The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
  1. #1

    User Info Menu

    This is not a jazz guitar (though my definition of a jazz guitar is “the guitar you are playing jazz on right now”). This is a ‘60s Egmond Thunder 2 that will be delivered to me tomorrow, courtesy a Reverb seller.

    My Father worked with his hands and his back all his life, providing for a wife and 4 children. While he was in the Army, before he got married, he bought a guitar exactly like this.

    They were made in Holland; he was stationed in Alaska the whole time, so I don’t know how he ended up with it - maybe bought it from another soldier who had been in Europe.

    My Father was a taciturn man, the times I saw him smile - catching a big fish, telling a dirty joke, his Washington Redskins scoring a touchdown - were infrequent.

    But a couple of times a year, he would take that guitar down from the attic, along with his little Premier tube amp, and play the half dozen songs he knew - “Walk, Don’t Run”, “Big Boss Man”, “Honky Tonk”, etc.

    He was definitely smiling then.

    When I started playing guitar, he let me play his, probably more out of not wanting to spend the money on another guitar than from parental support - he definitely did not support my later decision to play professionally, until he was near death, too early, from cancer.

    The guitar got passed through family hands and eventually just came apart from overuse and childhood abuse, neglect and apathy.

    I’ve looked around for one of these in good shape for many years, this is the best looking one I’ve seen. Can’t wait to see how it feels and sounds.

    A Sentimental Purchase-48224494-3fa5-417b-a08b-334e12068cc3-jpeg
    A Sentimental Purchase-ac3b7760-d837-44ff-98b6-845a09db8e84-jpeg
    A Sentimental Purchase-35615579-784e-4bef-bbdb-c3b522289c8f-jpeg
    A Sentimental Purchase-def4779b-3742-4339-9727-d9b711d54582-jpeg
    A Sentimental Purchase-489d8ad6-fdd6-4295-ba5b-e6119ebb8eab-jpeg

  2.  

    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #2

    User Info Menu

    Nice story, and congratulations!

    My first guitar looked a lot like that, though I think it was probably a Teisco or Silvertone, since my parents almost certainly got it at Sears or Montgomery Wards.

    Lots of mojo with that guitar. Enjoy!

  4. #3

    User Info Menu

    Very cool guitar, and touching story. Congratulations, and play it in good health!

  5. #4

    User Info Menu

    Congrats. That looks to be in amazing shape.

  6. #5

    User Info Menu

    You will enjoy it no matter how it plays. The tone will be your father’s tone channelled through you.

  7. #6

    User Info Menu

    A heartwarming story! But also a reminder of how many European guitars-makers have left the scene, starting half a century ago, and, as it seems, without really fighting. Egmond, Eko, Framus, Levin, Hagstrom, Burns, Landola and many others. For most, Comeback Avenue doesn't seem to lead to a new sunrise.

  8. #7

    User Info Menu

    I read a little bit about Egmond and they were at some point the largest guitar manufacturer in Europe and sold guitars under several brand names. It is a shame that so many European companies are gone, there was definitely a different design aesthetic there, especially some of the Italian brands.

    A Sentimental Purchase-a6c02b82-62e6-467c-a5f1-f10bd4e8b708-jpeg

    Quote Originally Posted by Gitterbug
    A heartwarming story! But also a reminder of how many European guitars-makers have left the scene, starting half a century ago, and, as it seems, without really fighting. Egmond, Eko, Framus, Levin, Hagstrom, Burns, Landola and many others. For most, Comeback Avenue doesn't seem to lead to a new sunrise.

  9. #8

    User Info Menu

    Thanks for sharing your story.
    My dad's only musical instrument was his tenor voice, which he used on Sunday's in the church choir and for weddings and funerals. He even sang the Star Spangled Banner for the Cincinnati Reds ball game on occasion. It was beautiful. He loved music and opera. Sometimes, I still choke up and shed a tear when I here Luciano Pavarotti sing the Ave Maria because of the memories. They can really grab you.
    It looks like a great guitar.
    Enjoy!