Forrest White

[Morrow]

Forrest white was the one who gave the Stingray the 3+1 headstock and he had worked at Rickenbacker before starting up Musicman with Leo Fender. I saw a picture of a Ric prototype he did with the 3+1 headstock but the Halls at Rickenbacker said "that does NOT look like a Rickenbacker"and the idea got shelved. I wonder if Forrest got the idea from some of the Tiesco guitars that had 4+2 headstocks.Is Forrest White still with us and does anyone know if he is still designing instruments?

 

[Aragorn35016]

If im not mistaken Mr. White died of cancer in the 90's. I do know that he has passed away because it's in the book "Fender, the sound heard round the world." Ill look to make sure when I get home.

Peace

John

 

[JB1]

All the good guys are deserting us.....

 

[Morrow]

I have been rooting around the net and Forrest White did pass away.He also wrote a book about his years at Fender that I will get.I also found this pic of a Tiesco bass from 66 that had a 3+1 headstock

 

[Aragorn35016]

Crap I know its in this book im just having a real hard time finding it. However there is a cool pic of him holding the very first stingray off of the production line.

 

[Rod Trussbroken]

His publisher advised me that he passed away in 1992.

.

 

[OldGuitarPlayer]

FORREST was a GREAT GUY!

Forrest white was the one who gave the Stingray the 3+1 headstock and he had worked at Rickenbacker before starting up Musicman with Leo Fender. I saw a picture of a Ric prototype he did with the 3+1 headstock but the Halls at Rickenbacker said "that does NOT look like a Rickenbacker"and the idea got shelved. I wonder if Forrest got the idea from some of the Tiesco guitars that had 4+2 headstocks.Is Forrest White still with us and does anyone know if he is still designing instruments?

Back in the late 1970's I was a struggling Studio Guitarist in Orange County, and Forrest took an interest in a group I played guitar for. Over the years we became very good pals, and he told me [over lunch, two to three times a month, ALWAYS at Black Angus off of 17th street, in Santa Ana] of his exploits partnering with Leo Fender back in the 50s, and of their friendship over the years. Not many people know of Forrest, but he is the fellow who RAN THE FACTORY at FENDER through the mid 60's when CBS bought in, and Leo went on a Cruise and took a well needed vacation. Forrest soon went his own way too... Later, Leo would start up G&L Guitars, and Forrest started up his own company called MusicMan, which later became the property of Ernie Ball, as I recall. It's been a while, I'm old, give me a break... lol

Anyway, Forrest is the one who introduced me to LEO, who liked my playing
and gave me a G&L Guitar, to go with the MusicMan amps I was using at the time.
I actually used that guitar exclusively on stage, for about 10 years, before I was an idiot and sold it for a Studio Les Paul, and some cash... Hey, I'm a guitar player.

The last time I spoke with LEO, was the early 90s [I had JUST gotten divorced, I recall] and Forrest was retired, but selling WATER PURIFIER systems, and somebody gave him my new phone number. Well, we talked for two hours, and it was VERY cool to talk with him one more time. Sadly, he passed away shortly thereafter. One of the CLASSIEST guys I've ever met.

ONE MORE NOTE: Forrest was in his late 60's at the time we hung out. One day he stopped by my place, with his wife, in her mid-fifties. I HAVE TO SAY, that lady was one of the HOTTEST looking ladies I've EVER met! I would have dated her in a SECOND, and I was in my 20's she was THAT HOT! SERIOUSLY! All that I could think of, was... What did she look like in her 20's and 30's? 40's? WOW! I'm not kidding... It was incredible, and she was JUST as classy as Forrest. That's it, these are just the things I remember...

ONE MORE IMPORTANT THING:
Forrest taught me about Buicks and the holes they used to have on the side of the front quarter panels! You see, the REAL Buicks we're what he called "three holers" or "four holers" and they had stopped making those models several years before we hung out. However, Forrest had his buick "redone" at the factory, and completely rebuilt, every 3 or 4 years. I'm not kidding, it looked like brand new, and it was probably 10 years old when I rode in it. He was just getting ready to have it sent back again, the last time we got together and he was telling me how they did it for him. He ABSOLUTELY REFUSED to buy a new one, since they'd dropped the holes, and they just weren't the same to him. It isn't like he couldn't have afforded 10 new ones, but he just liked that model, and refused to budge... Great guy, I miss him...

ONE LAST THING:
Back in his FENDER days, Forrest had a steel guitar and maching tube amplifier with his name on it. It wasn't much really, but I remember working in a now defunct music store called McFarlines Music, and having a lady walk in, with one of these 6 string steel guitars and matching amplifiers IN THE BAG, BRAND NEW, wondering what it was worth? It had been setting in her attic for years, that's all she knew. I mean, this had to be one of the RAREST items anybody has ever seen, I'm not even sure if it was ever assembly lined. The guy I worked with, who was a CROOK by the way, offered her $25 for both of them, told her they weren't worth anything, he would "Take them off of her hands" and she took it. What a weasel he was... Later he would earn his just reward but that's another story... lol

He then called the Fender Factory in Fullerton, and Forrest himself [I later found out] drove out to Riverside, and paid him several hundred dollars for it. This was YEARS before I would meet him as a musician, but I remember he had a VERY NICE suit on, and he was REALLY JAZZED to see these items. Anway, that's it, take care!

 

[Morrow]

wow....thank you for the memories.

In the time since this post started I found and read Forrest's book on his Fender days.

 

[Rod Trussbroken]

OldGuitarPlayer....that was good reading

 

[AnthonyD]

His first post... Awesome...




So where do we go from here!?

