Do some of the older players have the necks reversed ?

Pat Richardson · Post by **Pat Richardson** » 21 Feb 2016 9:36 am

I watch a lot of the older country music TV shows on RFD and YouTube . And is it my imagination , or do some of the guys who played back in the 60s have the E9th neck next to them and the C6th in the far position ? Opposite of what a Standard setup would be for a D-10 guitar today ? Please bare with me and ignore my ignorance on this as I welcome an answer from those of you here that are informed on the subject . thanks.

Tim Russell · Post by **Tim Russell** » 21 Feb 2016 11:15 am

Curly Chalker had the C6 neck on the front, I'm sure there are others I don't know about. Not really sure why he did it this way, I never heard it explained. I'm sure other members will chime in with the reasons for this.

Dave Harmonson · Post by **Dave Harmonson** » 21 Feb 2016 1:02 pm

Ralph Mooney had his E9 on the back neck, but his front neck was some kind of open G I believe kind of like an extended dobro tuning

Paul King · Post by **Paul King** » 21 Feb 2016 5:39 pm

Curly Chalker was a monster player on both necks. He loved to play C6th and everyone who was knew it was on the back neck. I have been told they would tell Curly to play the front neck. So he went and had the necks reversed so he could still play more C6th.

Bob Watson · Post by **Bob Watson** » 21 Feb 2016 8:46 pm

Pat, my friend Bruce Dobronski bought the black MSA from Curly Chalker in the late 1970's or early 1980's. It was a cool pedal steel and had the C6 tuning on the front neck. Bruce grew up in Champaign and started playing pedal steel a little after I did. He moved away before I remember seeing you on the scene. I love watching the old Wilburn Brothers Show. There are some cool youtube videos of Curly Chalker playing the black MSA on the Wilburn Brothers Show.

Russ Wever · Post by **Russ Wever** » 21 Feb 2016 10:05 pm

Doug Jernigam, while
on Faron Youngs band,
had a Push Pull with
reversed necks.
~Rw

Edward Rhea · Post by **Edward Rhea** » 22 Feb 2016 5:41 am

My Marlen was set up that way when I first got it. The gentleman that owned before me bought it that way in 1971. We is/was a huge Chalker & Mooney fan...

Pat Richardson · Post by **Pat Richardson** » 22 Feb 2016 11:41 am

Thanks Bob, Russ and every one ! I watched them old Wilburn Brothers show on RFD and seen Curly playing and thought I was seeing things ! Come to think of it Mooney had a Sho~Bud set up that way in some of those Waylon videos . Oh well I dont feel as stupid is I did now !

Ron Scott · Post by **Ron Scott** » 22 Feb 2016 12:32 pm

Thanks Russ. I didn't know that but no doubt in my mind he could do good no matter which way he had them.RS

Bernie Gonyea · Post by **Bernie Gonyea** » 22 Feb 2016 5:30 pm

Paul : Are you telling us he used both necks with the C6th tuning. I'm aware that his back neck was tuned in Cth. Thanks..Bernie

Mark Greenway · Post by **Mark Greenway** » 22 Feb 2016 8:51 pm

I had MSA build me a new Legend, and I wanted so bad to reverse the necks but was afraid I'd have a hard time selling it if I ever decided to sell it. It seems to me to be the smart way to set one up if you play more E9th than C6th.

Gary Walker · Post by **Gary Walker** » 28 Feb 2016 5:04 pm

In 1975 I took delivery of a new MSA White Tidewood Classic D-12 9 & 5 through Norlin, and the front neck was C-6 and rear E-9. I loved it and wish I had never sold it. It was last in So California. (baby come home)

Bob Knight · Post by **Bob Knight** » 1 Mar 2016 10:29 am