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Jeff Beck playing my 1943 SJ


jt

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Dan,

 

I've got a Hiscox flight case (I used to use Calton cases, but I'm just too old to carry something that heavy anymore) for it and usually get it into the airplane cabin but sometimes have to gate check it. On my return flight from London on Air Canada, for the first time in over a decade, I forced to check the guitar with the other luggage (and treated very rudely -- I'll certainly never fly Air Canada again).

 

Welcome to the unpredictable and generally sour world of flying Scare Canada, John!

 

AC managed to break my '01 J-185 about 7 or 8 years ago, on a straight flight from San Diego to Vancouver, WHILE the guitar was in a Calgary-made Calton case:

IMGP6598.jpg

 

Initially they said they'd repair the case AND the guitar; once I had a quote in hand to repair the guitar, they demurred and only repaired the case. Twits!

 

Last year, AC managed to lose my J-35 (one of the 2013 ones) on a non-stop flight from Anchorage to Vancouver. Fortunately, the guitar was in a Calton case, again, but how AC lost an entire guitar for three days beats me. Eventually it turned up, unscathed.

 

But Air Canada famously does not gate check guitars, while every US airline I've flown on allows me to gate check, which I FAR prefer to checking the guitar at check in, particularly on multi-stop flights.

 

Best

Fred

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Welcome to the unpredictable and generally sour world of flying Scare Canada, John! ...

 

But Air Canada famously does not gate check guitars, while every US airline I've flown on allows me to gate check, which I FAR prefer to checking the guitar at check in, particularly on multi-stop flights.

Fred,

 

If only I'd known. I always approach flying with as much grace and charm as I can muster, which usually results in my guitar being placed in the closet in first class, as it did with United on my flight over to London. Not only was Air Canada uncooperative, the agents were, to a person, quite rude. I've never encountered anything like it. Never again. This was my fourth trip this year to the EU or UK and the Air Canada flight was the only when I wasn't allowed to bring my guitar into the passenger cabin.

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Wonderful article JT, a good capture of a magical evening. Well done. ... I am more and more appreciative of having a few minutes playing this guitar last summer. Thank you.

 

Thanks, Dan!

 

Thanks, too, Silver.

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This is absolutely awesome, John, cool and exciting the same time. Think I would be seriously nervous when meeting Suzi Quatro but playing in front of an audience with Jeff Beck in the front row - don't know if I survived the palpitations... :o It could clearly set a new benchmark for my stagefright I fear. [unsure]

 

I cross my fingers for your 1943 SJ staying fine, especially when travelling with her.

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Fred,

 

If only I'd known. I always approach flying with as much grace and charm as I can muster, which usually results in my guitar being placed in the closet in first class, as it did with United on my flight over to London. Not only was Air Canada uncooperative, the agents were, to a person, quite rude. I've never encountered anything like it. Never again. This was my fourth trip this year to the EU or UK and the Air Canada flight was the only when I wasn't allowed to bring my guitar into the passenger cabin.

 

 

I suppose the punters would be a bit disappointed if you turned up with the unbreakable carbon fibre guitar instead.......

 

 

 

BluesKing777.

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Thanks, again, all.

 

I'll keep traveling with the SJ. I'm sort of fatalistic about it: I got the guitar because it tells the Gals' story and think it only right to share it with as many people as possible. At every event, I ask each and every person to hold it and, if you're a player, play it. Most people, from young children to the aged, take me up on the offer. I've now passed it to the hands of thousands. Mr. Beck was the most recent, but, if I have my way, he'll be very far from the last.

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Thanks, again, all.

 

I'll keep traveling with the SJ. I'm sort of fatalistic about it: I got the guitar because it tells the Gals' story and think it only right to share it with as many people as possible. At every event, I ask each and every person to hold it and, if you're a player, play it. Most people, from young children to the aged, take me up on the offer. I've now passed it to the hands of thousands. Mr. Beck was the most recent, but, if I have my way, he'll be very far from the last.

 

 

Thats exactly how it should be. You are the detonate right man to end up with that guitar. Lots would have it in a glass case which isn't where anything belongs . I'm glad you have it

 

 

Edit - detonate ?!

 

Definate

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Thanks, again, all.

 

I'll keep traveling with the SJ. I'm sort of fatalistic about it: I got the guitar because it tells the Gals' story and think it only right to share it with as many people as possible. At every event, I ask each and every person to hold it and, if you're a player, play it. Most people, from young children to the aged, take me up on the offer. I've now passed it to the hands of thousands. Mr. Beck was the most recent, but, if I have my way, he'll be very far from the last.

 

 

...perhaps that old guitar's greatest stories are yet to be told.

 

Congratulations John...maybe one day you will tell us it has been in the hands of tens of thousands...I hope I can be one of those.

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...perhaps that old guitar's greatest stories are yet to be told.

 

Congratulations John...maybe one day you will tell us it has been in the hands of tens of thousands...I hope I can be one of those.

Thanks, Bram! I do hope that you get to play the guitar some day.

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Very cool story JT! It sounds like Jeff is a fan of banner Gibsons. Does he have one as well?

 

I have been banner-less for about 9 months now but it looks like that is going to change tomorrow when this 1943 Gibson J-45 (hog top no truss) in original Lifton shows up (please excuse the crappy seller photo):

 

34BB8852-0CF7-4F8F-9F73-DD13F182008E_zpsqymqs5mo.jpg

 

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Very cool story JT! It sounds like Jeff is a fan of banner Gibsons. Does he have one as well?

 

No, but he had my book. Jeff asked me for my autograph!?!

 

IMG_0167_zps9e6806b6.jpg

 

I have been banner-less for about 9 months now but it looks like that is going to change tomorrow when this 1943 Gibson J-45 (hog top no truss) in original Lifton shows up

 

Gorgeous, John! Thanks for sharing the guitar with us. Just about my favorite Banner variation and I'm insanely jealous. Please post pics and sound/video clips when it arrive.

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No, but he had my book. Jeff asked me for my autograph!?!

 

 

Gorgeous, John! Thanks for sharing the guitar with us. Just about my favorite Banner variation and I'm insanely jealous. Please post pics and sound/video clips when it arrive.

 

That's great! Many artists aren't "guitar nerds." It's cool when you find one that is.

 

I'll post some good pictures when I get the hog banner. It is really clean but the bridge has pulled up pretty bad so it will need a couple weeks of repair.

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Does he have one as well?

Good question - I thought of something like it, opened the thread and saw you had paved the path.

 

When I think of Beck, a white Strat automatically comes to mind, but no acoustics whatsoever.

 

Wonder - is he interested in acoustic guitars at all, and if yes, what would be the preferences ?

 

My guess : Martin 0018

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No, but he had my book. Jeff asked me for my autograph!?!

 

This just gets better and better, jt.

 

Don't suppose he asked you for lessons or if you could help him figure out a particularly challenging solo?

 

I'm definitely enjoying this thread. (And thanks for the Phil Everly comments as well. Spent 3 hours watching the bios and vids of him yesterday. Glad you met him.)

 

FMA

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But I'm serious, JT - did you ask him, , , ?

No, I didn't. He didn't talk much. He just came over, said something like "well done," and played my guitar for a bit. He seemed quite shy.

 

He did know of me and my book because the violinist in his band, Lizzie Ball, had a copy that Jeff saw, borrowed, and never returned. "Jeff nicked it," Lizzie joked to me. So, I brought a copy for Jeff to Ronnie Scott's.

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