So cool! I’d love to know if there are any more pictures surviving of Roy in the late 1950s. I’m sure there are more out there of him playing this Stratocaster.
I knew Roy, Maryanne, and Debbie. Debbie was instrumental in my wife becoming my wife. Roy always had his guitar with him; could still play it flawlessly no matter how much he had to drink. My favorite Roy story was when they were on their way to a gig and the Cadillac caught on fire. They pull over and get out; Roy looks on (not a car guy). Maryanne starts screaming, "Roy! Your guitar!! Get your guitar!! He replied, "I don't really feel like pickin' right now."🤣🤣
Dude, you've been pulling primo once in10 lifetimes vintage guitars all year. Keep up the great work. Impressed. If anyone finds an unknown burst it'll probably be you at this point
Hey thank you! I sure hope to be able to do that again. I've found four uncirculated Bursts so far but was only able to buy 3. I hope there are more out there!
Playing along with Roy Lanham in the Fender Factory video on the Duo Sonic is EDDIE CLETRO, who Leo build an Adobe Beige / All-Rosewood Neck Strat for. They were both good friends of Leo's. Johnny Cola / Old Guitars in B&W
I have the impression/ vague recollection that Fiesta Red came in with the first set of Sixties custom colors, and that the Roy Lanham Strat is actually Matador Red. There was a Fender brochure in color circa '58-'59 with a couple of red guitars that are about the same color as the Lanham Strat, and Fiesta Red is indeed more pastel. VERY cool find! Subscribed.
No, I wanted to know who the heck is Roy Lanham? And you went straight from "I'm going to appraise it" as it's not for sale to "when I brought it home".....
Red Roundtree was never a member in the Sons of the Pioneers, and he was known more for being a guitarist than he was as a banjoist. He was a session player, and he played on one RCA Pioneers session on August 15, 1946. He and Lanham were both session men, and worked together occasionally in Roy Rogers' band, after Lanham left The Whippoorwills in 1956. When Roy Rogers went on tour, like Chuck Berry, preferred hiring local working musicians in each town, rather than paying to travel with a large touring band. This is why you often hear stories about somebody's great granduncle and that he was a Sons of the Pioneers or member of Gene Autry's band, when really he probably backed the band up one night at some local dancehall.
That's cool. I have an older 50s Road Worn (black) that I had replaced the single ply white PG with a gold anodized one. It was not the original neck- it had a nitro Classic Series 50s neck on it. Right now it has a 60s Classic Series poly neck from 2001 on it (wanted rosewood).
Beautiful Catastraster, as one of my brother's music store customers called them back in the early '70s!! Congrats on all your sleuthing, as well! To add to that sleuthing, I have LONG, and I mean LONG, wondered who played the great Jazzmaster riffs on Bobby Darin's "Dream Lover." Can't remember all the clues; but I finally came to the conclusion that it was Roy Lanham, who probably got one of, if not THE first Jazzmaster that Leo commercially produced, and that it was most likely, the very first Jazzmaster ever recorded. Many references have that song recorded in March of 1959; however, I have also seen references to it having been recorded around November of 1958. And I LOVE that 1.75 nut width on the Stratocaster!! ua-cam.com/video/wVHAQX5sSaU/v-deo.html
The only thing that throws me on the guitar is those anodized gold scratch plates did NOT wear well and going by the wear on the neck, makes me feel its a replacement!??
Possibly reanodized, but yeah, it would be worn to raw aluminum if not redone or replaced I think. Looked like the album cover he showed of Pee Wee Crayton’s guitar had a worn area.
The wear on the guard is perfectly commensurate with the wear on the fretboard. Also, try finding an original Strat gold pickguard with correct thickness and then find a matching tremolo cover plate. After you find those two, find a '57 Strat with a picture of the guitar with a gold guard from 1957. (Hint: this would be impossible).
No, I wouldn't do that since the current company named Fender has almost nothing to do with the Fender company that made this guitar. They don't have any records on vintage guitars unfortunately.
It's possible! I think he got it by association with someone in the band he played in: The Sons of the Pioneers. Both he and Roy played in that band (and half the musicians in Los Angeles I think).
Roy was the master in his genre. You absolutely scored. Nice work!!
My dad actually knew Roy Lanham and told me about him when I was young. They were both from a small town called Corbin Kentucky..
This is my great uncle!!! Thanks for the post!
I literally drooled watching this video. If I could ever afford a 50’s Strat, that would be the perfect one for me.
This is my Husband's Great Uncle. We currently live where he grew up.
I just commented as well! Nice to see you here! Lol
So cool! I’d love to know if there are any more pictures surviving of Roy in the late 1950s. I’m sure there are more out there of him playing this Stratocaster.
I knew Roy, Maryanne, and Debbie. Debbie was instrumental in my wife becoming my wife.
Roy always had his guitar with him; could still play it flawlessly no matter how much he had to drink.
My favorite Roy story was when they were on their way to a gig and the Cadillac caught on fire. They pull over and get out; Roy looks on (not a car guy). Maryanne starts screaming, "Roy! Your guitar!! Get your guitar!!
