsessed with being slightly out-of-tune? :mrgreen: I think he probably played a Strat because the Fender scale was more convenient for his outsize hands - those were Stanley Clarke-type huge. There must have been a reason for him chosing Strats as he played right hand models left-handed which on a Strat is more inconvenient than on a, say, ES-335, SG or Flying V.
And I do believe he played the Flying V because it was flashy. 99% of all Flying V players are attracted to the shape, me included. I currently have my Dean Razorback in the rehearsal room and you can just see my serious-minded, non-heavy-metal-background co-musicians wince when they see me with it (hesitantly: "Is that a real razor blade in there?")! :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
(http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn204/cannibal_corpse18/RBVGreen.jpg)
Nothing says "serious-minded, not image-conscious, adult, no-frills musician" like this bass. Mark's overknee boots excepted of course. ;)
There's a very good chance that Jimi was attracted to the Flying V because of that model's association with Albert King, who was one of his heroes.
Quote from: veebass on July 14, 2015, 05:35:21 PM
http://www.flying-v.ch/gallery/gallery.htm
There is a reference in Wikipedia without citation to "Some instruments were assembled from leftover parts and shipped in 1963, with nickel- rather than gold-plated hardware."
It's true. And some Explorers too.
Quote from: JazzBassTbird on July 20, 2015, 10:05:38 PM
Yeah, I know, but the Internet was made for going off on tangents!
Well, Teles do what they do, which is considerable, especially considering that they are arguably the first production solidbody electric Spanish guitar, but a Stratocaster is more versatile. (As well as more comfortable/ergonomic for most players). The very reason that there may be some backlash against Strats is that they've been such a success.
I have to wonder how popular they would be without Hendrix. It's all a matter of taste, but I just personally prefer the sound of Gibson guitars. Eric Clapton is a case in point. His best guitar playing was with a Gibson. It's the Fender twang which bothers me, though. As for the success of Stratocaster, I think it's undeserved.
Quote from: uwe on July 15, 2015, 04:10:15 AM
There is a new 2015 remaster of Argus by French label Culture Factory and it kicketh the proverbial butt. It has so much detail, it sometimes sounds like Steve Upton doing a demo for Paiste cymbals. :mrgreen: Martin's breathing, it's all there.
Much as Martin Turner is identified with his beloved Donnervogel, there are actually more WA recordings (from his eras) without than with it! It's his stage bass because he likes its handling and looks, that's all. Argus is all Rickenbacker 4001, so much that when Martin rerecorded the classic album with his own version of WA a few years ago, he reverted to a loaned Ric because he couldn't get the sound he wanted out of the TBird. A lot of the later Laurie Wisefield and Ted Turner-reunion stuff was recorded with a Fender Precision.
Don't we all live and learn. And when WA continued without Martin, the ultimate insult added to injury was - according to Martin's biography - Andy Powell's offer to buy Martin's TBird so the new guy could use it.
Flying Vs are popular in twin guitar bands (Wishbone Ash, Judas Priest, Scorpions, UFO, Accept) because they have a thinner sound and don't get in the way. They are kind of Gibson's Telecaster.
True. I didn't know the Rickenbacker was used on Argus, but you definitely can hear it on Pilgrimage. Martin has said that one day while of tour, he opened the case to find the Ric's neck broken off. He said something to the effect of "well, if it's that delicate, I can't use these basses anymore!" So he switched to a T-Bird, which is even more delicate. He actually got his TB IV from Overend Watts (had to beg him for it) already broken. So badly that it required a new headstock to be fashioned. That's why you see pics of it on Live Dates with an unfinished headstock. Same bass was later refinished white. Martin also used a white '60s Precision Bass. I think there are photos of him playing it inside the gatefold copy of Pilgrimage.
Re Flying Vs thinner sound, yes, they do. But so do SGs.
Quote from: westen44 on July 20, 2015, 10:20:22 PM
I have to wonder how popular they would be without Hendrix. It's all a matter of taste, but I just personally prefer the sound of Gibson guitars. Eric Clapton is a case in point. His best guitar playing was with a Gibson. It's the Fender twang which bothers me, though. As for the success of Stratocaster, I think it's undeserved.
It's apples and oranges, there's no "better" with stuff like this. Re Clapton, well yes, but it's HIM, his style changed, it wasn't the fault of the guitar he chose to play. Although I agree that a Gibson better suited the Mayall and Cream material.
