Hank's Gear: In a nut shell.. Which guitar for which year ?

[hankb56]

I think the perspective here is that the thread was initiated to see what guitars Hank was using at a particular point in the Shads career & not really what to use now to try and recreate the sounds. I for one am interested in what was used at a particular time and what was pos used on record, as has been stated the white Strats for instance and later on reformation the " white " MN Strat used in MF period and Rocking With Curly Leads era. Also the yellow burst Gibson used in Marmaduke / Strile A Light.

Regards, Ian

[JimN]

I think the perspective here is that the thread was initiated to see what guitars Hank was using at a particular point in the Shads career & not really what to use now to try and recreate the sounds. I for one am interested in what was used at a particular time and what was pos used on record, as has been stated the white Strats for instance and later on reformation the " white " MN Strat used in MF period and Rocking With Curly Leads era. Also the yellow burst Gibson used in Marmaduke / Strile A Light.
Regards, Ian

The "white MN Strat used in MF period", was, I'm sure, 34346. It seems to have been re-finished in white not long after Cliff got it back from Hank (1961) and was only resprayed in red as late as 1983. According to photographs from the era (and Bruce's memory), it had taken quite a bashing in the twenty-four or so months or so that Hank used it, including taking a tumble at least twice when leaned up against walls, etc, so it is no surprise that it was re-painted at Cliff's instigation.

Not sure which Gibson you refer to, but Hank had at least two Gibson Les Pauls during the MWF era: a black Custom and a sunburst Deluxe. It is possibly the Deluxe you refer to. There was also a Gibson Melody Maker in use by MWF, but it belonged to John Farrar and - if I recall correctly - was finished in SG-style cherry.

The white r/n Strats were in use during the period from about April 1963 to the end of that year. They feature in the film "Wonderful Life" (but blink and you'll miss them). They might be on records like Shindig and Blue Shadows.

JN

[hankb56]

Thanks Jim, I did see the white T / Shell on W Life as you say, blink and you'll miss them. I also thought that the white MWF period Strat was one of those but it was MN and when they appeared on the Cilla Black show Bruce had the original in white. The Gibson I think was the Melody Maker as that time he was pos trying different instruments as a replacement for the Burns.

Cheers, Ian

[abstamaria]

Thanks, Jim, all. l wouldn't have known all that if I didn't read this thread. It never occurred
to me that the white Strat is 34346.

"Jet Black" is a very nice piece, not easy (for me) to cover. And Hank played it on an Antoria w a bowed neck.

Andy

[GoldenStreet]

Here is Cliff playing the INTRO/ OUTRO - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VY72EGpomt8 - he also has increased on the guitar as you and me and all who plays an instrument.

Hans

Just wondering what had happened to Tony's left hand stick grasp in this clip... it's certainly not the traditional (proper?) grip one always associated with his playing.

Bill

[JimN]

Thanks, Jim, all. l wouldn't have known all that if I didn't read this thread. It never occurred
to me that the white Strat is 34346.
Andy

Not too long after the 1972 switch back to a Stratocaster by Hank, he did a UK magazine interview about guitars. I can't recall which magazine exactly (and I'm not going out to the garage to check!), but it might well have been the Feb 1976 edition of "International Musician", where he discussed the Burns guitars and swap back to Fender, as well as the Sam Li modifications he'd had done to the blonde/black/single-coil/humbucker-equipped Strat.

One of the things he said was that after the Marvins were stolen from a van, this during the latter end of the MWF period, he'd borrowed "the original Strat" (he'd already mentioned that guitar) from Cliff, liked it and then bought himself one. The one he bought would have been the blonde guitar sold to him by Brian Higham at Barratt's in Manchester.

JN

[hankb56]

That will explain the White / Blonde Strat that seemed to disappear. Some say that's the one refurbished Black others say it was a Sunburst that became the Black one.

Ian

[dave robinson]

That will explain the White / Blonde Strat that seemed to disappear. Some say that's the one refurbished Black others say it was a Sunburst that became the Black one.

Ian

It was the white one that was sprayed black, then later sprayed sunburst and was last seen with Hank's son, Ben.
I last saw it on the 2002 Hank tour in Manchester.

[hankb56]

That would be the last time I saw it when we went to Edinburgh for the 2002 tour

Ian