My Bands and Guitars

Last Update - 12/21/2024 10:22 PM         Under Construction

Note:  This is a l-o-n-g post! You will note that I can't remembers certain facts and people's names.  Well, I am an old guy ya know!

I got my first guitar while in Air Police Tech School at Lackland AFB, Texas in 1961.  It was a $40.00 Alamo white electric guitar with no case.  That was a lot of money for me back then, since I was only making $88.00 a month as an Airman Basic (no stripes).  After Tech School, I shipped out to Wiesbaden, Germany for a three year tour.  I was never really in a band while stationed there and just had jam sessions with other AF members who were musicians while trying to learn how to play.



Here are some of the guys in a typical jam session in the gym/auditorium area of our kaserne (barracks).  The guy on the left (Hamlett) is playing my Alamo guitar (the drummer is "Hoskins" and I don't remember the sax player's name).  I acquired my first amp, a Sears Silvertone with one 12" speaker and tremelo.  I found two examples on Reverb of Models 1432 and 1433.  I'm not sure which model was mine (photos below) but I believe it is the 1433.  I am 17 years old here.

The amp on the left is the Sears Silvertone Model 1432, a 10 watt, 5 tube amp with tremelo & a 12 inch speaker.  Copied from Reverb, For Sale @ $575.00.
The amp on the left is the Sears Silvertone Model 1433, a 15 watt, 7 tube amp with tremelo  & a 12 inch speaker.  Copied from Reverb, For Sale @ $1100.00.

These photos would have been sometime in 1963.  This is my 3rd guitar, a baby blue colored 3 pick-up Hofner.  Wasn't a bad playing guitar, especially compared to the Alamo, whose string action was about 1/2" off the fret board (at least it felt that way).  Still had my Silvertone amp, which I had the speaker re-coned several times.  I don't remember what happened to the Alamo or Hoff guitars.  I must have sold them.

While in Germany, I also picked up this Dynacord Echocord Super.  It is a 5 head loop tape echo player.  I used it on guitar and on the P.A. system.  This is a current photo (2024) of the unit and it is, sadly, currently not working.

In June 1964, I was shipped to Holloman AFB, New Mexico (Alamogordo, NM).  Got in my first band there which started with a young kid on lead with a Fender Stratocaster and a Fender Bandmaster Amp.  His younger brother was the drummer and the bass player was another AF member from the base.  We weren't very good, but played a few gigs around the area and the Airman's Club on the base.  Sorry, I can't remember anyone's name.  I can't even remember the name of the band, it was over 60 years ago!  If I ever find the missing picture of me, I'll post it.

I can't find any more pictures of that little group, but I included these two photos to show that by this time, I had acquired another Sears Silvertone amplifier, Model 1484 (I believe).  It was a piggy back style, with two 12" speakers, tremelo/reberb and the amp had 8 tubes.  Example photo found on bay.com for sale, $695.00, below.  As you can see, the amp head conveniently stores in the bottom back side of the speaker cabinet, makes it easier to carry.  It is shown in the right side picture above and on the left side of the photo.  There was a separate picture of me, but I can't find it. 

You can see the head stock on my Fender Jazzmaster.  I bought the Jazzmaster while stationed at Holloman AFB, NM (many photos below).

I bought the Jazzmaster new, in 1965, from a guitar store (don't remember the name) in El Paso, Texas, while I was in the USAF stationed at Holloman AFB.  Didn't realize it at the time, but the guitar hung in that guitar store for three years before I bought it, because the guitar is a 1962 model.

I don't have any more pictures from that period, but I played rhythm in that 4 piece band until I shipped out to Kunsan AB, Korea in 1966.  I didn't play much while stationed in Korea because I had no amplifier (had to leave it at home) but I did try to learn while I was there, just strumming in the barracks with no amp.

In 1967 I was shipped to George AFB, California (Victorville) and finally got in a rock 'n' roll band, "Forth Coming",  in late 1969, playing rhythm. In 1970 I bought my Fender Silverface Bandmaster Amplifier.  That was a great day!  I love that amplifier. 



The lead player, nicknamed, "Windy" is also playing a Candy Apple Red Jazzmaster.  Bass player is playing a Fender Mustang Bass.  Can't remember his or the drummer's name.



I sometimes got out my old "Hoss" hat and wore it for laughs.

