Joaquin Murphey's last guitar

[chas smith R.I.P.]

As the story goes, back in the mid 90's, Joaquin wanted to play again and I was asked if he could play his D-8 Bigsby lap guitar. Of course I said yes, but what he wanted was a guitar similar to the one, S-9 with pedals, that the Lockheed engineer had made him, many years before. You all know the story that when the engineer died, his sons went over to Joaquin's trailer and confiscated the guitar. I probably don't have to tell you how I felt about hearing that one.

So, I offered to build him a guitar, to his specs, and for my Christmas present that year, he gave me a guitar lesson. It was a very magical day.

The string spacing was 3/8" on both ends and I used a Sho-Bud "birdcage" changer. Danny Shields wound a 9-string pickup to Bigsby specs. Joaquin also wanted the fretboard markers on the front of the fret board, which was machined out of aluminum. The neck and the top plate are machined from one piece of maple. The keyhead and the changer are machined to bolt into the end plates. The idea being that the entire guitar, above the legs, is a solid unit. Both end plates are machined from a solid billet, not cast or welded and all of the aluminum is 6061 T6.

Mike Johnstone aquainted Joaquin with the concept of knee levers and because he didn't use a volume pedal, he played pedals with both feet.

Sean Kenny painted the guitar and did the graphics.

I recently had some people over, from Fretboard Journal, to photograph my guitars and instruments and this is the 1st time the guitar has been out of the case since Joaquin checked out.

[Jack Hanson]

Very interesting guitar. Not to mention an historical icon. Thanks for sharing.

[Bill L. Wilson]

I usually don't dig unconventional steel guitars, but this one by far, knocks'em all out of the park. VERY COOL!!!!

[Ken Campbell]

Wow. Astonishingly cool.

[Geoff Cline]

Thanks Chas. Worth more than 1000 words. Can't wait to see the piece in FJ...that must have been some photo shoot!

[Rich Peterson]

Beautiful as well as historic. You know that we are dieing to know what the copedent is.

[Roger Shackelton]

It Seems That I Recall Some Information About This Guitar When Chas Built It. I Believe The Tuning May Be A Form Of C-6.?? Each Pedal Only Raises Or Lowers One String.

Roger

[Douglas Schuch]

Very cool info, thanks for sharing it Chas.

[Bill Ford]

Great looking steel, sounds good too (I have the CD).The way the end plates are tied into the changer/keyhead, Is that an exercise in cabinet stability, and how well does it work.

[Frank Freniere]

What a beauty, with a great story behind it - thanks, Chas.

[chas smith R.I.P.]

Rich, Joaquin's original copedant was:

Code: Select all

      pedal   1 2 3 4 5 6
1  .013  G
2  .016  E  - - - - - - Eb
3  .020  C  - - - - - C#
4  .024  A  - - - - Bb
5  .028  G  - - - F#
6  .032  E  - - Eb
7  .038  C# - C
8  .068  C# - C  
9  .020  B

Mike Johnstone added the knee levers and I didn't check them, but I'm looking at some notes and it looks like LL raised strings 7 and 8 to D, and RR replaced pedals 5 and 6.

He also added G -> G# on the 1st string / pedal-3, and E -> F / 2nd string pedal-2 (our "normal" tunings)

The way the end plates are tied into the changer/keyhead, Is that an exercise in cabinet stability, and how well does it work.

Bill, it's stronger and more stable than a "brick - you know what". The idea being to minimize the number of components in the guitar that can damp the vibrations.

[John Miller]

I love to read these stories about Joaquin. Please keep them coming.

[Jack Hanson]

I love to read these stories about Joaquin. Please keep them coming.

I second that emotion.

[Ken Crisp]

Love this story ... and the "Smith" PSG !

I learned on a 3/8 inch spaced double neck PSG, about 36 years ago.

To this day I haven't fully gotten comfortable with the 1/2 inch spacing. I feel the tone and ease of playing was better with the 3/8. It was due to the fact I could get more pick and a better feel of the string.

Of course fast single note picking is more suited for the 1/2 spacing.

[Leo Melanson]

Pedal Steel Guitar Museum .. anybody?

[Dave Pearlman]

VERY COOL>>>>>