Buddy Merrill on Laurence Welk 1956 Quad neck

Guy Cundell · Post by **Guy Cundell** » 15 Apr 2009 12:58 pm

Has this been posted before?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHGpPr2xXG4

This channel is a great archive of historical video.
http://www.youtube.com/user/tvcollector71

Ray Montee · Post by **Ray Montee** » 15 Apr 2009 1:41 pm

THANKS for posting this clip.

I'm far more impressed with Buddys' playing after seeing this item than I have been previously. When he dropped down onto the #2 neck, I was almost convinced it was Speedy West, insofar as tone and technique is concerned.

He played the tune in the fashion that Noel Boggs used to play, jumping from neck to neck, seamlessly and with expertise.

Thanks for this all too brief joyful experience.

Billy Tonnesen · Post by **Billy Tonnesen** » 15 Apr 2009 1:50 pm

I'm pretty sure "Steelin Home" was written by Noel Boggs and first recorded with Spade Cooley.

Buddy's method of leaving all necks on at once and moving seamlessly between necks is the way I played for years both with multiple neck non pedal guitars and with two neck pedal guitars. Whatever necks you play consider the guitar as one big tuning and play on the necks that fit what you are wanting to play or whatever fills are appropriate.

On several occasions when Buddy was playing Steel with the Danny Michaels band, Danny would take off for some reason and call me in to play Steel. Buddy would then fill in for Danny on Lead. It was so great playing with Buddy as he knew exactly what I was playing and gave me the proper support on Lead.

Bill Quinn · Post by **Bill Quinn** » 15 Apr 2009 1:58 pm

WOW..thanks for posting this. I like those close up shots. He sure has some fat strings on that outer neck. Wonder why he covered the "Fender" front decal? Also love how Lawrence introduces the "Steel Kitar"!

Billy Tonnesen · Post by **Billy Tonnesen** » 15 Apr 2009 2:05 pm

The outer neck was considered a "Bass Tuning" which was first developed by Noel Boggs. It was primarily for special effects and not used extensively.

Hey, Ray Montee, you beat me to the first post by nine minutes. Regards, BT

Earnest Bovine · Post by **Earnest Bovine** » 15 Apr 2009 2:20 pm

Hmmm, outer neck is apparently B6, an octave below the B6 of the second neck. Third neck is E flat 13th with a G on top. I suspect that normally he would play it in E, but tuned the 3 necks down a half step from C6 and E13 so the band could play this tune in E flat. On the other hand that is weird because surely these guys could read in E. Maybe they actually were in E, but audio is down a half step.

Gerald Ross · Post by **Gerald Ross** » 15 Apr 2009 2:46 pm

In addition to the great performance, I'm impressed with the guitar itself.

The volume and tone were identical on all the necks.

John Bushouse · Post by **John Bushouse** » 16 Apr 2009 4:34 am

Silly question - which way are the necks numbered - player to audience, or audience to player?

Kind of like strings - nose to toes or vice versa?

David Wright · Post by **David Wright** » 16 Apr 2009 5:41 am

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-OuE-LM ... re=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbuWnDk7 ... re=related

Wally Pfeifer · Post by **Wally Pfeifer** » 16 Apr 2009 11:26 am

"Wunnaful! Wunnaful ! that was Buddy on the steel cutar".
Why is there no name plate/decal on the front of that cutar? No free advertising allowed??

Ron Simpson · Post by **Ron Simpson** » 16 Apr 2009 12:12 pm

Thanks for posting that video. I've always wondered what a set of those bass strings on the fourth neck might have sounded like.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 16 Apr 2009 12:26 pm

That Stringmaster cuts like a knife! What a sound. And he was probably playing through a tube amp. IMO that's a Way better tone than his later, more "advanced" pedal steel guitars and solid state amps. So much for progress.

Doug Freeman · Post by **Doug Freeman** » 16 Apr 2009 2:22 pm

Hoo-wee, whatta sound! And who exactly made that guitar? Looks like someone made him cover up the Fender decal.

Don Kona Woods · Post by **Don Kona Woods** » 16 Apr 2009 11:02 pm

Buddy Merrill on Steel Guitar Playing Paradise Isle in C# minor tuning

I did not like the organ in the background.

