Kenneth Ray "Thumbs" Carllile.

1998 Fender 1955 "Thumbs Carlille" Stratocaster Custom Shop (John English).

This Prototype "Thumbs" Carllile Stratocaster was built by John English at the Fender Custom Shop in early 1998. The guitar weighs just 7.60 lbs. and features a one-piece solid ash body 'Aux Naturel', with the body sealed but without any paint. One-piece highly-flamed maple neck with a nut width of just over 1 5/8 inches and a wonderful thick '55 style profile. Standard Stratocaster scale length of 25 1/2 inches, with 21 medium frets and black dot position markers. Headstock decal with 'Spaghetti' style Fender logo in gold with black trim. Single 'butterfly' string tree. Two oval decals on back of headstock, the first reading "PROTO / THUMBS" and the second reading "Custom Built / J.T. English / Fender U.S.A.". Individual Fender [Kulson Deluxe] no-name tuners with oval metal buttons. Four-bolt neck plate with serial number "R 6021" stamped between the top two screws. The end of the neck is marked in black ink "N.N. 01" and the underside is marked in pencil "J.T. English "thumbs proto" 2-98". Inside the neck cavity is written " J.T. English/THUMBS PROTO/2-1998". Two Fender 'Texas Special' pickups in the neck and bridge postions with outputs of 5.73k. and 5.89k. Aluminum pickguard with eight screws, engraved on the underside "J ENGLISH / 98". Two controls one volume, one tone) plus three-way pickup selector switch and a 'dummy center 'Tone' control, all on pickguard. The potentiometers are dated 137 9625 and 137 9713 (CTS, June 1996 & March 1997). White ABS plastic Stratocaster 'Skirt' knobs with ribbed sides and gold lettering. Combination Fender six-saddle bridge and tremolo unit. Aluminum tremolo cavity cover with six screws. The guitar is in mint (9.50) condition. Housed in the original-style Fender 'Tweed' hardshell case with center pocket, tan leatherette ends and red plush lining (9.50)

This prototype was based on the extremely rare guitar, custom built for and formerly owned by the innovative player and songwriter "Thumbs" Carllile as seen in "The Galaxy of Strats" book (pages 130-131). Included is a copy of the Letter of Authenticity from John English to then owner Larry Briggs and the original Custom Shop fax from John to Larry.

Kenneth Ray Carllile (April 2, 1931–July 31, 1987), better known as Thumbs Carllile, was an innovative American country music guitarist and songwriter known for his fingerstyle playing, sitting with his guitar in his lap while fretting, picking and strumming with his fingers and thumbs. He performed with Little Jimmy Dickens at the Grand Ole Opry, and was a member of Roger Miller's band from 1964 to 1972. In 1941, Carllile's family moved to Granite City, Illinois, and he later made his debut playing "Sweet Georgia Brown" at a Ferlin Husky concert at the Music Box Club in East St. Louis. He was expelled from high school at 16 for refusing to shave, and instead performed with Husky until he was discovered by Little Jimmy Dickens in 1949 during a St. Louis appearance. He joined Dickens' Country Boys after demonstrating he could play both parts of Dickens' twin guitar lines. Dickins gave him the nickname Thumbs, which Carllile never embraced. He played with the group until 1952, including performances at the Grand Ole Opry. We have located two videos of "Thumbs" plying the original Stratocaster - both are from ca. 1956 - see them on Youtube at: http://thumbscarllile.net/video/BrendaLee-HoundDog.html
and: http://thumbscarllile.net/video/ThumbsCarllileshort.html