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Tom Petty's new Rose Morris style one offs

Posted: Sun May 27, 2012 11:28 pm
by Ric_MEL
So I've seen the pictures of the Rose Morris style guitars made for Tom Petty.

the 3 pickup 6 string.. and the 2 pickup 12 string..

beautiful.

So while I'm playing my 330/12 tonight.. and thinking how Tom and Mike are purportedly 2 of few .. who like their RICs strung the traditional way ( the fundamental string on top )

I wondered if the 12 string guitar was built that way from the factory.. since it was for Tom Petty.

From what I can tell.. ( picture attached ) the guitar was strung the RIC way leaving the factory.. . .meaning the bridge and nut have to be cut the RIC way.

and I have a picture of Tom playing the 12 string ( ? I think it's the new one.. ? ) .. and while it's a stretch. my eyes tell me it's now Tom's way ( octave on top ) ( blow the thing way up.. and while crazy grainy.. looks like it. )

( I saved both pictures from the forum here somewhere .. but can never find the threads where they came from.. )

Would RIC have done that.. ? Make a one off guitar specifically for Tom that would instantly require his tech would modify it?
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Re: Tom Petty's new Rose Morris style one offs

Posted: Sun May 27, 2012 11:35 pm
by chucksimms
Hmm... good question. I wonder if he ordered them or they were offered when they did that special run for the U.K.? This is why it's good to be famous- custom guitars from Rick are probably a little easier to come by!

Re: Tom Petty's new Rose Morris style one offs

Posted: Mon May 28, 2012 2:51 am
by k43rover
Ric_MEL wrote: From what I can tell.. ( picture attached ) the guitar was strung the RIC way leaving the factory.. . .meaning the bridge and nut have to be cut the RIC way.

and I have a picture of Tom playing the 12 string ( ? I think it's the new one.. ? ) .. and while it's a stretch. my eyes tell me it's now Tom's way ( octave on top ) ( blow the thing way up.. and while crazy grainy.. looks like it. )
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Mark, the pictures show different guitars.

The first picture of the 2 guitars together at the factory shows the new Petty guitars made this year. These guitars have the same f-hole shape as the UK white guitars (and from the other threads it seems they also share the same overall construction using a standard 360/12C63 body and neck).

The second picture you posted of Tom playing live is of a completely different 12 string. If you look closely at the f-hole shapes on the two 12 strings you'll see they are very different. The guitar Tom is playing looks like a genuine original '60's Rose Morris 1993 to me (it would be a late '64 or '65 guitar if the R tailpiece is original as an early '64 1993, if original, has a trapeze).

I've attached a close up shot of one of this year's white 1997 guitars side-by-side with an original '60's Rose Morris 1997 so you can better see the difference in f-hole shape.

Re: Tom Petty's new Rose Morris style one offs

Posted: Mon May 28, 2012 11:06 am
by jps
Eddie, the shading of the RM obscures the positioning of it's f-hole somewhat, can you please refinish it in white and then post a side by side photo so we can better see the two together? :twisted:

Re: Tom Petty's new Rose Morris style one offs

Posted: Mon May 28, 2012 11:13 am
by k43rover
jps wrote:Eddie, the shading of the RM obscures the positioning of it's f-hole somewhat, can you please refinish it in white and then post a side by side photo so we can better see the two together? :twisted:
I'll be happy to do that for you Jeff, but before the repaint I'm going to first fit some yellow coloured guards to the '66...you know, the "correct" ones with a smaller top lip...I'm thinking this Autumnglo guitar just looks far too well balanced for its own good at the moment... :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

Re: Tom Petty's new Rose Morris style one offs

Posted: Mon May 28, 2012 12:33 pm
by Ric_MEL
Hi Eddie.. thanks for the good eye on the Tom Petty shot.. I wasn't sure...

* even without a detail shot of Tom playing..
I think it's pretty established he likes the traditional stringing.. and the shot of the guitars outside the factory.. are the RIC stringing..

Did RIC just produce the one offs ( to their standards ) .. and Tom snapped them up ?
or even if they were commissioned by Tom .. RIC just doesn't string 12 strings any other way .. ?

either way the nut and saddles had to be immediately recut ..

Dunno.. perhaps only Ben or John will have this answer..

Re: Tom Petty's new Rose Morris style one offs

Posted: Mon May 28, 2012 12:40 pm
by k43rover
That's probably right Mark.

The other guitar which I think was being made at the same time as the Petty guitars/UK White 1997s (and which I don't think we've yet seen pictured anywhere?) is one for the Edge - something to look forward to.... :D

Re: Tom Petty's new Rose Morris style one offs

Posted: Mon May 28, 2012 12:49 pm
by k43rover
k43rover wrote:
jps wrote:Eddie, the shading of the RM obscures the positioning of it's f-hole somewhat, can you please refinish it in white and then post a side by side photo so we can better see the two together? :twisted:
I'll be happy to do that for you Jeff, but before the repaint I'm going to first fit some yellow coloured guards to the '66...you know, the "correct" ones with a smaller top lip...I'm thinking this Autumnglo guitar just looks far too well balanced for its own good at the moment... :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

okay Jeff...part 1 completed...new guards look great eh?? :wink:

Now, I'm off to Home Depot to get my hands on the cheapest white paint I can find....I'm thinking the full Pete Banks look is the way to go .... :twisted: Are you ready for that comparison shot?? 8)

Re: Tom Petty's new Rose Morris style one offs

Posted: Mon May 28, 2012 1:49 pm
by jps
YES! :mrgreen:

Re: Tom Petty's new Rose Morris style one offs

Posted: Mon May 28, 2012 1:51 pm
by k43rover
jps wrote:YES! :mrgreen:

...is your middle name Yoko? :lol:

Re: Tom Petty's new Rose Morris style one offs

Posted: Mon May 28, 2012 3:56 pm
by JakeK
Mark: I believe the reason Tom does traditional stringing is because he either prefers it or he doesn't know Rickenbacker's way of stringing.

After 2 years, I learned that Mike Campbell DOES know the Rickenbacker way. While his '63 625/12 CM108 may have been strung traditionally, it was "like that when [Mike] bought it", his '65 360/12 NS and '66 360/12 OS are strung properly.

Re: Tom Petty's new Rose Morris style one offs

Posted: Mon May 28, 2012 4:12 pm
by Folkie
JakeK wrote:Mark: I believe the reason Tom does traditional stringing is because he either prefers it or he doesn't know Rickenbacker's way of stringing.

After 2 years, I learned that Mike Campbell DOES know the Rickenbacker way. While his '63 625/12 CM108 may have been strung traditionally, it was "like that when [Mike] bought it", his '65 360/12 NS and '66 360/12 OS are strung properly.
Jake,

I can't imagine that Tom Petty has played Rics all these years without knowing the way they're "supposed" to be strung. Tom obviously prefers traditional stringing, as did Roger McGuinn in the beginning (check out the May 1997 issue of "Guitar Player" for an article entitled "Chimes of Freedom: Ringing Up the Byrds' Jangle Guitar Sound"). My sense is that Roger played acoustic 12-string right up to the time he acquired a Rickenbacker, and that's why he originally reversed the octaves on his 360/12. Perhaps the same is true of Tom Petty.

Robert

Re: Tom Petty's new Rose Morris style one offs

Posted: Mon May 28, 2012 8:46 pm
by manta
I guess you would have to ask him (Tom). But he was such an avid fan of Roger's and, no doubt, had ample opportunity to discuss such things on the Rolling Thunder Tour or some of the many joint venues where they've performed over the years. They've done songs and arrangements for one another so it's hard to fathom they wouldn't mention the stringing and style of play of a RIC. The stringing may not affect Tom's style as he chords while Roger basically fingerpicks. You also heard Mike Campbell say that each guitar has it's own special voice or tone. They may keep some tuned one way and some another to achieve what the song requires. Just a guess. Anyone know Tom or Mike?

Re: Tom Petty's new Rose Morris style one offs

Posted: Tue May 29, 2012 3:47 pm
by redamber
k43rover wrote:I've attached a close up shot of one of this year's white 1997 guitars side-by-side with an original '60's Rose Morris 1997 so you can better see the difference in f-hole shape.
Eddie - It seems to me that you have already replaced the much-maligned pickguard of your White 1997? Also, have the knobs been changed?

What about a 'before' and 'after' 1997 pic, side-by-side.

Re: Tom Petty's new Rose Morris style one offs

Posted: Tue May 29, 2012 4:52 pm
by k43rover
redamber wrote:
k43rover wrote:I've attached a close up shot of one of this year's white 1997 guitars side-by-side with an original '60's Rose Morris 1997 so you can better see the difference in f-hole shape.
Eddie - It seems to me that you have already replaced the much-maligned pickguard of your White 1997? Also, have the knobs been changed?

What about a 'before' and 'after' 1997 pic, side-by-side.

That's right Jim, the picture I posted earlier in this thread was taken just after I got the White guitar and it's seen a fair few changes since! I got some new parts today which I will be fitting over the next few days, so watch this space for an update... :wink: