''Rock N' Roll is an ADDICTION!''

EDDIE COCHRAN, 1959!

LOUISE, MARGARET, BLACKIE, BABY PEARL,

  & MR. HENDRIX

(Rico's onstage Guitars!)

LOUISE is a Gretsch Brian Setzer 6120 SSLVO (Setzer Signature, Laquer, Vintage Orange) She is pictured sportin' her Silver Buckled Vintage El Dorado hand crafted guitar strap. This is the same type guitar and strap used by Setzer in La Bamba when he played Eddie Cochran. The "mud switch" has been replaced by a 16-contour "Smooth Rotation ToneStyler STD". This unique control shifts her pickup's resonant frequency and adjusts the treble roll-off point in 1/3 octave steps.

 MARGARET is also a Gretsch Brian Setzer 6120 SSLVO (Setzer Signature, Laquer, Vintage Orange) She is serving as the official backup guitar and is pictured sportin' her own Silver Buckled Vintage El Dorado hand crafted guitar strap. She still has the "infamous" Mud-Switch. Her dice dials have been replaced with vintage Gretsch dials and the cream pickguard has been replaced with an Eddie Cochran clear one.

These two stage amps pictured are actually both 65' Re-issue Fender Super reverbs.

Amp #1 has been enclosed in period correct 62' Bassman piggy-back-cabinet designed by Rico with Blond Tolex and Wheat grill cloth. Outstanding sound!

Amp #2 is a Super Reverb 65' Re-issue. Rico had Mojotone creation the new cabinet complete with Blond Tolex and Wheat grill cloth.

BLACKIE and BABY PEARL are heavily modified Eric Clapton Fender Strat's. PEARL is wearing her black Silver Buckled Vintage El Dorado hand crafted guitar strap. All Strat volume dials are moved to the point of the custom designed Warmoth pick-guard allowing for strumming/picking comfort. The selector switches are also cut down for more strumming room.

Mr. Hendrix is a VERY cool, heavily modified Fender Lefty Strat. Rico converted it to a Righty. He always wanted to know how it felt when Hendrix played a Strat backwords!

The white Gretsch 5422 TDC is sold. You will be missed "No Name"!

Rico at Jack Desmonds Irish Pub with some OLD friends!!

What's with the hat? We never seen you wear a hat!!

Mod'd Strat configurations!

All of Rico's Strat guitars are heavily modified to his exact specifications either by himself, Player's Guitars in Worth Il. or Third Coast Guitars in Chicago Il. All pick-up configurations are hand wired with Shur and/or Lindy Fralin pick-ups by Rico's friend George Ellison, owner of Acme Guitar Works in Florida. Notice the three different Humbucker/Single Coil pick-guard set-up's that can be inserted in the Clapton Strat's.  Two set-up's have a Gibson 3 way toggle switch for an ES335 type configuration. They also have an ON/OFF low-profile button that turns on the middle single-coil. Very cool design by Rico. He is currently using Lindy Fralin Custom single-coils in all his stage Strat's.

This will give you an idea of how much "Modding" has to be done to have a Strat converted with Humbuckers and moved volume dials!

His choice of the Gretsch 6120 SSLVO as his main axe was heavily influenced by ROCKABILLY Kings, EDDIE COCHRAN and BRIAN SETZER, two of the Rockin'est Cats who ever lived!

Brian Setzer on Eddie Cochran

 “Eddie Cochran. He's my biggest inspiration, when I saw a picture of him I said, 'I want to look like that guy,' then when I heard his music, ‘I want to pattern myself after this guy.' I wanted to sound like him and look like him and it evolved from there.”

Bruce Quintos replies (Finally!)

My pick is the only thing that stands between me and abject poverty! I am so grateful to have had the chance to live in such a Time & Place where the Music was Simple, Heartfelt, and Timeless.

Thank You Rock N' Roll!

"I get off on 57' Chevy's, I get off on screaming guitar!"

"Greetings to my brother & sister guitar players. I've been getting  e-mail and guestbook requests to explain my miss-matched Eric Clapton Strat's along with the misplaced volume dials. I can't believe anyone would notice or even care!  I will explain this a little later but first,

MR. EDDIE COCHRAN!

"My first major guitar influence was Eddie Cochran back in the Heyday of Rockabilly. I was 8 yrs. old in 57' and was listening to him, Elvis and Gene Vincent. Talk about formative years."

Edward Ray Cochran, Guitar, Vocals; Born October 3, 1938; Died April 17, 1960

Eddie Cochran was only 21 when he died but left a lasting mark as a rock and roll pioneer. Cochran zeroed in on teenage America with such classics as “C’mon Everybody,” “Something Else,” “Twenty Flight Rock” and “Summertime Blues.” A flashy stage dresser with a tough-sounding voice, Cochran epitomized the sound and the stance of the Fifties rebel rocker.

