Your favorite guitars/basses owned by the Heartbreakers?

[JakeK]

Do you have any favorite guitars owned by Tom Petty, Mike Campbell, Ron Blair or Howie Epstein?

Here are mine:

Tom:
'63 Fender Strat, sunburst
all the '60s Teles
'00s Gibson J-200, natural, possibly a Pete Townshend signature
'63 Gretsch Tennesean
ALL THE RICS!

Mike:
'50 Fender Broadcaster
'54 Gibson Les Paul goldtop
'59 Gretsch 6120 Chet Atkins
'00s Gibson Les Paul '59 reissue
'90s Fender Eric Clapton Strat, black
ALL THE RICS!

Ron Blair:
'65 Fender Jazz bass, black body and headstock, ebony fingerboard, white pickguard
'64 Fender Jazz bass, Olympic white, either an original '64 or a Custom Shop RI

Howie Epstein:
4001V63 MG

[deaconblues]

Maybe this thread should be called "Heartbreakers' Guitars You DON'T Like..."

[rick36]

Maybe it should be "guitars/basses that were never manufactured in the first place" ? They've got it all and more - how 'bout that little Green Ric clone Mandolin .
Plus, they actually use them all in concert!!!

[sloop_john_b]

Maybe this thread should be called "Heartbreakers' Guitars You DON'T Like..."

[woodyng]

i just watched the mudcrutch vh1 special and would have to see tom's fireglo c64 ( if that is the right model) the macca upside down headstock model....

[56strat]

I was just watching the bootleg video from San Francisco on this last tour, and Tom seemed to go to his Esquire quite a bit. It's a blonde, rosewood fretboard, 8 screw white pickguard. Anybody have details on this particular guitar?

[JakeK]

It appears to be a 60's model...first used during the "Highway Companion" tour

[56strat]

Actually, it pre-dates the Highway Companion tour by at least a year. Tom was playing it on the previous tour for the same 1 song - "You Wreck Me", and also tuned down a half-step. It's definitely old, because you can see the wear and tear. It looks just like Steve Cropper's '59 Esquire, but I guess it could easily be an early 60's. I've got a thing for Esquires right now, and that one is sweet.

[libratune]

Here's my favorite TP/Heartbreakers "matched set":

Redneck 4003 + 4003S/8 Petty

[JakeK]

Actually, it pre-dates the Highway Companion tour by at least a year. Tom was playing it on the previous tour for the same 1 song - "You Wreck Me", and also tuned down a half-step. It's definitely old, because you can see the wear and tear. It looks just like Steve Cropper's '59 Esquire, but I guess it could easily be an early 60's. I've got a thing for Esquires right now, and that one is sweet.

Don't you mean tuned UP a half-step, Matt?

You are correct with the fact that he uses it on the one song ("You Wreck Me") and that song is played the key of "F" major.

BTW, Ron, I've always loved that pic of TP and MC with the "redneck" basses. I actually have a photo of the 8-string lying in Mike's garage where they recorded "Full Moon Fever" in a book.