Played a New Gatton Tele Today...

RockinCarl · March 13th, 2006, 10:04 PM

It was nice- it was that Blonde color, but to my surprise it had a White pickguard and not a black one....

Anyway to the good stuff:

First off, I played it through a Deluxe Reverb Reissue.

The pickups were the new Bill Lawrence's, and they sounded pretty good. I can't say how similar they were to real Bardens, because I haven't had the chance to play a Tele with them very much. They were however, dead silent.

I thought the "Wah Wah" tone pot could've been a little deeper, but thats just my tastes.

The over all set up was pretty good, but the switch seemed a little loose, like they over bent the switch or something.

The neck was a nice "U" shape, as always, and it had a highly figured Birds eye maple neck.

Great, guitar, just really out of my price range. :)

GTO · March 14th, 2006, 04:08 AM

I've been gassing for a Gatton Tele ever since seeing Lou Reed playing a gold one in the Martin Scorsese series on 'The Blues'. I think it was the Wim Wenders directed episode.

But like you, they are out of my price range

RockinCarl · March 14th, 2006, 03:30 PM

Heck, they didn't even have a price tag on it- but if I remember correctly, the older version was what, $4000?

Tele295 · March 14th, 2006, 03:56 PM

Glad to know they're shipping. Someone find me one in LA, and I'll do a head to head with a Barden-equipped DG.

Jon C · March 14th, 2006, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RockinCarl

Heck, they didn't even have a price tag on it- but if I remember correctly, the older version was what, $4000?

list maybe, street price well below that....

The Tel · March 15th, 2006, 04:28 PM

Although I understand that the prices for the bardens have gotten a bit silly. I've got several guitars with Barden bridge p/u's ...even a Jazzmaster !

I own a Gold Gatton #141. They are great guitars, no doubt about it...eespecially if you like your tele to have a High Fidelity sound to it.

Tele295 · March 16th, 2006, 07:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Tel

I own a Gold Gatton #141. They are great guitars, no doubt about it...eespecially if you like your tele to have a High Fidelity sound to it.

Your gold Gatton is only a few serial numbers off mine.

chefgreenwood · March 16th, 2006, 07:56 PM

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MESE%3AIT&rd=1

this was joes only guitar made for a prototype line of teles.

RockinCarl · March 19th, 2006, 12:40 AM

I bought one

$2,700.

Masterbuilt · March 19th, 2006, 07:05 AM

Saw number #43 for sale in Vintage Guitar mag.Dealer in I think Balitmore....Guitar Exchange?No website so I couldn't take a look and no price mentioned.
At $2700 you got a fair deal there.Great guitars,just watch those zircons don't pop off!

Joe Harris · March 19th, 2006, 11:04 AM

Rockin Carl, where did you play the Gatton ? Huber and Bresse ?

Tele295 · March 20th, 2006, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RockinCarl

The over all set up was pretty good, but the switch seemed a little loose, like they over bent the switch or something.

Nice score, Carl.

The switch is spec'd out to be loose. Danny wanted to be able to brush it with his hand, without a lot of resistance.

The pots are supposed to be loose, too, but frequently aren't. I heard a second-hand story from Jay Black that Danny was at the Custom Shop examining a prototype. He felt the pots were too tight, and smacked the knobs with a hammer. The CS guys about had heart attacks, but it did the trick.

RockinCarl · March 20th, 2006, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe Harris

Rockin Carl, where did you play the Gatton ? Huber and Bresse ?

The one I was talking about, the Blonde one, was at Huber and Breese, but the one I bought (Gold) was at Motor City Guitar.

Tele295- I didn't know that about the switch. Actually the one I bought didn't have the switch bent... I took care of that. :)

The Tel · March 20th, 2006, 04:12 PM

with the bent tip, but it was a little TOO loose, and eventually crapped out.
I've also killed the neck pickup a couple of times. The High E would get wrapped over the lip of the pickup bobbin and end up in the windings. After this happens a couple of times, the barden is DOA. But you guys with Bardens probably already know that problem, right ?

Tele295 - So, we are sort of related, eh ? Not surprising, as we've had occasion to interact on other forums.
A-Hah...I see you've had occasion to jam with Dr. Ducks. Me too. And you know Carpboy as well, I take it .

The Barden Gatton is the Best Telecaster made, and I disagree with those who say the NoCaster is the best guitar Fender produces. I do own a Nocaster as well, and it is superior to the Gatton in some ways, BUT overall the Gatton is superior. I think it just brings out a player's individuality a little better......

Tele295 · March 20th, 2006, 11:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Tel

Tele295 - So, we are sort of related, eh ? Not surprising, as we've had occasion to interact on other forums.
A-Hah...I see you've had occasion to jam with Dr. Ducks. Me too. And you know Carpboy as well, I take it .

