Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Folkie wrote:Thanks for the clarification, David. I had speculated that Peter used to play "Pretty Persuasion" on what looked like a Tele Thinline, but you correctly identified the guitar as a black Tele Custom. That's the one on the 1984 Old Grey Whistle Test footage and on the Raleigh, NC stuff circa 1985.

Before the Ric, his electric was a natural Tele Custom.











Some of these look like the middle position - Some the treble.

Jeff, we're not getting heated up (except for that one guy, maybe ), we're just enjoying derailing this thread with Peter Buck's style, guitars etc discussion

Folkie wrote:Thanks for the clarification, David. I had speculated that Peter used to play "Pretty Persuasion" on what looked like a Tele Thinline, but you correctly identified the guitar as a black Tele Custom. That's the one on the 1984 Old Grey Whistle Test footage and on the Raleigh, NC stuff circa 1985.

In the early albums there are a couple of clear candidates where Peter used 70s Teles with Fender humbuckers. Does anyone know why he stopped using it except for the rare appearance here or there? Maybe he didn't want to be like the bands he didn't like?

Just another side thing: I've seen pictures of Peter's 360 in the mid 80s where his 3 way selector switch is broken off, replaced with something else, a knob, I think. Might that be why he used 330s then?

Ain'tGotNoPokemon wrote:

Folkie wrote:Thanks for the clarification, David. I had speculated that Peter used to play "Pretty Persuasion" on what looked like a Tele Thinline, but you correctly identified the guitar as a black Tele Custom. That's the one on the 1984 Old Grey Whistle Test footage and on the Raleigh, NC stuff circa 1985.

Before the Ric, his electric was a natural Tele Custom.

Yep, that's the one also seen in the 1980 photos Werner found. It's also seen on the cover of 2006 IRS compilations.

The black tele, as previously mentioned, he somehow stowed away in '86 or so, and then it didn't reapear on stage until 2008(!).

For the record, there was also a Natural Thinline used around '85 (seen in the Raleigh footage).

/D

Sweden wrote:The black tele, as previously mentioned, he somehow stowed away in '86 or so, and then it didn't reapear on stage until 2008(!).

How sure is it that both are really the same, though, and not just borrowed gear? The model and colour is not exactly rare.

Just like when Peter plays Ric bass with the Baseball Project - does he own that one, or does it belong to someone else but has borrowed it?

Wildberry wrote:

Sweden wrote:The black tele, as previously mentioned, he somehow stowed away in '86 or so, and then it didn't reapear on stage until 2008(!).

How sure is it that both are really the same, though, and not just borrowed gear? The model and colour is not exactly rare.

Don't know 100% of course, but it's got the same sticker in the last footage I have seen of it from around '85 and when it reappeared in 2008... (Glitter skull in top hat behind bridge). Doubt he would put the same stickers that he put there back in 1984 or something on a new one.

Also the pic you posted here shows the case isn't really new...download/file.php?id=30216&mode=view

/David

Okay, I think I've got it straight. Black Tele Custom for the 1984 Old Grey Whistle Test show. Natural Tele Thinline for the 1985 Raleigh, NC one. Can anyone speculate on how he gets so much jangle from humbuckers? Is this uncommon?

Sweden wrote:Don't know 100% of course, but it's got the same sticker in the last footage I have seen of it from around '85 and when it reappeared in 2008...

See, that's good valid evidence it's the same guitar.

Folkie wrote:Can anyone speculate on how he gets so much jangle from humbuckers? Is this uncommon?

Clean Teles with single coils sound different than what PLB sounds like on the songs where he used his Tele with humbucking PUs. I've never played a Tele with these humbucking PUs, though, although I should, as they were kind of directed at the LP humbuckers playing market. I'm not sure what a clean Tele with humbuckers sounds like.

What?! Strings and toggles, 11 pages! I thought REM broke up on page 1!

...wisdom

indianation65 wrote:What?! Strings and toggles, 11 pages! I thought REM broke up on page 1!

In other words: don't discuss bands that no longer exist?

Folkie wrote:Okay, I think I've got it straight. Black Tele Custom for the 1984 Old Grey Whistle Test show. Natural Tele Thinline for the 1985 Raleigh, NC one. Can anyone speculate on how he gets so much jangle from humbuckers? Is this uncommon?

The only humbucker is in the neck. The bridge is a single coil.

The "knob" that "replaces" the pickup selector looks like the tape I refer to above.

