Vintage Guitars of USA

[Meclazine for Israel]

Just a few vintage guitars from the collection.

This thread is not to advertise vintage pieces for sale, but rather illustrate some of the features of American manufacturing in a golden era when Fender and Gibson were the Facebook and Google of the 1950's.

Will upload some photography and a story for those interested in the history of guitar manufacture and guitar playing in the 1950's and 1960's.

First up is our latest arrival, an early 1960's Gibson.



 

[Meclazine for Israel]

1961 Gibson ES330 TDC



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Near the pinnacle of Gibson's manufacturing prowess, the 1961 Gibsons' generally had one piece necks and one piece tops and backs. This was also the last year of the dot necks.

This is a hollow body guitar without the central wooden block which was featured in the 335 model. The 330 also differs in that it has a trapeze tailpiece with P-90 pickups instead of humbuckers.

The ES stands for "Electric Spanish" and TDC stands "Thinline Double Pickup Cherry".

The Epiphone version of this guitar was called the "Casino" and is almost identical. The Beatles made the 1965 version of the Casino famous when John Lennon chose to play one. Keith Richards and Pete Townshend also used the ES 330 guitar quite a lot, both recorded and live.

And of course, how does it sound?

Barrie Cadogan plays his 1962 Gibson ES-330

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slTVW9g9bTs

(The guitar lying in the background is a US$500,000 1959 Gibson Les Paul)

[Meclazine for Israel]

1961 Epiphone Casino



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Also made in the factory in Kalamazoo, Michigan in the same year, here is the Epiphone version of the guitar listed above. Normally, the Gibson version of the two is more famous, but thanks to The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and The Kinks, it is in fact the Epiphone model of this guitar which commands more attention on the vintage market. One of the reasons for preferentially buying this guitar in 1961 would have been the lower price. They are essentially the same guitar with the same wood.

John Lennon used the 1965 version for a considerable period of time which shot this guitar into vintage guitar collectibility.

And how does it sound?

Ali Neander playing a 1961 Epiphone Casino

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuXGYbWq4zY

(The intro title on their video is wrong)

The Beatles

Don't Let Me Down

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCtzkaL2t_Y

[Santander]

This thread is not to advertise vintage pieces for sale, but rather illustrate some of the features of American manufacturing in a golden era when Fender and Gibson were the Facebook and Google of the 1950's.

lol

[Meclazine for Israel]

1959 Gibson LG-2



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Another Kalamazoo, Michigan product, here is a small body acoustic which became one of the most popular long-selling models of the Gibson acoustic range in the 1950's.

Sold between 1942-1962, this LG-2 is part of my personal collection due to the rare clean nature of the guitar.

These cross-braced acoustics are small body in size, but pack plenty of tone. From the entire Gibson range, this was one of the cheapest in the range, but still maintained a lot of basic features of manufacture that the higher end range included, mainly the Latin and South American woods, and hence the sound. Without the bells and whistles, these guitars were a stripped down version of their larger body equivalents including the J-45 (Bob Dylan), "Southern Jumbo", SJ-200, CF-100 and "Country and Western".

And how does it sound?

Chris Stapleton playing a 1958 Gibson LG-2 Acoustic

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0hdQ7latVY

[Meclazine for Israel]

1960 Fender Esquire



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Moving over to Fender, let's look at one of my favourite pieces, the first model of electric guitar ever built by Leo Fender.

After a brief copyright dispute, the Broadcaster made in 1950 was renamed to the Telecaster in 1951, both had two pickups. In the original design, it only had one pickup and was called the Fender Esquire.

Interestingly, the Fender Telecaster(/Esquire) is one of the only industrial scale manufactured products in history of the USA where the original design was, in the opinion of most collectors, never surpassed. The only other products in this category would be certain models of collectable vintage Cars and Motorbikes.

My version above is a 1960 Fender Esquire with a Brazilian Rosewood fretboard. My lightest guitar at 6 lbs 3 oz, this is very similar to the guitar used by Jimmy Page on Led Zeppelin I.

Esquire's were cheaper and lighter than the Telecaster and for the vast majority of musicians, were more than suitable. One pickup sufficed as the bridge pickup was used in preference.

One of my favourite guitarists, Robben Ford talks about his 1960 Fender Telecaster:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MDk_bn69fM

And how does it sound?

Robben Ford playing a 1960 Fender Telecaster in Germany.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRil3JBW35c

[Meclazine for Israel]

1963 Gibson Les Paul Custom



1964 Gibson SG Custom



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Time for a bit of sex appeal. Gibson gave up on the Les Paul name in 1963 after the actual man named "Les Paul" complained about the new design in 1961 which departed from his favoured model shape, the "Gibson Les Paul" burst and custom, made famous in the 1950's.

