Was Ralph Mooney's front neck Standard C6?

Ed Boyd · From: Illinois, USA

Watching Ralph play Lonesome Onry and Mean. I wouldn't have guess it was done on C6. Mostly because it sounds really Country to me and not Jazzy or Western Swing like. I figured it was on the front neck. Ralph plays it on the C6 neck.

Does anyone know if Ralph played a standard D10 setup?

Jon Light · From: Saugerties, NY

No. His rear neck was his (variant on) E9 .

I've read differing accounts but one account is that his second neck was just a duplication of the first (spare neck).

David Nugent · From: Gum Spring, Va.

According to an interview with Ralph that was conducted some time ago; he was not certain of his tuning on the front neck as he "rarely used it". His copedant at that time listed five pedals and one knee lever working the rear (E9) neck. He routinely employed both feet on the pedals which may also have given the impression that he was playing in the C6 tuning..He stated that he would have the pickups on his guitars rewound to the same specs as found on his Fender steel which I assume allowed him to maintain that distinctive Mooney tone.

Ed Boyd · From: Illinois, USA

Thanks! That makes sense. I'm watching Ralph play this and it sounds like E9 and it was messing with my mind.

scott murray · From: Asheville, NC

Ralph didn't play a standard E9 tuning, but it was pretty close.

I thought his other neck was tuned like a dobro with only 6 strings and no pedals or levers.
_________________
1965 Emmons S-10, 3x5 • Emmons LLIII D-10, 10x12 • JCH D-10, 10x12 • Beard MA-8 • Oahu Tonemaster

Joerg Hennig · From: Bavaria, Germany

Ralph mostly played the back neck, C6th for most of us, but his was basically a version of E9th with no chromatic strings and just one change per pedal, which probably evolved out of his early tuning from the '50s.

Here is a rare example of Ralph playing the front neck:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILhZlXrV7bQ

I've read before that his front neck was tuned like a dobro but this seems pretty mind-boggling. I haven't been able to figure it out yet.

Clyde Mattocks · From: Kinston, North Carolina, USA

In the above video, it is definitely a G based tuning as you can see him playing dobro type open string licks on the top neck. The song is in G.
_________________
LeGrande II, Nash. 112, Fender Twin Tone Master, Session 400, Harlow Dobro, R.Q.Jones Dobro

Jim Reynolds · From: Franklin, Pa 16323

Tom Bradshaw could tell us his exact tuning, I'm sure. If we asked.
_________________
Zum U-12, Carter SDU-12, Zum Encore, Emmons S-10, Emmons D-10, Nashville 400, Two Peavey Nashville 112, Boss Katana 100, Ibanez DD700, Almost every Lesson Jeff Newman sold. Washburn Special Edition Guitar, Can never have enough, even at 80. 1963 Original Hofner Bass bought in Germany 1963, and a 1973 Framus Bass also bought in Germany 1974.

Tony Dingus · From: Kingsport, Tennessee, USA

Robby Turner might know too. I like it.

Tony

John Haspert · From: Illinois, USA

You might contact GFI as I think they have the Moon's guitar.
_________________
Pedal Steel Guitar is "Music from Heaven"

Jay Yuskaitis · From: Massachusetts, USA

Ralph Mooney played a modified Fender Pedal guitar during his heyday with Buck Owens, Wynn Stewart, Johnny and Joanie, Bonnie, James Burton and many others that allude my memory today. Jay Y.

Jim Reynolds · From: Franklin, Pa 16323

It would be very interesting, if Tom Bradshaw, would just pop in and tell us. I'm sure he would know. From the write up, he did on Ralph, he would have too.
_________________
Zum U-12, Carter SDU-12, Zum Encore, Emmons S-10, Emmons D-10, Nashville 400, Two Peavey Nashville 112, Boss Katana 100, Ibanez DD700, Almost every Lesson Jeff Newman sold. Washburn Special Edition Guitar, Can never have enough, even at 80. 1963 Original Hofner Bass bought in Germany 1963, and a 1973 Framus Bass also bought in Germany 1974.

Jerry Overstreet · From: Louisville Ky

In the old Steel Guitarist Magazine, issue from 1980 I think, in the Ralph Mooney Story interview states that the front neck is a G dobro tuning that he rarely uses with no further explanation.

When asked about his main tuning, Ralph states he doesn't know one note from another. His copedent is listed in the article and has been discussed here many times.

Dave Zirbel has posted Mooney's tuning several times here if you'd like to do a search.

A plug for those Steel Guitarist magazines, there is a lot of valuable information and reading in those slick pages even though they are several years old. Should be a part of every steel guitar picker's library IMO.

You can buy the entire 6/7 issues for small bucks from Tom Bradshaw or right here from b0b's store.

Jim Reynolds · From: Franklin, Pa 16323

Jerry, I don't have them all, but got copies of everyone that Tom had, a couple moths ago. I have really enjoyed them. Your right they should be.
_________________
Zum U-12, Carter SDU-12, Zum Encore, Emmons S-10, Emmons D-10, Nashville 400, Two Peavey Nashville 112, Boss Katana 100, Ibanez DD700, Almost every Lesson Jeff Newman sold. Washburn Special Edition Guitar, Can never have enough, even at 80. 1963 Original Hofner Bass bought in Germany 1963, and a 1973 Framus Bass also bought in Germany 1974.

Roger Guyett · From: San Francisco, Ca.

here's Ralph's coped for his 10 string E9 setup (written up by him I believe when he was playing a GFI)

here's his earlier 8 string coped

Jim Reynolds · From: Franklin, Pa 16323

This is great. WOW!
_________________
Zum U-12, Carter SDU-12, Zum Encore, Emmons S-10, Emmons D-10, Nashville 400, Two Peavey Nashville 112, Boss Katana 100, Ibanez DD700, Almost every Lesson Jeff Newman sold. Washburn Special Edition Guitar, Can never have enough, even at 80. 1963 Original Hofner Bass bought in Germany 1963, and a 1973 Framus Bass also bought in Germany 1974.

Ed Boyd · From: Illinois, USA

Wow! Thanks everyone.

Martin Johannesson · From: Sweden

I met Ralph when he was with Waylon in Stockholm, Sweden 1983 and got to try his guitar at the soundcheck. The front neck was a G based tuning for sure. No pedals hooked up to it from what I recall. It was a great concert by the way and so was Ralphs playing. What a nice humble man he was. Rest in peace!

Jerry Erickson · From: Atlanta,IL 61723

Nice moon inlay on the front of his Bud!

Frank Leppert · From: Portugal

same year, October 5th 1983, Berlin, Deutschlandhalle, same shirt?

Ned McIntosh · From: New South Wales, Australia

I'm pretty sure Winnie WInstons's book "Pedal Steel Guitar" listed Ralph's copedant in the back with a lot of other players of the day.
_________________
The steel guitar is a hard mistress. She will obsess you, bemuse and bewitch you. She will dash your hopes on what seems to be whim, only to tease you into renewing the relationship once more so she can do it to you all over again...and yet, if you somehow manage to touch her in that certain magic way, she will yield up a sound which has so much soul, raw emotion and heartfelt depth to it that she will pierce you to the very core of your being.

Mike Vallandigham · From: Martinez, CA

Forum Index > Pedal Steel		Next oldest topic :: Next newest topic