Pickup winders interview

[Mr French]

Abigail Ybarra & MJ

I can only imagine what would happen if these two ladies opened up their own shop, especially Abigail who's been started with Fender in the 50s.

 

[fry]

Those are very enjoyable videos, what a couple of great ladies!

 

[Mr French]

I cannot tell but I wonder if Abigail is in this video. According to an article she has retired back in 2013 and I cannot imagine how many pickups she has made.

 

[freefrog]

I cannot tell but I wonder if Abigail is in this video. According to an article she has retired back in 2013 and I cannot imagine how many pickups she has made.

If memory serves me, she's the young lady appeating briefly @ 5:56.

 

[Antigua]

Must be her

 

[Mr French]

Must be her

It sure does look like her. That footage is amazing especially when the two guys are chatting and strumming the guitar. Can't even imagine where that strat ended up.

 

[CB91710]

The guy with the tattoo on his right forearm is George Fullerton.

 

[cooljuk]

There's a longer version, narrated by Richard Smith. It gives more info about the people, machines, and operations.

Even the two videos from this film published on YouTube are only scratching the surface of the original. Forrest and Leo took the camera on a tour across the country, I think it was ultimately to New York? Maybe to NAMM or some other trade show? I don't remember, exactly. They did lots of artist meetings, along the way. That film in full was shown at a few Fender events and shows.

It never did have any audio, and much of it was videos of artists playing songs with no sound, so that's probably why it got cut up so heavily. Man, it would be cool to have that whole thing around. Of course, it could be anywhere now.

Forrest White also authored a book with many many more photos of the early Fender factories, much more than what is in this brief film, but you have to take the book for the photos, primarily, and not really take for granted what he wrote about his memories of them. Some of the written content doesn't make sense and is either mis-recalled, confused heavily in editing, or just spun tails to throw competition off course. Maybe a little of each? It's a really awesome book, though. FULL of old photos, many very early.

 

[Mr French]

Holy smokes! Anyone else count the endless amount of OSHA violations? Just kidding

Great find!

 

[CB91710]

Holy smokes! Anyone else count the endless amount of OSHA violations? Just kidding

Great find!

Not at the time
Wasn't THAT long ago that a simple belt was all that was required for fall protection.
Harnesses started being used, and the regs were modified to allow a lanyard with a breakaway section for harnesses, but the belt was still legal if attached by a 3ft cord, logic being that the longer lanyard and breakaway would snap a person's back using only a belt.
The belt and 3ft rope were adequate for mobility when working in a basket.