The Story of James Burton's 1969 Paisley Telecaster - Ask Zac 144

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In 1969, Burton put his 52 Telecaster into semi-retirement, and would use his 1969 paisley Telecaster all throughout the 70s and 80s playing on countless recordings, and touring with Elvis, Emmylou Harris, John Denver, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Elvis Costello. During that time, he made quite a few modifications to the instrument, including changing pickups, bridges, hardware, and even a neck swap or 2. Today's episode spotlight all the changes the guitar went through in the years he used it as his main guitar for both the studio and the road.
Spotify Playlist
open.spotify.com/playlist/47J...
Gear Used:
Crook Paisley Tele.
Strings:
Webstrings pure nickel 9-42
Pick:
Blue Chip TPR 35
Amp:
2021 Fender Handwired 64 Princeton Reverb with a Jensen Neo 10-100 speaker.
#askzac #jamesburton #zacchilds

I was playing with James Burton and 800+ other guitarists. Saturday, August 24, 2009, at the Shreveport Municipal Auditorium. It was his 70 birthday celebration, and we tried to break the Guinness Book of World Records for the most unplugged guitars. We fell short. We played , "That's All Right, Mama and Hound Dog." Many of us came from all around the USA and the world! Great memories!

[@PsionicAudio]

Every electric guitarist of every genre owes Mr. Burton for giving us light strings with a plain G.

[@jeffsquires6620]

You are so correct, thank God for banjo strings.

[@mattsmusicacademy5189]

Great vid! My favorite story of that guitar is when he took it to a Merle session. James said Merle tapped him on the shoulder and said, “where is Ol’e Red?” James said it’s at home. Merle replied, “ how far you live!” Lol. Great story. Cherish the guitar pick i got from him.

[@AskZac]

I love that story

[@bobhewitt5047]

When I filmed with James in California, he was very interested in getting Hank Marvin to attend his 70th birthday bash … and asked if I could contact him. James said he wanted everyone who attended the party to play an Elvis song! I tried my best for him - but Hank had commitments in Australia and couldn’t make the trip. That would have been a great gig to see. We also filmed James receiving his lifetime achievement award from Fender … he performed with Jerry Donahue at the Fender Centre in London - amazing to see two of the world’s greatest Telecaster players duelling on stage.

[@AskZac]

I bet that was amazing, Bob. Thanks for documenting so much history.

[@boco1951]

James Burton is one of the nicest people I ever spent time with he is just great! Everybody knows his playing! Always wondered about his paisley and expecially the Red Rhodes pickup?

[@LPCustom3]

Red was my friend and Mentor! He was a wonderful man! I could call him at 10:00 at night and ask him about a problem I was having with an amp and he would tell me exactly what the problem was and where it was in the circuit! I still miss him to no end. He was a very kind person and was very generous! He gave me a Velvet Hammer Tele bridge pickup. I ended up giving to to my friend Tom ( T.V. ) Jones as he was very curious about it.

[@J.C...]

Have you heard any updates on James' health lately? Last I heard, he was back in the hospital. I usually try to keep up with him since I'm from his hometown 🙏 Keep him in your prayers no matter what!

[@AskZac]

Follow him on FB for updates. He seems to be doing better.

[@J.C...]

Thank you, Zac!

[@gregmican]

Prayers for James that he gets well soon!

[@JMLUSA1]

Oh MAAAAAN, That lead in piece you played instantly TRANSPORTED Me back to me watching "ELVIS - THE WAY IT IS" OVER and OVER and OVER again when it first came out on VHS! I still watch it! "Chicka Bum, Chicka Bum.." Echos in my head as the James and the band build us up for ELVIS to regale us of that poor girl from Louisiana! VIVID! Great video! Thanks SO MUCH for what you're doing! My Passion for guitar is Renewed. No longer smoldering, FIRE STOKED and ABLASE! Because of you and other "Tele" hot rodding vids, I'm doing some simple diy mods to my MexiCAN Red Tele.

