Jimmy Day's "Blue Darlin"

Adam Goodale · Post by **Adam Goodale** » 21 May 2010 4:39 pm

I know he had 2 Mullen steels built for him that he used in the 90's. Last i heard his wife Marilyn wasn't doing so well and was in a nursing home... Does anyone know what happened to his steels though? I know he gave some sho-buds to David Zettner. any information is greatly appreciated. Thanks folks! - Adam

Bud Harger · Post by **Bud Harger** » 22 May 2010 7:00 am

I don't know where the guitars are...but, I've been wondering where David Z is now. In the late 60's and early 70's, he was playing in and around Bandera, Texas. At around that time he was playing the "original" Blue Darlin'.

I've wondered what happened to him and I wrote Bobbe Seymour asking about him last week. Coincidence?

Thanks,

bUd

Craig A Davidson · Post by **Craig A Davidson** » 22 May 2010 8:25 am

I was told not too long ago that the Mullen Blue Darlin' is in Arkansas somewhere. I have also been told that Lynn Owsley has the last Super Pro Darlin' of Jimmy's.

Sonny Jenkins · Post by **Sonny Jenkins** » 22 May 2010 8:32 am

Bud,,,I'm sorry to say that David died 3-4 years ago. He was living around Dripping Springs or Spicewood in one of Willie's houses I think. I knew him back in the 60's,,a great guy,,,VERY talented,,,,also a great artist (painter).

He had a website with his paintings on it. You can do a google search and find more.

Here is David playing a Sho-Bud

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96BWUs2dyVE

Kevin Mincke · Post by **Kevin Mincke** » 22 May 2010 8:48 am

http://stillisstillmoving.com/willienel ... er-passes/

http://www.legacy.com/gb2/default.aspx? ... 4972195313

Adam Goodale · Post by **Adam Goodale** » 22 May 2010 9:20 am

I found the owner of the Blue Darlin. And about Zettner, i believe he passed away back in 2006. He was a great guy and a great musician... does anyone have any pictures of Jimmy's Sho-Bud Blue darlin? Thanks!

Don Euton · Post by **Don Euton** » 22 May 2010 10:46 am

I may be mistaking, but I thought I read on the Forum awile back,that Herb Steiner, had Jimmy Day`s Blue Darlin, or that he was keeping for Marilyn.
Don Euton

Skip Ellis · Post by **Skip Ellis** » 22 May 2010 11:00 am

I think I heard that Earl Williams in Virginia has one of the Mullen.

Paul Foster · Post by **Paul Foster** » 22 May 2010 11:54 am

I purchased The Jimmy Day Blue Darlin for a friend of mine and he lives in Arkansas, He spoke to Jerry and verified the serial #it is being played by a super Player, if you need more information you can contact me at navion@q.com or call 928-474-0355,

The guitar is in great shape and has an awesome sound!!

Del Mullen · Post by **Del Mullen** » 22 May 2010 6:40 pm

A friend of all steel players Dr Wayne Yates in Denver has one, not sure which one.

Del Mullen

Doyle Mitchell · Post by **Doyle Mitchell** » 23 May 2010 6:12 am

I have the remains of Jimmy's 1967 Sho bud blue darling 3 that I bought from him in 1987. In 1990 I bought a Emmons and let a friend use the sho bud that was trying to learn to play. He took the c6th neck off and put a pad there, After 20 yrs of being stored in an outside storage shed I got the remains back yesterday, he says he still has the c6th neck and rods and pickup somewhere around there and he will try to find them so I can put it back together. I sat it up in the shop and put new strings on the rusted remains and was knocked out by the tone of that great old bud. I think every bushing in the thing is worn out, maybe someday I will afford to have to it restored.

Kevin Mincke · Post by **Kevin Mincke** » 23 May 2010 6:48 am

Gots ta see a pic or two Doyle!!

bruce fischer · Post by **bruce fischer** » 23 May 2010 7:30 am

jimmys last sho-bud blue darlin' living in the stl area.

seems that lynn owsley has the first of jimmys sho-bud blue darlins? think there was a pic posted some time back? maybe lynn will comment?

