This may interest fellow string pluckers out there. It's a list of all my guitars and stringed instruments as of March 2020. I may have missed a couple but these are the ones that come to mind, Here goes...
1: GIBSON ES-345 STDV. (VINTAGE.)
2: GIBSON LES PAUL CUSTOM. (GIBSON CUSTOM SHOP.)
3: FENDER STRATOCASTER. (FENDER CUSTOM SHOP.)
3: GRETSCH WHITE FALCON.
5: GRETSCH DOUBLE ANNIVERSARY.
6: GRETSCH 6120.
7: '1970’s VIELLETTE CITRON CUSTOM GUITAR.'
8: GUS G1 MIDI.
9: HALLMARK STRADETTE.
10: GUILD X-500. (VINTAGE.)
11: PATRICK EGGLE BERLIN.
12: BURNS MARVIN ANNIVERSARY.
13: EASTWOOD SATURN 63.
14: EASTWOOD 'ASTROLUXE' PROTOTYPE SIGNATURE MODEL.
15: EASTWOOD DORAL ARCHTOP.
16: EASTWOOD WANDRE TRI-LAM.
17: EASTWOOD CALIFORNIA REBEL.
18: EASTWOOD SUPRO DUAL-TONE DLX.
19: EASTWOOD/AIRLINE TOWN AND COUNTRY DLX
20: EASTWOOD/AIRLINE MAP.
21: MY RARE GUITARS: KAY 'SOLO KING.'
22: .ISANA ‘BLACK PEARL’ ARCHTOP.
23: DANELECTRO PRO.
24: CAMPBELL AMERICAN 'NELSONIC' TRANSITONE SIGNATURE MODEL.
25: CAMPBELL AMERICAN PRECIX. (GREEN.)
26: CAMPBELL AMERICAN PRECIX. (BLUE WITH TREM.)
27: DUESENBERG STARPLAYER TV.
28: PEERLESS MONARCH ARCHTOP.
29: PEERLESS DEEP BLUE CUSTOM.
30: PEERLESS WIZARD CUSTOM.
31: MUSIMA RECORD ARCHTOP. (VINTAGE.)
32: SUPRO BELMONT. (VINTAGE.)
33: BURNS SONIC. (VINTAGE.)
34: GRECO ARCHTOP.
35: ITALIA MONDIAL.
36: HOYER 'HERR IM FRACK' ARCHTOP. (VINTAGE.)
37: GRETSCH RANCHER G3603 HISTORIC SERIES ACOUSTIC.
38: WASHBURN ACOUSTIC.
39: OVATION 'GLEN CAMPBELL' ACOUSTIC.
40: EKO 'EL GAUCHO' ACOUSTIC.
41: IBANEZ 'EVERLY BROTHERS' ACOUSTIC.
42: TURNER CLS-O1E ACOUSTIC.
43: 'KANSAS' SMALL ACOUSTIC. (NEEDS REPAIR.)
44: UN-NAMED SMALL ACOUSTIC.
45: CONTINENTAL METAL BODIED RESONATOR ACOUSTIC.
46: GRETSCH 'WILD WEST' ACOUSTIC.
47: TANGLEWOOD PARLOUR ACOUSTIC GUITAR.
48: LUTE NYLON STRING ACOUSTIC.
49: EROS MK 2 BASS GUITAR.
50: EASTWOOD/AIRLINE LAP STEEL GUITAR.
51: 'SWITCH' ELECTRIC GUITAR.
52: PURE SALEM 'ELECTRIC END.'
53: CAMPBELL AMERICAN 'ROCKET SHIP' CUSTOM TRANSITONE.
54: EMMONDS PEDAL STEEL GUITAR.
55: SELCOL ELVIS PRESLEY TOY GUITAR. (NOT BEST CONDITION.)
56: SELCOL ELVIS PRESLEY TOY GUITAR. (GOOD CONDITION.)
57: 'ROY ROGERS' TOY ACOUSTIC GUITAR.
58: MANDOLIN-NO NAME, VERY OLD.
59: MANDOLIN WITH BUTTERFLY INLAYS. (VINTAGE.)
60: 5-STRING BANJO. (VINTAGE.)