[@NickRatnieks]

I was right at the front seeing Emmylou in 1976 at the Free Trade Hall in Manchester- where Bob Dylan was called "Judas" ten years earlier. and during Shop Around, James did not play the guitar behind his neck. I saw an interview with him shortly afterwards and he said an ear infection stopped him doing this- presumably, his balance might have been affected.

[@RandalSmith]

Red Rhodes was also a very good steel guitarist. His Velvet Hammer pickups are legendary. Great video.

[@ferraridinoman]

I guess all us guitarists have different ears! I have had 1001 different teles and pups over the last 50 or so years and wonder how much nostalgia is in our hearts! I can remember getting a bridge Red Rhodes "Velvet hammer"(Stamped on the Pup)for my Tele (Mid 70s) and can truely say (Sorry Red RIP xx) it was the worst Pup I have ever played on a tele! (I think I replaced it with a Di Marzio if I remember rightly! Got a Seymour Duncan "Broadcaster" in '83 and have used them on ALL my Teles since! As I say, guess all our ears are different!!

[@Doug_Seidlitz]

Zac this is was so interesting! Would love it if you made guitar stories on a regular basis!

[@jeffsquires6620]

Congratulations on the collaboration. This Tele is iconic. James made it cool to have a pink guitar.

[@AskZac]

Thanks!

[@jonnybeck6723]

Yeah, and Shell Pink Strat's are now very cool as well... (thanx to what's 'er name's husband (?) (I'll never forget what's her name...)

[@jeffsquires6620]

@@jonnybeck6723 don't tell Baxter, he's trying to get them all.

[@estenray6685]

My favorite Tele player! Thanks Zac can’t get enough of your videos especially when they’re about Mr Burton or his guitars! 🎸Great intro by the way! Love your choice of Licks!

[@AskZac]

Cool, thanks!

[@guitarpicker6844]

Once again, another great episode. Learning something new from every video. Thanks Zac for what you do!

[@AskZac]

I appreciate that!

[@FabianSalomonsson]

What a fun episode, thank you! You sounded great on the opening playing, such a great tone.

[@UltimateElvisGuitar]

Just an addition here Zac, he did change the pickups to Velvet Hammers in the early 70's already. He got as a gift in 1972 a carved wood tele that he used a couple of times with Elvis during the April tour, and that one already had Velvet Hammers installed, so the later guess I can have is that he switched to Velvet Hammers in late 1971! But could have been earlier.

[@AskZac]

The carved wood one is his 1966 red tele on the cover of the Corn Pickn album, and in the Fender ad he did with Ricky Nelson. I have seen the guitar up close as it is on display at the Country Music Hall Of Fame. He had a guy in California do the work. He may have done the VH's in that guitar first.

[@UltimateElvisGuitar]

Also adding here, the blonde tele with black pickguard was also used during a few Elvis shows, Jan/Feb 1973 Vegas season for example!

[@UltimateElvisGuitar]

@@AskZac and that one I don't remember if it was split pickup like the one that it's in the paisley now. The tone definitely changed if you compare On Tour recordings to That's The Way It Is. I think he had stock pickups till then, but definitely Velvet Hammers already in 1972, but maybe not the split one!

[@EddieLeeGrovesMusic]

Thank you for all your videos. You cover players and subjects most other guitar channels never do. We appreciate your incite and the work you do researching shows. Hope you and you family have a very Merry Christmas and looking forward to more Ask Zac in the New Year!

[@AskZac]

My pleasure!

[@rodneysmith6716]

I saw James playing that guitar with Emmylou many times in the mid 70's what a great band that was! The William Bell album on your shelf is a really great one, the version of born under a bad sign is the best arrangement of that song ever!

[@aluminati9918]

Great episode! Got to say Fender had something going in the late 60s. Some magic sauce Gibson could never match. The rosewood Harrison Tele, the Paisley, the Thinlines.. (And saying this as a proud Gibson and Fender owner..)

