Guitar Archeology, we buy, sell, consign and appraise electric and acoustic guitar instruments

Stories

Eric Clapton and his Pignose

by Buck Munger

Well, Billy Gibbons will not be getting Eric Clapton’s Pignose amplifier for Christmas. The unit used in the recording of “Motherless Children” sold for $9,760 at Clapton’s Crossroads auction. The auction raised 2.2 million, triple the pre-sale estimate, and offered amplifiers from Eric’s backline for the first time. A pair of ’97 Fender Twins estimated at 12k went for $42,700. Eric also sold his Norlin-era Lab Series amplifier for $13,420. To bad Bob Moog and Les Paul weren’t alive to see that.

Hound Dog Taylor and Me 1972

by Richard Green

In December, 1972, I was in the Army, stationed at Augusta, Georgia and left to go back home before being reassigned to Alaska. Riding on the Grayhound bus, I stopped off in Chicago to visit my Aunt and Uncle for a couple days. Somehow I heard that Hound Dog Taylor was playing at a small white blues club called Alice’s Revisited. It was more like a small dumpy tavern. I was familiar with his music because I had just bought his first, new album in Augusta and had to see him.

His three piece group, called Hound Dog Taylor and the houserockers set up on a small makeshift stage in the back corner of the tavern.

While I was taking the photos, I stood there next to the stage talking to a guy who said he was Hound Dogs manager.Years later, I found out he was Bruce Iglauer, the founder of Alligator Records. Anyway, I was saying something like I would like to meet Hound Dog because I was really into old country blues. Bruce said well I can arrange that. So after Hound Dog finished his set Bruce walked me down stairs, way back in a dark corner, past the oil furnace and stacks of boxes to an old curtain. Bruce opened the curtain, poked his head in and said Hey Hound Dog, I’d like you to meet Richard Green. Hound Dog was really friendly, invited me in his little make shift room. He sat there alone with his wife. He offered me drinks from his bottle of hard liquor. We sat there for over an hour talking about old blues musicians. I could tell he enjoyed my company because he was reminiscing, talking and laughing a lot.

While we sat there talking, we could hear the Son Seals Blues Band playing their set up stairs. A long while after they finished, Bruce came down and said Hound Dog, you’re up next. He said ok! We continued sitting there drinking and talking. He was reminded several times to return to the stage for his second set, when the last time , Bruce said “well, Son Seals is going on instead”. I was getting pretty drunk by that time. Son Seals had finished his set. The club was closing. People were loading equipment into cars parked out on the frozen, snowy alley. Hound Dog invited me to go home with him and his wife and we could talk more in the morning. I thought, cool. I grabbed a small bag and a cheap guitar I was carrying. As we walked out to the car, idling there in the alley, Hound Dog said for me to get it on the other side. As I walked around the back end of the car, I slipped on the ice and fell flat on my ass. Before I could pick myself up, the car drove away. The next thing I knew, I was out there all alone. Way below freezing.

I walked around the front of the club to figure what I was going to do next. Everything was closed. Not a person in sight. Could not remember which way the train was. I walked out into the middle of a 5 way intersection, looking down each street as far as I could see. Nothing moving. Then all of a sudden, I saw headlights coming toward me real fast. It was a taxi. It stopped right along side me there in the middle of the intersection. He threw open the door and said where can I take you. Not knowing how far away it was, I said Downtown, to the bus depot. When we got to the station, I fished around for money to pay him and he said “no charge, it’s been taken care of”. Dick

Musicraft Messenger

The fairytale continues! Music craft did not create the Messenger. The patent they used belonged to Glen F.Burke, my Father. Dad made hundreds of custom guitars between 1960-1965, BEFORE MusicCraft took over.

His company was the Tuning Fork Guitar Company. Started in Springfield. Dad opened the shop program at Tongue Point, Astoria, Oregon. For three years BEFORE MusicCraft he created a kit that kids at the Job Corp could build. THESE were beautiful, some with unique shapes, some covered with cowhide, and tooled leather. All of them with the signature patented neck that Messenger used.

I have received emails from men who created some of those guitars at tongue point. I have some of my dad’s guitars, and they are still one of the best sounding instruments around. I am surprised more people haven’t realized the Tuning Fork Guitar Company precededthe Messenger by at least 8 years. I have news paper articles,with Dad in his shop holding his signature neck. I think it’s time he is given credit.

