Wes Montgomery Guitars through the years

[Lucy]

Hi everyone hope we are all keeping well

Been listening to loads of Wes stuff lately
Falling in Love with love, Bock to Bock, Full House, Impressions, Four on Six etc just so amazing,

I was wondering if anyone knew which records riverside etc were on which guitars, I'd read some old posts about Staple pickups an a article on another website about his L5-C having a single pickup put in like the ones in the clips on youtube from 65 or if anyone had any piccies or info on his guitars other than the Getty pics.

Anyways just super curious if anyone had any extra info on when he played an L7 vs the L5 with the Staples, the CES n the single pickup ones or any others for that matter it's interesting to understand what I'm listening to a bit more on the different albums on top of Wes's n the other musicians epic talent.

Thanks in advance,

[Litterick]

This might be useful: The Many L5’s of Wes Montgomery. So might this: Wes Montgomery Guitars and Gear List.

[Lucy]

Thanks Litterick

[Lucy]

The second article is really brilliant especially the bit about the L-7 with the CC pickup.

Thanks again for posting it.

[Litterick]

Thank you. I am glad it is useful. This conversation with Jack Duarte is insightful:

Your first concern should be what you hear, what you're producing on your instrument. All this other stuff is secondary. I'm concerned about my set-up, but up to a certain level I always give it a lot of play. I got a standard box - I don't never want nothing special. I want it just as standard as I can get it. Then, if I drop my box, I can borrow somebody else's. Like, if I've only got one amp, with the precise sound, and it falls off on the floor - I don't have no job.

How different from those amateurs who have boutique amps and twenty custom shop guitars, one of which they might play on Sunday afternoon if they get the chance.

[Lucy]

Totally Litterick really makes sense when you think about it an I really agree with that sentiment tip my hat off to Wes its such an Interesting learning experience

[Lucy]

Hey everyone so I had some time today where I was stuck with nothing to do so started hunting out some original pics all pretty much from Getty but are dated and nice an clear showing pickups etc thought a few might find it interesting. I was hearing differences and wanted to get more of an understanding of what the differences in tone was.


Early pictures of Wes with a 1949 Es 175 Single Pickup P90


Wes montgomery trio - 1959 Kenny Burrells L7 with Charlie Christian
(Ref how to play style of wes book)
A dynamic full sound 1959 L-7 CC
Burnell interview stated he gave Wes an l7 fitted with a CC + a Fender Deluxe for the session.


Round Midnight is superb on this album especially the version on apple music wow!

Jazz guitarist Wes Montgomery poses for a Riverside Records publicty... News Photo - Getty Images

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Groove yard Montgomery brothers
December 18th 1960 in NYC where it was recorded Jan 3rd 1961
Pictured with a staple pickup L5
Bock to bock is my fav track


Musician Wes Montgomery plays guitar on stage at the Jazz Gallery,... News Photo - Getty Images



Musician Wes Montgomery stands on stage with his guitar at the Jazz... News Photo - Getty Images
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Incredible jazz guitar -1960 April
Es 175 p90 looks like the 1949 es 175 with a single pickup anyone confirm that was a ES 175 on that album?
(Ref how to play style of wes book)
Wes Montgomery poses for a studio portrait in 1960 in the United... News Photo - Getty Images

Four on six, West Coast, in your own sweet way, West Coast blues such an amazing album


another pic of the guitar from 1963
Publicity image of American jazz guitarist Wes Montgomery ca 1963. News Photo - Getty Images

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1961 Jan Gig in Five Spot nightclub on the Bowery, New York City
Gibson l-5 with Staple Pickups
https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/american-jazz-guitarist-wes-montgomery-performs-with-his-news-photo/3231436



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Boss guitar - p90 L5 1963


Days of Wine and Roses and Canadian Sunset are my favs from that album


Interesting detail with the foam on the headstock not sure if these are from that session. Noticed that the bridge has a staple pickup in it wonder if it's the same staple guitar from the 1960 session with a p90 swapped in the neck.


https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail...hoto/525597726

https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail...hoto/525597796
https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail...hoto/525597818
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Full house gibson l5-ces twin paf?
Curious about this one as I'd read on one of the forums of an old article from France where it said the blonde one was a promo guitar from Gibson an the pics were used on a few albums.


