FENDER ELECTRIC INSTRUMENT COMPANY, FULLERTON, CALIFORNIA, 1960

Johnny Marr acquired this 1960 Fender Pro from The Who bassist John Entwistle via famed British guitar tech Alan Rogan in 1984 (see footnote to lot 16). He used this amp during the recording of The Smiths’ studio albums Meat Is Murder, 1985, The Queen Is Dead, 1986, and Strangeways, Here We Come, 1987, as well as numerous singles and B-sides over this period. Along with his “blackface” Twin Reverb and Roland JC-120 (lots 16 and 8), this Fender Pro is clearly seen behind Marr during The Smiths’ live performance of their new single ‘Sheila Take A Bow’ and previous single ‘Shoplifters of the World Unite’ on the Channel 4 music television programme The Tube in Newcastle upon Tyne on 10 April 1987. It would turn out to be The Smiths’ last ever performance in front of a live audience. Marr would later use the Fender Pro with the alternative dance supergroup Electronic, formed with New Order’s Bernard Sumner in 1988. When listing the gear he had used on Electronic’s second studio album Raise The Pressure for The Guitar Magazine in 1997, Marr added: I also used a Fender Pro a lot - that was also on a lot of the early Smiths records… you can hear the Pro really well on New Order's ‘Regret’ - Bernard (Sumner) borrowed my Les Paul (lot 20) and Pro for that.

Speaking to Steve Rosen for Ultimate Guitar in 2012, Marr reflected: I found and still find now that it's usually just a small number of fabulous amplifiers and classic, great guitars that all have their own sort of character... I was lucky enough to get my hand on a few very great instruments. And really, primarily, through great Fender amps.

See lot 46 for additional images of this lot.