Happy Birthday Jeff Beck! (6/24/1944)

byFrankB-1

6.6K followers

Updated 7 months ago

(Title image by DALL-E 3)

Hi WA Friends!

Please help me celebrate the birthday of one of my absolute favorite guitar players, Jeff Beck. He has been called "The Govenor," and "The Axe Murderer" (axe meaning guitar) by some of the best guitar players on the planet!

Nothing here to learn about online marketing, but if you like music (and who doesn't), then use this opportunity to take a break and enjoy it with your favorite beverage. I'm publishing this one day early since I've already started celebrating! Lol 😎

A Little History

Jeff Beck, born Geoffrey Arnold Beck on June 24, 1944, in Wallington, Surrey, England, is revered as one of the most innovative and influential guitarists in rock history. Jeff's career began to take shape in the early 1960s and first gained widespread attention in 1965 when he replaced Eric Clapton as the lead guitarist for The Yardbirds, a seminal British rock band. Jimmy Page would then replace Jeff in the "New Yardbirds" before Jimmy left to form Led Zeppelin! With Jeff, The Yardbirds produced several hits, including "Heart Full of Soul" and "Shapes of Things," which showcased his groundbreaking use of feedback and distortion.

After The Yardbirds, Jeff formed the Jeff Beck Group in 1967, which featured a young Rod Stewart on vocals and Ron Wood (of The Rolling Stones fame) on bass. Their albums "Truth" (1968) and "Beck-Ola" (1969) are considered pioneering works in the development of heavy metal and hard rock. Despite the band's critical success, internal conflicts led to their disbandment.

Jeff's career took another significant turn in the mid-1970s with the release of the instrumental albums "Blow by Blow" (1975) and "Wired" (1976). These records, produced by George Martin of Beatles fame, were pivotal in the fusion of rock and jazz, establishing Beck as a virtuoso guitarist with a unique sound. Over the ensuing decades, Beck continued to explore diverse genres, from blues to electronica, constantly reinventing his style.

Throughout his career, Jeff played with numerous other legendary musicians, including Stevie Ray Vaughan, Carlo Santana, Stevie Wonder, Tina Turner, and Mick Jagger. Jeff essentially disappeared for about five years to work on his hot rods but returned and remained an innovative force in the music industry until his passing in 2023 from bacterial meningitis.

Jeff's death left a hole in my musical world, and I'm still devastated each time I look at any of his albums that hang on the walls of my music studio!

Over the years, I've had the honor of seeing Jeff play live at least a dozen times! I saw Jeff on tour with Stevie Ray Vaughan and again with Santana. My wife and I saw him play in Boston, Connecticut, and New York. We made a fun day of it by taking a limo early in the morning to spend a day shopping, seeing Jeff, and then indulging in fine dining.

Equipment Used (For all you WA Gearheads!)

(Courtesy of ChatGPT & Me)

Guitars

• Fender Stratocaster: Jeff Beck is most closely associated with the Fender Stratocaster, especially his signature model. His preferred Strats often featured modifications like noiseless pickups and custom neck shapes.
• Gibson Les Paul: Beck also frequently used a Gibson Les Paul, particularly in the early days with The Yardbirds and during his time with the Jeff Beck Group.
• Fender Telecaster: Another staple in Beck's collection, often used for its distinct twangy tone.
• Gretsch Duo Jet: Played during his Yardbirds tenure and for specific recording sessions, like "Jeff Beck and the Big Town Playboys" (his tribute to Cliff Gallup).
• Jackson Soloist: Used during the 1980s and into the early 1990s, reflecting his foray into more modern rock sounds.

Amplifiers

• Marshall Amplifiers: Known for their powerful and distinctive sound, Beck often used Marshall stacks, particularly the JTM45, Plexi models, and the JTM 2,000.
• Fender Tweed Deluxe: A favorite for studio work due to its warm, rich tones.
• Vox AC30: Used occasionally for its distinctive British chime, especially during his early career.
• Hiwatt Custom 100: Preferred during the Jeff Beck Group era for its clean headroom and punchy sound.

