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| To create a guitar for the upcoming movie Ted Crocker creates guitars and musician gear. He says it's his 'therapy'. He makes them as much for himself as for his clients who desire an instrument that's hand crafted and one of a kind. Crocker was chosen over all other custom guitar builders to create 'Honey Dripper', the starring guitar in the upcoming film 'Honeydripper'. The movie, written and directed by John Sayles and starring Danny Glover, Keb Mo, Ruth Brown and Gary Clark Jr, takes place in 1950 Alabama. The guitar is spotlighted as the first electric guitar seen in the small town of Harmony, and in the hands of Clark Jr, it saves the Honeydripper blues club owned by Glover, which is on the verge of closing due to a competing club with a jukebox. A blurb about the movie says "it evokes that magic Bo Diddley moment when music fused the blues with rock & roll." With little more knowledge than that, Crocker submitted a design, which was ultimately chosen. With 14 days to produce the guitar (and a copy for backup), he wowed the producer, director and musicians with his interpretation of an instrument homemade by a young WW2 Radio Technician. Working around the clock, Crocker hand crafted the odd pickups, guitar and hardware, keeping in mind that it had to be an instrument up to the task of recording a movie soundtrack in a 21st century studio. The guitar(s) surpassed the expectations of everyone involved. The movie, scheduled for filming in September, is slotted for an early 2007 release. The guitar is currently in a Los Angeles recording studio shaping the soundtrack. Mr Crocker is also feverishly working to complete another guitar called 'Armageddon'. It is a goth inspired design and is needed by the commissioning artist for a Japan tour in September 2006. Crocker is shooting for a design and tone he describes as 'Satan Growling'. Another project currently in his shop is the 'Delta Box', an Old Blues inspired instrument with a double broomstick neck and inlayed fingerboard. This production guitar will be available in a limited quantity and should appeal to blues artists who play slide as well as chords. Playable both acoustic and electric, this guitar will be a showpiece for any artist who wants a unique instrument and conversation piece. Mr Crocker is planning on sending a Delta Box on a 'blog tour', where it will spend time with various musicians who will document it in performance with MP3s, video and pictures before sending it to the next musician on the list. The tour will be posted on it's own blog for anyone to see and hear and comment on. Yes, there are still slots available for interested musicians. A signature guitar from the Crocker shop is 'Taser', a unique double cutaway, quad horn, double humbucker, sensual beauty. Like all of Crocker's instruments, it has a look and sound that is undeniably his own. No one will ever accuse Mr Crocker of copying another design, and those in the know will readily spot a Crocker. Mr Crocker is also part of the growing Cigar Box Guitar Revolution. His designs run the gamut from CBGs with modern hardware and electronics to those that could have been made over a hundred years ago, those played early in the careers of numerous successful musicians. Crocker, an avid blues harmonica player, also designed and produces the 'Jawbone' wood harp microphone. It is similar to an old bullet design, but made with Crocker's eye for detail and tone. Crocker also markets his own guitar stands and hangers and produces artistic wood wall hangings from photos of musicians playing their instrument. Crocker operates a one man, one bird shop. His sidekick Taxi (a cockateil), happily provides a feather to add mojo to every project that goes out the door. Crocker also has an in house photo studio where he documents the step by step progress of his custom projects. Known for his close communication with clients, Crocker toils long into the night to produce original, handcrafted instruments with a much quicker delivery time than the major name shops that merely produce machine cut variations of the same old shape between the hours of 9 to 5. He can offer one of his designs, or work closely with a client on their own signature model. If indeed this is his 'therapy' Crocker should be one very well adjusted individual. Or so severely twisted that he requires continual therapy. He certainly has a passion for his craft and genuinely cares that his instruments help an artist to express their inner soul. And look great doing it. write your comments about the article :: © 2006 Jazz News :: home page |