61: 1920s BANJOLELE. [WITH SIGNATURES.] (VINTAGE.)
62: CHINESE STRINGED INSTRUMENT.
63: DULCIMER.
64: ZITHER-HARP. (VINTAGE.)
65: AFRICAN STRINGED INSTRUMENT. [SMALL 'KORA' TYPE.]
66: UN-NAMED OLD RESONATOR ACOUSTIC. (PAINTED BY BILL IN 1960S)
67: ARIA UKELELE.
68: D'ANGELICO NYS-33.
69: D’ANGELICO ‘STYLE B.’
70: D’ANGELICO EXL 1 BLUEBURST.
71: PEERLESS TONEMASTER.
72: PEERLES GIGMASTER AC.
73: YAMAHA SG2000S.
74: YAMAHA BASS GUITAR.
75: EASTWOOD ASTROLUXE CUSTOM LIMITED SIGNATURE MODEL.
76: EASTWOOD ASTROLUXE CADET LES TREM VERSION.
77: EASTWOOD ASTROLUXE CADET BIGSBY VERSION.
78: BACKLUND MODEL 100.
79: BACKLUND MODEL SUPER 100 DELUXE LIMITED EDITION.
80: BACKLUND ROCKERBOX.
81: BACKLUND MODEL 200.
82: TOKAI FIREBIRD.
83: FRET KING COUNTRY SQUIRE DELUXE.
84: PURE SALEM VALIENTE.
85: SUPRO BELMONT.
86: MUSICVOX MI6.
87: MUSICVOX SPACE CADET.
88: EASTWOOD 'THE COSEY.'
89: ANTORIA SOLID BODY (VINTAGE EARLY '60s)
90: HOYER LES PAUL COPY. (THE 'AXE VICTIM' GUITAR.)
91: LINE 6 VARIAX GUITAR,
‘kin hell!
Nice to see an SG2000S on the list. And as well you all know one can never have too many guitars!
so when you rotate them, you play a different guitar every four days?
There's absolutely no rule or method in the rotation, or its frequency, I just pick a couple out on a whim, but some of them rarely get picked at all, (like the Dulcimer, Lute guitar and so on...) I can work with three or four guitars for a couple of months sometimes, other times the changeover can be quite rapid.
You've got nearly as many guitars as I've got Bill Nelson albums!
Are numbers 66 and 92 by any chance related? :)
Yep, they're the same guitar...I'll remove one of them. At least that takes the list down to a more manageable size! 😜
Just texted this list to Jason Gonzalez, a friend of mine.
He wrote back, '😁 Imagine them all playing a power chord at the same time.'
89: ANTORIA SOLID BODY (VINTAGE EARLY '60s)
Is this a recent aquisition ? , similar to your first electric guitar ?
Yes, a fairly recent eBay purchase. It's a slightly newer year than my original Antoria, and has been repainted, (rather badly,) in red. It originally would have been a dark brown sunburst. But these are pretty rare nowadays and I just wanted to reconnect with m,y past, so bought it. I hope to get it refinished in its original sunburst one of these days.
Forgive this if it's a weird viewpoint, but am I the only reader here who looks at this brain-stretching list and just thinks Bill should be 'allowed' a nice round 100 guitars?
I guess Bill at least would agree with me...
Yes, of course, TheMikeN! But why stop there? Thud!!! (Sound of Emiko hitting me around the head with a small guitar...ouch!)
Thats quite a list Bill, and some very beautiful instruments in there - how about some pictures of your favourites, if you pander to such whims?! 😉. I've got some catching up to do, so have just purchased, The Jewel, Old Haunts and Stand By: Light Coming, can't wait for them to arrive! My ex, and sadly now late, put me on to to you back in '75; she hung out in Wakefield, or nearby, with her friend Anne Firth (who I'm still trying to track down, her parents had a stall on Leyburn Market), they were both art students in London... heady days... Old Haunts... nostalgia! Sorry I've missed so much of your career... hope I can catch up! Take good care.
https://www.billnelson.com/ancient-guitars
It's an amazing list which has truely lifted my spirits today! And I think Bill with his rare talent should have as many guitars as he wants :)
The White Falcon is an interesting one. According to Billy Duffy they are a beast to tame . In one article he mentioned stuffing it with t-shirts and towels to try and subdue things. I've seen him play it live several times and that heavy chorused, on the edge of feedback sound is excellent!
