Grant MacNeill, Owner and Founder of The Twelfth Fret with Ed Bickert's Telecaster

[@flatlander6734]

I had the privledge of meeting Ed a couple times. I was talking with him after a concert, the Tele was laying in the case on the stage. I said " The Tele is starting to show some wear and tear". Ed drawled "Ya, I been thinkin' of gettin it stuccoed."

[@michaelmcinnis911]

Thanks for sharing some of the history of the repairs and mods to Ed's workhorse instrument. I don't know if there's ever been more beautiful music to come out of a Tele. Ed was a genius and an artist without equal (in my book). My favorite guitarist.

[@spb7883]

This is amazing first person testimony confirming stories I’ve only read about. THANK YOU for sharing them on camera!!!

[@aroe3896]

I only heard of Ed Bickert for the first time a few weeks ago. I'm enjoying listening to his playing and learning about him. So cool that he and a few others have shown the Tele is a fine guitar for jazz.

[@KingfisherLtd]

This guitar and Mike Bloomfield's Tele are like the ancient altars with history carved on them

[@jimdixon3470]

When I read the story of how Bloomfield's Tele was carved up by John Nuese, I was pained, but I guess we shouldn't be too precious about these things--they aren't 16th century Italian violins. One of the cool things about a Telecaster is that buying a great-sounding one is within reach of just about any person who isn't destitute (even if you have to modify it, it's still peanuts, financially speaking, compared to something like a cello). The playing field is very level, and it's up to you as a player to make music as good as Mike Bloomfield or Ed Bickert or Jimmy Page or Roy Buchannan or any of dozens of other legendary Tele players.

[@ronmercer7766]

Beautiful piece of history. The instrument of a true giant.

[@coreymihailiuk5189]

Toronto has had some serious guitar talent over the years. Bonafide guitar geniuses. Ed Bickert would be among that list of superb players who have left an impressive legacy and a timeless body of work.

[@johnnieguitar5724]

I love Ed's style and the jazz sound he could get out of his Tele and his amps. He will always be remembered fondly, and with regret that I never bought a ticket to Toronto to see and meet him.

[@boco1951]

One of my favorite shops in the world!

[@DavidMcCall-km3kj]

I had a Blond 1965 L series Telecaster, too. Someone else still has that guitar to this very day.

[@guysmalley]

A certified relic

[@andorrasrevenge1683]

I just discovered his music today, what a sound!

[@marcmandel7195]

The album with Paul Desmond, Pure Desmond, is one of favorites.

[@jimdixon3470]

@@marcmandel7195 And that album is exhibit "A" in the "it's the player more than the equipment" argument. Ed recorded it with the original neck pickup (which as Grant says in this video, he wasn't completely happy with) in a New York studio with a borrowed guitar amp. The Telecaster was a key part of Ed's sound (mainly because of the sustain the guitar gave him, and the low action he used), but it's a "necessary but not sufficient" situation. Ed could have gotten the magic happening with a Les Paul, and he sounds great on 1960s recordings playing a hollow body Gibson 175, though I prefer his solid body sound.

[@JaffaRoad]

Thanks for making this video Grant, very special for fans of Ed, your shop, and your work.

[@unclenote]

Ed Bickert…..one of the greatest….. thanks

[@jinjxmusic]

This is beautiful. We appreciate this tribute.

[@fingerstyling]

Thanks Grant. Your contribution has been a valuable one!

[@owenlloydwilliams]

Man I miss your shop. Wish there was somewhere as good here in Adelaide. I struggle getting anyone as good to work on my guitars

[@victorwong9622]

Thank you Mr. MacNeil!

[@festivalexpress8505]

lovely memories and a very fine guitar.

[@LotharOfTheHillPeople]

Love Ed. The guy had such a beautifully light left-hand. It was like his fingers were always gliding just above the surface while his right hand plucked away deliberately and precisely, like a machinist - everything seemed second nature.

[@golds04]

Imo and its just my opinion- is his left hand was the most reproducible. It was the brain, heart and-,right hand which was where magic was produced.

[@firstlast4874]

A beautiful player, and by all accounts a sweetheart of a guy as well. His Tele reminds me of Jaco's bass

[@peppyharley6901]

Had my 1966 Yamaha jazz guitar worked on at your place years ago!

[@HenryChinaski614]

Excellent content! Thanks.

[@travelingman9763]

Thanks

[@george-st-george]

this was so great!!!! thanks!!!!!...i think a lot of people wondered about the Allen wrench!!!thanks again.

[@TheHumbuckerboy]

I really enjoyed finding out about ED's Tele and it's history . I am wondering what the neck profile /shape would be described as and also the string gauge that Ed tended to use ? Also is the body of the Tele made of ash, alder or other type of wood ?

[@GregoryPearsonMusic]

Nice video. Do you know if the individual pole pieces were adjusted on the PAF for a particular sound? I saw a video of Ed playing and the screws seemed to be moved - some higher and others lower.

[@nicholasfryer8793]

Can you share the D.C. resistance of the PAF? Thanks!

[@TheTwelfthFretOfficial]

Send us an email to [e-mail] Thanks!

[@5pqrt5t3r6]

What gauge strings was he using?

[@Opums]

10-46 Ernie Ball

[@jimdixon3470]

Grant mentions that he decided to switch to lighter strings around the time he started patronizing Grant's shop. A Guitar Player feature story published in 1978 said Ed was playing on .011s (high E) at the time, but Grant, in this video and in an essay on the 12fth Fret website that says most of what he says in this video, says Ed settled on .010s eventually.

[@sujja150]

Wow

[@marcomolini9338]

GRAIL TELE!

[@MichaelBartlettGuitar]

Belongs in the Smithsonian!

[@jimdixon3470]

The The Canadian Museum of History might have something to say about that :)

[@golds04]

Firstly- endless gratitude for this. My all original 66 is a prized possession. Purchase inspired by Ed. Was that an original PAF? Did you really hear much difference??There are so many variables on the records that i was never convinced that the PAF achieved what he intended. But I didn’t hear it live. Is there a reason the brass barrel saddles were not chosen? I would have thought it might have suited Ed’s playing better.

[@jimdixon3470]

"There are so many variables on the records"... very true. Compare Ed's sound on the duo album he recorded at Maybeck Recital Hall with the sound on the "I Wished on the Moon" album, and you can keep going. Sometimes he really (or the recording engineers) rolled off the treble, while other times there's a lot more high end. To me, the humbucker-era recordings made after 1978 have a significant amount of variation in tone, and some of the 1974-1978 recordings don't sound much different than his sound with the humbucker. Or to put it succinctly, the pickup really doesn't seem to matter that much--Ed dialed in his sound and compensated for whatever he was playing.

[@golds04]

@@jimdixon3470 thanks for the thoughtful response. I feel the same way. My hunch is the most “ authentic “ tone that would be heard in a live setting is the beautiful live recording on KZbin by Ed of “‘Embraceable You”. Unfortunately- now i have to play that tune with that opening triplet: just permanently stuck in my head.

[@owendoconnor]

Everything about Ed was so tastefully understated just like his choice of Tele rather than some overpriced archtop.

[@pharmerdavid1432]

A Gibson PAF over a Dimarzio humbucker - I'm shocked...! I love a good Telecaster neck pickup, but it's hard to argue with a PAF there instead, fatter/warmer for jazz.

[@JohnDaly-x4i]

Flat-wounds!