RIP Jeff Beck

[|iR|Focalor]

https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/11/entertainment/jeff-beck-death/index.html

Jeff Beck, dead at 78. Wikipedia is listing bacterial meningitis as the cause of death, but perhaps that is not official at this point as there is no formal section on the page about his death yet.

One of the most insanely talented guitar players on planet earth. This guy used a combination tremolo arm + volume control and picking technique to basically turn a stratocaster into what sounded like a completely different instrument. To my knowledge, not a single other person on the planet could ever replicate his style and sound. One of the all time greats.

Love this live performance he did of one of his best songs with Tal Wilkenfeld on bass.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VC02wGj5gPw

[pepp5]

I had a six hour phone conversation with a guitarist friend today that started from me telling him about Beck's passing.   He loved Beck's style.  Jeff Beck wasn't so much of a shredder as much as a sound stylist.  He influenced a lot of future guitar players including EVH.  That's the great Vinnie Colaiuta on drums by the way.

Songs:  Beck's Bolero (Possibly written by Jimmy Page), Freeway Jam.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmO0OZC6Ifk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6jHlW414sQ

[|iR|Focalor]

Was never a HUGE Jeff Beck fan. I do really like his old mid 70's solo albums, Blow By Blow ('75), and Wired ('76).

Mostly I like his gear. The Seymour Duncan JB pickups are one of my favorites.

As per Seymour Duncan wiki page:

Seymour Duncan's best selling pickup model is the SH-4 "JB Model" humbucker, that originated from a pickup Duncan made in the early '70s for his hero Jeff Beck who had the PAF pickups switched out of his guitar by a dishonest guitar tech. Beck used the pickups in his seminal release "Blow By Blow" in a guitar built for him by Seymour, dubbed the Tele-Gib, which featured a JB pickup in the bridge position and a "JM" or Jazz Model pickup in the neck. The JB was never an official signature pickup, and Duncan cannot use the name Jeff Beck.

If you don't know, a "PAF" refers to a "patent applied for" pickup that was found in the "holy grail of guitars", 1958, 1959, and 1960 Gibson Les Paul sunburst models. I guess they'd also probably be found on the Gibson 335's etc from that period as well as the Gibson Les Paul SG's from 1961 and 1962 that temporarily replaced the Les Paul singlecut model during the 60's. (they didn't officially call it the SG model until about 1963 I think)

Again, as per wiki:

PAF ("Patent Applied For"), is an early model of the humbucker guitar pickup invented by Seth Lover in 1955. Gibson began use of the PAF on higher-model guitars in late 1956 and stopped in late 1962.

These days I typically like the more classic sounding lower to mid output pickups, Les Paul PAF sounding kinda things like the Seymour Duncan JB and 59 combo like what comes stock on the Guild Bluesbird. The old Gibson 490's that come on the Gibson SG Standards and a few other lower end models are really good. I also really like the Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates pickups, which are a variation on an old 59 Les Paul PAF pickups, a little bit of a boost in the midrange area.

Jeff Becks signature Fender Strat is pretty cool too. To my knowledge, it's the only one that still comes with the LSR roller nut at the headstock rather than a plastic or bone or synthetic bone nut. The ball-bearing rollers helps prevent string binding and tuning problems at the nut with all the whammy bar work he does. Back in the 90's there were at least 2 or 3 different models of Stratocasters that had the roller nuts, but I guess they aren't so sought after anymore.

I have a little over a grand saved up including some pedals and my Taylor Big Baby acoustic for trade. Was considering getting something like a used Jeff Beck strat, but there's no way I'll be able to find one now.