The guitar was re-named in 1963 to the "SG" based on "Spanish Guitar" or "Solid Guitar" and the Sideways Vibrola (top image) was replaced with the gold Maestro Tailpiece shown in the second image. The Humbucker Pickup patent was also approved in 1963 for Gibson.

The most famous historical use of this guitar was actually a Gospel Singer named Sister Rosetta Tharpe who made the guitar famous by using the honky middle pickup position.

Didn't It Rain

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9a49oFalZE

Incredibly, she was using a remote wired mike for recording her vocals here which was remarkable for its day.

Rosetta was a great singer and guitar player with a remarkable rhythmic feel and style quoted by Jimi Hendrix and Buddy Guy.

She was a gifted musical part of history in the 1950's and 60's.

[Meclazine for Israel]

In the US, guitars are making a resurgence thanks to COVID-19 restrictions.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/08/style/guitar-sales-fender-gibson.html

[Meclazine for Israel]

1951 Fender Telecaster



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Leo Fender made the first commercially successful electric solid body guitar with the advent of the Fender Telecaster.

I was lucky enough to purchase this one which is amongst the first 20 Telecasters ever made in October/November 1951.

The colour is transparent blonde and the black pickguard used between 1950-1954 led to these Telecasters being termed "blackguards", the most sought after models on the market.

The incredible thing about this guitar is that Leo designed something correctly the first time. I don't think any version has surpassed this one.

And how does this guitar sound?

JD Simo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmhdx3e6CR0

The origins of rock 'n roll itself.

[Meclazine for Israel]

1965 Fender Precision Bass



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Time for a bass. This was the first bass designed by Leo Fender that sat on a players shoulders. This version is the rounded version which first appeared in 1958 based more on the Stratocaster shape rather than the Telecaster version which appeared first around 1951.

We picked up this unique piece from Metallica from an earlier bass player named Jason Newsted. If you look carefully, you can see where he has used a pick to etch a mark below the G string into the body. Amazingly, when we opened it up to check the originality, it was completely original to 1965, a rarity for touring musician-owned instruments. Given their musical style, clearly he did not tour with it.

And how does this bass guitar sound?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSEqiPFsVpg

Very satisfying instrument if you are into bass. Another genius creation from Leo Fender that has stood the test of time.

[Meclazine for Israel]

1951 Gibson CF-100



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Moving onto Acoustic Guitars from an era at Gibson post war where pieces were hand crafted in Kalamazoo.

Unlike 2022, Gibson had access to some premium woods from all over the globe, and together with master craftsmen (and women), the smaller model CF-100 was invented.

Most of the small body acoustics that Gibson made were designed by women in 1942 when men went off to war and the Kalamazoo factory was 98% women.



The smaller body Gibson's such as LG-1, LG-2, CF-100 went on to be the most successful selling models for the company in the 1950's.

And how does it sound?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vJrKeTkDig

Just an amazing sounding instrument.

[If my soul was made of stone]

Some very lovely pieces you've got there. I've been a guitar nut since I was a little girl, and my most expensive possession, which I really don't give its proper due, is a Rickenbacker 330, albeit one of recent production (made May 2015, purchased July 2017). The Rickenbacker aesthetic is perfectly retrofuturistic in that gee-whiz Kennedy-era way while not being overbearing or a parodic simulacrum of itself as is so often seen in modern attempts to recapture it, and the instrument fits my weird preferences for playing feel and tone as well.

[Meclazine for Israel]

For Rolling Stones fans, here is an interesting piece.

1960 Gibson Les Paul Custom



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Purchased in 1967 by my friend Dennis Wilson for $400 in Sydney, this guitar was previously owned by The Allusions who featured it in the majority of their film clips.

One piece Mahogany body, the late 1950's and early 1960 Gibson Les Paul are highly sought after in 2023. Ebony fretboard, mother of pearl inlays.

Triple humbucking rock monster. Here is the actual guitar being played live with Jimmy Barners, Dennis on Guitar, Bob Daisley (Ozzy Osbourne, Gary Moore) on Bass:

The Nazz are Blue

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfvwVSWxde8

[Meclazine for Israel]

Here is an interesting guitar we just purchased from the USA. A 1961 Fender Stratocaster (Olympic White) owned by an English guitarist by the name of Vic Flick.



The guitar will be photographed in January, and I will post a couple of Vic Pics.

Sampled by Kanye West and Fatboy Slim, Vic Flick was part of 1960's and 1970's musical history. Here are an assortment of songs that Vic Flick recorded whilst using this particular instrument.

Engelbert Humperdinck

Release Me

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gB-szamMr6s

Dusty Springfield

I Only Want To Be With You

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RhsUupVRiY

Fatboy Slim

Rockafeller Skank

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMrIy9zm7QY

007 Movies with John Barry Seven

James Bond Theme

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9FzgsF2T-s

From Russia With Love

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zOfY_DhhTg

You Only Live Twice

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDD3Qi23BX0

Goldfinger

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWqv974oYhk

Basically every James Bond Film between 1962-1983.