Re the twang, hey, that's what a Fender guitar's all about. If one doesn't like the taste of fish, one shouldn't dine on flounder!
Quote from: westen44 on July 20, 2015, 02:03:21 PM
In fact, Hendrix is playing Noel Redding's Telecaster on "Purple Haze" & "Hey Joe." Also, the Strat he played at Woodstock had a Tele neck.
Which Tele neck?
(http://www1.adnkronos.com/IGN/Assets/Imgs/H/hendrix_jimi--400x300.jpg)
(http://www.guerrillacandy.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/JimiHendrix.19680818.101.jpg)
First post, and it is about guitars! :P
Hendrix played a white Strat with a Telecaster neck at the Newport festival in 1969. It isn't especially clear which instruments this thing was made from. Hendrix held on to those two maple neck guitars through all of 1969. For example, he used the black/maple Strat for much of the video'd 1969 Stockholme gig and the Lion's share of the video'd 1969 Albert Hall gig. The Tele necker is an odd instrument as it just appears, then vanishes again. Did he break the neck on the white Woodstock Strat and therefore it was rocking a 2nd neck at Woodstock? I guess it would be hard to tell. Quite what happened to the donor Tele is also a mystery.
Hendrix played his lefty V for a chunk of the Isle of Wight gig in 1970 due to interference through his amps. I think that Freedom sounds great with that meatier tone as a result and it does make me wonder what it would have sounded like if Hendrix had done more on Gibson instruments. He did have that psychedelic V around 1967, a staple-top Alnico Custom and a three-pickup white SG as well, but seems to have reserved these for slower blues numbers. The exception being the freeform cover of Sunshine of your Love from the 1969 Stockholme show and, probably, the version of the same tune from the Albert Hall gig as well. Both versions have quite a sludgy droning bass solo from Noel for good measure.
On the subject of Martin Turner, I went into Red Dog music here in Edinburgh a few years back and spied a lovely white Epiphone Thunderbird, albeit with black hardware. Apparently Martin Turner had been in the week before and turned this T-bird down in favour of another white model they had in stock. I almost bought the losing T-bird out of sympathy. :o
Is Turner a Scot?
Quote from: uwe on July 21, 2015, 04:41:33 AM
Is Turner a Scot?
I don't think so, but his version of Wishbone seems to play here semi-regularly. Maybe he has extreme GAS for white Thunderbirds? ;D
He looks weird with a P Bass - it's either the TBird or his Hamer Explorer with TBird pups.
Hendrix did shove a Tele neck on a Strat body around Woodstock. There are a few gigs he used it at in 1969. Newport Pop - Devonshire Downs for sure. He had to sand in some curve the flat neck butt.
Interesting that Chas Chandler started on a Fender Precision, but switched to the EB-2/Ravioli because it felt better to him. in addition to the old uncool Shadows thing - although it seems they all loved The Shadows - Fender basses were both uncommon and expensive. Fender didn't work on a streamlined distribution to Europe until the late 60s. They weren't that good beyond the Rockies for that in the US either. You could find a load of Gibsons, Epis, Kays, Harmonys, Danelectros, etc compared to a Fender selection in the late 60s.
Quote from: Basvarken on July 21, 2015, 12:54:53 AM
Which Tele neck?
(http://www1.adnkronos.com/IGN/Assets/Imgs/H/hendrix_jimi--400x300.jpg)
(http://www.guerrillacandy.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/JimiHendrix.19680818.101.jpg)
http://s253.photobucket.com/user/reino_de_la_guitarra/media/hendrix_newport_33.jpg.html
Allegedly the Telecaster neck was fitted by West Coast Organ and Amplifier Service after Jimi threw it offstage and broke the original. This comes from a lengthy thread on the Metro Amps forum, and there is some skepticism of the claims made within.
I recently put together a mutt Stratocaster for myself, but I changed the shape of the neck pocket to accept a Tele neck, rather than grind down the heel of the neck.
(http://i61.tinypic.com/2gv78s0.jpg)
What're the big-ass Fender cabs behind him?
Quote from: slinkp on July 21, 2015, 08:55:56 PM
What're the big-ass Fender cabs behind him?
They look like 2x15's with the JBL D-130 speakers and silver cones. Could be D-140's too. Dick Dale likes the 140's.
