• Guys, we've spent considerable money converting the Les Paul Forum to this new XenForo platform, and we have ongoing monthly operating expenses. THE "DONATIONS" TAB IS NOW WORKING, AND WE WOULD APPRECIATE ANY DONATIONS YOU CAN MAKE TO KEEP THE LES PAUL FORUM GOING! Thank you!

Trying to remember a guitarist on TV in the 70s

VamboRool

Active member
Joined
Nov 25, 2015
Messages
424
I used to watch the Midnight Special, Don Kirshner's Rock Concert and In Concert every weekend during the 70s. Saw a lot of bands that I would have never been able to see since I wasn't old enough to drive yet. Trying to remember who the guitarist was that played a sunburst Les Paul with a Bigsby. i think he was in a soul/funk band, used a big coiled cord while wearing pants with the stylish 3 inch cuffs that were popular in the day. Anybody got any clues with this limited amount of information?
 

Maxmc

Active member
Joined
Mar 15, 2015
Messages
652
You're throwing a pretty wide net there. Someone may twig and come up with an answer.
 

fernieite

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 3, 2010
Messages
609
No idea. If he was in a soul/funk band, I assume he was black? (of course, not necessarily) But, that would helpful to know... Was he a tall man, or not? (not including the platform shoes :) ) Right handed or left?
 

LeonC

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 30, 2002
Messages
799
Bruce Conte from Tower of Power played a goldtop back in the day. Think it was a '58, yes?



bruce-conte-square-500.jpg

My favorite version of So Very Hard To Go, from Soultrain
 

LeonC

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 30, 2002
Messages
799
The Ohio Players had two guitarists in their hayday. Leroy "Sugarfoot" Bonner, the main singer, often played a double-neck Moserite, but the second guitarist often played a Les Paul...don't recall about the bigsby or burst...

Also, guitarist Larry Lee (who played with Hendrix at Woodstock) often played with Al Green in the 70s. I recall him using a Les Paul quite a bit...I don't know about the burst / bigsby angle though. I remember him using something like a LP Recording Guitar for a while.
 

Wilko

All Access/Backstage Pass
Joined
Mar 11, 2002
Messages
20,854
Waddy Wachtel was all over those shows playing a vintage Burst with bigsby with everyone from Linda Rondstadt to Andrew Gold:


 
Last edited:

marshall1987

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 30, 2005
Messages
3,278
You may be referring to Waddy Wachtel. He was a very well respected "side-man" and studio musician back in the '70s. His No. 1 guitar was that 1959/60 Les Paul w/ Bigsby. In interviews Waddy makes note of the slim neck on his Les Paul.

It seems Waddy and Linda Ronstadt had something special and he performed with her extensively.
 

mingus

Active member
Joined
Apr 3, 2006
Messages
4,243
I'd bet you're thinking of Waddy as well. He played a burst with a stick shift and seemed to be everywhere you looked in the '70s.
 

LeonC

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 30, 2002
Messages
799
Agree...though the description of it being a funk/soul player threw me off, lol.
 

TM1

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 27, 2003
Messages
8,349
Waddy has a Sunburst w/Bigsby that he bought from Stephen Stills when Waddy first came to town. He still has it but Gibson made him a replica of it was the neck has issues from all of Waddy's sweat..
 

LeonC

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 30, 2002
Messages
799
[OT]
Yeah, I've got one of the replicas -- CC#14. Love it!

Apparently the neck on his was broken several times. Fortunately, Gibson decide not to replicate that :D

The neck on #14 feels pretty much like their standard '60s slim carve. To me, it's very, very easy to play and comfortable.

One of the cool things about this model is that they replicated the fact that the B5 Bigsby was just add on, on top of the stock stop tailpiece. So the guitar comes with the mounts and a stop tail piece in addition to the Bigsby -- you can play it either way. Nice feature!

Here are a couple photos of mine with and without the B5.

20180421_103257.jpg

20180720_084008.jpg
[/OT]
 
Top