Robbie Robertson's Strat

[Artie]

I just watched "The Last Waltz" again, and as many times as I've seen it, I don't think I ever noticed before that Robbie's Strat had no middle pickup. I would almost say that it was a Richie Blackmore Strat, except that I think The Band came first. Not sure of the timeline here.

It was just a cool looking Strat.

 

[DanteG]

Re: Robbie Robertson's Strat

If I recall correctly, this was a DIY project by Robbie, and not a Fender release. He moved the center pup back to the bridge. Take a closer look at the guitar as well ... since it was, after all, "The Last Waltz," he decided to have the Strat bronzed for the occasion !

The story of Robbie's "extra windings" and Seymour's start must have been told umpteen times ... so I'll spare you unless you haven't heard it.

 

[Artie]

Re: Robbie Robertson's Strat

Yup . . . I've heard it. :laugh2:

And you're right. It doesn't show up very often, but you can just make out the "other" pickup next to the bridge. It almost looks like a slanted humbucker, ala Gibson Nighthawk.

 

[Hellion]

Re: Robbie Robertson's Strat

My favorite part of that film is watching him go toe to toe with Clapton. I always thought Robertson was a bit underrated as a guitar player.

 

[DanteG]

Re: Robbie Robertson's Strat

Hellion, I thought that as well when I first saw the film ... until I watched again and saw the strap on EC's guitar come loose. It wasn't so much "going toe to toe" as RR stepping in with a solo until EC could get his strap reattatched.

 

[Hellion]

Re: Robbie Robertson's Strat

Yea, I know his strap came loose, although if you listen to the voice over narration, Martin Scorsese states that his strap "broke". I didn't perceive it so much as a "competition", but Robertson played really well during the entire film and that was just one of the better moments for me.

 

[sgstrat]

Re: Robbie Robertson's Strat

I just watched "The Last Waltz" again, and as many times as I've seen it, I don't think I ever noticed before that Robbie's Strat had no middle pickup.

I remember reading an interview with Robbie (in Guitar Player magazine?) in which he said that he removed the middle pickup because it interfered with his picking.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Robbie Robertson's Strat

IMO, Strats sustain better and play more in tune without the middle pickup. The magnetic pull is cumulative and removing the middle pickup reduces the magnetic pull on the strings. But my Strats all have the middle pickup because the combined tone of the neck and middle pickups is the reason I play a Strat in the first place.

I liked that flick but I got a little tired of Robbie's face filling the screen, with "passion and emotion" on every single solo! :smack: Seemed a little hoaky after a while!

I remember Jimi Hendrix talking about the Band and he didn't seem overly impressed with the fact that they played thier songs live exactly as they recorded them. I sort of agreed with him back then and thought the Band, as good as they were, were a little stiff.



Lew

 

[Artie]

Re: Robbie Robertson's Strat

I agree with the middle pickup "tone" thing. For awhile, I was toying with the idea of only having a toggle to switch between the #2 and #4 positions on my Strat. (That was before I got the CR and Lil 59.)

"The Last Waltz" was produced by Robbie Robertson, and I sometimes got the feeling that he would like to have called it - "Robbie Robertson and The Band". :laugh2:

Still, basically good tunage and playing. And seeing all those folks on stage at the same time was cool: Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, Neil Diamond, Eric Clapton, etc.