Quote from: JazzBassTbird on July 20, 2015, 10:26:09 PM
It's apples and oranges, there's no "better" with stuff like this. Re Clapton, well yes, but it's HIM, his style changed, it wasn't the fault of the guitar he chose to play. Although I agree that a Gibson better suited the Mayall and Cream material.
Re the twang, hey, that's what a Fender guitar's all about. If one doesn't like the taste of fish, one shouldn't dine on flounder!
^^^ This.
The scale length has a lot to do with the twang. Play a Tele with a Gibson-scale conversion neck and you'll notice the difference right away.
I tried to post and somehow my post didn't go through. But it wasn't much of a post anyway. Because I'm in the middle of taking care of a sick relative and this isn't going to end anytime soon. The point is I'm dead tired and it's hard to be very lucid. I'm not sure if I can even add much of anything relevant at this point anyway since there have been so many posts while I've been gone. But I especially liked all the detailed info about Hendrix.
Quote from: Pilgrim on July 21, 2015, 09:11:30 PM
They look like 2x15's with the JBL D-130 speakers and silver cones. Could be D-140's too. Dick Dale likes the 140's.
Sounds good! The whole backline at the Newport Pop Festival was Fender, unless Hendrix had some secret sauce rigged up somewhere. There is footage of the gig, and Hendrix looks like he is standing in front of a silver wall.
Interesting to hear 'twang' mentioned in the context of Hendrix, as he seems to have been fairly consistent in keeping the twang out of his tone. If you see pictures or video of Woodstock he is running those big curly cables between everything, including his Univibe/wah/fuzz setup. No patch cables! Again on the Metro Amps forum somebody reckons he had about 90 ft of coiled cable from guitar to amp, and the cumulative capacitance of that lot would go a long way to dial out the twang.
Quote from: Dave W on July 21, 2015, 09:16:47 PM
^^^ This.
The scale length has a lot to do with the twang. Play a Tele with a Gibson-scale conversion neck and you'll notice the difference right away.
That is what I like about a Fender guitar sound - always have. And if I'm honest, then I prefer Clapton's Strat-sound from the early 70ies onwards to his 60ies Gibson sound. The "essential-ness" of his gentleman blues playing, his sparse choice of notes, all that came across better with the Strat, less in sound density being more in expression. His sound and playing matured. By his own choice, he went the blues singer-songwriter road and did not want to found Led Zeppelin II, Ten Years After II or Clapton, Bogert & Appice (at least they would have had a singer then!!!). I respect that - at the time it was not an overtly commercial move, much the opposite. In an age of emerging guitar heroes he rather wanted to be George Harrison or Robbie Robertson. And for all the criticism about him allegedly "selling out", he has stayed true to that road he took after the demise of Cream to this day.
Quote from: Alanko on July 22, 2015, 03:06:20 AM
Sounds good! The whole backline at the Newport Pop Festival was Fender, unless Hendrix had some secret sauce rigged up somewhere. There is footage of the gig, and Hendrix looks like he is standing in front of a silver wall.
Interesting to hear 'twang' mentioned in the context of Hendrix, as he seems to have been fairly consistent in keeping the twang out of his tone. If you see pictures or video of Woodstock he is running those big curly cables between everything, including his Univibe/wah/fuzz setup. No patch cables! Again on the Metro Amps forum somebody reckons he had about 90 ft of coiled cable from guitar to amp, and the cumulative capacitance of that lot would go a long way to dial out the twang.
For the record, I wasn't talking about Hendrix's twang on a Fender. He is my favorite guitarist and as far as I know, there was no twang. I'm talking about when most other people play a Fender, like myself, for instance. I am still heavily involved in taking care of a sick person and I'm not sure if I've even read everything on this thread. But the point I'm actually trying to make is that having owned a mid-60s Tele and a 1959 Gibson Les Paul Jr, I still sounded way better on the Gibson even when I was extremely rusty on guitar. I have neither guitar now. Like mentioned on another post, the Tele got stolen. Years later, I sold the other one, although it's unlikely I'd ever let go of a vintage Gibson bass like that.
So far most of the guitarists mentioned on this thread have been some of my favorite guitarists: namely, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, and George Harrison. But that has nothing to do with the fact that they played Fender. Fender is fine, but I just personally prefer the sound of a Gibson guitar. Plus, I feel that I have literally been personally shown the reasons for that.
