Decision made: Bardens vs. Chevy

Lightnin · June 3rd, 2004, 03:44 PM

Well, after a long hard thought process, I came to a decision.

I was wanting to get some Joe Barden pickups for my hotrod custom Tele that I love dearly and the Bardens really would've been a great final touch. However, with the fact that they are so far backordered they're almost impossible to get and combined with the fact that I'd nearly have to take out a 2nd mortgage to get them from eGay, I had to decide how important it was to me.

I also had been wanting to get an old car for some time since it had been awhile. I had been searching around for a good deal. Found a few: 58 AMC Rambler Wagon (the ultimate gig-mobile), 58 Chevy Biscayne, 51 Studebaker pick'em'up, 58 El Camino Ratrod, 60 Impala 4dr.

So what to do? old car...potential money pit...but ultra-cool or kick-butt pickups for the best Tele in the midwest (minus Mandy's Nocaster)?

Well, I drove down to Georgia this past weekend and picked myself up the 1960 Chevy Impala. It was too good of a deal to pass up and cost me about as much as a set of Bardens would nowadays. It drove without a hitch all 10 1/2 hours from Georgia.
Here's one of my few chances to boast about my new baby:

Jakedog · June 3rd, 2004, 03:52 PM

Congrats man. That ride is truly freaking beautiful. Even if it is a piece of Chevy!

(Please feel free to retort with an equally rude anti-Ford comment)

Seriously though, that is cool. They don't make 'em like that anymore.

Jake

Michael Murphy · June 3rd, 2004, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jakedog

They don't make 'em like that anymore.

There's a reason... :D

(Just kidding)

Nice car. Personally, I've been jonesin' for a '58 Impala convertible to restore. Chances of finding one, and actually having the funds to pull it off are pretty slim, tho...

-Michael
Charter Member S. Texas He-Man Emoticon Haters Local #316

kid deluxe · June 3rd, 2004, 04:14 PM

Wow... I give you two sets of Bardens for that baby..

Brad · June 3rd, 2004, 04:16 PM

Bardens schmardens.......you gochyasef a ride bro! Cool, cool car. Congratulations.

Lightnin · June 3rd, 2004, 04:27 PM

heh, yeah....there's nothing you can say about Chevy I haven't heard already. I hang out with a bunch of hotrod guys who almost all of them have Fords.
I really didn't have a preference...I just wanted something that acutally had a carb and no computer in it. But being a son of a lifer GM employee did persuade me a bit.

2 sets of Bardens for it? Okay...that'll be about $9k from the looks of eBay. haha

Thanks all. I got in just in time for Rockabilly Rebel Weekend here in Indy.

Tele295 · June 3rd, 2004, 05:18 PM

Gatton would have made the same choice. Nice score on the wheels!

PraiseCaster · June 3rd, 2004, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jakedog

Even if it is a piece of Chevy!

Ya know what FORD stands for backwards? Driver Returned On Foot!

Sorry, couldnt pass that one up!

Chevy's are Kick Arse![/b]

EDIT: Oh yeah, Great looking Impala!

bri · June 3rd, 2004, 07:34 PM

decision. Hey, it's "all in the fingers" anyway.
Brian

feojack · June 3rd, 2004, 10:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PraiseCaster

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jakedog

Even if it is a piece of Chevy!

Ya know what FORD stands for backwards? Driver Returned On Foot!

Sorry, couldnt pass that one up!

Chevy's are Kick Arse![/b]

EDIT: Oh yeah, Great looking Impala!

Of course frontwards FORD stands for either:
Fix Or Repair Daily or Found On Road Dead.

Beautiful set of wheels though. I have a friend who recently scored '59 Impala in cherry condition. (Except for a 396/427style big block engine) Myself, I'd love to find a reasonable (not cherryed out) '56 model. I've owned four 56 Chevies in my life, and I LOVE them. Chevrolets Forever!
Cheers, feojack

stantheman · June 3rd, 2004, 10:41 PM

If that's "the mill" in that fine lookin' puppy You just solved the gas crunch....and congratulations for buyin'
A MAN'S CAR !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Caper · June 4th, 2004, 02:23 AM

Boy I sure miss driving a real car. My dad was a real horse trader in his day, I grew up driving just about everything G.M. made from 1960 to 1980. I love old Pontiacs and Chevy's. I can still smell the pine tree air freshener, brings back the memories. The Sunday family drives, my two parents and baby brother in the front and the remainder of 8 siblings in the back

If I had a dime for every time my Dad said "if I have to pull this car over".

