help needed identifying a tele - Robbie Robertson (of The Band) - Page 4

Elliot Easton · April 27th, 2008, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by geardaddy

just curious...am i alone in thinking that robbie "cuts" clapton on "further on up the road" in the last waltz?

you're not alone.

geardaddy · April 27th, 2008, 04:35 PM

no argument there, telemarkman!

a lot of things started to make sense for me when i realized that robbie learned his chops from buchanan in the hawks...

adambet2 · April 27th, 2008, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by webb3201

I have watched and re-watched that classic albums ep and the Tele Robbie plays looks like such a mess. It actually looks like someone ripped off the pickguard without unscrewing it! I love rewinding it to try and get my head around what has happened to that guitar. Well worth the viewing for Band fans.

the old tele from that video (check the images i posted of it above) looks beautiuful to me. old and worn... you can tell that guitar has seen it all. and it sounds beautiful when he plays it.

would it be a mistake to assume that tele is characteristic of what alder looks like? i know wood is different from piece to piece. i'm just wondering if i decide to get that '67 tele, and some day down the line decide to strip it, if it would look like that.

Telemarkman · April 27th, 2008, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by adambet2

would it be a mistake to assume that tele is characteristic of what alder looks like? i know wood is different from piece to piece. i'm just wondering if i decide to get that '67 tele, and some day down the line decide to strip it, if it would look like that.

Buying an opaque colored Tele, you won't know how many pieces of wood it has and how well they are matched up. You just might get a surprise if you strip it.

On the other hand, I stripped my red '65 Tele (back in 1970, I guess) and it looked great. It looked like a one-piece to me (probably wasn't), and the grain was tight and straight and not too visible, quite like Robbie's. So I guess you'll never know before you actually try it. And then it's too late to regret

...

adambet2 · April 27th, 2008, 05:36 PM

could you strip under the pickguard first just to see? when you say two pieces, that just means the body is bonded together from the pieces of wood... it won't like fall apart if you strip it?

could you assume that a 3 grand guitar would have nice wood underneath?

of course i wouldn't try doing this for a long time, if ever. i'm just very curious and would like to know if it would be an option in the future.

Telemarkman · April 27th, 2008, 05:53 PM

It is of course much easier to match several pieces of alder than ash, because alder doesn't have a very conspicious grain pattern. So chances are that a CS Tele would have some nice pieces of wood - probably two - underneath.

And NO, it won't fall apart if you strip it

nosuch · April 28th, 2008, 10:54 AM

Hi all you robertson afficianados, just found this.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=xO0gSJGJ7Fs&feature=related
robbie's guitar sounds & looks like a stock 60s tele, while dylan (doesn't he look sharp in his velvet suit) seems to play an earlier sample (maybe borrowed from robbie?)

Elliot Easton · April 28th, 2008, 11:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by adambet2

when you say two pieces, that just means the body is bonded together from the pieces of wood... it won't like fall apart if you strip it?

yes, it will. it's only being held together by thin layers of paint and lacquer.

nosuch · April 28th, 2008, 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elliot Easton

yes, it will. it's only being held together by thin layers of paint and lacquer.

ELLIOT!

Telemarkman · April 28th, 2008, 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nosuch

Hi all you robertson afficianados, just found this.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=xO0gSJGJ7Fs&feature=related
robbie's guitar sounds & looks like a stock 60s tele, while dylan (doesn't he look sharp in his velvet suit) seems to play an earlier sample (maybe borrowed from robbie?)

WOW, thank you nosuch! That's the best video clip I've seen of Dylan & The Hawks

... And with Mickey Jones on drums (later Kenny Rogers & The First Edition).

Robbie plays his white/blonde rosewood board early 60's Tele, and I guess Dylan plays Robbie's black "Brown Album" Tele. (Or maybe he had one himself ?)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elliot Easton

yes, it will. it's only being held together by thin layers of paint and lacquer.

I guess it was just luck that I didn't take off the pickguard when I stripped mine

nosuch · April 28th, 2008, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Telemarkman

Robbie plays his white/blonde rosewood board early 60's Tele

I know it's ridiculous, but it makes me want one.

:-D

Telemarkman · April 28th, 2008, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nosuch

I know it's ridiculous, but it makes me want one.

:-D

Not ridiculous at all - besides the early 50's Blackguards, this is the most desirable Tele of them all IMO

.

In fact that is why I bought my 60's Classic

...

Elliot Easton · April 28th, 2008, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nosuch

ELLIOT!

