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Thread: SRV's Number one's Prior history

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    SRV's Number one's Prior history

    I remember reading a few years ago that SRV's number one was traded for, at Ray's Music Exchange in Austin Texas. In the article they mentioned that another famous musician had owned it and had traded it because it was too heavy. I can't remember who they said it was or where I read it. I am trying to find that article and I was wondering if anyone has information on who owned Number One before Stevie.
    Any links to this information would be great as well.
    Every article I find Starts at Ray's Music Exchange nothing before that.
    Play'n the Blues in the Great White North

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    Forum Member Marcondo's Avatar
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    Re: SRV's Number one's Prior history

    It was Christofer Cross.

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    Forum Member Marcondo's Avatar
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    Re: SRV's Number one's Prior history









    Here are some early pics of SRV and #1

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    Re: SRV's Number one's Prior history

    Quote Originally Posted by Marcondo View Post








    Here are some early pics of SRV and #1

    Very cool pics!

    What I heard about SRV's #1 was that the body was manufactured in1959 and the neck was a 1962. Shortly before he died, the neck was snapped in a freak accident where some of the stage setup fell. (prior to a show) Talk about a bad omen.

    The neck was replaced with a 1962 reissue.

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    Re: SRV's Number one's Prior history

    Nice flashback!

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    Forum Member ch willie's Avatar
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    Re: SRV's Number one's Prior history

    Grease alert--he looks like hell there. But I'll bet he sounded good.
    If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison

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    Forum Member Stonefreefuzz1's Avatar
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    Re: SRV's Number one's Prior history

    Very cool Pics Marcondo!
    RIP Lacey Cat 1992-2009

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    Forum Member demioblue's Avatar
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    Re: SRV's Number one's Prior history

    Whoa... Dig the sideburns! Very rockabilly!

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    Re: SRV's Number one's Prior history

    Thanks guys I had remembered Christopher Cross and I wanted to make sure. Also the pics go with the other notes that said it had a white pickguard. Thanks for the pics and the help.
    Play'n the Blues in the Great White North

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    Forum Member Totally bored's Avatar
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    Re: SRV's Number one's Prior history

    Those pics explain "The Hat"

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    Re: SRV's Number one's Prior history

    So...SRV's #1 once belonged to Christopher Cross?

    As in "Sailing" and "Ride Like the Wind" Christopher Cross?
    "I haven't slept for ten days...because that would be too long." -- Mitch Hedberg

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    Forum Member holmis63's Avatar
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    Re: SRV's Number one's Prior history

    I´m gonna get snagged for this but i think Stevie resembles Hendrix a little bit on those ol photos!

    Well, he handled a Git quite nice him too! (understatement for the day)!

    So, he swapped the guard later on then.

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    Forum Member Marcondo's Avatar
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    Re: SRV's Number one's Prior history

    Quote Originally Posted by elicross View Post
    So...SRV's #1 once belonged to Christopher Cross?

    As in "Sailing" and "Ride Like the Wind" Christopher Cross?
    Yep same guy.

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    Forum Member Marcondo's Avatar
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    Re: SRV's Number one's Prior history

    http://www.latenightwithjimmyfallon....hael-mcdonald/

    Cross is a pretty darn good lead player too check out the end of this clip.

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    Forum Member NTBluesGuitar's Avatar
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    Re: SRV's Number one's Prior history

    Whoa...that wasn't too shabby!

    I was left wanting for the lack of sousaphone solo, though.
    "...pray do not imagine that those who make the noise are the only inhabitants of the field;
    that, of course, they are many in number; or that, after all, they are other than the little,
    shriveled, meagre, hopping, though loud and troublesome, insects of the hour."

    -Edmund Burke

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    Forum Member Cygnus X1's Avatar
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    Re: SRV's Number one's Prior history

    Eric Johnson was with Cross at that time.

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    Re: SRV's Number one's Prior history

    Quote Originally Posted by Marcondo View Post
    http://www.latenightwithjimmyfallon....hael-mcdonald/

    Cross is a pretty darn good lead player too check out the end of this clip.