He replied, "I don't really feel like pickin' right now."🤣🤣
Dude, you've been pulling primo once in10 lifetimes vintage guitars all year. Keep up the great work. Impressed. If anyone finds an unknown burst it'll probably be you at this point
Hey thank you! I sure hope to be able to do that again. I've found four uncirculated Bursts so far but was only able to buy 3. I hope there are more out there!
that is one of the nicest sounding strats ive ever heard. It has a uniquely straightforward sound
Playing along with Roy Lanham in the Fender Factory video on the Duo Sonic is EDDIE CLETRO, who Leo build an Adobe Beige / All-Rosewood Neck Strat for.
They were both good friends of Leo's.
Johnny Cola / Old Guitars in B&W
That's very cool! I've seen that guitar but didn't know that was Eddie standing next to Roy. That's such a cool shot in that video.
There is so much history in guitars. Thanks for the video!
I have the impression/ vague recollection that Fiesta Red came in with the first set of Sixties custom colors, and that the Roy Lanham Strat is actually Matador Red. There was a Fender brochure in color circa '58-'59 with a couple of red guitars that are about the same color as the Lanham Strat, and Fiesta Red is indeed more pastel. VERY cool find!
Subscribed.
Awesome, unique Strat, sounds amazing!
That sound😮 oh! My what a tone!😮
Great vid. What a find. Loved the demo too.
Joe Bonamassa will be right over to try to add that to his collection.. Ha! Great find and what a piece of history to save.
Amazing. That is soooo cool. What a great historical find and happenstance research.
What a great-looking and sounding Strat!
Like the neck pu. The bridge is actually darker with a bit less treble than l would have thought. Nice sounding guitar.
Amazing story. Congratulations 💙🙌🏼
No, I wanted to know who the heck is Roy Lanham? And you went straight from "I'm going to appraise it" as it's not for sale to "when I brought it home".....
Red Roundtree was never a member in the Sons of the Pioneers, and he was known more for being a guitarist than he was as a banjoist. He was a session player, and he played on one RCA Pioneers session on August 15, 1946. He and Lanham were both session men, and worked together occasionally in Roy Rogers' band, after Lanham left The Whippoorwills in 1956.
When Roy Rogers went on tour, like Chuck Berry, preferred hiring local working musicians in each town, rather than paying to travel with a large touring band. This is why you often hear stories about somebody's great granduncle and that he was a Sons of the Pioneers or member of Gene Autry's band, when really he probably backed the band up one night at some local dancehall.
That's cool. I have an older 50s Road Worn (black) that I had replaced the single ply white PG with a gold anodized one. It was not the original neck- it had a nitro Classic Series 50s neck on it. Right now it has a 60s Classic Series poly neck from 2001 on it (wanted rosewood).
Amazing find!
Beautiful Catastraster, as one of my brother's music store customers called them back in the early '70s!! Congrats on all your sleuthing, as well! To add to that sleuthing, I have LONG, and I mean LONG, wondered who played the great Jazzmaster riffs on Bobby Darin's "Dream Lover." Can't remember all the clues; but I finally came to the conclusion that it was Roy Lanham, who probably got one of, if not THE first Jazzmaster that Leo commercially produced, and that it was most likely, the very first Jazzmaster ever recorded. Many references have that song recorded in March of 1959; however, I have also seen references to it having been recorded around November of 1958. And I LOVE that 1.75 nut width on the Stratocaster!!
ua-cam.com/video/wVHAQX5sSaU/v-deo.html
Would have been good to hear the real sound of this guitar without distortion, my Strat is a Fiesta Red 1961, great sound.
What is the dc resistance of the pickups through the output jack with all controls on ten?
The only thing that throws me on the guitar is those anodized gold scratch plates did NOT wear well and going by the wear on the neck, makes me feel its a replacement!??
Possibly reanodized, but yeah, it would be worn to raw aluminum if not redone or replaced I think. Looked like the album cover he showed of Pee Wee Crayton’s guitar had a worn area.
The wear on the guard is perfectly commensurate with the wear on the fretboard. Also, try finding an original Strat gold pickguard with correct thickness and then find a matching tremolo cover plate. After you find those two, find a '57 Strat with a picture of the guitar with a gold guard from 1957. (Hint: this would be impossible).
Is Fender Seminole red the same as Matador red? Thanks
Love the neck
Fascinating story, congrats.
What is the fingerboard radius? Is Dakota Red a possibility?
An Aluminum (solidor ply ?) Pickguard?
Has to sound different
Squank to the 5th Power !
Very cool story.
With all that research, didn't you reach out to Fender to see if they have any info on it?
No, I wouldn't do that since the current company named Fender has almost nothing to do with the Fender company that made this guitar. They don't have any records on vintage guitars unfortunately.
very jealous
holy shit
I jave a 70s price list and booklet
Any interest ?
I wonder if Red won it in a poker game or something?
Also, is the radius from the neck pocket to the upper horn a bit different than today’s Strats?
It's possible! I think he got it by association with someone in the band he played in: The Sons of the Pioneers. Both he and Roy played in that band (and half the musicians in Los Angeles I think).
How did Bonamassa not get this??
Im glad he didnt
He probably has his eye on the Crayton stratocaster.
FIRST listen to Roy Lanham, THEN play that thing bro
Very cool guitar and a great story behind it but man, those are some of the worst Strat tones I've ever heard. 😕
Joe bonnamossa has left the chat!