# Gordie Lewis Teenage Head gear



## hedzup (Apr 23, 2009)

I don't usually hear much about them , but I am a fan of the old Teenage Head stuff , first 3 albums for sure. The more I listen lately , the more I think that even though it isn't the most complex playing , Gordie Lewis had some great tone . Anybody remember what he used ? From pics it looks like an old TV yellow les Paul special thru a Marshall , JMP maybe ?
I saw them back in their heyday but I wasn't a gear nerd then so I didn't pay attention !


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## knight_yyz (Mar 14, 2015)

I saw them play numerous times but I could not tell you what guitar he's playing. I looked a a few pictures and it lloks like he plays the Junior quite a bit, but I've also seen pictures with a les paul special I think it is.


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## Scottone (Feb 10, 2006)

I recall that he played an old white Les Paul Custom through a Marshall, but that was a lot of years ago so its a bit fuzzy


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## NB_Terry (Feb 2, 2006)

Great guitar tones.


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## Guest (May 5, 2017)

I did a quick listen, and to me the bass is really supporting the guitar tone. So it sounds like Gibson --> Marshall with a great bass.


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## Distortion (Sep 16, 2015)

I have seen footage on You tube recently. So if you want to find out I would watch some. I seen him play at the Dundas Cactus festival and the playing was boarder line poor in my opinion. That was after them being a hour late.


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## SGJones (Sep 13, 2015)

I went backstage and showed him a few guitars in about 1982. At that time he was playing a '57 or '58 LP Special. He wore a back brace when he played because of a prior car accident and said that the light weight of the special appealed to him. Nice guy.


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## Jimmy_D (Jul 4, 2009)

In Toronto 1978 he was playing a Special with P90's, both the guitar and the bass were through Orange amps.


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## hedzup (Apr 23, 2009)

In som of the pics of the special , it looks like mini humbuckers also


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## King Loudness (May 3, 2010)

Scottone said:


> I recall that he played an old white Les Paul Custom through a Marshall, but that was a lot of years ago so its a bit fuzzy


Gord almost always played a 1956 TV Les Paul Special from about 1977 on. It is possible you're thinking of John Catto (The Diodes; he played a white LP Custom and a Marshall rig as of very early 1978).

RE: Gord's guitar. Not sure exactly where or when he acquired it (likely early to mid 1977 in Toronto would be my guess) but the legend has it that Paul Kobak (TH's then manager and owner of Star Records in Hamilton) gave Gord around $500 at one point to buy a Les Paul. Gord stated in interviews that he didn't care for the weight of most of the LPs available, and chose the Special (and later a '57 burst Jr) due to its light weight, simplicity of design, and the association of Johnny Thunders; who played a TV Special in the earlier ('73-'74 era) of the N.Y Dolls. At one point he installed mini humbucking pickups but it seems these days it has the original pickups back in. Amp wise he mostly uses Marshall JMP 100 watters, mostly NMV but occasionally a master volume model. There are usually 3 of them on stage at any one time. Truly one of the unsung Canadian guitar heroes IMO.

W.


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## Scottone (Feb 10, 2006)

King Loudness said:


> Gord almost always played a '57-58 TV Les Paul Special from about 1977 on. It is possible you're thinking of John Catto (The Diodes; he played a white LP Custom and a Marshall rig as of very early 1978).
> 
> RE: Gord's guitar. Not sure exactly where or when he acquired it (likely early to mid 1977 in Toronto would be my guess) but the legend has it that Paul Kobak (TH's then manager and owner of Star Records in Hamilton) gave Gord around $500 at one point to buy a Les Paul. Gord stated in interviews that he didn't care for the weight of most of the LPs available, and chose the Special (and later a '57 burst Jr) due to its light weight, simplicity of design, and the association of Johnny Thunders; who played a TV Special in the earlier ('73-'74 era) of the N.Y Dolls. At one point he installed mini humbucking pickups but it seems these days it has the original pickups back in. Amp wise he often seemed to use pre 1976 Marshall heads and cabs, as well as a HiWatt. Truly one of the unsung Canadian guitar heroes IMO.
> 
> W.


I was probably pretty hammered the times that I saw them, so memory may be a bit foggy  

One thing that I do remember clearly though...Frankie was one hell of a front man.


