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Glenn Frey's guitar

TLC

New member
Joined
Jul 8, 2018
Messages
7
I saw this post from a search i was doing and had to come here and join just to help you guys out a bit.
I knew 'Old Black' personally! I was his tech from 1982-1996.
The reason there is not a logo on the headstock is because it got broken in the late 70's.
John Carruthers did a great repair and grafted a new headstock onto the original neck and did not put a logo back on.
I had to replace the selector switch in 1985 while on tour with Glenn and the Heaters when we were opening for Tina Turner on her Private Dancer tour. BTW, it's not a toggle switch but rather a 3 way slider like in a tele.
Glenn also had another one that was a tobacco burst that he carried for his back-up!
 

Arnold M.

Active member
Joined
Mar 29, 2018
Messages
296
I saw this post from a search i was doing and had to come here and join just to help you guys out a bit.
I knew 'Old Black' personally! I was his tech from 1982-1996.
The reason there is not a logo on the headstock is because it got broken in the late 70's.
John Carruthers did a great repair and grafted a new headstock onto the original neck and did not put a logo back on.
I had to replace the selector switch in 1985 while on tour with Glenn and the Heaters when we were opening for Tina Turner on her Private Dancer tour. BTW, it's not a toggle switch but rather a 3 way slider like in a tele.
Glenn also had another one that was a tobacco burst that he carried for his back-up!

the mystery has finally been solved !!!
 

corpse

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 9, 2007
Messages
4,876
I saw this post from a search i was doing and had to come here and join just to help you guys out a bit.
I knew 'Old Black' personally! I was his tech from 1982-1996.
The reason there is not a logo on the headstock is because it got broken in the late 70's.
John Carruthers did a great repair and grafted a new headstock onto the original neck and did not put a logo back on.
I had to replace the selector switch in 1985 while on tour with Glenn and the Heaters when we were opening for Tina Turner on her Private Dancer tour. BTW, it's not a toggle switch but rather a 3 way slider like in a tele.
Glenn also had another one that was a tobacco burst that he carried for his back-up!

Come back- often. We would be glad to have you as a regular here. We might eff with you, but we are very keen on history like this. Esp with pics if you have any.
 

TLC

New member
Joined
Jul 8, 2018
Messages
7
Come back- often. We would be glad to have you as a regular here. We might eff with you, but we are very keen on history like this. Esp with pics if you have any.

Thanks for the welcome. I did find a couple of pics but please realize this was back in the day when the term 'selfie' referred to something you did in private by yourself, and pics was something a tech kept in his pocket!

this pic was taken in 1985
 

Attachments

  • 1985 TT tour Old Black.jpg
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corpse

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 9, 2007
Messages
4,876
Like that. perfect- great pic.
So your real name is John McEnroe huh?
 

AXE752

New member
Joined
Mar 11, 2002
Messages
812
Thanks for the welcome. I did find a couple of pics but please realize this was back in the day when the term 'selfie' referred to something you did in private by yourself, and pics was something a tech kept in his pocket!

this pic was taken in 1985

Thanks for the info and welcome.:jim

If you don't mind my asking, how did you end up working for Glenn and have you been doing other things in this business since 1996 or did you just get out at the time for something totally different?
 

TLC

New member
Joined
Jul 8, 2018
Messages
7
Thanks for the info and welcome.:jim

If you don't mind my asking, how did you end up working for Glenn and have you been doing other things in this business since 1996 or did you just get out at the time for something totally different?

No, i don't mind and thanks for asking!

My first gig with Glenn was in Muscle Shoals, Al in 1982. That's where i was living and he was recording No Fun and Muscle Shoals was having the annual songwriters seminar. I had worked for The Amazing Rhythm Aces as guitar tech and Glenn had hired their guitar player to his new band. (see how this is gonna work out for me:eek:la)............. After many miles of changed strings i woke up one morning and hell had thawed out. It was 1996 and I went home to Nashville where i had moved in 1985. I took a year off and then went to work for a drum company where i have been for the last 21 years in the custom shop.
During those years with Glenn i also toured with other artist as well.

Here is a pic of my first gig with Glenn. This my friends is something historic, Glenn Frey with the Swampers as his backup band!

