I'm new here to the forum so I thought I'd introduce myself.
Although I have about a dozen guitars around the house in various stages of repair/modification, I own only one vintage guitar, which I've already posted:
It was the second guitar I ever owned. My first was a single-pickup Norma, circa 1969. 3/4 neck, red burst finish, with the single pickup angled in the middle position. Paid $21.95 for it brand new after saving my allowance for months. Sold it to a friend for $15 two years later when I got the Univox shown in my post (If only I'd kept it . . .).
At the time the Norma was the cheapest (new) electric I could find- and I shopped around pretty good. Sears had a Silvertone single pickup for about $25-$26, and the single pickup tulip-style Teisco Del Ray was about the same at the local record store. Montgomery Ward had a single pickup Airline for about $25. So the Norma was about $3 cheaper, which was a lot of coin to a 12 year old kid in those days.
I was in a junior high garage band at the time. We were remarkably bad. Our repertoire was mostly CCR and Grand Funk RR. 3 guitarists, a drummer, no bass, couple of mikes which we ran through our guitar amps- pretty primitive! But we had fun anyway.
Equipment-wise, I had the aforementioned, played thru a Harmony solid state amp, the kind with the red terrycloth racing stripe woven in the grillcloth. Our lead guitarist played a Hagstrom I, with a red clamshell body. The top was fiberglass (or something) and the back of the body was wood covered with red Tolex. The other guy had well-to-do parents who bought him a Gretsch Tennessean, single cut with a dark natural finish- we all lusted after that axe!
The younger members of this forum may not realize it, but a Gretsch was an object of lust for us in the late '60's- early '70's. Fenders or Gibsons were great, certainly much better than what I had, but all the players I knew drooled over Gretsches, particularly the Chet Atkins Country Gentleman model with the master vol knob on the bout. George Harrison played one, Mike Nesmith had a White Falcon, all my guitar instructors played 'em- and all us kids wanted one. I still do, maybe if I hit the lottery . . .
Anyway, love the forum, and I hope to expand my vintage holdings soon.
Paul
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