| Author |
Topic: How many Bigsby’s were made |
Gloria Baldwin
From:
California, USA
|
Posted 17 Apr 2021 12:44 am |
|
Does anyone know how many Bud Isaacs Bigsby’s were made?
Thank you |
|
|
 |
Chris Lucker
From:
Los Angeles, California USA
|
Posted 17 Apr 2021 10:16 am
|
|
One Bud Isaacs Bigsby was made.
Three have been sold as Bud Isaacs' Bigsby, but two were fakes. They were other Bigsbys misrepresented as the authentic guitar
"Smiling Jack" is the correct one.
_________________
Chris Lucker
Red Bellies, Bigsbys and a lot of other guitars. |
|
|
|
Rick Barnhart
From:
Arizona, USA
|
Posted 17 Apr 2021 12:20 pm
|
|
Thanks for that, Chris. I’ve never heard about the two faux Isaac’s Bigsbys. I’d love to hear the story of the “Smiling Jack†guitar, if you’re so inclined. 
_________________
Clinesmith consoles D-8/6 5 pedal, D-8 3 pedal & A25 Frypan, Pettingill Teardrop, & P8 Deluxe. |
|
|
|
Chris Lucker
From:
Los Angeles, California USA
|
Posted 17 Apr 2021 12:54 pm
|
|
The story, from Bud Isaacs himself, is in The Fretboard Journal, Number 26, Summer 2012, pp 94-103.
I am sure there are photos of Smiling Jack on the Forum. I don't honestly know if it still has Smiling Jack on the front apron. The Bigsby could be like the Joaquin Murphey T-8 where after fifty years in the hands of Marv Erickson, with Marv's name Factory inlaid in the front, it was returned to look like it did when JM owned and played the Bigsby, including a repro plaque on the front and the acorn knob.
One of the fake guitars had a high profile and the guy who was known for BS ended up coyly claiming he did not know how "BUD ISSIACS" or however the name was misspelled, got stamped under the guitar -- which was actually Ernie Ball's first Bigsby. This BS guy loved stamping "names" on the undersides of guitars. The other guitar is in Europe, or at least it was eleven years ago.
_________________
Chris Lucker
Red Bellies, Bigsbys and a lot of other guitars. |
|
|
|
Gloria Baldwin
From:
California, USA
|
Posted 17 Apr 2021 2:30 pm Bigsby
|
|
| Thank you very much for this information. |
|
|
|
Rick Barnhart
From:
Arizona, USA
|
Posted 17 Apr 2021 5:36 pm Re: Bigsby
|
|
| Gloria Baldwin wrote: |
| Thank you very much for this information. |
Ditto...thanks, Chris!
_________________
Clinesmith consoles D-8/6 5 pedal, D-8 3 pedal & A25 Frypan, Pettingill Teardrop, & P8 Deluxe. |
|
|
|
Gloria Baldwin
From:
California, USA
|
Posted 17 Apr 2021 7:03 pm Bigsby
|
|
Do you know how many Bigsby steel guitars Paul Bigsby made? It would probably only be known from word of mouth since he did not mass produce them. Anyone have an idea?
Thanks again... |
|
|
|
Norman Evans
From:
Tennessee
|
|
|
|
Chris Lucker
From:
Los Angeles, California USA
|
Posted 18 Apr 2021 4:36 pm
|
|
Norman, you should correct your post. That his not the Bud Isaacs Bigsby. To begin with there are three pedals, and an inlaid name has been patched over. I think that is Sonny Burnette, and I could be wrong, but is he playing the old Siebert Bigsby?
I think that is Walter Haynes playing his Bigsby with the plaque.
Buddy Emmons was actually Buddie Emmons then (and even Buddie in the 1964 Emmons brochure) , and before he threw away the skirt for his Bigsby, he had "Buddie Emmons" inlaid on the front. Below is a snapshot I found in a bunch of fan photos years ago.
Jimmy Day is playing Buddie Emmons' Bigsby. Not in this photo, obviously. I mean in the video linked in the post above.
_________________
Chris Lucker
Red Bellies, Bigsbys and a lot of other guitars.
Last edited by Chris Lucker on 19 Apr 2021 12:36 pm; edited 1 time in total |
|
|
|
Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
|
Posted 19 Apr 2021 6:48 am
|
|
 |
|
|
|
Ian Rae
From:
Redditch, England
|
Posted 19 Apr 2021 6:50 am
|
|
It amuses me how early pedal steels were screened off.
Was it to protect trade secrets?
I can't think of another instrument that's ever hidden the player's actions from the audience.
_________________
Make sleeping dogs tell the truth!
Homebuilt keyless U12 7x5, Excel keyless U12 8x8, Williams keyless U12 7x8, Telonics rack and 15" cabs |
|
|
|
Gloria Baldwin
From:
California, USA
|
Posted 19 Apr 2021 9:01 am Bigsby
|
|
Did any pro-players use the Multi-Kord behind country stars or for their own recordings?
I see a picture of a Multi-Kord on the album but that’s not a Multi-Kord that’s being played on the record. |
|
|
|
Chris Lucker
From:
Los Angeles, California USA
|
Posted 19 Apr 2021 9:32 am
|
|
| Ian Rae wrote: |
It amuses me how early pedal steels were screened off.
Was it to protect trade secrets?
I can't think of another instrument that's ever hidden the player's actions from the audience. |
I suspect the front panel, which some original Bigsby owners called a "cape," may have been to make the legs of the Bigsby more rigid so that it could be more easily wheeled on and off stage. In the beginning, Bigsbys usually had wheels on two legs.
There weren't that many Bigsbys made with these front panels. Buddie Emmons left his behind not long after getting the guitar because it was one more thing to carry and it did not have its own case. Marian Hall may have used hers as a vanity shield so she could play on stage wearing a dress?
_________________
Chris Lucker
Red Bellies, Bigsbys and a lot of other guitars. |
|
|
|
Norman Evans
From:
Tennessee
|
|
|
|
Chris Lucker
From:
Los Angeles, California USA
|
Posted 19 Apr 2021 12:41 pm
|
|
Norman, to find videos of Bud Isaacs playing his Bigsby, watch Red Foley's TV show the Ozark Jubilee. There are countless episodes on the Internet. Bud Isaacs may be seen in the band stage-left. Don Davis and other steel players sat in that place as well. Hank Garland sat stage-right playing his double neck Bigsby.
_________________
Chris Lucker
Red Bellies, Bigsbys and a lot of other guitars. |
|
|
|
