The 'Flame' guitar.
Some more very useful info - from Ken Tait :
Hi there, I've just been browsing your excellent site, and being a guitarist as well as a Slade fan I was particularly interested in the pages about Dave, Nod's and Jim's guitars. I was surprised by the inclusion of the Flame guitars as they were only dummies.
Although I cannot answer the questions 'Where are they now?' what I can say is that when they were being 'played' I was about 4 or 5 feet from them! The place was the Hammersmith Palais during the filming of Flame. My friends and myself had answered a call for people to be in the audience at The Rainbow and the Hammersmith Palais. An offer like that is not to be taken lightly, so we quite naturally bunked off school and went.
At the Palais we managed to get in the front row right in front of Dave Hill. When they came onto the small stage I noticed that there was something strange about the Flame guitars. The strings on Dave's one (being the closest) were all the same width. Despite the screaming that was going one I managed to get his attention to ask about this curious feature. Because of the noise it took him a while to work out what I was asking, but the light dawned and he held it up and grasped all six strings between his fingers and waggled them around to demonstrate how baggy the were. At the same time he mouthed "It doesn't matter, it's not a real one". A few minutes later the fact that they were fake was confirmed when he tried to plug a guitar lead into it and discovered that the jack socket was in fact just a hole and the lead wouldn't stay in!
A week or so before that at the Rainbow 'concert', Nod, was talking to us (the crowd that is, not us personally), explaining that they were supposed to be using these Flame guitars back that they hadn't turned up from the manufacture's - Framus.
Of course you've only got my word for all this, I can't actually point at the screen and say "look, that's me!" I missed out on getting face on screen by about three inches as at the Hammersmith Palias the camera tracked along and stopped right in front of the girl who was on my left (I think you can just see my elbow!). However I can state that if you watch the crowd shots in the Rainbow (where Flame come up through the stage), on Dave's side you should be able to make out something shiny on a pole being waved. It was in fact a 'Flame guitar' that I made, heavily based on the Superyob, and I'm on the end of it. It can also be seen in the album cover - just.
I think that I've blathered on long enough - keep up the good work.
Keep On Rocking
Ken Tait..
Dave Hill's John Birch J2 guitar (natural finish)
This guitar later had white 'batwing' panels and truss rod plate added to it, to make
it look a bit more interesting and possibly to cover some blemishes in the finish.
Then later on, it had the upper rear white plate changed to a black one. Keeping up here?
Then it went white again........
Dave Hill's JB J2 in sunburst finish
pictured here with the scratchplates that were added later......
A lovely white John Birch SG custom style guitar
Dave used this onstage and on TV with Slade several times at home
and abroad, which leads me to believe that he actually owned it.
When ONE neck isn't enough...
Photo courtesy of Slade in England. This guitar was probably a 'loaner' from John Birch.
Dave was unlikely to have owned it. The weight would have been prohibitive for normal stage use.
Also Dave's tendency to play it while totally naked didn't make it a viable stage guitar.
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Dave Hill takes it lying down...
A spare John Birch bass
Nod's Gibson SG junior (with JB pickups)
Dave's sunburst J2 without added plates
Dave's natural J2 with white upper rear plate |
No-one is sure what happened to the John Birch guitars that Dave used. The Hi-Watts have been sold on as they were conking out on him after being stored in a Birmingham warehouse for ages and he doesn't ever use Hi-Watt amps now. Dave now mainly uses the old classic 'Dad's Gibson' guitar that he had previously retired from use due to fear of inflicting further wear and tear on his favourite aged guitar.
He has also been known to use a couple of stock Gibson Les Paul's, but these did not have too distinctive a sound, especially as Dave stopped using his Hi-Watt rig, depending instead on hired Marshall set-ups which never really gave him anything approaching his old sound at all. Dave would have been better off getting the Hi-Watts serviced. You learn from your mistakes.
Dave has also had a replica made of 'Dad's Gibson' - see below - but it has never really seen that much use.
As we all know, Nod's amps went at an auction at the Robin 2 in 2002. One of them lives with Stu Rutter these days.
Another classic 60's starter guitar.
Used in the Flame film for the 'Iron Rod' cabaret scenes.
and a Hofner Club 40, used in 'Flame.
A mandolin used in an N'Betweens promo shoot.
A family photo from Dave Kemp's pages also shows this on the wall at Dave's parents house,
so
Dave is quite likely to have mastered playing it - even if it hasn't appeared on an Slade record.
I jest not. This is it.
I never lie.
And finally, probably the most recognisable and long standing guitar in the whole Slade story.......
Dave Hill's "Dad's Gibson" guitar
This guitar was used at the beginning. It is still there now, despite a brief lay-off in the mid 90's when Dave had a disasterous flirtation with Gibson Les Paul guitars. It is the one guitar that Dave Hill trusts to get his sound across properly.
