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Post new topic Well worn BIGSBY
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Author Topic:  Well worn BIGSBY
Ray Montee


From:
Portland, Oregon (deceased)
Post  Posted 10 Nov 2006 12:31 pm    
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CHUCK GILLETTE.........

His triple-8 BIGSBY showed up at a recent steel guitar jam.

Anyone know of him? How about you Bobbee, Mr. Garrett or anyone else?

The fellow was playing thro' an olde 4 x 10 Fender bassman. The covering on the amp was litterally shredded, it was so old.

But the picker wanted a vintage sound and he sure 'nuff had it!
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Chris Lucker

 

From:
Los Angeles, California USA
Post  Posted 10 Nov 2006 3:08 pm    
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Was that Russ Blake playing that cherry woood guitar? Great guy.

Does anyone know of any other Bigsbys made of cherry instead of maple? Any other woods?

Chris
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chas smith R.I.P.


From:
Encino, CA, USA
Post  Posted 10 Nov 2006 5:42 pm    
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I think Ernie Ball's was cherry.
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Paul Warnik

 

From:
Illinois,USA
Post  Posted 10 Nov 2006 10:00 pm    
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Ray,Chas, and Chris-My Bigsby Buddies Ernie Ball's second Bigsby was a single ten made of cherry wood-I have a picture of Ernie playing it (which he sent me before he passed away) It is a late 50's or early 60's model with metal fretboard-Two interesting things about it-First is that besides the changer bridge with fingers it also has the earlier "plungers" in the headstock as well-Secondly is something that Ernie himself told me-When Ernie took delivery of the finished guitar from Paul in person-Ernie began to tune up and play the guitar at which time he immediately noticed that it detuned very badly-He said with this unsatisfactory discovery "Paul began to sweat" Ernie said Bigsby then grabbed a metal rod cut it to length and then mounted it under the guitar as a "stiffener"-This miraculously solved all or most of the detuning problem and he accepted the guitar-It all makes me think that perhaps cherry wood is not the best to use for a pedal steel and he should have stuck with the maple

[This message was edited by PAUL WARNIK on 11 November 2006 at 12:34 AM.]

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Nathan Hernandez

 

From:
Riverside, California, USA
Post  Posted 11 Nov 2006 3:35 pm    
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That was indeed Rusty Blake and the non-maple Bigsby. This guitar is truley a prize!!!!!
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Mike Black

 

From:
New Mexico, USA
Post  Posted 13 Nov 2006 5:44 am    
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xxx

Last edited by Mike Black on 12 May 2011 2:20 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Lee Jeffriess

 

From:
Vallejo California
Post  Posted 13 Nov 2006 4:36 pm    
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I think it was maple and, walnut.
Lee
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Tim Kauffroath

 

From:
Pennsylvania, USA
Post  Posted 16 Nov 2006 5:22 am    
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Hi Ray! Great to hear that Chuck's Bigsby finally surfaced - I sat in his studio in Tucson Az. hour after hour amazed at his playing. Shortly after I got my ZB D-11 in 1971 or 72 Chuck succumbed to 10 string fever and traded his Bigsby on a Sho-Bud. I was about sick then since I'd burned all my money on the ZB -He would have let me have the Bigsby for $500.00 if I recall.

Interestingly enough, Chuck always played it through an old Fender Bassman 4x10 -maybe that's his too.

Chuck played a lot out on the west coast and backed up Webb Pierce and others but also played a lot with Merle Travis -Chuck could tear up that bigsby playing Merles' tunes in his style.

I'd love to have a picture of Chucks guitar if you ever get one. heck what am I saying, I'd love to have his guitar!
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Ray Montee


From:
Portland, Oregon (deceased)
Post  Posted 16 Nov 2006 9:05 pm    
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Hi TIM!
I'll attempt to pass along your words to the current owner.
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