The Pink Paisley

[JamesVRoy]

Actually the guitar is called a Pink Paisley Telecaster, or commonly referred to thereof.

It is commonly referred to as a Pink Paisley Telecaster but the model is not called "The Pink Paisley".

Didn't I just say that?

You said it is called a Pink Pailsey Tele or is commonly referred to as. I was solidifying its status.

And I believe you are correct, there was someone her I thought I recall that had one, maybe DavidTCB?
I almost bought one a couple of times but passed on them.

There is a great retail outlet in Japan called Ishibashi Music, I have purchased musical goods from them in the past including a special edition 3 pickup tele. Great service and worked out cheaper than more expensive domestic Fenders. They currently sell Fender Japan Telecasters with the paisley finish:
http://ishibashi.co.jp/webshop/guitar/fender-j/tl6985.htm

That's about $650 US before shipping - not bad! Fender Japan's quality is top notch IMO. Better and more consistant than those out of the Mexican plant and rival the USA standard ranges.

Yes, they make some nice guitars. for awhile they were the only ones making Rosewood Teles too. The custom shop does a run of them every now and then but they're fairly expensive. The Beatle guys like them because of the George thing. A couple of their models though use basswood bodies for the vintage series like their 57 instead of Alder. I was looking at a 57 black body recently for a Blackie project I'm working on but it was basswood.

[Matthew]

Yeah, the basswood thing. I’ve not owned a basswood guitar before but supposedly it’s a decent tone wood, just nothing much to look at so generally gets used on guitars with solid finishes.

[Tony Trout]

Nuts, I'm going to have to go searching now. It was in one of the concert phoots databases online. I had the whole story about the guitar, when he got it, what is it etc... I talked to another buddy of his that had the sister guitar to it and he had pix of both of them together. My minds drawing a blank cause I can't remeber the name of the guy that supposedly underwound the pickup on it that gave it its signature sound. One of the guys at the shop though told me it was bull that he didn't do the winding. Wish I could find my @#$% notes.

It was a white Tele I believe. I can't find the picture of it on my computer (I have to organize this stuff better).

James,

If I'm not mistaken, there is a couple of pics of James B. with the guitar you mentioned on James' website.

Here's one:

[JamesVRoy]

yeah, that's one of them I think. Same guitar but its been awhile since I saw the pic. Yvonne got them I believe from the same place I saw them no doubt. I believe that's her Japanese reissue on the that page on his site too. She had a fan page, a pretty extensive one and James asked me about doing a website at one of the NAMM shows. I forget if I told him about her page or if he found it himself but he essentially just gave her the go ahead to make it official and hooked her up.
Can you id the year or concert from the jumpsuit or (or range)?

[JamesVRoy]

I couldn't find any of James with the white tele on my computer but I found a few other paislies and put them up in a gallery. One of them is a Tokai
http://www.pbase.com/jroy/paisley

[Brad M]

Nuts, I'm going to have to go searching now. It was in one of the concert phoots databases online. I had the whole story about the guitar, when he got it, what is it etc... I talked to another buddy of his that had the sister guitar to it and he had pix of both of them together. My minds drawing a blank cause I can't remeber the name of the guy that supposedly underwound the pickup on it that gave it its signature sound. One of the guys at the shop though told me it was bull that he didn't do the winding. Wish I could find my @#$% notes.

It was a white Tele I believe. I can't find the picture of it on my computer (I have to organize this stuff better).

James,

If I'm not mistaken, there is a couple of pics of James B. with the guitar you mentioned on James' website.

Here's one:

Do you know the dates JB used this guitar, besides the closing show from September 3rd 1973? Interesting stuff.

[Tony Trout]

Brad & James,

That date (which I am unsure of) is the only known date that he used that guitar. It looks to be a blonde '52 tele...but I may be wrong....

[JamesVRoy]

Brad & James,

That date (which I am unsure of) is the only known date that he used that guitar. It looks to be a blonde '52 tele...but I may be wrong....

Good point, it may very well be a '50s blackguard. Hard to tell without color. I probably only saw the B&W ones and thought it was white. The filename says 74 if that gives away anything which is around the time that black 3 ply guards went into production (though they used them on the rosewoods as early as 69). Heck, I'll just send him the pic and ask him.

[Brad M]

Thank's Tony!

[Ben]

Nuts, I'm going to have to go searching now. It was in one of the concert phoots databases online. I had the whole story about the guitar, when he got it, what is it etc... I talked to another buddy of his that had the sister guitar to it and he had pix of both of them together. My minds drawing a blank cause I can't remeber the name of the guy that supposedly underwound the pickup on it that gave it its signature sound. One of the guys at the shop though told me it was bull that he didn't do the winding. Wish I could find my @#$% notes.

It was a white Tele I believe. I can't find the picture of it on my computer (I have to organize this stuff better).

James,

If I'm not mistaken, there is a couple of pics of James B. with the guitar you mentioned on James' website.

Here's one:

Do you know the dates JB used this guitar? Interesting stuff.

that pic is closing night '73, 3rd September 1973, released on the FTD Closing Night. thanks for the pic and the info everyone.

[Mike C]

Actually the guitar is called a Pink Paisley Telecaster, or commonly referred to thereof.

It is commonly referred to as a Pink Paisley Telecaster but the model is not called "The Pink Paisley".

