The Legacy of Muddy Waters’ ‘Hoss’ Telecaster: A Journey Through Time
What becomes of legendary guitars when their iconic players pass away? In today’s world, it’s not uncommon for these instruments to be auctioned off to wealthy collectors, disappearing into private collections. Yet, some guitars continue to resonate through history, finding their way into museums, remaining cherished family heirlooms, or being passed to fellow musicians who keep their legacies alive.
In this article, we delve into the stories of five remarkable Telecasters (with one notable Esquire) that belonged to beloved guitarists who have left us, exploring their current whereabouts.Our focus today is on muddy Waters’ renowned circa-1957/58 Fender Telecaster, affectionately known as “The Hoss.”
Muddy Waters: The Father of Modern Chicago blues
Frequently enough hailed as the “father of modern Chicago blues,” Muddy waters has profoundly influenced both blues and rock guitarists across the globe, particularly during the 1960s. From the mid-’60s, as he gained recognition among predominantly white rock audiences, until his passing on April 30, 1983, at the age of 70, Waters was frequently seen wielding a striking red Telecaster on stage. This instrument, dubbed “The Hoss,” has become a revered symbol among electric blues enthusiasts.
The Origins of ‘The Hoss’
Waters likely acquired his Telecaster as a brand-new purchase in the late 1950s. This standard model from 1957/58 featured a maple neck and a light blonde ash body that appeared almost white. While many accounts suggest that Waters later painted the guitar red and replaced the maple neck with a rosewood version from a Telecaster Custom, a photograph taken on May 7, 1964, during the filming of the Granada Television special Blues and Gospel Train, shows the guitar still in it’s original blonde configuration.
Transformations Over Time
By the summer of 1965, as evidenced by dated photographs, Waters had made several notable modifications to his beloved guitar.While the original 1957 body remained, it was now adorned in a vibrant metallic red.Additionally, he introduced a Telecaster Custom neck with a rosewood fretboard, enhancing its playability.
Waters also swapped out the original chrome control knobs for skirted, numbered plastic knobs from a Fender amplifier, a change that may have influenced Fender’s later design choices for Telecaster Custom and Deluxe models starting in 1972. At some point during the 1960s, he added four extra screws to the original five-screw pickguard to prevent warping. In 1980, he replaced the original ashtray bridge with a gold-plated flat-plate brass bridge featuring six adjustable saddles.
The Iconic Performances
Although Waters experimented with various electric guitars earlier in his career, including a goldtop Les Paul, his red “Hoss” Telecaster became iconic through its frequent appearances in photographs and television performances from 1965 onward. This was the guitar he played at several Montreux Jazz Festivals between 1972 and 1977, during his acclaimed “comeback” albums produced by Johnny Winter from 1977 to 1981, and at high-profile concerts alongside legends like Eric Clapton, Robert Cray, and the rolling Stones.
The Journey After Waters
Following Waters’ death in 1983, his manager, Scott Cameron, took ownership of the “Hoss” Telecaster. The guitar made occasional public appearances and was displayed at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame museum in Cleveland starting in the 1990s. In 1999, george Blanda from the Fender Custom Shop examined the guitar closely while developing the Muddy Waters Artist Signature Series Telecaster, which was produced from 2001 to 2008.
After Cameron’s passing in 2015, his widow returned the guitar to waters’ family, where it remains today. most recently, it was showcased in 2019 at the “Play It Loud” exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of art in New York city.