Above are some of the first photos of my 1962 Jazzmaster and my Bandmaster that I can find.  I have more photos from this band, but they are of poor quality.  In the photo above, you can see that we had a blackface Bandmaster as a P.A. amplifier and were using the Dynacord with the P.A.  The P.A. columns were actually home made by our lead player and each cabinet contained one 10" and two 8" speakers, all of which were removed from a single Shure Vocalmaster P.A. speaker column.  I think they looked very nice and they sounded pretty good too.

In late 1970 I joined a Country/Western band (Country Roads) and that's when I became a bass player.  I played with them until 1971.  I bought a Fender Coronado Bass Guitar and two 15" CTS bass speakers from a Fender dealer and installed them in my Bandmaster cabinet.  Left to right, I can't remember the drummer's name, me (bass), Ron Parker (rhythm/vocals - also the local disc jockey on the local country AM radio station) and Joe Brewer (lead/vocals - in my Security Police Squadron at George AFB, CA).  Joe was left handed and played right handed.  He was a good country picker.



Again, I liked to wear my "hoss" hat for laughs, this was at the San Bernardino County Fair - 1971.


 

The 15" CTS bass speakers installed in the Bandmaster cabinet.

In 1971, I was shipped to Mons, Belgium, home of Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe and worked at the residence of the Supreme Allied Commander, Europe.  I was a still a Security Policeman attached to the 16th MP Detachment.  We provided security for the Supreme Allied Commander's residence. 

The first band I was in here was a soul band, "The Sound Element".  This was a nice experience with different a different music style.  The lead singer was very good and his name was "Will Portis".  He sounded similar to guys like "Al Green".  I can't remember the names of the other guys, the lead player was good and played a Super Reverb.  The drummer and horn player were just high school students.  We didn't play that often, but is was great fun.

My second band in Belgium was another country/western band, "New Country Roads", and I still played bass and usually let one of the other guys play my Jazzmaster (far right in the photo).  Can't remember most of these guys' names except the guy with the mic next to me is Mick, who is a Brit and a pretty good country singer.  He really liked Hank Williams and sounded a lot like him.





That's "Mick" above at my house one night at practice.

I foolishly laid my Jazzmaster on the floor while I went "P" and our lead player (the guy with the Strat, in the photo above) came wandering back from taking a "P" and stepped on my Jazzmaster at the top left edge.  He was wearing combat boots and took his foot off as soon as he realized what he had done.  It left a 5 inch area of my guitar without paint on the top left of the guitar.  I could had killed him.  Of course, it was partially my fault for laying the guitar on the floor in the first place.

I know there are folks who think refinishing a real Fender guitar is blasphemy, but hey, it's my guitar.

Anyway, because I couldn't stand the way the guitar looked, I had it refinished by a Belgian carpenter who worked at the residence of the Supreme Allied Commander.  I didn't know it at the time, but I could have probably sent it back to Fender for a re-finish.  While the guitar looked o.k. after this, I was never really happy with the way it looked.  I preferred the original sunburst finish.

Left Belgium in 1975 and was shipped to Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota.  I still played bass and joined another country/western/old rock band, "Stoney Road".  Later on we changed drummers and added a lead guitar player.  The lady in the band is Arlene Norton and the guy on the left (below photo) is Bob, her husband.  Arlene was is an excellent piano/organ player, an excellent vocalist and had a Bachelor's Degree in Music.  Arlene and Bob could harmonize very well and when I joined the band Arlene asked if I sang.  I replied, "No", and she said, "You will".  As time went on, with her encouragement and great teaching, I began to sing a few songs and by the time I left the band, I could "almost" harmonize.

We also used the Dynacord echo chamber on the P.A. system, a Shure Vocalmaster, with the short columns.  Sometime in 1978, I traded in my Coronado Bass and picked up a new 1978 Fender Precision Bass.  I also traded in my SF Bandmaster amp for a 1968 SF Showman Reverb amp.  I played with this band from 1976 until 1979.  We played all over the Grand Forks, ND and East Grand Forks, Minnesota areas and were busy almost every week end.

In the photo below, Bob is on the left, don't remember drummer's name, me and Arlene.

Photos of the Precision Bass are current 2014 photos.





The picture of the Showman below is a current 2014 photo.




That's Billy playing lead/vocals on the Telecaster.  He had a Super Reverb amp.  Billy picked up a Boss Chorus pedal at the time and used it sparingly.  I thought it sounded great.  Again, I can't remember the drummer's name.