From Stage right behind the hammond b3 Hank 'Hawk' Wolinski, Duncan Cameron on lead guitar, David Hood on bass, Old Black featuring Glenn Frey, Roger Hawkins drums, Al Garth blowin sax, Jimmy Johnson playin rhythm guitar and Barry Beckett on piano!
 

Attachments

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    35.3 KB · Views: 77

TLC

New member
Joined
Jul 8, 2018
Messages
7
Thanks for the info and welcome.:jim

If you don't mind my asking, how did you end up working for Glenn and have you been doing other things in this business since 1996 or did you just get out at the time for something totally different?

ok, I will try this again........

No, i don't mind and thanks for asking!

I was living in Muscle Shoals in 1982 and had been working for the Amazing Rhythm Aces as their guitar tech. I was connected with Muscle Shoals Sound studio and Glenn was recording No Fun there.
He hired the guitar player from the Aces, Duncan Cameron, to play on the album and also join his new band.
During this time Muscle Shoals Songwriters Assoc was having their annual seminar and invited Glenn to play. (see how this is gonna work out for me:eek:la)
After many miles of discarded changed strings i woke up one morning in August of 1996 in Glascow, Scottland and hell had thawed out.
I went home to Nashville, took a year off and then started working for a drum company where i have been gainfully employed with health insurance for the past 21 years.
During those years with Glenn i also toured with other artist. Two of those years was with Dickey Betts.

Here is a pic from my first gig with Glenn. His first solo gig, with the Muscle Shoals Rhythm section also known as "The Swampers"

From Stage right behind the Hammond B3 Hank 'the Hawk' Wolinski, lead guitar Duncan Cameron, David Hood on bass, Old Black featuring Glenn Frey, Roger Hawkins on drums, Al Garth blowin sax, Jimmy Johnson rhythm guitar, and Barry Beckett on piano!

gfswampers82.jpg
 

El Gringo

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 8, 2015
Messages
5,657
So this is the guitar that Glenn Frey recorded and played the solo on from " The Heat is on " ?
 

El Gringo

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 8, 2015
Messages
5,657
I saw this post from a search i was doing and had to come here and join just to help you guys out a bit.
I knew 'Old Black' personally! I was his tech from 1982-1996.
The reason there is not a logo on the headstock is because it got broken in the late 70's.
John Carruthers did a great repair and grafted a new headstock onto the original neck and did not put a logo back on.
I had to replace the selector switch in 1985 while on tour with Glenn and the Heaters when we were opening for Tina Turner on her Private Dancer tour. BTW, it's not a toggle switch but rather a 3 way slider like in a tele.
Glenn also had another one that was a tobacco burst that he carried for his back-up!
Welcome , please share more of your awesome stories as I would love to read about them please .
 

marshall1987

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 30, 2005
Messages
3,278
ok, I will try this again........

No, i don't mind and thanks for asking!

I was living in Muscle Shoals in 1982 and had been working for the Amazing Rhythm Aces as their guitar tech. I was connected with Muscle Shoals Sound studio and Glenn was recording No Fun there.
He hired the guitar player from the Aces, Duncan Cameron, to play on the album and also join his new band.
During this time Muscle Shoals Songwriters Assoc was having their annual seminar and invited Glenn to play. (see how this is gonna work out for me:eek:la)

After many miles of discarded changed strings i woke up one morning in August of 1996 in Glascow, Scottland and hell had thawed out.
I went home to Nashville, took a year off
and then started working for a drum company where i have been gainfully employed with health insurance for the past 21 years.


View attachment 7913

"woke up one morning......and hell had thawed out......"

hmm, not sure what to make of this remark? :dang
 

TLC

New member
Joined
Jul 8, 2018
Messages
7
"woke up one morning......and hell had thawed out......"

hmm, not sure what to make of this remark? :dang

August 5th 1996, Edinburg Scotland was last show off Hell Freezes Over tour. After the show we bussed to Glasgow for the night and flew home the next morning....hell was no longer frozen!
 

Wilko

All Access/Backstage Pass
Joined
Mar 11, 2002
Messages
20,854
"Now Muscle Shoals has got The Swampers, And they've been known to pick a song or two, (yes they do) Lord they get me off so much, they pick me up when I'm feelin' blue (how 'bout you?)
 

