Montrose – Paper Money

Auctioned via Julien's in 2013. It was nicknamed "The Old Boy".

Ronnie Montrose's 1943 Gibson J45 acoustic guitar in sunburst. Owned by Montrose since 1968, this was his main acoustic guitar throughout his career. It was used as a backup guitar on the first Montrose album and was featured on the song "Connection" from his Paper Money album in 1974. The finish shows some checking, and there has been extensive custom work done to the guitar. CJ Hutchins did the fret work, Glen Quan did the structural work, and Hideo Kamimoto did finish work on the guitar. Includes a photo of Montrose with the guitar and a hardshell case.

Auctioned via Julien's in 2013.

Ronnie Montrose's Epiphone FT85 12-string acoustic guitar, played by Montrose on all of the 12-string guitar parts on the album Paper Money in 1974 and on many of his other records. Serial number 152224. Natural finish, with added Sunrise pickup, input jack and truss rod cover that says "Ronnie Montrose." Includes a hardshell case.

PROVENANCE From the Collection of Ronnie Montrose

Montrose owned a 1958 tweed Champ, which he claimed was rated at fifteen watts, during the time of the first two Montrose albums. It is attested by Mark Cameron (formerly of Bogner) and Gary “Mick” Lazer, the latter having traded Montrose himself for the amp shortly after Paper Money was recorded.

Metropoulos Amplification Forum, August 21, 2008 reply by MarkCameron on “Montrose” by Mr. Beasty (February 25, 2008)

Ronnie came into Bogner sometimes..I asked him what he used on this....and Its a 3x10 Bandmaster....the thing is ..........he found it at a garage sale the day before he whent in to record :lol: ..bought it for almost nothing and used it as is.. he said. Also I think a regular Champ on 10 for some stuff..Ted Nugent did this too

WoodyTone, March 8, 2012 comment by Mick Lazer on “Ronnie Montrose’s ‘Rock Candy’ Tone…” (February 17, 2010)

The Fender combo amp, in the video recorded at the record plant for the paper money session in Sausalito; was a Fender Princeton, which I traded Ronnie some Marshall equipment for, right after those sessions. It was modified by Ronnie himself, and had a 12″ JBL D120 and a Bassman transformer, so it was pretty loud. It sounded great! this amplifier was stolen from me in 1980 and yes, I still want it back after all these years. It is stenciled #2 Montose on the back of the amplifier. I continue to offer a $500 dollar reward for information that leads to its return.

Gary “Mick” Lazer

WoodyTone, March 20, 2012 comment by Mick Lazer on “Ronnie Montrose’s ‘Rock Candy’ Tone…” (February 17, 2010)

Ronnie owned 2 small amps at the time that he recorded the first album. He owned the modified blackface Princeton that I mentioned on the earlier post, and also a mint 1958 tweed Champ with an 8″ JBL speaker. The tweed Champ was part of the trade for the Marshall equipment. I still own the 8″ JBL, but stupidly traded off the Champ for some recording equipment and a new Rockman amplifier. If he found the bandmaster, it was after our trade. He may have used either small amp or both for recording. The Champ was the small amplifier that Sammy Hagar mentioned plugging into in his book while auditioning in Ronnie’s small Sausalito living room. The Princeton would have been way too loud to sing over. Ronnie claimed that the Champ was now putting out 15 watts, so he may have modified it in some way. We didn’t get into that, at the time of the trade. I had no reason to doubt that. It was plenty loud.

In a couple of comments on the February 17, 2010 WoodyTone article “Ronnie Montrose’s ‘Rock Candy’ Tone…”, Gary “Mick” Lazer shares that he traded Montrose himself for a modified blackface Fender Princeton shortly after Paper Money was recorded. Lazer even identifies the amp in a 1974 video of Montrose performing “I Got the Fire” in the studio (it first appears at 0:22).

WoodyTone, March 8, 2012 comment by Mick Lazer on “Ronnie Montrose’s ‘Rock Candy’ Tone…” (February 17, 2010)

The Fender combo amp, in the video recorded at the record plant for the paper money session in Sausalito; was a Fender Princeton, which I traded Ronnie some Marshall equipment for, right after those sessions. It was modified by Ronnie himself, and had a 12″ JBL D120 and a Bassman transformer, so it was pretty loud. It sounded great! this amplifier was stolen from me in 1980 and yes, I still want it back after all these years. It is stenciled #2 Montose on the back of the amplifier. I continue to offer a $500 dollar reward for information that leads to its return.

Gary “Mick” Lazer

WoodyTone, March 20, 2012 comment by Mick Lazer on “Ronnie Montrose’s ‘Rock Candy’ Tone…” (February 17, 2010)

Ronnie owned 2 small amps at the time that he recorded the first album. He owned the modified blackface Princeton that I mentioned on the earlier post, and also a mint 1958 tweed Champ with an 8″ JBL speaker. The tweed Champ was part of the trade for the Marshall equipment. I still own the 8″ JBL, but stupidly traded off the Champ for some recording equipment and a new Rockman amplifier. If he found the bandmaster, it was after our trade. He may have used either small amp or both for recording. The Champ was the small amplifier that Sammy Hagar mentioned plugging into in his book while auditioning in Ronnie’s small Sausalito living room. The Princeton would have been way too loud to sing over. Ronnie claimed that the Champ was now putting out 15 watts, so he may have modified it in some way. We didn’t get into that, at the time of the trade. I had no reason to doubt that. It was plenty loud.