Carp & Duck are great. We had an absolute ball jamming with them at the Tongue & Groove on Ogden St. We saw Scotty Moore and Mike Eldred in Laughlin that weekend, too. Don't let anybody tell you JVR can't drive.

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Tel

The Barden Gatton is the Best Telecaster made, and I disagree with those who say the NoCaster is the best guitar Fender produces. I do own a Nocaster as well, and it is superior to the Gatton in some ways, BUT overall the Gatton is superior. I think it just brings out a player's individuality a little better......

Amen, brother. It's the guitar of kings.

Anybody ever seen a production model with the CS Dingus bridgeplate and inlaid nail file? I've seen a pic of Danny with one, and it is was in the original Fender CS picture chart back in 91 or so.

March 13th, 2006, 10:04 PM	#1 (permalink)
RockinCarl Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,480	Played a New Gatton Tele Today... It was nice- it was that Blonde color, but to my surprise it had a White pickguard and not a black one.... Anyway to the good stuff: First off, I played it through a Deluxe Reverb Reissue. The pickups were the new Bill Lawrence's, and they sounded pretty good. I can't say how similar they were to real Bardens, because I haven't had the chance to play a Tele with them very much. They were however, dead silent. I thought the "Wah Wah" tone pot could've been a little deeper, but thats just my tastes. The over all set up was pretty good, but the switch seemed a little loose, like they over bent the switch or something. The neck was a nice "U" shape, as always, and it had a highly figured Birds eye maple neck. Great, guitar, just really out of my price range. :)

March 14th, 2006, 03:56 PM	#4 (permalink)
Tele295 Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Haunted Amp, CA Posts: 3,403 14 Photos	Glad to know they're shipping. Someone find me one in LA, and I'll do a head to head with a Barden-equipped DG. __________________ "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?

March 15th, 2006, 04:28 PM	#6 (permalink)
The Tel NEW MEMBER! Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 6	Should be able to find a Gatton for less than $2k... Although I understand that the prices for the bardens have gotten a bit silly. I've got several guitars with Barden bridge p/u's ...even a Jazzmaster ! I own a Gold Gatton #141. They are great guitars, no doubt about it...eespecially if you like your tele to have a High Fidelity sound to it.

March 16th, 2006, 07:56 PM	#8 (permalink)
chefgreenwood NEW MEMBER! Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: rock-ville Posts: 3	bardens gatton style tele http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MESE%3AIT&rd=1 this was joes only guitar made for a prototype line of teles.

March 19th, 2006, 07:05 AM	#10 (permalink)
Masterbuilt Tele-Meister Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: London,UK Posts: 317	Saw number #43 for sale in Vintage Guitar mag.Dealer in I think Balitmore....Guitar Exchange?No website so I couldn't take a look and no price mentioned. At $2700 you got a fair deal there.Great guitars,just watch those zircons don't pop off! __________________ Did Leo make another guitar?

March 14th, 2006, 04:08 AM	#2 (permalink)
GTO Tele-Holic Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Peak District Posts: 775	I've been gassing for a Gatton Tele ever since seeing Lou Reed playing a gold one in the Martin Scorsese series on 'The Blues'. I think it was the Wim Wenders directed episode. But like you, they are out of my price range

March 14th, 2006, 03:30 PM	#3 (permalink)
RockinCarl Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,480	Heck, they didn't even have a price tag on it- but if I remember correctly, the older version was what, $4000?

March 19th, 2006, 12:40 AM	#9 (permalink)
RockinCarl Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,480	I bought one $2,700.

March 19th, 2006, 11:04 AM	#11 (permalink)
Joe Harris Tele-Meister Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 333	Rockin Carl, where did you play the Gatton ? Huber and Bresse ?

March 20th, 2006, 04:12 PM	#14 (permalink)
The Tel NEW MEMBER! Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 6	My Gatton had the loosey goosey switch... with the bent tip, but it was a little TOO loose, and eventually crapped out. I've also killed the neck pickup a couple of times. The High E would get wrapped over the lip of the pickup bobbin and end up in the windings. After this happens a couple of times, the barden is DOA. But you guys with Bardens probably already know that problem, right ? Tele295 - So, we are sort of related, eh ? Not surprising, as we've had occasion to interact on other forums. A-Hah...I see you've had occasion to jam with Dr. Ducks. Me too. And you know Carpboy as well, I take it . The Barden Gatton is the Best Telecaster made, and I disagree with those who say the NoCaster is the best guitar Fender produces. I do own a Nocaster as well, and it is superior to the Gatton in some ways, BUT overall the Gatton is superior. I think it just brings out a player's individuality a little better......