There are so many tones that I like and I’ll try to list some of the players and instruments they used. These are not in any particular order.

1. Chet Atkins recordings on many of his instruments using several Gretsch Model guitars.
2. Duane Eddy recordings using his famous 1957 Gretsch Chet Atkins 6120 with DeArmond single coil pickups. Duane’s number one Gretsch is serial number is 25827 and I’m the proud owner of Gretsch serial number 25829.
3. The Ventures are my all time favorite instrumental group, with over 100 albums recorded. There so many great recordings by guitarist Bob Bogle, Don Wilson, Gerry McGee, Harvey Mandel, Gene Moles and my favorite Nokie Edwards. Nokie has done so many great instrumentals and influenced me and my playing very much and influenced me into buying many old Jazzmaster’s. My late friend Red Rhodes played steel guitar on several instrumentals and also has a line of pickup called Velvet Hammers.
4. Jimmy Bryant and Speedy West along with Chet Atkins were the first instrumental recordings my dad’s brother Howard Duncan gave me when I first started playing guitar. To this day they totally amaze me on how they play and incredible technique. I remember meeting Albert Lee and we hit it off talking about Jimmy Bryant and his Telecaster playing. Albert got me a recording of Jimmy’s “County Cabin Jazz”.
5. Jeff Beck is my all time favorite guitarist and long time friend. He has influenced so many rock guitarists of today and still remains an important figure in the history of rock guitar. He plays so many styles and to this day “Cause We’ve Ended As Lovers” is one of my favorites. I built Jeff several instruments and worked on my others. I enjoyed watching him in the studio and doing shows with him. I enjoyed so much of his work in The Yardbirds and especially when he used his ’54 Fender Esquire on “Train Kept’-A-Rollin” using his pinkie finger on the tone control for a train whistle effect.
6. Eric Clapton work in the group “Cream” along with Jack Bruce is some of the greatest blues-based rock guitar. “I Feel Free” is one of the greatest solo’s in my book.
7. Jimi Hendrix is and will remain one of the greatest guitarists of all time and thanks to the master Eddie Kramer and the release of many new CD’s. Jimi and I had a brief association along with Roger Maher during the late 60’s and I have many fond memories to tell.
8. Roy Buchanan to me is one of the greatest blues players that ever lived. His work on Polydor records has captured much of his early emotion and tone. Much can be learned by listening to Roy’s music and much needs to be said about Roy and his guitar.
9. Albert Collins was the Ice Man and he played with attack and authority on his modified Esquire. He used the Tele bridge cover and his thumb for picking. I loved his 100 foot guitar cord and always had a great band. I have an old demo recording of him doing “Albert’s Alley” which I’ve never heard on any LP’s or re-releases. It’s an old 45 from the 60’s and it’s one of his best. I’d like to find more information about it if any knows.
10. Les Paul was the first musician that talked to me about pickups. I would watch him at Steel Pier in Atlantic City, New Jersey during the early sixties and I’d go back stage along with guitarist Pat Martino. Les would show us all his recording gear and guitar gadget called “The Pulverizer” that would operate his multi-track recording system back stage from his Les Paul guitar. Les and Mary Ford both had goose neck microphones connected to their guitars. It was great. Thanks Les!
11. Neil LeVang was the guitarist for The Lawrence Welk TV show that I watched during the 60’s. He always had either a Jazzmaster, Strat, Banjo or some other unique instrument for particular songs. I wish there were more recordings of his instrumentals as he was a great influence.
12. Jimmy Bruno worked and did the guitar solo on “Guitar Boogie Shuffle” by a group out of Philadelphia called “The Virtues”. I recorded at Frank Virtues studio with rock-a-billy artist named Ray Coleman when I was 13 years old. We did several recordings at Frank’s studio and I often saw Jimmy there. Jimmy and Frank taught me how to mute the strings on the bridge and other picking techniques.
13. Roy Lanham had many recordings and worked with The Fleetwoods, “Come Softly To Me” and The Son’s of the Pioneer. I’ll always remember his great guitar work playing his Jazzmaster and he would visit my factory before he passed away. His material is still available and I’m glad to see his material released on CD. He was the greatest and played solo’s with melody chords.
14. Jerry Donahue is a long time friend and road tester for my company and I enjoy watching and listening to him play. While not touring with The Hellecasters, Jerry is at our shop working on some new ideas and I’m stealing his licks. Jerry has worked with many great artists and has done many fine solo recordings. Give him a listen to.
15. Arlen Roth is a long time friend and has recorded so many great guitar records and videos. He has helped so many guitarists with his videos and we did our touring of the orient during the 80’s. He is always at his best when playing his ’53 Telecaster.

Today there are so many great known and unknown guitarists. I get many CD and tapes from friends and players of great players that I hope have a chance to get heard. Players like Eric Johnson are masters along with the fluid style of Stevie Ray Vaughn and great session players like Brent Mason make so many recordings to be heard. I want to thank so many who have the foresight to record and film so many great guitarists. I miss seeing Danny Gatton with all his tricks and our occasional field trip looking for Indian Arrowheads. Danny was and will always be a great guitarist.I have worked with friends who are great builders and repairman who let me experiment on their guitars to test pickups. There are great builders who make the instruments for great players such as Larry Brooks, Phil Kubicki, Roger Maher, Wayne Charvel, Dave Shector, Tom Anderson, Fender Custom Shop, Mike McGuire and The Gibson Custom Shop and Seth E. Lover for all his design work with pickups, guitars and amplifiers. I’m proud of the young pickup winders such as Lindy Fralin and all his effort to maintain and restore valuable pickups. I really respect pickup builder and designer Ray Butts for all the great pickups used on the many Chet Atkins records that influenced me during my youth. Thanks guys!