If i’m not wrong some guitar-expert posted here that nearly all the songs recorded in open tuning during 1968-69 are not telecasters, but Gibson LP or Dan Armstrong.
Does anybody know why did keith change from Gibson LP to Telecaster’s to play open tuning songs live in 1972? Is it related to weight, playability...etc or it is just a sound matter?

That's a good question. I'm not sure what prompted the change to Fenders for the '72 tour. All of the reasons you list are certaintly good ones and as it was at this time that Keith's association with the Telecaster began in earnest it would be interesting to know why he started using them. Hmmmmmmm....

In Nellcote, his guitars have been stolen and he certainly changed at this time, using telecaster.

Yes, indeed the guitars were stolen but that does nto explain why Keith switched to the Telecaster. He could after all have bought replacement Gibsons.

well, it's not like he switched *totally* to Telecasters in 72 ...
and in 73 he was using those assorted Newman-Jones custom jobs for a lot of the open-tuning numbers.
i know he wasn't happy with the Dan Armstrongs he got after his prototype DA was stolen in 71,
so that's probably part of an explanation of why he was looking further afield.

Thanks. In fact, keith almost gave up Les paul (but Midnight rambler or Berry covers live) from that point. I wonder if it has to do with the muddy, dark sound of that model, or on the contrary is due to its weight, neck shape, etc.

Must be the sound and and the body, both lighter.

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anagyrus
Thanks. In fact, keith almost gave up Les paul (but Midnight rambler or Berry covers live) from that point. I wonder if it has to do with the muddy, dark sound of that model, or on the contrary is due to its weight, neck shape, etc.

Don't forget Keith used a Sunburst for Bitch and Love In Vain as well during the '72 tour. By the way, I did not mean to convey that Keith was using Telecasters exclusively in 1972, only that he used one (and a Stratocaster) for open tuning songs, which after all was the subject of the initial post.

>> Keith almost gave up Les Paul (but Midnight rambler or Berry covers live) from that point. <<

well ... maybe if you don't count his LP Juniors, the sunburst LP, the Goldtop and the Black Beauty ...
i understand you're talking about his main choices for open tuning, but i love Keith's Gibsons.
i can't help it.

>> I did not mean to convey that Keith was using Telecasters exclusively in 1972,
only that he used one (and a Stratocaster) for open tuning songs, which after all was the subject of the initial post. <<

that's what i'm trying to talk about too, sorry. and what i meant is that by 73 he had already
branched out into other choices for open-tuning numbers as well: notably the Newman-Joneses,
and then the Zemaitis in 75/76. really 81/82 were his Big Telecaster Tours, weren't they.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008-04-28 23:14 by with sssoul.

double post!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008-04-28 23:14 by ChrisM.

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LA FORUM
Must be the sound and and the body, both lighter.

I bet - only the sound! ( he could carryamonkeywithout complaining)

also - Taylor was playing LP's that needed distinctiong.
add the country vibe coming Gram Parsons...you can guess he rest.

pearly Telecaster sounds are surly intreging.

>> i understand you're talking about his main choices for open tuning, but i love Keith's Gibsons. i can't help it<<

Me too!

Well it's very common for guitar brands to try and connect the name of a famous guitarist to them, probably by giving them just cash and/or really nice guitars, for example an original '52 Tele or two..

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King Snake
Well it's very common for guitar brands to try and connect the name of a famous guitarist to them, probably by giving them just cash and/or really nice guitars, for example an original '52 Tele or two..

Bull ßitt
you' d be a happy guy - had you bought a Tele at that time

Well I think that could have definetly played a part. Eric Clapton 'suddenly' completely falling in love with Fender Strats (yet sounding pretty horrible on them compared to his Gibsons) comes to mind.. Buddy Guy too.

You have to understand: Keith playing a Telecaster means that sales go WAY up. And Keith playing a Les Paul, same story. So both are going to want do convince him to play theirs. Or perhaps you think guitar companies are all of a sudden idealistic, naïve old men, sitting in a little wooden house on a mountain? Gibson says: I'll give you 50.000. Fender says: 100.000. Fenders it is!

yes King Snake, and Keith did some promo stuff for Gibson in the mid 70s,
and was using all kinds of non-Gibson instruments all the time anyway.
the question at hand is why he started using Fenders for open-tuning stuff.
wasn't Micawber a gift from Clapton? or someone like Clapton - a personal friend, i mean.

Think I remember reading / hearing Keith saying he loves the sound of a Tele. Especially the way it "rings". So that may be a reason. (in addition to several other reasons, I'm sure.)

[www.reverbnation.com]

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audun-eg
Think I remember reading / hearing Keith saying he loves the sound of a Tele. Especially the way it "rings". So that may be a reason. (in addition to several other reasons, I'm sure.)

But is that an answer to the question? Telecasters were around all through the 60's, he must have been familair with them.

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King Snake

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audun-eg
Think I remember reading / hearing Keith saying he loves the sound of a Tele. Especially the way it "rings". So that may be a reason. (in addition to several other reasons, I'm sure.)

But is that an answer to the question? Telecasters were around all through the 60's, he must have been familair with them.

I guess he didn't "discover" them untill then? (He must have been familiar to them, yes, and he probably owned a couple too.) After all he was fairly new to the open tunings, and was still searching for the right combination? He surely found it in the Tele, that's for sure.

[www.reverbnation.com]

[www.iorr.org]

"Telecasters were around all through the 60's, he must have been familair with them."

And indeed he was!

Probably for all reasons mentioned.

Maybe the crunchy and bright sound of the Tele is more suitable for some songs that need some twang on them and not a lot of distortion. And they're lighter. Probably the best for power chords in open tunings.

The Gibsons have a fatter and heavier sound. Love the way they sound on IOOR for example, or Satisfaction. Songs with more distortion and effects...

But the question is... why he suddenly switched to the Ernie Balls in the 89/90 period? Never liked the way they looked, but they seemed to be very playable anyway...

It took a long time before Keith started to use Tele's exclusevily for open G songs -until mid-tour '78 he prefered LP's, Newman-Jones, Zemaitis, Armstrong's and Strats for open G. Basically, he only used a Tele for Tumbling Dice and JJF.

Since mid-tour '78 he started using Tele's for open G tracks. I personally think it has to do with the loss of his 5 string Zemaitis, and the combination of the Boogie Mark I and a Telecaster. I just think that Keith had stumbled upon one of the greatest combinations ever: a open G tuned Tele through a cranked Mk 1. Until this day this sound basically defines the Stones, even though he uses Twin Tweeds nowadays.

The Tele's emphesis on middle and treble is perfect for open G tuning where the low E strings has been taken off. The percussive sound of a maple fret board and the slightly higher string tension of a tele compared to Gibson's is just perfect for stacatto open G riffs.

Mathijs