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Updated 5.10.09
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The purpose of this section is to provide general information regarding the various gear and tunings of Richard Thompson.
Answers to specific questions (considered on an individual basis) available here. Please click the 'envelope' icon at the top of the page to submit your question.
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| "Well folks, I mainly play on stage a Lowden L32C (L27FC is the old model #, now changed to L32C.) I own a spare of the same model, but with Walnut back/sides and cedar top - used on Old Kit Bag. I also have a baby Lowden, currently in London, so I can't check the model number, and three Ferrington acoustics, and my old Martin 00018, which is a bit bashed about. The main stage guitar has a Sunrise magnetic soundhole pickup, and a Countryman Isomax Condenser Mic in the soundhole. These both run through a 2 channel Gas Cooker Pre-Amp, made by Ridge Farm Studios. The Sunrise also goes through optional effects - a Line 6 Delay Modeller and a UniVibe rotary effect (Dan Armstrong?). From there into the P.A." |
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'59 Sunburst Stratocaster, with a maple '55 neck (serial #38309)
Since he was a founding member of Fairport Convention, this Strat was Richard Thompson’s chief electric guitar, and was the tool used for the harrowing guitar work on 1982’s Shoot Out the Lights, which Rolling Stone magazine rates as one of the best rock albums of all time. Thompson purchased it in 1971 on London’s Denmark Street, having previously used a mid-‘60s Strat. “When I started playing Fenders in 1968, it was unfashionable because everyone in England was playing Gibsons and trying to get a big, fat sound like Eric Clapton had in Cream. I just wanted a little more bite,” he recalls. After ten years the first neck was literally wore out, and replaced with a 1955. The original bridge was another casualty.
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| photo credit: Neil Emond |
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photo credit: Ron Slenzak
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Ferrington Custom Guitar (with a mixture of pickups)
"I like my blue Ferringtoncaster best, although the top string could be louder."
"The blue Ferrington has a P90 at the neck, an Alnico Strat in the middle, and a Broadcaster at the bridge. It has a 5 position p/u selector. Each p/u has a volume control, but no tone. In the blend positions, this gives infinite tone combinations between p/us, by backing off the volumes."
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"I get confused with the numberings, but I think I play L27FCs, medium body, single cutaway. George Lowden, the founder of the company, has just taken back the rights to Lowden Guitars, after concerns about quality, and his new production line is up and running; I was at the factory in Northern Ireland this summer, and witnessed the first guitars of the new era, and I must say – they are absolutely superb! They will be in short supply for the next couple of years, I suspect, so put your name down early."
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| photo credit John Swanda |
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This guitar is shown on the cover of Richard Thompson's recent CD, Front Parlour Ballads. It is a 'Kellycaster Blackguard' modified by Bobby Eichhorn.
"And fab in a whole other way is the Kellycaster, a 3 pickup Tele-type, which really screams. This guitar was a gift from my guitar tech, Bobby Eichhorn, who used to work at Kelly Guitars." He says:
The specs as far as I remember are:
Scale is 25 1/2 inch
12 inch Radius
1 inch 5/8 's at the nut
Medium Jumbo frets
I believe an alder body
Swamp Ash is also a very good choice
Your particular Kellycaster has a Strat headstock.
Otherwise it has pretty stock fender measurements.
Pickups: Neck & Bridge are Vintage Tele
Middle Pickup I believe is a Lindy Fralin Strat pickup. |
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A fairly recent addition to Richard's collection...