[@f69tele]

Great video! I’ve got a fairly close up photo of James playing this guitar with Jerry Lee at Gilley’s around ‘83-84.

[@AskZac]

Care to share it? send to zac(at)askzac.com

[@f69tele]

@@AskZac yessir I sent it to your Facebook messenger yesterday.

[@MonteD1]

Great content! Happy to hear Bob Watford mentioned. He's not known by many, but is a killer picker. Of course, James is a favorite of everyone.

[@alistairjohnson8185]

Great video. I am a Pink Paisley Tragic. And yes, I have an original 1968.

[@crilf5830]

Such an eccentric and interesting career. Thanks Zac!

[@fiddlix]

What a great show Zac. I owned a white James Burton model Tele that was autographed by him at the NAMM show the year they released it. I bought it from Joe Barden. Didn’t care much for the guitar but I wish I still had it for the history of it.

[@AskZac]

I had one too, and sold it.

[@iannicholls7476]

Thanks Zac. A great video, as always.

[@AskZac]

My pleasure!

[@AlongtheRiverLife]

Great video! I have just purchased one of the Fender Custom Shop remakes of the 69' Paisley Pink Telecaster. I love it.

[@paulsterner8190]

Some great information.really enjoyed it. Thank you zac. Your biggest fan, paul.

[@AskZac]

Thanks, Paul!

[@howardskinner4916]

My '68 Paisley had Fender's Thick Skin finish. A polyester finish, it was so thick that it tended to dampen body vibration thus affecting tone in a negative way.

[@Shotaro-bp4mc]

Great video! Thanks! I have some Velvet Hammer pickpus for tele, called VHTBX. This pickup is unique. Just like tapped coil but outer copper coil is reverse wound. I think this is product line pickup based on the modification that Red made to the stock Fender pickup in early 70s. As a side note my 1966 tele has pickup modified by Red. Awsome sound! There was talk of carved tele, in the photo as of 1972, that guitar seems to have no mini switch, so I believe it was an stock pickup.I think the sound is also different from that of VH. Maybe James changed to VH later? Just my personal opinion.

[@G.S.W.SewmesomeMusic]

Very good video . Thanks, best wishes to you and yours. 🌲☮️👍

[@Jay-by1zq]

Love these history of famous telecaster vids Zac! If requests are welcomed Id love to learn more about Vince Gill’s 53 Tele!

[@JonathanAEdwardsJr]

Great video! Love me some James Burton!

[@gwcjr2102]

Great video sir!

[@AskZac]

Thank you kindly!

[@MrAnderswt]

Elvis loved the color pink.

[@BeesWaxMinder]

‘Hope ya Watching, Derek😉!

[@jasonkeaton5140]

great video as always

[@AskZac]

Thanks again!

[@picksalot1]

Wonderful video. I really enjoy hearing the history of the great guitarists and their guitars. Do you have any information or insights on how the Boost Toggle switch works, is it active or passive, etc.? Subscribed. Thanks

[@AskZac]

It seems like a tapped single coil, but I am not sure

[@guitareveryone]

Much enjoyed!!

[@AskZac]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@Eric-fb2wp]

I would have to think that Elvis must have liked the look of the Paisley Guitar. It fits his decor taste. The Elvis jump suits,his home The Jungle room etc.etc.

[@J.C...]

I got one of those Axe Heaven Teles last week. The neck was broken when I got it lol. The replacement should be here on Thursday. I've got a Fender Deluxe Reverb Amp lunch box to set it up with also 👌😁

[@ferraridinoman]

One guitar that RARELY comes up is a "carved" slightly strange Tele that James used occasionaly on stage with Elvis!! Would love some info on that, (If anybody knows!) Great stuff Young Zak! x

[@AskZac]

It is a 1965 Tele, and it is on display at the CMHOF in Nashville

[@briannacery9939]

He's so good!

[@gregmize01]

Saw James with Jerry Lee Lewis @ Cains Ballroom in 98(?). Incredible show!🎸🎸🎸🎸

[@fivewattworld]

Love the one guitar deep,dive!