The Walker Brothers

The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASzhmXCzoWg

Petlua Clark

Downtown (* w/ Jimmy Page)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2OhonbKiOk

Tom Jones

It's Not Unusual

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-HdGnzYdFQ

Cilla Black

Anyone Who Had A Heart

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lAPyZVKH9Y

B.J. Thomas

Hooked on a Feeling

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wqt_iZBvtCo

[Meclazine for Israel]

For Hank Marvin fans, a Fiesta Red Stratocaster from 1963.

1963 Fender Stratocaster



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Made famous by the Shadows, Hank Marvin produced the first popular guitar music of the 1960's.

The Shadows

Apache

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzgbcyfJgfQ

Considered the beginning of the surf rock sound which led to hits like Bombora (Atlantics), Pipeline (The Ventures), Wipeout (The Ventures) and Misirlou (Dick Dale).

The surf guitar sound from these Fender guitars would ultimately explode with the Beach Boys recording some of the best music of the era thanks to the genius of Brian Wilson.

After the Shadows, the demand for the colour Fiesta Red exploded. Sunburst Stratocasters were repainted in Fiesta Red to keep up with demand.

Hank Marvin is a Jehovah's Witness who lives as a recluse now in the Perth Hills.

[Meclazine for Israel]

Blues and folk fans will love this particular piece.

1932 National Style O



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My business partner owns this one and it is not for sale. The guitar will be gifted to his grandchildren in his will.

Peter Funk

Steel Guitar Rag

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfAMyXQTOYQ

"The National Guitar Company debuted its Style O guitar in 1930, and it quickly became its most popular single cone resonator guitar. Though decorated with fanciful Hawaiian scenes, the National Style O was to became the first iconic instrument of blues guitar, as championed by performers including Son House, Booker White, Blind Boy Fuller and many others. With its powerful single cone resonator and extended 12 fret body, the Style O was unsurpassed in volume and projection, making it ideal for radio, recording and unamplified venues, and it quickly acquired the reputation as the go-to instrument for Delta style bottleneck slide guitar"

https://www.archtop.com/ac_32style0.html

My goal will be to get my hands on one of these in the next 20 years.



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[Meclazine for Israel]

In 1958, Gibson introduced a new model electric guitar to the market, an ES series thinline model in Cherry, Sunburst, Black and Natural. These would become one of the most sought after Gibson jazz guitars in their range, the natural and black models in rare supply. Pictured below is the most common Cherry colour.

1961 Gibson ES-355 TDSCV



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Made famous by Freddie King, Chuck Berry, the 355 was found in a lot of popular music right up to Oasis with Noel Gallagher and Rush with Alex Lifeson. Alex said he regretted selling his original 355 at auction last year for US$380,000.

Demonstration of the guitar.

Phil X

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIDqlTnFsK8

If anyone is wondering, he is the guitarist out of Bon Jovi.

The model pictured above uses a stereo lead allowing it to be connected to two separate amplifiers simultaneously. Cherry red stained curly maple body, ebony board, and gold plating, this was the top of the range jazz guitar of 1961.

[Meclazine for Israel]

This piece was one of those guitars that needed to find it's rightful owner.

1986 Paul Reed Smith Gary Moore



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Made by Paul Reed Smith himself, this guitar was gifted to Gary Moore in 1986 who used it on his film clip from his album Wild Frontier.

Fast forward 37 years, and a young Swedish guitarist called me to enquiry about purchasing the guitar. I told him it was being sold to a German guitarist and was on HOLD. I told Tommy he could go first in line, and if the German guy fell through, the guitar was his.

Then 4 days later, as fate would have it, the deal fell through in Germany. I then called Tommy in Sweden and said "I have some good news, the guitar is yours if you want to purchase it." to which he simply replied "It is a glorious day".

The first cover he played on the guitar was uploaded to YouTube last Friday night. It is a song about the Russian Air Force killing 269 innocent Koreans on 1st September 1983.

Tommy's cover version was 40 years to the day after that event.

Tommy Johansson and Chris Davidsson

Murder In The Skies

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrEwG1_GT0U

[Meclazine for Israel]

This guitar comes from the guitarist, Sam Dunnin, who in 1968 charted a hit in Australia with the following song.

Town Criers

Everlasting Love

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWPuMyk8968

After making money from this song, Sam went into Brashes Music in Melbourne and bought this particular guitar, the first 1968 Gibson Les Paul to ship into Australia.

1968 Gibson Les Paul Standard Goldtop



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The Les Paul Standard models were discontinued in 1960 due to low sales. They then turned out to be the most collectable guitar in the vintage guitar collectable market.

The 1968 models were the first Standards produced since 1960. The very first ones produced did not say the words "Les Paul' on the headstock, but on the truss rod cover. They retained a crown like the SG and 335 models.

This manufacturing imperfection makes this particular model very rare.