11 Gauge · June 4th, 2004, 11:24 AM

i miss driving a REAL car.

i currently have a '97 Camry FAMILY sedan.

i really want a Deuce, a Chevy II, or OF COURSE a Cobra.

i think i'd settle for anything with a manual trans and an engine i could actually tweak though (fuel injection need not apply, or computers of any sort).

Rob Rent · June 4th, 2004, 12:39 PM

He was playing in the opening band for us (Evan Johns and the H Bombs) and I was explaining to the owner of the club that I was NOT going to go on AFTER Danny Gatton....Ultimately went on first....I was telling Danny all about his career and although he was nice.....I'm sure he didn't want to talk about guitars with some clown in a bar......The owner walked in and asked if I had told Danny about my car..............at which point verything changed.HE wanted to see my car.......He lifted the hood and asked me to start it..then he adjusted my carbs in his shirt sleeves out in the cold..all the while talking about old cars.......I had just painted it a medium-light blue with a white top...........I hadn't thought about that car in years.........thanks........enjoy it.

timgreene · June 4th, 2004, 01:57 PM

I remember that band from living in Austin 1983-84 ish.

Tele295 · June 4th, 2004, 06:36 PM

Rob, you never did tell me about the '57 Chevy in the picture 8)

Rob Rent · June 5th, 2004, 01:43 AM

Way back when talk was beginning about the Gatton signature model, I had a copper colored '57 chevy hardtop the top was white...(I haven't seen many in that particular color combination)...in amazing condition.....Danny almost pooped when he saw it........he offerred me his '53 tele for it...that is, of course, if the new guitar was good enough to take the place of his '53.....I hesitated a little too long and he ended up trading for a '34 Ford..........
A year or so later he offered me his 3 pickup Les Paul that he used with the Redneck Jazz Explosion....My car was worth about $18,000- $25,000 (depending on who you ask) and the guitar was worth about $3,000 to $3,500 (again, depending on who you'd ask)....so I told him he'd have to sweeten the deal a little....Things were about to happen with me getting the 'Paul, 2 Gatton model Teles ..one of each color and a couple of amps.... (I also ended up with dozens of tapes....cassetes as well as reel of all kinds of stuff that Dan had recorded over the course of his life that he had given me while courting me about the trade).......
ANYWAY... to make a small saga even smaller....I ran into some VERRRRRY serious IRS problems and I had to sell the car........I offerred it to Dan for a LOT less than what it was worth....because I wanted him to have it if at all possible...BUT I did need to pay the back taxes and he simply could not come up with the cash....so off it went...
He had a photo of it with me leaning against it in his guitar case for a few years....my 23 year old remembers that.........I used to screw with folks who asked about it by telling them that I was Danny's favorite player..... those who have heard me know better.

bo · June 5th, 2004, 12:37 PM

But get the ride!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D

stantheman · June 5th, 2004, 01:40 PM

Ragtop Roadmaster the one featured in his book called
"Master's Of The Telecaster".... Every so often I go hunting on ebay and the only antiques are hardtops...
I'm a ragtop man, Arlen's Roadmaster is SWEET 8) .

Rob Rent · June 6th, 2004, 12:38 PM

Arlen...........never met the guy...(I sure would like to though)....BUT I have heard that he's a great guy...as well as a good player and teacher....and MAN, OH MAN........I have seen photos of that car.......and it sure is a handsome hunk of American culture and engineering.......

June 3rd, 2004, 03:44 PM	#1 (permalink)
Lightnin Tele-Meister Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Corn Country Posts: 101	Decision made: Bardens vs. Chevy Well, after a long hard thought process, I came to a decision. I was wanting to get some Joe Barden pickups for my hotrod custom Tele that I love dearly and the Bardens really would've been a great final touch. However, with the fact that they are so far backordered they're almost impossible to get and combined with the fact that I'd nearly have to take out a 2nd mortgage to get them from eGay, I had to decide how important it was to me. I also had been wanting to get an old car for some time since it had been awhile. I had been searching around for a good deal. Found a few: 58 AMC Rambler Wagon (the ultimate gig-mobile), 58 Chevy Biscayne, 51 Studebaker pick'em'up, 58 El Camino Ratrod, 60 Impala 4dr. So what to do? old car...potential money pit...but ultra-cool or kick-butt pickups for the best Tele in the midwest (minus Mandy's Nocaster)? Well, I drove down to Georgia this past weekend and picked myself up the 1960 Chevy Impala. It was too good of a deal to pass up and cost me about as much as a set of Bardens would nowadays. It drove without a hitch all 10 1/2 hours from Georgia. Here's one of my few chances to boast about my new baby: __________________ insert witty and profound signature here

