16:20 Dulling the "too shiny" glob of solder is an attention to detail and dedication beyond anything imaginable to me. At StewMac you treat vintage instruments as if they were alive.
You must get tired of hearing it Dan, but You Have Helped So Many Of Us With Your Guitar Repair Book editions (At 72 I only have 2 editions) , GP articles and now these video's. Thank you Dan for giving me a hobby that I have really enjoyed for the last 40 years.
I don't play guitar. God knows I've tried, but I just lack the focus and patience. But I know beauty and honour quality craftsmanship and careful tradecraft. I watch StewMac videos closely. What beautiful things you folks find. This is an absolute sweetheart.
This video is great! I could listen to Dan talk about guitars all day, and I really appreciate all of the tips and tricks that both Dan and Gene shared with us! Keep up the great work!
It’s really cool seeing this guitar with Dan after getting a chance to see this example and play it for about an hour or so. It’s kind of unreal. Great great video, nice to see Dan in another Stew Mac video
Merry Christmas to all ! Dan, I have your Guitar Player Repair Guide in front of me right now. Three Strats to set up. Gonna be a fun Saturday night! Akka-Dakka baby! 🎸
*What makes it special is it is authentic.* Currently, the veteran brands have walked off the stage and started a corporate cult with how they manufacture and how they market. They're selling modern antiques to collect and accumulate value far more than they manufacture and sell reasonably priced instruments. *I would rather buy a high end knock-off for 10% of the cost and superior features when compared to their guitars costing a few thousand dollars.* I see them as collectors items rather than equipment for musicians. *I will always truly appreciate their instruments especially the authentic vintage, but even if I were rich I would still feel alienated by where the industries have gone.*
Really good at making stuff look bad is the highest level of compliment I think one can give if your goal is vintage restoration. And he really did do a fantastic job. That guitar is beautiful but oh boy that amp is just something else. Its like a once in a lifetime thing to hear that combo of guitar and amp. Thank you so much for sharing these pieces of pop culture history with everyone fellas. Cheers
I've got a 1953 fender Esquire with pat pending kluson tuners all original everything in it as well. The only problem is my great grandpa sanded it down and stained it a reddish brown color also he cut into the body to make room for a humbucker in the neck slot. Neck pocket is signed Tad 5-1-53. Yep Tadeo Gomez!
My Grandfather had a ‘58 Jr double cutaway(Uncle has it now) that is probably the best guitar I’ve ever played and I’ve played a lot of guitars over the years-Don’t make them like that anymore👍🏻
i would rather have that 55 special than ANY burst under the sun (barring resale value of course). If i was given one electric and was somehow "forced" not to ever sell it (this is a thought experiment here people) I would take one of these 55-58 specials (if i could sell it- i would of course take a burst and sell it to purchase 10 of these-ok ..ok...1 of these and then purchase some real estate)
I am not a 'vintage geek'. I appreciate the value of something that has been proven worthy over time. But vintage is really just a sales word for old. 🙂 But I also understand something amazing when I see it. I don't get drooly when I see an instrument that has lots of war wounds, especially when they are faked. But the stories they tell when they are real, that's the real part of the treasure of history. So when you see something like this, so perfect, it's wonderful for that fact. But likewise, it probably doesn't have many stories to tell. Historically, this is an archaeological find. That, and the amp wow! And together!? Double WOW! And there's the whole known history!? Triple WOW!!!! There's no doubt this is an astounding set. I hope the owner (or purchaser) play it, and play it, and play it. It deserves to continue the life it was meant to have. Thank you for sharing it, and being lovingly respectful of how precious these two gems are.
No exaggeration, one of the best guitar videos I've seen. Great subject, great people in the video, Dan is a treasure and a hero to generations of gear heads 👍 .Have a Merry Christmas and a fantastic New Year ❤.
