Lindley & G.E. Smith

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 22 Jun 2012 5:17 pm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYepBEoy ... re=related

Morgan Scoggins · Post by **Morgan Scoggins** » 24 Jun 2012 3:13 am

Nice playing. I like the way he blocks with his bar hand.
This proves you don't have to buy expensive gear to sound like a pro. I bet that 6 string lap steel he was playing probably cost less than $200.
And he did it all with a Stevens bar! According to Jerry Byrd.. that just can't be done.

Tom Pettingill · Post by **Tom Pettingill** » 24 Jun 2012 9:44 am

Thanks for the link Andy

Steve Ahola · Post by **Steve Ahola** » 24 Jun 2012 11:18 am

Morgan Scoggins wrote:This proves you don't have to buy expensive gear to sound like a pro. I bet that 6 string lap steel he was playing probably cost less than $200.

True enough about the lap steel but his amplifier of choice is reportedly the Dumble ODS (Overdrive Special) which sells used for anywhere between $30k and $100k.

Steve Ahola

Chris Walke · Post by **Chris Walke** » 24 Jun 2012 11:48 am

Steve Ahola wrote: True enough about the lap steel but his amplifier of choice is reportedly the Dumble ODS (Overdrive Special) which sells used for anywhere between $30k and $100k.

Steve Ahola

But the funny thing is, that tone sounds pretty much the same as the tone recorded on Jackson Browne's "Running on Empty" album. Wonder what amp he was using back then.

Peter Jacobs · Post by **Peter Jacobs** » 24 Jun 2012 12:35 pm

A couple of years ago, he posted a "for sale" notice on his website for the Dumble amp he used on Running on Empty -- I forget the model, though. If I weren't so attached to my internal organs, I would have sold a few to buy it...

Chris Walke · Post by **Chris Walke** » 25 Jun 2012 5:44 am

Peter Jacobs wrote:A couple of years ago, he posted a "for sale" notice on his website for the Dumble amp he used on Running on Empty -- I forget the model, though. If I weren't so attached to my internal organs, I would have sold a few to buy it...

Well, that answers my question.

Frank James Pracher · Post by **Frank James Pracher** » 25 Jun 2012 6:24 am

Peter Jacobs wrote:A couple of years ago, he posted a "for sale" notice on his website for the Dumble amp he used on Running on Empty -- I forget the model, though. If I weren't so attached to my internal organs, I would have sold a few to buy it...

I think I read somewhere that Ben Harper bought it.

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 25 Jun 2012 7:13 am

The first time I heard him was on this record:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ccV6xsFPmY

Tim Mech · Post by **Tim Mech** » 25 Jun 2012 8:20 am

Chances are good that Mr Lindley didn't pay 30-100 grand for his Dumble... chances are also good that Ben Harper did.

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 25 Jun 2012 1:37 pm

Unlikely. Harper grew up around Lindley, is good friends with his daughter and interviewed him for the Fretboard Journal.

Tim Mech · Post by **Tim Mech** » 25 Jun 2012 3:39 pm

Friendship is one thing but, believe me, Ben would pay him what it was worth.

Richard Sevigny · Post by **Richard Sevigny** » 25 Jun 2012 7:28 pm

Mr Dave nails it as usual... there's enough technique it that one clip to keep a root rocker like me busy for months

Randy Reeves · Post by **Randy Reeves** » 26 Jun 2012 4:59 pm

thank you for this clip. Lindley's tone and touch
blows me away.

Stephen Watson · Post by **Stephen Watson** » 26 Jun 2012 7:49 pm

Great to hear a cheap unit sound so good. Gives me hope for mine.

Always been a fan of DL, but unfortunately our one and only personal encounter in the late '70's was contrary.

Crossed signals, I guess.

Steve Ahola · Post by **Steve Ahola** » 26 Jun 2012 11:48 pm

I understand that it was Jackson Browne who turned David Lindley on to Dumble amps- "Running on Empty" is one of the first albums to feature one of Dumble's amps so prominently. I believe that it was Mr Browne who also turned Stevie Ray Vaughan onto Dumble (he played a Dumbleland Special on his first album which was recorded at Browne's studio.)

Nowadays there are a lot of Dumble clone amps out there like from Two Rocks and Fuchs which only set you back 3 or 4 bills. (Santana bought a very rare ODS amp with reverb a few years ago for $75k.)

Steve Ahola

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 27 Jun 2012 7:43 am

Here's another pre- Jackson Browne output by Lindley.
Claire Hamill- Consummation:

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

Did he already play lap steel with his band Kaleidoscpe?

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 27 Jun 2012 10:54 am

Photo os the Dumble plus other great photos here:

http://www.fretboardjournal.com/photos/ ... id-lindley

Steve Ahola · Post by **Steve Ahola** » 27 Jun 2012 11:49 am

Joachim Kettner wrote:Did he already play lap steel with his band Kaleidoscope?

I saw them open a show for the Steve Miller Blues Band at the Berkeley Community Theater in 1968- I mention that only because two of the songs on Dave's first album were from Miller's set list: "Your Old Lady" and "Mercury Blues".

Back then in the local rock and folk scene there were a lot of guitarists playing acoustics on their laps with a slide or bar but I don't think that electric lap steels were very common at all. I'm sure that Mr. Dave dabbled with every stringed instrument under the sun...

Here is the first song that really knocked me out: "Trail of Tears" by the Talbot Brothers from 1972, I believe:

http://picosong.com/wV7N

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

Very melodic and a tone to die for (Dumble be darned!)

Steve Ahola

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 28 Jun 2012 8:26 am

Thanks to Steve for the song tip!

Fred Kinbom · Post by **Fred Kinbom** » 28 Jun 2012 8:51 am

Amazing playing and tone! Thanks for posting, Andy!

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 28 Jun 2012 9:29 am

Show of hands: For how many people here was Mr. Dave the gateway drug to steel guitar?

My hand is fully extended.

Post by **Brad Bechtel** » 28 Jun 2012 10:32 am

He's certainly the first steel guitarist I remember seeing live, with Jackson Browne at Fullerton College in Fullerton, CA in 1973 (Linda Ronstadt was the opening act).

Kelvin Monaghan · Post by **Kelvin Monaghan** » 28 Jun 2012 2:37 pm

You got it Mike, saw him live with Wally Ingram about 10 years ago in a very small intimate gig here in OZ all accoustic,had a nice chat with him after the gig,that was it Hooked .

Joe Snow · Post by **Joe Snow** » 28 Jun 2012 3:05 pm

I felt really dumb one day when I realized those Jackson Browne leads were lap steel. I had the Kaliedoscope album in 69, I took "hawaiian guitar" as a young child, I hadn't ever seen Jackson Browne's band live, and kinda wondered how those sustaining overdriven leads were accomplished on a guitar. Then many years later realized it was lap steel. duhh. Anyhow, David Lindley in my mind has remained an innovative voice for all kinds of musical innovation through unconventional means.