Harlin Brothers - Multi-Kord Pedal Steel Guitar Recordings

Dave Sichak · From: California, USA

Good evening folks,

By way of introduction, I normally hang around the hillbilly music group on Yahoo and maintain my own web site at hillbilly-music.com. But I am a long time steel guitar fan, having bought an old Fender 8-string hawaiian electric steel guitar and taught myself to play it using a Mel Bay instruction book and later, after I blew out my amps, got me a dobro.

Having said that, I recently came into some interesting material from the Harlin brothers of Indianapolis, Indiana. A catalog of their guitars and an advertising flyer. The pedal steel I see in those pictures is quite different than what I'm familiar with. Here's the posting I originally made on Yahoo, but in retrospect, if I'm going to get information about steel guitars - I should go to the real source.

"I recently came into an advertising flyer for the Harlin Bros. Multi-Kord Pedal Steel Guitar along with a catalog for the same guitar. There's quite a few pictures of folks that played that guitar. The most prominent one that I can tell is Alvino Rey.

The pictures indicate a bit of a different type of pedal steel guitar than we see today. The company seems to have been based out of Indianapolis, Indiana.

Back in those days (whenever that was), they said it sold for $198.

I did a quick search on eBay and there's about three auctions for such guitars.

Does anyone know any details about these guitars? Are there any recordings that we could hear what these steel guitars sounded like?

Thanks folks! If I had to describe the style of my steel guitar playing on my dobro lately - it would be Jerry Byrd with Brother Oswald and Little Roy Wiggins touches.

And while I'm on the subject of steel guitars, I had the pleasure of talking with Hawkshaw Hawkins' steel guitar player, Jiggs Lemley a couple years ago...

Cheers,
Dave
http://www.hillbilly-music.com

Jim Sliff · From: Lawndale California, USA

I have one (soon to be for sale).

They are not like modern steels at all. They are "chord changers" - basically the pedals have a long travel and take you to a different chord, essentially giving you multiple lap steels.

The changers are excellent and very versatile, but they're built like a cheap card table. Some sound thin, but mine, for some reason, has a big, meaty tone.

If you play lap steel in different tunings they're probably a good investment. If you want to play "normal" pedal steel, stay FAR away!
_________________
No chops, but great tone
1930's/40's Rickenbacher/Rickenbacker 6&8 string lap steels
1921 Weissenborn Style 2; Hilo&Schireson hollownecks
Appalachian, Regal & Dobro squarenecks
1959 Fender 400 9+2 B6;1960's Fender 800 3+3+2; 1948 Fender Dual-8 Professional

ROBERT MYERS · From: HEDGESVILLE, W.VA. USA

Are there any this color in the catalog? this is for sale also.
_________________
Bob Myers Pedalmaster Classic 8 & 7 Profex2 Peavey M7000 Power Amp 2 15in speakers Nashville 400 Digitech RP 100 67 Fender Duo-sonic 69 Fender Mustang

Jim Sliff · From: Lawndale California, USA

I've seen that color a couple of times. Multi-Kord was big on "Zolatone" paint-fleck type finishes, and colors seem to run the gamut. I've seen innumerable variations.
_________________
No chops, but great tone
1930's/40's Rickenbacher/Rickenbacker 6&8 string lap steels
1921 Weissenborn Style 2; Hilo&Schireson hollownecks
Appalachian, Regal & Dobro squarenecks
1959 Fender 400 9+2 B6;1960's Fender 800 3+3+2; 1948 Fender Dual-8 Professional

David LeBlanc · From: New Brunswick, Canada

Dave,I agree with everything said about multi-cord.Althought limited,you can do all kinds of stuff with it.I play(try to play)dobro and had my Muti-cord set up with a G tuning .I could do some "cheap" Hank Williams stuff on it and had a blast.But I was after the real Pedal Steel sound you hear on records today and had to sell it to finace my Sho-bud Maverick ,that turned into a Linkon steel and now a MSA classic.If you want to play with what you know and like different sounds,go for one.If youre looking for the Pedal Steel sound,you won`t get it with a Multi-cord. P.S. Some day I`ll get another Multi-cord Very Happy

Dave Sichak · From: California, USA

Hi Folks,

Thanks for the input. Now the curiosity in me wants to know whether there are any recordings where one can hear this instrument being used, whether on a solo steel guitar record or just as part of the backup band behind the singer(s).

I admit - I'm biased a bit towards the old country recordings that had good steel guitar instrumental breaks on them.

Also, the catalog I have is done entirely in black and white.

I'm not really looking to buy one, but am curious to hear what it sounds / sounded like. And I wonder if Alvino Rey actually used it or was just a friend who posed for a couple of photos for them.

Cheers,
Dave
http://www.hillbilly-music.com

Eddie Cunningham · From: Massachusetts, USA

I have an old 78 rpm record by "Happy Perryman" ( a sort of Western Swing Band ) done back in the mid 40s and I just found out recently that a Dick Roberts played Multi-Kord on those songs ! Was VERY GOOD playing , (sort of chords), and I thought the sound was VERY GOOD !! That is the only "Multi K " on record that I know about . I never saw Alvino Rey play a Multi-Kord ?? but maybe he did ?? There may be other recordings .?? Eddie "C" ( the old non-pedal geezer )

Jim Mitchell · From: Phily,Pennsylvania, USA

I just got my Multi Kord in Setember of 2007 $500.00
in a pawn shop
I am 60 now been playing guitar since I was 13 just like a chalange

I am now learning on my RONDO lap steel to get the moves

I can now see there is a lot you can and can not do
with the chord changer

But I got lots of years left

MY SITE FREE TAB
http://www.geocities.com/insp/SUPRO6420.html
_________________
I am trying to play a Harlin Brothers 1956 Multi Kord 6 String 4 Pedal Steel Guitar
and a RONDO lap
Retired from Boeing Helicopters in Ridley Park Pa.
we build the CH47

Willis Vanderberg · From: Petoskey Mi

My good friend, the late Gene Mears could play an eight string Multi-Kord and get the " Mooney " sound down to a T. We used to do the old Buck Owens songs and he would really nail it. It required both feet on the pedals and you worked the volume knob with the little finger on the right hand.He grew up in Indianapolis and knew the Harlans well.
Having played one myself in the fifties I wouldn't recommend this to try and learn on.
I really believe you need at least three pedals and four knees to learn properly. Guitars such as
" Little Buddy's " and Sho-Bud Mavericks are not good learning tools in my opinion. This is a very difficult instrument to learn and you don't need equipment problems on top of everything else. Very few Master the pedal steel..
Of course this is my opinion after sixty plus years of trying to play them..Maybe if I had one guitar instead of eight it might be easier...

Old Bud
PS: Beware of G.A.S. it can be a serious problem...

Danny James · From: Summerfield Florida USA

I knew all the Harlin Bros. Herb, Jay, Jimmy, Wynn, & George. Jay Harlin was the first person to ever patent a pedal steel guitar. They are all passed away now. They were very close and had their own Hawaiian band.

There guitars were advertised as Hawaiian guitars as opposed to country steels.

I took lessons there in Indianapolis at an early age and was a student teacher for a couple of years.

They had a picture in their store of Alvino Rey sitting behind a Multi-Kord. I don't know if he ever owned one or not.

If you want to hear one you can go to the HSGA website. (Hawaiian Steel Guitar Assoc.) then click on Music then go to members audio page. All the way to the bottom and I have a few songs there.

Not a very good recording but at least you can hear it. It was done on a karaoke tape recorder. Smile

Danny

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

All times are GMT - 8 Hours	Jump to: