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Post new topic First recordings of Fender Steel,Guitar and BASS
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Author Topic:  First recordings of Fender Steel,Guitar and BASS
Mark Davis

 

From:
Bakersfield, Ca
Post  Posted 4 Jan 2002 6:51 pm    
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I'm trying to find out what was the first recorded example of a Fender Steel guitar.

Also looking for first recorded examples of Fender Guitar and BASS. I was thinking Shotgun Boogie 1950 Tennessee Ernie Ford used Speedy West on Steel and he usually played with Jimmy Bryant who was probably using an early Esquire. The Fender BAss didnt come along till 1951 and I have no idea what song was the first to use the Fender Electric Bass but would be a great history lesson maybe Jody or one of the other great guys that were there when it happened can shed some light?

[This message was edited by Mark Davis on 04 January 2002 at 06:58 PM.]

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Jody Carver


From:
KNIGHT OF FENDER TWEED
Post  Posted 5 Jan 2002 9:23 am    
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Mark
Thats a tough question to answer,,,even for me ,,,I believe however Jimmy Bryant was one of the very first Fender endorsers as well as a first on a Fender.

The other first was Les "Carrot Top" Anderson
who played a Custom triple neck Fender with
Spade Cooley's Orchestra.

The first bass player that I recall played a
Fender Bass....not the P.Bass but an early model bass,,sort of like an "Esquire guitar shaped body. I have a photo of him here,,his name was "Shifte Henry" he played with many
of the big bands back then.

Duke Ellington,,,Basie etc...he was a first
on Fender Bass,,,I knew him quite well.He was from the New York area and a fine black musician.

As for the original songs recorded.....I dont
know,,,,you got me there. PS Shifte played a Telecaster Bass,,,long before the P. Bass was born

Hey Chas,,,,,you are older than I thought

[This message was edited by Jody Carver on 05 January 2002 at 03:36 PM.]

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chas smith R.I.P.


From:
Encino, CA, USA
Post  Posted 5 Jan 2002 11:57 am    
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On 'Shotgun Boogie', Speedy played his Bigsby and Bryant played his Fender.
Quote:
Hey Chas,,,,,you are older than I thought
It gets worse every year!

[This message was edited by chas smith on 05 January 2002 at 05:00 PM.]

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Tele

 

From:
Andy W. - Wolfenbuettel, Germany
Post  Posted 5 Jan 2002 12:05 pm    
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I have a picture of Charlie Adams with his "Lone Star Playboys" ca.1952/53 using a Fender steel, Telecaster and electric bass but I doubt that these guys recorded with him.
I don't think someone used an electric bass on a recording until Rock and Roll hit, even then most of the stuff was recorded with upright bass.

Andy

------------------

1959~60 Sho~Bud D-9 : 1969 Emmons D-10 : Bigsby T-8: 1959 Gibson Super 400CES :1957 Standel 25L15
about me
My steels


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Andy Volk


From:
Boston, MA
Post  Posted 5 Jan 2002 1:49 pm    
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Wes Montgomery's brother, Monk Montgomery, was one of the earliest Fender bass players.
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Jon Light (deceased)


From:
Saugerties, NY
Post  Posted 5 Jan 2002 2:04 pm    
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Interesting discussion. Just some thoughts and a question.....

Without Leo Fender and the men with whom he worked, music would be different. However, in some form or another,wewould still have the electric guitar and the electric steel guitar. Different, fer sure--no EsquireBroadcasterTelecaster, no Stringmaster, but still, some good guitars and steels would be out there. But how about the bass guitar? Was anybody else going in this direction?
It seems to me I've read somewhere that in somebody's opinion, this is the most radical and influential development in 20th music and even if I came up with other worthy entries, I don't see any reason to disagree.
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Tele

 

From:
Andy W. - Wolfenbuettel, Germany
Post  Posted 5 Jan 2002 2:48 pm    
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Paul Tutmarc built a solid-body electric bass and bass-violas (electrified) in the 1930s !!!!!


