Hank in Guitarist

[fenderplucker]

Hi Kurt,

I wouldn't claim that our recordings are identical to the originals, there are far to may factors for this to be likely such as different amps/speakers, different guitars, strings and pickups, different recording microphones, the whole Abbey Road recording environment, Hank and Malcolm Addey, and so on. My point is that to attribute the difference in sound mainly to neck-bridge pickup mixing is drawing a very long bow, particularly when it was not available on retail Strats at the time.

Paul.

[phil kelly]

To put a lid on this topic I remember in conversation years ago with the late dear Dick Denny that he had given Hank the ability to have both neck and bridge together, not sure on what strat, maybe the rosewood board, but definetly done for him,
Phil.

[KurtFroberg]

Thanks Phil! Very interesting....

Kurt

[fenderplucker]

Hi Phil,

I hope you feeling much better these days. I know that Hank had that option later on, but do you know when it was done first? As early as December 1961 would seem very unlikely to me.

Paul.

[phil kelly]

Hello Paul,
thankyou for your kind words, i am feeling much better now , the hospital are / have been marvelous , i am playing again and looking forward to the future.
I am pretty sure Dick was referring to the period when they had the matching jennings stratocasters, so would fall in around that time perhaps ?
Phil.

[fenderplucker]

Hi Phil,

Great to hear that you are playing again and are active on the sites, your contributions are always valuable.

Without any documentary evidence I guess we will never know, it could have been any time up to late 63. Just another one of the mysteries! An alternative tack might be to try both the combination and middle by itself and see which comes closer. My guitar switching is not currently set up for the combination but I might give it a go and see what eventuates. Is it something that you might also be able to try out?

Regards,

Paul.

[fenderplucker]

Hi Guys,

I happened to have a switch pot of the correct value so I have fitted it to my Strat to do the test. However its getting a bit too late at night to do the test so I'll have a go tomorrow and post the results. Nothing like a challenge!!

Paul.

[KurtFroberg]

Thank you Paul! Looking forward to this!

Kurt

[RogerCook]

Interesting. Series or parallel though?

[MeBHank]

The core sounds on 36-24-36 and Stars Fell on Stockton are definitely those of guitars which have combined neck and bridge pickups selected at the same time (definitely not the middle), though it's extremely hard to tell whether the guitar/s used was Gretsch or Fender. Personally, I hear a Gretsch. There's a bouncy quality which makes me think "semi-acoustic with flatwounds". With the help of the guitar's tone settings I get (IMO) a pretty passable Nivram sound from my Strat using this pickup combination, which is the same as I use for 36-24-36. It sounds likely to me that Dick and Hank were both talking of the same period and experiment.

J