Wow what an amazing find Mel. Most collectors just dream about stories like this.

Coolest viddy and story, these groovy vibes are echoing around the Globe in 2023 and beyond!!

Bob Demmon was my Band Teacher in the mid seventies. I remember him setting up a slide show for us of his Astronaut days. On another occasion he invited a few of us into his home (we had just -lovingly- TP'd his house) and I recall the gold records on the wall of his den. All of the guitar players in town looked up to him and it was a treat when you got the opportunity to hear him play. There are a number of very active musicians to this day who were inspired by him to make a place for themselves in music.

I love your passion. Really cool story.

Great story and super clean tracks. Thank you!🙏

Simply amazing...a huge Astronauts fan here from Spain. I love that these awesome pieces ended up in your hands, a true and enthusiastic fan. Congrats

Very interesting! Thanks for sharing!

Just got your vid from KZfaq today. Got a modern Jazzmaster. Dr. Z Reverb tank and been.learning the astronauts music in.my. retirement.You.r.truly.blessed.2.be the custodian of these wonderful instruments.Your. video made my day.

Happy For You !!!

Well done, Mel!!! Your Jazzmaster looms large in your legend! Long live the Astronauts!

woooww!!!...amazing!!!

How cool is that! Wonderful story and I'm happy for you!

The best

Mr. Mel, thank you for posting this amazing story AND letting us HEAR that Jazzmaster+Showman amp reconnected back to the future style! We are from the same surfer sound era, except my beach was the shore of Lake Michigan in Milwaukee. I still have my original vinyl Astronauts Everything is A-OK from Club Baja that got me hooked on that Fender reverb signature sound. I stumbled on your video while working on a personal 6,000+ music video project that includes The Astronauts' recordings from 1963. As an inner city kid, I took 3 city buses to get to high school. My last bus stop was in front of a music store where I dreamed and drooled wishing I could buy one of the electric Fender guitars in the window. It alluded me. You are a lucky young man, Mel.

I thought I was a fan but you got me beat by a country mile. When I was a young impressionable teenager I loved their sound (not the surf LP though) and those album covers probably sold zillions of guitars and amps for Fender. I bought me a white Jaguar....wish I had it today. Saw the band at a goofy fashion show (!) in Miami way back when. Got to meet Rich and Jim.

That’s a great story sounds great 🎵😉

I'm from Switzerland and i love the Astronauts and Surf Music.

omfg!!!!!!! amazing!!!!!!!!!!!! best surfrock tone ever heard in my life!!!!!

Hi Mel! What a great story! And you are not a geek! Just like you I absolutely love the Astronauts sound! As far as I know NO OTHER band used TWO reverb-units and created this fantastic sound! Of course I envy you those great buys, I am living in Denmark, Europe and in the same year, 1963, I for the first time heard those weird sounds: "Baja" the first single here and "Misirlou"/ Dick Dale, also the one and only single released here in Denmark by Dick. I was hooked for ever and only later did found out about the reverb-unit! Thanks also for a great medley! I wonder when they played in Japan, when you look at the photos there are no reverb-units and no Showman-amps, hmm, how did they get their sound then ??

Excellent, I love your passion and excitement. You've secured some rock 'n' roll history in that amp.

Thanks for the video. Love The Astronauts. Bought some vintage guitar magazine about 1997 and saw their picture and thought how cool they look so I bought their CD and was blown away. I bought an Olympic White AVRI 62 Jazzmaster new because I love The Astronauts. Now it is nicely aged and looks vintage. By the way at the Pasadena City College swap meet I bought the vinyl album too. Congrats on being able to buy the amp and borrowing the guitar. That is a treasure to me and you. I love Jazzmasters. Bob Bogle from The Ventures said the Jazzmaster is the best guitar ever made and he doesn't understand why it isn't more popular. He said that about 1997. It was an interview in one of the guitar mags. Even tho I love Jazzmasters I still like Mosrite better. Thanks for your video!

I totally get it! Hope you catch the big one!

Richie was my favorite player back in 60's. Didn't he play a Jaguar ? I went to their concert in Japan, still remember the reverb sound..

My mother had the 'Surfin' with the Astronauts' LP - that's what started my love for these guys!

Mel, Bob Demmon taught me to play on that guitar (and his jazz bass). It checks out against pictures I took of it in his house. You FREAKED ME OUT with this video!!! Come visit me in Coronado sometime, we can jam and geek out. I got some things to show, too. Bob had a Bass VI I ended up with... :D

This is wonderful. I love the passion and energy driven enthusiasm. I too was smitten if not cursed by this band. I must continue watching. ♥️

Mel gret story and it was a pleasure talking to you today up at Bitter Creek, will be sending you a few picture or posting them up on the COndor site, anyway loved the conversation and the stories and just general Chit-Chat. On this video loving the story as back up to when you were talking about dash to get the amp and also love the playing, great Reverb going there, that may be my next bucket list to find me an ole Fender Reverb head or maybe give Dr Z's unit a try since I have a love for his Amps and use his Ez-G 50 quite a bit (which has pretty good Reverb in it. Hope you get back out soon and sharing the tunes with your fans. Tim

Little late to your party but that is a hellva story. This is what dreams are made of. Thank for sharing.

