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Topic: What steel is John Hughey playing on this cut??? |
Bob Carlucci
From:
Candor, New York, USA
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Posted 13 Dec 2012 3:51 pm |
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwE4r8CeNAg
easily the coolest sounding steel of all time.. the simple little turnaround still raises the hair on my neck... To me it sounds like an old ShoBud, but I never saw John [RIP] use anything but an Emmons in the early years[60's-70's]... I read somewhere that for a while he used a steel of his own design[and build] but he felt it was mechanically inferior or something... Perhaps he used it during this time??.. The steel on this cut does NOT sound like any Emmons I ever heard.. btw, this my favorite version of this song... Just LOVE John's sound here
[ a sound that brings forth visions of tubes, old copper wire, magnets and old birdseye maple]
Any idea what steel he played around this time, 67-68??... bob
_________________
I'm over the hill and hittin'rocks on the way down!
no gear list for me.. you don't have the time......
Last edited by Bob Carlucci on 14 Dec 2012 2:16 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 13 Dec 2012 4:33 pm
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| Yes, John played a 'Bud on occasions (and Buddy Charleton played an Emmons a few times). It does sorta have that old 'Bud tone, but John was a master at getting great tone, and I'd guess he could have done this song on either brand. Subtle changes in picking, a different bar, a good amp...yes, I can hear this tone in my head as coming from either one. |
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Paddy Long
From:
Christchurch, New Zealand
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Posted 13 Dec 2012 4:45 pm
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Bob JH played ZUMs since he tossed the JCH .. haven't seen him playing anything other than Zums in a lot of years.
_________________
14'Zumsteel Hybrid D10 9+9
08'Zumsteel Hybrid D10 9+9
94' Franklin Stereo D10 9+8
Telonics, Peterson, Steelers Choice, Benado, Lexicon, Red Dirt Cases. |
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Jeff Garden
From:
Center Sandwich, New Hampshire, USA
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Posted 13 Dec 2012 4:54 pm
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Here's an interview I found that Danny Hullihen had with Mr. Hughey... (looks like this interview was before he switched to Zums later in life)
Out of all the steel guitars you've played right up to date, what would you say would be your favorite?
You know I've only played, actually, two guitars. They built me a ShoBud guitar one time. I played it on one session, one album which was never released. It was cut in Oklahoma, this guy was trying to get a deal, but I was having trouble keeping it in tune. So the Emmons and the JCH were actually, I would say, the two major guitars that I've played. Except for the ones I've built myself. I built guitars before in Memphis, and in fact, if you want to hear one of them, it was on the Next In Line album, by Conway. It was his first number one.
Did you have a name for that steel guitar?
It was just called the Hughey Custom guitar, was all it was.
Well it was too bad you didn't keep building those things, John.
Yea, it was a good guitar, but of course they're obsolete now, you know, because of all the new mechanics and mechanisms.
Would that have been like a push pull style at that time, then?
It was an all pull. |
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Pete Finney
From:
Nashville Tn.
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Posted 13 Dec 2012 5:56 pm
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I think that may be Lew Houston playing steel on that track; I know he's playing on "Image of Me" and some other stuff on that album, just before John Hughey (re)joined Conway.
FWIW Buddy Charleton played an Emmons most of the time during the years I was around him in the '70s. |
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Jeff Garden
From:
Center Sandwich, New Hampshire, USA
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Jack Stanton
From:
Somewhere in the swamps of Jersey
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Posted 14 Dec 2012 4:35 am
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| I remember visiting The Musicians all of Fame in Nashville a few years back and they had one of John's Hughey Custom Guitars on display. It looked very professionally made for the time, on a par with the early '60's Sho-Buds. |
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Franklin
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Posted 14 Dec 2012 7:02 am
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It sounds like a Fender Guitar and not like John Hughey.
My guess... its Lew playing steel. |
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Fred Justice
From:
Mesa, Arizona
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Posted 14 Dec 2012 7:10 am
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Paul I have to agree with you, Its not John H. playing.
_________________
Email: azpedalman@gmail.com
Phone: 480-235-8797 |
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Bob Carlucci
From:
Candor, New York, USA
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Posted 14 Dec 2012 9:38 am
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I'll go with Pauls answer as well as Freds...
I a was unaware that Conway cut albums in that time frame [1968] with anyone other than John.. It did seem a bit atypical of Johns playing style, but I am just not that well versed on what he was doing that far back. I was all of 14 and was into the Doors at the time!.. In any case, that steel sound just knocks me out,,, bob
_________________
I'm over the hill and hittin'rocks on the way down!
no gear list for me.. you don't have the time...... |
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J R Rose
From:
Keota, Oklahoma, USA
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Posted 14 Dec 2012 10:14 am
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Hey Bob, I think that with more research you might find that Lew Houston started with Conway in OKC.