Didn't I just say that?

You said it is called a Pink Pailsey Tele or is commonly referred to as. I was solidifying its status.

And I believe you are correct, there was someone her I thought I recall that had one, maybe DavidTCB?
I almost bought one a couple of times but passed on them.

There is a great retail outlet in Japan called Ishibashi Music, I have purchased musical goods from them in the past including a special edition 3 pickup tele. Great service and worked out cheaper than more expensive domestic Fenders. They currently sell Fender Japan Telecasters with the paisley finish:
http://ishibashi.co.jp/webshop/guitar/fender-j/tl6985.htm

That's about $650 US before shipping - not bad! Fender Japan's quality is top notch IMO. Better and more consistant than those out of the Mexican plant and rival the USA standard ranges.

Thanks for thr link to ishibashi. I have been looking into getting a Japanese '52 reissue in natural color as I am a huge Springsteen fan. For $650 or so, I do that over buying an American Vintage at nearly double the price of the Japense on. How are they to deal with in English?

[Mike C]

Actually he used it just about his whole career with Elvis. I've only seen him using another on stage with him twice and they may both be the same show.

what show is this and what did he play instead?? thanks for the info on the guitar and James.

Nuts, I'm going to have to go searching now. It was in one of the concert phoots databases online. I had the whole story about the guitar, when he got it, what is it etc... I talked to another buddy of his that had the sister guitar to it and he had pix of both of them together. My minds drawing a blank cause I can't remeber the name of the guy that supposedly underwound the pickup on it that gave it its signature sound. One of the guys at the shop though told me it was bull that he didn't do the winding. Wish I could find my @#$% notes.

It was a white Tele I believe. I can't find the picture of it on my computer (I have to organize this stuff better).

If you have acces to the On Tour outtakes, you can see James playing the carved telecaster in at the beginning of the Buffalo Hotel rehersal (working on Burning Love) from April 5, 1972.

James, I must tell you that I love your scottymoore web sight. Do you think you could add a page breaking down how Scotty does the Mystery Train riff? Thanks.

[JamesVRoy]

James, I must tell you that I love your scottymoore web sight. Do you think you could add a page breaking down how Scotty does the Mystery Train riff? Thanks.

I was going to do that at one point. I added one for That's All Right a long time ago. Its not that complicated to play at all. I'm working on a couple of other pages right now, if I think of it i'll put one up after those. In the meantime send me an email and I'll get something out to you over the weekend.

Just for the record though, Bruce doesn't use a 52, or rather the guitar he's used almost since the beginning isn't a 52. Its sort of a frankenstein, 54 body with a 57 Esquire neck heavily modded and changed by the guy he bought it from, Phil Petillo http://www.petilloguitars.com/. the guitar has an interesting history.
I built a Bruce inspired one once, though not reliced

[Matthew]

Thanks for thr link to ishibashi. I have been looking into getting a Japanese '52 reissue in natural color as I am a huge Springsteen fan. For $650 or so, I do that over buying an American Vintage at nearly double the price of the Japense on. How are they to deal with in English?

The 3 or 4 orders I've placed on them have been without hassle. The person I've dealt with on all occasions is called Noriko. Just flick them an email - there may even be colours available that aren't on the site as I found out when enquiring on a guitar.

[Tony Trout]

If you have acces to the On Tour outtakes, you can see James playing the carved telecaster in at the beginning of the Buffalo Hotel rehersal (working on Burning Love) from April 5, 1972.

Does anybody know if James ever actually used the carved tele in concert and the whereabouts of that guitar today??

[Brad M]

Nuts, I'm going to have to go searching now. It was in one of the concert phoots databases online. I had the whole story about the guitar, when he got it, what is it etc... I talked to another buddy of his that had the sister guitar to it and he had pix of both of them together. My minds drawing a blank cause I can't remeber the name of the guy that supposedly underwound the pickup on it that gave it its signature sound. One of the guys at the shop though told me it was bull that he didn't do the winding. Wish I could find my @#$% notes.

It was a white Tele I believe. I can't find the picture of it on my computer (I have to organize this stuff better).

James,

If I'm not mistaken, there is a couple of pics of James B. with the guitar you mentioned on James' website.

Here's one:

Do you know the dates JB used this guitar? Interesting stuff.

that pic is closing night '73, 3rd September 1973, released on the FTD Closing Night. thanks for the pic and the info everyone.

Yes, I know this!

[Scott]

James retired the '69 paisley several years ago and hasn't used it since then.

More's the pity.

As great as Elvis The Concert was, it was missing a certain something without the pink paisley sounds.

[Tony Trout]

More's the pity.

As great as Elvis The Concert was, it was missing a certain something without the pink paisley sounds.

I agree. Actually (and I may be wrong 'bout this), the last time I ever saw James use the paisley tele was when he released his "Legendary Guitar Of James Burton" instructional DVD. At that point, the guitar had aged very well and actually looked brand new. The only change (hardware wise) to the guitar was a new American Standard-style bridge instead of the traditional three-saddle bridge that he had on it during EOT & Aloha & EIC.

[Tony Trout]

I stand corrected that James hasn't used his paisley tele since the early 1990s!! Here's footage in 2005 of James, Brad Paisley, and Steve Wariner doing "Workin' Man Blues":