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Screamin' Armadillo · **Posted:** Mon Apr 23, 2012 9:53 pm

New G&L Day!

About fifteen years ago, we had a major financial crisis in Casa Armadillo. We were faced with the reality of losing our home, so several “extras” had to go. Thus, I sold most of my original Rolling Stones albums on vinyl (ranging from the 1960s to the 1990s), Lady Armadillo’s stereo, and several of my guitars and amps. The only thing I ever regretted selling was the 1983 G&L Nighthawk I had at the time. I loved the guitar, but I needed to make a house payment and we couldn’t live in that guitar case. I had already sold a 1964 Fender Mustang, a 198? G&L SC-2, a 1971 Fender Musicmaster Bass, a cheap Epiphone catgut acoustic and a couple of amps.

It was down to my Fiesta Red Fender 62 US Vintage Stratocaster, my G&L F-100 and the Nighthawk. I knew I could never afford another Strat like that one (if I found one—Fiesta Red is rare)…the F-100 was my first guitar and it was a rare combination of features I have never seen in any other G&L F-100 before or since, so I didn’t want to lose that one…so I sold the Nighthawk, thinking I would find another one eventually.

Did you know there were less than 300 G&L Nighthawks made? I didn’t either, at the time…it seems that the DC-area band called the Nighthawks put a cease & desist order against Leo Fender and told him not to use their name on his guitar. Now, if I were Leo Fender, I would have said, “Really? I invented everything that you use to make music…which part of my butt would you like to kiss?” But Leo was either a nice guy or he didn’t want to pay legal fees (or a combination of both), so he renamed the Nighthawk the “Skyhawk” and all was well until he died, which is not a good thing.

I looked in vain for many years, and only found two Nighthawks for sale—both financially out of my reach.

So, fast forward to 2012. I had finally saved up enough money to really do some damage…foolishly, I made a couple of impulse buys that haven’t been so happy with (live and learn), but I still had a decent amount in my “stash.”

…and then I found this:

It was an exact copy of the one I had so many years ago…the black finish was the most common (and my personal favorite) and the matching headstock just looks killer (kinda looks like a slightly ragged tuxedo…don’t you think?)
Notice the two-piece pickguard? That’s kind of like Bill Carson’s original prototype…I wonder if it was something Leo always wanted to do and just decided to go for it this time around. It would certainly make for easier assembly—the electronics split up on each half of the pickguard(s) and no angled input jack…
Yes, they are a Strat-style guitar, but they’re much fatter, richer and fuller sounding than the average Strat. I love those G&L MFD pickups. In fact, the reason I put the Pete Biltoft Vintage Vibe SP-90 pups in my Fiesta Red Stratocaster is trying to get closer to the sound of those MFDs. Great sustain with those G&L tremolos, too. Overall, it’s one of the best sounding and looking Strat-style guitars ever (in my humble opinion).
This one is a bit rougher than mine was, but mine was younger at the time, and overall it looks really nice for a 29 year old guitar. There’s some natural relic-ing going on—some checking on the finish of the neck and headstock, a few dings, but it came with the OHSC, so there was some value added there, too.

I looked up the serial number on a fan-site-based G&L registry, and according to it, this guitar used to belong to a guy named Brad Traweek…where have I heard that name? I don’t know how accurate that is, but it makes for a cool story if it is true. (Brad?)

Three observations about the following videos:
(1) I’ve gotten sloppy in my playing in the past year. I finish college next Monday, so hopefully I’ll get to play a bit more often.
(2) I wondered why a guy who looks suspiciously like my father looked twenty years ago is wearing my clothes and playing my guitar…dear Lord, that’s ME?!?
(3) Where has my hair gone? It used to come down a lot lower on my forehead.
Click on pictures for mediocre sound clips:

...and some slide playing…

The only thing I did to it (and probably the only thing I'll ever do to it) is put some Schaller Strap Lock buttons on it.

A few pictures of the herd:

I’ve had this Philco AM/FM radio (yes, FM is that old) since I was around eight years old—my mother bought it at a garage sale. It used to work, but the tubes have long since died. One of my projects after graduation is to get that baby up and running again…

Retroverbial · **Posted:** Mon Apr 23, 2012 10:41 pm

Congratulations, SA......she's a beaut!

All is right with the universe once again.

Arjay

Claude Gallichand · **Posted:** Tue Apr 24, 2012 3:28 am

Great story, congrats on the new G&L.