What do you think of D'Angelico's Bob Weir Bedford signature model? Quite affordable, too (wink, wink).
The D'Angelico guitars I own are all excellent but I don't know much about the latest and slightly less expensive models, so can't comment. My first D'Angelico was the NYS-33 model which was built specially for me by the Vestax company in Japan when they owned the rights to the D'Angelico name. In more recent years the ownership of the name has gone to an American company who now manufacture the guitars in Korea, (and I believe the cheaper ones in China.) It's telling though that the second hand value of the Japanese Vestax made D'Angelico's is much higher than the brand new retail price of the Korean/Chinese made ones...Nevertheless, my two Korean made D'Angelico's are amongst my favourite arch tops...but that Japanese one is just stunning!
I'm up to 28 guitars and 8 basses. I get three or four guitars and one bass out each week on an eight week rota. I don't want to let any of them feel unwanted! Here's the list:
GUITARS Airline Map STD (semi-hollow body) (2008)
Avon by Rose Morris 3403 (Les Paul copy, customised fretless) (mid 1970s) Backlund 400 (2017)
Backlund Katalina (2018) Campbell American Nelsonic Transitone (2008) Crafter Convoy FM/TPU (2006) Danelectro ‘Coral’ sitar guitar reissue (2015-6?) Danelectro DC59M Spruce (semi-acoustic) (2016) DeArmond Jet Star (1999) Eastwood Custom Kraft DLX (semi-acoustic) (2014) Eko 295 (semi-acoustic) (2010) Eko 700 vintage reissue (2012) Fernandes Ravelle X (2005) Fernandes Ravelle Elite DK (with sustainer) (2005) Hondo Professional H-1030 (1980) Hondo HS-126 Deluxe 83 Dreadnought (acoustic) (1983) Italia Maranello Classic (2004?)
Maverick X1 (2002?) Maya (‘lawsuit’ Stratocaster copy) (late 1970s) NK Club (semi-acoustic, headless) (2018) Ovation Celebrity CC 24 (electro-acoustic) (2007?) Revelation VX64 (2014?) Steinberger Spirit GU-7R (headless) (2001)
Sterling by Music Man St Vincent STV60VBL (2018) Supro Americana White Holiday (semi-hollow body) (2017) Switch Wild I (polymer) (2005-6) Vox Starstream VSS-1 (modelling guitar) (2016) Westone Spectrum MX (1985) BASSES Chowny CHB-1 (semi-acoustic, fretless) (2017) Eastwood TB64 (6 string) (2017) Eko Kadett PJ07 (2007-8)
Italia Mondial Classic (semi-hollow body, active) (2017)
Maverick B1 (active) (2010) Sound Gear by Ibanez SRX650 (active) (2008)
Squier by Fender Jazz (fretless) (2013?) Yamaha Bex4 (semi-acoustic, active) (2002?)
Was curious about '61: 1920s BANJOLELE. [WITH SIGNATURES.] (VINTAGE.)' and so I did an image search.
... and then it clicked for me with this ...
I know George Formby as playing a regular ukulele like in this When I'm Cleaning Windows clip ...
... but now I'm wondering if it's the 1920s banjolele that can be heard so prominently on Señor Mysterioso from Whimsy 😎
I'll try to photograph the banjolele as it has an interesting set of signatures on its vellum skin, none of which are familiar to me, but I can't promise to do this quickly as I'm working on 'New Vibrato Wonderland' at the moment. By the way, 'Señor Mysteriuoso' was recorded with my Aria ukulele which I bought in Tokyo several years ago now. A banjolele is a hybrid instrument, part banjo part ukulele. But the instrument that George Formby is playing in the clip of 'When I'm Cleaning Windows' is actually a ukulele, which is quite unusual as he's more well known for his banjolele work. But 10 out of 10, Alec, for spotting that it was a ukulele on my track, like George is playing in the above clip!