Aloha,

Don

Bill Hatcher · Post by **Bill Hatcher** » 17 Apr 2009 3:51 am

Don Kona Woods wrote: Buddy Merrill on Steel Guitar Playing Paradise Isle in C# minor tuning

I did not like the organ in the background.

Aloha,
Don

In the 50s that would have been considered a VERY "wunnerful" and innovative sound. There were many records out then by artists like Jessie Crawford and others that were organ records that the public bought in droves. Also Bob Ralston who was one of the later Welk keyboardist had a sponsership with the Thomas organ company on the show. The organ sound was just one of Welks signature sounds. When I heard the organ playing behind Merrill it was not a question to me of whether I liked it or not. It was just a part of the sound in that era.

I worked some with the Lawrence Welk orchestra playing guitar when they traveled around the country doing concerts in the 80s. Myron Floren conducted and many of the original musicians played. Those guys were incredible musicians and the charts were very challenging to read.

Scott Thomas · Post by **Scott Thomas** » 17 Apr 2009 9:32 am

Doug Beaumier wrote:IMO that's a Way better tone than his later, more "advanced" pedal steel guitars and solid state amps. So much for progress.

My thoughts exactly. Before this, I had only seen the clips on pedal steel (i.e. Hawaiian War Chant)--which I agree, tone-wise pales in comparison. I wish he had stuck with the Stringmaster, especially for their Hawaii show.

Clyde Mattocks · Post by **Clyde Mattocks** » 17 Apr 2009 11:01 am

Kenny Dail called it to my attention that Buddy seems to be wearing plastic finger picks. That's what it looks like on the index finger. The middle finger is curled under too much to see. Just a little trivia. The clip is great!

Ron Whitfield · Post by **Ron Whitfield** » 17 Apr 2009 12:18 pm

Don Kona Woods wrote:I did not like the organ in the background.

It should have been more up front?

Wally Pfeifer · Post by **Wally Pfeifer** » 17 Apr 2009 2:59 pm

This discussion of steel guitar with organ has prompted me to ask,- does anyone know of any Hawaiian records that were made with steel guitar and vibes? I have a few odds and ends of steel guitar and vibes or marimbas but nothing exclusive. I can imagine recordings with Jerry Byrd and Arthur Lyman or Martin Denny but it never happened.

Jerry told me that he had suggested to Arthur that they should make a record together but that Arthur never seemed interested. So it never happened. Too bad ! It could have/would have been fabulous.
Any steel guitar and vibes records out there??
Steel guitar & organ,---no thanks.

Bill Cunningham · Post by **Bill Cunningham** » 17 Apr 2009 6:16 pm

I did not like the organ in the background.

I didn't particularly like the organ either. BUT, it did remind me of an old Noel Boggs LP I have somewhere that has the same organ sound all over it. AND, Neil Lavang is playing guitar on that particular Noel Boggs LP. Maybe a connection????

Scott Thomas · Post by **Scott Thomas** » 17 Apr 2009 6:35 pm

Wally Pfeifer wrote:This discussion of steel guitar with organ has prompted me to ask,- does anyone know of any Hawaiian records that were made with steel guitar and vibes?

Jules Ah See on steel with vibes added over. Nice cover too..keep your eyes on the hands, indeed!

http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/mus ... Guitar.htm

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 17 Apr 2009 8:47 pm

Nice cover too..keep your eyes on the hands, indeed!

Yes... Pure artistry!

Erik van Beek · Post by **Erik van Beek** » 18 Apr 2009 12:48 am

Wally: There is a recent album with DJ Bonebrake and Jeremy Wakefield doing some great jazz stuff together. You can listen to it here: http://rapidshare.com/files/119516078/T ... Strain.rar and if you like it, don't forget to buy it from these struggling mucsicians

Jon Nygren · Post by **Jon Nygren** » 18 Apr 2009 5:14 am

Cool video! Lots of left hand blocking- was this a method taught by some of the hawaiian guitar teachers back in the day?

Tom Gray · Post by **Tom Gray** » 18 Apr 2009 8:51 am

I've never seen that bar bouncing trick before, but notice nobody else has commented on it. Was that a common effect at the time?

The Steel Guitar Forum

Buddy Merrill on Laurence Welk 1956 Quad neck

Buddy Merrill on Laurence Welk 1956 Quad neck

Great performance...............

Buddy & Lawrence

Steel guitar & Organ

Re: Steel guitar & Organ