Pete Townshend's 1964 Gibson SG Special
Musician
Pete Townshend
(English, born 1945)
Maker
Gibson
(American, founded 1902)
Date1964
ClassificationsMusic
DescriptionPete Townshend's 1964 Gibson SG Special guitar, serial number 188776, in cherry finish. Mahogany finish boy on top/sides/back. Black pickguard with two pickups, two volume dial knobs, two tone dial knobs, and a three-position toggle switch labelled "Rhythm, Treble." Mahogany neck with, woodgrain fretboard and mother of pearl dot position markers. The tuning pegs are white with chrome machine heads. The headstock and neck show signs of past repair from damage. With black textured hard shell contemporary case. Played by Pete Townshend circa 1964 to 1970, including during the filming of The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus in December of 1968, which has been matched with photographs of Townsend at the taping. The guitar is accompanied by a letter from Townshend dated November, 2014 on "Eall Pie Recording Productions Limited" letterhead, signed by Pete Townshend.
Townshend's description: "During the late '60s I lived in a house by the river Thames opposite Eel Pie Island. This was in the period from 1967-1972 when I was still mainly using Gibson SGs on stage. I did smash far fewer than most people think - but the necks were delicate and sometimes I spun them around in the air and missed the catch, and the necks got broken and the bodies got beaten up a bit. These I would take home to repair. i would removed all the parts, pickups, etc., and use Cascamite carpenter's glue, which I found very strong. One winter, probably 1977 before the use of the Thames Barrier, there was a flood and the basement of my house was filled with muddy water. The guitar bodies survived, but the pickups and other parts were ruined, and featured in a suitcase full of old crap in the ICA Who exhibition in August 1978. A few years on my wife and I bought a new house further down the river, and while I was away on tour she sold our old house to her brother Jon Astley. I forgot about the guitar bodies in the basement, and Jon gave one to his friend Andy Macpherson. This is the guitar in question here. I have no idea where or when I played it, but it is certainly one I used on the road in the UK - otherwise it would not have made it into the cellar in my house - so possibly on 'Live at Leeds' and the 'Tommy' recordings. Andy has added the correct replacement parts, and I feel sure that my neck repair will last longer than I will."
The Who are a British band founded in London in 1964. They are considered one of the most influential bands of the 20th century, combining mod, rock, and power pop into a new output of popular music. The Who were born from an earlier band, The Detours, which featured then guitarist and vocalist Roger Daltrey. Daltrey recruited bassist John Entwistle and guitarist Pete Townshend to join his band. After a name change to The Who, the band brought on drummer Keith Moon, filling out the band's lineup.
In December 1964, the The Who released their first single "I Can't Explain," which helped secure a record contract. After touring during much of 1965, the band's next single came in October of that year. "My Generation" was a rebellious song, penned by Townshend, about Britain's new youth culture of the 1960s. It became one of The Who's signature songs, and has been ranked as one of the most influential rock and roll songs by Rolling Stone and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
The Who's debut studio album My Generation, was released in late 1965 (April 1966 in the US) and although the band discounted it as a "rush job," it's heavy guitar sounds helped inspire the future hard rock genre of the 1970s. A Quick One (1966) and The Who Sell Out (1967) followed, as the band continued to hone their sound. Tommy (1969) was The Who's fourth album, a concept album that was billed as one of the first rock operas. The album tells the story of Tommy Walker, a fictional character, and his journey to becoming a spiritual leader. The Who performed portions of Tommy at their 1969 Woodstock concert.
Who's Next (1971) continued the band's experimental output, including the use of synthesizers, and was an instant success. Songs like "Won't Get Fooled Again," "Baba O'Riley," and "Behind Blue Eyes" topped the single charts. Quadrophenia (1973), their second rock opera album, The Who By Numbers (1975), and Who Are You (1978) rounded out the decade - with Who Are You reaching #2 in the US and #6 in the UK behind the eponymously titled single. Drummer Keith Moon died three weeks after the album's release.
The Who carried on without Moon, hiring drummer Kenney Jones of the Small Faces and Faces. They recorded two albums with Jones, Face Dances (1981) and and It's Hard (1982). Townshend left The Who in 1983, effectively ending the band. They have reunited several times since, although bassist John Entwistle passed away in 2002. Zak Starkey, son of Ringo Starr, has played drums for the band since 1996.
Daltrey's piercing scream, along with Townshend's windmill guitar playing are signature elements of The Who's sound. Their destructive onstage behavior - smashing instruments in many performances - was in line with the heavily distorted "Marshall stack" amplifiers the band utilized. Their songwriting and style inspired countless future artists, and the band was honored with an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990.
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