Muddy Waters Tele, Chrome Knobs & Maple Necks

[PJ]

Seems Muddy had more than one Tele, in a different configuration than the one Fender's keyed-in on. No amp knobs, extra pickguard screws or rosewood neck on this one.

[surfoverb]

He played all kinds of guitars.

[kinkstah]

Actually, the Tele in this picture could be the one we all know. According to musicians from Muddy's band, the famous red Telecaster was, in the fifties, a blonde Tele with a maple neck.
In an interview, Bob Margolin (Muddy's guitarist in the late 70's) said that Muddy's Tele was "a white '57 Fender Telecaster, modified in 1961: the body was painted red, and the maple neck was replaced with a custom wider neck, with a rosewood fingerboard, to better accomodate Muddy's large hands".
Muddy called that guitar "The Hoss".
So, who knows... Maybe it's The Hoss on that pic?

[Michaell]

Originally Posted by surfoverb

He played all kinds of guitars.

for sure

even ...heaven forbid...Les Pauls!

[PJ]

I just came across the photo on-line, and even though I'm not a youngster, I'd never seen Muddy perform. Only have his records.
Up until now, any photos I'd seen had him playing the red/rosewood Tele. But, I knew the audience here would know the real story behind the blonde Tele.

[Vladimir]

Originally Posted by kinkstah

the body was painted red, and the maple neck was replaced with a custom wider neck, with a rosewood fingerboard, to better accomodate Muddy's large hands".

Does that mean the currently produced Muddy Waters Tele also has a wider neck then regular Tele's?

[Sidney Vicious]

I am reading "Can't Be Satisfied" - a biography of Muddy - and it states his first Telecaster was white - later replaced by a red one with a rosewood neck.

pj:

Where is that pic from? I suspect that is Otis Spann to the right and that the pic taken in England on Muddy's first trip over there.

[Rick B]

You are correct, Sidney.

Left to right: Muddy Waters, British skiffle bandleader Chas McDevitt, and Otis Spann.

Photo taken in England, 1958.

[Sidney Vicious]

Thank you, Rick B, quick work!

I checked the book - as I dog-eared the pages last night when I happened to first read mentions of the Muddy Telecasters -

and at page 158 it says Muddy is in England in October 1958 for the first time and happened to "obligingly unpack his white Fender electric guitar and pose for photographs."

The photo in the link must be from that time.

At page 163:

"He would soon buy a new guitar, a red Telecaster with a custom neck made of rosewood, strong enough to handle his heavy strings, and a raised nut to accomodate his slide."

[surfoverb]

Originally Posted by Vladimir

Does that mean the currently produced Muddy Waters Tele also has a wider neck then regular Tele's?

Where is it wider? It looks like there is a neck pocket 'lip'. The one they sell has this lip too which is interesting, I thought only the CS 51 nocaster had the 'lip' (the 52RI don't have them)

[kinkstah]

Originally Posted by PJ

I just came across the photo on-line, and even though I'm not a youngster, I'd never seen Muddy perform. Only have his records.
Up until now, any photos I'd seen had him playing the red/rosewood Tele. But, I knew the audience here would know the real story behind the blonde Tele.

Muddy can be seen with his white blonde Telecaster on the video of the Newport Jazz Festival (1960, which eventually was partially released on the classic LP "Live At Newport")
It is available on DVD, but you may enjoy an excerpt by following the link below (same concert):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaIT0mKJ7D0

Cheers

[PJ]

Sidney....I was Googling some images and searched Muddy Waters. If you go to "images" you'll find it. Not any background on where or when it's from, just the photo.

[skydawg]

Otis Spann was awesome. Next to Pinetop Perkins and the immortal Johnny "Be Good" Johnson, one of the best pie annie players ever.

[PJ]

Skydawg....just curious - with a handle like that, you must play some slide on that Tele-Blaster in your photo, eh?