In 1979 I was shipped back to George AFB, California, and sometime in 1980 I joined a rock/country band, "Overland Band".  I played bass with this band until March 1983.  While with this band, I bought a Shure Vocalmaster P.A. system with the two tall speaker columns (5ft 3in tall and 6 speakers in each column, two 10" and four 8" in each column) and had two Shure S585 microphones.  We still used the Dynacord echo chamber on the P.A. system.  I still have the Shure system and it still works just fine, however the Dynacord echo chamber quit working and I can't find anyone who can repair it.

Shure Vocal Master P.A. amplifier

Dynacord echocord Super (echo chamber).

Bruce (steel guitar and guitar), Jeff Miles (lead guitar/vocals), Kevin (drummer), Betty (vocals), Me (bass/vocals) and can't remember the other gal's name. She later left the band and moved back down south.  Jeff was a former rock player and he could shred with the best of them.  He's one of the best players I've ever seen.  Above photo is at the Officer's Club at George AFB.  NOTE:  The two speaker cabinets sitting on chairs in front of the band were home made by me and part of our P.A. system.  They are copies of Fender amps with correct grill cloth, similar tolex covering, amp corners and a Fender badge.  Each cabinet is 38"x20 1/2"x11 1/2" and contain two 12" Utah speakers and an unknown brand tweeter with the proper crossover switch.  They sounded great and sound very good with my Showman Amp head.  I still have them.  Unfortunately, I can't find any better photos at the present time.

Above photo was at the NCO Club and Norton AFB, CA.

This gig was on a private person's large ranch about 50 miles from Victorville.  There were about 250 people there and we played for six hours.  It was the loudest we ever played.  I didn't know it at the time, Jeff, the lead player always wore ear plugs and he played a Super Reverb.  I'll bet Jeff can still hear, while I have to wear hearing aids now.

 

Above photo is from a bar called, "Wanda's" in Adelanto, CA.  It later burned to the ground.  Lucky that we weren't playing there at the time because we used to leave our equipment there.  We played there every week-end for 3 months.

I retired from the USAF on 1 Jan 1982 and due to the job situation I had to quit the band in 1983. I began working for Roadway Express as a code clerk and my hours were from 8pm to 4am, sometimes working week ends. So, that ended my band playing days.  From March 1983 until January of 2013, I did not play guitar or bass at all.  My guitars and amp went into the closet where they sat for the next 30 years. 

Just before Christmas in 2012, my granddaughter expressed an interest in learning guitar. I decided to buy one of the Squier Strat packs and gave it to her for Christmas.  I've been trying to teach her and remember the stuff I used to know.  I never was a lead player and I forgot everything I ever knew.  We are both progressing o.k. but we ain't gonna be makin' any records soon.  It is great fun playing with my granddaughter and learning new stuff together.

When I got out the Showman Reverb so we could practice, the pilot light and tubes came on but no sound at all.  I didn't know that capacitors and resistors died when sitting for so long, plus it is a 1968 amplifier to begin with.  In my quest the get the amp repaired, I ran across the original Fender Forum, joined, and met guys like Roger (AKA: "Arjay"), aclempoppi, bluesky636, BMW2002Ti, shimmilou, tbazzone, and T2Stratman, to name just a few.  These fine and very knowledgeable folks helped me get my Showman Reverb back to pristine operating condition.  My great thanks goes to Arjay (AKA: "Roger") and BMW2002Ti (for their vast knowledge and help).  Turns out BMW2002Ti, who knows Fender amp and tubes inside and out,  lives not too far from me and took on the task of repairing my Showman.  He practically re-built the amplifier (to the AB763 Blackface specs), gave me constant updates and repaired my amp, which now works just like new. 

During my 30 year absence from guitars, amps, etc., I didn't even realize that Fender CBS had been bought by the current owners and didn't even know that Fender (named Squier by Fender) products were produced in Japan, China, Korea and other countries.

In the first part of 2013, through all my reading on the Fender Forum, I learned about the discontinued G-DEC 30 modeling amplifier.  I became interested because of the features of the amp to play simulate amplifier tones and playing backing tracks and it uses SD cards, which you can add your own backing tracks.  So I found a practically new amp for a great price in April and bought it.  For what it is and does, I am satisfied with the amp.  It is fun to try and play lead along with the backing tracks. 