I'm sorry nosuch, but if you read through all the questions and how patiently and in great detail they have been answered, only to have this poster come back with a question so absurd that it's nearly impossible to take seriously, and yet AGAIN have the question answered by some good natured soul, you can only come to the conclusion that this person is having a laugh at all of our expense and simply wasting everyone's time on purpose. I mean over 130 posts wondering about getting a Tele like Robbie's! If I'm wrong, then I apologize, but whatever is wrong with this person will not be cured by the right Tele! Read it if you can stand it and you'll see what I mean...

adambet2 · April 28th, 2008, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elliot Easton

I'm sorry nosuch, but if you read through all the questions and how patiently and in great detail they have been answered, only to have this poster come back with a question so absurd that it's nearly impossible to take seriously, and yet AGAIN have the question answered by some good natured soul, you can only come to the conclusion that this person is having a laugh at all of our expense and simply wasting everyone's time on purpose. I mean over 130 posts wondering about getting a Tele like Robbie's! If I'm wrong, then I apologize, but whatever is wrong with this person will not be cured by the right Tele! Read it if you can stand it and you'll see what I mean...

what is your problem? i'm sorry i'm asking so many questions, but i don't know a lot about telecasters and i can easily see that a lot of people here do. if i have questions, i'm going to ask them, however small or stupid they may seem. buying a tele is a big deal to me, i want to make sure i know what i'm looking for. as i already said before, why on earth would i waste my time and everyone else's by posting a some online telecaster forum for no reason? so i can trick people into thinking they're helping somebody? that sure would be a good one...

Durtdog · April 28th, 2008, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by adambet2

what is your problem? i'm sorry i'm asking so many questions, but i don't know a lot about telecasters and i can easily see that a lot of people here do. if i have questions, i'm going to ask them, however small or stupid they may seem. buying a tele is a big deal to me, i want to make sure i know what i'm looking for. as i already said before, why on earth would i waste my time and everyone else's by posting a some online telecaster forum for no reason? so i can trick people into thinking they're helping somebody? that sure would be a good one...

Your questions have been answered ad nauseum.

Why don't you go and play some guitars to see what you like. No amount of questions answered can select your guitar for you.

lennyb · April 28th, 2008, 02:44 PM

Does he even realize the guy that has been giving him advise all along ,with all the other super informative members of the TDPRI is /was a Professional touring musician that has been in a band that has sold millions of albums ??????????????
Google "The Cars" find out who their Guitar player is and come back and see us....HEHEHEHE

62_Inca_Esquire · April 28th, 2008, 02:50 PM

Adambet...

Go to a music store, play some guitars.

Seriously.

Thats the only way you'll find YOUR guitar. Everyone in the forum could say "buy a Baja Telecaster"...you buy it...and you might hate it. The thing is that people like different things.

Back to Robbie.... no guitar in the world will make you sound like Robbie. I know Ive said this a bunch of times, but it bears repeating.

And no, guitars will not "fall apart" by removing the finish. You could have concluded that by looking at the MANY pictures of Robbies guitar....you know, the one you were asking about...and seeing that the finish has been stripped off of it, and the guitar did not "fall apart"...

Now go...play some guitars.

adambet2 · April 28th, 2008, 02:50 PM

that's great... but i'm not going to talk differently to someone just because they are more famous then someone else. anyway, i'm sorry for all the controversy, i'm not asking questions for the hell of it, i'll re-read the thread and try some out before i come back with any questions.

FatTeleTom · April 28th, 2008, 02:59 PM

Although several of us think you may be occasionally missing the forest for the trees a bit with some of your follow up questions, I would like to offer my appreciation to you for starting what has turned out to be a very entertaining and informative thread about one of my favorite guitarists.

So, thanks for that, and best of luck with your Tele hunt. Do re-read some of the answers--I think you'll find some stuff you may have missed, with the central theme being to find a good "classic" sounding Tele that feels good in your hands.

But do keep the thread going and keep us posted on your search.

Tom
(fellow Chicago-area Tele and Robertson fan)

Ron S · April 28th, 2008, 03:00 PM

I'm with Elliot on this one, if you're investing this much time into 'nailing' the tone of a guitarist like Robertson and arguing the tonal qualities of ash versus alder why/how could you not know that a guitar body is generally held together with glue?

Just a quick question for you though. If you played a guitar in a shop that utterly nailed Robbie's tone (as far as you're concerned), would you buy it if it was the wrong colour/wood/wood grain/not a tele.

Conversely if you found a tele that looked identical to Robbie's but it sounded terrible/OK but not like Robbie's would you buy it?

Just interested.

FWIW I think you'd be happier if you let it go and just found a guitar you can bond with and make some music, after all that's what Robbie did.

Telemarkman · April 28th, 2008, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 62_Inca_Esquire

Back to Robbie.... no guitar in the world will make you sound like Robbie. I know Ive said this a bunch of times, but it bears repeating.

Well, I don't know ... last year I rehearsed with a local folksinger, who among others sang a couple of Dylan songs. I played some fill-inn's, and he said I sounded just like Robbie Robertson

... (And I was using my '52 RI through a Tweed Blues Deluxe RI

)

62_Inca_Esquire · April 28th, 2008, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Telemarkman

Well, I don't know ... last year I rehearsed with a local folksinger, who among others sang a couple of Dylan songs. I played some fill-inn's, and he said I sounded just like Robbie Robertson

... (And I was using my '52 RI through a Tweed Blues Deluxe RI

)

I sometimes fool myself into thinking I sound like a good guitar player...

