jt Posted March 14, 2018 Share Posted March 14, 2018 Well, this guitar is an archtop, but Hank played a flattop in the original recording. So, I'm hoping that this is OK. Anyway, while en route to the Country Music Hall of Fame, the ES-125 and Gibsonette amp that Zeke Turner may have played on Hank Williams's 1949 recording of "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" stopped by my house for a few days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinder Posted March 14, 2018 Share Posted March 14, 2018 Well, this guitar is an archtop, but Hank played a flattop in the original recording. So, I'm hoping that this is OK. Anyway, while en route to the Country Music Hall of Fame, the ES-125 and Gibsonette amp that Zeke Turner used to play lead on Hank Williams's 1949 recording of "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" stopped by my house for a few days. My jaw is on the floor, JT...that is priceless Americana history right there. Did you play it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt Posted March 14, 2018 Author Share Posted March 14, 2018 My jaw is on the floor, JT...that is priceless Americana history right there. Did you play it? Yep, Jinder! How could I not? Video posted soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted March 14, 2018 Share Posted March 14, 2018 Cool, JT! Those amps are supposed to sound great. And I have a 52 ES125, I knew there was a reason I bought it, now I know! BluesKing777. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
george wooden Posted March 14, 2018 Share Posted March 14, 2018 Yep, Jinder! How could I not? Video posted soon. That sure puts you a leg up on 99% of the world, be sure that makes it onto your discography. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave F Posted March 14, 2018 Share Posted March 14, 2018 That combo has been on/off CL locally for the past couple years for about $3200. It was only about 3 miles from me. Zeke and his brother played locally on the Mid Western Hayride I was under the impression that this was a guitar used by Zeke later than his Hank sessions Were you able to date the guitar JT? When I was considering it, I researched the GA-20T amp and the production years were 56-61 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blindboygrunt Posted March 14, 2018 Share Posted March 14, 2018 You lead a charmed life jt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortyearspickn Posted March 15, 2018 Share Posted March 15, 2018 I hope I look that good when I'm that old. Oh. Wait... Nevermind.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave F Posted March 15, 2018 Share Posted March 15, 2018 Here's a little history on Zeke. http://hpcisp.com/~turp/cincinnatimarkerstudio.html I remember watching him in the late 50's and through the 60's. He was always spotlighted on the show as a comic that came out dazzled you with his playing speed. I knew nothing about his connection to Hank until a few years ago when I read some credits on some Hank CD's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aliasphobias Posted March 15, 2018 Share Posted March 15, 2018 That combo has been on/off CL locally for the past couple years for about $3200. It was only about 3 miles from me. Zeke and his brother played locally on the Mid Western Hayride I was under the impression that this was a guitar used by Zeke later than his Hank sessions Were you able to date the guitar JT? When I was considering it, I researched the GA-20T amp and the production years were 56-61 I am curious as well. I was interested when it was for sale but Zeke was the only connection I could make to Hank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt Posted March 15, 2018 Author Share Posted March 15, 2018 That combo has been on/off CL locally for the past couple years for about $3200. It was only about 3 miles from me. Zeke and his brother played locally on the Mid Western Hayride I was under the impression that this was a guitar used by Zeke later than his Hank sessions Were you able to date the guitar JT? When I was considering it, I researched the GA-20T amp and the production years were 56-61 Dave, All reasons why the purchaser sent the guitar and amp to me: for verification. The guitar bears a 1944 FON (but 1946 logo!), so it could have been at the early Hank sessions. I'm still working on dating the amp. I've talked with the seller and will talk more. The link to Zeke seems solid. Such fun! I got permission to slap some new strings on the guitar. I'll be plugging it in today. If the pickups still work, I'll post to YouTube and here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aliasphobias Posted March 15, 2018 Share Posted March 15, 2018 Dave, All reasons why the purchaser sent the guitar and amp to me: for verification. The guitar bears a 1944 FON (but 1946 logo!), so it could have been at the early Hank sessions. I'm still working on dating the amp. I've talked with the seller and will talk more. The link to Zeke seems solid. Such fun! I got permission to slap some new strings on the guitar. I'll be plugging it in today. If the pickups still work, I'll post to YouTube and here. Shouldn't there be a question mark after the thread title? Or the verbiage be changed to "claimed to be used"? As Dave said, this was for sale on the local CL. I inquired and the seller stated only that it was owned by Zeke, who played lead on some Hank Williams sides. I was very interested, shirt pocket full of cash interested, and could only link Zeke to Hank. Guitar no, amp nada. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt Posted March 15, 2018 Author Share Posted March 15, 2018 Shouldn't there be a question mark after the thread title? Or the verbiage be changed to "claimed to be used"? As Dave said, this was for sale on the local CL. I inquired and the seller stated only that it was owned by Zeke, who played lead on some Hank Williams sides. I was very interested, shirt pocket full of cash interested, and could only link Zeke to Hank. Guitar no, amp nada. Fair enough, although the CMHoF is apparently convinced. The new owner, though, wanted me to engage in an attempt to verify. Oh, and how do I edit the thread title? :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aliasphobias Posted March 15, 2018 Share Posted March 15, 2018 Fair enough, although the CMHoF is apparently convinced. The new owner, though, wanted me to engage in an attempt to verify. Oh, and how do I edit the thread title? :) If the CMHoF is interested in it for something other than Zeke Turners combo (which I think is also contentious), I would hope that there is some provenance. You as journalist, Professor of Law and thread host would have to agree we are a long way from where this started. Respectfully. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhanners623 Posted March 15, 2018 Share Posted March 15, 2018 Nice houseguest.... Maybe that's a book idea: Track down the actual guitars played on some iconic recordings and/or used by famous people, play them and then tell readers why the guitars are special. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
