Pete Townshend Who 1968 SG Special Smashed Boston 1971

This is the late 1968 Gibson SG Special that Pete Townshend of The Who smashed at The Boston Music Hall on August 7th 1971 in Boston Massachusetts on the US summer “Who’s Next Tour”. 

July 25th 1971 Pete purchased this SG Special in a batch of Cherry used ones, particularly 1967 to early 1969 with the rarer ultra thin neck and nut width. He also purchased two new 1971 SG Specials in Walnut finish that he used with a capo at “ Manny’s Music “ in New York City. Manny’s installed the Grover Machine Heads, removed the Maestro Trems and had them set up for the first show of the tour on July 29.

This SG saw use during the following shows

• Forest Hills Tennis Stadium, Flushing NY, July 29th 1971
• Forest Hills Tennis Stadium, Flushing NY, July 31st 1971
• Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs NY, Aug 2nd 1971
• The Spectrum, Philadelphia PA, Aug 3rd 1971
• Music Hall, Boston MA, Aug 4th 1971
• Music Hall, Boston MA, Aug 5th 1971
• Music Hall, Boston MA, Aug 6th 1971
• Music Hall, Boston MA, Aug 7th 1971

August 7th 1971, the fourth sold out show in a row has become legendary not only among Who fans, but in Boston. The Music Hall was hot, sticky and the band was pushing the limits as far as they could. At the end of the set, Pete hits his Hi-Watt stack with the SG, strums it, tosses it in the air, strums, bashed it on the stage, stomps the body on the pickguar, then middle of neck, unplugs it and in to the audience it goes. Listening to the bootleg, you can pretty much hear it exactly how it happened. Fifteen year old Danny Lott lunged for the guitar, getting a hold of it and one other fan grabbed the broken pickguard and pulled on it and ripped it fully out with the P90’s and the strap was taken by famous Boston photographer and Who fan, Roland Boisjoly! Danny was known as “the kid with The Who guitar” among peers. It was heavily damaged. It sat on his wall then once married it went in to the closet for almost 45 years. After his passing, via a fellow guitar friend I was put in touch with the estate. His children were selling the home, cars and belongings. There it was. Mid neck break, cracks all over, missing pickguard/P90’s, bashed in strap button and missing bridge volume knob. I bought it and as a guitarist and Who freak, I needed to resurrect it. Pictures of Pete with this SG from the Aug 7th

I got in touch with the amazing Lindy Fralin, and he graciously custom wound some P90’s to spec from readings of several 67/68 Specials. I repaired the mid neck break, luckily nice and clean break. The next two repairs were crucial as the neck could flex at the pocket. I then repaired the upper cutaway crack that went through the top, inner and all way through to the back of the body. I repaired the lower cutaway crack that went in to the pickup cavity. Titebond, then thin drop super glue, then I slowly built up drop layers of nitro over the areas. Neck angle is probably better than factory, zero issues. Truss rod functions perfectly. Plugged bottom strap button and redrilled and used the original button. Repaired the crack below the controls on side of body that went to control cavity, as well as two other cracks on opposite side of control cavity (only the plate was holding that lower outer edge on). The Grover’s are original to Pete’s ownership. The Pots are original. The bridge is original. Neck Volume, Tone and Bridge Tone Knobs original. Truss Cover Original. The bridge volume knob is replacement. SG Special pickguard replacement, maestro trem is after market I put on (holes were preexisting) to use when playing. Will be set up without it.

I’ve been one of the luckiest guitarist to own an awesome piece of history and shared it with others, I have played a decade on this SG. I’ve unfortunately have suffered some illnesses that has affected my tendons in hands and muscles and I feel it’s time to let her go to a good home and Who fan.

I’ve turned down offers from The Wang Theatre (Boston Music Hall) to have it on display in their historic cases of artifacts, it’s just too low. Christie’s wants 20% plus 2% exceeds fee in the Winter or Spring Auction and Bonhams is just much just about. So it’s offered here to the people of Reverb first. Hopefully it gets played, displayed and shown off. I was setting up correspondence with Pete’s tech, Simon, to have Pete sign the back of headstock and take a picture with it, I can try to set it up for the winner as well.

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