Eastman Uptown AR805-CE
Scale Length: 25"
Neck Width at Nut: 1 11/16"
Bracing: X
Body Width: 16"
Back & Sides: Solid Maple
Top: Solid Spruce
Neck: 3-ply Maple
Fingerboard: Ebony
F-Hole with Cutaway & Pickup |
| photo credit: Ron Slenzak |
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I bought my hurdy gurdy as a kit from the Early Music Shop in the UK, in the 80s. At the time, it only cost 120 Pounds, I'm sure it's gone up since then. The key box was preformed, and the wheel was cut, but everything else needed some, or a lot of, work. The Early Music Shop rated it as 'difficult' (but not as hard as a harpsichord). It took me well over a year to make it, because I would get frustrated, curse the poor diagrams, and throw it in a drawer for months at a time. Danny Ferrington seriously baled me out on several occasions, sprayed on the lacquer, and cut out the little cutesy moons and stars. I would say, it's not as easy to play as a dulcimer, and far, far harder to keep running. It's crucial that the wheel is revolving accurately,
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| and rosin is required to keep the strings biting properly. Mine iscurrently suffering from a knock, and the wheel has shifted. If it is possible, geared tuning pegs will save huge amounts of frustration. To play a basic drone and a simple tune (about my level) is not too hard, but to play like Nigel Eaton will take great application and dedication. If you admit defeat, and just hang it on the wall of your living room, it's a fine conversation-piece. |
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...It's a Ferrington custom.
This instrument was featured in the asymmetrical coffee table
classic, 'Ferrington Guitars' (never off MY coffee table) page 67
et seq. Since the book, a third pickup has been added.
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photo credit: Ron Slenzak
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What a poser I am! Sometimes I do photo sessions with a guitar chosen for the colour only, shame, shame. The Dano is an old friend, however. I used it on many tracks on many records , 'Word Unspoken, Sight Unseen' and 'Crawl Back' spring to mind. I love the baritones and basses too. |
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photo credit: Ron Slenzak
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This is a Peerless, manufactured in Korea. Fred Walecki, who runs my local music haven, Westwood Music, bought up a bunch of the prototypes for this model at a trade show, figuring that the manufacturing standard would probably drop away once the orders were rolling in. The price was v. reasonable, and it sounds terrific; it probably cost a tenth of what you would have to pay for a Gibson Switchmaster. |
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photo credit: Roy Layer
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Yes, I do own a signature model, and fab it is. Teddy has the prototype.
George Lowden runs the tightest ship in the the acoustic guitar world, plus he has made some of the biggest innovations in recent times, some of which have been liberally copied by other manufacturers. Check out the website - you can even buy my signature model!
McCabes guitar shop in Santa Monica, CA, has the RT model on sale right now! |
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photo credit: B. Eichorn
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Attached is a photo of a new guitar I have given Richard as a gift for Christmas. It is a Fender Stratocaster that I spent years collecting and modifing parts to make Richard a guitar that not only played fantastic but was beautiful to look at as well. He already has it and loves it.
-Bobby Eichorn, RT's Guitar Tech/ Stage Manager
December 10, 2008
The info on the strat is this:
57' Fender Reissue body painted in a Deep Sonic Blue.
A modified compound radius Fender SRV neck fretted with jumbo narrow crowned frets for better intonation and string bending. Something RT likes to do from time to time!
I also have another 2 modified Fender necks I fashiond to the same specs, one soft V neck with a maple fingerboard
if RT prefers to swap it out for a brighter tone and the feel of maple. The other one is Rosewood with a slightly larger profile.
He can choose when we get around to doing another electric band tour.
Fender Reissue Vintage bridge set up to float with three springs. It is not blocked and when tuned properly to the float it stays in tune quite well. He seemed to enjoy the tremelo but perhaps It may be blocked in the future for the purpose of live performance as he constantly uses alternative tunings. The electronics are an early set of Rio Grande Pickups fitted with pearl tops to match the white pearl pick guard. Pots are CTS 250 meg/S orange drop cap/ Middle pickup is wired open/ Neck and Bridge are wired to the tone control. Basicly a great modern/vintage Strat that wants to be played!
-Bobby Eichorn, RT's Guitar Tech/ Stage Manager
February 15, 2009
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photo: UK Songwriting Festival
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The blue box is the Gas Cooker pre-amp. The green box is a Line 6 delay unit. The white box is a Fulltone Deja-Vibe. |
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