AXE752

New member
Joined
Mar 11, 2002
Messages
812
ok, I will try this again........

No, i don't mind and thanks for asking!

I was living in Muscle Shoals in 1982 and had been working for the Amazing Rhythm Aces as their guitar tech. I was connected with Muscle Shoals Sound studio and Glenn was recording No Fun there.
He hired the guitar player from the Aces, Duncan Cameron, to play on the album and also join his new band.
During this time Muscle Shoals Songwriters Assoc was having their annual seminar and invited Glenn to play. (see how this is gonna work out for me:eek:la)
After many miles of discarded changed strings i woke up one morning in August of 1996 in Glascow, Scottland and hell had thawed out.
I went home to Nashville, took a year off and then started working for a drum company where i have been gainfully employed with health insurance for the past 21 years.
During those years with Glenn i also toured with other artist. Two of those years was with Dickey Betts.

Here is a pic from my first gig with Glenn. His first solo gig, with the Muscle Shoals Rhythm section also known as "The Swampers"

From Stage right behind the Hammond B3 Hank 'the Hawk' Wolinski, lead guitar Duncan Cameron, David Hood on bass, Old Black featuring Glenn Frey, Roger Hawkins on drums, Al Garth blowin sax, Jimmy Johnson rhythm guitar, and Barry Beckett on piano!

View attachment 7913


These kind of personal stories are always incredibly interesting. Thanks for the info, the history, and for sharing.

George:jim
 

Triburst

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 12, 2006
Messages
4,353
I had great seats for the Eagles in New Orleans Arena a few years ago (Steuart Smith had taken Don Felder's place). Very few Les Pauls were used, though Smith used an SG-type LP Junior on "Somebody" for the leads, and it sounded HUGE -- convinced me to buy one.

I took this shot of the only Les Paul that Frey brought out. It had a white switch-tip.

Frey_LP.jpg
 

Rleigh

New member
Joined
Feb 3, 2019
Messages
1
For those interested, Glenn's son Deacon has been using this guitar since signing on with the Eagles in 2017. There is a lot of footage on YouTube if you want to check it out.
 

meekofnature

New member
Joined
Sep 23, 2020
Messages
1
Really cool to have the real deal show up. I’m actually in the process of re-creating this guitar for Mad Dog Ranch, which was Glenn’s personal studio. It’s a small part of a larger effort to equip and re-vamping that studio for modern use. David Graef is giving me a hand with this project, are you guys still in touch?

I’m also a drum /guitar tech for the Flatts and here in Nashville. PM me if you can and let me know what drum shop you’re at!

Thx,
Marc



ok, I will try this again........

No, i don't mind and thanks for asking!

I was living in Muscle Shoals in 1982 and had been working for the Amazing Rhythm Aces as their guitar tech. I was connected with Muscle Shoals Sound studio and Glenn was recording No Fun there.
He hired the guitar player from the Aces, Duncan Cameron, to play on the album and also join his new band.
During this time Muscle Shoals Songwriters Assoc was having their annual seminar and invited Glenn to play. (see how this is gonna work out for me:eek:la)
After many miles of discarded changed strings i woke up one morning in August of 1996 in Glascow, Scottland and hell had thawed out.
I went home to Nashville, took a year off and then started working for a drum company where i have been gainfully employed with health insurance for the past 21 years.
During those years with Glenn i also toured with other artist. Two of those years was with Dickey Betts.

Here is a pic from my first gig with Glenn. His first solo gig, with the Muscle Shoals Rhythm section also known as "The Swampers"

From Stage right behind the Hammond B3 Hank 'the Hawk' Wolinski, lead guitar Duncan Cameron, David Hood on bass, Old Black featuring Glenn Frey, Roger Hawkins on drums, Al Garth blowin sax, Jimmy Johnson rhythm guitar, and Barry Beckett on piano!

View attachment 7913
 

Minibucker

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 12, 2003
Messages
6,372
For those interested, Glenn's son Deacon has been using this guitar since signing on with the Eagles in 2017. There is a lot of footage on YouTube if you want to check it out.
Yes I noticed this when I watched their recent concert on ESPN (of all places!) from LA Forum, I believe. It was cool to see that iconic Frankenstein guitar in his boy's hands.
 
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