Iconic 60’s (but non-Shadows) Guitars

[abstamaria]

Thanks, Jim. I did try to read up on the models, but your posts have been much more useful to me. Thank you.

You seem to relate to Gretsch guitars. I am encouraged to play this one.

Andy

[abstamaria]

This wonderful video is appropriate for this thread – such wonderful music yet nary a Stratocaster or a Precision Bass in sight. And President Obama even refers to the Hofner bass featured in this thread. How cool is that?

By the way, in his speech President Obama says it is amazing how four lads from Liverpool landed in America and changed everything overnight. That is true, at least for me and many of my friends. That was the milestone when we as teenagers moved away from Ventures and Shadows music. If you have not seen this video, see it in full. It kept me up last night; it underscores the sophistication to which popular music evolved in the Beatles and McCartney years.

Andy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8rz9T3fSW8

[Didier]

By the way, in his speech President Obama says it is amazing how four lads from Liverpool landed in America and changed everything overnight. That is true, at least for me and many of my friends. That was the milestone when we as teenagers moved away from Ventures and Shadows music.

I saw the Beatles at the Paris Olympia in january 1964, there weren't top of the bill (it was french singer Sylvie Vartan), and performed only 8 songs.



But a few days later they flew to the USA for their first US tour...

Didier

[abstamaria]

Thanks, Didier. You lucky man. I had not seen that video before.

1964 was really the turning point, wasn't it. The Shadows, the Ventures, guitar-instrumental bands slipped from the mainstream, and new music moved in.

Andy

[abstamaria]

Intrigued by Jet Harris’s Diamonds and Scarlett O’Hara (the latter probably played by Joe Moretti), I wanted to know what guitars were used for those pieces and searched this forum. The endeavor unearthed old threads, such as this one.

The old threads are a great read and amaze me (as they did the first time I read them years ago) with the detailed information the members here contribute. (The discussions should be fed into the Internet in a manner that ChatGPT can access!) My only contribution has been to ask naive questions and make incorrect conclusions, which quickly elicit exhaustive answers from the members. Thank you.

To recap, did Jet use a Bass VI on Diamonds or his Jaguar? It seems the jury is still out on which guitar was used (and by whom) on Scarlett O’Hara. The guitars might fit nicely into this thread.

Again, many thanks to Jim, Didier, and the many others who very generously contributed to the wealth of information in this wonderful forum and, of course, to David and the other administrators, whose efforts have done much to sustain those on their quest for the Holy Grail.

With kind regards from the tropics,

Andy

[JimN]

To recap, did Jet use a Bass VI on Diamonds or his Jaguar? It seems the jury is still out on which guitar was used (and by whom) on Scarlett O’Hara...
Andy

Jet used his Bass VI on Besame Mucho, Main Title Theme, Man From Nowhere, Rave and Again.

Jet identified the guitar used on the recording of Diamonds as a Gretsch. There is no information on the model. It is definitely not a Bass VI, just a guitar tuned down a tone (DGCFAE, L-H).

Despite the obvious visual clues from the time (and the preserved live performance at the 1964 NME Pollwinners' Concert), there is no reason to believe that Jet ever recorded with the Fender Jaguar (unless the material was lost, something which HAS been suggested by Tony).

Scarlet O'Hara does not feature Jet at all (unless he is playing bass). Guitarist Joe Moretti may have been playing a Guild Stratford electric with three pickups and a Bigsby (and very obviously fitted with flatwound strings). It is safe to assume he played the same guitar on Tony Meehan's 1964 single Song Of Mexico.

Note spelling! Not the same as the name of the character in "Gone With The Wind"!

[Phrygian]

I bet you those instruments (including the double bass drum kit) were hired or borrowed for that (mimed) performance.

There is some footage around of the Shadows appearing on Dutch TV (miming), with borrowed instruments, including a Gibson SG with Bigsby wielded by Hank.

JN

I'd like to see that footage. Here is my first solid body electric - a used 1964 SG Standard that I bought in the early 70s. This one had a Bigsby, installed by the previous owner, but it was the wrong model for a flattop. The installation was a real hack job. It was quite a project to restore the stock Gibson vibrola. You may also notice that the batwing guard is not correct for 1964. I retrofitted it to cover up another of the previous owner's "improvements".

[anniv 63]

With regard to Jet's studio recordings of Big Bad Bass/ Rifka its hard to pinpoint the actual guitars used on these sessions
Is it a Vox Consort type for BBB or a Jaguar? photo/ video evidence shows both at around this time early 64
Similarly Rifka sounds very Gretsch like?
Dont think we will ever know these session details

Mike

[abstamaria]

Thanks, Jim. Yes, I read that in the older threads. We hope Jet’s memory was reliable.

I’d been spelling Jet’s “Scarlet” incotrectly.

Andy