Can we have a pic of the Antoria (Rosebud 😉) guitar while you're at it please. The original looks like it has a horseshoe type Bigsby from looking at the Regal stairwell photo.
What a wonderful thread! Thanks Bill. My guitar collection is a modest 7 including a seemingly un-tunable Fender acoustic 12 string!
Speaking of strings, I remember Andy Partridge saying many years ago that to save time he bought his guitar strings "pre-tuned"! :-)
best,
Toby
A question about 2 guitars from your past, Bill, and why you didn’t keep them?
The ES355 in Walnut, you bought around the mid seventies, ( I saw you use it, a few times).
And the Gibson ES345 in Cherry, which appears in some of your private pictures from home.( Never saw you play it, ever).
I realise, we sometimes don’t bond, with an Instrument, so was that the reason you moved them on?
The 355 was a nice looking guitar but it didn't feel right somehow and I wasn't happy with the tone. Perhaps I'd been spoiled by the 345 which sounded and played great, even after it had received a Pete Townshend style bashing from my first wife who didn't like the fact that I was a musician. The Cherry Red 345 I bought as a back up to my main Gibson, but again, there was something 'not quite right' about it and it was eventually sold.
Whenever I’ve thought of that scene of your first wife wielding one of your guitars like a club and hitting you with it, I’d thought of it being a small ‘prop’ guitar or ukulele and made of soft, collapsible materials, like something from a comedy in silent age cinema or from a 1940s-1960s animated cartoon. 😮😶
As I expected Bill, Some we click with & some we dont, Eh?
I too have had some lovely guitars which I've sold for that same reason.
Plenty to choose from now though,... I shudder to think of the room they must take up in storage around the house.
When Phil Manazanera joined Roxy Music his weapon of choice was a 335. However, he was soon told that he needed to use a white strat on stage - wonder why? ;)
Glad to see ukuleles getting a mention here! While some people see them as a less than serious musical instrument or child's toy (how often have I seen ukuleles in the kids section at charity shops!), they have been used a lot by the talented and famous. Gordon Giltrap tells a story of when he was at Joe Brown's house. The phone went and when Joe answered all they could hear was a ukulele playing. That was followed by a laugh and then George Harrison announced himself, seeking an opinion on his latest acquisition! By all accounts he was a big ukulele fan and had a large collection.
On the other hand some people don't like them. I remember the Coventry luthier Rob Armstrong saying he could only tolerate a 12 string, ukulele or banjo for one tune only!
ok, here's my list (25 with 2 more being built):
Fender '57 Stratocaster reissue (1986)
Fender '70 Stratocaster
Fender Esquire Telecaster (2019)
Fender Squier Stratocaster
Fender 'Hello Kitty' Squire Stratocaster (2019)
FrankenStrat (Warmoth body/neck, Lindy Fralin Blues Special pups)
Gibson Government Series II Explorer
Gibson '70 Sunburst Les Paul
Gretsch Red Sparkle 'Balto'
Eastwood May Queen
Eastwood Devo Cloud Guitar (2020)
Eastwood Airline Coronado Guitar - Bill Nelson Decorated (2019)
Backlund 100
Backlund model Super 100 Deluxe Limited Edition (2018)
Backlund 400
Backlund 400 DLX Les Trem 2020
Musicvox MI-6 Silver Sparkle
Eastwood Astroluxe Custom Limited Signature Model
Yamaha '70 Acoustic Red Label 2019
Yamaha '70 12-String Acoustic Red Label 2019
Alvarez Yairi Acoustic hand built by K. Yairi
Old Train Musical Instruments Acoustic, hand built, 2019
Guild F-412 2019
Fender S1 Starcaster
Fender S1 Starcaster
Hammered Dulcimer
Mandolin
And I'm sure I've forgotten a couple.
No Hagstrom in the list Bill, am I wrong or did you use one in the late 70s?
Hi petebgregg. I believe Bill told me he used to have a Hagstrom in his Be Bop days and it had some kind of special capability with the technology at the time. I have a cheap one, but I like the look. No Jackson guitar love?! Have you ever tried one, Bill? A lot of metalheads like em'...but ah hell no. Ha!