@JazzBassTbird:
I tried to respond to your post, but for some reason my post did not go through. But I think almost everything I was trying to say is in this post anyway.
I admit that I have a penchant for Strat players: Jeff Beck, Jimi Hendrix, David Gilmour, Robin Trower, Ritchie Blackmore, Rory Gallagher, Eric Clapton. Not that I couldn't appreciate Carlos Santana and Alvin Lee or Frank Zappa or Jimmy Page or Brian May but at least in Britain (with the exception of Irishman Rory and of course Jimi all named Strat players are Brits) guitar heroism went side by side with Strat playing. I think that not only Hendrix but also Hank Marvin proved a lasting influence on British players in this regard.
There is something in a Strat sound when played with little effects that is naturally imposing. Gibsons sound sweet, but they don't have that trait.
Some of the tidiest Strat tones I've heard recently have been on Guru Guru's Kanguru album. Guitarist is Ax Genrich, apparently. At a guess he is using Marshalls on the record, but he has the full palate of sting, clang and roar at his disposal. This thread is giving me Strat GAS! 8)
stevie ray vaughan.
I didn't mean to imply that Strats twang, I was talking about Teles. But scale length is still an essential part of Strat tone.
I guess we're already quite off track here, so let me push for the early 60's Swedish instrumental group The Shanes, from Tuollavaara just outside of Kirunavaara (-vaara stands for mountain in a language I don't understand), the city that once was considered as the largest city of the world (20 000 square kilometers). This is straight miner's kids in their mid- to late teenyears. Heard them severeal times at a dancing hall deep in the woods close to the mighty Big Luleå river - yes, there was a Little Luleå river, too!
When they were about to record their first 45, Gunfight Saloon, in the spring of -63, the producer wanted The Shanes to were Lap's caps for the cover. The Shanes refused. We ain't no Samojeds, they said. And so it was.
But The Shanes invested in samething else at that stage of their career - they later moved to the capital of Sweden, Stockholm, and became very succesfull - and that was red Fender guitars and bass. When we speak of the tone of the Stratocaster, this is the sound I hear in my mind. And listen to that rhythm guitar, too. What a sound! Like a fast tight creek in the Sami country.
In the fall of -64 I negotiated with Svante, the bass player of The Shanes, about buying his P bass. Couldn't afford it at 16, with no steady job (Hey, that sounds like a title for something: 16, with no steady job!), so I bought a Höfner violin bass instead. Like $15 cheaper.... As Ricky Nelson put it, so elegantly: Fools rush in!
Anyway, Laddies & Gentlemen.... Bring 'em on, son....... The Shanes, and their second 45, from the late summer of '63: Pistoleros!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ATViu5g6w8
Transported to back when I was a kiddie... ;)
This quote from the article in the link below pretty much says it all for me. It's talking about the way Clapton sounded playing Gibsons. I can't think of anything else I would want to add.
Clapton's infinitely sustained tough-but-feminine sound — a buttery, clearly articulated yet snarling instrumental voice radically different from the bright twangy distortion prevalent among guitarists of the mid 1960s.
http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Lifestyle/ProductSpotlight/Tone-Tips/how-to-get-claptons-classic/
dual showman i think.
Quote from: Alanko on July 23, 2015, 07:02:26 AM
Some of the tidiest Strat tones I've heard recently have been on Guru Guru's Kanguru album. Guitarist is Ax Genrich, apparently. At a guess he is using Marshalls on the record, but he has the full palate of sting, clang and roar at his disposal. This thread is giving me Strat GAS! 8)
Lord, the world is a tiny place, someone in an essentially American forum mentioning Guru Guru and Ax Genrich? :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
I saw Ax Genrich in the seventies with his solo split-off "Highdelberg" - he was a good guitarist.
Quote from: Dave W on July 23, 2015, 08:23:24 AM
I didn't mean to imply that Strats twang, I was talking about Teles. But scale length is still an essential part of Strat tone.
Teles are of course the arch-twangers, but there is a less ostentatious twang to Strats too. That said, Jimmy Page showed with his Whole Lotta Love solo how a Tele can roar, and I love what Quo do sonically with two Teles.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulIqWIqzAaY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oI7YoL2kHUE
Rossi's Tele lead tone is top notch:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBlLfuGKmOU
Quote from: Stjofön Big on July 23, 2015, 08:28:35 AM
I guess we're already quite off track here, so let me push for the early 60's Swedish instrumental group The Shanes, from Tuollavaara just outside of Kirunavaara (-vaara stands for mountain in a language I don't understand), the city that once was considered as the largest city of the world (20 000 square kilometers). This is straight miner's kids in their mid- to late teenyears. Heard them severeal times at a dancing hall deep in the woods close to the mighty Big Luleå river - yes, there was a Little Luleå river, too!
