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SurfGuitar101 Forums » Surf Music General Discussion »

Permalink When did the "Beast" turn gold?

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In all the old footage of Dale that I have seen his Strat was white with a brown shell pick guard. It did not seem like it changed colors till 63-64? What is the true story behind the beast? I thought I once read it was a 59' strat, being the first prototype to the 62 model Fender put out.

This post has been removed by the author.

Last edited: Sep 27, 2009 22:43:06

There is no "'62" strat. It is a marketing gimmick fender made to tie together the AV series they made.

Zack is essentially correct about there being no difference between the '59 and '62. There are minor things like date stamps and decals.

Did the '59 have the Rosewood fingerboard?

Ryan
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Yep. The majority of them had the mint green three ply guard we all know and love. Aesthetically this is my favorite strat. And I say aesthetically because I don't like any strat sonically when I am playing it.

Early '59's still had maple fingerboards and single-ply pickguards. In mid-'59 the rosewood boards and the 3-ply nitrate pickguard were introduced. Some of the early rosewood board '59's still had the single-ply guards (VERY rare).

The neck profiles of the '59 and '62 are very different, with the '62 having a somewhat chunkier neck.

Jack Booth
(aka WoodyJ)

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Last edited: Nov 25, 2007 19:07:12

so was the beast his white strat painted or a different guitar?

I'm guessing it was a different guitar, but I don't know for sure. DD was very tight with Leo Fender, who was pretty generous giving gear to musicians he liked, for them to "test drive".

Several years ago I saw an ad for what was purported to be "the" white DD guitar for sale, but Dick posted on his website that it was not, in fact, his old guitar. But, he also did not state that his white guitar had been refinished in sparkle chartreuse, so that's why I think The Beast is probably a different guitar than the white one he is shown with in earlier photos.

I'll bet Eddie Bertrand knows the true story!

Jack Booth
(aka WoodyJ)

The Mariners (1964-68, 1996-2005)
The Hula Hounds (1996-current)
The X-Rays (1997-2004)
The Surge! (2004, 2011-2012)
Various non-surf bands that actually made money
(1978-1990)

Here is an image of the white one, but its too small Sad

image

Last edited: Nov 25, 2007 19:29:06

This post has been removed by the author.

Last edited: Sep 27, 2009 22:43:18

Yep, Zak, you are correct...I'll rephrase: In most cases, the '62 Strat has a somewhat chunkier neck Than a '59.

This also applies to Jazzmasters...and probably Teles, Duo-Sonics and Musicmasters, etc. I used to have a '59 Jazzmaster, and have played quite a few '58-59 models, and they generally had smaller neck profiles than the later ones. The '61 I just purchased has a very small neck that feels exactly like the one on my ex-'59 (that I should have kept, dammit!) Duh

But, yes, there were factory variations and the special order options. I was referring to the normal, run-of the-mill Strat that you would find in your local music store back in the day.

Jack Booth
(aka WoodyJ)

The Mariners (1964-68, 1996-2005)
The Hula Hounds (1996-current)
The X-Rays (1997-2004)
The Surge! (2004, 2011-2012)
Various non-surf bands that actually made money
(1978-1990)

I was under the impression the beast was his white strat, painted at some point, but I'm not sure where I got that.

Could always email him and ask him.

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The truth lay in the headstock decal. If anybody has good pictures of either of them I'd love to see them.

Not sure what type of authority this site has, besides being a fan page, but, the caption to this picture reads:

"Dick and newly
painted "Beast," 1964. "
image

It was my understanding that the beast was the same guitar white then gold. There was some storry about Dave meyers paiting his guitar white to match Dicks. Watch the beach party movies. In Beach Party its still white. In muscle beach part it is gold. Also guitar player put out some surf guitar cd in 91? and the beast is on the cover. If you really want a beast copy, don't forget the american flag and Karate sticker. Fenders isn't really an accurate copy. The headstock is wrong as is the bridge pick up.

dwgregory1
Not sure what type of authority this site has, besides being a fan page, but, the caption to this picture reads:

"Dick and newly
painted "Beast," 1964. "
image

that is also the same picture and caption in Dick Dale's 'Better Shred than Dead'.

my question is: does he still play the original Beast today? if so, i feel even luckier to have touched it. that's a major piece of history, man. it's like the surf guitarists constitution or something...

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I once asked Sam Bolle about the Beast because Hard Rock Cafe claims to have it on display.
There is only one beast and it is the one Dick plays today.

One of the last times I saw DD live, he was playing one of his signature models as a back-up. The Beast was having some work done.

Speaking of being lucky enough to touch the beast, I have a toggle switch that came off The Beast's built in tuner circuit, I took it from Sam after he replaced the switch for Dick.

Bob Bitchin'

Don't tell DD---
image

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Great picture, Ferenc. Laughing

I guess that would be an E chord on a 'normal' guitar.

Don

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