    Who knew he had crazy chops? I can't recall if the original recording had a hot guitar solo at the end, but I'm sure if it did I assumed somebody else played it. I guess Cross is kinda like John Mayer or Vince Gill...dudes who become known as singers of "safe," popular hits, but secretly have mad guitar skillz.
    "I haven't slept for ten days...because that would be too long." -- Mitch Hedberg

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    Re: SRV's Number one's Prior history

    Based on nothing more than glancing at his style/technique here... I'm having a hard time imagining Cross putting that much "hurt" on that guitar before SRV got it, or SRV putting that much on it so soon.

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    Forum Member Mesotech's Avatar
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    Re: SRV's Number one's Prior history

    I had read somewhere, and can't recall where so this is all rumor now, that Chris wanted to refinish the guitar and set about trying to take the finish off. It proved more difficult than he imagined, so he left it alone all hacked up and traded it at the music store for a new one in the color he wanted. Later, SRV came into the store and asked what they were going to do with that piece of junk, and the owner said he was probably going to junk it. SRV didn't have lots of disposable income at the time, so it got the guitar real cheap. He then either left it alone and played it, or tried to remove the rest of the finish himself over time.

    In other words, the rumor was that the wear that #1 received was not player wear, but dumbass wear.

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    Forum Member Marcondo's Avatar
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    Re: SRV's Number one's Prior history

    I have another pic of #1 right after SRV got it and it looked good hardly any wear at all I will see if I can find it and add it to this thread.

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    Re: SRV's Number one's Prior history

    Yeah, it's dumbass wear, alright... created by a dumbass who thought jumping up and down on his guitar was some kinda cool showmanship because it made audiences of drunks go "whooooooohooo!"

    EVen in those pics above, it doesn't look to me like anybody tried to refinish thaty guitar and gave up. It looks like it was just banged around.

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    Forum Member Marcondo's Avatar
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    Re: SRV's Number one's Prior history






    The top one is right after he got #1 and the lower one is after he had it for awhile.

    These are both older than the color ones I posted see the bridge its still a RH trem he later changed it to a LH trem as shown in the color pics with sideburns.

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    Forum Member NeoFauve's Avatar
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    Re: SRV's Number one's Prior history

    Quote Originally Posted by Mesotech View Post
    In other words, the rumor was that the wear that #1 received was not player wear, but dumbass wear.
    Yeah!
    Kind of like those hats in the video.

    Why couldn't Cross and McDonald have worn them too?
    Why??!!
    "Well, I used to be disgusted, now I try to be amused..."
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    Re: SRV's Number one's Prior history

    [QUOTE=Marcondo;546921Here are some early pics of SRV and #1[/QUOTE]

    Man.
    Stevie looks a few quarts low on plasma.
    "Well, I used to be disgusted, now I try to be amused..."
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    Re: SRV's Number one's Prior history

    Quote Originally Posted by Marcondo View Post
    http://www.latenightwithjimmyfallon....hael-mcdonald/

    Cross is a pretty darn good lead player too check out the end of this clip.
    Reminds me of the comedy Yacht Rock , nice sounding Strat BTW

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    Forum Member Cygnus X1's Avatar
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    Re: SRV's Number one's Prior history

    OK, according to Wiki and other cross references, Carlton and Johnson both played on Cross' debut, but the solo on "Ride Like the Wind" solo was played by Cross.
    So I'm right, but also wrong.

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    Forum Member Marcondo's Avatar
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    Re: SRV's Number one's Prior history

    Quote Originally Posted by Nairbr View Post
    Reminds me of the comedy Yacht Rock , nice sounding Strat BTW


    Ya that was yacht rock night on the Fallon show.

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    Forum Member redb's Avatar
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    Re: SRV's Number one's Prior history

    Quote Originally Posted by ch willie View Post
    Grease alert.
    Its all the tex-mex us texans eat.

    Quote Originally Posted by Marcondo View Post
    http://www.latenightwithjimmyfallon....hael-mcdonald/

    Cross is a pretty darn good lead player too check out the end of this clip.
    I didnt like his tone, but he is a good player and everything other than the solo was really cool. Not at all my sort of thing but hey good is good.