Can't You Hear me Knockin is probably the PERFECT riff to play on that combo. Outstanding work.... I love my LP Special, they are really unique guitars
I used a small round dentist mirror with a handle and a magnifying glass and a bright torch and even then it's diificult. The only thing I might try for getting a stamped pot code is a cigarette paper and an Hb pencil lead to get a rubbing like the do on old coins and medals, probably a desperate move but worth a try when the instrument is Valuable or Fragile. I like that "Monster grip"...Handy. More dance moves please.
I cracked up with the look on Dan's face when Gene started playing the guitar. You know the old saying Dan, "if it's too loud, you're too old". LOL. Sorry, couldn't resist. But then again, "they" also say, "if you keep on dancin' you'll never get old". Keep the great video's coming.
Dan is totally AWESOME he's the the absolute best luthier there is hands down. I have said it for years that he must be partially made of wood. and I mean that in a good way. the magic that he has done on the many guitars he has repaired is unmatched. and I can say that with confidence, seeing the amazing work he's done. I have learned so much from him it's made me a much better guitar builder and repair person. and I have to say thank you so much Dan. he has an uncanny ability to make his own calls, tools, and equipment. that Stew Mac sells a large number of tools and equipment. that were inspired by him. and he's a real Rock and Roller, he had a lot of input on the Gibson Flying V. and to see him dancing at the end of the video back's that up. I could only hope I could move as good he does when I reach his age. the person that bought that guitar and amp originally knew a thing or two. that guitar and amp looks and sounds fantastic. thanks guys for the great video.
If I can’t be in the workshop in person ogling over that Special in such fine company, I have to remind myself that none of this media existed just a few decades ago and aside from the constant distraction / education .. this is an amazing time we live in. A few years ago I got to handle a 1.5 million dollar Guadagnini violin. Yes I said a $1,500,000.00 violin. That’s my day job as a luthier at a violin shop. But at heart, I am the same kid who played in garage bands in high school. I’m a guitarist, and to me, this mint condition ‘55 Spacial is well.. more special.
At first I was thinking fake. But quite a bit of evidence showing original. Plus I thought of Norm Harris, Norms Rare Guitars. He has bought many very clean vintage guitars and put them into storage for 30-40 years. Now bringing them out of storage and selling. So yes it’s real.
What are the pickguards made of? I would think celluloid. Iirc celluloid will outgas, especially if kept in a case for a long time. It is amazing how great shape this guitar is in.
Great video. It was only at the end I could see there was a light crazing on the top. Otherwise it looked like new. I had that banjo fretwire on a 57 Les Paul Junior and eventually had to change it or the guitar was just not going to be played.
For that Special being an original 55’ and in perfect condition, not bad for $20k if you think about it. Since I don’t have 20k to spend I’m very happy with my $1799 special it rocks for a fraction of the cost. If I had the cash? I would not hesitate to spend 20k for that example though. Cool video.
I’ve been drooling over juniors and specials for a good while. Aging those tuner buttons was particularly impressive to me. The original brass post just look so much better than repros. Great episode!
Watching Dan dance is my early christmas present.
He's a man of many talents 😊
Dan looked like he was gonna do a little dirty dancing when Gene first started playing. raised my eyebrows a little.
That's the surprise at the conclusion
Dan.....dance fever..Danny Terrio
Christmas came early. Dan is a national treasure.
International Treasure.
Universal treasure!!
Yer damn right ‘bout that!!!
You guys can dress up my Gibson Heritage dreadnaught. Kinda new….from the late ‘70s.
Protect him at all cost.
16:20 Dulling the "too shiny" glob of solder is an attention to detail and dedication beyond anything imaginable to me. At StewMac you treat vintage instruments as if they were alive.
You must get tired of hearing it Dan, but You Have Helped So Many Of Us With Your Guitar Repair Book editions (At 72 I only have 2 editions) , GP articles and now these video's.
Thank you Dan for giving me a hobby that I have really enjoyed for the last 40 years.
That was great! I'm loving having Gene in these videos too, him and Dan are a great pairing.
Agree! We love making videos with both these guys. Natural teachers, but also passionate learners.
