Hank, Bruce and Hank again in G&B

[RayL]

Hank heads the list of 'Some Of Whammy's Finest Exponents' (Guitar & Bass June issue). Their front-cover feature is 'A History Of Whammy From Bigsby to Floyd Rose: how vibratos transformed the electric guitar' . Nice write-up, too. Duane's there, in second place.

In the same magazine, Tee Kay in the 'Private Collection' feature includes a guitar that he bought from Bruce Welch. He says "Here we have a Martin 00-18E which I bought from Bruce Welch of The Shadows. He bought it new in 1959, fitted with a soundhole pickup and controls on the lower bout. This is the guitar Bruce used throughout his career with Hank Marvin in the Shadows whenever an electrified acoustic guitar was required so it can be heard on all the Shadows records"
There is more (about Paul McCartney borrowing it to piece together Yesterday when he was staying at Bruce's villa in Portugal) but would anyone like to comment on this remarkable story?

Comments also for an ad for the 'Kinman Hank Marvin Stratocaster Pickup Set' which claims "Creating Hanks modern Gypsy jazz sound, excellent projection and clarity". Gypsy jazz on a Strat?

Ray

[JimN]

Tee Kay in the 'Private Collection' feature includes a guitar that he bought from Bruce Welch. He says "Here we have a Martin 00-18E which I bought from Bruce Welch of The Shadows. He bought it new in 1959, fitted with a soundhole pickup and controls on the lower bout. This is the guitar Bruce used throughout his career with Hank Marvin in the Shadows whenever an electrified acoustic guitar was required so it can be heard on all the Shadows records"

The Martin was pictured several times in Bruce's hands in the earlier sixties - I remember it in a promo shot (with the Locking/Bennett line-up) for "Summer Holiday", but there were others.

But "soundhole pickup"?

No. A soundhole pickup would be something like the venerable demountable DeArmond RH-C unit, ie:



The Martin (like its stablemate, the D28-E) was fitted with a completely built-in DeArmond 200 unit with a custom-designed case made specially for Martin. It was near the soundhole but not mounted within it:

There is more (about Paul McCartney borrowing it to piece together Yesterday when he was staying at Bruce's villa in Portugal) but would anyone like to comment on this remarkable story?

It's possible, I suppose. The guitar wasn't often seen after about 1963, so it being at Bruce's villa in Portugal is plausible.

I have always suspected that the Martin 0018-E was one of the two "rhythm guitars" present at Bruce's North London home when he threw a party (reported on in NME) for Cliff, the rest of the group and The Beatles in the late summer of 1963. The other might have been the black Vega. It is unlikely that Bruce would have had Cliff's Gibson at his home, and the J45s hadn't then arrived...

Comments also for an ad for the 'Kinman Hank Marvin Stratocaster Pickup Set' which claims "Creating Hanks modern Gypsy jazz sound, excellent projection and clarity". Gypsy jazz on a Strat?Ray

As master-of-the-dry-comment Ivor Mairants once said in answer to a (silly) magazine reader question about which was the better "jazz guitar" as between the Gibson Les Paul Standard (with P90s) and the Gibson Les Paul Custom (with humbuckers): If you're a jazz guitarist, you can play jazz on any old guitar...!

[bgohara]

I remember an interview for 'Guitar Interactive' magazine with Bruce a couple of years ago - which was split into four parts. From memory (I can't check it as iphone won't play flash) I think Bruce took the interviewer into his guitar den - and I remember he pulled out a Martin with a pickup - which apparently mccartney grabbed when he arrived at Bruce's villa in Portugal when he holidayed there with Jane Asher...hopefully this footage should be at attached link...

http://www.iguitarmag.com/issue4 Bruce Welch Guitarist of The Shadows interviewed by Lee Hodgson for Guitar Interactive Magazine. Watch the FULL 4 part Interview With Bruce in issue 4 of Guitar Interactive by heading here: http://licklibrary.ceros.com/iguitarmag ... /26/Guitar Interactive were priviledged to be asked to Bruce Welches home for this interview, he kindly gave us a look in his studio and a little taste of his guitar playing! In this 4 PART interview Lee Hodgson asks an array of questions including some questions sent in from magazine readers! Watch the FULLexclusive interview in http://licklibrary.ceros.com/iguitarmag ... 4/page/26/

[David Martin]

Brilliant... not seen this before...

D

[Phil McGarrick]

Comments also for an ad for the 'Kinman Hank Marvin Stratocaster Pickup Set' which claims "Creating Hanks modern Gypsy jazz sound, excellent projection and clarity". Gypsy jazz on a Strat?

Ray

I was recently in email contact with Chris Kinman and queried why he described the FV-HMS (Fat Vintage Hank Marvin series) Strat pickups as "Hank's modern Gypsy Jazz sound" - explaining that Hank's Gypsy jazz is played on acoustic Maccaferri style guitars.
Here is his reply :-

Phil, in Hank's inner circle of advisors and support techs his modern amplified guitar style is referred to as Gypsy Jazz for want of a better description. So he uses the aged-sound FV-HMS set is for his Modern Electric music. However your comment causes me to rethink what we say on the website. I think I will revert it to simply Hank's Modern Strat Sound.


So far he hasn't changed the description

Phil

[Gary Allen]

Hi Phil, Did you ask Chris if Hank has any plans to endorse the 54 Impersonators ? I understand he was sent a prototype set about 5yrs ago. regards Gary

[Phil McGarrick]

Hi Phil, Did you ask Chris if Hank has any plans to endorse the 54 Impersonators ? I understand he was sent a prototype set about 5yrs ago. regards Gary

Hi Gary, Not to my knowledge - The Impersonator 54's have recently changed to version 3 which Chris Kinman sent me a set to try out.
I believe Hank has Fender CS 54's on his Strats at the moment.

Cheers Phil

[Didier]

I believe Hank has Fender CS 54's on his Strats at the moment.

Hank had CS 54 fitted to his Strats for the Final Reunion tour, it's likely they have not been changed since then.

Didier

[StanfordTuck]

It always puzzled me, the story about Paul Mcartney grabbing a guitar to demonstrate his latest
would be hit.
How do you do that, left handed on a right handed guitar?

Cees

[JimN]

It always puzzled me, the story about Paul Mcartney grabbing a guitar to demonstrate his latest would be hit.
How do you do that, left handed on a right handed guitar? Cees

A lot of left-handed players can do it.

Actually, it isn't totally impossible for a right-handed player to get something out of a left-handed guitar (I can play a few basic chords on a LH instrument), but things being what they are, lefties get far more practice at it...