Brent Mason fans? Pics for ya inside from this past week

[strat_and_tele_guitarist]

these are live gig pics, but I have a ton of them from the studio. These are from the Brent Mason Interview book.

http://www.howtoplayguitar.net/bsm/


http://www.howtoplayguitar.net/bsm/brent-pb-305.jpg

http://www.howtoplayguitar.net/bsm/brent-jam1.jpg

http://www.howtoplayguitar.net/bsm/twin.jpg

more at http://www.howtoplayguitar.net/bsm/

(Moderator edit: pics too big. – CS)
DO NOT POST ANY PHOTOS WIDER THAN 500 PIXELS WIDE!

[Teletwang]

Very cool but will someone please buy poor Brent a new "Speed" knob for his Micro Vibe.

[Dana]

That's awesome! Thanks for posting those pictures.

I recently obtained a copy of "Hot Wired". Man oh man, I thought Brent was just a country player. NOT! He plays amazing jazz, blues, you name it. Scary!

[bender72]

What the hell, his tone knob fell off his guitar? along with the knob for the pickup switch? :?
How long has been using the Keeley Comp? 8) 8)

[strat_and_tele_guitarist]

Originally Posted by Teletwang

Very cool but will someone please buy poor Brent a new "Speed" knob for his Micro Vibe.

he has a box of misc parts in his rack drawer...I guess it's just easier to leave it off though.. seriously, I probably ought to put one on there for him.

[strat_and_tele_guitarist]

Originally Posted by bender72

What the hell, his tone knob fell off his guitar? along with the knob for the pickup switch? :?
How long has been using the Keeley Comp? 8) 8)

Brent got ahold of some of the keeley pedals, and the ones he liked were the katana and the compressor. I think everyone who owns a telecaster has either a ross compressor or a keeley (same thing) though! It's basically a must have!

The knobs haven't been on his guitar since I've known him...I can't help you with that, but I'm sure next time joe (glaser) works on it, he'll stick a couple new ones on there for him. Actually Julie will probably pipe in here in a few -- maybe she knows the scoop behind the knobs! :)

You have to remember -- brent doesn't obsess over gear, he just plays the thing -- almost like an extension of his body. He doesn't really worry about the small things, but he's awful particular of his amps! He's also using a new marshall tsl for some of the distorted stuff even!

[Fret Wilkes]

Originally Posted by bender72

What the hell, his tone knob fell off his guitar? along with the knob for the pickup switch? :?
How long has been using the Keeley Comp? 8) 8)

I always gotta laugh when I see pros with knobs etc. missing. I would "never leave home without them". He's probably spending so much time thinking about actually playing the guitar that it doesn't bother him or maybe he never noticed LOL!!!

I have a video of Roy Buchanan on Austin City Limits from 1977 or so. Right off the bat I noticed that his strap was on backwards so there was extra strap actually hanging over the fretboard rather than off the butt end of the guitar. Roy just pushes it out of the way WHILE he's soloing! I'm thinking...why wouldn't he have just flipped the strap end to end when he put it on the guitar or whenever he noticed that it was on wrong? Again...WAY too much time concentrating on playing music!

Still "Fretting" the details...
Fret

[Just Joe]

Right in the middle of a song fell off,at a gig

I was looking for it ,I said the heck with it
The next night,A lady came up to me and said did you lose
your knob,it was out on the dance floor

I was lucky,thinkin of puting some lock tite on it
Just Joe

[Dana]

This has probably been discussed a million times, but what kind of neck is on Brent's guitar? It looks Vintage-y, like a 52 RI neck? Or, perhaps original?

[DrewB]

Originally Posted by Dana

This has probably been discussed a million times, but what kind of neck is on Brent's guitar? It looks Vintage-y, like a 52 RI neck? Or, perhaps original?

I'm pretty sure it's the original '68. That one has a stock "separate" maple fretboard on the neck, as opposed to the typical one-piece neck.

[blue water girl]

Yes, the neck is the original. The telecaster is a 68 and the neck is maple - just like the post above states.

As far as those knobs, I don't think that I have ever seen the guitar that those knobs weren't missing and he could care less and I don't think he notices it - he has never mentioned it and it must not interfere with his playing......I am glad to see the closeup picture of his guitar because so many people have the misconception that the silver primer is all nice and shiny and perhaps has a nice clear coat over it!!! HA - it's beat up to death isn't it! In person you can see the wear and tear of playing it just about every weekday of the year and many weekends for 20 plus years. He loves that guitar. We have a very hefty insurance policy on it but if anything ever happened to it - I don't even want to think about the toll that would take on Brent. It would be like losing his own arm. There is a museum that has pressured him quite a few times to let them have the guitar for display, and that is just crazy. He told them "I am still using it!" God forbid Brent goes before I do, but if he does there is no way they will take that guitar away from me - it is like an extension of his body and a part of him. So, I guess I love it too - as much as Brent does!

Oh someone asked about the Keely pedals - Brent hasn't had those long. Robert Keely called our house himself and asked Brent if he sent him the pedals would he try them out and he actually sent others too, and Brent talked to him for a while and said sure and he has been using them for no more than three months I think, I am pretty sure it was after Christmas. He really likes one of them alot, he really went on about it after he tried it out, didn't say too much about the other he has on the board but since he is using it I guess it's getting the job done. I am confused as to why I don't see his line 6 green pedal on there since it always used to be there and I am too lazy to go downstairs and ask him about it.

