CrazyAces
Joined: Jul 31, 2012
Posts: 4053
Nashville, TN.
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Posted on Aug 02 2017 01:55 PM
My in-laws came for a visit so as usual we took them for some adventures in our own back yard that we never get to see.
We went to the Musicians Hall Of Fame (not country music hall of fame) and I was surprised and happy to see Nick O'Malley's original custom, car hot rod sparkle finish Jazzmaster on display, same guitar he used with The Del Tones.
They also had Bob Berryhill from the Surfaris original Tank as used on Surfer Joe and Wipeout.
Pretty fun!



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Reverbenator
Joined: Jul 26, 2015
Posts: 261
San Diego, Ca
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Posted on Aug 02 2017 08:54 PM
Doesn't get any cooler than that.
— -Cheers, Clark-
-Less Paul, more Reverb-
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Sonichris
Joined: Mar 06, 2006
Posts: 1907
Wear gloves - I'm in the Rockies
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Posted on Aug 02 2017 11:25 PM
No - This is not Nick O'Malley's guitar. It is in no way connected with Dick Dale or The Del-Tones. We have dissected this to death. The whole story of this guitar started with the dude who was trying to sell it for years as the del-Tone Jazzmaster. Apparently it stuck, thanks to a magazine that would rather promote good stories rather than truth. This guitar is just a re-finished metal flake Jazzmaster. Here' is a video of Nick O'Malley ( on the far right) playing his original Jazzmaster, re-painted by Dennis Swiden along with a Art Munson's maple neck Strat, and a P bass in 1963. There were no "Movie" guitars, just the one Jazzmaster that Nick played from the beginning of the band until he left.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JPaYQnUrIg
here's more info.
https://surfguitar101.com/forums/topic/28936/?page=1#p391445
or search Nick O'Malley Jazzmaster for more guitar nerdery than you can handle.
— "You can't tell where you're going if you don't know where you've been"
Last edited: Aug 02, 2017 23:41:37
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Sonichris
Joined: Mar 06, 2006
Posts: 1907
Wear gloves - I'm in the Rockies
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Posted on Aug 02 2017 11:36 PM
here's the video - Nick is on the far right - not the same guitar as in the OP -
— "You can't tell where you're going if you don't know where you've been"
Last edited: Aug 02, 2017 23:46:16
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Sonichris
Joined: Mar 06, 2006
Posts: 1907
Wear gloves - I'm in the Rockies
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Posted on Aug 02 2017 11:54 PM
here's Art Munson and TBP playing their surf burst guitars -

and here's Nick's, which he himself said was the only one he ever had, being repaired by Norman Cowell a few years ago.

— "You can't tell where you're going if you don't know where you've been"
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Sonichris
Joined: Mar 06, 2006
Posts: 1907
Wear gloves - I'm in the Rockies
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Posted on Aug 03 2017 12:15 AM
Here's the article in Collectible Guitar magazine that further 's the false story of the OP guitar. Nick O'Malley still owned the real deal when this imposter guitar was sold. https://issuu.com/collectibleguitar/docs/cg-mayjun15-issuu
— "You can't tell where you're going if you don't know where you've been"
Last edited: Aug 03, 2017 00:16:42
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CrazyAces
Joined: Jul 31, 2012
Posts: 4053
Nashville, TN.
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Posted on Aug 03 2017 08:37 AM
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RedwoodSurfer
Joined: Sep 05, 2017
Posts: 4
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Posted on Sep 05 2017 05:33 PM
Greetings! I recently found this site while attempting to research the history of a burst blue '58 strat my dad has owned for a few decades. I know this thread is about Nick's Jazzmaster, but was curious if anyone has more info on the strat he's also pictured with above. Thank you in advance for any help!
Last edited: Sep 05, 2017 17:33:52
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Sonichris
Joined: Mar 06, 2006
Posts: 1907
Wear gloves - I'm in the Rockies
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Posted on Sep 05 2017 06:09 PM
That is Art Munson in the photo with the Strat. He's a member here, but doesn't post. I think he's on Facebook as well.
— "You can't tell where you're going if you don't know where you've been"
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Sonichris
Joined: Mar 06, 2006
Posts: 1907
Wear gloves - I'm in the Rockies
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Posted on Sep 05 2017 06:20 PM
Aparently Dick Dale asked the 3 other guys to have their guitars painted in a "surfburst" finish by Dennis Swiden. Dennis was a local guy that did a lot of custom metal flake and pearl paint jobs for Fender. He eventually painted Dick's guitar, first a crazy pearl purple flake, then eventually the gold flake it's stayed since.
Here's the guitars before and after
— "You can't tell where you're going if you don't know where you've been"
Last edited: Sep 05, 2017 18:29:11
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RedwoodSurfer
Joined: Sep 05, 2017
Posts: 4
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Posted on Sep 05 2017 07:54 PM
Sonichris wrote:
Aparently Dick Dale asked the 3 other guys to have their guitars painted in a "surfburst" finish by Dennis Swiden. Dennis was a local guy that did a lot of custom metal flake and pearl paint jobs for Fender. He eventually painted Dick's guitar, first a crazy pearl purple flake, then eventually the gold flake it's stayed since.
Thank you for the informative reply. It's always been a controversy as to whether the blue burst strat in my family was refinished or came from the factory as a custom. Maybe it really was a Dennis Swiden original. My father acquired it from a shop in Newport Beach in the early 70's, so the proximity seems reasonable. Thanks again!
Last edited: Sep 05, 2017 19:55:30
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Sonichris
Joined: Mar 06, 2006
Posts: 1907
Wear gloves - I'm in the Rockies
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Posted on Sep 05 2017 08:44 PM
we would love to see a picture of it!
— "You can't tell where you're going if you don't know where you've been"
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