Full house has gotta be my fav
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1965 Jazz Festival - P90 Pickup L-5
https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail...oto/1415221325


1965 single pickup l5c- modded


1965 live at BBC l5ces cover guitar


1965 single pickup heart

https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail...hoto/508259273
https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail...hoto/517423918

https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail...photo/74284424
https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail...hoto/508259269


Also seen a pic from the mid 50s on here of Wes playing a Gretsch!!

Wes Montgomery - When did he start using humbucker pickups?

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1965 Smokin at the Half note - liner notes show an L5 with p90

Hope everyone enjoys as much as I did finding all the info so interesting looking at the photography.

[2bornot2bop]

I simply love the man, and his music. He was as humble as could be, yet so very talented! He dressed to the 9’s, and played unlike anything I heard at the time.

Wes lives!

[Lucy]

That's an absolutely ace clip I totally agree I always feel so happy when I watch his clips really inspiring can only imagine what It was like at the time hearing him wow! Being in my early 30s I know he's had a totally profound effect on my taste in music style of music I like n how I play and want to play never get tired of listening to his utterly sublime touch. I got the NDR Hamburg studio Vinyl the other day the Blu-Ray is well worth the price alone as the footage is really clear for original footage and to top it off there's sections of Wes playing where there's no other instruments going.

Wes, Charlie Christian an Emile Renner + Chet,Dizzy, Miles, Coltrane, Cannonball n Bird so many amazing players just all so amazing that's been my voyage of discovery this week an Hank Garlands album to that he made Jazz Winds and some Mary Osborne.

I found it really interesting hunting those pics out as I know I was hearing differences other than the playing n couldn't quite understand it as i'm still learning but it was interesting after playing a few more guitars in shops this week upside down with different pickups.

If I've made any mistakes on the info or guitars lemme know everyone

Lucy

[D'Aquisto Fan]

This is a fascinating subject. The question remains if the guitar one is holding on the front of an album is the guitar used to record the music? I don't know the answer. For example, The Incredible Jazz Guitar Of Wes Montgomery is such a monumental album played by the man most associated with a Gibson L5, but did he actually record all those landmark tunes on a 175?

[Lucy]

It's a really interesting one isn't it I wonder if any photos of the actual recording session exist from that recording rather than the studio shot. I sort of think it might have been the p90 l5 but his 1949 es 175 had a p90 in it as well.

It's really got me curious n itl be interesting to see if anyone else turns anything up

[wintermoon]

This is a fascinating subject. The question remains if the guitar one is holding on the front of an album is the guitar used to record the music? I don't know the answer. For example, The Incredible Jazz Guitar Of Wes Montgomery is such a monumental album played by the man most associated with a Gibson L5, but did he actually record all those landmark tunes on a 175?

He's pictured on the back of the lp playing a 175 in the studio and to me it sounds like it, doesn't have the depth of sound of an L-5. He already owned at least two L-5s by the time the Incredible lp was recorded in '60, so why he'd use a 175 is a mystery unless he borrowed it for the session.

[D'Aquisto Fan]

He's pictured on the back of the lp playing a 175 in the studio and to me it sounds like it, doesn't have the depth of sound of an L-5. He already owned at least two L-5s by the time the Incredible lp was recorded in '60, so why he'd use a 175 is a mystery unless he borrowed it for the session.

I don't disagree with your assessment of Wes' tone on that landmark album. I must admit that for the longest time I just assumed it was an L5, but you may very well be right about the 175. Regardless, it's been a life changing recording for me and countless others.

[Litterick]

Adrian Ingram:

Wes Montgomery played ES-175s on and off. There’s an album of his called Beginnings and there are various pictures in the artwork of him playing a Sunburst P-90 ES-175. I know he also used one on The Incredible Jazz Guitar Of Wes Montgomery, which he allegedly borrowed from Kenny Burrell. When I went down to Indianapolis to see Wes’s widow and some people that played with him, I checked out Arthur’s Music Store and asked the owner [Amos Arthur] if he had any L-5s for sale from the late 50s or early 60s. He said, ‘I have got a nice 50s Gibson archtop I’ve had since new. I bought two from Gibson at the same time - one for Wes and one for me. Wes went on to do very well, but I never got past three chords! Wes’s was an ES-175 and I ordered an L-4C [the acoustic equivalent of an ES-175] in black with a Charlie Christian pickup.’