The Rolling Stones at Altamont Speedway 1969

by Mick Flynn

It was Friday, December 5, 1969 when my friend Richard (Dick) Green and I decided to fly down to San Francisco to attend the Free Rolling Stones concert to be held at Golden Gate Park. By the time we got there, the venue had changed to the Sears Point Raceway, then changed again to the Altamont Speedway near Tracy. We went to Haight-Ashbury to find a place to crash that night, but ended up in Golden Gate Park and passed out under some trees, only to be woken up by some police telling us to leave. We then went to the Bus Station to catch a bus to the concert. Everyone on the bus was going to the concert! Once we started getting close, the traffic jam started, that went on for miles. So, the bus driver just got into the oncoming lane and took us straight to the site, bypassing all the cars ! Once there, it became apparent, that we could not get separated, or we would not be able to find each other. So, we stayed near a VW Van that was parked nearest the stage (but not too close).

Dick Green and I found a safe place to spend the next 16 hours leaning up against this white van. We had gotten there early enough to get pretty close to the stage but picked this van instead which was not to far back. It kept us from having stoned people pushing and breathing down our backs. I think the pictures show just how packed in it was.

You can see the van in the aerial views in the movie “Gimme Shelter”. The day started out sunny and nice. Santana started the music off with a great set. Then things started getting weird during the Jefferson Airplanes set with Marty Balin getting punched out by the Hells Angels. It was around this time that the Hells Angels drove thru the crowd to the front of the stage. Not long after, Mick Jagger escorted by a single security guard walked right in front of us to the stage.

Peace signs went up after the Hells Angles knocked out Marty Balin of The Jefferson Airplane while they were on stage playing. The Flying Burrito Brothers were next and the Angels were getting a bit rambunctious. Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young were on next.

A similar scene as shown in the movie Gimme Shelter. Several Hells Angles on their motorcycles drove a straight path through the crowd right past us. At the very end was Mick Jagger being escorted to the stage by a security guard.
with the Rolling Stones taking the stage as the final act. The Rolling Stones Set List for Altamont;

•“Jumpin’ Jack Flash“
•“Carol“
•“Sympathy for the Devil” (stopped then restarted because of fights breaking out) •“The Sun Is Shining”
•“Stray Cat Blues“
•“Love in Vain“
•“Under My Thumb” (stopped then restarted because of fights breaking out) •“Brown Sugar” (first live performance) •“Midnight Rambler“ •“Live with Me“ •“Gimme Shelter“ •“Little Queenie”
•“(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction“
•“Honky Tonk Women“
•“Street Fighting Man“

When the show ended it was dark and 400,000 people leaving at the same time ! We must have walked over 5 miles in the dark with very little sleep over the last 2 1/2 days. By the time the traffic was moving as fast as we could walk, we jumped into the back of a pickup truck, fell asleep and ended up in Hayward. We then hitch hiked back to Seattle. It turned into an experience we will never forget. Thanks Dick for bringing you camera!

Harvey Thomas, Don Mock, Child

Hey there, I really enjoy your blog esp. the Harvey Thomas stories. I was wondering where in Midway Harvey had his compound. I grew up in DesMoines and graduated Mt. Rainier in 86.Was Harveys place north or south of Fred Meyer ( the old Value Mart) ha I am old!!

I was wondering if you can incorporate some Don Mock stories to your blog.
He is a overlooked Seattle legend. His website is pretty cool as well.

I also have a “Child” story around 1985, I wanted a Marshall half stack real bad. It was kind of tough finding one used at this time, my resources where the Seattle times and Cranky old Al or Ed?? down in Riverton valley.
Or, Farmers in Burien. I found a Hiwatt 100 watt half stack for sale out in West Seattle, on the junction in a house across from a Mexican Restaurant. He was moving to California and needed the money. The amp had the name CHILD and TIM stenciled in the back of the four twelve cab. I paid 500.00 for both the head and cab.

I did not like the amp at all, partly because I wanted a Marshall and I thought it sounded too clean. I eventually got a pre AOR 50 watt Laney Combo, and I traded the Hiwatt to Al Seig at Performance Music in Federal Way for a Wasburn acoustic!!!! That Al was selling for 325.00, I remember he bitched saying I got the better deal. Anyway I can ramble on so I will stop.

Thanks for your time and the blog,

Mark

My First Guitar, Stella

by Mick Flynn

It was 1964, I was living at RAF Woodbridge, Suffolk, England.

Front Gate RAF Woodbridge:
It was a great time to be in England with the Music scene happening at the time. We had some great music coming to the base playing the clubs.

Airmans Club RAF Woodbridge:
I was able to experience bands like The Animals, The Searchers, Georgie Fame and Dusty Springfield. After school, I would go to the Base Exchange and look through the catalogs at pictures of guitars and pick out the ones that I liked, always hoping that I might be able to get one someday.