[@AskZac]

Thanks, Keith

[@bigpapi2658]

Ax Zac rules!!

[@julianmetcalfe1070]

nice history , good job done there Sir ,George Harrison had one too i think ,

[@jonnybeck6723]

Thanx Zac... Do you have any info on Elvis Costello's Jaguar and did he ever use a Bass VI (?) (Thanks in advance)

[@TheMuudcat]

I have a Don Mare double coil bridge pickup with a Push pull tone

[@mattrogers1946]

Great pickups, Don is a mad genius!

[@louisdombrowski4198]

Interesting ,thanks for sharing. I'm with you, It's a sickness😎 🙏🙏's for Mr. Burton

[@NoNameNo.5]

Great Vid!. Shoulda played the lead to "Promised Land" on that thang!

[@copperaudio9664]

I'm pretty sure I heard some 'Polk Salad Annie" in that opening clip. Nice.

[@geespar1]

I’m wondering if the mini switch might have switched the 2 pickup coils from parallel to series in order to get the boost?

[@jamessellitti4096]

Check the paisley tele on “Elvis Medley live with Backdraft “. So cool!

[@ROCKINGMAN]

Really liked this history on JB's Paisley. Do the colours fade from rich pink to yellowing? It seems like it. Love the Paisley as stock/original and not keen on alterations, but I understand why. Loved the story. Hope you can do others. Would love to know about Jerry Reed's Harmony H174 or was it a Baldwin 801?

[@AskZac]

The colors fade alot.

[@tonytrout4321]

I loved this video, Zac! I learned some things I did NOT know about James's beloved 1969 Fender red paisley Telecaster! However, I have a question for you about James's first use of that guitar: James has said in interviews online that he began playing the guitar with Elvis in the "second week" of engagements in Vegas in '69. However, I've never run across one single photo of him with the guitar during that time (and there are a bunch out there) and I've only seen photos from the January 26, 1970 - February 23, 1970 winter engagement in Vegas. Is it possible that THIS is what James was referring to?

[@AskZac]

I think you are right.

[@tonytrout4321]

@@AskZac Thanks for the reply and thanks for confirming my thoughts on James's version of when he began using that beloved guitar. He actually did think that it was "too bright" (the paisley colors) to play onstage with Elvis. That's owe reason that he never brought it out during that very first season in Vegas in '69 but, after he brought it out and played it, he found out that Elvis liked it very much and basically told him, "Play it as much as/all you want to!" The only time other than the first '69 engagements, that James didn't play the guitar and used a blonde/blackguiard Tele was sometime in '73 when he was probably having Red Phodes do some work on the guitar. Love your channel bunches! Take Care/God Bless, Tony Trout

[@COLDMKULTRA]

@Zak ... Do a Roy Roy Buchanan type thing assessment ! 👍😄

[@anthonysilva5312]

I was a Led Zeppelin - lovin deep purple kinda guy… but James burton really impressed me. I have. 69 reissue PPT!!

[@Paulmccarthy6801]

Hey Zac how you you doing. In your opinion what would you say about Al Nico magnets to get that vintage tone. What magnets are better. I have the fender reissue broadcaster the neck pick up is 7.83 k and sounds kind of vintage but the bridge pick up is a lot higher in the 9’s it’s just to bright and when you put the tone knob on it just doesn’t sound that great. I’m really looking to change out that one but I don’t know what to look for. Do you have any suggestions ?

[@AskZac]

Duncan Antiqity bridge pickup, Ron Ellis 52T, or Arcane 51.

[@Paulmccarthy6801]

@@AskZac ok Zac thanks much appreciated. Enjoy your day.

[@bondhughbond]

Is that a split in the pickup or a shadow of the screw? Look at the other shadows below the bridge and around the pickguard. Split or not, that's where the screw's shadow is.

[@superreverbking]

being a '69, I guess it had 1 meg pots, at least for a bit.