[Lucy]

Really insightful information everyone loving reading your contributions an same totally life changing album for me to.

I'd say one of my all time favs is round midnight on the Wes Montgomery Trio album though been listening to that none stop.

[sgcim]

Really insightful information everyone loving reading your contributions an same totally life changing album for me to.

I'd say one of my all time favs is round midnight on the Wes Montgomery Trio album though been listening to that none stop.

Wes' genius is evident in every second of 'Round Midnight. He always had his own interpretation of the melody, no matter what song he played, and he plays RM like no one else.
Those people who think you should play the melody exactly as the composer (Monk),wrote it, are missing the essence of a genius like Wes.
Every tune he recorded was completely changed, rhythmically, melodically and harmonically.
The chord substitutions he and Melvin use on RM at times don't even fit the melody, and he's almost making it his own composition, as he did with Besame Mucho, Remember, and all the other standards he ever played.
On his solo, rather than just run all over the place showing off his chops, he makes hip, swinging melodic statements where every note means something. Without having to sing along with his solo like George Benson (whose solos I find quite trite when I play them without the vocal added), he creates perfect, swinging solo where not one note sounds superfluous or corny.
Over analyzing it tends to ice and scrimp the creative act, and there's enough of that to go around.

[Lucy]

Thanks Sgcim I've not listened to bsame much or remember yet I'll stick those on in a second

Really appreciate the reply n info it reminds me of a Miles Davis quote I read the other day.

It's not the notes you play, it's the notes you don't play." I've sort of noticed that trend in all the stuff I'm seeming to like as I'm exploring music, Miles n Chet an Mark Knopfler an Wes just love that stuff where one note means so much like all the emotion that's put into it wow.

Speaking of Monk I was actually watching the blue note documentary and really was fascinated by the coverage they did on him very interesting

[Gitfiddler]

Thanks Sgcim I've not listened to bsame much or remember yet I'll stick those on in a second

Really appreciate the reply n info it reminds me of a Miles Davis quote I read the other day.

It's not the notes you play, it's the notes you don't play." I've sort of noticed that trend in all the stuff I'm seeming to like as I'm exploring music, Miles n Chet an Mark Knopfler an Wes just love that stuff where one note means so much like all the emotion that's put into it wow.

Speaking of Monk I was actually watching the blue note documentary and really was fascinated by the coverage they did on him very interesting

Obviously you are a huge fan of the amazing Wes Montgomery, and not just his guitars.

If you don't already have his beautifully packaged 5 CD "Movin' The Complete Verve Collection", check it out.

[Lucy]

I shall check it out! I just got the Vinyl for the NDR Complete Studio Recordings of Wes in 1965 comes with a Blu Ray with about 35 mins of studio footage from the rehersals which is amazing watching Wes's Interactions and also there's a few bits where he's playing not in a mix just on his own as an isolated guitar sound which is epic to hear.

[wintermoon]

Don't forget the complete Riverside recordings, 12 cds. It's phenomenal.

[Lucy]

I shall pop it on the list of things to buy wintermoon

[2bornot2bop]

I shall check it out! I just got the Vinyl for the NDR Complete Studio Recordings of Wes in 1965 comes with a Blu Ray with about 35 mins of studio footage from the rehersals which is amazing watching Wes's Interactions and also there's a few bits where he's playing not in a mix just on his own as an isolated guitar sound which is epic to hear.

A vinyl fan too! We share many things in common!

[Cunamara]

He's pictured on the back of the lp playing a 175 in the studio and to me it sounds like it, doesn't have the depth of sound of an L-5. He already owned at least two L-5s by the time the Incredible lp was recorded in '60, so why he'd use a 175 is a mystery unless he borrowed it for the session.

What I have read, and now I can't remember the source for anyone to verify it, was that Wes did not want to travel from Indianapolis to New York with his guitar and arranged to borrow one while he was there (apparently Kenny Burrell's ES-175).

[Lucy]

Thanks Cunamara that's really interesting

[sgcim]

Thanks Cunamara that's really interesting

He was afraid of flying.