More One-Pickup Wonders

Here's a another power trio for you; a garage-rock triple threat consisting of a Danelectro-made Silvertone, a Teisco-made Kay "Tulip," and an earlier American-made Kay Vanguard.  This is the second Vanguard we've had and about the third or fourth Silvertone, but amazingly this is our very first "Tulip," despite its status as a ubiquitous pawn shop beater that everyone seems to remember owning at some point.

The main attraction to a lot of funky old guitars like these is that they work great for slide - you can bypass the often "quirky" action and fretwork while still taking full advantage of the unique tones that these vintage single coil pickups can crank out.  It's hard to choose when they are all so wonderfully rude, but it's hard to go wrong with the Vanguard's sweet DeArmond "Zippo" pickup.

Silvertone 1415

Here's our store mascot Dan E. Lectro with a couple of his best bosom chums - a vintage Silvertone 1415 and a late 90s Danelectro reissue.  Like most Silvertones, though, this guitar was actually built for Sears by another American guitar company, and from the looks of that masonite construction and lipstick pickup, I'd wager it's also Neptune City, New Jersey gal at heart.

That one pickup really screams, and the wiring has been untouched since the late 50s/early 60s - it still has the original potentiometers and the big fat "tootsie roll" capacitors inside.  Although, unlike some old Danelectro/Silvertone guitars, the paint has actually dried - leaving it thankfully bereft of the infamous curse of the eternally tacky neck that plagues some of these models.

The one has the "dolphin nose" headstock instead of the earlier coke bottle shape, which dates it somewhere around 1959-1962.  These guitars are justifiably famous for their unique, funky tone that lends itself to prickly blues and clangy garage rock.  Come check it out - it's one of Dan's favorites!

Silvertone 1413

This lovely piece is a Silvertone 1413, a stripped-down single pickup guitar with a sound and look that were surely pitched to appeal to the hordes of clean-cut young Americans in the early 60s who were starting instrumental bands inspired by the thriving surf and hot-rod subcultures.  Interestingly, the date stamp reads March 26, 1964, which means that this guitar was built, shipped and sold while the Beatles were rapidly conquering the world of American pop, drowning the sound of surf in a deluge of "yeah, yeah, yeahs" and shaggy haircuts.

But even though the Kay-built 1413 model was short-lived, it has an enduring appeal, thanks to a unique color (surf teal?) and a great twangy sound.  The neck and action are most definitely not conducive to shredding or fluid bending, but are great for whacking out punchy chords riffs.  Add in a glass slide and you can gracefully glide over the frets to produce sweeter sounds.

A close look at the headstock reveals a double-stamped logo, a neat little "flaw" that adds to the charm.  The stock tuners have unfortunately been replaced with generic ones, and if we hold this one long enough we'll probably get around to installing old-school tuners with plastic buttons.  Overall, though, it's a gem - this one just jumps up in your hands sometimes! 

Silvertone Guitar & Matching Amp

Another awesome guitar/amp combo!  Here's a black sparkle Silvertone 1423 with a matching amp.  Silvertone, for the uninitiated, was (and still is) the brand name used by Sears for their musical instruments and amplifiers, though these particular models were actually built for Sears by Harmony, and thus feature a pair of the highly coveted DeArmond pickups instead of the lipstick tubes more common to Silvertones.  These guitars were made from '58-'62, and you sometimes see them referred to as "Jupiters" or "Stratotones," after the model names that Harmony used.

The amp is a 1481, an 8-watt beast that was Silvertone's answer to the Fender Champ.  Unfortunately, this little guy has come to us "sound free" and will need to stop by our repair shop before it's ready to kick out the jams.  The fact that it still has the original Sears/Silvertone vacuum tubes from the early 50s/late 60s might explain why it's not working, but with old amps like this there are many problems that can develop after decades of use (or disuse, as the case may be).  Fortunately for us, though, we have our crack team of tube amp gurus around to suss out things like that!

Construction-wise, the 1423 is basically a flat-top hollowbody without any sound holes, sporting a single-cutaway shape that was no doubt inspired by those (then) newfangled Les Pauls.  There are a few nifty innovations, though - the plethora of knobs and such presages the crazy Japanese wiring setups of the late 60s, but are still very functional.  That oversize flipper switch on the horn lets you control the blend of the two pickups, giving you a wide variety of tonal options.

As you can see, this particular guitar is missing the truss rod cover, but otherwise is in fantastic shape.  Great sounds, a smooth-playing neck, and sporting a set of heavy gauge strings with a wound G - just the way that the good lord (and the guitar builders of the day) intended.  What more could you ask for?

Vox Spitfire

Here's another vintage find - a 1966 Vox Spitfire.  Looking not unlike a Stratocaster that's been melted down by Salvador Dali, this Eko-built beauty definately stands out.  Also in the the picture :  yet another Silvertone Twin Twelve and a Montgomery Ward-branded "mystery amp" that seems to have been originally designed as a PA head.  Plug a guitar into it, though, and it produces tough, sinewy overdrive that would make all but the stubbornest Marshall geeks smile.

With three clangy/twangy single-coils pickups and a super-springy tremelo, this Italian-made gem is a killer surf guitar.  All original knobs, hardware, and electrtonics.  Note that we've also got the snazzy original hard case, with its shag carpet-esque interior.

Impressionante!

Les Paul Studio - and friends

Here's a early 90s Les Paul Studio, sitting next to a Silvertone 1472 and a Danelectro DS-50.  This is the key to great sludge rock tone, folks.  Just punish these cranky old amps with a modern high-output pickup and enjoy the carnage.  The Silvertone gets particularly scary when cranked.  The Danelectro has cool retro-futuristic styling, and the same "piggyback" design as the Silvertone Twin Twelve - the head just slides into the back of the cabinet.  Sweet.

Amps, amps, and more amps...

We've just taken in some very cool amps on consignment.  This one might be the crown jewel - a blackface Fender Bandmaster.  Slam this thing with a pair of humbuckers and it produces a ferocious broken glass roar worthy of the snottiest punk riff.  In addition, the amp is in fine cosmetic shape, without any cigarette burns or missing hunks of tolex (you know, like my amp. Sigh...).

A Silvertone Twin Twelve head and 2x12 cabinet.  This one didn't stick around very long; a customer snapped it up just this week but I still had to show it off.  Very clean, especially for a Silvertone, and complete, a rare treat considering how often the head and cab are found separate.

A Fender Reverb Unit.  Here's the secret to true surf-rock righteousness.  Hook this tube-powered reverb tank up in front of the amp and then get ready to Shake N Stomp.  This is a re-issue, not an original, but it still drenches your guitar and your formerly sad, non-reverberating amp in a tidal wave of springy goodness.

Another cool sighting - the guy that bought that Twin Twelve brought this sweet electric Kay archtop in to show off.  A hollowbody Kay through a Silvertone amp!  Ah, what lewd sounds these two will make together...

Merry Christmas from Wood & Wire

l to r: Mid 60s Gibson Explorer, MIM Nashville Tele, MIM Strat, Silvertone 1482

Well, Christmas Time is here again - its been a fun three months that we've been open here, and we're looking foward to a full year of cool gear and even cooler music. We're still stocking up - vintage tube combos, pedals, and guitars, from freaks and oddballs to true classics. We're also working on carrying a few newer lines that fit in alongside our old favorites - check back soon for some big announcements. Everybody have a happy holiday season!