• Guys, we've spent considerable money converting the Les Paul Forum to this new XenForo platform, and we have ongoing monthly operating expenses. THE "DONATIONS" TAB IS NOW WORKING, AND WE WOULD APPRECIATE ANY DONATIONS YOU CAN MAKE TO KEEP THE LES PAUL FORUM GOING! Thank you!

Incoming!!! New Vintage Guitar Day!!!

brandtkronholm

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 3, 2006
Messages
2,737
Unknown%2003.jpg

Wolowitz?

Howard-wolowitz-the-big-bang-theory-16865313-930-1246.jpg
 

Steve Craw

Formerly Lefty Elmo
Joined
Sep 9, 2004
Messages
5,294
Thanks! After playing it, I understand why these guitars are sometimes called "burst killers".


66193288_1282952621886492_8108648455255097344_n.jpg
fey 345.jpg
 
Last edited:

Steve Craw

Formerly Lefty Elmo
Joined
Sep 9, 2004
Messages
5,294
A couple of updates: I called Walter Carter and asked if the inlayed fingerboard could have been Gibson produced, as opposed to independently made later, he said that they would do that sort of thing at a buyer's request. I guess the person who could answer the question of the fingerboard is Jimmy Fey himself...
 
Last edited:

Steve Craw

Formerly Lefty Elmo
Joined
Sep 9, 2004
Messages
5,294
...except, I found out just now, that Jimmy Fey died on May 7, 2019. His memorial was held on June 9th in St. Louis, just a couple of days before I bought his guitar. RIP Jimmy, I will play your guitar proudly.
 
Last edited:

jb_abides

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 6, 2005
Messages
5,274
...except, I found out just now, that Jimmy Fey died on May 7, 2019. His memorial will be held on June 9th in St. Louis. RIP Jimmy, I will play your guitar proudly.
Jimmy K. Fey, 76, of Belleville, IL, born October 16, 1942, died Tuesday, May 7, 2019 in St. Louis, MO, from complications of Alzheimer's disease.

Also - served in US Army 1965-67, stationed in Korea

RIP Jimmy - thanks for this rare beauty
:salude
 

Steve Craw

Formerly Lefty Elmo
Joined
Sep 9, 2004
Messages
5,294
Well, I've had the 345 for a few weeks now and gigged with it a handful of times. I'm really in love with this guitar! It has THE most perfect neck I've ever felt, and notes that are just more interesting than my Les Paul, more color, more bloom. I was recently contacted by Rick Willard, who was the bass player for The Unknowns (later called Spur) which was the band Jimmy Fey played in when he had this guitar. He confirmed what shows on the guitar, Jimmy took really good care of his guitars. He said, "the roadies would be packing up, and Jimmy would still be polishing his guitar!" I also was able to get the album "Spur Of The Moments", recorded in 1968 using this guitar. I'm looking forward to many years with this beauty!
 
Last edited:

corpse

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 9, 2007
Messages
4,876
Time capsule stuff like that is so very cool. Looking back to early in it's life to hear what it sounded like new. What was he playing it through?
 
Last edited:

Steve Craw

Formerly Lefty Elmo
Joined
Sep 9, 2004
Messages
5,294
I bought their album "Spur of the Moments" today. The music is impossible to pidgeon-hole, and the recording quality isn't up to the high level of even that day. But, it's really cool to hear their music and that the guitar that I now own is part of it.
 
Last edited:

Steve Craw

Formerly Lefty Elmo
Joined
Sep 9, 2004
Messages
5,294
I've had several conversations with Rick Willard, who played bass in The Unknowns/Spur with Jimmy Fey. He supplied me with an original, signed copy of their 1968 album "Spur Of The Moment". He also gave me a CD of material that was unfinished. One of the cuts was a cover of The Beatles version of "Honey Don't". It was Jimmy on guitar, Rick on bass and Larry on drums. No vocal, as it hadn't been added yet. I decided to take it to a buddy's studio, and add an additional guitar track using Jimmy's guitar, and I sang to complete it. I've forwarded the track to Rick, who gave it the seal of approval.
It's been an amazing ride, well beyond the "Steve gets his dream guitar".
Again, thanks to everyone here for their interest and encouragement, and especially JB Abides, without who's superior Google skills the story would have ended very quickly.
68562129_1311324422382645_496121808483778560_n.jpg
 
Last edited:

Steve Craw

Formerly Lefty Elmo
Joined
Sep 9, 2004
Messages
5,294
Rick sent me a photo of the band, onstage the night they opened for Cream, my guitar was used that monumental night.
69364652_1311324399049314_8051692520280686592_n.jpg
jimmy fey spur (2).jpeg
 
Last edited:

Steve Craw

Formerly Lefty Elmo
Joined
Sep 9, 2004
Messages
5,294
Jimmy Fey, April 28, 1968, opening for Cream.jimmy fey spur (2).jpeg
 
Last edited:

Steve Craw

Formerly Lefty Elmo
Joined
Sep 9, 2004
Messages
5,294
Curious, anyone know why my photos vanished? Or why some threads will allow me to browse and upload from my computer files and some won't?
 
Last edited:

T.Allen

Moderator
Joined
Sep 11, 2014
Messages
2,662
Curious, anyone know why my photos vanished? Or why some threads will allow me to browse and upload from my computer files and some won't?

Hey Steve!

I don't know why photos would disappear. I do know that some pubs have the upload capability enabled and most do not. I believe that it is not available on all pubs due to the database size for LPF. The more photos we host, the more bloated the database becomes.
 

Steve Craw

Formerly Lefty Elmo
Joined
Sep 9, 2004
Messages
5,294
Time capsule stuff like that is so very cool. Looking back to early in it's life to hear what it sounded like new. What was he playing it through?

I found out Jimmy Fey used a 1968 Fender Twin Reverb amp with this guitar. This would be the style with the drip edge. It seems that Stan Braztke (one of Jimmy's bandmates from The Unknowns days} still has Jimmy's amp., hmmmmm....
 
Last edited:
Top