Which Guitars Chet Used On Each Album

Discussion of history's greatest guitar player.

Which Guitars Chet Used On Each Album

Postby Doug Working » Mon May 19, 2014 11:57 pm

I have just about every record Chet made, and I must say I know his tunes pretty well, but my weak point is in knowing his guitars. I wonder if any body has ever made a list of each album and which guitar he was playing on each individual album?
Doug Working
 
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Re: Which Guitars Chet Used On Each Album

Postby BillB » Tue May 20, 2014 7:29 am

Hey Doug!

I think I remember you from the old board. It's been a while. I don't have an answer for you, but I did want to say hello.

Hope you are doing well!
Bill B.
BillB
 
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Re: Which Guitars Chet Used On Each Album

Postby Doug Working » Tue May 20, 2014 8:24 am

Hi Bill. Thank-you.

Yes. I'm the guy with all the Ytube Chet tunes. (Over 500). I'm doing ok. Been through a LOT in life since then, but I'm still kickin' and still pickin'. Got me a new amp for my Chet style guitar, so I have renewed hope.

Money has been extremely tight since my job went to Mexico. Kind of homeless right now. Got help from my church to buy the amp.

Anyway, I felt I received a lot of (undeserved) hatred from certain heretofore unnamed persons on the old board, but I'm hoping the air is clear and free to breathe, again.

Thank-you again and Lord bless you for making me feel welcome.
Doug Working
 
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Re: Which Guitars Chet Used On Each Album

Postby mark reinhart » Tue May 20, 2014 8:47 am

Doug, figuring out just which guitar Chet used for certain recordings was something I tried to do for the Chet book project I just finished up -- to be honest, there were quite a few of Chet's recording projects that I just couldn't find a definitive answer for that question. Once Chet entered into his guitar endorsement deals (Gretsch from 1955 to about 1980, Gibson from the early 1980s until the end of his career) it became very hard to tell just which model of guitar he might have been recording with on a particular day. For example, we know that he recorded with his 1959 Grestch Country Gentleman quite a bit of the time, but we also know that Gretsch was regularly supplying him with new guitars throughout the years he was with the company -- so he used some of those guitars for his work as well.

So, for my book, quite a few of the discussions about particular songs Chet recorded had to be non-specific in terms of just which guitar he used. If Chet publicly stated which guitar he used for a certain recording, or a reliable source could provide an answer to that question, then I listed that information. I discussed about 140 of Chet's recorded songs in the book, and about half of those I could list just which guitar he used, and half of them I could not.

All of this brings me to an interesting point. As I worked on the book, I was struck with just how casual Chet was about the history of his musical career. All of us devoted fans love to pore over the details of his work, but he was refreshingly unceremonious when it came to considering his legacy. He certainly was well aware of his accomplishments, but he never felt the need to take himself too seriously. Because of that, he didn't leave us quite as much detailed information about his work as he might have -- but what the heck, now all of us fans can have fun trying to figure out some of that information for ourselves!

One last thing -- the "Frequently Asked Questions" section on the Chetboard does list just which guitars Chet used for several of his best-known songs and albums. I looked at that info a number of times while I was working on my book.
mark reinhart
 
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Re: Which Guitars Chet Used On Each Album

Postby Doug Working » Tue May 20, 2014 9:01 am

I must say, you just wowed me with that information. It's more than I could have expected.

I guess over the years of listening to my Chet records, I was always struck by the changes in guitar sound from one record to the next (And they all sounded fabulous!) but I was also fascinated with how he had certain signature licks, (arpeggios, for instance as well as scales) that he would seamlessly weave into each tune. He used certain ones a LOT. And there were certain signature "tones" he would use repeatedly, but I could never figure out how he did them.

Anyway, I did notice a similarity in guitar tone in many albums, and I guess in the back of my mind I was wondering which guitar he was using. But never explored it further, because I was too busy just trying to pick like that.

I figured there are guys out here who are FAR more expert than I could ever hope to be. I guess before I got the question out of my mouth, I had a bitter experience with D.H. on the previous Chetboard, and so I've been gone on a little journey for a while. (Heh, heh!)
Doug Working
 
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Re: Which Guitars Chet Used On Each Album

Postby David Elliott » Tue May 20, 2014 10:23 am

Hi Doug,

Welcome back to the ChetBoard! Good to see your posting here!

I don't know about any "hatred", but I know for sure there was a lot of unfair treatment of you. Let's hope that the people who exhibited that have grown up a little since then, and can act in a more civilized manner!

David Elliott
Simi Valley, California

Doug Working wrote:Hi Bill. Thank-you.

Yes. I'm the guy with all the Ytube Chet tunes. (Over 500). I'm doing ok. Been through a LOT in life since then, but I'm still kickin' and still pickin'. Got me a new amp for my Chet style guitar, so I have renewed hope.

Money has been extremely tight since my job went to Mexico. Kind of homeless right now. Got help from my church to buy the amp.

Anyway, I felt I received a lot of (undeserved) hatred from certain heretofore unnamed persons on the old board, but I'm hoping the air is clear and free to breathe, again.

Thank-you again and Lord bless you for making me feel welcome.
David Elliott
 
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Location: Simi Valley, California

Re: Which Guitars Chet Used On Each Album

Postby Ray Bohlken » Tue May 20, 2014 10:23 am

Doug it's great to hear from you again. I hate that you had that experience on the Chet Board. I always appreciated your posts and the work you did to keep the board going. I hope you continue to post here and I wish you well.
Ray
Ray Bohlken
 
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Re: Which Guitars Chet Used On Each Album

Postby Doug Working » Tue May 20, 2014 10:33 am

Thank-you all. I feel safer, now. I really do.

All I ever wanted to do was talk about Mr. Guitar. That was it in a nutshell. Never wanted any flack. Just wanted to talk about Chet.

In the years since then, I've purchased some great books with Chet transcriptions. I just LOVE reading the anecdotes in the books almost as much as looking at the transcriptions and thinking "Gee! Someday I'm gonna learn that one!"

But the anecdotes and the photos are like a time capsule. Brings me back to another time and another place when Chet was making his music, teaching us all "How it's done".
Doug Working
 
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Re: Which Guitars Chet Used On Each Album

Postby Richard Hudson » Tue May 20, 2014 11:52 am

Doug, I'm glad to see you back. I always admired and respected your passion for Chet and his music. I hope all the bumps in the road are behind you and your travels are smooth like a freshly laid asphalt highway.

Keep posting,
Richard
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Re: Which Guitars Chet Used On Each Album

Postby Doug Working » Tue May 20, 2014 11:57 am

Thank-you! Much appreciated! Or shall we say "smooth as Chet's fingers pulling off one of those lightning fast scale runs! (Or amazing Chet style arpeggios!)
Doug Working
 
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