Hanks Guitars

[GoldenStreet]

I wonder where that Antoria is now, if it still exists it would be worth a fortune.

I seem to recall reading that this instrument was borrowed by Hank for those early sessions. From whom, I wonder, if it was a particular individual?

Bill

[Paul Childs]

Wonder if his Hofner still exists somewhere?
Did he sell it during the Two Is days?

[Didier]

I wonder where that Antoria is now, if it still exists it would be worth a fortune.

I seem to recall reading that this instrument was borrowed by Hank for those early sessions. From whom, I wonder, if it was a particular individual?
Bill

No, The Antoria had been bought by Hank for £30 in 1958.

Didier

[AlanMcKillop]

I too recall having read that he bought it, couldn't have told you it was £30 though. When you consider the £30 v £150 (circa) for the strat, that says it all about the quality.

[GoldenStreet]

Wasn't there an issue with the high action of the instrument, making the execution of faster passages higher up the neck something of a challenge? Maybe, though, that was a feature of quite a few of the cheaper, readily available electric guitars of that type at the time!

Bill

[RUSSET]

Most of the budget-end guitars of the early '60s were what we used to call 'Cheesecutters'.

Tony.

[Didier]

Wasn't there an issue with the high action of the instrument, making the execution of faster passages higher up the neck something of a challenge? Maybe, though, that was a feature of quite a few of the cheaper, readily available electric guitars of that type at the time!

Bill

Here is what's written in Bruce Welch's book about the Antoria :
"The neck was bent, so tuning became a problem, and the action was very high, turning it into a cheese cutter, which meant that the strings could slice through his fingers at any time. A new guitar, therefore, was a top priority.
We had been talking to Cliff about getting a better instrument...
Eventually, after much discussion, we choose the most expensive guitar in the book at around £120, which was a fortune in 1959."
It says it all...

I also had the same problem with my first (and last) guitar I bought in the early sixties. But there was no one to buy me a Strat, this is why my career as a guitarist ended then...

Didier

[Paul Childs]

I too recall having read that he bought it, couldn't have told you it was £30 though. When you consider the £30 v £150 (circa) for the strat, that says it all about the quality.

and I've known some jealous people over the years who say to someone with a Fender 'You're only paying for the name'.
Shows what little knowledge they have of guitars.

[cockroach]

There's a lot less difference in quality and playability between modest or budget priced guitars and 'real' Fenders these days, but back then a Fender was certainly ten or twenty times better than the cheap guitars...

[Paul Childs]

There's a lot less difference in quality and playability between modest or budget priced guitars and 'real' Fenders these days, but back then a Fender was certainly ten or twenty times better than the cheap guitars...

and ten or twenty times more expensive.
Completely out of reach for the average working man back then and you had to be 21 before you were on a full wage.