Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Danny Ferrington KFT-2 Acoustic/Electric




When I lived in Santa Monica around 1997 I met Danny Ferrington at a crafts fair.  It was funny because I couldn't image it was actually "The"  Danny Ferrington I was talking to and told him so. He got a big laugh out of that and showed me a guitar he was making for Donovan.  I could never afford one of his custom guitars but kept a look out for one he did with  Kramer. At long last in June of 2010, I found a Ferrington KFT II (T for Tele shape) with a case. After Kramer folded,  Danny Ferrington produced them under his own label for awhile so it has a Ferrington logo and label in it with no mention of Kramer. 

I also found a copy of "Ferrington Guitars",
 an elegant book produced in 1992 that includes a CD of a lot of Ferrington players like David Lindley, Elvis Costello, Ry Cooder, J.D. Souther, J.J. Cale, Albert Lee, Henry Kaiser, David Hidalgo, and others. The book also has guitars he made for Kurt Cobain, Linda Ronstadt, Pete Townsend, Emmylou Harris, Crystal Gale, Richard Thomson, and many others. So you can see why shooting the breeze with Ferrington was a little daunting. 

I recently contacted Ferrington on his Facebook site:

  
         Ben Howell Davis
Danny - I met you years ago at craft fair in Santa Monica. I finally got a Ferrington KFT-II (after Kramer I guess) and am wondering  if a standard Strat or Tele neck would fit it properly.
  • Hey, congrats on the guitar, yea I'm sure you could do it might be some size issues, screw hole won't be same, just have to be careful with the scales, I'm sure they are different, but a good guitar repairman could do it, all the best, DANNY
  • This month fancy cover story on me in fretboard journal, check it out

  • Thanks so much for the reply. I have always been a big fan and have your book as well. I was never crazy about the headstock on the KFT-II and thought I might switch out the neck - but after I wrote you I played it for awhile and it is a great neck..and it says FERRINGTON on it - what more could I ask for???

  • Aw!
It is a very nice guitar. The natural finish has mellowed over time and it sounds just as good unplugged as plugged. 




2 comments:

  1. I am completely floored by this diary of your life as told through guitar acquisition. It is beautiful and needs more readers. Thanks, Ben.

    ReplyDelete