OPENING NOTES
James Hunter
House of Blues
Houston, TX
February 6, 2009
Photo by Rick Johnson
British retro R&B’er James Hunter strides along with his
‘50s LP TV-style guitar (manufacturer unknown) that is
believed to have been made in 1994. Bought by Hunter in
1999, its neck was replaced in 2004 after getting wrecked
in a brawl in an Islington pub (the guitar was a participant,
not Hunter). Hunter tells us the new neck was handcrafted
by a Denmark Street (London) luthier named Phillipe, who
was planning to plane the fake Gibson logo off of it for
him. Hunter had him leave it on to draw attention to what
a good forgery it is. The guitar’s P-100s give Hunter’s comp
chops and economical solos their groovy lo-fi sound.
20 PREMIERGUITAR APRIL 2009
