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SurfGuitar101 Forums » Surf Videos »

Permalink Ivan Pongracic Sr. and Jr. playing some Shadows chestnuts for Christmas

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Clarry wrote:

Anyway, back to Ivan and his father...

Right?
Ivan, thanks for sharing these videos with us.

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I really enjoy these each year. There is something soothing and reflective about the context--that lull after the gifts have been opened, the dinner has been eaten, (maybe the football has been watched) and it's time to relax and play some music. Well...this is what it feels like to me, anyway. Christmas with the Shadows.

I appreciate it even more as I have become more familiar with Shadows repertoire thanks to a recently purchased three disc "best of" collection.

You are both great of course, but I must say that your Dad's stellar rhythm continues to impress. I especially like the steady arpeggiated chord sections and the steady harmony and pulse he provides.

I've just been to the pub after work and will put my feet up and watch them all. Again.

websurfer wrote:

I really enjoy these each year. There is something soothing and reflective about the context--that lull after the gifts have been opened, the dinner has been eaten, (maybe the football has been watched) and it's time to relax and play some music. Well...this is what it feels like to me, anyway. Christmas with the Shadows.

I appreciate it even more as I have become more familiar with Shadows repertoire thanks to a recently purchased three disc "best of" collection.

You are both great of course, but I must say that your Dad's stellar rhythm continues to impress. I especially like the steady arpeggiated chord sections and the steady harmony and pulse he provides.

I think it would be a wonderful privilege to be able to play music with others in my family. I have some great-nephews that are quite gifted musically. They don't live close by, so we rarely get to play music together, but the occasions when we do are great.

But to actually work out songs together like Ivan and his father, that would really be a treat. The Beach Boys had that, three brothers and a cousin, plus a couple of friends. I know that I'm closest to people I've played music with.

The artist formerly known as: Synchro

When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar.

PolloGuitar wrote:

Clarry wrote:

Anyway, back to Ivan and his father...

Right?
Ivan, thanks for sharing these videos with us.

It really is a special partnership!

I still want to know about the Burns, though.

Clarry wrote:

PolloGuitar wrote:

Clarry wrote:

Anyway, back to Ivan and his father...

Right?
Ivan, thanks for sharing these videos with us.

It really is a special partnership!

I still want to know about the Burns, though.

By law, Ivan should have been playing a Fiesta Red Strat. Smile

The artist formerly known as: Synchro

When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar.

synchro wrote:

Samurai wrote:

synchro wrote:

Thanks for a very interesting post, Samurai. I always wonder about different places and what they listen to in various cultures. I remember that things were pretty isolated in the USSR, but wasn’t sure how that affected music. The universal appeal of various arts always finds a way, however. I remember reading an article in Guitar Player about Guitars sold in the Soviet Union. As I recall, they had an ES-335 clone available. Showing up with a Gibson or Fender would have been all but impossible, I imagine, and would probably have placed one under scrutiny.

Sure it was a miracle to see Gibson or Fender, we mostly had some clones like Yamaha SGV-300 named Ural, or some Eastern Europian Musimas or alike. The same about music, we had access only to some limeted number of atists somehow favored by communist government (I remember Adriano Celentano or Joe Dassen) and sometimes suddenly we may have a Beatles vinyl in a music shop)) Sure the people listened to a lot of music “underground” (the band I wrote about surely had some Shadows records and decided to open it to us in this illegal but delicate way), but I was too young then and when I was 15 we suddenly got access to everything when USSR broke up. And in 1993 I saw real Fender Stratocaster for the first time)

I think that SGV-300 was what I recall seeing in Guitar Player. All in all, a very decent instrument. One thing I find interesting is the instruments made in China. They have a heritage of instrument making which goes back a very long time and, as I understand it, have made fine orchestral instruments for a very long time. While some of the inexpensive instruments from there are not so good, I've seen some that were truly exceptional. A friend of mine specs and sells guitars made in China under the brand name of Harvest. His top of the line instrument is an acoustic archtop with a suspended pickup which rivals a Gibson Johnny Smith Model. They can build great instruments there.

I’ve got Yamaha SGV-300. No, I had it, I sold it yesterday. I loved it in some way but after buying AVRI Jaguar and Strat I just stopped playing it, no rival(

Waikiki Makaki surf-rock band from Ukraine

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Lost Diver

https://lostdiver.bandcamp.com
https://soundcloud.com/vitaly-yakushin

synchro wrote:

Clarry wrote:

PolloGuitar wrote:

Clarry wrote:

Anyway, back to Ivan and his father...

Right?
Ivan, thanks for sharing these videos with us.

It really is a special partnership!

I still want to know about the Burns, though.

By law, Ivan should have been playing a Fiesta Red Strat. Smile

Maple neck one, I should note)

Waikiki Makaki surf-rock band from Ukraine

https://linktr.ee/waikikimakaki

Lost Diver

https://lostdiver.bandcamp.com
https://soundcloud.com/vitaly-yakushin

Samurai wrote:

synchro wrote:

Clarry wrote:

PolloGuitar wrote:

Clarry wrote:

Anyway, back to Ivan and his father...