Jah Soldier · **Posted:** Tue Apr 24, 2012 3:37 am

That's awesome!! Look at that rosewood neck! I hope it does play as good as it looks.

tyronne · **Joined:** Sun Feb 15, 2009 3:52 pm **Posts:** 2005

Great story with a happy ending.

Ooops! Forgot to say that the playing was really good too! Nice slide work Sir!

inbalance99 · **Posted:** Tue Apr 24, 2012 6:27 am

Real fine playing, nice guitars, thanks.

TEXASBLUEZMAN · **Posted:** Tue Apr 24, 2012 6:35 am

G&L sounds sweet! Keep them Texas blues alive!

Screamin' Armadillo · **Posted:** Tue Apr 24, 2012 1:17 pm

Retroverbial wrote:

Congratulations, SA......she's a beaut!
All is right with the universe once again.
8)
Arjay

Thank you, Arjay--with your exacting standards as to instruments, amps and gear, that's an extra-nice compliment.

Claude Gallichand wrote:

Great story, congrats on the new G&L.

tyronne wrote:

Great story with a happy ending.
Ooops! Forgot to say that the playing was really good too! Nice slide work Sir!

The story is probably a bit too long, but I just can't tell you how much it means to have one of these back in the herd...the first one was such a huge part of my early musical upbringing (if you will), it's like finding an old friend you thought was dead.

scarleg · **Posted:** Tue Apr 24, 2012 1:35 pm

Sweet...thanks for sharing bro.Glad to see you scored it.We too had to get rid of some things to pay for the house.I know exactly how you feel.My strat too was spared in the great save the house ordeal.I think maybe you and I might of been long lost brothers in another life :lol:

Klowenst · **Joined:** Sun Feb 26, 2012 10:44 am **Posts:** 864

Great story and awesome guitar! I was surprised to see the difference in color on the fretboard from very dark on the right to lighter on the left side. Mine has a similar look and I thought it was strange when I first got it since I hadn't seen many like that before.

I really enjoyed your playing too, the picking was awesome. I really have to learn to finger pick at some point. I also liked the slide playing and your overall style is cool and authentic sounding. Congrats on the axe!

Screamin' Armadillo · **Posted:** Tue Apr 24, 2012 3:40 pm

Jah Soldier wrote:

That's awesome!! Look at that rosewood neck! I hope it does play as good as it looks.

Now, here's something weird; 99% of the Nighthawks have ebony fretboards, including my first one. I always wondered about that one, because there were some lighter streaks through the fretboard on #1, which made it look like very dark rosewood, but it felt like ebony.
Now, according to the serial number, the Guitars By Leo website and my fingers (the feel of the wood), this is ebony, too...but it looks so much like rosewood, it's confusing.

Either way, it plays like a dream...Early G&L's had one of two neck profiles, and they were labelled "Series I" or "Series II". The Series I necks were fatter, the Series II necks were faster. My 1980 G&L F-100 has the Series II neck, and this one has the fatter Series I profile. Both feel great in their own way, but I prefer the Series I.

Also, both of my G&Ls have very wide, flat frets...not like a "fretless wonder" but pretty dang low. Since that's what I got used to when I first began to play, the jumbo frets so many people love feel odd to me.

After I get it properly set up to my liking, this machine's gonna rip it up...

Thanks to everyone for their kind words about my new baby as well as my playing.

fhopkins · **Posted:** Tue Apr 24, 2012 3:54 pm

Very cool story my friend. Congratulations on the guitar!! I'd like to hear what Brad has to say about it.

tdanb2003 · **Posted:** Tue Apr 24, 2012 4:30 pm

Congrats Matt

Enjoyed the vids and the story behind the guitar. The Fender work shirt was uber cool.... :lol:

I hope Brad looks at this thread so I can tell him the darn website has the hiccups again. It took me 3 tries to get this posted.

Screamin' Armadillo · **Posted:** Tue Apr 24, 2012 6:06 pm

tdanb2003 wrote:

Congrats Matt

Enjoyed the vids and the story behind the guitar. The Fender work shirt was uber cool.... :lol:

I hope Brad looks at this thread so I can tell him the darn website has the hiccups again. It took me 3 tries to get this posted.

It took me several tries to make replies, too...that's weird--the initial post with all the pics and video went in the first try...

The shirt was a simple Dickie's work shirt with a Fender patch and my name embroidered...everybody who plays guitar asks, "Do you work for Fender?!?"

I hate to disappoint them, but I just can't lie...so I say, "I work to buy them..."

dinhdai88 · **Joined:** Tue Mar 20, 2012 6:16 pm **Posts:** 15

Very nice ! i love this story

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