Gary Allen wrote:Ivan Pongracic Jr wrote:Thanks, Didier and Paul. I'm glad to see I had the timeline roughly right, though got the year of the guitar slightly wrong ('58 vs. '57). So, did Bruce repaint the 34346 to red at that same time, to match up with Hank? And anybody know why Hank decided to return back to a red Strat after 18 years away? And finally, is this '58 Strat the guitar he used for the rest of the '80s? When was that one decommissioned?
Thanks!
Hi Ivan,The story as I know it starts with Hank getting the Black strat because Dave Gilmour had one,(wiring mods/dimarzio FS1).Hank also tried a Fender Rangemaster p/up,With public demand for the old hits to be played, Hank wanted a more vintage sound so decided to get an old strat,He wasnt looking for fiesta red (sorry folks,,not another debate) but was over the moon when he saw the strat that Patrice had. Fender gave him a 57 reissue in the mid 80s although I dont think he used it on anything. (I heard he gave it away). Roger Giffin made a new neck for Hanks 58 strat in 1989 (as seen in the Liverpool Empire DVD).In 1990, Fender gave him a custom shop model and the 58 became the spare,The last I heard about it was that the original neck is back on it and that he used it for a few tracks on the Reunited CD......regards Gary ---------------anorak mode off---------------------
As Patrice once told the story in details on our French forum, just before the Shadows were to play at the Magador theater in Paris on december 4th 1980, Patrice was called by a well known music jounalist who told him that Hank was looking to get a vintage Strat. Patrice had started his vintage guitar import business in early 1978 and was already known as the best possible supplier for vintage guitars in France.
Patrice went to the concert (he already had tickets) and met Hank backstage after the show. Patrice proposed Hank to come immediatly to his shop in Paris (near Place de la Nation) to see the guitars he had for sale, but Hank already had commitments and wasn't available. He asked Patrice to come to his hotel (Concorde-Lafayette, west of Paris) the next morning with the guitars. Neddless to say, Patrice didn't slept much as he lived east of Paris, and had to get up early in the morning to pick the guitars at his shop and cross all of Paris.
He brought three guitars : the 1958 fiesta red Strat with maple neck, a 1960 (or 1961) Strat with rosewood neck, and Patrice's own 1964 Strat (not to be sold, but to be signed by Hank). Hank immediatly selected the 1958 one. The guitar wasn't even plugged to an amp for tests. Hank then called Brian Goode to discuss the deal. The price was brought down from 15,000 FF to 14,000 FF. No papers were signed, they only shake hands with the promise that a cheque would come within one month, which it did...
This Strat was made in december 1958, three months before the famous 34346 which was built in march 1959.
Patrice met Hank at the gipsy music festival in Sannois in 2004, and Hank told him he still had the 1958 Strat, and used it from time to time for recording.
Didier