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## eveready (Nov 29, 2009)

King Loudness has it pretty right here. The one thing most folks miss is that Gordie's 56-57 TV LP Special was not only modded for a long time with two probably mid 70s Gibson Mini Humbucking pickups that were painted black (by Gordie assumedly), but also he added a TOM bridge and stop tailpiece (and removed the stock wraparound bridge). If you look at early pictures and footage on Youtube, you can see the evolution of this guitar to current day.

The most recent times I saw them play here in Alberta (before Frankie passed-RIP) the original or similar P-90s were back in the guitar, but the TOM and Stop Tailpiece remained on it. He only had one guitar on the tour. He has historically used between 1-3 100 Watt early 70s Marshall JMPs over varying age and a single 4x12 cab for each. Seemed like sort of a Johnny Ramone setup amp wise. 

I don't think I ever saw Gordie use any pedals, ever....ever.

The cover of the TH "Electric Guitar" album is a good illustration of a few of his axes (although I think 1-2 may be Dave Rave's).

There are a few Guitar heroes of I'm I immediately associate with their career long guitars.
Gordie Lewis-TV SC LP Special
Johnny Ramone - Mosrite Ventures Model II (white, or blue early in the Ramones career mostly and modded with diff pickups etc). He had a number of these rare student model-ish Mosrites and played the heck outta them...
Johnny Thunders - TV DC LP Junior
These players use/used those style or exactly the same guitar their whole careers...Pretty darn cool IMHO...

One of the best Canaadian bands ever...


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## King Loudness (May 3, 2010)

eveready said:


> King Loudness has it pretty right here. The one thing most folks miss is that Gordie's 56-57 TV LP Special was not only modded for a long time with two probably mid 70s Gibson Mini Humbucking pickups that were painted black (by Gordie assumedly), but also he added a TOM bridge and stop tailpiece (and removed the stock wraparound bridge). If you look at early pictures and footage on Youtube, you can see the evolution of this guitar to current day.
> 
> The most recent times I saw them play here in Alberta (before Frankie passed-RIP) the original or similar P-90s were back in the guitar, but the TOM and Stop Tailpiece remained on it. He only had one guitar on the tour. He has historically used between 1-3 100 Watt early 70s Marshall JMPs over varying age and a single 4x12 cab for each. Seemed like sort of a Johnny Ramone setup amp wise.
> 
> ...


I forgot that those TV Specials originally came with wraparounds, so I guess he would have changed the bridge over. It also has Schallers or other replacement tuners I'd say. I didn’t realize his LP had minis in it until very recently for quite a long period of time (starting late 70s somewhere) but as of the 2000s he’s definitely back to P90s on that guitar as you say. He also has a ‘57 sunburst Jr that you start to see in the early to mid 80s. There’s even a pic of him playing that with Thunders at a club circa 1985. JT of course has one of his ‘60 TV Juniors. You’re right in that I’ve never seen Gord with any other guitar. He did play a late 60s SG Standard prior to getting the TV; you can see it in a couple of early TH promo shots ca. 1975 when Steve Park stilll played 2nd guitar (also on an SG).

W.


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## Sneaky (Feb 14, 2006)

My friend used to be down-the-hall neighbours with Gordie back in the late 70's or early 80's in a small apartment building on Huntley Street (yes that Huntley Street) in Toronto. I met him once when he was recovering from some major injuries (car crash if I recall). Seemed like a cool guy. I think he had a Deluxe Reverb in his apartment for practicing. I wasn't really a big TH fan, nor a guitar geek at the time, so didn't pay attention. They did have some good tunes though, didn't they?


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## krall (Apr 19, 2009)

King Loudness said:


> I forgot that those TV Specials originally came with wraparounds, so I guess he would have changed the bridge over. It also has Schallers or other replacement tuners I'd say. I didn’t realize his LP had minis in it until very recently for quite a long period of time (starting late 70s somewhere) but as of the 2000s he’s definitely back to P90s on that guitar as you say. He also has a ‘57 sunburst Jr that you start to see in the early to mid 80s. There’s even a pic of him playing that with Thunders at a club circa 1985. JT of course has one of his ‘60 TV Juniors. You’re right in that I’ve never seen Gord with any other guitar. He did play a late 60s SG Standard prior to getting the TV; you can see it in a couple of early TH promo shots ca. 1975 when Steve Park stilll played 2nd guitar (also on an SG).
> 
> W.


My band covers 'Picture My Face'..Myself ('56 Junior into a '73 JMP) and my lead player (he useds a BJA Junior) pretty much cop their tone...Next time we're in Halifax, you should come over to check us out and we'll cover the TH song for ya Will!