[tdowns]

strat_and_tele_guitarist,
Thanks very much for taking the time to document this and share with us. That is the best picture I have seen of Brent's guitar up close.


blue water girl,
Thanks for sharing info once again. I always enjoy reading your posts. Regarding the knobs, all three knobs were on the guitar during the Hot Licks video, and the picture on the tray of the Hot Wired CD had all three knobs. That would be circa 1997-1998 I believe. My recent Brent Mason Tele was my first Brent type guitar to have 3 pots in a row on the control plate. In the past I had used concentric stacked pots at the tone pot position to accomplish the 3 pot function. I'm finding it hard to quickly adjust the middle knob on my new one, so having the tone knob removed would be better since I never use the tone. I think I'll take my knob off just to be more like Brent. Maybe removing that knob will make me sound just like Brent.

[strat_and_tele_guitarist]

Originally Posted by blue water girl

I am confused as to why I don't see his line 6 green pedal on there since it always used to be there and I am too lazy to go downstairs and ask him about it.

Hi Julie -
the line 6 is the delay modeler, which Brent uses very extensively. It is actually off to the side, but I have many more pictures of the pedalboard, delay included.

I wish I could attach some pics here -- I have several of his gray tele, wood grain showing through, looks like someone sanded it down!!

It's funny how its beat up, yet it's brent's 'baby'! :)


On a side note, too bad I missed you tuesday! :)

Take care,
Brian

[bender72]

BWG,

I was asking the question because I remember the video showing Brent with his tele and it had 3 knobs. Tell him I'll send him a small vice grip for the missing 3rd knob. BTW, glad to see you back. 8)

[Amos]

I'll bet he took off the tone pot knob because he's dimed it. Carl Verheyen dimes his tone pot knob to send as much signal as possible to the amp, then dials in the tone with the amp controls.

Brent also doesn't need a pickup switch selector, he has the 'blend' knob to dial in as much lead or rhythm pickup as needed (or both at the same time).

Seems like a good idea to remove knobs from guitars or pedals if you find the 'perfect' setting and don't want to accidentally change things.

[blue water girl]

no, they just fell off a long time ago. He doesn't even notice it. It wasn't intentional! I showed him this thread about a week ago before the "hacking incident" and he laughed. He honestly didn't even realize the knobs were off. I mean he did and he didn't, because it doesn't affect his playing. Must have happened since the taping of the Hot Licks video in early 1997 (was filmed in March 97) but he was never aware of when it actually fell off. Maybe one of the times he had to travel with it to Europe.

Brent also wanted me to tell you Amos that he doesn't know anything about diming a switch - he only knows how to dim the lights.... (see what I have to live with - las vegas lounge humor _)

Thanks for the offers to send him replacement knobs but he is fine. Alot of his guitars and especially his amps have missing knobs and assorted defects. He is happy the way things are.

[TheGoodTexan]

Originally Posted by Just Joe

The next night,A lady came up to me and said did you lose your knob

I pretty much try to keep my knob within reach at all times.

...especially at gigs.

[strat_and_tele_guitarist]

Originally Posted by blue water girl

Brent also wanted me to tell you Amos that he doesn't know anything about diming a switch - he only knows how to dim the lights.... (see what I have to live with - las vegas lounge humor _)

That's hilarious!

[Amos]

Brent also wanted me to tell you Amos that he doesn't know anything about diming a switch - he only knows how to dim the lights.... (see what I have to live with - las vegas lounge humor)

Hehee...I heard a rimshot in the back of my mind after reading that.

no, they just fell off a long time ago. He doesn't even notice it. It wasn't intentional! ... He honestly didn't even realize the knobs were off.

Dang - I was positive it was some super cool secret studio player trick he did on purpose...goes to show you what I know.


Thanks for the info, Julie. I gotta go now and get my knobs out of the trash before the garbage man gets here...

[tcouch]

Hey Guys, i dont know much about the knobs but arent we lucky to have a sight like this that people like Terry Downs and Blue Water girl will take time to talk and discuss things like this with us regular players and you dont have to be a Jerry Reed or Albert Lee to get an an answer, I think they are the greatest.
Terry Couch

[rebelern]

Originally Posted by tcouch

Hey Guys, i dont know much about the knobs but arent we lucky to have a sight like this that people like Terry Downs and Blue Water girl will take time to talk and discuss things like this with us regular players and you dont have to be a Jerry Reed or Albert Lee to get an an answer, I think they are the greatest.
Terry Couch

"SO DO I" and really well said Terry. 8)

Ernie.

[lenny]

yep, this site rules thanks not only to our famous and talented posters, famous and talented players friendly wives (tnx bwg :) ),
but i think everyone who posts here who is not so famous, and perhaps not so talented (/me raises hand :P ) are really cool too.
and i think our moderaters and webmaster do a great job of keeping it that way

[Chris S.]

Originally Posted by lenny

and i think our moderaters and webmaster do a great job of keeping it that way

Thx Lenny, I'll send the $$ via PayPal... ;-) Hee. CS