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I spoke before about living by Mike and Alice Stevens (she was delightful; sadly she has passed). My sweetie/techie was coming from MN to visit, and so I called Mike for a tour. For anyone who doesn't know, he was a primary founder of the Fender Custom Shop.
Last week Randall and I visited, and Mike gave us a two hour tour of his shop. No pics or pick up secrets-signed a confidentiality agreement (not really). It was great and he talked about his whole history while explaining techniques and showing us his set up. I presume it's ok if I tell you his favorite guitar is his LJ (semi-hollow body). The bottom of the body is not rounded, it's kind of oval. Hard to explain. With 2 huge cutouts on the back top and bottom for comfort. And aesthetics, which are tantamount to him. The front matches in ways I can't describe and I'm pissed I didn't have the huevos to ask for a pic, but hell, I live here, I'm not a touron. How embarrassing.
He talked of his beginning days in the '60s and '70s in Berkeley. In the 80's he brought in the design for the first Fender Custom. He does a ton of work for Junior Brown, and mentioned Clapton always sends back his first 3 or 4 guitars! Snarky, I say.
He puts in his pickups backwards, which anyone with 10-20k can see. Some video shows this, just google. I'm sure it does sound better, given his reasoning. He didn't play, he was painting. He plays bass, anyway. But we saw every part of the shop except for 2 secrets regarding pickup winding!!
Part of his decor was 2 walls of broken headstocks, being the weakest point of the guitar. I really wish I'd asked him how everybody did that, but I was busy keeping my mouth shut in the presence of 2 greater beings. I also want to know whose they were! Maniacs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eg64EIwnbG0
Mike just emailed me with a book title that features a lot on him. "The Dream Factory" available at Amazon. Another is coming out next year.
Last week Randall and I visited, and Mike gave us a two hour tour of his shop. No pics or pick up secrets-signed a confidentiality agreement (not really). It was great and he talked about his whole history while explaining techniques and showing us his set up. I presume it's ok if I tell you his favorite guitar is his LJ (semi-hollow body). The bottom of the body is not rounded, it's kind of oval. Hard to explain. With 2 huge cutouts on the back top and bottom for comfort. And aesthetics, which are tantamount to him. The front matches in ways I can't describe and I'm pissed I didn't have the huevos to ask for a pic, but hell, I live here, I'm not a touron. How embarrassing.
He talked of his beginning days in the '60s and '70s in Berkeley. In the 80's he brought in the design for the first Fender Custom. He does a ton of work for Junior Brown, and mentioned Clapton always sends back his first 3 or 4 guitars! Snarky, I say.
He puts in his pickups backwards, which anyone with 10-20k can see. Some video shows this, just google. I'm sure it does sound better, given his reasoning. He didn't play, he was painting. He plays bass, anyway. But we saw every part of the shop except for 2 secrets regarding pickup winding!!
Part of his decor was 2 walls of broken headstocks, being the weakest point of the guitar. I really wish I'd asked him how everybody did that, but I was busy keeping my mouth shut in the presence of 2 greater beings. I also want to know whose they were! Maniacs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eg64EIwnbG0
Mike just emailed me with a book title that features a lot on him. "The Dream Factory" available at Amazon. Another is coming out next year.