Lindley & G.E. Smith

Peter Jacobs · Post by **Peter Jacobs** » 28 Jun 2012 4:28 pm

Both hands way up high, Mike -- he's the reason I wanted to play lap steel in the first place.

Steve Cunningham · Post by **Steve Cunningham** » 28 Jun 2012 6:39 pm

I'm with you Joe, I didn't realize the "guitar" solo in Running On Empty was a lap steel until I started playing one (many, many, many years after the songs release). But then again, I used to wonder what effect Duane Allman was using to get that "slidey" sound on the intro to Statesboro Blues...

A few years back I recorded an instrumental lap steel CD called "Slide", and would get (somewhat) indignant when people would mistake the steel for "armpit" guitar. I guess payback's a son of a gun!

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 29 Jun 2012 10:25 am

I don't think lap steel was on my radar either back then though I was captured by Mike Auldridge's Dobro LP at age 17 when they had a copy at a Summer arts program I attended. What's THAT on the cover? Later on, after hearing Lindley's electric steel playing how could you not be influenced?

It wasn't until I saw Lindley perform solo at a small club that I truly understood the depth of his musicianship. In a kind of skewed way, I view Lindley as equivalent to certain master classical musicians who can bring a mix of intellectual understanding and egoless, subconsciously tasteful interpretation to whatever they play. Lindley happens to do it in a rock and folk context but the level of musicianship is about the same.

Stephen Watson · Post by **Stephen Watson** » 29 Jun 2012 11:18 am

Saw DL with Jackson Browne in Sandy Ego back in the '70's. (Bonnie Raitt opened for him. pant, pant)

He took an acoustic guitar solo, and Browne would look up from the piano and nod for him to keep playing through another round.

Just acoustic guitar, mind you.

Brought the house down to a cheering, standing ovation. Just KILLED IT on acoustic guitar.

Steve Hamill · Post by **Steve Hamill** » 29 Jun 2012 5:42 pm

Both hands held high Mike. Mr.Dave has been using a Glaswerks Zingaro combo recently rather than the Dumbles. According to Gary Johnson, owner and builder of the amps, his is the stock Santa Cruz voicing. I owned a tweed Zingaro for a while, but now own and prefer the 100 watt Overdrive Deluxe which is a clone of the original 70's style Dumble Dave used to play.

I still sound like me though.

Steve Ahola · Post by **Steve Ahola** » 1 Jul 2012 7:28 pm

Steve Hamill wrote:Mr.Dave has been using a Glaswerks Zingaro combo recently rather than the Dumbles. According to Gary Johnson, owner and builder of the amps, his is the stock Santa Cruz voicing.

Of all of the various Dumble clones out there I am most impressed by the Glaswerks. Gary Johnson is a genius and has been using relays to combine features of different Dumble designs. The other clones tend to copy just one Dumble design while Gary has really contributed something new to Dumbology. I think that his Overdrive Deluxe is definitely worth the $3k price tag.

Steve Ahola

Jon A. Ross · Post by **Jon A. Ross** » 3 Jul 2012 10:10 am

"Did he already play lap steel with his band Kaleidoscpe?"

My recollection was that Kaleidescope was largely an acoustic act, and it may be where I first glimpsed a Weissenborn on Lindley's lap.

Lindley turned the world on to lap steel, but it already was in my ears when I first heard him. I came up watching country music on teevee growning up in So Cal, not to mention all the neighborhood transplanted Arkies and Okies. Lindley came up in the next town or two over from me, and I bet we watched some of the same shows!

This being a steel gtr forum I will reserve any commentary on Geo Smith...

Edward Meisse · Post by **Edward Meisse** » 3 Jul 2012 3:08 pm

Morgan Scoggins wrote: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.

Not quite true about Mr. Byrd, Morgan. Jerry made very few recommendations. And he usually had specific reasons for making those few. His recommendation for bar use had to do with playing multi-stop reverse bar slants. And he was not referring to what was possible but only what was easiest. Mr. Lindley didn't do any of that in this cut. Jerry's normal reply whenever anybody asked about equipment was, "If you don't know how to play, it doesn't matter what kind of (piece of equipment in question) you use. And if you do know how to play, it doesn't matter what kind of (piece of equipment in question) you use." Fine playing here by Lindley. But nothing in it contradicts Byrd.

Tim Mech · Post by **Tim Mech** » 4 Jul 2012 2:25 am

Good one Ed.
The perfect quote, that many should read twice.

Olli Haavisto · Post by **Olli Haavisto** » 4 Jul 2012 7:06 am

"I think that his Overdrive Deluxe is definitely worth the $3k price tag. "
If you sell two Dumbles for 30 k each it probably seems very reasonable.
I saw Lindley two years ago with Jackson and he played a couple of notes just to check the lap steel through the Glasswerks and I almost cried, it sounded so good.

Edward Meisse · Post by **Edward Meisse** » 8 Jul 2012 5:04 pm

I imagine the price of Dumbles is going to go way up now that professor Dumbledor is dead.

Sorry. I just couldn't stop myself.

Dennis Smith · Post by **Dennis Smith** » 13 Jul 2012 9:24 pm

Hi, it seems to me someone posted a link to a concert from the late 60's or early 70's with David playing lap steel. It was an outdoor concert in England or somewhere like that with hippies danceing to the music.
Dennis

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 13 Jul 2012 10:01 pm

Must be this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=updTFU9I ... re=related