Breau's Solid Body Sound on Days of Wine and Roses

**xuoham** · 12-20-2012, 08:21 AM

Hi folks.

Always a pleasure to read all of you guys.

Has anybody an idea about this very shimmering solid body sound Lenny Breau has on "The Days Of Wine And Roses" on the album "Five O'Clock Bells", as well as other tracks, "NYC", etc... ?

I guess it's the same custom solid body as those youtube videos of his 1982 master class, but i am amazed at how nicely a bright and shimmering sound he has. But ... how come it's so shimmering ?
I wonder how the guitar sounds by itself and how much is due to the amp/mixing concole EQ.

Any info or any idea ?

Thank you in advance.

**ronjazz** · 12-20-2012, 08:45 AM

I don't have that track right at hand. but Lennie did use the tremolo on his amp from time to time, so it may have been that, or something done in the recording process.

**floatingpickup** · 12-20-2012, 10:50 AM

Originally Posted by xuoham

Hi folks.

Always a pleasure to read all of you guys.

Has anybody an idea about this very shimmering solid body sound Lenny Breau has on "The Days Of Wine And Roses" on the album "Five O'Clock Bells", as well as other tracks, "NYC", etc... ?

I guess it's the same custom solid body as those youtube videos of his 1982 master class, but i am amazed at how nicely a bright and shimmering sound he has. But ... how come it's so shimmering ?
I wonder how the guitar sounds by itself and how much is due to the amp/mixing concole EQ.

Any info or any idea ?

Thank you in advance.

Lenny Breau lived and performed in Toronto for a long time. I was fortunate to be able to see him play many times while he was here. Before moving to Toronto, Lenny lived in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He usually played a Gibson Es-125 when he lived in Winnipeg, but around the time came to Toronto in the 1960's, he started playing a Baldwin Vibraslim. That was his main electric guitar for much of his time in Toronto. A friend of mine took some pics of Lenny playing the Baldwin at a place called the Riverboat in Yorkville, a trendy place in Toronto at the time. Those pictures are here: Lenny Breau-"Photo Gallery One"

Lenny played other guitars during that time, including a Ramirez Flamenco, a Baldwin Virginian and a Framus acoustic. I am not sure when he switched to the solid body, which I think was made by Kirk Sand (correction: Tom Holmes) . The Five O'clock Bells recording would be around the time Lenny switched, so it could be the Baldwin or the solid body - they sounded similar. Here are more pictures my friend took when Lenny switched to the solid body. These were taken at George's Bourbon Street in Toronto: Lenny Breau-"Photo Gallery Two"

In the third set of photos, also taken at George's Bourbon Street, you can see Oscar Peterson in the crowd! Lenny Breau-"Photo Gallery Three"

Lenny was always searching for more ways to get his ideas out. In the last years of his life, he played a 7-string guitar with a high A (not the typical 7-string setup with a low A). I am pretty sure it was Kirk Sand who made Lenny's 7-string too.

The guy who took those photos was a very close friend of mine and he was also a friend of Lenny's (that's my friend in the bottom picture in the Second set) Due to this connection, I had the opportunity to talk to Lenny many times, even visiting him at his home (he asked me to play for him, which was a little intimidating). He was a very kind person who, unfortunately, had an addiction problem that haunted him his whole life. He was a true genius and it was so sad to see how his life unfolded. I highly recommend the biography of Lenny, called "One Long Tune". It provides a lot of information about Lenny's accomplishments and his troubles.

Keith

**Dave70** · 12-20-2012, 11:05 AM

Originally Posted by xuoham

... but i am amazed at how nicely a bright and shimmering sound he has. But ... how come it's so shimmering ?

Any info or any idea ?

Thank you in advance.

I wonder if the "shimmering" you hear is Lenny's "harp harmonics" technique?

**floatingpickup** · 12-20-2012, 11:25 AM

Originally Posted by floatingpickup

Lenny Breau lived and performed in Toronto for a long time. I was fortunate to be able to see him play many times while he was here. Before moving to Toronto, Lenny lived in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He usually played a Gibson Es-125 when he lived in Winnipeg, but around the time came to Toronto in the 1960's, he started playing a Baldwin Vibraslim. That was his main electric guitar for much of his time in Toronto. A friend of mine took some pics of Lenny playing the Baldwin at a place called the Riverboat in Yorkville, a trendy place in Toronto at the time. Those pictures are here: Lenny Breau-"Photo Gallery One"

Lenny played other guitars during that time, including a Ramirez Flamenco, a Baldwin Virginian and a Framus acoustic. I am not sure when he switched to the solid body, which I think was made by Kirk Sand. The Five O'clock Bells recording would be around the time Lenny switched, so it could be the Baldwin or the solid body - they sounded similar. Here are more pictures my friend took when Lenny switched to the solid body. These were taken at George's Bourbon Street in Toronto: Lenny Breau-"Photo Gallery Two"

In the third set of photos, also taken at George's Bourbon Street, you can see Oscar Peterson in the crowd! Lenny Breau-"Photo Gallery Three"

Lenny was always searching for more ways to get his ideas out. In the last years of his life, he played a 7-string guitar with a high A (not the typical 7-string setup with a low A). I am pretty sure it was Kirk Sand who made Lenny's 7-string too.

The guy who took those photos was a very close friend of mine and he was also a friend of Lenny's (that's my friend in the bottom picture in the Second set) Due to this connection, I had the opportunity to talk to Lenny many times, even visiting him at his home (he asked me to play for him, which was a little intimidating). He was a very kind person who, unfortunately, had an addiction problem that haunted him his whole life. He was a true genius and it was so sad to see how his life unfolded. I highly recommend the biography of Lenny, called "One Long Tune". It provides a lot of information about Lenny's accomplishments and his troubles.

Keith

After thinking about this, looking through pictures etc. I think it would have been the solid body on Five O'Clock Bells. I think Lenny switched from the old Baldwin by then. I am not really sure who made that single pickup six-string solid body. Lenny got his Kirk Sand Seven String in 1982. Here are pics of that guitar: Artists Who Play Sand Guitars
Keith

**floatingpickup** · 12-20-2012, 11:31 AM

Originally Posted by floatingpickup

After thinking about this, looking through pictures etc. I think it would have been the solid body on Five O'Clock Bells. I think Lenny switched from the old Baldwin by then. I am not really sure who made that single pickup six-string solid body. Lenny got his Kirk Sand Seven String in 1982. Here are pics of that guitar: Artists Who Play Sand Guitars
Keith

I should have finished my research before posting the first time. It took me three posts to sort it out, but it appears that Lenny's six string solid body (the one he used between the Baldwin and the Kirk Sand) was made by Tom Holmes. That would have been about the time of Five O'Clock Bells.
Keith

**xuoham** · 12-20-2012, 11:41 AM

Originally Posted by Dave70

I wonder if the "shimmering" you hear is Lenny's "harp harmonics" technique?

No, of course, i'm talking about his basic tone

Let's say: i thought it's a solid body sound but it's almost shimmering like a flat top acoustic guitars, in a way.

Floatingpickup, thanks a lot for all those infos !

The custom 7 strings you mention is actually the one he uses on this master class viewable in youtube.

Since 5 o'clock bells is from 1977, yes, i guess it must be the Baldwin Virginian, ....
What a strange guitar,

... and this would explain this very bright but nevertheless sweet sound.
This, plus plugged directly into the SSL or whatever mixing console the studio had and a good air boost with the EQ, i guess i have an explanation here.

**xuoham** · 12-20-2012, 11:42 AM

Ah! Cross posts !
Let me check this out, lol.

**xuoham** · 12-20-2012, 11:44 AM

Funny this picture, doesn't his sleeve mute the harp harmos he's just doing ?

**xuoham** · 12-20-2012, 11:50 AM

Originally Posted by floatingpickup

I should have finished my research ... Tom Holmes. That would have been about the time of Five O'Clock Bells.
Keith

Man, thanks for your time !

Sooooo, finally it is a solid body !

Well, i guess that maple + nice on board EQ hi shelf boost could yield such results. regardless Lenny's mastery, of course !

Great ...

**Jim Soloway** · 12-20-2012, 12:04 PM

For all the info on the Tom Holmes Lenny Breau model check these links

Rare "Lenny Breau Model" Tom Holmes Custom Guitar *link*

And here are detailed photos

Flickr: Bob Thompson1's Photostream

I spoke with Tom about it around 1990 when he was building me a pickup and he said that he also had all sorts of recordings of Lenny playing in his home.

The one I'd like to know about is the solid body he's playing on the album with Buddy Emmons, "Minors Aloud".

**xuoham** · 12-20-2012, 01:01 PM

Thanks Jim !

I love this album !

Buddy Emmons is also quite impressive !

By the way, i think Bob Thomson is a great clinician, i was expecting the release of a tutorial DVD, but no news and the fretworks site is down.
His resume is so impressive, including International Sales and Marketing Director for Dana Bourgeois !!

I was lucky to get a few teaching samples from him, like his minor melodic fat shapes, or the small shapes Lenny used all the time, pretty clear and interesting for any serious guitarist, and i don't really consider myself as a jazzer.

**xuoham** · 12-21-2012, 01:03 PM

Ok, after a bit of research, i guess what hooked me there is actually the sound of filtertron like pickups with an ultra clean sound, a link to Chet Atkins, but of course !

I never really paid attention to this on the few Chet tracks i know, and the most i heard from filtertron/gretsch like pickups was AC/DC or some gritty rockab' sounds. Wow, with a very clean sound also this kind of pickup is terrific !
Now considering putting one on the bridge side of my Ibanez AF-105.
Maybe some interesting result wit the selector in the middle, paf + filtertron, hmmm ...

**bshen92** · 12-29-2012, 10:46 AM

Just thought I'd help this thread along. Is this the recording you were talking about?

**Jim Soloway** · 12-29-2012, 01:43 PM

Originally Posted by bshen92

Just thought I'd help this thread along. Is this the recording you were talking about?

I believe he's referring to the electric version on "Five O'Clock Bells". Cabin Fever was recorded on a Ramirez classical. I'm pretty sure that it was recorded a few years before Five O'Clock Bells but of course was released much later. So the Cabin Fever version would have been an earlier interpretation played much closer to Lenny's prime.

**xuoham** · 12-29-2012, 07:58 PM

Originally Posted by Jim Soloway

I believe he's referring to the electric version on "Five O'Clock Bells"...

Yes, thanks guys.
Actually, this track has a kind of intro with a classical guitar and a bit of talking in the booth with the engineer (!).

**floatingpickup** · 12-29-2012, 09:01 PM

Originally Posted by Jim Soloway

I believe he's referring to the electric version on "Five O'Clock Bells". Cabin Fever was recorded on a Ramirez classical. I'm pretty sure that it was recorded a few years before Five O'Clock Bells but of course was released much later. So the Cabin Fever version would have been an earlier interpretation played much closer to Lenny's prime.

Lenny's Ramirez was actually a Flamenco, not a Classical. I played that guitar when Lenny lived in Toronto. It had cypress back and sides and friction tuning pegs. Lenny always used a traditional Spanish capo on it, at the first fret, to make the action low. I attached a picture of the type of capo he used. Lenny's use of that Ramirez inspired me to travel to Spain in the 1970's to buy a similar guitar (and the cool capo, just like Lenny's). I ended up going with machine heads instead of friction pegs though. Lenny was a big fan of flamenco music. He was really into Sabicas. In fact, he named his son Chet Sabicas Breau.
Keith