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I have two Japanese ash Stratocasters. One is notably heavier than the other.

Martin.

I seem to recall an interview with Hank - can't remember when or where this was - in which he says something like

"I was never that keen on the Burns guitars, they were too cumbersome."

Not an exact quote, but something along those lines.

Anyway, 'Live at the Paris Olympia' is a fantastic album, one of the most atmospheric live albums I've got. The crowd really seems to be loving every minute of it. The playing, although a bit 'different' here and there is absolutely top flight stuff. It would have been a shame if the band split up after this. As it was, they didn't, although I suppose this does represent John Farrar's last recorded work with them. (Not sure if Run Billy Run and It'll Be Me Babe were recorded before or after.)

An absolute favourite of mine and an album that gets played frequently.

drakula63 wrote:I seem to recall an interview with Hank - can't remember when or where this was - in which he says something like

"I was never that keen on the Burns guitars, they were too cumbersome."

Not an exact quote, but something along those lines.

See above in this very thread.

I suppose Hank wouldn't have complained back then- it would have been like looking a gift horse in the mouth!

If it had been me, I wouldn't have moaned either- lots of nice new free guitars!

I always think he was a bit spoiled back then- from about 1961 they had guitars (and Vox amps) supplied....it must have been a shock to his system when the Burns guitars were nicked- for the first time in years, he actually had to go out and BUY a new one himself with his own money - shock horror!!

Interesting and revealing interview.

Perhaps the Burns guitars weren't nicked, perhaps it was just a fabricated story to get back to playing Strats. Bruce still has his Burns Marvin which I assume would also have been in the van.
I interviewed Hank in the 90s and jokingly said "you know those Burns guitars that got stolen from a van" and Hank replied 'Yes', I said "do you wanna buy them back" He said 'ha ha'.

There's a clip of Hank on a Norwegian or Dutch TV show from about 1981 using a 'new' version of the Marvin. It has a lighter fretboard (Maple?) and a conventional tremolo arm. I think there was some suggestion that these were going to go into production and that the Shads (or at least Hank) would endorse them by playing them. Obviously it never happened for one reason or another...

drakula63 wrote:There's a clip of Hank on a Norwegian or Dutch TV show from about 1981 using a 'new' version of the Marvin. It has a lighter fretboard (Maple?) and a conventional tremolo arm. I think there was some suggestion that these were going to go into production and that the Shads (or at least Hank) would endorse them by playing them. Obviously it never happened for one reason or another...

But it DID happen!

I had one of those 1981 Littleport-built Marvins.

Well, Hank would have had to endorse the guitar if Jim Burns named it after him and used his name...and evidently, Hank probably got a free guitar (at least) and possibly some sort of modest royalty for an agreed period..part of the deal might probably have been that he had to use (and expose) the guitar for live and TV work etc presumably...

I was just re-reading Bill Wyman's book and he mentions such deals which he had with both Dallas (for Framus) and Jennings (for Vox) - in each case he had a 3 year agreement for them to use him and/or his name in advertising etc and included free basses. The group itself signed a separate deal with Vox for provision of amps in 1963..

I would imagine the Shads had such earlier deals with Jennings (for Vox amps and Fender guitars) and Burns and later Baldwin(for guitars)..

The 1980s Littleport Marvins did go into production and they turn up on eBay from time to time (I think there's one on there now!). A photoshoot was arranged and Hank did pose with one but he was then left to pay the photographer, so Stuart Duffy told me years ago! As far as I know The Shadows never actually performed with them and certainly didn't endorse them.