Unexpected choice of guitar

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Maggie, Feb 11, 2019.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. Maggie

    Maggie like a walking, talking art show Thread Starter

    Location:
    Toronto, Canada
    I was playing a New York Dolls video the other day and was reminded of how unexpected it was, to me, to see Sylvain Sylvain playing a huge (on him) Gretsch White Falcon while Johnny Thunders played his little Les Paul Jr. When I hear their music, those aren't the guitars that I imagine (or at least not the Gretsch). Maybe you guys expect a Gretsch in that context, but not me.

    It made me think of Love, who started out as basically an LA garage/folk-rock band, but who had a real penchant for weird guitar choices. Bryan MacLean played folk-rock rhythm on a big Barney Kessel jazz box, while Johnny Echols played most of the first Love album on a weirdly-tuned Stratosphere double-neck.

    [​IMG]

    Where else do you see a well-known artist playing a guitar that seems like an odd choice for their musical style? Photos are welcome.

    The grand-daddy of them all, to me, is Joe Pass playing jazz on a Jaguar (looks like maybe not the original pickups?):

     
  2. Howard Bleach

    Howard Bleach Imperial Aerosol Kid

    Location:
    green bay, wi
    I'll never forget learning that Page played a Tele on the early Zep stuff. Changed the way I thought about that particular guitar, and helped me better appreciate its versatility

    There's a photo of Neil Young posing with a Strat and it's like seeing Johnny Cash wearing polka dots..
     
    Rickchick, vonwegen, J_D__ and 15 others like this.
  3. eflatminor

    eflatminor Forum Resident

    Location:
    Nevada
    Sweaty Teddy plays an old Gibson Byrdland...

    [​IMG]

    What's unexpected about it is that the Byrdland is a hollow-body guitar. Has to be difficult to control feedback when blasting through stacks of amps.
     
  4. MarcS

    MarcS Forum Resident

    Location:
    New Jersey
  5. piston broke

    piston broke Forum Resident

    Steve Howe and Ted Nugent's big box Gibsons also seem "off".

    And if we can expand it a touch, Chris Brubeck's use of a fretless Rickenbacker is interesting.
     
    Maggie likes this.
  6. vonwegen, blutiga, weef and 3 others like this.
  7. Maggie

    Maggie like a walking, talking art show Thread Starter

    Location:
    Toronto, Canada
    [​IMG]
     
    vonwegen, Carl LaFong, Bruso and 7 others like this.
  8. vamborules

    vamborules Forum Resident

    Location:
    CT
    Sylvain tells interesting stories about both of those guitars in his autobiography. The Jr story is that they each got money for new equipment when their first record was coming out. From management I guess...can't remember exactly. Anyway, because JT was the lead guitarist he got more money - $800 - while Syl only got 3oo. So JT bought a Les Paul Black Beauty and Syl got that Jr, but then JT totally fell in love with the Jr and insisted that they trade. And that because his signature guitar of course.
     
  9. kozy814

    kozy814 Forum Resident

  10. vamborules

    vamborules Forum Resident

    Location:
    CT
    Oh, and then later on Syl found the Falcon in a store on 48th Street and he tells how everyone freaked out over it at rehearsal, with Thunders again trying to get him to trade for it...but this time he refused.
     
  11. Wombat Reynolds

    Wombat Reynolds Jimmy Page stole all my best riffs.

    Location:
    Atlanta, GA, USA
    Ted played that from his earliest days all the way thru his hey day in the 70s and probably much later on. He used the feedback to his advantage and I was told, would walk around during soundcheck to figure out the spots where the D and G would feed back - so that he COULD control it.
     
  12. vamborules

    vamborules Forum Resident

    Location:
    CT
    Jack White with the EVH Wolfgang

    [​IMG]
     
  13. Indeed, he also has added wood within the body, an X bracing I believe. Beautiful guitar, and a credit to him for not playing the same old, same old.
     
    • [​IMG]
    JimmyPage with his Danelectro
     
  14. mmars982

    mmars982 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Pittsburgh, PA
    Clapton's choice of guitar during While My Guitar Gently Weeps at the Bangladesh concert was an odd choice:

    [​IMG]
     
    longdist01, blutiga, goer and 10 others like this.
  15. John Porcellino

    John Porcellino Forum Resident

    Location:
    Beloit, WI
    One of the things that makes Yes rise above and beyond their prog peers is Howe's skill with Country/Bluegrass stylings... in that context his guitar seems right!

    Someone posted that video in a recent John Lennon thread and I was like "What is that, an ice skate with pickups???"
     
    Matt I, PhoffiFozz, vonwegen and 6 others like this.
  16. Sadly, it seems hollowbodies have fallen so out of favor, that many considered them 'odd' choices', which may speak volumes for rock's present predicament.
     
  17. Joni Mitchell with an electric guitar, rather than with her constant companion, her Martin acoustic, also pictured.


    • [​IMG]

    • [​IMG]
     
  18. thxphotog

    thxphotog Camera Nerd Cycling Nerd Guitar Nerd Dietary Nerd

    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    That pic makes me dizzy like I've had too many margaritas. Glad I'm sitting down.
     
  19. Dr. Robert

    Dr. Robert Forum Reconstructor

    Location:
    Curitiba, Brazil
    Oh, now we know why rock isn't mainstream anymore, the lack of holes in guitars!
     
  20. redfloatboat

    redfloatboat Forum Resident

    I wonder if any guitarists in well known bands ever play one of the Brian May guitars sometimes? They may be rubbish guitars? However the reviews i've read seem to say they're ok.
    The Official Home Of Brian May Guitars


    [​IMG]
     
  21. Dr. Robert

    Dr. Robert Forum Reconstructor

    Location:
    Curitiba, Brazil
    [​IMG]

    This has to be illegal, right?
     
    vonwegen, Faceman, marcb and 23 others like this.
  22. eeglug

    eeglug Senior Member

    Location:
    Chicago, IL, USA
    Neil Young with a Flying V

    [​IMG]
     
  23. indeed, a lack of breath and breadth
     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.

Share This Page

molar-endocrine