The Who Fan Forum

Pete´s Guitars

by | von Harald (2011-03-20 18:27:20)

Telecaster-style guitars custom-built by Schecter Guitar Research and Roger Giffin, used from September 1979 through 1982 (as well as Live Aid, 1985).
Schecter/Giffin models used by Pete Townshend
First Schecter-built models

* Mahogany bodies, in black with single (top) cream binding; (One unbound natural walnut-coloured model with rosewood neck, as seen in Chicago 1979 video clip (Music Must Change) from 30 Years of Maximum R&B video.)
* Maple neck
* Black pickguards
* Schecter headstock logo
* Straight (Tele-style) control array.
* Black controls
* Black Tele-style bridge
* Straight rear control cavity with black coverplate
* Pickups: Based on design submitted by Dan Armstrong, Schecter “Z+” coil-tapped humbucker pickups; later replaced by Giffin with Kent Armstrong “Z+”

Early Giffin-label models

* Poplar bodies in black
* Double cream binding
* White or black pickguards
* Black control panel
* Giffin headstock logo
* Straight (Tele-style) control array
* Black controls
* Black or chrome Tele-style bridge
* Straight rear control cavity with white or black coverplate (matching pickguard)
* Possibly with Dual Kent Armstrong “Z+” coil-tapped humbucker pickups

Miscellaneous Schecter-label models
Blue model

* Blue body (which later faded to green when laminate layer wore off) with no binding
* White pickguard
* Chrome control panel coverplate
* Schecter headstock logo
* Chrome controls
* Chrome Tele-style bridge
* No rear control cavity
* Dual Schecter “SuperRock” coil-tapped humbuckersDual Kent Armstrong “Z+” coil-tapped humbucker pickups
* Built by Roger Giffin
* Used as early as 1981

Natural sunburst model

* Natural sunburst body with double-bound cream binding
* Chrome control panel coverplate
* White pickguard
* Schecter headstock logo
* Chrome controls
* Chrome Tele-style bridge
* Straight rear control cavity with white coverplate
* Dual Schecter “SuperRock” coil-tapped humbuckersDual Kent Armstrong “Z+” coil-tapped humbucker pickups
* Built by Roger Giffin, possibly with Chandler label

Final Schecter model(s)

* Single cream binding
* Gold top body (natural back and sides), possibly all-mahogany.
* Bird’s-eye maple neck, no fret markers
* Offset control array
* No pickguard or control panel coverplate
* Oblong black rear control cavity and black coverplate
* Schecter headstock logo
* Chrome controls
* Chrome Tele-style bridge and neck pickup surround
* Dual Schecter “SuperRock” coil-tapped humbuckersLikely with dual Kent Armstrong “Z+” coil-tapped humbucker pickups

Miscellaneous models:

* Butterscotch blonde model, unbound, with black pickguard
* Natural-grain brown or wine-red, single-bound, with white pickguard, gold hardware
* Giffin-built black double-bound body with white pickguard, fitted with Parsons B-Bender (used on Eminence Front), first with Giffin headstock label, later replaced with Schecter label.
* Heavily quilted sunburst model based on “Final Schecter model” specs, above; gold hardware. Unused on stage — “It was too nice.”

Basic specs (see sidebar for specific model differences):

* Dual coil-tapped humbuckers (some Kent Armstrong, some Schecter) with visible exposed pole pieces on pickup covers.
* Gibson-type pickup selector toggle switch.
* Chrome Schecter (Kluson) tuners and (later) chrome or black Sperzel locking tuners; one standard string tree.
* AlderMahogany, then Poplar Tele-style bodies (some cream double-bound; some cream single-bound; some unbound).
* 25½″ scale bolt-on rock maple Schecter neck; “Telecaster”-style headstock.
* 21 extra-jumbo frets.
* One volume, one tone control, with push-pull coil-tap control.
* Alan Rogan’s straplock system.

Schecter logo

Pete began using the Schecter/Giffin Tele-style guitars in September 1979, gradually phasing out the Les Paul Deluxe by the end of 1979. He used the Schecter and Giffin Tele-style guitars on stage until 1982 (plus the Gold model on stage for Live Aid in 1985, and with a 1988 television appearance, using a double-bound black model), switching to Eric Clapton model Fender Stratocasters in 1989.
History
Ca. September 1979, photo of possible first use of Schecter, Madison Square Garden, New York.

Ca. September 1979, photo of possible first use of Schecter, Madison Square Garden, New York.
Timeline

First known stage use:
September 1979, Madison Square Garden, New York
Last known stage use:
8 February, 1988, Royal Albert Hall, London – BPI Awards

Pete’s first Schecter was acquired by Alan Rogan, Pete’s guitar tech, during the September 1979 series of shows at Madison Square Garden, New York. Alan picked up a custom-built guitar made from “Schecter Guitar Research” parts at Manny’s and introduced it to Pete during those shows. It remains unclear whether this was built by Schecter, or another manufacturer in the U.S.

Because Schecter Guitar Research was strictly an after-market parts/kit manufacturer at this time, it seems unlikely that Schecter themselves produced a model that would end up at Manny’s.Until mid-1979, Schecter Guitar Research was strictly an after-market parts/kit manufacturer. According to an interview with Schecter president Michael Ciravolo in the September 2006 Guitar World, “well-known repair shops around the U.S., like Rockin’ Robin in Houston and Rudy’s Music in New York, started making their own guitars from Schecter parts. And in mid-1979, Schecter announced the availability of completely assembled Fender-style Schecter guitars, which were sold by 20 retailers across the United States, including Valley Arts Guitars in Studio City, and Manny’s Music in Manhattan.”

Either way, Pete began using these guitars in September 1979, with the first photographic appearance using a single-bound black model.

Upon returning to London, Alan Rogan contacted guitar builder Roger Giffin, about building additional, “lighter” guitars.
Giffin, double-bound black model
Roger Giffin

Roger Giffin, a guitar builder then based in the U.K. (who built guitars for Joe Walsh, Eric Clapton and others), made approximately five or six of these guitars for Pete, with at least three of them black and one two-tone sunburst. The Giffin guitars were assembled and “customized” by Giffin using Schecter parts and possibly Boogie Body bodies custom parts.

When Giffin took a position with Gibson Guitars in their custom shop, he was unable to continue making guitars for Pete. So Schecter began making these guitars to basically the same specification on a custom-order basis.
Schecter

At first, Schecter was a small custom order shop and their guitars were not widely available to the general public. They began building guitars for Pete as Giffin was no longer available to do so. The later models, such as the Gold model with no pickguard, were built by Schecter. As Schecter’s guitars became more widely known due to their use by others artists (such as Mark Knopfler and Yngwie Malmsteen), Schecter got into production guitar manufacturing (around 1984). Production was very limited and not widely available but you could find shops that did carry them or could get them.