He was also a virtuoso guitarist, overdubbing parts like Les Paul even on his earliest singles and playing with an authority that led music journalist Bruce Eder to pronounce him “rock’s first high-energy guitar hero, the forerunner to Pete Townshend, Jimmy Page, Duane Allman and, at least in terms of dexterity, Jimi Hendrix.”

Cochran was also proficient on piano, bass and drums and played all the instruments on Summertime Blues!

Eddie Cochran and the Beatles

When Paul McCartney met John Lennon on July 6, 1957, one of the songs Paul played on guitar and sang for John was Eddie Cochran’s “Twenty Flight Rock”. The occasion was the garden fete of St Peter’s Church, Woolton, Liverpool, where John’s band, the Quarry Men, were performing. Mutual friend Ivan Vaughan had introduced the two future Beatles and this impromptu audition took place. Lennon was impressed that Paul knew all of the lyrics to “Twenty Flight Rock”, and McCartney wrote them down for him. A couple weeks later Paul was invited to join the Quarry Men and he eventually did so.

Unfortunately, Cochran didn’t live to hear about the significance his song had on the two future music legends. On April 17, 1960, at the young age of 21, he died from injuries from a traffic accident in a taxi. This was a few years before The Beatles were to became famous.

Sadly, Within 24 hours of blasting out the final notes of his smash number-one hit Summertime Blues Eddie was dead from his injuries after a car smash on the A4 in Wiltshire, England.

James Burton

My next influence was James Burton in the late 50's and very early 60's. James was Ricky Nelson's guitar player and later played with Elvis, The KING, until he went away to the Promised Land. James played a Fender Telecaster from the very start and continues to this day.

"This young man on lead guitar is one of the finest guitar players I've ever met.

His name is James Burton"

ELVIS PRESLEY  69'

ARNIE EVENSON INFLUENCE & WES MONTGOMERY!

"It was 1968 and I was able to gain entry into Chicago's famous "Pepe's Show Lounge" on 63rd street.  I was at the impressionable age of 18. Up until that time I was a Rock N' Roll'r. It was there I first heard and saw JAZZ being played. I was listening to 26 year old Arnie Evenson playing a Gibson L-5 . The band was "The Millionaire's".  Arnie later became my guitar instructor and jazz mentor. Absolutely one of the best guitar players I have ever heard or seen live.

Arnie introduced me to the guitar work of Wes Montgomery who I was fortunate enough to have latter met.  I was just a punk-ass 19 year old kid listening to jazz at the PLUGGED NICKEL here in Chicago on Wells St. Wes took the time to talk to me and offer encouragement. He actually remembered me from a previous show! God rest your Jazzin' Soul Wes and THANK YOU!

John Leslie Montgomery, March 6, 1923-June 15, 1968 Age 45

First Guitars!

My first guitar was a 56' Gibson ES 125T. The 125T was an Archtop Thinline version of the Gibson ES 125. It had one P90 pickup , no cutaway and a bound body with a sunburst finish . My parents bought it with lessons for about $150.00.  I wish I still had it!

My second guitar was a candy apple red 62' Fender Jaguar that I got from Carnavale's Music Store on 63rd Street in Chicago. I was 12 yrs. old and had picked out a sunburst 62' Strat. My dad asked Mr. Carnavale if that was the best guitar in the store and he replied "no Mr. Quintos (they were really good friends and I always heard him call my dad Bob!) the best guitar we have is this brand new Jaguar! My dad, trying to get me the best, bought the Jaguar INSTEAD of the Strat!

In 65' I switched to a 64' white Gibson SG and a 65' Epiphone Rivera. Finally I got my cherry red 67' ES 335 Gibson in 1968 and kept it until 2005. I sold it to one of my old guitar students, Mike Krupowicz. More on Mike latter!

"GO FORTH AND MODIFY!"
One of my favorite guitars is a mid 90's Eric Clapton re-issue strung with Ernie Ball 10 gauge. I didn't like the position of the volume dial because I kept banging into it when I played. This is  always a problem when I play any Strat.  I had it rerouted and moved to the front of the pick-guard. Works great!

The Clapton Strat comes with an active pick-up system than runs on a 9 volt battery. I got sick and tired of replacing 9 volts especially during the middle of a show! I had the active pick-up system removed.

 I replaced the stock Fender noiseless neck pick-up with a Seymor Duncan JB Junior humbucker and the stock Fender noiseless bridge pick-up with a Seymour Duncan SHR1Hot Rails humbucker pick-up giving the FrankenStrat a fatter, meatier sound.

