PETE TOWNSHEND 1964 SG SPECIAL

[Ed Driscoll]

At last it can be revealed...the secret to good tone:

:rofl​

Heh. I found the video of the 2012 David Letterman interview where that gif came from. At about 8:00 in, Letterman holds up a still photo of Townshend windmilling holding what looks like possibly the same SG in this thread:


http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xv9kne_pete-townshend-on-letterman-2012_music

 

[Ad_02Std]

Heh. I found the video of the 2012 David Letterman interview where that gif came from. At about 8:00 in, Letterman holds up a still photo of Townshend windmilling holding what looks like possibly the same SG in this thread:


http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xv9kne_pete-townshend-on-letterman-2012_music

I don't think that's the same guitar. That dark grain line has a slant to it on that guitar, it's straight on the one we're looking at.

Good interview though. I'm disappointed that Pete started it by extolling the virtues of bloody homeopathy though. I thought better of him than that.

 

[landminelenny]

I don't think that's the same guitar. That dark grain line has a slant to it on that guitar, it's straight on the one we're looking at.

Good interview though. I'm disappointed that Pete started it by extolling the virtues of bloody homeopathy though. I thought better of him than that.

Actually the line isn't straight - how it looks depends on the angle of the shot. The grain matches. The slant is present. There's no question that it's a Townshend guitar because it came from Townshend and has a letter of provenance from him but he couldn't remember what he had used it for - just that it was used between 1967 and 1972.

 

[Ad_02Std]

Actually the line isn't straight - how it looks depends on the angle of the shot. The grain matches. The slant is present. There's no question that it's a Townshend guitar because it came from Townshend and has a letter of provenance from him but he couldn't remember what he had used it for - just that it was used between 1967 and 1972.

I'm not sure we're talking about the same thing. I was comparing the guitar you posted to the one pictured in the Letterman interview that Ed Driscoll posted.

The guitar you have is clearly the same as that Rock 'n' Roll circus one. No doubt about it.

 

[Ad_02Std]

This is the guitar in the Letterman interview:

Sorry, I couldn't find a larger version.

 

[landminelenny]

I'm not sure we're talking about the same thing. I was comparing the guitar you posted to the one pictured in the Letterman interview that Ed Driscoll posted.

The guitar you have is clearly the same as that Rock 'n' Roll circus one. No doubt about it.

That's right, the one in the Letterman pic is from 1966 from a show in Copenhagen. Different guitar as you say. That was a show where The Who borrowed their equipment from a Swedish band called Tages so it wasn't even Townshend's guitar.

 

[landminelenny]

Better pic.

 

[frazettafan]

Single-line tuners and that heel do say pre-'65 to me.

What do you guys think of Townshends lead playing? I really like what he does but many including himself, write him off as a crap lead guitarist.

 

[frazettafan]

Actually the line isn't straight - how it looks depends on the angle of the shot. The grain matches. The slant is present. There's no question that it's a Townshend guitar because it came from Townshend and has a letter of provenance from him but he couldn't remember what he had used it for - just that it was used between 1967 and 1972.

I think that shot proves PT was using Stanley blades for plectrums at that time.

 

[Ad_02Std]

What do you guys think of Townshends lead playing? I really like what he does but many including himself, write him off as a crap lead guitarist.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/ZYN-BdS3_ks" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[Ad_02Std]

Townshend has something in his lead playing that I don't really hear in others (with the possible exception of Mick Ronson). It's that frenetic high register rhythm and right hand abandon that fascinates me. It's something that I can't really pull off, being a lefty playing right-handed. I often find myself listening to some prime era Who when I'm finding my other old favourites a little... played out. It's always refreshing and inspiring.

 

[frazettafan]

Townshend has something in his lead playing that I don't really hear in others (with the possible exception of Mick Ronson).

+1.

If you listen to "Cant Explain" on there he plays a great bend, slide-up, double-stop and release at the beginning of that solo that's well worth nicking.

 

[JJC]

What do you guys think of Townshends lead playing? I really like what he does but many including himself, write him off as a crap lead guitarist.

I love his playing. There have been many arguments here about the smashing guitars bit, but when he was dedicated to playing and practicing, I've always liked how he could change various bits and pieces spontaneously. And the tone of those Hiwatts with the SG special was the highlight for me. You can't argue his influence and place. At some point, it sounds (at least to me) like he stopped practicing and showing a love for the guitar. Certainly understandable, given such a long career - but you can just tell the difference. The enthusiasm he used to put into his lead playing really came out and that's why I like him.

 

[landminelenny]

One of my all time faves from when I first got into guitar playing. As far as I'm concerned he's one of the best rhythm players ever.

 

[Banker]

+1, and inventive too

 

[Ed Driscoll]

I don't think that's the same guitar. That dark grain line has a slant to it on that guitar, it's straight on the one we're looking at.

OK, so what's the verdict? Guitar in photo that Dave held up is not the Rock & Roll Circus SG? I thought it was a stretch, too, but the dark grain on the top bout looked similar.

 

[Ed Driscoll]

What do you guys think of Townshends lead playing? I really like what he does but many including himself, write him off as a crap lead guitarist.

I think it depends on the period. His lead playing on Live at Leeds sounds awesome. It's not Clapton or Page, but Townshend was deliberately trying to avoid that style.

I love his playing on the Quadrophenia album. That tight clean jazzy lead sound on "The Rock," for example, sounds great, and Townshend's melodies are very inventive.

By the Kenney Jones era, Townshend seemed to be phoning it in as a lead player live though, with the exception of, say, that awesome version of "Music Must Change" they were playing during their 1979-80 tour:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heAaDHOvH24

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-97cG5S0gE

 

[landminelenny]

OK, so what's the verdict? Guitar in photo that Dave held up is not the Rock & Roll Circus SG? I thought it was a stretch, too, but the dark grain on the top bout looked similar.

Definitely not the same guitar. Not even Townshend's guitar. it was borrowed from the support band when The Who's gear was held up.

There's a great site that documents all the Who's gear here:

http://www.thewho.net/whotabs/gear/drums/drumsborrowed.html

 

[Ad_02Std]

One of my all time faves from when I first got into guitar playing. As far as I'm concerned he's one of the best rhythm players ever.

Definitely. I Can't Explain was the first guitar riff I ever learnt. And it was that crunchy rhythm sound on songs like Pinball Wizard, The Seeker, and Won't Get Fooled Again that made me want to move from strumming my way through through acoustic Beatles songs to being a rock guitarist. In those days I wasn't all that impressed by single note lead playing, but the power of those big chords really resonated with me. Still does.

 

[Xpensive Wino]

Can you imagine being asked to lend instruments to the Who in the mid-sixties...?:rofl