Pete Townshend Rose Morris 1998's

[k43rover]

I recently came across this picture of Townshend playing what looks to be a Rose Morris 1998 model but with the 2 o'clock f hole position. The picture was supposedly taken at a concert at Chelsea Barracks in London on 12 November 1966. I have never seen Townsend pictured elsewhere with this particular f-hole variant of a Rose Morris 1998 - does anyone out there have different/better pictures of him playing it? According to one website the concert was filmed by NBC TV for broadcast in the US.. maybe this picture is a still from that film?

[collin]

It does look like a 2:00 F-hole, good eye!
That would make it one of the last RM models, so 1966 would make sense.

I'll dig around for more pictures of this guitar -- the small tailpiece (like an Ac'cent, but smaller...?) would identify it easily.

Here is a picture of Pete minutes later destroying a standard 1997 !




Most of that show, Pete was using his 360/12 MG , shortly before he stopped using Rickenbackers:

[JakeK]

The 1998 with tiny tailpiece is seen in, I believe in the studio recording A Quick One along with a 1993/12 with a hammer-on head!

[collin]

If it is the same guitar, the 1998 on the studio floor looks to have a standard 1:00 F-hole.

The first picture might be an odd camera angle? The resolution isn't so hot...

[ataritoobin]

[collin]

Wow, HEL-LO Steven !

Great pictures, I've never seen any of those four (where did they come from?)


Well, the f-hole placement is puzzling. It doesn't look as 1:00 as the earlier style, or as 2:00 as the very late 345S models, more like a 1:10
The placement is higher than the original RM style, but not as diagonal as the really late ones (like those sent to Italy etc).


In fact, it looks similar to this other late model RM1998 for sale right now on Ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Rickenbacker-1964-1 ... 6378607861



Anyways, amazing pics-- thanks Steven!

[k43rover]

great responses - thanks all.

Those are indeed superb pictures Steven which I have never seen - many thanks for sharing them.

Collin, you are right - this looks like a new f-hole position - discovered 45 years after the event!!! I would say a 1.30 o'clock compared to the 2 o'clock of my GA pictured below....

[k43rover]

actually, after all this excitement I have just gone back to do some basic photo comparisons using Steven's much better pictures (really testing my pc skills!) and I am not sure after all that this guitar has the f-hole in a dramatically different position to the regular early Rose Morris position. Does anybody have any better photoshop skills than me to do a more scientific comparison?

[collin]

I can't really tell for sure -- there are multiple angles of the guitar, and the last picture he posted is of a different guitar (I believe...).

It's easier to see the 2:00 F-hole. In fact, the angle is usually less noticeable than the f-hole being positioned further toward the bridge and higher up toward the neck. (Rare too! Beautiful guitar Eddie).

[manta]

And then there's the infamous Nine-twenty F-Hole Rosey Morris edition!!

Best,

Manta

[greg_feo]

On the way...but missing a pick up ..

[k43rover]

And then there's the infamous Nine-twenty F-Hole Rosey Morris edition!!

ninetwenty.jpg

Best,

Manta

Now I can see why Pete's looking confused in this shot!!!

[libratune]

Can you tell the year by the f-hole position?

[jwilli]

On the way...but missing a pick up ..

Nice one, Greg! Tell us more about it.....

[manta]

Here's a nice looking one as well (the actual sale is a post card I think)

http://cgi.ebay.com/1964-Rickenbacker-E ... 3cb368fefd

Manta