The 5 way selector switch was re-wired to suite my playing style. I also replaced the white pick guard with the one pictured and cut the selector switch down to keep it out of my way. I also had the guitar re-fretted with jumbo frets.

I have no idea what the guitar is worth. I think it's pretty jazbo'd with all the changes I made. I love it and ain't gonna part with it anyway.

                     Les Paul Double-Cut                       

I own and have owned many guitars but the one's I use for shows are Louise (Gretsch Brian Setzer 6120 SSLO), Baby Pearl (#1, Olympic White Clapton) and BLACKIE (#2, Black Clapton) and   And yes I do own a Gibson Les Paul Double-cut and yes I have used it on a FEW Rico jobs. I own a 52' re-issue Tele but I keep it stored.

Acoustic Guitar?!?!

I have 3 acoustic guitars. I have a Bigsby equipped Gretsch Rancher, a Taylor CE710 and a Ovation Ultra 2178. The Ovation neck feels very close to the Eric Clampton Strat V neck. I have them all strung with Ernie Ball 10 gauge for ease of playing. The Rancher is great! It's action is very close to my FrankenStrat so I use it for Acoustic Shows. Guitar player/tech extraordinaire Mike Krupowicz, owner of Players Guitar in Worth Il., did a great amount of work on the neck and the bridge. No fret buzz even with the light gauge strings.

               Oh by the by, The Taylor hasn't been out of the case in over a year!

I'm proud to say I was Mike's first guitar teacher way back in the early 70's.

Now he's a giggin' player, a guitar store owner and has his own Band,

"SLIPPERY WHEN WET"

This is a picture of me giving Mike a guitar lesson at my guitar studio a long, long time ago! 

POSTED ON OUR MESSAGE PAGE:

158. Bill and Quigley gang - 2008-06-02 10:54:17
Hey Rico, We were the gang sitting in front of the stage at Quigley's Saturday. Great band one of the best up here. We left before I could ask about the stuff on your amp. I read the Frankenstrat page but it just talked about guitars.

ANSWER: Brother Bill, I think you also play guitar am I right? Talking about guitars and stuff is my favorite subject. There's a vintage guitar shop on 111th Street in Worth Il. called Players. All the ax slingers go there and shoot the BS. It's a great place.

I have three amp set-ups for gigs. My "Number 1" is a heavily modified Fender Super Reverb. The second is the Super Reverb "Y Boxed "to a  Fender DeVille  (all tube amp of course) with 4 10in. speakers.

For festivals or BIG venues I use the Fender Super Reverb and the Fender DeVille 4X10 piggy-backed on top of  a Fender DeVille cabinet with 2 12in. speakers.  I split the signal using both amps with the extension cabinet.

I mic all three set-ups with a Sennheiser evolution e906 Dynamic Guitar Amp mic that goes into the mixing board. I can add or subtract volume from there. I try to keep my rig as simple as possible.  For the Fender DeVille I only use 6 pedals on the pedal-board I built myself. They are set in the following order: Tuner, 2 Blues Drivers and  Delay (set up for Rockabilly slapback).

I have a Shure PGXD14 Digital Wireless System  velcro'd to the top of the amps along with the power supply and chord. It looks like a lot of cables and stuff but it's only the send and return from the pedal board, the XLR from the Sure mic, and the 1/4 inch going into the amp from the wireless. SIMPLE!  Talk soon I hope, Bruce

Rico's retirement plan.

"I'll Sell a vintage guitar every 3 years and hope I don't live past 102!!!"

67' Gibson ES335	70' Gibson Johnny Smith
The Gibson Johnny Smith again	And Again!
Not a very good shot of Rico's 71' Gibson SG but check out that guitar strap! Gibson SG!??	Ofc. Phil Wasek and pre-PoPo Rico. Not a good way to transport a 69' Country Gentleman, gentlemen!
Gretsch 69' Country Gentlemen	72' Ovation

Very hard to see but that's a first run Vox Super Beatle on stage powering Rico's sound pushed by a Gretch Country Gentleman. Sports coats and turtlenecks? Very cool!

67' Gibson ES335 played through a 1968 Fender Super reverb amp. The year was 1996. Bruce was practicing some new arrangements with Ed Kane and Don McGrath on bagpipes

Question from the Guestbook:

173. Rico fan - 2008-07-12 17:25:33
Is that Bruce playing country guitar on Put Me Out Of Business? Just heard it on one of the old Bluestack CD’s. That and Danny Boy.

Irish power trio, BLUESTACK!

We toured all over the country playing Irish Rebel Rock!

