Your Strat looks fantastic. I'm glad you mentioned Hank and The Shadows. To English guitarists, he was as influential as Buddy Holly. I've seen or read interviews with players who talk about Hank's Strat. In that time, the Strat was rare as any gem on the British Isles.
And that indirect influence directed me towards Strats. Clapton, George Harrison, Dave Gilmour--I believe they each were Strat-hungry after seeing Hank Marvin and The Shadows doing their dances. The beauty of that red Strat was lost on the black and white TVs, but the cool chic of the thing was not lost on budding guitarists.
Hank is 80 now. Here's a film-noir version of Apache.
If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison
Hank is the reason many Knopfler sig Strats are red
If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison
Hank mostly played Fiesta Red with a maple fingerboard, although in the early days he was seen with rosewood ‘board Strats.
Knopfler lusted after a red Strat in the window of a music shop in Newcastle-upon-Tyne in the north-east of the UK. He wanted one like Hank’s and that was the closest he’d seen. The one he eventually bought was I think in Dakota Red with rosewood. He still has this guitar, and this is the one his signature guitar is modelled after.
Last edited by ajwain; 02-16-2022 at 03:15 AM.