When they were about to record their first 45, Gunfight Saloon, in the spring of -63, the producer wanted The Shanes to were Lap's caps for the cover. The Shanes refused. We ain't no Samojeds, they said. And so it was.
But The Shanes invested in samething else at that stage of their career - they later moved to the capital of Sweden, Stockholm, and became very succesfull - and that was red Fender guitars and bass. When we speak of the tone of the Stratocaster, this is the sound I hear in my mind. And listen to that rhythm guitar, too. What a sound! Like a fast tight creek in the Sami country.
In the fall of -64 I negotiated with Svante, the bass player of The Shanes, about buying his P bass. Couldn't afford it at 16, with no steady job (Hey, that sounds like a title for something: 16, with no steady job!), so I bought a Höfner violin bass instead. Like $15 cheaper.... As Ricky Nelson put it, so elegantly: Fools rush in!
Anyway, Laddies & Gentlemen.... Bring 'em on, son....... The Shanes, and their second 45, from the late summer of '63: Pistoleros!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ATViu5g6w8
So there was a Swedish Shadows too? :mrgreen:
There were several Shadows in every country, as we - of a certain age - all know. The biggest bands in that vein in Sweden was The Violents, The Spotnics, and The Shanes. Though the big difference between the first two, and the last, was that The Shanes wrote their one tunes. The popular way to find material was to take folk tunes, put a twist beat to it, a boogie bass in the bottom, and a guitarist that didn't look away from playing the melody part, some verses in the lower register, some in the upper, and then - to increase the tension - played the melody with the pic hands palm muted over the bridge.
The Shanes concentrated on their own material.
And, yes, they were from Lapland. My county.
It has charm. Hey, I'm a Joe Meek fan!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0jUvufQgQo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IECo3FAGQBw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7e4JXwd7XMo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tn-LJ9LVMII
No, I'm not saying who played lead guitar on that last track. You'll never get it out of me, my lips are sealed. :-X
Friend of mine bought a real cool t-shirt i Helsinki, Finland. Been looking for another everywhere, can't find.
Front: Big picture of Joe Meek, shoulders and head.
Beside the pic: Go Meek!
Coolest t-shirt ever!
To me, the essential Tele player is Danny Gatton. Those bright sounds were perfect for him. The Tele just talks through every note.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUpP7CnW4yA
I played with that sax/keyboardist for a year or two back in the late seventies...killer player. Billy is equally proficient on trumpet or bass. He's pretty scary. Plays with Chic now, and I have heard he also does brass arrangements for recordings by famous people where he plays everything and sends them the computer file to incorporate into the recording. Somewhere on the internet is a picture I found of him playing bass with a band at one of Willie Nelson's 4th of July Picnics. "Back in the day" we were all good solid pro players. Bill was in another class.
One reason why I became an accountant. I realized there were musicians out there who were not playing with the same deck of cards that I was playing with.
In this interview on Japanese TV, George Harrison explains (at the very end while he is being cut off) that guitar weight was always an issue with him because of shoulder problems, etc. He is saying at the end of the video that he wished he could have played a 60s Gibson Les Paul that Eric Clapton gave him, but it was too heavy for him. If I can find a roughly comparable statement by Hendrix, I'll have all the info I need. I vaguely remember reading about how he liked his Gibsons, but I don't know where I saw that. Anyway, it's possible to like more than one kind, needless to say.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfzTe2vgMKs
I incorrectly stated in the above post that Eric Clapton gave George Harrison a 60s Les Paul which George was fond of but found to be too heavy to play as much as he wanted to. However, it appears it was a 1957 Gibson Les Paul Goldtop which Clapton gave Harrison in 1968. George did play it on a number of Beatles songs, however, including some on the White Album. Also, George played it on at least part of Abbey Road. This at least included "Something" and "The End." But the guitar was also played by Clapton himself on "While My Guitar Gently Weeps." As a footnote, the guitar ended up being stolen. George Harrison had to go to a lot of trouble to get it back, but it remained a prized part of his collection from that point on.