                            An  undisclosed cemetery!                At Gaelic Park                 Music Row in Nashville!

BLUESTACK, Irish Rebel Rock!

Answer: Yes, but the original song is called SAXON CAGE. I recorded that CD with Brendan Loughrey shortly before our power trio Bluestack broke up. I recorded it direct into a CD recorder using onboard effects. No amp or pedals. It was an over-track and I had to listen as I was recording thru headphones. I recorded Danny Boy the same way. Kinda tricky on a cold winter morning in Brendan's basement but it worked!

ANGUS YOUNG!

"I just go where the guitar takes me. I wouldn't know any newer bands. We're past the pimple stage. I'm sick to death of people saying we've made 11 albums that sounds exactly the same, In fact, we've made 12 albums that sound exactly the same. There are all sorts of cute puppy dogs, but it doesn't stop people from going out and buying Dobermans. We're a rock group. we're noisy, rowdy, sensational and weird. When I'm on stage the savage in me is released. It's like going back to being a cave man. It takes me six hours to come down after a show."

"Yes, we're still five little people with a noisy attitude!"
 

The MAN!!

Mr. Keith Richards, 2010 & beyond!

Few humans have cheated death more often than Keef. He has survived multiple near-fatal drug over-doses and knocked back enough booze to disease two-dozen livers. On occasion his blood has become so toxic he's required a full transfusion. Richards has lived through incarceration, tumbles from trees and peril at the hands of Hells Angels. He seems to know no fear!

Keith's remarkable durability inspires faith in the adolescent dream that if you stay true to the spirit of Rock N' Roll, you can swagger through this whole damned life with a cigarette dangling from you lip, a strong drink in one hand, guitar in the other, and a scarf flung nonchalantly over your shoulder. At public appearances "Keef" often observes,

"It's good to be here.....It's good to be anywhere!"

It's certainly great to have them both here....STILL!! Long Live the Keef & Angus!

Stevie Ray Vaughan

"Like my brother Jimmie says, I play like I'm breaking out of jail."

Rest In Peace SRV. Your music lives and is safe with us. PROMISE!

Saving the BEST for last!

Mr. Brian "Rockabilly" Setzer!

This Cat is the best guitar slinger I've ever heard and I've heard them all!

ROCK N' ROLL IS HERE TO STAY, IT WILL NEVER DIE!!!

Somehow, time has not accorded Eddie Cochran quite the same respect as other early rockabilly pioneers like Buddy Holly, or even Ricky Nelson or Gene Vincent. This is partially attributable to his very brief lifespan as a star: he only had a couple of big hits before dying in a car crash during a British tour in 1960. He was in the same league as the best rockabilly stars, though, with a brash, fat guitar sound that helped lay the groundwork for the power chord. He was also a good songwriter and singer, celebrating the joys of teenage life -- the parties, the music, the adolescent rebellion -- with an economic wit that bore some similarities to Chuck Berry. Cochran was more lighthearted and less ironic than Berry, though, and if his work was less consistent and not as penetrating, it was almost always exuberant.
Eddie was already an accomplished rockabilly guitarist and singer on these early sides, and he started picking up some session work as well, also finding time to make demos and write songs with Jerry Capehart, who became his manager.
Cochran's big break came about in a novel fashion. In mid-1956, while Cochran and Capehart were recording some music for low-budget films, Boris Petroff asked Eddie if he'd be interested in appearing in a movie that a friend was directing. The film was The Girl Can't Help It, and the song he would sing in it was "Twenty-Flight Rock." This is the same song that Paul McCartney would use to impress John Lennon upon their first meeting in 1957 (Paul could not only play it, but knew all of the lyrics).
Cochran had his first Top 20 hit in early 1957, "Sittin' in the Balcony," with an echo-chambered vocal reminiscent of Elvis. That single was written by John D. Loudermilk, but Eddie would write much of his material, including his only Top Ten hit, "Summertime Blues." A definitive teenage anthem with hints of the overt protest that would seep into rock music in the 1960s, it was also a technical tour de force for the time: Cochran overdubbed himself on guitar to create an especially thick sound. One of the classic early rock singles, "Summertime Blues" was revived a decade later by proto-metal group Blue Cheer, and was a concert staple for the Who, who had a small American hit with a cover version. (Let's not mention Alan Jackson's country rendition in the 1990s.)
Cochran is more revered today in Britain than the United States, due in part to the tragic circumstances of his death. In the spring of 1960, he toured the U.K. with Vincent, to a wild reception, in a country that had rarely had the opportunity to see American rock & roll stars in the flesh. 

The Rest as they say is

ROCK N' Roll History!!!