Effects

• Pro Co RAT Distortion: Used for its aggressive distortion and sustain.
• Electro-Harmonix Big Muff: Another distortion pedal that Beck employed to achieve his searing lead tones.
• Vox Wah-Wah Pedal: Beck's expressive use of the wah pedal is legendary, particularly in live performances.
• Snarling Dog Wah-Wah Pedal: A more recent replacement for the Vox unit.
• MXR Phase 90: A staple in his rig for adding subtle phase effects to his solos.
• DigiTech Whammy: Used in later years to add pitch-shifting effects to his playing.

Honors and Awards (courtesy of ChatGPT)

Jeff Beck's extraordinary contributions to music have been recognized with numerous honors and awards:

• Grammy Awards: Eight Grammy Awards, including Best Rock Instrumental Performance and Best Pop Instrumental Performance.
• Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: Inducted twice, once as a member of The Yardbirds in 1992 and as a solo artist in 2009.
• Ivor Novello Award: Awarded for Outstanding Contribution to British Music in 2014.
• MOJO Les Paul Award: Given in 2010 for his technical prowess and influence.
• Classic Rock Roll of Honour Awards: Multiple awards, including Living Legend Award in 2011.

Discography (courtesy of ChatGPT)

I highly recommend you check out each album, but if you have to listen to just one, check out Wired (1976), Blow by Blow (1975), There and Back (1980), Jeff Beck's Guitar Shop (1989), or Emotion and Commotion (2010).

Jeff's guitar work on "Corpus Christi Carol," 'Over the Rainbow,' AND "Nessun Dorma" (all on the Emotion and Commotion album) will absolutely blow you away!

With The Yardbirds

• For Your Love (1965)
• Shapes of Things (1965)
• Jeff's Blues (1965)
• Mr. You're A Better Man Than I (1965)

Jeff Beck Group

• Truth (1968)
• Beck-Ola (1969)
• Rough and Ready (1971)
• Jeff Beck Group (1972)

Solo Albums

• Blow by Blow (1975)
• Wired (1976)
• There & Back (1980)
• Flash (1985)
• Jeff Beck's Guitar Shop (1989)
• Crazy Legs (1993)
• Who Else! (1999)
• You Had It Coming (2001)
• Jeff (2003)
• Emotion & Commotion (2010)
• Loud Hailer (2016)

Collaborations

• Frankie's House with Jed Leiber (1992)
• The Honeydrippers: Volume One with Robert Plant and Jimmy Page (1984)
• Amused to Death with Roger Waters (1992)
• 18 ( Jeff & Johnny Depp)

My Jeff Beck Fender Custom Shop Masterbuilt Guitar

I have five Jeff Beck Fender Signature Stratocasters, one of which I modified with high-end hardware and electronics, and another very special Fender Custom Shop guitar, Masterbuilt by Todd Krause. Todd builds all of Eric Clapton's and Jeff Beck's guitars (before Jeff passed away).

I was able to snag this guitar after Todd built several for Jeff, but he needed one less. It went up for private sale, and I was in the right place at the right time. It has the Wilkinson nut with the slanted-down bass string configuration that is almost impossible to get today. Todd kept a collection of these nuts in reserve at the custom shop for Jeff's guitars only when they were no longer made.

Front view with Wilkinson nut

Rear View with Sperzel locking tuners- Signed by Todd & Jeff

Close-up of headstock & neck plate

Tell Me What You Think

Have you heard Jeff's music or ever seen him in concert? Who's playing did you like best in the Yardbirds, Eric, Jeff, or Jimmy?

What else is on your mind, musically speaking?

I'll be listening to Jeff's playing all day, playing one or more of his guitars, and watching a few of his concerts on video. In the evening, we are having a party in his honor with friends and plenty to eat and drink.

Happy Birthday, Jeff! 🎂

Keep On Rocking!🤘
Frank 🎸

~ 70% Human written content