The neck is from a Gibson 335 or 345. The pickup is a 50's Gibson PAF ('patent applied for'). The maple body is made by Sam Lee. The small rectangular 'CUSTOM MADE' plate behind the bridge does not relate this guitar to a Gibson model at all and this guitar bears no resemblance to any Gibson model available.
The neck pickup looks like it belongs on a Fender Strat. The bridge and tailpiece are typical Gibson style parts, however. Either Dave knew exactly what he was doing, or this guitar is made from whatever was lying about!
It has certainly been very good to him over the years.
Looking at the John Birch J2's above, one can see clearly why Dave Hill had the scratchplates fitted onto the bodies of them. It was to attempt to make them resemble this guitar. The lacquer on the upper rear bout of the body is worn away by forearm friction - probably from the sparkly jackets.
A replica of this guitar was made later on by Jaydee.
It did not have scratchplates fitted and was heavily flamed.
Meanwhile, Flamin' Slade strike again, with another quite
accurate replica of one of Dave's best known guitars!
............... not to mention the terrifying fringe and daft stage suit!!!
NODDY HOLDER
Nod's earliest guitars
This picture of Nod shows him twanging away furiously with what appears to be a Hofner V2 guitar.
A not too expensive starter guitar. He appears to be surrounded by the Salvation Army.
What's going on here?
This is a Hofner V2 (not Nod's original, though!!)
Gibson 335 (without and then with tremolo arm)
A Gibson 335 would have been beyond the reach of most teenagers back in the 60's,
but Nod ended up with one somehow. He quite rightly looks very pleased with it and
is doing a silly little dance to prove it. His chum in the above picture used what looks
to be a Hofner Futurama bass.
Nod's guitar has had a Bigsby tremolo arm added at this point.
His bandmates used a Harmony 12 string (ho-hum) and (gasp of envy) a Rickenbacker. (Thanks to Chris S for the Hofner and Gibson pictures above and also for identifying the
model of the Hofner)
For many years this was Nod's main guitar for stage work.
The Telecaster sound just dominated Slade's early records.
Stu Rutter is fairly well up on what pickups John Birch put into Nod's Tele :
"In mid / late 74, in time for its use in Flame, Nod's Tele had it's neck (Superflux) p/u removed at
John Birch, and a whole new bridge & scratchplate made to put a Magnum humbucker at the bridge.
The neck pickup was then placed into the new scratchplate at the neck. Notice that the neck pickup
is at the opposite angle to what it was in the original bridge."
Nod has stated that he used a Gibson Les Paul in the studio quite often with Slade and that may
be the guitar which appeared in The Grimleys TV show. Picture of that guitar to come shortly.
Nod's blonde Antoria jumbo acoustic
Nod used this in the 'Far far away' video and in the stage scene in 'Flame'. It is a replica of a far
more expensive Gibson guitar. Nod probably went for the Antoria for its availability and more
sensible price. They were also very comfortable to play with a creditably big warm sound.
Here is a picture of Slade in the studio (circa 'Old New Borrowed and Blue') where Nod holds a darker
sunburst Gibson jumbo acoustic with block inlays on the neck. This may have been the property of the
studio or could have been hired in for the studio sessions. Nod has not been seen elsewhere with it.
At the front of the picture is the late Tommy Burton (pianist on 'Find yourself a rainbow')
Standing Ovations......
Nod also used an Ovation 'balladeer' acoustic guitar in the video and TV promo appearances for 'Universe'. This guitar may be the same one used in the video for 'Do you believe in miracles?' and the Grimleys TV show -
which strongly suggests that Nod still owns it.
Another Ovation- this time it's a Deacon - as used by Nod around the 'You Boyz' period.
And when Slade played together live for the last time in the UK .....
Jim and Dave used whatever gear was provided by the band Whild John.
Nod instead chose to use Ian Edmundson's Tokai Strat replica.
Ian still owns this guitar and uses it for the occasional recording.
Nod's Gibson Les Paul TV / Junior
Pictured - possibly - outside Pebble Mill TV studios 1977. This guitar also appears on the
sleeve of the bootleg 'Short hair EP' It is not known whether this is the Gibson Les Paul
guitar that Nod used for many of Slade's studio recordings. He has also been seen to use
a goldtop Les Paul on The Grimleys.
Nod used a large bodied Gibson archtop guitar around this same time for the 'My baby left me'
video. That was likely to have been either hired in or borrowed for the shoot.
Nod's Gibson SG Junior
Nod had a couple of these over the years. One was stolen by someone helping the roadies carry the
band's gear after a gig at Barbarella's in Birmingham in 1979. The guitar didn't reach the truck.
Nod was utterly incensed. This guitar was fitted with John Birch pickups and bridge.
