Guitarist endorsing guitars

[Irishmuso]

Some colleagues here in Germany had deals with Hofner when they built up their "custom shop" but there has been only one Sig. model for John Stowell.

Hofner also had an arrangement with Attila Zoller, making the AZ Award that Jimmy Raney used. The Zoller name appeared on the headstock of that particular guitar.

[floatingpickup]

Hofner also had an arrangement with Attila Zoller, making the AZ Award that Jimmy Raney used. The Zoller name appeared on the headstock of that particular guitar.

Corrected, thanks to Hammertone:

A other German Guitar endorser was Bill Lawrence, with the Framus “Billy Lorento” model. Bill Lawrence was later involved with Gibson and eventually went on to design Bill Lawrence pickups. I met Bill Lawrence in the 1970’s and we spent an afternoon playing a prototype of his revolutionary new design which was about to come to market, the Gibson L6S. It seemed promising at the time, but we all know that one didn’t work out. I was more interested in another guitar that was laying on a table in the studio that day…Bill’s old D’Angelico A1. He actually offered it to me for about $1000 but, unfortunately, I passed.
Keith

[Zigracer]

Johnny A isn't gigging with his signature model at the current time. He's using a Stratocaster. He was playing the signature model before the pandemic, but started using a couple of Strats while working on some projects during the pandemic. He has been using the Stratocaster for both his solo show and his "From A to Beatles" show.

[Litterick]

The L6-S is a magnificent guitar. I am now going to play mine.

[Hammertone]

Another Hofner endorser was “Billy Lorento” a.k.a. Bill Lawrence, who was later involved with Gibson and eventually went on to design Bill Lawrence pickups. I met Bill Lawrence in the 1970’s and we spent an afternoon playing a prototype of his revolutionary new design which was about to come to market, the Gibson L6S. It seemed promising at the time, but we all know that one didn’t work out. I was more interested in another guitar that was laying on a table in the studio that day…Bill’s old D’Angelico A1. He actually offered it to me for about $1000 but, unfortunately, I passed. Keith

IIRC, Bill's endorsement was with Framus, not Hofner. The Framus BL Model is a particularly amusing archtop - the neck has a reverse taper from the nut to the bridge. Bill had quite a sense of humour!

Atilla Zoller also had a Framus endorsement, and the Framus AZ Models were probably their best "modern" archtops. He went over to Hofner sometime after Framus went out of business in 1974. Only @33 of these were made, including a few semis. @14 were "AZ Award" models - very nice guitars!

[73Fender]

….on top of that I don't want anyone guitarist autograph my guitar that I see. Just give me a regular autograph and I can stick it in the case.

Funny this brings to mind a Gretsch Rev Horton Heat model I found on Craigslist years ago. It had a signature of the Rev in sharpie on the top and a picture of him signing it at The Stone Poney. I never liked the “signature on the guitar” deal either.

I asked the seller how I knew it was even his signature. He pointed to the truss rod cover which of course had his signature engraved on it from the factory. It was an exact match duhh. And yes I bought it and still have it. A great guitar. I’m still not all in with the signature.

[floatingpickup]

IIRC, Bill's endorsement was with Framus, not Hofner. The Framus BL Model is a particularly amusing archtop - the neck has a reverse taper from the nut to the bridge. Bill had quite a sense of humour!

Atilla Zoller also had a Framus endorsement, and the Framus AZ Models were probably their best "modern" archtops. He went over to Hofner sometime after Framus went out of business in 1974. Only @33 of these were made, including a few semis. @14 were "AZ Award" models - very nice guitars!

Hammer:
Oops, I should have known that but I got mixed up between the two fine German guitar companies. Thanks for the correction.
Keith

[floatingpickup]

IIRC, Bill's endorsement was with Framus, not Hofner. The Framus BL Model is a particularly amusing archtop - the neck has a reverse taper from the nut to the bridge. Bill had quite a sense of humour!

Atilla Zoller also had a Framus endorsement, and the Framus AZ Models were probably their best "modern" archtops. He went over to Hofner sometime after Framus went out of business in 1974. Only @33 of these were made, including a few semis. @14 were "AZ Award" models - very nice guitars!

Here is a picture of Peter Leitch playing his Atilla Zoller guitar.

[Woody Sound]

Somewhere out there there is a photo of him playing a heavily flamed cherry sunburst LP Recording, or something similar. Can't find it now. I thought it was the most awesome looking LP.

[Woody Sound]

Somewhere out there there is a photo of him playing a heavily flamed cherry sunburst LP Recording, or something similar. Can't find it now. I thought it was the most awesome looking LP.

Ah, found it!

[Woody Sound]

Here is a picture of Peter Leitch playing his Atilla Zoller guitar.

Wow he holds his guitar low.

[floatingpickup]

The L6-S is a magnificent guitar. I am now going to play mine.

I agree. I hope my post didn’t come off as criticizing the L6-S. What I meant was that it didn’t seem to be a hugely successful model for Gibson. The prototype that Bill Lawrence showed me was really cool. It had that rotary switch that allowed so many different tones. The two-octave neck also seemed like a great idea. I thought the design was quite attractive, with the single cutaway and lightweight solid body, kind of bridging the gap between the Les Paul and the SG.
Keith

[JFranck]

IIRC, Bill's endorsement was with Framus, not Hofner. The Framus BL Model is a particularly amusing archtop - the neck has a reverse taper from the nut to the bridge. Bill had quite a sense of humour!

