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Topic: Eric West's Pro III |
Chris Forbes
From:
Beltsville, MD, USA
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Posted 24 Dec 2004 7:44 am |
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| Mr. West, I was telling someone about your whipped Pro III that's been through the wringer and still standing. If you have the time, would you be kind enough to post pictures so I can show it to him? Thanks and Merry Christmas to you. Oh, and by the way, you had sent me an e-mail asking for some info and I sent it to you, did you get it? |
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Eric West
From:
Portland, Oregon, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 24 Dec 2004 11:13 am
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Well Chris. I didn't get it. Probably due to the meat eating, Dipshit Rejecting, Spam filter that I have been trying to get a leash on. If it says "Info you requested", " A Hot Local Match" " Your **** is too small" or "Update your Citibank account", I won't get it. If you would be so kind as to send it again, I will Whitelist the email address in your profile. Definitely.
Here are some pictures of the old girl. Bought off the rack in 78 at Oxon Hill Music for 600 GI dollars. The laquer went away in 1980, and the black fretboards became unreadable around the turn of the century and got painted white.. It hasn't been in a case for 20 years.
Some of the pictures show the "cabinet bow" from a weekend at a hot county fair in the sun, and god only knows what else shows up..
The leather between the fretboards would still show signs of god knows what we snorted off it on that crazy summer doing county fairs.....
The picture of the "Professional" with the HCSDs and the new caddy emblem, ( computer aided) and the Marrs rebuild are an approximation of what I hope my Marrs Retrofit looks like. It will have white JW Pickups, and a White fretboard. The knife handles will not be in the plans unless they break off as easily as the cast aluminum SB ones. (That's a Regal™ pattern on the LKR and a Twinkle™ on the LKL)
God, Duane, and Jeff willing, I'll have it soon.
I'll find a way to post pictures of it in EVERY category, locks or not...
Merry Xmas, and give my Regards to Mr Charleton, and again relay my thanks for all the hours of low paid torture he went through on my account. It fed me a good long time, and pays a lot of my bills.
Here you go.
Thanks for asking.
Not fit to burn?
I dunno. A couple new brass swivels, and a little elmers glue and a new coat of Varathane™, and it'll outlive me..
Merry Xmas.
Eric West.
More on next post.
 [This message was edited by Eric West on 24 December 2004 at 11:37 AM.] |
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Eric West
From:
Portland, Oregon, USA, R.I.P.
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Chris Forbes
From:
Beltsville, MD, USA
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Posted 25 Dec 2004 6:08 am
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| Now THAT'S a steel, woooooooooo doggy!! Do my eyes deceive me? Is that part of a knife as knee lever!?!?!? That's GREAT!!!! I'll resend that info, the e-mail will say it's coming from "John Scott", that's my e-mail alias. I'll try to make the heading real obvious so you know what it's about. I believe I'm about due for another lesson from Mr. C within a couple of months, I'll be more than happy to send your regards. Since you spent so much time with him, I'm assuming you know "the look." If he catches me goofy around, he puts his bar down, leans back, crosses his arms, and lets me have it with both eyes!! Then you KNOW you're in trouble!! LOL!!!!!!!!! Merry Christmas to you Eric, may your new year be safe,healthy, and happy. (edited for pathetic usage of English language) [This message was edited by Chris Forbes on 25 December 2004 at 06:09 AM.] [This message was edited by Chris Forbes on 25 December 2004 at 06:12 AM.] |
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Damir Besic
From:
Nashville,TN.
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Posted 25 Dec 2004 8:45 am
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LOL, well,that is what I call a working guitar.I bet that instrument made a lot of cash for you and paid itself of many times over again.great pics.Thanks Eric.
Db
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"Promat"
~when tone matters~
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Eric West
From:
Portland, Oregon, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 25 Dec 2004 11:05 am
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Chris.
Yep. "The Look". I described it as a "kindly worried look", and if you'd REALLY had it, the picks would come off too and he'd cock his head to one side.
You knew you were doing OK if he started playing bass along with you on his C6th neck.
Some of the stuff like "Almost to Tulsa", or the Great Stream, I'd have learned the runs exactly note for note, and have NO IDEA how the notes were supposed to fall in the measure. More than once, I still didn't, but it sounded good to him.
There are two C6 ones, Rhodes Bud Boogie, and Twelve Midnite, that I to this day can't play as clean as I should. I keep trying, and after a quarter century I STILL see him putting that bar on end and crossing his legs. I no longer sweat buckets though. I think he thought I was having a heart attack sometimes...
