What was the first serious guitar you bought with your own money?
“1954 hardtail Strat, serial number 0707, $4,250. I was 13 years old. I wanted a Stratocaster with a maple neck and I’m still one of the few that is a maple-neck devotee. Eric Clapton had a live record in the 70s called Just One Night, which had a version of Further On Up The Road on it and that was really my introduction to electric blues-rock guitar – and he had a black Strat with a maple neck. A collector buddy had this guitar, it was $6,000, and I think we gave him $4,250 and that was it. I had that guitar till I was about 18 and then I sold it and saw it come back around 20 years later, ending up in the collection of Kurt Linhof. It was pitched to me: ‘Hey do you need a ’54 strat?’, and I go, ‘I know that guitar…’”
What was the most recent guitar you bought and why?
“I got bored on a Saturday afternoon and I was feeling sorry for myself and I thought, ‘I’m here in Nashville, so I’m going to check out these music stores,’ and I bought a mid-50s Silvertone Jimmy Reed that they call the Thin Twin. So it’s this big oversized-looking thing and it’s got those razor pickups in it and it’s basically the same guitar Jimmy Reed played. The only reason I bought this guitar was that it was the most preserved model I’ve ever seen. They have huge necks. A lot of times they are unplayable; a lot of times they’re more wall-hangers than practical instruments. But this one played well, sounded good. That’s an interesting flavour on a record because it kind of sounds like an arch-top but it’s too bright for that, you know? It’s a good blues guitar, really.”
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Denne historien er fra November 2020-utgaven av Guitarist.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Sonic Shaper
Electro-Harmonix revisits the effect that launched the company with the LPB-3 Linear Power Booster and EQ
Platinum Blonde
PRS has updated its Texas-voiced David Grissom signature amp with more features, lower wattage and a more approachable price tag
TAN LINES
Many of us regard straps as a bit of an afterthought, but to find one that matches the quality of a custom or vintage guitar, Rod Boyes of Pinegrove Leather can help
ELECTRIC STRINGS
Your tone starts with your strings - strike a balance between sound, tuning and durability with six of our favourites
DIFFERENT WINDS
While there's no end to repros of all the classic pickup styles, more and more pickup makers are mixing things up to move forward - Cream T is a good example
Long termers
A few months' gigging, recording and everything that goes with it - welcome to Guitarist's longterm test report
Top Guns
Chapman's new factory move coincides with a bit of a rethink. We track down the key players all around the world
the Wishlist
Dream gear to beg, borrow and steal for...
Reach For The Star
Earlier this year Guild reorganised its 70s-era Polara range. We spent some time with this mid-range 2024 model: a modern pawn-shop prize or a copy too far?
HIGH FLYER
Adrian Thorpe of ThorpyFX remembers the flight path - and turbulence behind Chris Buck's Electric Lightning overdrive/boost, named after a fighter jet and packing a bona fide valve