I don't play guitar. God knows I've tried, but I just lack the focus and patience. But I know beauty and honour quality craftsmanship and careful tradecraft.
I watch StewMac videos closely. What beautiful things you folks find. This is an absolute sweetheart.
Man! Such an amazing time capsule
This video is great! I could listen to Dan talk about guitars all day, and I really appreciate all of the tips and tricks that both Dan and Gene shared with us! Keep up the great work!
Thanks Uncle Dan- you are the Man!
so happy to see a new stewmac video with Dan!
It’s really cool seeing this guitar with Dan after getting a chance to see this example and play it for about an hour or so. It’s kind of unreal. Great great video, nice to see Dan in another Stew Mac video
beyond cool! Thank you guys!
This is probably one of the best episodes I’ve seen that’s a beauty
Beautiful example! And love the background music
Oh man, what a sound!
Man I'm outside of a hospital waiting for my dad who's just the best guy, watching you guys lifted my spirits,I love guitars you guys are fun man
Hope he’s doing better today
Merry Christmas to all !
Dan, I have your Guitar Player Repair Guide in front of me right now.
Three Strats to set up. Gonna be a fun Saturday night!
Akka-Dakka baby! 🎸
Wow! What cool episode! Thank you.
Absolutely fantastic
Dancing Dan has convinced me that I can make it another day.
Always a pleasure to see Dan.
You guys always manage to put a smile on my face
Honestly this has been the best Stew Mac video yet. I still love seeing Dan smile after he puts his 335 back together tho😊
Glad you enjoyed it! We've been fortunate to have some great guitars in the shop lately.
That’s awesome!
ROCKIN' DAN!!! Awesome!!!
*What makes it special is it is authentic.* Currently, the veteran brands have walked off the stage and started a corporate cult with how they manufacture and how they market. They're selling modern antiques to collect and accumulate value far more than they manufacture and sell reasonably priced instruments.
*I would rather buy a high end knock-off for 10% of the cost and superior features when compared to their guitars costing a few thousand dollars.* I see them as collectors items rather than equipment for musicians. *I will always truly appreciate their instruments especially the authentic vintage, but even if I were rich I would still feel alienated by where the industries have gone.*
Wow incredible find!
Was left in a closet and babied
I can only imagine the value of that combo. Very minty.
That's crazy amazing! I've never seen anything that original. I would be afraid to touch it.
Why, is just a guitar?
Haha when he threw the catalog on the guitar at the start of the vid it made me flinch
Yes but what price would there be to pay for an oopsie @@mattrogers1946
This is such a fascinating channel....and you.....gentlemen, are truly amazing artists of your guitar repair craft.🎸👍
That is a perfect vintage guitar you could use everyday it looks like. wow!
Incredible work ! Thanks for sharing!
Babe wake up, new Stew Mac video.
Hey Dan your looking great. Happy Holidays. I have so much respect for the work you all do.
Love videos like this!
Really great video guys👍🏻
Love my '97 special. IMO LP special is the best guitar design. Rock on, boys.
Dan Erlewine is just as important to us guitar nerds as the legendary players.
This video is great! So informative. Thank you for posting it. I hope you continue to create these!
Thank you! We plan on it!
😃
Happy Ho-Ho's Folks
😎✌👍❤🖖
It's videos like this that you feel a bit sad when they end.
Best video I've seen in a long time! That guitar and amp are heavenly whoever owns them is extremely blessed, great job on the repairs as well!
Thank you so much!
Thank you for not yanking the pots. It's not always necessary to do that - you did the right thing.
Really good at making stuff look bad is the highest level of compliment I think one can give if your goal is vintage restoration. And he really did do a fantastic job. That guitar is beautiful but oh boy that amp is just something else. Its like a once in a lifetime thing to hear that combo of guitar and amp. Thank you so much for sharing these pieces of pop culture history with everyone fellas. Cheers
It's true - we were excited about the guitar, but when we found out the amp was included, we knew we had to make a video!
Throwing some shapes man!
