The ShadowMusic Web Community

You know the story where Hank says he saw James Burton playing a Fender and that's when he (Hank) chose one out of the Fender catalogue? I was wondering if you think this video is an approximation of what Hank saw. I am not trying to be exact...to know what specific performance Hank might have seen. I typed in the name Ricky Nelson in YouTube and there are, of course, lots of videos. And the lead guitar looks different in almost all of them. Almost always a Fender, but different model Tele's and sometimes maybe either a Jaguar or a Jazzmaster (I can't always tell the difference). I thought maybe this video would be from the correct year, as to when Hank was seeking a Stratocaster.

I am just curious. I've always known who Ricky Nelson was, but I didn't realise until becoming a Shadows fan that Ricky's band had any influence (of any kind) on The Shads. Thanks for your help.

Kind regards,
Donna

I don`t remember seeing anything of Ricky Nelson on British television in 1959 ,our shows playing pop music were Oh Boy, Boy Meets Girls with Marty Wilde and Drumbeat .Some of these shows had American guest stars like Eddie Cochran and Gene Vincent. Hank believed that James Burton played a Stratocaster so they ordered one from America it wasn`t until later that he found out that James played a Telecaster .We did not see much American music, only such as Patti Page and Perry Como.Maybe Hank would have played a Telecaster if he had have known

Derek is right.

It is just possible that Fender guitar models were starting to be known (in pictures, that is) in the UK by early 1959, but I wouldn't bet on it. Some had appeared on film (eg, "The Girl Can't Help It"), but only a few, and there was no way to get information about them.

It is possible - perhaps even likely - that Hank, Bruce and Jet had never even seen illustrations of the full range* before the catalogue arrived from Fullerton, let alone were able to identify them on sight. And apart from knowing that the Stratocaster was the choice of Buddy Holly and that The Treniers had used a Precision Bass, there was almost certainly no form or artist recognition or association with the brand.

JN

[* Stratocaster, Telecaster, Esquire, Jazzmaster, Musicmaster, Duosonic, Precision Bass. That was all the "Spanish" guitars there were at the time, though there were also steel guitars in the catalogue.]

Donna_Plasky wrote:... Jaguar or a Jazzmaster (I can't always tell the difference) ...

A Jazzmaster has wider pickups than a Jaguar Donna.

Is this a Jazzmaster? I think so. The second video is the "other" model Telecaster that I've seen him play. The paint and the big, white scratch plate on this one reminds me more of Hank's Strat than the Tele in my original post, which was all dark. Thanks for your help. I have so much musical history to catch up on. I don't especially like, or dislike, Ricky Nelson. It's the Fender guitars that I am interested in really. Thanks a lot.

Kind regards,
Donna

Jaguar (short scale, metal control plates, narrow pickups a bit like those on a Stratocaster):



Jazzmaster (standard 25.5" scale, all-plastic scratchplate, wider pickups):



JN

Hi Donna

The guitars are basically pieces of wood and wires etc with nice paint jobs..

It's really about the people that play them and make musical art and magic..

Now, I won't tell you again, you naughty girl......stop all this silly stuff and get back to PRACTISING!



p.s. there WILL be a test afterwards!

Yep, I'll second that. Put You Tube on hold for a while and give Wonderful Land a try Donna.

We only have Rosemary in Ozz posting leads on here. Time to double-up the female soundfile posting.

Brian

I see that Sharon Van Etten and her accompanying guitarist were giving their respective Jaguar and Jazzmaster a good old thrashing on Later Live with Jools Holland last night!

Bill

Donna_Plasky wrote:You know the story where Hank says he saw James Burton playing a Fender and that's when he (Hank) chose one out of the Fender catalogue? I was wondering if you think this video is an approximation of what Hank saw.

According to many interviews by Hank and Bruce (and Bruce's book), they didn't see James Burton's guitar. They loved his sound and only knew he played a Fender.
When they received the Fender catalogue, they assumed it was a Strat because it was the most expensive, this is why Hank asked Cliff to order the Strat. It's only later that they discovered that James Burton was in fact playing a Tele (with light strings).
Hank's sound would have been very different if Cliff had ordered a Tele for him !...

Didier