 

[Big Poppa]

Good post

got the chronology wrong on fender/music man/ g&l

Forrest did run the rpoductio for Fender. He was the guy that was replaced by CBS in favor of the former director of production for waste king garbage disposals. Forrest was an original partner of Music man along with Tom Walker and Leo. Forrest soon departed due to some really wild clashes with Tom and Leo.

 

[JB1]

One of us really should cobble a book together.....

Great stuff, thanks for the good read.

 

[bovinehost]

He was the guy that was replaced by CBS in favor of the former director of production for waste king garbage disposals.

I'm almost sure that says something about management decisions made by CBS.

Not that there's anything wrong, inherently, with producing garbage disposals.

 

[OldGuitarPlayer]

I'm pretty sure I'm right on this...

Good post

got the chronology wrong on fender/music man/ g&l

Forrest did run the rpoductio for Fender. He was the guy that was replaced by CBS in favor of the former director of production for waste king garbage disposals. Forrest was an original partner of Music man along with Tom Walker and Leo. Forrest soon departed due to some really wild clashes with Tom and Leo.

Forrest and Leo were together from the VERY beginning with the Fender project, from my understanding. However, when CBS bought in, both of them found themselves in a bad situation since CBS was more concerned about the mighty $$$, and not so much the "quality control" of the products they manufactured. In addition, since Forrest had been in charge at the factory [and with QUALITY CONTROL] for years and years, he had a hard time fitting into the generic, regimented system that CBS pushed on him. Hence the Garbage Management people, and his timely departure. When he and Leo left, well... You know the rest... : )

How much are those POST CBS twins worth these days, versus the ones
Forrest OKd back in the 50's early 60s? I guess that makes my point...

As to the G&L [George and Leo] partnership, my understanding was that Forrest really wasn't involved in that loop very much, and that he focused on the MusicMan side, after Leo departed Fender and MusicMan.

In fact, I'm pretty darn sure Leo was completely out of MusicMan and doing his G&L thing, long before Forrest left MusicMan. Someone needs to check with Tom on that, but those are my recollections [Hey, what do I know... I was just a young Guitar Player, and Forrest always paid for my lunch at Black Angus, trust me, I didn't argue with him... lol]

FURTHER RECOLLECTIONS...
When I met with Forrest at MusicMan [probably a dozen times] he still had an office there, and he was the one who took me around the plant and introduced me to Tom, and the rest of the guys. So, I'm guessing he was still employed there [or was he bluffing?]. Anyway, at that time, Leo was already doing the G&L thing, and to my knowledge, Leo had nothing to do with MusicMan at that point.

If someone knows better, I would love to hear from them, I'm not absolutely sure on this, but... I'd put a dollar bet on it... : )

Take care guys!

 

[jongitarz]

Forrest and Leo were together from the VERY beginning with the Fender project, from my understanding. However, when CBS bought in, both of them found themselves in a bad situation since CBS was more concerned about the mighty $$$, and not so much the "quality control" of the products they manufactured. In addition, since Forrest had been in charge at the factory [and with QUALITY CONTROL] for years and years, he had a hard time fitting into the generic, regimented system that CBS pushed on him. Hence the Garbage Management people, and his timely departure. When he and Leo left, well... You know the rest... : )

How much are those POST CBS twins worth these days, versus the ones
Forrest OKd back in the 50's early 60s? I guess that makes my point...

As to the G&L [George and Leo] partnership, my understanding was that Forrest really wasn't involved in that loop very much, and that he focused on the MusicMan side, after Leo departed Fender and MusicMan.

In fact, I'm pretty darn sure Leo was completely out of MusicMan and doing his G&L thing, long before Forrest left MusicMan. Someone needs to check with Tom on that, but those are my recollections [Hey, what do I know... I was just a young Guitar Player, and Forrest always paid for my lunch at Black Angus, trust me, I didn't argue with him... lol]

FURTHER RECOLLECTIONS...
When I met with Forrest at MusicMan [probably a dozen times] he still had an office there, and he was the one who took me around the plant and introduced me to Tom, and the rest of the guys. So, I'm guessing he was still employed there [or was he bluffing?]. Anyway, at that time, Leo was already doing the G&L thing, and to my knowledge, Leo had nothing to do with MusicMan at that point.

If someone knows better, I would love to hear from them, I'm not absolutely sure on this, but... I'd put a dollar bet on it... : )

Take care guys!

Well, Big Poppa was there from the early days, so I look forward to hearing what he has to say as well, but these are great posts, and I love hearing about things like this. Welcome aboard sir!

 

[OldGuitarPlayer]

I remember this much

When I went the very first time with Forrest to meet Leo, on the way to lunch [by the way] I met Forrest at MusicMan first, and we rode together in his car.

I don't remember anything about Leo having a desk at MusicMan at that point, and from what I can remember, I don't think Forrest mentioned Leo having anything more to do with MusicMan [we hung out for about 2 years from that point]. Leo had his G&L facility going, and he worked there about 15 hours a day, so I don't know when he would have had time to drive over to MusicMan? But again, I don't know everything. I'm very interested in what Big Daddy remembers. Thanks again~

 

[jongitarz]

Yeah..I am sure Sterling will add something to this.

 

[scottbass71]

Thanks Old guitar player very good read!!!

 

[marty]

Here's a pic of the prototype that Forrest designed while at Rickenbacker:

 

[Big Poppa]

Old guitar player

Forrest was long gone way before Leo split with Music Man to start G&L behind Tom Walkers back. Forrest was one of the three original partners of Music Man. It was originally billed as just Forrest and Tommy due to Leo's 10 year non competition contract was up. He was there from the beginning but was weary of a lawsuit from cbs.

The reason why you didn't see Leo's desk or workbench at Music Man is that he never worked there. His desk was al CLF research (Clarence Leo Fender) CLF made instruments for Music Man and then G & L. This is documented in many books.