I have always like the Fender Super Reverb amplifiers.  So, my Guitar Acquisition Syndrome (GAS) attacked in July 2013 and I started looking for a decent vintage SR.  With Arjay (AKA: "Roger")'s help I found a 1969 Silver Face Super Reverb (SFSR) on Craigslist for a reasonable price and I knew it would take some work to bring back to presentable condition.  I received much help from Arjay (AKA: "Roger") on finding vintage parts for this amp and he sold me some nice items he had on hand.  Again, BMW2002Ti agreed to take on the task of going through the amp.  Again, he did an outstanding job of bring the amp back to the AB763 Blackface specs and practically rebuilt it .  The amp really sounds great.  I can't thank these guys enough for all their help and advise.  Here's what it looked like when I brought it home:

The amp had Eminence speaker installed and no faceplate.  The grill cloth was just screwed on from the outside.



Here are the after photos:  New faceplate, new knobs, new handle, new corners and new period correct grill cloth.





In November 2013, I scored again from Craigslist.  Found this quad set of vintage Jensen C10Q speakers and bought them right away.  They are now happily making great sounds in my Super Reverb:

My desire for another guitar arose (Guitar Acquisition Syndrome = GAS), so I thought I'd try one of the Squier models.  In July 2013 I bought a J Mascus Jazzmaster from a Guitar Center in San Bernardino, CA.  It was a nice reasonably priced guitar.  Turns out that I did not bond with it as it had jumbo frets and I only kept it for a short while.

I returned the J Mascus to Guitar Center and ordered the Squier VM Jazzmaster.  This is a nice guitar for the price.  I am still not in love with the medium jumbo frets, but I like the Olympic White with the tort pick guard. 

GAS attacked again and I've always wanted a Stratocaster.  I found this little Squier model in a local pawn shop.  Still had the plastic on the pick guard and I walked out the door with it for $80.  I'm sure a real made in America Strat would feel a lot different, but for what it is, it's not a bad little guitar.  It also has the medium jumbo frets and I'm still not liking them very much.  Playing a Strat is a lot different from a Jazzmaster.  I can't get used to the volume knob being so close to the lower E string.  Anyway, here's a photo:

I was never really happy with the refinish on my Jazzmaster from Belgium, so I finally decided to get it refinished back to the original sunburst.  Found a luthier in Apple Valley, CA., "J.C. Harper".  He did some very good set-up work on my Squier Jazzmaster and Squier Strat.  J.C.builds his own brand of guitars which displayed his quality of workmanship, so I commissioned him to refinish the Jazzmaster.  I just got the guitar back today, July 14, 2014 and I'm extremely happy with J.C. Harper's work.  Here are the photos he provided with the refinish process:

These are the before photos:

Here is my original pick guard, which shrunk as soon as I removed it and it would no longer fit.  I didn't know that I should have screwed the guard onto a piece of wood to prevent shrinkage.  J.C. said he could make it fit by altering the screw holes, but I didn't want to do that to keep it original.  Of course, I will keep the pick-guard so the guitar will always have all the original parts available.



Found a guy on the Offsetguitar forums that custom makes tortoise shell pick guards.  Spitfire Tortoiseshell Pick guards.  He worked with me and gave me exactly what I wanted in a pick guard.  The guards are expensive, but the are worth it in my opinion.  He made the pick guard without screw holes on the edges of the guard and J.C. Harper cut the holes to match the guitar perfectly.  He also makes guards for Stratocaster, Telecaster, Jaguar, Precision and Jazz Bass.  Here is the new tortoise shell pick guard:

On with the refinish process: 

Initial sunburst painting:

Initial clear coating:

Painting all finished!  Final sanding and buffing done and ready for assembly.



Of course, that's J.C. Harper

















       

   

   













That's the continuing story of my 1962 Fender Jazzmaster.  All refinished now and ready to play.  I have since removed the "buzz stop" from behind the bridge, didn't do anything anyway.

I'm very pleased with the finish on my guitar, it looks like a brand new guitar and it will give me pleasure until I am so old that I can no longer hold a guitar in my arms.  Then, it goes to my granddaughter, Kaitlyn.  I told her she call sell it if she wants, but she has to wait until she is 60 years old (2061), that way the guitar will be 100 years old and if she wants to sell it, should get a good price. 

Update 28 Mar 2017:  After all these years of not really being able to get my bridge properly set-up by using the original bridge and trying a "Staytrem" bridge, I finally bought the most expensive and allegedly best bridge for a Jazzmaster, the "Mastery".  I gotta say, it is great.  Popped in on and only had to adjust bridge height - string height and intonation was almost perfect right out of the box.  I like this bridge.