Telemarkman · April 28th, 2008, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 62_Inca_Esquire

I sometimes fool myself into thinking I sound like a good guitar player...

Alas, I'm not THAT easily fooled

...

April 27th, 2008, 04:35 PM	#122 (permalink)
geardaddy Tele-Meister Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: san francisco Posts: 266	no argument there, telemarkman! a lot of things started to make sense for me when i realized that robbie learned his chops from buchanan in the hawks... __________________ switchin' it over to AM, searchin' for a truer sound...

April 28th, 2008, 10:54 AM	#127 (permalink)
nosuch Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Cologne Age: 41 Posts: 149	Hi all you robertson afficianados, just found this. http://youtube.com/watch?v=xO0gSJGJ7Fs&feature=related robbie's guitar sounds & looks like a stock 60s tele, while dylan (doesn't he look sharp in his velvet suit) seems to play an earlier sample (maybe borrowed from robbie?) __________________ "Kunst ist schön, macht aber viel Arbeit." (Karl Valentin)

April 27th, 2008, 05:36 PM	#125 (permalink)
adambet2 TDPRI Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: chicago Age: 19 Posts: 33	could you strip under the pickguard first just to see? when you say two pieces, that just means the body is bonded together from the pieces of wood... it won't like fall apart if you strip it? could you assume that a 3 grand guitar would have nice wood underneath? of course i wouldn't try doing this for a long time, if ever. i'm just very curious and would like to know if it would be an option in the future.

April 27th, 2008, 05:53 PM	#126 (permalink)
Telemarkman Friend of Leo's Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Norway Age: 61 Posts: 3,841	It is of course much easier to match several pieces of alder than ash, because alder doesn't have a very conspicious grain pattern. So chances are that a CS Tele would have some nice pieces of wood - probably two - underneath. And NO, it won't fall apart if you strip it

April 28th, 2008, 02:44 PM	#136 (permalink)
lennyb Tele-Meister Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Amherst Nova Scotia Posts: 205	Does he even realize the guy that has been giving him advise all along ,with all the other super informative members of the TDPRI is /was a Professional touring musician that has been in a band that has sold millions of albums ?????????????? Google "The Cars" find out who their Guitar player is and come back and see us....HEHEHEHE

April 28th, 2008, 02:50 PM	#137 (permalink)
62_Inca_Esquire Tele-Holic Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 871	Adambet... Go to a music store, play some guitars. Seriously. Thats the only way you'll find YOUR guitar. Everyone in the forum could say "buy a Baja Telecaster"...you buy it...and you might hate it. The thing is that people like different things. Back to Robbie.... no guitar in the world will make you sound like Robbie. I know Ive said this a bunch of times, but it bears repeating. And no, guitars will not "fall apart" by removing the finish. You could have concluded that by looking at the MANY pictures of Robbies guitar....you know, the one you were asking about...and seeing that the finish has been stripped off of it, and the guitar did not "fall apart"... Now go...play some guitars.

April 28th, 2008, 02:50 PM	#138 (permalink)
adambet2 TDPRI Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: chicago Age: 19 Posts: 33	that's great... but i'm not going to talk differently to someone just because they are more famous then someone else. anyway, i'm sorry for all the controversy, i'm not asking questions for the hell of it, i'll re-read the thread and try some out before i come back with any questions.

April 28th, 2008, 02:59 PM	#139 (permalink)
FatTeleTom Tele-Meister Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Evanston Age: 40 Posts: 167 3 Photos	Although several of us think you may be occasionally missing the forest for the trees a bit with some of your follow up questions, I would like to offer my appreciation to you for starting what has turned out to be a very entertaining and informative thread about one of my favorite guitarists. So, thanks for that, and best of luck with your Tele hunt. Do re-read some of the answers--I think you'll find some stuff you may have missed, with the central theme being to find a good "classic" sounding Tele that feels good in your hands. But do keep the thread going and keep us posted on your search. Tom (fellow Chicago-area Tele and Robertson fan)

April 28th, 2008, 03:00 PM	#140 (permalink)
Ron S Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 181	I'm with Elliot on this one, if you're investing this much time into 'nailing' the tone of a guitarist like Robertson and arguing the tonal qualities of ash versus alder why/how could you not know that a guitar body is generally held together with glue? Just a quick question for you though. If you played a guitar in a shop that utterly nailed Robbie's tone (as far as you're concerned), would you buy it if it was the wrong colour/wood/wood grain/not a tele. Conversely if you found a tele that looked identical to Robbie's but it sounded terrible/OK but not like Robbie's would you buy it? Just interested. FWIW I think you'd be happier if you let it go and just found a guitar you can bond with and make some music, after all that's what Robbie did.