    Also stevie did do some stupid, stupid crap with that guitar. The neck was replaced twice. The stage equipment falling incident was the second time, the first time he threw the guitar into a wall after he had seen his brother do it and the neck broke. But it wasnt anything nearly as bad than what cobain or townsend did. What's odd is that stevie treated lenny (the guitar) very well and its in tip-top condition relative to number 1.

    Mitch Mitchell talking about Jimi and strats in general.
    If the walrus is Paul then who is Carmen Sandiego?

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    Forum Member h2oholt's Avatar
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    Re: SRV's Number one's Prior history

    Ray Hennig told me a couple years ago that chris cross traded it in on a gibson 335. Stevie had been borrowing a strat from him that he wanted back and when he saw the 59 he asked if he could trade for it. Ray said for him it was a good deal because the guitar stevie was borrowing was worth a lot more money. The number one guitar was actually in really good shape finish wise for the most part when he got it. You can see it if you get the Antone's documentary DVD. There is a shot of stevie early on with no hat playing straight into a super with no effects and playing really great blues. The temperatures and the humidity here in austin are insainely high. Playing three or more nights a week in this area of texas makes you sweat buckets before you even hit the stage. You should see what it has done to some of my guitars in just the four or so years I have lived here. Plus I play professionally and am not always stressed about the thing falling over. Not that I intentionally treat em like crap but I gig all the time and things unfortunately happen. Haven't been on this forum in five or so years. Recently went back to playing strats.
    blues: get em!

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    Forum Member Goshawk's Avatar
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    Re: SRV's Number one's Prior history

    Yeah,the wear on #1 and on Rory Gallagher's Stratocaster was caused by the acidity in Stevie and
    Rory's sweat. Some people have very corrosive sweat that will dissolve the nitrocellulose finish over time.

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    Forum Member h2oholt's Avatar
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    Re: SRV's Number one's Prior history

    I have seen a lot of 63 strats that have the finish severely disintegrated like that. It looks like fender didn't use any primer coats on those that are like that. I know production was high in the early sixties and maybe they were cutting corners to get guitars out. I have read that was happening about that time period.
    blues: get em!

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    Re: SRV's Number one's Prior history

    Quote Originally Posted by redb View Post
    Its all the tex-mex us texans eat.



    I didnt like his tone, but he is a good player and everything other than the solo was really cool. Not at all my sort of thing but hey good is good.

    Also stevie did do some stupid, stupid crap with that guitar. The neck was replaced twice. The stage equipment falling incident was the second time, the first time he threw the guitar into a wall after he had seen his brother do it and the neck broke. But it wasnt anything nearly as bad than what cobain or townsend did. What's odd is that stevie treated lenny (the guitar) very well and its in tip-top condition relative to number 1.

    not sure if its odd,the guitar was bought for him by the love of his life and named after her.id guessthat he treasured it.

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    Forum Member h2oholt's Avatar
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    Re: SRV's Number one's Prior history

    Quote Originally Posted by redcoats1976 View Post
    not sure if its odd,the guitar was bought for him by the love of his life and named after her.id guessthat he treasured it.
    Actually that was a different guitar she found in a pawnshop. She got a lot of his friends to help donate some money to get it for him.
    blues: get em!

  34. #34

    Re: SRV's Number one's Prior history

    If I am not mistaken Cristopher Cross also let go a '59 Les Paul Custom through Billy Gibbons to, I think, Duane Allman???

    He then found another after his success, and it has since been sold...
    Last edited by twangmeisternyc; 12-07-2009 at 06:59 AM.

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    Forum Member h2oholt's Avatar
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    Re: SRV's Number one's Prior history

    Quote Originally Posted by Marcondo View Post








    Here are some early pics of SRV and #1
    Never saw these pics before! Pretty cool. Where did you find them? Connie here in austin has really great photo's on her myspace page of all the early years of stevie, t-birds, and the cobra's.
    blues: get em!

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    Forum Member Marcondo's Avatar
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    Re: SRV's Number one's Prior history

    I was on an SRV mailing list back in 1994 got those back then.

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