WooooW, Hey Mel, love the story, the amp, the guitar and the Astronauts meddley! The world needs more Mel Bergman! Saludos my friend!

Hey nice to see a fellow Astronaut fan. I saw them twice in Colo. Springs between 68 and 70 when they were supporting their AOK album and Traveling Man. They played their version of the Ramsey Lewis tune In Crowd and they floored me! Have been trying to find that on one of their albums, but no success. Thanks Tom (am using my wife's computer).

Definite thanks for sharing. I love old Fender gear. It’s Fender or forget it with me!

the greatest story never told! Thanks fot this Mel!

There’s that tone. Fantastic Mel!

Well done, Mel!! Thanks for telling me about this vid.

When You Said You Didn't Care About Claptons, Gilmore, and Kurt Kodine's Guitar.........I said.....I LOVE THIS GUY. I play in one of Oregons only Surf Bands...I'm into The Ventures like you are The Astronauts...I Love The Astronauts Too

Bob Demmon man, I've heard that dude was a boss. The kind of teacher whos class you were excited to go to and do well in. 😎

LOVE IT!

Hi Mel I lived in Colorado when the Astronauts started They were playing in a store to promote the band they also played at my High school. I have a signed picture from the band to me with all of their signitures and their first album with signitures. They were great and talented band. I play guitar myself and was fasinated how well the Astronauts could sound just as good live as well as studio which alot of bands like the beach boys could not. My fender strat color and pick guard was inspired from the Astronauts. My name is Steve Slames

That's so cool that you have the actual Fender amp from The Astronauts!! I have some vintage amps/guitars as well.....69 Gibson Duo Metalist guitar amp, 1976 Fender Bassman 100 head with a vintage 2x15" Fender Bassman speaker cab!! Have a nice 1960s Favilla Ukulele, 1960s Kay Mandolin, 1973 Fender P Bass, 1987 Fender Strat, 1970 Fender Musicmaster Bass(shortscale), 1980 USA Fender Bullet Bass and a 1990 Gibson Thunderbird bass! I did have a 1974 Gibson Les Paul (bought new in 74 when I was a kid) but stupidly sold it about 17 years ago!! LOL Oh well, really enjoyed your video! Wishing you much health and music in the coming years!! :)

Mind ... blown.

Had it for years...! Great stuff 👍

Wow, how cool, thanks for sharing that!

this is the most awesome thing I have ever seen in YT, fucking great!

Congratulations! That’s so awesome!

Holy reverb! You are the coolest Mel!

Wow Mel what a story 😊👍That amp is in good hands now. It so beautiful that it ended up with a true fan and player so it get used. Its so cool that you let the guitar and amp play together. That sound is amazing. Best wishes from Anders in Sweden 👍

Hi Mel I think I have an autographed copy of that album live at the Baja . It looks like you a. Big fan abs I also love surf music since I was a kid listening yo the ventures . I have been out of work abs going through all my vinyl . If your interested I can send images of this album ? My name is Mario

No way! What a story. Astronauts rule. I bet that guitar was in the Speedy Gonzalez clip.

Man that's completely wild! I can't even imagine what it's like to have a piece of history in your hands like that. How does the amp compare to your other showmans, I'm curious! Thanks for sharing.

Siiii.... Como no amar este sonido legítimo del Surf.. Gran video motivador. Gracias por compartirlo.

The Astronauts weren't really a a surf band. Yes, they did surf music, but only because that was popular at the time. By 64 they are onto other stuff including pop sides due to Snuff Garrett producing. I was put off by their clean cut appearance, but once I heard them I was sold on their sound. Their material was weak in some place. They could have really benefited from a songwriting base. "Know My Rider" is great if you can find the single. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/breKYJqkmMiakqc.html

Sir, are those roundwounds on the guitar? Sort of sounds that way but in the 60s they were using flatwounds I am sure.

Wow! Absolutely awesome! Thanks for uploading this! Do you know of there's any live footage from them playing instrumentals? It seems that's unfindable!

> Thank you Mel !!!

If you ever interested is selling one of the showman's hit me up...

Totally bitchen story and a great sounding medley!

A picture turned up this year of me playing that guitar in a HS band concert. I think the band was doing a medley from Jesus Christ Superstar or something. And Bob let me play the good gear. He was always doing that kind of thing for kids. And yeah, by the way, since being re-inspired by you and your video, I bought a fresh copy of Astronauts at Club Baja, and then inevitably proceeded on a manic binge of obtaining blonde amps!! :D kzfaq.info/get/bejne/b6eCpcJ1pre5l2w.html