SOLVED! Trying to track down more information about my guitar

skullfunkerry

While my guitar is in bits to be refinished, I thought I'd try and find out more about it. I've had a conversation with Performance Guitar by email and they don't think the body is theirs: the neck 'might be', but there are details missing from the neck pocket and heel plate which would be there if they'd built it.

The only clue I have to anything is this:

There's no-one working at Performance Guitar by that name, nor has there ever been. I've done a bit of searching online and it looks like Martin Shellard is/was a guitarist in a prog band called Magenta... I think I've found him on facebook so I've sent him a message, but the trail goes cold there, as it were.

Has anyone heard of this guy? Even better, does anyone know him?

Shrews

https://www.allmusic.com/artist/martin-shellard-mn0001343004

If it's the same Martin Shellard, he did some work on The Simpsons yellow album (yes, the Simpsons, Bart, Homer etc)

Shrews

More on Magenta here:

http://www.mostlypink.net/who_magentaindex.htm

Shrews

Possibly wrote a chords/tabs book for Metallica hits

https://www.torvund.net/guitar//index.php?page=artist_books&aid=2771

SteveRobinson

skullfunkerry said:

 it looks like Martin Shellard is/was a guitarist in a prog band called Magenta... I

That could explain the original colour of the guitar?

Shrews

Possibly still plays for a band called 'Thunderstick'  they are on Facebook too

http://www.maximumvolumemusic.com/hit-wicked-stick/

https://www.facebook.com/thunderstickofficial/

skullfunkerry

Shrews said:

https://www.allmusic.com/artist/martin-shellard-mn0001343004

If it's the same Martin Shellard, he did some work on The Simpsons yellow album (yes, the Simpsons, Bart, Homer etc)

Not only that @Shrews, he played my guitar on it

I've just been chatting to him on Messenger - he remembers the guitar: he ordered the neck, body and hardware from Performance when he was touring in the US in 1989, then had it assembled by Chandlers in Kew when he got back. He used it on several albums, including the Yellow album as I mentioned above - also Jeff Wayne's Spartacus album, and some Roger Daltrey stuff too. In the end he swapped it for a Firebird with my friend, who has now swapped it onto me.

Martin actually lives near @lamf68 so when it's finished and back in one piece we're going to meet up so he can play it again - I get the impression from a couple of things he told me that he misses it

skullfunkerry

SteveRobinson said:

skullfunkerry said:

 it looks like Martin Shellard is/was a guitarist in a prog band called Magenta... I

That could explain the original colour of the guitar?

Yes, I wondered that

Shrews

Superb result!  I bet he's looking forward to your meet as much as you. 

blobb

How about this for a coincidence? I'd looked at this thread this morning and somehow the name stuck in my head, then this appears . . . . 

skullfunkerry

blobb said:

How about this for a coincidence? I'd looked at this thread this morning and somehow the name stuck in my head, then this appears . . . . 

Haha, that is amazing!