Ain'tGotNoPokemon wrote:The "knob" that "replaces" the pickup selector looks like the tape I refer to above.

I'm talking about the 360, not the Tele - we already knew and agreed that Peter used tape to keep the Tele selector switch on a certain setting.

Ain'tGotNoPokemon wrote:The only humbucker is in the neck. The bridge is a single coil.

Ah, you're right on that. Still, Peter used the natural Tele on neck setting as shown in the picture I posted. So, how did he get his sound?

Wildberry wrote:

Ain'tGotNoPokemon wrote:The "knob" that "replaces" the pickup selector looks like the tape I refer to above.

I'm talking about the 360, not the Tele - we already knew and agreed that Peter used tape to keep the Tele selector switch on a certain setting.

Ain'tGotNoPokemon wrote:The only humbucker is in the neck. The bridge is a single coil.

Ah, you're right on that. Still, Peter used the natural Tele on neck setting as shown in the picture I posted. So, how did he get his sound?

I AM TALKING ABOUT THE 360: I show a picture of the tape above.

The picture you posted is from '81, or so, before REM had recorded anything besides Radio Free Europe/Sitting Still. He no longer owns that Tele, because it was stolen, which led to him buying the 360. Because we don't know what that live show sounded like, we don't know "how he got that sound." It is possible that the toggle switch was reversed, as well: Have you ever played a Strat where the bridge setting gave you the neck instead? That's just one theory - One that will never be tested because I have yet to hear a boot from that era that didn't have Ric on it.

Ain'tGotNoPokemon wrote:

Folkie wrote:Okay, I think I've got it straight. Black Tele Custom for the 1984 Old Grey Whistle Test show. Natural Tele Thinline for the 1985 Raleigh, NC one. Can anyone speculate on how he gets so much jangle from humbuckers? Is this uncommon?

The only humbucker is in the neck. The bridge is a single coil.

Just to clear things out when it comes to the teles. We're talking about threee different ones. Blonde Tele Custom (SC/HB) in 1980, black Tele Custom (SC/HB) seen in footage from 84-85 and then again in 2008, and then the blonde Thinline (as seen in the Raleigh '85 show on one or two songs). The Thinline seems to be a '72 version, accordingly with two Wide Range Humbuckers. The bridge is accordingly also a humbucker on that one.
As regards jangle, well mid-position on a Tele Custom certainly can jangle... Check this out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98yXij9- ... re=related

Ain'tGotNoPokemon wrote: The picture you posted is from '81, or so, before REM had recorded anything besides Radio Free Europe/Sitting Still. He no longer owns that Tele, because it was stolen, which led to him buying the 360. Because we don't know what that live show sounded like, we don't know "how he got that sound." It is possible that the toggle switch was reversed, as well: Have you ever played a Strat where the bridge setting gave you the neck instead? That's just one theory - One that will never be tested because I have yet to hear a boot from that era that didn't have Ric on it.

I guess the story has been that he got the Rick in '81, right? (When the blonde Tele Custom was stolen etc) That would mean there are several recordings from when he still used the Tele (including the much bootlegged October 4, 1980 show and the Wuxtry rehearshal session tape from June 6. Also, the very first existing recording is (probably) from May 30, 1980 which is only two weeks after the pictures posted above. There it seems more than likely that we hear the blonde Tele Custom. So not sure what "we don't know what a show from that era sounded like" is supposed to mean. Here's one track from May 30, 1980 for your enjoyment: http://soundcloud.com/sweden-2/r-e-m-19 ... 0-track-05
Guess that sounds like a Tele to me. Pickup position? No idea, but hardly neck...

/David

I regret the fact that my browser is giving me problems, which means I don't have access to all the live photos and concert footage you guys are using to bolster your respective arguments. Most of my knowledge of the YouTube stuff comes from memory.

I do agree with Indianation that this thread has been derailed (partially due to my questions) into territory that has nothing to do with its initial topic. Should we start a new thread here on Artists called, say, "Peter Buck's Guitar Settings"?

Robert

Folkie wrote:I regret the fact that my browser is giving me problems, which means I don't have access to all the live photos and concert footage you guys are using to bolster your respective arguments. Most of my knowledge of the YouTube stuff comes from memory.

I do agree with Indianation that this thread has been derailed (partially due to my questions) into territory that has nothing to do with its initial topic. Should we start a new thread here on Artists called, say, "Peter Buck's Guitar Settings"?

Robert

No. I started this thread, and I say we shall speak of Guitar Settings all we want.