That One Guitar - Thom Heckel

Name: Thom Heckel

Hometown: Atlanta, GA

Instrument: 1965 Silvertone 1446L

Maybe 8, 9, 10 years ago I had wanted a Bigsby for my Tele and a buddy of mine wanted a lap guitar. So I traded him my 1966 Rickenbacker lap with the Horseshoe “Ry Cooder” pick up, thinking I was gonna take off the “Whoopee bar” and find another bridge for my new kick around Silvertone. Now you see, I’m pretty stupid, but I did take it to practice first and thank god! I had never felt feedback so warm and tingly shoot through an instrument into my pelvis and out of my toes and eyeballs at the same time, ever before. But surely I couldn’t dive bomb the tremolo and have it come back up in tune. Why yes, look at that, she stays in tune.  The neck and the action was like a slip and slide compared to my others.

Now I broke a ton of strings at first because I didn’t know how to handle such a delicate lady, I’m pretty stupid, you see?

But she has taught me the art of a lighter touch, yet we still can scream. The molding of tonal feedback, in which the sustain lends you the ability to skip the sandwich, go have a 3 course meal and come back to a mellow drone of sounds which may be mistaken for an organ, a saxaphone or even whales, is sempiternal. She has truly changed my approach, my style and my sound. I love my big, black, cheap guitar!

Said buddy asked if I ever wanted to trade back…I am sorry MR, and to you as well Nigel for the whole sandwich thing.

Bands: Bouldercrest Singing Group, The Sweetdick Jane

Sound Clip: Bouldercrest Singing Group - Forgive