Andy
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Brad Bechtel


From:
San Francisco, CA
Post  Posted 5 Jan 2002 3:46 pm    
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This probably isn't the best place to find out about this sort of trivia. Here's a spot that might help with the Fender bass:
http://archive.bassplayer.com/z2000/0001/cent1.shtml
I know that Noel Boggs was one of the very first Fender steel guitar players. My guess is that one of his early recordings with Bob Wills would be the first one to feature a Fender steel guitar.


------------------
Brad's Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars

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Jason Odd


From:
Stawell, Victoria, Australia
Post  Posted 5 Jan 2002 4:12 pm    
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There's actually two different published books on the Fender electric bass, so I imagine there's a bit of relevant info there. Kind of wish I had at least one of them, but it's hard keeping up with all the Fender books.

Of course there's always going to be room for another one, Jody?
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Jody Carver


From:
KNIGHT OF FENDER TWEED
Post  Posted 5 Jan 2002 8:47 pm    
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Jason,,,,The doctors are trying to see why I tell such long stories,,,they say there is a
cure for me.

Brad,,,Noel did in fact play a Fender guitar
with Bob Wills. Wills was actually the first
to have Fender instruments in his band.

However,,,Les Anderson played his Custom guitar with Cooley and that Fender guitar became known as the "guitar with the diamonds
in the front" as it was seen on KTLA years ago.

Leo took the first Custom to Les Anderson ,,Boggs was playing a Bigsby at that time. It was Cooley who liked the sound of the Fender over the Bigsby,,,Im not trying
to start a controversy here,,,but these are
the facts.

There is an old movie back then,,,I beleive it was Hollywood Barn dance,,,where there were 2 steel players up front with Spade,,
one was Noel with his triple Bigsby,,the other Les with his triple custom.

Spade gave both Paul and Leo equal time,but
Cooley was partial to Leo's Custom guitar & after that,,Noel no longer played his Bigsby
and went over to Fender for good.

Brad,,,,thats a nice link you posted,,you certainly are on "top" of things. I enjoyed
looking at all those old familiar names. Very
nice my friend.

[This message was edited by Jody Carver on 07 January 2002 at 10:35 AM.]

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chas smith R.I.P.


From:
Encino, CA, USA
Post  Posted 6 Jan 2002 11:43 am    
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Eldon Shamblin played a '54 Strat
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Jody Carver


From:
KNIGHT OF FENDER TWEED
Post  Posted 6 Jan 2002 3:48 pm    
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Chas
Maple neck or Rosewood neck????? serial number?? Tremolo or "no tremolo"
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Jody Carver


From:
KNIGHT OF FENDER TWEED
Post  Posted 7 Jan 2002 4:08 pm    
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ONLY KIDDING CHAS.

Mike told me he had a great visit with you...
He sure is a Chas fan allright,. PS I think the neck was "maple" No tremolo.....serial
number?? How do I know?? . ES was a great guitar player.
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chas smith R.I.P.


From:
Encino, CA, USA
Post  Posted 7 Jan 2002 5:54 pm    
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I think it was green. If you listen to Eldon, his playing was the engine that made Bob Wills swing.

[This message was edited by chas smith on 07 January 2002 at 05:57 PM.]

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Jody Carver


From:
KNIGHT OF FENDER TWEED
Post  Posted 7 Jan 2002 9:56 pm    
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Chas
Iam very familiar with Eldons talent and yes
he was the driving force in the Bob Wills
band.....what was green?? the strat?? "foam
green"? well he played better than the color
of his guitar.
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chas smith R.I.P.


From:
Encino, CA, USA
Post  Posted 7 Jan 2002 11:55 pm    
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It looked green to me. One of the great things about young guys like Mike is their interest and commitment to the 'older' music and the players who played it.
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Jody Carver


From:
KNIGHT OF FENDER TWEED
Post  Posted 8 Jan 2002 5:46 am    
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Chas
I agree with you. Mike is a dedicated guy &
his love for western swing goes beyond the
music. Do you want any other pics of P.A.?

Just say the word,,,,

later my friend
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chas smith R.I.P.


From:
Encino, CA, USA
Post  Posted 8 Jan 2002 12:13 pm    
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Jody, absolutely, thank you.
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