Danelectro Hornets and Longhorn

Vincent Bell Designs at Danelectro

Today I googled for Vincent Bell’s name because I couldn’t believe Danelectro didn’t mention him in their promo for the Coral Hornet re-issue now called Dead-On-67. He designed those in the sixties along with several other classic and unique models like the Bellzouki (first electric 12-string) and the Coral Sitar (electric guitar with 12 bordun strings and a sitar bridge). Anyway, so I came across this great page by Moe Thomas for the first time. He says he’s a long time friend of Mr. Bell and when he visited the legendary guitar player’s basement he took pictures of the sheer mass of historic and unique guitars and prototypes – many built by Vinnie himself. He’s a very inventive guy thinking up things like the first wahwah or his trademark underwater sound as heard on Moon Gas and apparently various practices and machinery used in guitar manufacturing – all while making a living as one of the east coast’s busiest studio session men.

Here are links to some highlights of the collection:

• photo of Sitar prototypes
• the sitar-shaped Bellzouki as portrayed on the back of Joe Harnell’s Bossa Now! album
• Vinnie Bell’s personal 6-string bass (who knows how many records we have heard this one on?!!!)
• one of a kind Coral Scorpio-style 12-string Sitar (a dream instrument of mine)
• Vinnie Bell model Stratocaster as presented to him by Fender Musical Instruments (note straight bridge pick-up)
• the banjo he played on Louis Armstrong’s recording Hello Dolly
• the mandolin Bell played on The Godfather-soundtracks

also visit www.vinniebell.com

Now I know which movie this tune is referring to in the Making Out At the Movies album by The Boss Guitars.
I think it’s a Vinnie Bell composition, going back to the Whistle Stop album. There’s also a 45 with a Fink reference in the band name, that’s yet another version.
The track’s title Bazooki refers to Vincent Bell’s invention, the Danelectro Bellzouki. This was the first electric twelve string guitar. And was developed because the greek bouzouki was becoming requested after the soundtrack to Never On A Sunday became such a hit.

Rat Pfink A Boo-Boo at YouTube