Hank Marvin
What Strat moment on a recording inspires you most?
“Going back to my school years, hearing the intro and solo of The Crickets’ That’ll Be The Day on a jukebox was a revelation, and motivated me to try to copy this ‘new to us’ American style of rock ’n’ roll guitar. As regards my own playing, I thought The Theme From The Deer Hunter (Cavatina) was special as it’s a beautiful composition written by Stanley Myers, and also my performance was recorded in one take, except for one note where there was an odd distortion. I dropped in and replaced the note.
“A couple of other recordings that I like for different reasons are Hot Rox, which I wrote with my son Ben; it was fun for me to go nuts and play an extended blues-rock solo. And also Ain’t No Sunshine arranged for me by Mark Griffiths, which gave me an opportunity to play a jazzy, blues-influenced solo. Very satisfying.”
What’s your best tip for getting great tones out of a Strat?
“Because I use the vibrato bar and most of the time have it held in my right hand, I was forced to pick nearer the fingerboard, rather than the bridge. This produces a slightly sweeter tone. I would also not have too much top on the amp. In fact, the early AC30s – it’s their 65th anniversary this year! – did not have a top boost function and then, when they added it, I discovered that if not used with restraint it would cause Bruce [Welch] to howl in pain – or perhaps he was just singing?”
When did you get your first Strat and what was it?
“From late 1958 to early ’59 I was playing an Antoria, which had a neck designed and constructed by Fred Flintstone, who thought he was making a club. To put me out of my misery Cliff [Richard] bought me my first Strat in spring 1959. It was red with a bird’s eye maple neck and fingerboard, and gold-plated hardware. It looked out of this world. A guitar from Mars. It unfortunately had very heavy strings, something like 13 or 14 to 56, impossible to bend a string, other than the second string up a half-step, but I was saved by the vibrato bar, which enabled me to pull the second string up a whole tone. But it had to be set up to enable that. At that time, the only finger vibrato I was aware of was the classical one, which doesn’t work too well on heavy steel strings. Wanting to make the guitar ‘sing’ more, I found using the vibrato bar achieved that. I also used it to dip the pitch and sometimes to give the strings a wild shake as on the intro to The Shadows’ hit Man Of Mystery. I certainly would not have been able to develop that on any other guitar available in those days.”
Rosewood or maple?
“I prefer a bird’s eye maple fingerboard. I always thought it looked better. How shallow is that? But importantly I like the feel under my fingers.”
Strats look coolest in what finish?
“A red Strat is historically associated with me, although I have had and performed with both white and black Strats.”
You’ve never been a stickler for playing vintage Strats, but do you
