1970s black Strat

[Uncle Fiesta]

If the looks weren't important.

I've never heard of these Steve. have you tried them?

I haven't but am considering buying a set for a twin-humbucker Strat I shall be putting together soon.

[alanbakewell]

I always fancied a two humbucker Strat. Didn't Hank have one of those?

Or did Ben on one of their joint performances?

[drakula63]

Hank used twin Humbuckers on his black Strat for a while. Look at the pic closely on the front cover of the Live at the Paris Olympia album. The Classic '71 pickups look great.

[cockroach]

If that is what Hank used on that live LP, he got some great sounds- but NOT 'that sound'!!

Indeed, it also amazed me that they played different versions of some of the holy classics including Apache with harmony parts by John Farrar...sacrilege to some perhaps, but I love the album!

[Simon Underwood]

I think it must have been another post on this site, but I can't find it for the moment- Hank's black Strat from about '73 to '76 was originally sunburst with white fittings and was customised by luthier Sam Li. It had a Wide Range humbucker at the bridge, and a Gibson humbucker at the neck the 'wrong' way round and two slide switches above the switch which may have been to coil tap the humbuckers. I loved the sound from this Strat as well, and have been tempted in the past to build a replica of it.

Incidentally, I'm reasonably sure that this wasn't the customised white Strat that can be seen in the 'Song For Europe' clips from the Lulu show, because I saw this guitar for sale on the wall in Roka's around 1975, and this was confirmed by a recent interview with Hank in Guitarist.

A good view of the black one can be seen on the Youtube clip of the Shads (minus John Farrar) miming to 'It'll Be Me Babe'.

Simon

[Gary Allen]

singing-in-the-street-are-left-to-right-joe-brown-hank-marvin-bert-B59G22.jpg

I guess Bert Weedon liked it too !

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[Gary Allen]

HANK-MARVIN-LOC-1976-BW-NZ-10.jpg

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[JimN]

I think it must have been another post on this site, but I can't find it for the moment- Hank's black Strat from about '73 to '76 was originally sunburst with white fittings and was customised by luthier Sam Li. It had a Wide Range humbucker at the bridge, and a Gibson humbucker at the neck the 'wrong' way round and two slide switches above the switch which may have been to coil tap the humbuckers. I loved the sound from this Strat as well, and have been tempted in the past to build a replica of it.
Incidentally, I'm reasonably sure that this wasn't the customised white Strat that can be seen in the 'Song For Europe' clips from the Lulu show, because I saw this guitar for sale on the wall in Roka's around 1975, and this was confirmed by a recent interview with Hank in Guitarist.
A good view of the black one can be seen on the Youtube clip of the Shads (minus John Farrar) miming to 'It'll Be Me Babe'.
Simon

Hmmm... I'm afraid that the blonde Strat (bought at Barratt's in Manchester and used on the Cilla Black TV show early 1974) and the black one used at the Paris Olympia and for many TV appearances during the 1970s are the same guitar.

Here's a part of an interview with Hank (conducted in late 1975) which appeared in the February 1976 edition of the UK magazine: "International Musician and recording World":



PS: I did once manage to speak to Hank about this guitar - whilst it was still blonde - at Bailey's Nightclub in Liverpool. He confirmed that all the electrical work so far (there was more to come) had been done by Sam Li (of Gerrard Street).

[drakula63]

Here's a nice pic of Hank with the Black Strat. A slight variation on the pic on the front cover of the Live at the Paris Olympia album. Looks to me like the picture was taken from behind and slightly to Hank's left, as he is turning and facing the photographer. Looks like the headstock and tuning pegs (out of focus) of his acoustic guitar are in the foreground and the headstock of either Bruce or John's guitar just to the extreme right of the shot.

[drakula63]

I've posted this before somewhere, but this is the best pic I have of the Black Strat showing the pickups. Circa 1976.