June 3rd, 2004, 03:52 PM	#2 (permalink)
Jakedog Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Cleveland,OH But my heart's still in TE Posts: 2,905	Congrats man. That ride is truly freaking beautiful. Even if it is a piece of Chevy! (Please feel free to retort with an equally rude anti-Ford comment) Seriously though, that is cool. They don't make 'em like that anymore. Jake __________________ "Them that don't know him won't like him, and them that do sometimes won't know how to take him..."

June 3rd, 2004, 04:16 PM	#5 (permalink)
Brad Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Tacoma, WA Posts: 1,294	You made the right choice! Bardens schmardens.......you gochyasef a ride bro! Cool, cool car. Congratulations. __________________ We don't stop playing because we get old, we get old becasue we stop playing.

June 3rd, 2004, 04:27 PM	#6 (permalink)
Lightnin Tele-Meister Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Corn Country Posts: 101	heh, yeah....there's nothing you can say about Chevy I haven't heard already. I hang out with a bunch of hotrod guys who almost all of them have Fords. I really didn't have a preference...I just wanted something that acutally had a carb and no computer in it. But being a son of a lifer GM employee did persuade me a bit. 2 sets of Bardens for it? Okay...that'll be about $9k from the looks of eBay. haha Thanks all. I got in just in time for Rockabilly Rebel Weekend here in Indy. __________________ insert witty and profound signature here

June 3rd, 2004, 05:18 PM	#7 (permalink)
Tele295 Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Tiger Town Posts: 3,235 14 Photos	Gatton would have made the same choice. Nice score on the wheels! __________________ "Turn it up and it doesn't need any reverb." - Danny Gatton www.dannygatton.info Tiger Town Aces - Music That Bites Back In Redd we trust! Free Bill Kirchen! If lawyers are disbarred and clergymen defrocked, doesn't it follow that electricians can be delighted, musicians denoted, cowboys deranged, models deposed, tree surgeons debarked, and dry cleaners depressed?

June 3rd, 2004, 04:14 PM	#4 (permalink)
kid deluxe Tele-Meister Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Germany Posts: 167	Wow... I give you two sets of Bardens for that baby..

June 3rd, 2004, 07:34 PM	#9 (permalink)
bri Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Ontario, Canada Age: 68 Posts: 442	You made the right... decision. Hey, it's "all in the fingers" anyway. Brian

June 3rd, 2004, 10:41 PM	#11 (permalink)
stantheman Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: White Mountains Posts: 4,830	283 C.I. ??? If that's "the mill" in that fine lookin' puppy You just solved the gas crunch....and congratulations for buyin' *A MAN'S CAR !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!* __________________ Somebody Loan Me A Dime

June 4th, 2004, 02:23 AM	#12 (permalink)
Caper Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 2,151 6 Photos	Boy I sure miss driving a real car. My dad was a real horse trader in his day, I grew up driving just about everything G.M. made from 1960 to 1980. I love old Pontiacs and Chevy's. I can still smell the pine tree air freshener, brings back the memories. The Sunday family drives, my two parents and baby brother in the front and the remainder of 8 siblings in the back If I had a dime for every time my Dad said "if I have to pull this car over".