Base Exchange RAF Woodbridge:
But, it was seeing The Rolling Stones at the Gaumont Theatre in Ipswich that really got me motivated to play the guitar.

Gaumont Theatre Ipswich:
I got my first guitar a ‘Stella’. I had borrowed it from my neighbor, Billy Bird. It had one string (the low E string…) I learned to play the ‘Peter Gunn Theme’ and was able to talk my parents into buying it for me.
The guitar cost $5 ! The new strings cost more than the guitar did. My cousin Sue, boyfriend at the time (later to be husband) Des Lee, played in a band called “Lee Walker and the Travelers”, came by, put the new strings on and taught me my first chords, E, A and D. He told me these 3 chords are Rock n Roll and that’s all you need. Best lesson I ever got! Here is the Guitar;

Stella:
I used this till I was able to get my first Electric Guitar, a Green Sunburst Rosetti Lucky7 at a second hand shop at the Market in Doncaster, Yorkshire.

Harvey Thomas and John Lennon

When I met Harvey Thomas, he showed me this guitar he made for John Lennon. According to Harvey, John did not take delivery of the guitar, because of the comments John had made about The Beatles being bigger than Jesus. Harvey, also told me he had to fire an employee, he found sanding on the guitar, without sandpaper !

Now here are the pictures of the guitar. Enjoy!
Mick Flynn

Thanks to Denise Pressnall for the pics

Brian Setzer Buying a Gretsch from Larry Briggs

Brian Setzer paid me 7K for a Gretsch on this particular day in Houston.

He counts his money by listening to the C notes as they fan past his ear.

Not really..

Larry Briggs, Strings West

Harvey Thomas Custom Guitars

by Mick Flynn

Here is a picture of what it looked like at Harvey Thomas Custom Guitars, Midway Washington. I used to walk up there in my High School days with my buddies. Bought my first Wah-Wah pedal from Harvey. It was quite a scene.. Went out back of his house to the Long shop, past the ponds, cars, ambulances, T-33 Jet trainer and buses ! Harvey came out from behind the shop, dressed like he just came from a Safari in his Tan Outfit complete with pith helmet, smoking a cigar, asking what we wanted. He then pointed to a dummy hanging from a noose, saying this is what happened to the last guy who was poking around ! He then warmed up and took us into the shop.

WOW! What a scene, guitars hanging from everywhere, even in the pond outside! Harvey left an impression on everyone who was lucky enough to experience him. Sure glad I got the opportunity.

Mick Flynn

Thanks to
Denise Pressnall for the great pictures !

One of the first impressions of Harveys’ place!

A Few Tips for Dating Fender Amps, Gibson and Rickenbacker Guitars

by Larry Briggs of Strings West

One method of dating a 1950’s or 1960’s Fender amplifier is to look at the black ink-stamped letters on the tube chart. These are usually stamped in random locations and at an angle to the preprinted chart information. There will be two letters such as GE or BC.

The first letter of the code starts with A for 1951, B=1952, C=1953, etc. The second letter of the code starts with A for January, B=February, etc. For instance the GE referenced above is the fourth month of 1967, or 1967/April.

The neck type and date code on the body end of Fender guitar necks beginning with the early 60’s started with a number, such as 3 SEPT 65 would infer that the guitar is a Telecaster built in Sept 1965, since the code is a 3.

Jaguar=1 until 1966, Stratocaster = 2 until late 1965, Telecaster and Esquire = 3, Jazzmaster = 4, Precision Bass = 5, Bass VI = 6, Jazz Bass = 7, Mustang = 8, DuoSonic and Musicmaster = 9, Coronado I = 10, Jazzmaster and Coronado II after 1966 = 19. This is not a complete list of codes, but comes from some old notes I wrote 30 years ago.

For Gibson solid bodies built during the 1950’s, the first number of the serial number is the last number of the year, such as 4 0756 is 1954 and 6 1275 is 1956. This continued through 0 for 1960.

For Gibson hollow bodies built between 1952 and 1961, the following prefixes can be found in the lower “f” hole: Z 10273 35 is Z for 1952, Y = 1953, X = 1954, W = 1955, V = 1956, U = 1957, T = 1958, S = 1959, R = 1960 and Q = 1961.

For Rickenbacker guitars, the number can usually be found on the input jack plate, with the first two letters of the serial being the year and the month of production, starting with A = 1961, A = January. Example would be AG 179 indicating the instrument was produced in July 1961. B = 1962, C = 1963, D = 1964, etc. This sequence ended with Z = 1986.