Update: 26 Feb 2024.  More of J.C. Harper's work.  After my good friend, Roger (AKA: "Arjay"), saw my completed Jazzmaster, he was very interested in getting one of his Stratocaster's refinished.  J.C. Harper was a very busy luthier and it took several attempts to contact J.C., both by myself and Roger.  Contact was finally made and they finally worked out an arrangement to get Roger's Strat refinished and sent back to him in Dec 2015.  Here are some photos - the finished is called "Taos Turquoise".  It really looks sharp!!  Just so happens, among all of Roger's great talents, he is a great photorapher!

In this last photo of Roger's Taos Turquoise Strat, I forgot to mention it's appropriate name, "Big Kahunna Strat".    It also depicts one of his amplifier restorations, the Vibrolux Reverb Amp.  It looks "outstanding" and it is normal for Roger's work.
 
I feel must be pointed out that there is great controversy (my conclusion) concerning J.C. Harper's Luthier business.  He lives only a few miles from me and several years ago I contacted him (after several failed attempts) for some minor work on one of my guitars.  At the time, he told me he was out of business - too hard on his back to continue working standing on his feet all day.  I discovered that he still has two Facebook pages.  I won't say anymore.  You can do your own searches or contact me and I'll give you more of what I learned.
 

GAS again.  I've always wanted James B Lansing speakers (JBL) for my Showman amplifier and finally decided to pull the trigger.  Recently picked up used ones, one on e-bay and one on Craigslist.  These are the D140F bass speakers.

Took the JBLs to Orange County Speaker Repair on Thursday, July 17, 2014, for a rebuild.  I will post photos when they are done and installed in the Showman Reverb.  I also ordered new grill cloth for the Showman and will post before and after photos of the installation.

Got the newly re-coned JBLs back from Orange County Speaker Repair.  I think they look great!!  They sound great too !!

Installed into my Bandmaster Cabinet.

This is what the Showman looks like now.

I still have to get around to replacing the grill cloth.  I'll post photos when I get that task done!
 

I ordered a new Fender Deluxe Telecaster, Olympic White, alder body with tort binding, from Guitar Center in Palmdale, CA.  I specifically wanted the Deluxe model because is has a contoured heel (like a Jazzmaster and Stratocaster).  I have played Telecasters a few times at guitar stores and did not like the feel of the sharp edge of the heel on the back side of a standard Telecaster.

It arrived on Feb 3, 2015 and I picked it up.  This Telecaster feels a lot different than a Jazzmaster or my little Strat.  So far, I am really liking this guitar.

Tech Specs

Two new guitars in three days!  Definitely a first for me! Received my new Classic Series '60s Telecaster® with Bigsby® on Tuesday, 8 Dec and today, 10 Dec I went down to Colton, CA where I picked up the 2007 Gibson® Les Paul Classic Antique in trade for my white Deluxe Telecaster.  Here's the photos:

 


 


 




 



Notice that the "sunburst" finish on the Gibson is opposite of a normal sunburst finish (black on the edges and lighter as is progresses towards the center - as on the Telecaster below).  The Gibson sunburst is black at the bottom and lighter towards the top of the guitar.  Only 400 of these guitars were manufactured by Gibson.  I recently (25 Feb 2014) checked ebay and Reverb to see what the sell for.  I found none on ebay and two on Reverb, used, one for $3498 and $4290.  So, my $1800 Telecaster trade was good for the Gibson.

 


 


 






 



Forgot to mention, this Telecaster is Made in Japan.  It is a very well built guitar and I am learning to enjoy it very much.  I bought the Telecaster from "Willcutt Guitars" in Lexington, KY for $1000.00.

I know I stated earlier that, "I did not like the feel of the sharp edge of the heel on the back side of a standard Telecaster".  It must have been the way I was sitting (I play while sitting most of the time at home) because the outer edges of this Telecaster doesn't bother me unless I'm really hunched over while playing.
 

GAS attack again (Feb 2022).  I was always kinda/sorta interested in trying a ukulele. . So, cruising the Sweetwater website I ran across a Fender Fullerton Jazzmaster® Ukulele.  Neat!  a ukulele that looks similar to my Jazzmaster, it looked nice, so I ordered one.

The above photo is from the Sweetwater website.  I haven't learned very much about playing a ukulele yet, but as time goes on I hope to learn a few tunes to strum.
 

Hopefully, probably more to come . .   Thanks for looking!

Jerry