He was a great picker and never been giving the credit due. It has been discussed here before. J.R. |
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Buddy Castleberry
From:
HAWKINSVILLE GA USA - R.I.P.
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Posted 14 Dec 2012 10:33 am
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| after the jch john played the lagrandes then went to zums |
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Bob Carlucci
From:
Candor, New York, USA
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Posted 14 Dec 2012 2:41 pm
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I did some research and looked up old threads.. this guy was indeed a very impressive player, very unorthodox, and had a GREAT sound... Lew Houston has been gone for 10 years, but he has at least one new fan... Thanks for the education my friends.. bob
_________________
I'm over the hill and hittin'rocks on the way down!
no gear list for me.. you don't have the time...... |
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Jimmy Lewis
From:
Harrisonburg, Louisiana, USA
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Posted 14 Dec 2012 4:01 pm
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| Pete I think you and Paul are correct. John Hughey did not play with Conway until either around the very last part of the 50's or early 70's. I do have this on good information from Al (Puddler) Harris who was conways Piano player from 73 on and also his road manager until about 84. |
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Niels Andrews
From:
Salinas, California, USA
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Posted 14 Dec 2012 6:03 pm
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Whoever it was some awesome steel!
_________________
Die with Memories. Not Dreams.
Good Stuff like Zum S-12, Wolfe Resoport
MSA SS-12, Telonics Combo. |
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Niels Andrews
From:
Salinas, California, USA
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Posted 14 Dec 2012 6:03 pm
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Whoever it was some awesome steel!
_________________
Die with Memories. Not Dreams.
Good Stuff like Zum S-12, Wolfe Resoport
MSA SS-12, Telonics Combo. |
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Bill Dobkins
From:
Rolla Missouri, USA
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Posted 14 Dec 2012 9:43 pm
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For what is worth,I agree that don't sound like Hughey as I have studied his style for a long time. It does however sound a little like Mooney and It does sound like a Fender. What ever kind it is I believe it has a F lever. Maybe someone can tell us when the F lever was first used.
_________________
Custom Rittenberry SD10
Boss Katana 100 Amp
Positive Grid Spark amp
BJS Bars
Z~Legend Pro,Custom Tele
Honor our Vet's.
Now pass the gravy. |
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 14 Dec 2012 11:30 pm
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I'd always heard it was first RECORDED on D-I-V-O-R-C-E, in 67
EDIT: to borrow from the Firesign Theater, everything I knew was wrong
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects
Last edited by Lane Gray on 15 Dec 2012 6:06 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Joey Ace
From:
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
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Niels Andrews
From:
Salinas, California, USA
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Posted 15 Dec 2012 6:47 am
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All I know is my 1964 Fender 1000 doesn't have knee levers. Just two knecks with 8 pedals, but it has spent most of it's life as a door stop. Like to change that soon.
_________________
Die with Memories. Not Dreams.
Good Stuff like Zum S-12, Wolfe Resoport
MSA SS-12, Telonics Combo. |
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 15 Dec 2012 7:41 am
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Michael Yahl has been working on a contraption that allows for knee levers on them without drilling holes
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2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects |
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Chris Bauer
From:
Nashville, TN USA
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Posted 15 Dec 2012 8:35 am
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| It's interesting to me that we're always talking about p/p sound being "the thing" and yet there are lots of examples of playing you'd mistake for a p/p that isn't one. On the other hand, while I've heard Fenders sometimes sound like other guitars, there are some Fender sounds - this being one of them - that I don't recall ever being duplicated on another brand of steel. Do they have a more unique sound than we've given them credit for all these years? |
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Bob Carlucci
From:
Candor, New York, USA
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Posted 15 Dec 2012 9:00 am
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I am very familiar with the Fender sound.. I am on my 3rd cable Fender.. To my ears this cut sounded like an old Bud, but hey, they really weren't that far apart.. Bright ,clean, "old school" pedal steel sound...
Ralph Mooney had a fairly similar sound on both his Fender and Bud steels.. to my ringing ears anyway...
Even though I have owned several Fenders and Buds, I REALLY thought this one was a Bud.. my mistake... bob
_________________
I'm over the hill and hittin'rocks on the way down!
no gear list for me.. you don't have the time...... |
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John Billings
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 15 Dec 2012 2:02 pm
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"Bright ,clean, "old school" pedal steel sound... "
I love the sound. It's "bright." But it's not "clean" by any means. The "Tube sweetness" is there. |
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Bob Carlucci
From:
Candor, New York, USA
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Posted 16 Dec 2012 4:42 am
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I dunno.. sounds pretty clean to me....
_________________
I'm over the hill and hittin'rocks on the way down!
no gear list for me.. you don't have the time...... |
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