June 4th, 2004, 11:24 AM	#13 (permalink)
11 Gauge Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: The East Coast Posts: 2,829 10 Photos	me too i miss driving a REAL car. i currently have a '97 Camry FAMILY sedan. i really want a Deuce, a Chevy II, or OF COURSE a Cobra. i think i'd settle for anything with a manual trans and an engine i could actually tweak though (fuel injection need not apply, or computers of any sort). __________________

June 4th, 2004, 12:39 PM	#14 (permalink)
Rob Rent Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Baltimore Maryland Posts: 393	I was driving a '60 Chevy the night I met Gatton He was playing in the opening band for us (Evan Johns and the H Bombs) and I was explaining to the owner of the club that I was NOT going to go on AFTER Danny Gatton....Ultimately went on first....I was telling Danny all about his career and although he was nice.....I'm sure he didn't want to talk about guitars with some clown in a bar......The owner walked in and asked if I had told Danny about my car..............at which point verything changed.HE wanted to see my car.......He lifted the hood and asked me to start it..then he adjusted my carbs in his shirt sleeves out in the cold..all the while talking about old cars.......I had just painted it a medium-light blue with a white top...........I hadn't thought about that car in years.........thanks........enjoy it. __________________ A lot of what these guys play might not be blues........but it sure makes me sad to listen to it.

June 4th, 2004, 01:57 PM	#15 (permalink)
timgreene Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 1,248 10 Photos	Evan Johns and the H Bombs I remember that band from living in Austin 1983-84 ish. __________________ opinions expressed are the view of the author, and are not necesarily correct.

June 4th, 2004, 06:36 PM	#16 (permalink)
Tele295 Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Tiger Town Posts: 3,235 14 Photos	Rob, you never did tell me about the '57 Chevy in the picture 8) __________________ "Turn it up and it doesn't need any reverb." - Danny Gatton www.dannygatton.info Tiger Town Aces - Music That Bites Back In Redd we trust! Free Bill Kirchen! If lawyers are disbarred and clergymen defrocked, doesn't it follow that electricians can be delighted, musicians denoted, cowboys deranged, models deposed, tree surgeons debarked, and dry cleaners depressed?

June 5th, 2004, 01:43 AM	#17 (permalink)
Rob Rent Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Baltimore Maryland Posts: 393	....ahhh.the '57 Way back when talk was beginning about the Gatton signature model, I had a copper colored '57 chevy hardtop the top was white...(I haven't seen many in that particular color combination)...in amazing condition.....Danny almost pooped when he saw it........he offerred me his '53 tele for it...that is, of course, if the new guitar was good enough to take the place of his '53.....I hesitated a little too long and he ended up trading for a '34 Ford.......... A year or so later he offered me his 3 pickup Les Paul that he used with the Redneck Jazz Explosion....My car was worth about $18,000- $25,000 (depending on who you ask) and the guitar was worth about $3,000 to $3,500 (again, depending on who you'd ask)....so I told him he'd have to sweeten the deal a little....Things were about to happen with me getting the 'Paul, 2 Gatton model Teles ..one of each color and a couple of amps.... (I also ended up with dozens of tapes....cassetes as well as reel of all kinds of stuff that Dan had recorded over the course of his life that he had given me while courting me about the trade)....... ANYWAY... to make a small saga even smaller....I ran into some VERRRRRY serious IRS problems and I had to sell the car........I offerred it to Dan for a LOT less than what it was worth....because I wanted him to have it if at all possible...BUT I did need to pay the back taxes and he simply could not come up with the cash....so off it went... He had a photo of it with me leaning against it in his guitar case for a few years....my 23 year old remembers that.........I used to screw with folks who asked about it by telling them that I was Danny's favorite player..... those who have heard me know better. __________________ A lot of what these guys play might not be blues........but it sure makes me sad to listen to it.

June 5th, 2004, 12:37 PM	#18 (permalink)
bo Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 1,714	I love my Bardens!!!! But get the ride!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D

June 5th, 2004, 01:40 PM	#19 (permalink)
stantheman Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: White Mountains Posts: 4,830	Hey Rob !!! Can ya tell us anything bout Arlen's Ragtop Roadmaster the one featured in his book called "Master's Of The Telecaster".... Every so often I go hunting on ebay and the only antiques are hardtops... I'm a ragtop man, Arlen's Roadmaster is SWEET 8) . __________________ Somebody Loan Me A Dime

June 6th, 2004, 12:38 PM	#20 (permalink)
Rob Rent Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Baltimore Maryland Posts: 393	I don't know........... Arlen...........never met the guy...(I sure would like to though)....BUT I have heard that he's a great guy...as well as a good player and teacher....and MAN, OH MAN........I have seen photos of that car.......and it sure is a handsome hunk of American culture and engineering....... __________________ A lot of what these guys play might not be blues........but it sure makes me sad to listen to it.