Right?
Ivan, thanks for sharing these videos with us.

It really is a special partnership!

I still want to know about the Burns, though.

By law, Ivan should have been playing a Fiesta Red Strat. Smile

Maple neck one, I should note)

Indeed!

The artist formerly known as: Synchro

When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar.

Hey, thanks all once again, really glad you're enjoying the videos!

Clarry, my dad and I had matching Burns Marquee guitars in the early 2000s, but ultimately didn't like them very much. They didn't sound as good as our Fenders, and certainly didn't play as well. In particular, my trem was very problematic and wouldn't stay in tune despite having my pro guitar tech work on it several times. It was made out of inferior materials, I think. So, we got rid of them.

I have zero interest in copying Hank to the point of having the same Strat as he does, that's just not the type of a person I am. I enjoy striving to be able to play and sound like him, but emulating his guitar, I don't know, that just seems like idol worship, and I'm not interested. I bought my fiesta red Strat in 1990, and I actually didn't even know that was the fiesta red color until I was paying for the guitar and the salesman just casually mentioned it. I had read that Hank used a fiesta red Strat, but had not seen a color photo of him with one at that point, they were not easy to find in the US in the '80s! I chose the color before I knew what it was. And I just prefer rosewood fretboards to maple. Anyway, Hank used a Strat with a rosewood fretboard from '61 until '64, starting around the time of The Savage and Wonderful Land, being featured on huge hits like Dance On, Foot Tapper, Atlantis, Shindig, Theme For Young Lovers, Geronimo, etc. So, I think I'm good. Cool

Thanks again!

Ivan
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IvanP wrote:

Hey, thanks all once again, really glad you're enjoying the videos!

Clarry, my dad and I had matching Burns Marquee guitars in the early 2000s, but ultimately didn't like them very much. They didn't sound as good as our Fenders, and certainly didn't play as well. In particular, my trem was very problematic and wouldn't stay in tune despite having my pro guitar tech work on it several times. It was made out of inferior materials, I think. So, we got rid of them.

I have zero interest in copying Hank to the point of having the same Strat as he does, that's just not the type of a person I am. I enjoy striving to be able to play and sound like him, but emulating his guitar, I don't know, that just seems like idol worship, and I'm not interested. I bought my fiesta red Strat in 1990, and I actually didn't even know that was the fiesta red color until I was paying for the guitar and the salesman just casually mentioned it. I had read that Hank used a fiesta red Strat, but had not seen a color photo of him with one at that point, they were not easy to find in the US in the '80s! I chose the color before I knew what it was. And I just prefer rosewood fretboards to maple. Anyway, Hank used a Strat with a rosewood fretboard from '61 until '64, starting around the time of The Savage and Wonderful Land, being featured on huge hits like Dance On, Foot Tapper, Atlantis, Shindig, Theme For Young Lovers, Geronimo, etc. So, I think I'm good. Cool

Thanks again!

I agree, although I must confess that I have four different Chet Atkins model Gretsch guitars and a Duane Eddy Guild, so I can’t claim complete innocence in this matter. Smile I’d feel a little foolish playing a guitar that was chosen just because it looked the part of some guitar hero.

Hank’s red Strat was sort of a bit of good fortune. I don’t think that Fender customers in Great Britain had many choices innthat day and the Strat in question was brought into the UK by Cliff Richard. It just so happened to be a very beautiful guitar. Hank wouldn’t look like Hank playing any other color Strat.

Your collection certsinly has enough variety.

The artist formerly known as: Synchro

When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar.

synchro wrote:

Hank’s red Strat was sort of a bit of good fortune. I don’t think that Fender customers in Great Britain had many choices innthat day and the Strat in question was brought into the UK by Cliff Richard. It just so happened to be a very beautiful guitar. Hank wouldn’t look like Hank playing any other color Strat.

Hank's guitar just happened to be a near approximation of Royal colours? a coincidence? Think Red Coat military (red, white, gold) or anything state owned with Her Majesty the Queen's crest and you'll probably see red. London buses, Telephone booths, postal letter boxes for instance.

crumble wrote:

synchro wrote:

Hank’s red Strat was sort of a bit of good fortune. I don’t think that Fender customers in Great Britain had many choices innthat day and the Strat in question was brought into the UK by Cliff Richard. It just so happened to be a very beautiful guitar. Hank wouldn’t look like Hank playing any other color Strat.

Hank's guitar just happened to be a near approximation of Royal colours? a coincidence? Think Red Coat military (red, white, gold) or anything state owned with Her Majesty the Queen's crest and you'll probably see red. London buses, Telephone booths, postal letter boxes for instance.

From what I read, Cliff picked up the Strat in the US. I had the impression that he bought what he could readily find, so I don't know if there was any intention to buy any certain color.

