Peter Cook, Gutar Maker - Eric and Peter meet. . . . . .

FlatEric · January 19, 2011, 01:16:51 PM

Hi.

Just heard from Peter.

I asked him if there was anything he wished to add or remembered.
I also asked if he was aware of the following of the FenderBirds and ExplorerBirds.
The "Tribute" build, both and home - semi commercial and commercial.

This is is cut and pasted from "the man himself"

"Eric.
Great work - I really like your Blog, you've dug up some good stuff.

Nothing else really comes to mind but it's good to know that the FenderBirds/ExplorerBirds live on ..."

There you go - what more can you say??

One thing I have noticed, for the keen followers out there. . . . .
Peter always refers to them with Capital letters.
ExplorerBirds and FenderBirds, so from now on - that's how they should be.

Next part at the end of the week.

Cheers.

godofthunder · January 19, 2011, 01:37:54 PM

As always great stuff! "FenderBirds" it is! Nice that he approves of us mucking about with his design.

Highlander · January 19, 2011, 02:10:05 PM

Coming along nicely, Eric...

I never did post the (sort of) finished pics and I don't see the point in digging up my old "Phoenix" thread, so...

Still not sure what to call mine... always just been identified as "Peter Cook Custom" - Phoenix has kinda stuck with me though (rebuilt from my rather abusive and destructive past to present condition) with the cherry/amber burst over a myrtle burl - if you look closely, the book-ended veneer has a "winged" image above the Mudbucker that looks very like a stylised bird-of-prey...

Birth year is probably around '72 and I've owned her since '77...

Through-neck ThunderBird with a Precision "D" profile neck, Gibson Mudbucker (with coil tap to 4 position switch - out-of-phase/standard/series/coil nearest bridge) and RD Artist pup hiding under a T'bird cover - controls are volume only - minature switch bypasses controls - XLR socket wired for stereo use (one for each pup) - body/neck is mahogany - construction is neck-thru in three pieces with an ebony board - body is two wings with "neck" through centre and built-up at back to match standard Gibson profile - the lower cutaway being deeper is as from new - original colour was cherry red - all hardware was gold - the original Gibson bridge and tail-piece was refitted during the rebuild - original Peter Cook pups are "lost" - (one died and the other is somewhere in my loft) - still have to sort out the screwy wiring for the volume controls but have a lead from another thread here...

FlatEric · January 20, 2011, 09:47:03 AM

Next Part.

http://flatericbassandguitar.blogspot.com/

Peter Cook, Custom Builds.

Kenny?

Step forward, you're on!!!

Cheers.

Dave W · January 20, 2011, 09:58:54 AM

Excellent!

And we get to see young Ken (with hair) again.

Highlander · January 20, 2011, 11:19:25 AM

Hair today, gone tomorrow...

Again, nice work...

Highlander · January 21, 2011, 04:44:23 PM

The most frightening thing about knowing some of this stuff in advance was the knowledge of how few instruments are truly tagged with the "Peter Cook" moniker... that stunned me...

Can you clarify something for me please, Eric...?

Post you getting in direct contact and when we spoke you discussed the quantity built to be around "50" - in the latest blog you discuss it as being "50" as well as the JAE 'Birds...

so... do you mean he built around 50 or 60 instruments from "scratch" ?

One way or another - they are very RareBirds...

FlatEric · January 28, 2011, 10:33:08 AM

Hi.

In answer to Kenny's question . . . . .

As far as can be made out and we have discussed this element twice - as per the blog.

. . . . . .but you have to bear in mind that apart from the famous basses
he made for John Entwistle, there are perhaps only around fifty others
that he made!
Yes, 50 - Five Zero!
As Peter said, "there were around fifty", there may be 51, 53 or 55 - it's
hard to tell, as once the job was done, he then moved onto repairs and
day to day things, before embarking on the next project.

So in essence, you have approximately 2% of production and I have 4%!
Ha Ha, so between us, we have around 6% of the total produced!

I want to move back onto my collection/Peter is busy at the moment but
we have talked about digging out the dusty old papers in the loft . . . . .
So. . . . . . . . not sure what we will find there!
Spiders or. . . . . specs, customers ideas, sketches, costings etc, etc!!

Next part up now.

http://flatericbassandguitar.blogspot.com/

Cheers.

Highlander · January 30, 2011, 12:52:37 PM

Nice work Eric

Many thanks

FlatEric · January 31, 2011, 01:15:02 AM

Errrr, Thanks Mate!

(Said in a Tony Blackburn/Smashy and Nicey voice)

I have something else to tell you that you will like a lot.

I am going to keep you in suspense and when you find out, you can
tell everyone here, how excited you are!

Ha Ha - that'll give you some sleepless nights!

Cheers.

Dave W · January 31, 2011, 08:21:35 AM

Now I'm trying to figure out what that could mean.

Highlander · January 31, 2011, 09:32:53 AM

ok... ya got me there...?

uwe · February 01, 2011, 10:48:03 AM

Quote from: Kenny's 51st State on January 19, 2011, 02:10:05 PM
Coming along nicely, Eric...

I never did post the (sort of) finished pics and I don't see the point in digging up my old "Phoenix" thread, so...

Still not sure what to call mine... always just been identified as "Peter Cook Custom" - Phoenix has kinda stuck with me though (rebuilt from my rather abusive and destructive past to present condition) with the cherry/amber burst over a myrtle burl - if you look closely, the book-ended veneer has a "winged" image above the Mudbucker that looks very like a stylised bird-of-prey...

Birth year is probably around '72 and I've owned her since '77...

Through-neck ThunderBird with a Precision "D" profile neck, Gibson Mudbucker (with coil tap to 4 position switch - out-of-phase/standard/series/coil nearest bridge) and RD Artist pup hiding under a T'bird cover - controls are volume only - minature switch bypasses controls - XLR socket wired for stereo use (one for each pup) - body/neck is mahogany - construction is neck-thru in three pieces with an ebony board - body is two wings with "neck" through centre and built-up at back to match standard Gibson profile - the lower cutaway being deeper is as from new - original colour was cherry red - all hardware was gold - the original Gibson bridge and tail-piece was refitted during the rebuild - original Peter Cook pups are "lost" - (one died and the other is somewhere in my loft) - still have to sort out the screwy wiring for the volume controls but have a lead from another thread here...

Nice. Very much so.

Highlander · February 04, 2011, 10:25:48 AM

Vielen dank Herr des Bass...

FlatEric · February 14, 2011, 11:49:22 AM

Peter Cook, The Final Cut. . . . or is it? ? ? ?

http://flatericbassandguitar.blogspot.com/

Cheers Guys!

Eric.