Jody Carver
From:
KNIGHT OF FENDER TWEED
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Posted 20 Dec 2001 4:37 pm |
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Hi Ian Hi Andy,,,I saw this and figured I
would reply. Lets see now,,,,how do I explain
this?? I had a Gibson many many years ago.
It was a nice guitar,,,"lots of mid range and
a ton of bottom end.
When I heard the Fender Custom,,I thought well here's a guitar for me. It was way back before you guys were born,,so I got into the Fender fold.
As for Leo Fenders taste on tone,,,its hard to explain,,,he would often comment to me when we spoke of mid range,,he would say a
mid range "is a tone looking to find itself between treble and bass and not being able to
make up its mind"..
You will read something in Richard Smiths Fender book regarding my partner the late
Johnny Cucci,,,whereas Johnny used to place the three way toggle switch on his Strat and place the switch in between the position closest to him and the middle position.
John would call this a "lispy sound" he was actually mixing the lead pickup with the rythm pickup giving that effect.
With a Twin amp and his strat,,,you really had to like the sound he got.
I told Leo about that and John showed Leo what he liked about that setting of the toggle switch.
Leo said,,,its okay ,,but its neither here or
there. Years and years later I said to Leo...
Hey Leo,,,,remember that suggestion I made as
to John Cucci using his 3 way switch etc etc
Leo said,,,,No I dont remember.
I said Leo,,,,sure you do,,,,you just want to forget,,,,,he laughed,,,and had that look
in his eye. How do you tell a Leo Fender he
didnt get it????.
There was no mid range for Leo,,,,the amp had
to offer that tone. The Gibson according to
many had a "muddy sound" as compared to a Fender.
I think a good description would be a heavy
mid "hollow tone" that many hawaiian players
prefer and not the "piercing" sound of a Fender per say. Its what you like to hear that counts.
For me,,,I like the Fender hands down. Recently I borrowed a "canopus" from Howard
Rienleib a friend of mine,,,,that had a hell
of a nice tone and had a great finish as well
That would be a choice if I were to buy another non pedal guitar.
Another really great guitar is the SS Hawaiin
Man that is another great sounding up to the minute sounding guitar. I have to tell you this however,,,I also tried Howards Melobar and dammit it,,,here was another great guitar.
So Andy why are you asking me?  I like all
of them. Leo used to call the Gibson the
Bignos,,,spell Gibson backwards it spells
nosbig,,,there was a real competetive thing going on between Fender & Gibson back then,but Gibson had all those great guitars
Super 400,,L7 and others and Fender could no way compete in that market.
But when it came to what was "happening" Fender as we all know took it all with the "Sound Heard Round The World".
Long story is part of me,,,,to sum it up ,,Leo did NOT like a mid range sounding
guitar. I have to accept that opinion he had
I made my living from his ingenuity.
If you like that GIBSON "buy it" you wont get too many chances to get another,,,just
dont let Leo's soul hear you,,,he would tell
you that you were hung up between treble and
bass I tend to agree with him.
If you buy that Gibson amp,,,,buy a Fender amp and maybe Leo wont feel too bad after all. Hows that Andy?? Hi Ian,,I'll e mail you
my friend.
A Fender amp and that Gibson guitar will be
a great sounding combination,,,might even suprise ole Leo,,,,,PS John Cucci won out
Leo finally did the out of "phase" effect with the 4 way toggle switch,,,but he forgot who told him so. When I see Leo again someday I have a number of bones to pick,,,like the "middle leg on the Custom"
thats another story,,,,thanks for listening.
What was the Question????????? Its been so long I forgot,,CU Andy Ian .....hey buy that
NOSBIG,,,,OEL REDNEF Spell it backwards for
my "preference" ") PS he would say when questioned about mid range,,,hey pardner....thats where the amp comes in......think about that..edited not to get
Leo upset with me,,,
[This message was edited by Jody Carver on 20 December 2001 at 04:43 PM.] |
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