Speedy West's 1948 Bigsby steel guitar has been found!!!

[Deke Dickerson]

Friends--I'm reporting to the list from Nashville. I've known about this for some time, but can now reveal it publicly--believed lost, not seen since 1956, Speedy West's original 1948 Bigsby T-8 pedal steel guitar is now on display at the new "Bakersfield Sound" exhibit at the Country Music Hall Of Fame.

Here's the back story--the guitar is in very bad shape and appears to have been stored outside for some time. The front apron is long gone, the guitar has been poorly modified for pedal changers, and is missing the "Custom Made for..." plaque.

It was given to the Buck Owens people in Bakersfield with a story that it was Speedy West's guitar. Because this early example doesn't have the Bigsby logo and was missing the "Custom Made for..." plaque, the Buck Owens organization didn't really know what it was.

When the curators of the Country Music Hall Of Fame in Nashville borrowed multiple items from the Buck Owens people for their "Bakersfield Sound" exhbiit, they sent the steel guitar to Nashville for examination.

The curators at the CMHoF determined it was a Bigsby, and the serial number (2748--Feb. 7, 1948) seemed to gibe with Speedy West's interview statement where he remembered getting the guitar on Feb. 8, 1948.

When i was at the CMHoF in January, in town to tape to Marty Stuart show, I saw the instrument in the back offices of the Hall of Fame. Of course, i was as excited as anybody that Speedy West's guitar might have finally turned up after all these years.

I asked the curators if they had matched the birdseye maple grain on the guitar to pictures of Speedy's steel. They replied they hadn't thought of that. Ten minutes later, a good quality picture of Speedy West with his guitar was brought into the office, and we conclusively matched the birdseye maple pattern (as well as a piece of discolored wood grain) to the guitar in front of us. Speedy West's long-lost Bigsby T-8 had been found!

The guitar has been basically left in "as-is" condition for the duration of the "Bakersfield Sound" exhibit at the Hall of Fame. The exhibit runs for another two years, so I urge you all to go check it out in person! You won't be sorry, it's an incredible exhibit with lots of guitars, steel guitars, suits, boots, and photos.

If I were an old-school carnival barker, I'd paint up a giant sign that read:

"SEE! SPEEDY WEST'S HISTORIC 1948 BIGSBY STEEL GUITAR! BELIEVED LOST OR DESTROYED! SEE IT WITH YOUR OWN EYES FOR THE LOW PRICE OF ADMISSION!"

Seriously, it's worth checking out! Enjoy the pictures! They're as good as I could get given the lighting and situation.

[Jussi Huhtakangas]

Hooray Deke!! I've been tickled to reveal this since the day you told me, I can "rest in piece" now!
The condition is, like you said, heartbreaking. I guess we'll never find out the whole story of this guitar.

[Herb Steiner]

Yes!! Deke, I agree with Jussi... just not so many times.

Okay, Bud Isaacs' guitar has been found, Murph's guitar has been found, but where is Buddie's guitar?

That would complete the Trinity, IMHO.

[Hook Moore]

Thats very cool !!!

[Peter Huggins]

Wow Deke, thanks for this. Even in its beat-up, uncared for, rusted state it is a thing of beauty.
That wood is wonderful. Just looking at the photos, I can hear the legendary sounds that came from it.

Grins, Peter

[Brad Bechtel]

Now what happens to it after it leaves the exhibition? Will someone restore it to its former glory?
Thanks for sharing this information, Deke.

[David Mason]

Just looking at the photos, I can hear the legendary sounds that came from it.

- I think they have an ointment for that - see your friendly neighborhood psychiatrist.

[Billy Tonnesen]

Speedy and I was friends from the time he arrived in So. Calif. from Missouri. When he first showed me his new Bigsby, as I recall, the mechanism for pulling the strings was located behind the Nuts of the necks and and pulled the strings prior to when they went on the tuhning pegs. I wonder if Bigsby later modified this set up ?
Here is a picture of the Double Neck homemade Steel
he played prior to the Bigsby. I had just left this Band to join the Ole Rasmussen Band and Speedy had taken my place as one of his first jobs in Calif.

[Herb Steiner]

Wow, Billy! I recognize Junior Nichols back there! I did some fun jobs with Junior back around 1970-72, including a fun gig with Tex Williams in Pismo Beach CA. Jr. had some Hank Thompson stories to tell, for sure.

[Tony Williamson]

ok no one shoot me for this. ya'll know what im fixin to ask. who's going to do the restoration? i know we aint gonna leave it like this...speedy sure wouldnt want that.

[Billy Tonnesen]

I don't want to detract from the Bigsby, But in the Band Picture those are two of the first Fender Amps with 15" Speakers. They were Walnut Cabinets with either red or blue front covers with three chrome strips. I doubt if any still exist.

[Billy Easton]

Speedy would be pleased to know that his Bigsby has finally surfaced. He talked to me many times about wishing to find it again. As I recall, he told me he had sold it to a lady in Phoenix for her husband who was in the navy. She made a down payment, and he never got the rest of the money....

Billy Easton

[Jussi Huhtakangas]

It'd be interesting to find out who did the pedal mod to the guitar. As crude as it looks now, it clearly isn't just another back yard modification. With all the cast aluminium parts, it looks fairly ( 60's )pro made to me.

[Tony Glassman]

Todd Clinesmith would be the best bet to refinish it.....if he has the time. He's reissuing the Bigsby guitars under his own logo since he bought the rights and original mfg equipment a while back. He is a true craftsman.

I don't know how many forumites would contribute, but if 100-200 of us chipped in $20 apiece, it might be worth Todd's while.

[Ray Montee]

My 1956, four neck, six pedal BIGSBY after all these years and hundreds of gigs......is still an extremely pretty musical instrument.

I must say however, that 'the finishes' I've seen on Todd's beautiful Clinesmith guitars is even more exciting and wonderful to behold than any other.

I can't see how you could possibly go wrong, choosing Todd for any refinishing needs.

So happy that this 'special guitar' has been found.

[Nate Hofer]

Amazing stuff! Question: Do we know how it got to Buck's people?

[chas smith]

but where is Buddie's guitar?

The story I heard, way back, was that a lady in Canada had it and it had been painted white.

[Michael Lee Allen]

Deleted

[Daniel McKee]

I am glad this guitar has been found i hope that it can be restored.

[Geoff Cline]

O.M.G. The grail has been discovered...and it came from Bakersfield!! Miracles will NEVER cease.

Thanks for sharing Deke. You are the Sherlock Holmes (or Columbo?!?!) of the guitar world. Your passion is palpable and MUCH appreciated!!

[Daniel McKee]

does it still have its original pickups.

[Mike Cass]

Happy to see that Speedy's axe finally surfaced!
I agree that Todd should do the restoration, should it ever come to pass.

About Buddy's Bigsby T-8; the story I heard was that Buddy was playing a show in Canada and a woman came up to him after the show and told him that she had his old Bigsby. He asked her what color it was and she said it was white. Apparently that confirmed it for him. The reason it was/is white is that E bleached the wood for whatever reason.

[Ian Finlay]

Magic! So glad this has been found. Next stop - Jimmy's Stratosphere...

[Al Udeen]

I saw Speedy playing this guitar at the
ElMonte Legion,in 1952!

[Billy Tonnesen]

Al, as I remember the El Monte Legion, it was a good size Stadium that hosted Prize Fights and name Entertainers. Speedy played there with Cliffie Stone's Hometown Jamboree. They started out in Placentia, then moved to El Monte. I saw the Bob Wills Band at the El Monte Legion stadium around 1950.
.