[@will4gzus]

Most iconic phrase in all music: “play it James”

[@mattrogers1946]

How about "Pick it for me James" from the Return of the Grevious Angel?

[@bartnettle]

two pole windings is a shadow from the screw

[@AskZac]

It appeared at all angles

[@rickhorvath]

So how was it painted/wrapped etc???

[@AskZac]

Contact paper on the front and back, then the sides are painted

[@justinpurser4736]

Keith Richards uses a similar Brass bridge, interesting.

[@gmwien]

Could the apparent split coil be just the shadow of the screw above?

[@AskZac]

It appeared at various angles

[@gmwien]

@@AskZac Wow, so it works similar to the Z-coils like in the Comanche, only in one line… genial!

[@erickrohn2970]

Is that wallpaper covering the guitar lol. I could see wrinkles in it. That would be a wallpaper design of the day.

[@erickrohn2970]

Ha ha I looked it up and yes 68 and 69 they were covered with paisley pattern wallpaper then clear coated. Ha ha that's something I didn't know.

[@leesloan8216]

this guitar sounds like Murphy's broom!

[@BenPrevo]

Probably a tapped pickup. One coil one ground and 2 hots from same coil -- shadow from screw in pic - not 2 coils like p bass.

[@carlrudd1858]

I agree. I have a pickup winder that I've used for a number of Telecaster Pickups. I've thought about it, and I cannot see any way that you could wind a coil around three magnets and then wind coil around the remaining three. It could be done I suppose by winding to small three magnet pickups and then carefully moving them both over to the conventional 6 hole flatwork, but no, that would be so labor intensive.

[@saltwatersaddletramp7229]

I’m wondering if the last neck is a MIJ. All the modern Japanese reissues have the Kluson style tuners and the recreation of the CBS logo has no patent numbers. I always wanted a Pink Paisley Telecaster. About five years ago I bought a new MIJ reissue.

[@dochopper5981]

I know someone wanting to sell a 68 with a bigsby on it. So sad, it's from his family's old band but he doesn't play. He asked me how much it was worth. I said, you probably need insurance on that instrument. Do you have any idea? If all original sans maybe the bigsby? I can send photos on another platform if you're interested in chatting about this for a moment.

[@AskZac]

They are well over 15k closer to 20k

[@peppers776]

Get it Zac! Twangariffic sir!

[@AskZac]

thanks!

[@StickMan...77]

What pickups did he use with Elvis in Hawaii?

[@AskZac]

Stock

[@nicko6710]

Now Reggie's Tele?

[@mattrogers1946]

Or his Goldtop?

[@BeesWaxMinder]

8:15 - are you sure that isn’t a shadow from the screw casting onto the coils NOT 2 separate sets and isn’t that just copper tape not actual wire coils in your photo? I mean, why would there be a hole in the centre of the Bobbin if not for spinning a single wrap of coil around six magnets? I have to admit that I’ve never been up close and personal to this Guitar and only have your photos to go on…so…🤷‍♂️

[@AskZac]

From all angles it looks like a split. I took the photo. And it looks like the windings, not tape.

[@BeesWaxMinder]

@@AskZaccool. Ya Know what Ya Know!!😉

[@J.C...]

A hole in the center doesn't necessarily mean it's for winding the coil. PAF bobbins don't have holes in the center and those are wire wrapped around 6 pole pieces. 🤔

[@BeesWaxMinder]

@@J.C... 👍

[@earlclark5830]

Had one. I thought it was a '68. Silly me, I let it go for next to nothing.

[@ethandrood]

Why would Elvis not like pink paisley? I guess James didn't know him that well.

[@joebubbit]

You forgot (?) to do your guitar lesson on the opening riff.

[@BobbyCulpepper.srv3fender]

I hate how in the Elvis movie they use the hot pink modern Paisley telecaster for the scene with James Burton

[@vayabroder729]

I always wondered why his signature model is basically a Tele shaped Strat. Same with Albert Lee and his Music Man model. These legendary Telecaster players basically switch to Strats.