Clarence White's Tele Tone

Thought I'd start another thread highlighting these great clips recorded and shared by Bob Warford of Clarence playing Buckaroo in two different instances with his famous burst Tele and the white Tele that he sold Bob. Both were recorded direct from the back of Clarences Vibrolux Reverb into Bob's tape recorder

http://www.clarencewhiteforum.com/mp3/Buckaroosunburst.mp3

http://www.clarencewhiteforum.com/mp3/Buckaroowhite.mp3

Amazing!

Was this pre-bender?

And the 'burst sounds just as good today (albeit in a little different Marty style). Thanks, Brian.

Amazing!

Was this pre-bender?

Yes. Both guitars were pre-b bender. Around 1967.

That was my intro to CW! Thx! Arlen Roth and others love him, now I see why!

Bob has started playing some gigs around So. Cal. with Robb Strandlund and the Neon Sinners.

Brian, stuff like this makes our day. ...
:)

Here's the Clarence forum thread where these tracks were first released and discussed

http://www.bbenderguitars.com/CWforum/forum/viewtopic.php?t=490

The way players get "style" and "tone" confused always makes it difficult to give examples in context, as most experienced players will alter their attack as needed to fit songs, bands, rooms, instruments - which causes apparent glitches in trying to list examples of their style.

And the same goes for tone, as those attack variations (along with volume variations, different equipment, recording gear variations, room size ad nauseum) can alter tone "examples" to the point that often debates over equipment and tone often become "you had to be there" discussions.

A couple of good recorded examples of Clarence playng during the same time frame where some similarities are fairly obvious while differences can be extreme - the Royal Albert Hall CD and the Hollywood Palladium bootleg, both from 1971. The RAH show has Clarence playing strong and the whole band pretty tight, and his attack varies - but not to extremes. On the Palladium boot, however, his playing is insanely aggressive at times and it's one of the best examples of his use of both the Velvet Hammer pickup harness and the Vibratone - and it helps that the recording was made (for the most part) right in front of his amp.

They also demonstrate that in many ways Clarence had morphed his playing/instrument into an almost seamless "one". The bender, as he was using it in 71 is a totally different tool than it was in 1968 or 69. And as he progressed, the bender was not a "Telecaster with a Stringbender on it" ("Stringbenders didn't really exist anyway - this was a one-off at the time, except for Bob's and a few others), it was, as he played it, a completely different musical instrument. Cranked amp(s), light picking and use of right hand dynamics and the instrument's volume, tone and pickup controls were all vital pieces of his "tonal/stylistic puzzle".

Hoping to hear from you, Silverface.
Any hints on how to track down that Palladium boot?

Great stuff.

Silverface lets the dirty little secret out.............amp dimed.........light touch.

Silverface lets the dirty little secret out.............amp dimed.........light touch.

Don't say that...now we'll have to start an argument about the Greta. :lol:

Don't say that...now we'll have to start an argument about the Greta. :lol:

Okay, I'll bite,.....
Whats a Greta?

Okay, I'll bite,.....
Whats a Greta?

Simple - use the search function and you'll find out the details - basically it's a new, unique, ultra low-powered Fender Amp. Has no bearing on this thread except Mike's kidding around over some debates aout how to get the best sound out of one coupled with Clarence's playing method - cranked amp, light touch and constant use of the guitar volume and tone controls to change not only tone but drive and distortion levels.