The artist formerly known as: Synchro

When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar.

synchro wrote:

crumble wrote:

synchro wrote:

Hank’s red Strat was sort of a bit of good fortune. I don’t think that Fender customers in Great Britain had many choices innthat day and the Strat in question was brought into the UK by Cliff Richard. It just so happened to be a very beautiful guitar. Hank wouldn’t look like Hank playing any other color Strat.

Hank's guitar just happened to be a near approximation of Royal colours? a coincidence? Think Red Coat military (red, white, gold) or anything state owned with Her Majesty the Queen's crest and you'll probably see red. London buses, Telephone booths, postal letter boxes for instance.

From what I read, Cliff picked up the Strat in the US. I had the impression that he bought what he could readily find, so I don't know if there was any intention to buy any certain color.

The story I heard was that Marvin wanted a Stratocaster as seen on the cover of a Buddy Holly record. They had possession of a Fender catalogue which featured Fender guitars of various colours and chose to order the red with gold hardware. Cliff and the Shadows thinking of their careers, the church worried youth would turn to beatnik devil worship, her majesty the queen head of the church obliged in making them her favourite beat group. Well, that's what I see! Smile

Picture taken from 1962, The lady sitting the chair is Princess Margaret.

image

Here is a 2014 interview with Hank Marvin - from 1:30 (where the below link starts) through 7:40, Hank gives a great history of how he got his first Strat as well as how they used to use Vox AC15s which ultimately couldn't keep up with the screaming fans, so they had Vox develop the AC30 for them - one of the most iconic guitar amps of all time! Check it out, and enjoy!

Ivan
Lords of Atlantis on Facebook
The Madeira Official Website
The Madeira on Facebook
The Blair-Pongracic Band on Facebook
The Space Cossacks on Facebook
The Madeira Channel on YouTube

What I remember from a different interview with either Hank or Bruce is that when they got the Fender catalog and poured through it, they decided to simply order the most expensive model on offer, thinking that somebody like James Burton would have that instrument. The catalog they got was the '58-'59 one, which did not yet feature the Jazzmaster - and the most expensive model was the one on the front cover, the fiesta red Strat with gold hardware! So, that's the one that they sent Cliff's assistant in search of in NYC! Here's the cover of that catalog:

image

Ivan
Lords of Atlantis on Facebook
The Madeira Official Website
The Madeira on Facebook
The Blair-Pongracic Band on Facebook
The Space Cossacks on Facebook
The Madeira Channel on YouTube

Here's that interview, where Hank says they simply bought the most expensive model in the catalog:

Ivan
Lords of Atlantis on Facebook
The Madeira Official Website
The Madeira on Facebook
The Blair-Pongracic Band on Facebook
The Space Cossacks on Facebook
The Madeira Channel on YouTube

IvanP wrote:

What I remember from a different interview with either Hank or Bruce is that when they got the Fender catalog and poured through it, they decided to simply order the most expensive model on offer, thinking that somebody like James Burton would have that instrument. The catalog they got was the '58-'59 one, which did not yet feature the Jazzmaster - and the most expensive model was the one on the front cover, the fiesta red Strat with gold hardware! So, that's the one that they sent Cliff's assistant in search of in NYC! Here's the cover of that catalog:

image

OK, that meshes well with the legends I've been exposed to. I remember reading, or perhaps hearing, in an interview and came away with the impression that the Fiesta Red finish was far from cast in stone. I can see why they'd want that color, it was very attractive with the gold hardware. I wonder if anyone has ever come up with a durable fret material that would match gold hardware? Would that not be too cool for school?

As you mentioned earlier, finding a way to make themselves acceptable to the British public had to be a challenge. In the same time frame, here in the US, there were plenty of people that had no use for Rock n' Roll musicians. I would imagine that some of the stuffier elements of British society were not at all amused. Amazing, because people like Buddy Holly and bands like The Shadows seem pretty wholesome these days.

I watched an instructional video, linked by Delrin 96 mm and was quite impressed. It's probably the closest look I've ever had at Hank's playing. I was really impressed by his instrumental of Peggy Sue. The techniques he used really brought it to life. He captures a lot of inflection and nuance which makes it seem much closer to the vocal version. From that song, and many other places in the video, it is obvious that Hank puts a lot of thought into how he fingers various phrases.

Likewise, his use of the vibrato is world class. He seems to have mastered the subtle application of vibrato.

The artist formerly known as: Synchro

When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar.

Here's one more interview where Hank mentions how they simply chose the most expensive model in the Fender catalog. Imagine if they knew about the Jazzmaster at that point, which WAS the most expensive guitar sold by Fender in the early '59, and Hank ended up with that! Possibly the music world would have been a much different place....

Ivan
Lords of Atlantis on Facebook
The Madeira Official Website
The Madeira on Facebook
The Blair-Pongracic Band on Facebook
The Space Cossacks on Facebook
The Madeira Channel on YouTube

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