Common “mods” in the late 50s-60s?

[Bangdapoontwang]

So my next build is going to be black over tobacco burst. I was thinking kind of a rat Rod type of thing, meaning it would represent a 1957 with some upgrades or custom mods that someone would have done in the 60s, like the black over spray for one. I might even have it pinstriped. Any suggestions? Control plate flipped, etc?

 

[Danman]

I don’t think they pinstriped in the 60s? Also I think things like a humbucker at the neck and the bridge change are more 70s things?

Perhaps it should have an ugly hand painted psychedelic design on it… I guess it also needs a mirror pick guard then…..

 

[Chiogtr4x]

'STP' sticker

 

[bottlenecker]

I don’t think they pinstriped in the 60s? Also I think things like a humbucker at the neck and the bridge change are more 70s things?

Perhaps it should have an ugly hand painted psychedelic design on it… I guess it also needs a mirror pick guard then…..

Von dutch started striping in the 50s, and by the 60s the style was very popular. He striped the strawberry alarm clock mosrites in the 60s.

 

[Danman]

Von dutch started striping in the 50s, and by the 60s the style was very popular. He striped the strawberry alarm clock mosrites in the 60s.

Really? I had no idea. Then I guess pin striping could be an option....

 

[radiocaster]

They sometimes put in a different pickup, but often they would get their name on the guitar.

 

[Peegoo]

Solid-color oversprays atop sunbursts started with the 1959 lifting of the import ban in the UK. Hank Marvin had a red Strat he had obtained through a private import, and the supply of red Strats was not even a trickle. So UK Fender agents got all the sunbursts they could, and shot 'em with red to meet the huge demand.

One simple mod that players latched onto in the 50s and early 60s was banjo strings: standard sets at the time had a wound G, and a plain G bent easier and twanged waymore.

 

[toomuchfun]

Please explain the 1957 reference, nothing in the picture you posted looks 1957. Tobacco sunbursts started in '78.

 

[howardlo]

I began playing in 1957 and in bands in 1959. I played with a lot of players and knew a lot more players in other bands for the next ten plus years. I can tell you from my own experience that I knew not one player that did any mods to their guitars.

In fact there weren’t even after market parts available other than Bigsbys. There weren’t even after market pickups out there. Even if there had been they would have been replacements just like the stock pickups made by Fender, etc. and no different than the stock ones that came on the guitar. We just bought our guitars and played them as they came from the factory. We didn’t even ever hear of mods or making any changes to guitars back then.

Even guys like James Burton got his Tele (and tweed Deluxe amp) and played it on Dale Hawkins song Susie Q when Burton was 15 years old. He used that same Tele (still stock) during all the years he played with Ricky Nelson.

When Buddy Holly was just beginning he told his brother that he had to get a good guitar so he would be taken seriously so he bought his Strat. He didn’t mod it in anyway. He already had a good guitar. The same was true for all but maybe a very, very few back then. Modding wasn’t a thing, or even thought of.

 

[Bangdapoontwang]

Please explain the 1957 reference, nothing in the picture you posted looks 1957. Tobacco sunbursts started in '78.

I didn’t say anything about sunburst. 2 tone burst was waaay earlier than 78.

 

[Bangdapoontwang]

Also, the pickguard and hardware in the picture is not what is going on the guitar. It will have the period correct 5-hole, etc.

 

[Fretting out]

I didn’t say anything about sunburst. 2 tone burst was waaay earlier than 78.

I was just about to say the same

They had bursts on teles as early as 54 when they started making strats

 

[Zenyatta]

Eddie Cochran had a black dogear P90 put in the neck position of his Dynasonic equipped Gretsch 6120.

 

[Chiogtr4x]

'STP' sticker

I don't have any guitar duplicates ( only 1 each, of the styles I own), but I sort of wish I had a backup Strat or Tele ( say, White) just to slap an STP sticker on it!

 

[Sea Devil]

Amp knobs like Muddy Waters's Tele? A banjo-style arm rest? An inlaid name on the pickguard? These are from TK Smith.

 

[Sea Devil]

After-market pickups were available from Rowe/deArmond and later from Carvin. For the most part, they (the deArmonds, anyway) were intended for acoustics that never had pickups in the first place (I have one, a 1957 Gretsch Corsair). That was it before DiMarzio.

 

[Telekarster]

George Harrison and Hendrix, probably many others, painted their guitars however they felt like it. Lots of pics of those guitars out there, so maybe they can be an inspiration of some sort. What @howardlo says is pretty much what I've read of the early days, and I can understand it since there really wouldn't have been any reason to mod a guitar then. I'd hazard to guess that modding didn't really start happening until the late 60's. I know in 84-ish, I helped my buddy spray paint his original 59 Fender bass canary yellow!

 

[howardlo]

George Harrison and Hendrix, probably many others, painted their guitars however they felt like it. Lots of pics of those guitars out there, so maybe they can be an inspiration of some sort. What @howardlo says is pretty much what I've read of the early days, and I can understand it since there really wouldn't have been any reason to mod a guitar then. I'd hazard to guess that modding didn't really start happening until the late 60's. I know in 84-ish, I helped my buddy spray paint his original 59 Fender bass canary yellow!

I believe you are correct, probably began in the late 60’s or so.

 

[Greggorios]

'STP' sticker

...or a Thrush..

 

[4pickupguy]

Smugglers route was popular back in the day.