We are happy to announce exciting contributions to The Humbler –Danny Gatton feature documentary from Fender, the Fender Custom Shop and Jay Monterose of Vintique Guitars !!!!
Fender contributed a Danny Gatton Signature Fender Telecaster body, neck and assorted parts to the Humbler campaign with the understanding that the guitar would be assembled and finished by Danny Gatton’s longtime friend and guitar tech, Jay Monterose.
This authentic body from the Fender Custom Shop is made from southern “Swamp Ash” which is the soundboard of choice for Telecaster style bodies. The body is painted Frost gold.
The Fender Custom Shop guitar neck is hard Maple and has some Birdseye figure. An extra first position fret marker has been added, as well as, custom cubic zirconium side markers. The extra fret and the cubic zirconium markers are two distinct Gatton model features not found on any other Fender guitar.
The neck has the Fender 50’s style logo decal and “Danny Gatton” signature decal that denotes this guitar as an authentic Danny Gatton Signature Fender Telecaster model!
The multi-talented photo journalist & guitar aficionado Jeromie Stephens did a beautiful “one of a kind” Damascus style engine turn finish on the Vintique stainless steel bridge plate and control plate. Gorgeous… This was donated to this custom Danny Gatton Signature Fender Telecaster!!!
Jay Monterose, of Vintique Guitars assembled the guitar and added custom hardware and modifications. Danny and Jay jointly created: the renown Vintique Stainless “Gatton” bridgeplate; a custom control plate; and the Generation 5 proprietary heavily knurled control knobs that afford the player a “no slip” grip while performing steel guitar “volume swells” and tone control “Wah- Wah” effects!
Other special features include the Vintique Neck Attachment System or “Neck kit” which attaches the neck and body together with machine threaded stainless bolts for maximum sustain and facilitates maintenance free neck removal for adjusting the vintage style truss rod.
A Hard bone nut and special original style machine heads with round 50’s style string tree complete the neck build and the 22 medium tall frets make for smooth bending, good intonation and easy playing.
This beautiful guitar also sports an authentic black Bakelite pickguard and switchtip and all parts are attached with oval head phillips stainless steel screws throughout.
The custom control assemble incorporates an CRL 3-way selector switch modified to Danny’s specs by bending the tip over to help create space between the switch and the control knobs so one can select pickup positions without accidentally turning the volume down- a great authentic Gatton feature. The spring tension is also modified for a smoother than stock feel.
Other important features include CTS 250K solid shaft control pots for sweet and smooth operation. Another added bonus is the Sprauge “Orange Drop” high end .05 capacitor linking the volume and tone controls and the use of “Silver stranded” Teflon coated wire to deliver the high fidelity signal from the Barden Engineering “Danny Gatton” set of noiseless / high output pickups. This all exits the guitar thru a Switchcraft 1/4″ jack mounted in a billet aluminum “Jack can”. All components are American made to the highest quality standards.
The guitar is set up with DR pure blues Nickel strings in .010 gauge as Danny’s original guitar. Intonation is guaranteed by the incorporation of custom Vintique Brass bridge saddles that are compensated to meet the task.
This tasteful and accurate build out was performed in Jay’s custom guitar shop by Jay himself. We feel that the eventual owner love this guitar as much as we do.
