The grey “battleship” pickups were really unique and very short-lived, only appearing on Teisco guitars for a year or two. But going back to 1964, this ET-440 model appeared. This is when the guitar buying public started to see the more familiar striped pick guards and shark-finned K guitars. Then in late 1965, Chicago Musical Instruments became the exclusive importer of Teisco instruments. The company had been importing guitars to the USA since the late 50s, but in early 1964, Teisco guitars started to really flood the American market. Teisco was probably the most popular Japanese guitar name back in the 60s. This was early on in my weird guitar days, so I didn’t realize that this model was sort of special in the lengthy catalog of Teisco guitars. Anyway, it was in this store that I saw the first Teisco ET-440. It’s hard to place, and maybe my mind was just hazier back then, but I remember most folks seemed to be slightly scared of this skinny old gal. She was like this combination of poodle dresses, black-rimmed cat glasses, and saddle shoes, but there was always like this punk edge about her. I think there was a guy residing behind the large counter, but I remember the lady who always seemed to be there. As I remember, they were much older than me but seemed to be leftovers from the 50s. This eclectic mix of goods seemed to reflect the personality of the people who owned the store. Man, I wish I could go back in time to that store! That store had such an assortment of items it was mind-boggling! Records, magazines, antiques, guitars, amps, stereos, juke boxes, and toys, all dating to the 70s or earlier.
Entering the store, I was greeted with heavy cigarette smoke and almost constant rockin’ tunes playing from an old record player. But what I do recall was this long hallway leading to the store, covered with old 45 records and magazines. And in that mall there was a store called (as I remember) “Grendel’s Lair.” It might have been called something different, I just can’t recall.
#Teisco guitar bridge full#
But there was this one particular old mall, full of second hand shops. Occasionally a few of us would venture out to local flea markets, antique shops, and swap meets to search out all kinds of treasures. I still remember it clearly, as it was way back in my early teen years. And all his gold-foil guitars take a Vovox stereo cable.‘Wonderment’ is probably too light a word to describe the first Teisco ET-440 I ever saw. His tunings include D standard, a tweaked open G (D–G–D–G–B–C), and several of the usual-suspect open tunings. ("The final punch of a show in Scotland.")For his Juniors, Hill typically rides with D'Addario NYXLs (.011–.056) and he hasn't used a pick in nearly 30 years.
Yes, the neck has been broken (five times), but believe it or not, only one occurred while drumming. (The only thing he had to do was add a stereo output to the Junior so the Teisco pickup hits a bass amp - a 1966 Ampeg B-15 paired with an EHX POG- while the stock P-90 goes through varied combinations of old Fenders.) And notice how the gold-foil only sits under the Junior's top three strings. When building his solo sound barrage, he specifically sought out the old gold-foils because they slid under the strings without any routing or surgery. Before you start trolling, realize that the guitar has not been damaged or modded in any irreversible manner. No, your eyes aren't deceiving you, that is a true 1959 Gibson Les Paul Junior that was been jerry-rigged with a Teisco gold-foil pickup.
The Juno-Award-winning guitarist details why he slides vintage Teisco gold-foils on his holy grail Gibsons and Fenders, explains the evolution of his setup that now covers bass and drums, and proves that one man can get the job done of three.Īll Steve Hill's video, audio, and photos captured and edited by Stephan Ritch. In this episode, the multi-tasking Steve Hill virtually invites PG's Chris Kies into his Canada-based recording studio. I wouldn't allow it !"Īnd what's the typical reaction he sees onstage: "Some people are mesmerized, and some people are horrified."
Everything I recorded for those first three albums was performed live with no overdubs. Plus, when I'm not performing, I'm in the studio fine-tuning my approach and working out new material. "125+ shows a year provides a great learning environment. I never wanted to be a one-man band ," says Hill. "It's all accidents-I never planned for this.
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