CMI SG replica
Nod is pictured with a CMI SG styled guitar here on a US TV show. This looks fairly like a Gibson SG
except that it does not feature an upper cutaway. It was far cheaper than any Gibson would have been
at the time. If I remember correctly, Nod used this in Flame for the earliest 'Iron Rod' scenes.
The Gibson Thunderbird bass, Gibson Flying V and Gibson SG custom guitars used in the 'Radio Wall of
Sound' video and the following TV slots were all hired for the occasion.
NOW THAT NODDY HOLDER HAS FINISHED WITH IT, IT'S GONE TO A GOOD HOME.
Jim's John Birch bass
This bass was Jim's main instrument onstage with Slade from the late 70's through to Slade's demise. And where did this most desirable bass in the world rest after its nightly ordeal at the cruel hands of the once-mighty Jim Lea?
These photos are courtesy of the case's new owner, somewhere in America.
Jim Lea's Gibson EB3 - refinished in white
Hmm. A nice bass indeed. A double scratchplate of a style that isn't that common for a Gibson, may have been added by John Birch when it had his pickups fitted. Here you see it in white, instead of its original cherry finish. This was not what was actually intended. It went away to have a few small things done and came back a different colour. Jim had previously mentioned a refinish in passing to John Birch and the great man did it while Jim had it in to have something else done. Jim was apparently mortified. Ooops!
Where is it now?
Jim with cherry finish EB-3
Standard Gibson bridge and controls.
Not far off being 'as bought'.
The J1 was a basic instrument. Pictures of Dave playing this also exist.
It is not the bass that was smashed in the Flame film.
Another sunburst JB J2 bass, possibly on loan to Jim as a spare.
Jim has also carried a natural finish bass similar to this as a spare in 1980.
Jim Lea's Jaydee bass with tremolo arm
Jim used this for a couple of TV appearances (Miracles on 'The Krankies' and 'Superstore'). It also was carried on several dates on the final UK tour, but never plugged in, that I ever saw anyway, during a show. Jim took it back to John Diggins in 2003 to have it serviced.
The Framus Flame bass - smashed during a backstage row in the 'Flame' film
It looks hideous to play....... and it broke like it was made out of cardboard. Well, it practically was. The guitars, I am assured, were dummies (see Dave's guitar page). The bass made for Jim for the 'Flame' film was totalled during one of the grim backstage scenes where Jim had a proper bass player's hissy fit at the rest of the band. It didn't survive, as you will note, if you watch the film. Nothing as embarrassing as filming a bass smashing scene - for the third time!
The Framus Star bass used in Flame
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I used to play with a guy who worked in a music shop who offered me a bass just like this, saying with all sincerity that it was the actual one that was used by Jim Lea in the Slade film, 'Flame' .
I had no reason to disbelieve him and the bass came from a reputable source in the Midlands - who also parted with a couple of lovely custom made John Birch guitars.
However, once tried out through an amp, it was declared to be a bit of a plank, so I didn't buy it.
It wasn't that expensive really, I would have got it for a song, but a poor bass remains a poor bass - and any poor bass is too expensive.
The bass pictured is NOT Jim's. |
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Jim Lea's Flying V bass
Allegedly a studio favourite for its deep, plummy sound.
This only ever surfaced in public during the making of the 'Thanks for the memory' video (as in photo), as far as I can tell.
Very little stage use - I've been told it was used for the encore of 'Get down and get with it' at Liverpool in 1975.
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The promo video for 'Thanks for the memory'
Jim has also been pictured with a Fender Precision and also a Fender Jazz bass (below) and a Rickenbacker 4001 and a John Birch SCDR (Ric style) bass around the 'Nobody's fools' period.
It is possible that the Fender Jazz below was a studio instrument. Jim has never used one of these basses of his own on stage to my knowledge. It has been common for Slade to use TV studio-owned instruments for mimed appearances, rather than take their own with them.
John Birch 'Rickenbacker 4001' type bass
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The Rickenbacker 4001 style bass used on the 'Top of the pops' show for Slade's 'Cum on feel the noize' appearance was apparently a John Birch bass loaned to Jim by the maker. Jim did not own this bass either.
Stu :
"The p/u's on the JB Rick are either Magnum's (more likely) or Hyperflux, which is what the Superyob had. Impossible to tell unless you get to see the name engraved between the poles." |
The Gibson Thunderbird bass Jim used - as well as Dave's Flying V and Nod's SG guitar used
in the 'Radio Wall of Sound'
video and the following TV slots were all hired for the occasion.
From the days of Nick and The Axemen !
To be identified!!
Jim had a Red single pickup Hofner Colorama in the Axemen before he picked up the bass.
Jim's all-black Fender Stratocaster ....
Thanks to Sonic, Stu Rutter and Chris Selby for their help with a couple of things on this page!