Willis Vanderberg · Post by **Willis Vanderberg** » 23 May 2010 1:44 pm

Earl Williams in fact does have the last Blue Darlin, made by Mullen, for Jimmy.
I have a picture somewhere and will try and find it. The Blue has faded into a very nice shade of green. Jimmy passed away just before this guitar was completed and it was sent to Herby Wallace and Earl bought it from him.I sent the serial number to Mike Mantey and Del verified that this was the guitar they built for Jimmy.

Doyle Mitchell · Post by **Doyle Mitchell** » 24 May 2010 5:18 am

Kevin, I will snap a picture of the old bud. It was originally the color of the one shown and had a piece sign that Jimmy had some guy paint on the front of it. The varnish had just about all flaked off and the blue had faded out almost, so he sanded it and put varnish on the natural wood, but I will take a photo of what is left. If we could find the pros to put this thing back to mint condition donate their time, this would be a good fund raiser for a good cause we decided on. Maybe we could auction it off on the forum.

Rusty Rhoads · Post by **Rusty Rhoads** » 24 May 2010 6:35 am

Kevin or Taco owns the permanant that jimmy played after the d8 blue darling

Willis Vanderberg · Post by **Willis Vanderberg** » 24 May 2010 11:25 am

This is the only picture I could find of Earl Williams and the Mullen Blue Darlin. As I stated before it has turned to a nice green color

Lynn Owsley · Post by **Lynn Owsley** » 27 May 2010 11:17 am

You asked about pics.... there is a pic of Buddy Emmons holding the Darlin, this is the Darlin that Buddy first built for Jimmy and it is the number 3 or 4 Shobud ever built. It was originally a Double 8 then changed to a 9 string E9th, then to a double 9. You can find it in many places on the net or on my website under pictures friends 1 page

LynnOwsley.com
Or click on the link below.
This guitar is not for sale...I will place it in a museum for display soon...This one belongs to history

Stu Schulman · Post by **Stu Schulman** » 27 May 2010 11:27 am

Doyle Jimmy wanted to sell me his "Blue Darlins" in about 1975 it was a Sho-Bud and the fretboard was silk screened on to the guitar,You could see thru it,and it had big brass Rollers...Is that the guitar you have?I didn't think that I deserved it at the time.

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 29 May 2010 7:07 am

I don't own or possess any of Jimmy's guitars, and he had many he referred to as "Blue Darlin's". The last Sho-Bud, a Super Pro 2, was owned by Jurgen Koop for some time and is now the one owned by Bruce in Missouri.

When Jimmy passed on, he owned two Mullen BDs, not including the one that went to Herby Wallace. Jimmy was playing one, and one was in the possession of David Zettner and played by him. After the funeral, Marilyn needed money and Wayne Yakes bought one; I know David kept his for awhile. Then I lost track, David passed on, Marilyn had a massive stroke, and from that point on, others know more than I.

Stu Schulman · Post by **Stu Schulman** » 29 May 2010 9:35 am

Herb,The guitar that I was thinking about buying was the one before the blond one on the album cover.It was a turquoise stained color,Silk screened see thru fretboard,white Sho-Bud logo and hand lettered Blue Darlin'Maybe Charlie Day wound up with it?

Drew Howard · Post by **Drew Howard** » 29 May 2010 10:32 am

Stu,

I, too, am curious about the disposition of this Blue Darlin'. If there was one guitar or repro of I'd love to have, it would be this one.

Stu Schulman · Post by **Stu Schulman** » 29 May 2010 1:14 pm

Drew,One more interesting thing Jimmy Had a Blanton guitar for a while,I think it was green?blue? he gave that to his nephew Charlie.Jimmy convinced me to buy a new Blanton,he said that it was the best guitar made.

Barry Gaskell · Post by **Barry Gaskell** » 30 May 2010 4:01 am

Hi Drew
Great pictures.
Is that Willie Nelson on bass in the last picture, and Paycheck in the second ?.
Barry

Don Sulesky · Post by **Don Sulesky** » 30 May 2010 4:13 am

Here is a picture I posted back a few years ago of Jimmy and Jeff.

This is a picture of my nearly completed Weenick Steel. Jimmy's steel because of the lighting looks more of a teal color. In the same lighting my steel looks very close in color.

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