Godfrey Townsend Tools

1961 Gibson SG/Les Paul, Cherry Red

Taken before the original tremolo unit

was removed. It was also modified

with Dimarzio PAF pickups.

This was the first Gibson I ever owned.

Mickey Alan's Showboat, Queens - 1978

Another shot of the

1961 Gibson SG/Les Paul, with

the late, great Richard Dixon on drums.

I bought this guitar for $700 from my friend,

Lenny Campanelli.

Mickey Alan's Showboat, Queens - 1978

1979 Gibson 'The Paul'

in Natural Walnut Finish.

Later it was modified with

Dimarzio PAFs & Kahler Tremolo.

Madison Park, Queens - 1981

Front view of 'The Paul'

also before modification.

Performing with

The Gary Shann Band.

at Trax, NYC - 1981

1982 Gibson SG Special

A Brilliant reproduction of Eric Clapton's

Psychedelic SG/Les Paul 'The Fool'

Painted by my friend Marty Muller

BB King's, NYC - 2005

Will Lee and Jimmy Vivino from

Conan O'Brien's band, seen

performing with their Beatles Tribute

band, "The Fab Faux".

Jimmy's playing a nice copy of "The Fool"

Clapton during

the "Cream" era,

playing the original

and trying hard to look

like Jimi Hendrix.

Even though the black & white does no justice to the colorful guitar, this is still such a great shot of Eric backstage before Cream's first US show.

Again with the black & white...Here's Todd in the early days...looks like Central Park, summer 1975...I was at this show.

Todd again in 2001 playing

his " Fool" copy on the Walk Down Abbey Road tour. He owned Clapton's original for almost 30 years.

Steve Lukather playing my "Fool" SG at the China Club back in 1994...

Billy Squier with my

"Fool" at Jeff Golub's

birthday bash

Brother's NYC 1995...

Mark Volman of

The Turtles/Flo & Eddie

plays my "Fool" on

the Hippiefest 2009 tour

Mark with the "Fool" again

at Westbury Long Island

Fall 2009

Back in the early 60's, Jackie Lomax and The Undertakers played many shows at the Cavern Club with The Beatles. Due to his association with them, he became signed to Apple Records in early 1968. His first album was released in 1969 and featured George, Paul, Ringo, Nicky Hopkins and Eric Clapton. It was around this time that Eric supposedly loaned his SG to Jackie. Somewhere around 1972, Jackie allegedly sold

the guitar to Todd Rundgren for about $500. Todd sold it in auction at Sotheby's in 2000, where it fetched $150,000. I was recording the Music From Van-Pires CD at John Entwistle's house back in 1997 and Jackie spent a week visiting. Obviously, I asked him about it all and he gave me his side of the story. Then, in 2001, I got to work with Todd Rundgren for a summer tour and got HIS side of the story. I don't have to tell you that they differ slightly. There are also many conflicting stories as to whether this guitar was given to Eric by George Harrison, or if Eric bought it at the beginning of Cream's first tour. Some stories even say that Eric gave it back to George and then George gave it to Jackie. As far as I can see, this is a totally different model guitar than George's. Besides, George gave his SG to Pete Ham from Badfinger. (but he did have another one, according to Andy Babiuk, author of the Beatles gear book.)

Does anyone know the real deal ?

The SJ-200 Super Jumbo in Vintage Sunburst

Jack Bruce and I made a deal at the end of the Abbey Road tour 2002.

If I got him one of these guitars, he would give me one of his Warwick Thumb

basses for my son. Done deal !!! Jack loved the guitar so much,

he even used it for the photo shoot on the 'More Jack Than God' CD.