$350 for the Custom in 1955 is roughly equal to $3800 in today's dollars.
This guitar was under a bed for 65 years. Brand new and virtually unplayed. I’d take it.😎
A pitch pipe! haven't thought of that in 35 years! My first guitar had one
I've got a 1953 fender Esquire with pat pending kluson tuners all original everything in it as well. The only problem is my great grandpa sanded it down and stained it a reddish brown color also he cut into the body to make room for a humbucker in the neck slot. Neck pocket is signed Tad 5-1-53. Yep Tadeo Gomez!
wow amazing !!!!!!!
Great tips all around: checking authenticity, relic-ing, soldering, replacing missing parts! I forward this to my friend.
Amazing. I would 100% spill acetone on that top.
That was a good “ can’t ya hear me knocking” I guess Richards recorded it with a 55 👍🏻
Dancin' Dan is gonna have me smiling all day. Thanks, guys!
My Grandfather had a ‘58 Jr double cutaway(Uncle has it now) that is probably the best guitar I’ve ever played and I’ve played a lot of guitars over the years-Don’t make them like that anymore👍🏻
Lol, is Joe Bonamassa gonna buy it?
If not today, then surely soon.
i would rather have that 55 special than ANY burst under the sun (barring resale value of course). If i was given one electric and was somehow "forced" not to ever sell it (this is a thought experiment here people) I would take one of these 55-58 specials (if i could sell it- i would of course take a burst and sell it to purchase 10 of these-ok ..ok...1 of these and then purchase some real estate)
That actually sounded good on my phone which defies reason😅 amazing
I am not a 'vintage geek'. I appreciate the value of something that has been proven worthy over time. But vintage is really just a sales word for old. 🙂
But I also understand something amazing when I see it.
I don't get drooly when I see an instrument that has lots of war wounds, especially when they are faked. But the stories they tell when they are real, that's the real part of the treasure of history.
So when you see something like this, so perfect, it's wonderful for that fact. But likewise, it probably doesn't have many stories to tell.
Historically, this is an archaeological find. That, and the amp wow! And together!? Double WOW! And there's the whole known history!? Triple WOW!!!!
There's no doubt this is an astounding set. I hope the owner (or purchaser) play it, and play it, and play it. It deserves to continue the life it was meant to have.
Thank you for sharing it, and being lovingly respectful of how precious these two gems are.
No exaggeration, one of the best guitar videos I've seen. Great subject, great people in the video, Dan is a treasure and a hero to generations of gear heads 👍 .Have a Merry Christmas and a fantastic New Year ❤.
Can't You Hear me Knockin is probably the PERFECT riff to play on that combo. Outstanding work.... I love my LP Special, they are really unique guitars
You should be on the lookout for a DeLorean. That guitar has to have been taken to you directly from 1955.
1:17 Gene giving us a dating advice guys
I used a small round dentist mirror with a handle and a magnifying glass and a bright torch and even then it's diificult. The only thing I might try for getting a stamped pot code is a cigarette paper and an Hb pencil lead to get a rubbing like the do on old coins and medals, probably a desperate move but worth a try when the instrument is Valuable or Fragile. I like that "Monster grip"...Handy. More dance moves please.
Wow!
I cracked up with the look on Dan's face when Gene started playing the guitar. You know the old saying Dan, "if it's too loud, you're too old". LOL. Sorry, couldn't resist. But then again, "they" also say, "if you keep on dancin' you'll never get old". Keep the great video's coming.
That cracked me up too! 🤣🤣🤣
Gawd I wish I could afford one of those guitars! My birth year guitar! Great to see Dan still kickin' around and dancing!
The was awesome
Dan is totally AWESOME he's the the absolute best luthier there is hands down. I have said it for years that he must be partially made of wood. and I mean that in a good way. the magic that he has done on the many guitars he has repaired is unmatched. and I can say that with confidence, seeing the amazing work he's done. I have learned so much from him it's made me a much better guitar builder and repair person. and I have to say thank you so much Dan. he has an uncanny ability to make his own calls, tools, and equipment. that Stew Mac sells a large number of tools and equipment. that were inspired by him. and he's a real Rock and Roller, he had a lot of input on the Gibson Flying V. and to see him dancing at the end of the video back's that up. I could only hope I could move as good he does when I reach his age. the person that bought that guitar and amp originally knew a thing or two. that guitar and amp looks and sounds fantastic. thanks guys for the great video.
Thanks so much! Yep, Dan is the man. We had no idea about the strength of his dance moves until this video.
If I can’t be in the workshop in person ogling over that Special in such fine company, I have to remind myself that none of this media existed just a few decades ago and aside from the constant distraction / education .. this is an amazing time we live in. A few years ago I got to handle a 1.5 million dollar Guadagnini violin. Yes I said a $1,500,000.00 violin. That’s my day job as a luthier at a violin shop. But at heart, I am the same kid who played in garage bands in high school. I’m a guitarist, and to me, this mint condition ‘55 Spacial is well.. more special.
Very cool, thanks for sharing!
Very Cool ! a unicorn !
At 12:17 we need the chime glissando sound like in Antiques Roadshow.
On that rare occasion when not practicing guitar actually pays off.
Dan "the man" Earlewine! ❤
At first I was thinking fake. But quite a bit of evidence showing original. Plus I thought of Norm Harris, Norms Rare Guitars. He has bought many very clean vintage guitars and put them into storage for 30-40 years. Now bringing them out of storage and selling. So yes it’s real.
What are the pickguards made of? I would think celluloid. Iirc celluloid will outgas, especially if kept in a case for a long time. It is amazing how great shape this guitar is in.
Nice job. When I saw Dan stripping the binding from the old parts guitar I thought "My goodness, what did he do to that mint '55?" !
The dream, buying this entire rig at a garage sale for 24 bucks, maybe someday
I love you guys so much, you r informative and free giving knowledge from your hearts.
Great video! How do you decipher the code on the pots? Have you ever seen a Les Paul Special painted silver?
I was thinking that maybe the surprise was that they were going to give away to a subscriber...bummer😉
Way back then, I had a 56... if i only knew.
Wow, what a treat. Big thanks from Oxford UK
Great video. It was only at the end I could see there was a light crazing on the top. Otherwise it looked like new. I had that banjo fretwire on a 57 Les Paul Junior and eventually had to change it or the guitar was just not going to be played.
This guy sounds exactly like Tom Hanks
Juniors and Specials are the coolest guitars that ever existed!
We agree! 😎
I am also a 1955 model. I wish I was in good condition as that guitar!
😅
I'll give you $800 for it
How come my Grandad didn't keep an early LP for me?
For that Special being an original 55’ and in perfect condition, not bad for $20k if you think about it. Since I don’t have 20k to spend I’m very happy with my $1799 special it rocks for a fraction of the cost. If I had the cash? I would not hesitate to spend 20k for that example though. Cool video.
You'd think a fifty-five foot guitar would be worth more in just lumber cost alone.
I’ve been drooling over juniors and specials for a good while. Aging those tuner buttons was particularly impressive to me. The original brass post just look so much better than repros. Great episode!
What a great Special. Too nice ;)
There's a guy in Canada called Ted Woodford who I'm sure would take all those old spare parts off your hands :)
love ted's channel!
Ted is great! But we like spare parts too!
@@gregmize01 Absolutely. It's one of my favourite weekly shows, I learn so much and he's such a knowledgable and entertaining guy.
Wow that is a stunner....
Jeez ...
Notice that Dan only comes out for that good good? 👀
Can someone explain to me just why Brazilian Rosewood fingerboards are so desirable please?
The wood is very hard and contains a natural oil both of which give it a smooth feel.
It's not a "serial number" of the pot as much as it's a date code of the pot (the week of the year).
Wow!! All of it, good stuff
Great video, thanks!
I am amazed that You are still able to find such instruments in 2023. What a guitar!