Brush with guitar tech greatness!!

[Stephen Morgan]

I know we are a repair forum but thought I'd share this. I got to work today and a group of people were standing at my main bench and a grey haired gentleman with a british accent was inspecting the refret I'd just finished on a black 80's Schecter Telecaster.Turns out it's Alan Rogan longtime guitar tech for the Rolling Stones, George harrison, Joe Walsh, Tom Petty and 30+ years with Pete Townsend and the Who!! They were there for a few hours telling stories and talking guitars and couldn't have been more gracious. Here's the best part, the Who are in town tomorrow and he hired me to come down and file off the "pointy bits' sticking out the side of Pete's stratocasters.(I'm assuming fret ends?) I'll try to take a photo if it seems kosher, just thought I'd share. 

[RETROROD]

Wow! Cool story and a great opportunity! It will be doubly cool if you get to meet and speak with Pete. Good Luck on an exciting gig....!

[Russell Vance]

Good stuff Stephen and it's a nice story.  As you say,  we are a meeting place concerned with building and repairing and we have a particular focus and generally try to remain on thread and relevant.

Without wishing to draw comment I suggest that a personal blog or conversational forum may be a better place for anecdotes and personal matters that don't add anything to our knowledge base or vicarious stringed instrument experience level. 

But, its a free world and exciting from time to time and I hope filing the fret ends goes well.  P.S. make sure they pay - a lot of the bigger bands treat themselves as royalty and exploit starry eyed young blokes - a least negotiate a signed T-Shirt.

Rusty.

[Kerry Krishna]

Russell, but if he had not shared it here, we would not have read anything about it!  Anyway Stephen, I share your excitement totally! Have a great time today, and see if a picture or two may be appropriate! 

[Paul Verticchio]

You lucky duck!!!!

So, did Alan let any trade secrets slip during  his visit?

The guitar you refretted sounds a lot like the Schecter Tele taht Roger played on the "Emminence Front" video.

Paul (-:

[Stephen Morgan]

A couple pics from a bucket list day!

[Stephen Morgan]

Tried to load photo but it's over the 5mb limit, it's on my FB. Day went very well and it was a lot of work, 16 stratocasters all the same but for color and 5 j200's all with fishman pick-ups. The basic rundown was 3 different set-ups with 2 back ups for each one. #1 standard tuning with high floating bridge(5/64's), #2 standard tuning but with capo lower bridge(3/64's) and #3 drop tuning 1/2 step or drop D same bridge. That's 9 strats always set up then 3 "extra" back-ups and the others for parts or hotel rooms or ?? Trade secrets, Alan alway lines up the sperzel tuner holes with the strings before stringing and streched the strings behind the nut also. Very nice people and a memorable day for me. One last thing Alan's Peterson strobe tuner had 12 spinning wheels one for each note, I think I need one!

[RETROROD]

Very cool info! I have been wanting a strobe tuner. Missed out on one on Ebay for a good price a while back!