He's probably still got a look that looks straight through you, and his only gleeful puzzlement seems to be that MAYBE he'll hear some excuse, line of crap, or other superfluity he hasn't heard before. All of it with the gentlest, and kindest nature, which tops it all off for me as being "The Best". That, and I know what he can play.
His frustration with me was my left hand, and at the time, I wasn't "getting it out on the bandstand". I practiced 8+ hours a day as I skated all my military duties, but never put the stuff "up" until later. Much of it was lost in a decade of fighting moose lodge, and flaky cover bands. Lots of it, I played better then, than I do now.
I never changed from his original "pinky under" blocking when he started using the ring finger like BE did. I just "humored him" at the lessons. I did however start using the D on the top of the C6 neck.
Oh well. I still have tapes, and a memory of a much younger BC sitting there with that "kindly worried look". One thing's for sure, the man has spawned more music than anybody will probably ever know, all quietly, kindly, and for damn little money considering...
I suppose if he read this, he would rather not be talked or written much about, so I probably shouldn't. I do owe him a lot, but not quite that much...
After all these years, I don't think he ever liked my attitude, or anything about me. (what's not to like?) Not that he ever expressed any dislike. I could only get him to play bass lines along with me and smile, with my [i[playing[/i].
Oh yes, those are knife handles. They flexed instead of snapping off like the stockers. They didn't last any longer than my case, or the laquer.
Damir. I took out all the old calendars I could find, and put together close to three thousand gigs. All with that guitar. If I put together all my "you know what" records, I think I've paid a hundred grand or so over the years for rebuying it, and repairs and maintenance.. ( he he he....). I bought a lot of groceries and paid a lot of rent, not to mention paying the gas bill for cars I lived in.
I hope my Marrs has an easier life, and more time in the ATA case I bought for it, at least in transit. One doesn't know the future however, and you're only as good as your last gig. Mine wasn't too bad... We'll see how NYE goes..
Oh, and Chris.
Maybe you or somebody can post the copedant of Mr C's Zum. I see a couple vertical knee levers and would like to know what they do.
Anyhow, thanks for asking, and here's hoping for another good year for all of us.
God Bless us Every One..
EJL[This message was edited by Eric West on 25 December 2004 at 11:11 AM.] |
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Chris Forbes
From:
Beltsville, MD, USA
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Posted 26 Dec 2004 5:52 am
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| Eric, I dropped an e-mail to a couple of friends who are regular students of Mr. C. One got back to me saying the E9 neck is the basic Emmons set up. Still waiting on word to see what goodies he has on the back neck. |
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Gary Lee Gimble
From:
Fredericksburg, VA.
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Posted 26 Dec 2004 7:39 am
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| He use to have on one of his all pull guitars a split tuning on string # 6, E9 and he knew how to use well too!! |
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Eric West
From:
Portland, Oregon, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 26 Dec 2004 9:59 am
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Heres the pic that sparked my curiosity.
I'm seeing two verts on the picture I found on ER's site. One on each neck. Looks like another one somewhere in there too.
I'll bet he's experimented with Mr E's new setup, as he would do that when he'd learn about new things that he was doing.
TIA.
EJL |
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Chris Forbes
From:
Beltsville, MD, USA
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Posted 26 Dec 2004 10:51 am
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| Eric, if you found that picture on Ernie Renn's site, go back and look at the picture right above it. That's my tattoo'd right arm you'll see over his left shoulder, I think at the time I was weeping cause I knew that I'd never play anywhere as pretty as Mr. Charleton. Sigh, such is my fate to be a miserable hack of a musician. |
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Gary Lee Gimble
From:
Fredericksburg, VA.
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Posted 26 Dec 2004 10:55 am
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| His vertical lowers 5 & 10 on E9 |
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Eric West
From:
Portland, Oregon, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 26 Dec 2004 11:51 am
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Chris. Don't feel bad, and I'm sure your "hackdom" is severely overblown.. There aren't more than a couple people he doesn't make feel that way.. With the utmost kindliness.
Gary Lee. To Bb, or A?
I'd sure like to find the album Twelve Midnite he did with Sid Hudson. I've got the flute duet one, with the chicken on the front, and the #6 SG club one.
EJL |
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Chris Forbes
From:
Beltsville, MD, USA
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Posted 28 Dec 2004 3:55 am
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| I would assume a 1/2 step. |
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