Why Is This Guitar Famous?

chingnchime · Post by **chingnchime** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 11:34 am

Okay Peter, you've had your fun.Now who the heck is it????

Scastles · Post by **Scastles** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 11:48 am

Alexis Korner, the Vipers...just 'shotgunning' now. I don't think anyone can get this one, Peter.

rick12dr · Post by **rick12dr** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 11:50 am

The guitar used by whoever played in the old James Bond flicks??

admin · Post by **admin** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 12:30 pm

Right you are Don. This is the Clifford Essex Paragon Deluxe used to play the James Bond Theme. You can read about it here.

The owner and player of the theme is Vic Flick who played on numerous recordings during the 1960s. You can see some of his credits here.

admin · Post by **admin** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 12:40 pm

Vic Flick had this to say about questions I asked about his work in A World Without Love.

"The guitar I used on the World Without Love session was a Vox Electric 12 string, with Hank Marvin emblazoned on the bridge, played through a 1962 Fender Vibrolux amplifier. I still have both items.

The amp is rather beat up but the Vox 12stg is in pristine condition. I think I only used it on about four sessions, none of which I can remember, and its been hidden ever since. I don't know what is was about that era of recording, but many of the sounds created then are difficult to reproduce.

I got called to record a number for the title theme of From Russia With Love, with Michael Kamen and Eric Clapton where we tried to capture the James Bond Theme sound. Even with nearly the original equipment we couldn't get the sound. The number wasn't used in the film, even though it should
have been, and has been sought after ever since by Bond collectors and aficionados.

A memory of the World Without Love session was the organist, Harold Smart, having his organ carried in by four street labourers with two poles - like a Roman Emperor."

Scastles · Post by **Scastles** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 12:41 pm

Good work, Don. I would have never come up with it.

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 2:20 pm

Such an iconic piece of music, and we all missed, except Don.

Good job, Don!

royclough · Post by **royclough** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 9:13 pm

Here's Vic, bit hard that Peter, I know of Vic Flick but would never have come up with answer as he was primarily a session man.

http://s47.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=3N43LSHYANHFJ0BG997UHN4IQ5

scoobster28 · Post by **scoobster28** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 4:00 pm

HOw strange, as I was just playing the James Bond theme today while killing time with my guitar. And, given a couple weeks I might have come up with the correct answer. Then again, probably not.

admin · Post by **admin** » Tue Sep 13, 2005 4:41 am

That's great Roy. Thanks for sending this along.

You have to love that theme and I love the chord at the end as well. Yes a bit of a tough one to be sure and a bit of a trick question, Vic being a session man.

But you didn't disagree. It was famous.

rick12dr · Post by **rick12dr** » Tue Sep 13, 2005 8:03 am

Hey, I just gave a wild guess. I really had no reason to believe that was the answer!If I had to think about it, I would have guessed the guy used a Jazzmaster or something.Learn something new everyday, huh.

admin · Post by **admin** » Tue Sep 13, 2005 8:58 am

Still well done Don. I did my best to include clues in my posts. "Behind the scenes" and mentioned "accepting no for an answer" and "falling short of the mark." In hindsight, far too subtle I agree.

jamie · Post by **jamie** » Tue Sep 13, 2005 12:58 pm

What I find really interesting is how Vic mentioned that even using the same gear he played on the original recording it was hard to capture the same sound today.

Goes to show much of the sound we hear on old records was just as much the product the recording techniques & mics as it was the guitars and amps being used.