Atilla Zoller also had a Framus endorsement, and the Framus AZ Models were probably their best "modern" archtops. He went over to Hofner sometime after Framus went out of business in 1974. Only @33 of these were made, including a few semis. @14 were "AZ Award" models - very nice guitars!

I came across a single pickup Framus AZ 10 during a trip in London late 90s . I had seen this model with a AZ9 in a catalog (have been collecting catalogs from a long time) . Nice instrument very good level of craftsmanship, and was priced cheap . Would have bought it but gave up as I had to fly back home and was afraid it would be damaged on the plane.


I had previously another almost unknown Framus Artist model : a Jan Akkerman featuring a wider LP Professional style body in cherry sunburst with one F hole, 2 Bill Lawrence designed PUs, and a wide flat neck with ebony fingerboard, zero fret + 24, and artistic inlays. They made a handful of these in the mid 70s. The owner of the shop who sold it told me that it was an exposition model used at music trade shows.

[Hammertone]

I came across a single pickup Framus AZ 10 during a trip in London late 90s . I had seen this model with a AZ9 in a catalog (have been collecting catalogs from a long time) . Nice instrument very good level of craftsmanship, and was priced cheap . Would have bought it but gave up as I had to fly back home and was afraid it would be damaged on the plane.
I had previously another almost unknown Framus Artist model : a Jan Akkerman featuring a wider LP Professional style body in cherry sunburst with one F hole, 2 Bill Lawrence designed PUs, and a wide flat neck with ebony fingerboard, zero fret + 24, and artistic inlays. They made a handful of these in the mid 70s. The owner of the shop who sold it told me that it was an exposition model used at music trade shows.

I've had a few Frakkermenschen over the years, and I'm down to one. Very interesting guitar. There was a lovely little website that consolidated a ton of information about them over the years, with a nice little registry. It's disappeared. Turns out the internet is not forever. I'm sure it's sitting in some cache file somewhere.

[Hammertone]

He was a great player and is a lovely fellow! We tried to interest him in endorsing the New President when it came out, but he preferred his AZ Award. He's still arranging and teaching, I believe, even though health issues prevent him from performing out on the guitar. Here's a shot from @2000.

[sgosnell]

If you don't like a Sharpie signature, just remove it. Alcohol dissolves the ink very well. A little rubbing alcohol (isopropanol) on a soft cloth will easily get rid of it completely.

[Sam Sherry]

Ah, found it!

Looks like the same instrument to me.

And yes indeed, what a beauty -- worthy of the namesake's time and hand!

[Litterick]

If you don't like a Sharpie signature, just remove it. Alcohol dissolves the ink very well. A little rubbing alcohol (isopropanol) on a soft cloth will easily get rid of it completely.

We must do all we can to prevent guitars being framed and hung in man caves. Removing signatures makes guitars less attractive to the sort of men who would do this sort of thing.

[sgosnell]

I've never had a guitar with a signature in Sharpie, but I've had other things that needed removal. Some people collect signatures on their guitars. Willie Nelson, for instance. But I ain't Willie, nor any facsimile of him. I do think he's earned the right to have signatures on Trigger, though.

[feet]

part of me is afraid to try signature guitars because i'm worried i might like something with someone else's name on it and that makes me feel a little silly. not that it means anything, i just... i don't know. but i'll let someone buy a guitar with my name on it, that's fine.

i think there are a few that sort of transcend the signature guitar "stigma" (for want of a better word): the les paul and various chet atkins guitars, most obviously. johnny a is probably in a similar category, too. i guess it's because those were all new designs at the time, and not an existing thing with a specific finish or a different pickups or something. but to each their own, of course.

We must do all we can to prevent guitars being framed and hung in man caves. Removing signatures makes guitars less attractive to the sort of men who would do this sort of thing.

back when, we went to some party that was way, way in the hood (it was near where the end of training day was filmed, if that gives you an idea) and the guy let us in his place, which is generally a mistake. the host was showing us a few things and he mentioned that he had met will smith somewhere and had gotten him to sign a bottle of booze for him and he took it down from it's place of pride to show it off. a friend of ours was super hammered, and as one does when they are super hammered, made decisions that some might question, which in this case he appropriated said bottle of booze (might have been tequila?).

first thing he did when he got home was take it to the sink and rubbed off the signature. then he set the bottle on a place of pride next to his other bottles. it was months before he actually drank it. never heard from that first guy again, but know someone who knows someone who "knows" jada smith, so maybe i can replace the bottle?

[Greentone]

Litterick mentioned the L6S favorably. I also love it. Especially the Midnight Special version.

The neck is meaty. The tone of the Bill Lawrence pickups is sensational.

[sgosnell]

I had a chance to buy an L6S once, at a pawnshop while looking for bargains. I passed, because one of the tuners was bent. Knowing what I know now, I would have bought it and a replacement tuner, but it got away. I haven't spent a lot of time worrying about it, though.

[guavajelly]

I have an Ibanez GB10 and whatever I do, it still doesn't sound like Mr. Benson. Maybe I have to get the signature amp and strings, too?

;-)

[Doctor Jeff]

I have an Ibanez GB10 and whatever I do, it still doesn't sound like Mr. Benson. Maybe I have to get the signature amp and strings, too?

;-)

You really have to get the Benson special sauce. He says he only brings it out for special occasions.

Apply thickly and watch the crowd go nuts.

[deacon Mark]

Whenever someone mentions the Benson "picking" technique I immediately withdraw and avoid the whole explanation. George Benson has a picking technique and quite frankly it is different than Tal Farlow, Joe Pass, and Wes, but it is not the Holy Spirit for sure. It is just his way of playing.