Gibson Basses in the UK

[JazzBassTbird]

Since when was Jimi obsessed with being slightly out-of-tune?  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?")! 



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.

[JazzBassTbird]

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.

[westen44]

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.   

[JazzBassTbird]

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.  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.

[JazzBassTbird]

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!

[Basvarken]

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?

[Alanko]

First post, and it is about guitars! 

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. 

[uwe]

Is Turner a Scot?

[Alanko]

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? 

[uwe]

He looks weird with a P Bass - it's either the TBird or his Hamer Explorer with TBird pups.

[eb2]

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.

[JazzBassTbird]

Which Tele neck?

http://s253.photobucket.com/user/reino_de_la_guitarra/media/hendrix_newport_33.jpg.html

[Alanko]

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.

[slinkp]

What're the big-ass Fender cabs behind him?

[Pilgrim]

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.