62burst Posted March 15, 2018 Share Posted March 15, 2018 Cool photo. . . I’m going to scratch the first three letters off of my headstock now. Also- if you are looking to edit the thread title, hit the “Use full editor” button to display that page; at the top of that page, you can make changes to the thread title. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt Posted March 15, 2018 Author Share Posted March 15, 2018 BTW, I could use some help with identifying the guitar. I'd assumed that it was an ES-125 because, well, the buyer and seller said it was an ES-125. Yeah, again, not to smart of me. Anyway, it's a 17 inch wide guitar, which should make it an ES-150. But, ... the 150 wasn't 17 inches wide until 1946. Now, this guitar has the 1946 logo, but the body has a 1944 FON. The only 17 inch wide ESs before 1946 were the ES-250 and 300, I think. My current thinking is that this guitar started life as a 250 or 300, was left on a shelf, and emerged after the war with a neck sporting the new logo. Thoughts? Oh, and, again, sorry for the question mark less thread title. I was just having too much fun stringing this guitar up and plugging it in. In my excitement, i posted before thinking! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rambler Posted March 15, 2018 Share Posted March 15, 2018 I was just having too much fun stringing this guitar up and plugging it in. In my excitement, i posted before thinking! 'S ok, JT. In the immortal words of Billy C. Farlow, "aint never had too much fun". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave F Posted March 16, 2018 Share Posted March 16, 2018 Sounds like you're on the right track. Here's an excerpt from guitarhq ES-250 Electric Archtop Available: 1938 to 1940 Collectibility Rating: A. 1938 ES-250 introduction specs:17" wide, carved maple back, triple bound Charlie Christian pickup with 6 blades, jack at tailpiece base, plate tailpiece with pointed ends and raised diamond and arrows, triple bound top, back, and pickguard, single bound rosewood fingerboard, open-book fingerboard inlays, stairstep peghead, pearl logo, sunburst finish. Some variations such as single bound non-stairstep peghead, double parallelagram fingerboard inlays or fancy rectangular-enclosed inlays. 1939 ES-250 specs:natural finish available.ES-250 Discontinued 1940. But some post-war examples seen with newer logo and P-90 pickup. Apparently stock leftover from before WWII Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt Posted March 16, 2018 Author Share Posted March 16, 2018 Sounds like you're on the right track. Here's an excerpt from guitarhq ES-250 Electric Archtop Available: 1938 to 1940 Collectibility Rating: A. 1938 ES-250 introduction specs:17" wide, carved maple back, triple bound Charlie Christian pickup with 6 blades, jack at tailpiece base, plate tailpiece with pointed ends and raised diamond and arrows, triple bound top, back, and pickguard, single bound rosewood fingerboard, open-book fingerboard inlays, stairstep peghead, pearl logo, sunburst finish. Some variations such as single bound non-stairstep peghead, double parallelagram fingerboard inlays or fancy rectangular-enclosed inlays. 1939 ES-250 specs:natural finish available.ES-250 Discontinued 1940. But some post-war examples seen with newer logo and P-90 pickup. Apparently stock leftover from before WWII Thanks, Dave. One thing that still confuses me is that this guitar has simple binding without the multiple purfling that a 250 would have had. But, I suppose that the body could have bee completed, but left unbound, and someone grabbed it post-War and put the simple binding on it. I really love these little mysteries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aliasphobias Posted March 16, 2018 Share Posted March 16, 2018 BTW, I could use some help with identifying the guitar. I'd assumed that it was an ES-125 because, well, the buyer and seller said it was an ES-125. Yeah, again, not to smart of me. Anyway, it's a 17 inch wide guitar, which should make it an ES-150. But, ... the 150 wasn't 17 inches wide until 1946. Now, this guitar has the 1946 logo, but the body has a 1944 FON. The only 17 inch wide ESs before 1946 were the ES-250 and 300, I think. My current thinking is that this guitar started life as a 250 or 300, was left on a shelf, and emerged after the war with a neck sporting the new logo. Thoughts? Oh, and, again, sorry for the question mark less thread title. I was just having too much fun stringing this guitar up and plugging it in. In my excitement, i posted before thinking! How about the amp jt? Is there any way to link it to Zeke and then get it in the studio in 1949 with Hank? That should be a sand lot play, given the model and years of production. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave F Posted March 16, 2018 Share Posted March 16, 2018 Some more reading about Zeke’s earlier years can be found in Classic Country: Legends of Country Music By Charles K. Wolfe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt Posted March 16, 2018 Author Share Posted March 16, 2018 Some more reading about Zeke’s earlier years can be found in Classic Country: Legends of Country Music By Charles K. Wolfe Thanks for the tip! I just ordered a copy. You folks are the best! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt Posted March 16, 2018 Author Share Posted March 16, 2018 How about the amp jt? Is there any way to link it to Zeke and then get it in the studio in 1949 with Hank? That should be a sand lot play, given the model and years of production. That's next up. I sort of know guitars. I don't know amps. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aliasphobias Posted March 17, 2018 Share Posted March 17, 2018 My uncle has a 19 foot piece of driftwood in his front yard, he thinks it 'may be' a dinosaur bone. As stewards of our own history, I think we have an obligation to get this as right as we can. I would like to see this thread retracted until there is credible proof. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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