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## Scottone (Feb 10, 2006)

krall said:


> My band covers 'Picture My Face'..Myself ('56 Junior into a '73 JMP) and my lead player (he useds a BJA Junior) pretty much cop their tone...Next time we're in Halifax, you should come over to check us out and we'll cover the TH song for ya Will!


Do you play the ultra simple solo as per the record


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## krall (Apr 19, 2009)

Scottone said:


> Do you play the ultra simple solo as per the record


Yup!


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## eveready (Nov 29, 2009)

You're right on all counts including the Schallers. I've taken a lot of my guitar approach from Gordie...who got lots from Eddie Cochrane and Johnny Ramone (IMO). I saw TH a couple times here in Calgary aznd area the last two tours, and got to talk a tiny bit of guitars with him. He was killer to meet and hang with. We talked early Dolls, MC5, Thunders/Lure, Ramones, and TH recording with Marky Ramone. 

I've got a stock 56 Single-cut Special, and a 55 Singlr Cut sunburst JR mostly because of Gordie, and Johnny Thunders (NY Dolls era)...but I've had tons of JRs (double and single cut). Gordie always has a really pure tone and I really liked his shift back to the P-90s in his special. IT was good to see and hear. you could tell on Head Disorder and the Marky Ramone albums that he was using a 50 or 100W halfstack and a guitar armed with P-90s. the mids and bite are alll there for that kind of guitar. Killer to see and hear.

Krall's 56 JR and JMP are actually both my old guitar and amp, and I've got his old '72 Park 75. Mostly I play a Satellite Atom with a 2x12 and 65 Watt Creambacks and totally cop the Gordie Tone with my Special and Junior.


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## Scottone (Feb 10, 2006)

krall said:


> Yup!


Cool....to me its like the Neil Young Cinnamon Girl solo. Elegant in its simplicity.


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## Scottone (Feb 10, 2006)

Since we're talking about LP Jr. tone, here is a clip that I ran across this clip a few weeks ago


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## King Loudness (May 3, 2010)

Here's a great interview with Gord where he talks about his influences, a bit about the Hamilton scene, and his Les Pauls. Very cool.

W.


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## eveready (Nov 29, 2009)

Teenage Head Get their High School recognition finally!

Westdale high gave Hamilton some of its greats, now they're headed for the hall of fame | CBC News


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## Phil Nicholson (Jul 28, 2018)

I've also seen Gordie play through a Fender Twin. When I asked him about it he made the Thunders connection. I 'think' Frantic City might have been a Fender amp album. Some kinda fun definitely has that Marshall growl.
I confess I bought a TV yellow LP Special because of Gordie  He was my guitar idol.... and it's funny because he told me he thinks he isn't that good. (WTF???)


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## Phil Nicholson (Jul 28, 2018)

King Loudness: 
Always wondered what effects pedal Catto used to get his unique tone. Any ideas?
Also wondered how Gordie got his overdriven sound on the first album. A distortion pedal/treble booster or Marshall heads in series???


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## Felonious Punk (Sep 7, 2020)

eveready said:


> King Loudness has it pretty right here. The one thing most folks miss is that Gordie's 56-57 TV LP Special was not only modded for a long time with two probably mid 70s Gibson Mini Humbucking pickups that were painted black (by Gordie assumedly), but also he added a TOM bridge and stop tailpiece (and removed the stock wraparound bridge). If you look at early pictures and footage on Youtube, you can see the evolution of this guitar to current day.
> 
> The most recent times I saw them play here in Alberta (before Frankie passed-RIP) the original or similar P-90s were back in the guitar, but the TOM and Stop Tailpiece remained on it. He only had one guitar on the tour. He has historically used between 1-3 100 Watt early 70s Marshall JMPs over varying age and a single 4x12 cab for each. Seemed like sort of a Johnny Ramone setup amp wise.
> 
> ...


I saw Teenage Head at This Ain't Hollywood (aka The Saint) in the Hammer late 2018. Right around the 40th anniversary of The Last Pogo riot at the Horseshoe Tavern. After the show I was looking at Gord's set up and one of the staff politely asked what I was looking at. I said I was trying to figure out what the pedal that he was using was. He replied, "thats a tuner". 'Nuff said.
Gord's tone is P-90s, the Marshalls and his hands. Bare bones magic.
FP.


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