Famous partscasters?

AlanRatcliffe

I'm just writing something on some famous guitars that were actually partscasters and wondered if I'd missed any important ones.

This is the list I've compiled so far:
Eric Clapton's "Blackie"
David Gilmour's Black Strat
Stevie Ray Vaughn's #1
Eddie Van Halen's "Frankenstein"
Bruce Springsteen's Tele/Esquire
Steve Morses' Tele/Strat

Any other major ones I've forgotten?

Gearhead

Dunno what the criteria for 'famous partscasters' are but would Kurt Cobain's JagStang qualify as a major one? :-\

AlanRatcliffe

Gearhead wrote: Dunno what the criteria for 'famous partscasters' are but would Kurt Cobain's JagStang qualify as a major one? :-\

No. The JagStang was purpose-built by the Fender Custom Shop as a prototype production model. I'm looking for guitars that were literally assembled from parts by a player and not factory or luthier-assembled. It doesn't matter whether the parts were replacement parts or were taken from other guitars though.

Gearhead

I get it. Does it not count that the guitar he famously smashed to bits at the end of each show (admittedly Strat not Jaguar or Mustang) was assembled from remaining parts from other shows with added bits of pawn shop specials, by his tech? ?
Ok ok it does not count. Grmbl...

AlanRatcliffe

As with Townshend's early guitars those would better be described as in parts-casters ?

Spyke

Alan Ratcliffe wrote: As with Townshend's early guitars those would better be described as in parts-casters ?

LOL! ?

Banditman

Don't forget Albert Collins' 'bucker equipped Telecaster, & I think Muddy Waters made some small changes to his Tele as well. There's also Andy Summers' PAF-fitted Tele. Mark Knopfler's red Strat was a '57 body with '62 neck if I remember correctly.

Would Jimi's burned on stage Strat qualify? The one that Frank Zappa later put pack together? Or are you really looking at guitars played by artists over a long period, put together &/or modified over the years. Would pickup replacements count or are you looking at bigger changes than that?

Wouldn't Dave Murray's Strat be one? Rory Gallagher's Strat may edge in even though it only really had one tuning machine & fret inlay replaced. Surely "Lenny" would also qualify for a mention?

What strikes me about the list so far is the utilitarian nature of most of these instruments. They were used to make some incredible and lasting music, yet most (if not all) never came from a Custom Shop(R). Of course some great guitar techs worked magic on them, but they're all INSTRUMENTS first and last. There's nothing precious about them. Take Gilmour's Black Strat. Offer it to a collector without the Dave connection & you'd get a "Butchered, not original" gripe.

To me it speaks volumes. Not only about the artists' skills as musicians, but also to the whole "too precious to touch" brigade. There's nothing wrong with a standard instrument, and there's nothing wrong with a well-modified guitar to get what you're looking for.

[deleted]

Banditman wrote: Offer it to a collector without the Dave connection & you'd get a "Butchered, not original" gripe.

To me it speaks volumes. Not only about the artists' skills as musicians, but also to the whole "too precious to touch" brigade. There's nothing wrong with a standard instrument, and there's nothing wrong with a well-modified guitar to get what you're looking for.

Well said. I'm not really thinking of resale value with my "vintage" Strat - I'm thinking of what'll make it work "better" for me.

Sean

Banditman wrote: Take Gilmour's Black Strat. Offer it to a collector without the Dave connection & you'd get a "Butchered, not original" gripe.

There's nothing wrong with a standard instrument, and there's nothing wrong with a well-modified guitar to get what you're looking for.

Agree 100%. I do also like the pristine completely original guitar as well.

"Butchered guitars to get what you're looking for"... so that's what Alan does ? (feel free to use it to market your services...although I guess you should really ask Banditman)

Banditman

:goodtimes: :roflmao:

AlanRatcliffe

Banditman wrote: Don't forget Albert Collins' 'bucker equipped Telecaster, & I think Muddy Waters made some small changes to his Tele as well. There's also Andy Summers' PAF-fitted Tele. Mark Knopfler's red Strat was a '57 body with '62 neck if I remember correctly.

Brilliant! Thanks! I thought of Knopfler's red Strat (partly fake BTW) at some point, then forgot about it somehow, but it's right on the mark (ahem). The other three are great examples, but more modded rather than partscasters.

Would Jimi's burned on stage Strat qualify? The one that Frank Zappa later put pack together?

Iconic because of who burned it, rather than who played it after it was rebuilt. Frank never did much with it - In fact it was Dweezil who found the remains in a cupboard and rebuilt it, and has played it more than Frank did.

Or are you really looking at guitars played by artists over a long period, put together &/or modified over the years. Would pickup replacements count or are you looking at bigger changes than that?

Basically guitars built from spare parts, rather than just heavily modded.

Surely "Lenny" would also qualify for a mention?

I thought of Lenny, but I already have #1 and Lenny wasn't as iconic an instrument (except to die-hard SRV fans).

What strikes me about the list so far is the utilitarian nature of most of these instruments.

Players' instruments rather than collectors'...

Banditman

In that case, what about Brian May's red special? It's no Fender, but its got to be one of the ultimate spare bits specials ever made.

AlanRatcliffe

Ah... Red Special was built from scratch aside from the tuners and the pickups.

aja

Banditman wrote: In that case, what about Brian May's red special? It's no Fender, but its got to be one of the ultimate spare bits specials ever made.

did some reading up on it - I really like it, very interesting design. I especially like the body style

Riaan

Ah... Red Special was built from scratch aside from the tuners and the pickups.

BTW does anyone know what pickups he uses?

AlanRatcliffe

Burns Tri-Sonics in the original. DiMarzio make the modern version.