Why the Big E is seen playing so many brands of steels?

[Billy Knowles]

Jack Strayhorn is 100% correct

[Bruce Bouton]

Thank's Jack and Billy , for setting the record straight. I stiil play emmons guitars.They are still the benchmark for tone, in my opinion.

[Billy Knowles]

Bruce, Emmons must have thought so also

[Frank Freniere]

You gettin' all this, Fish?

[Jack Strayhorn]

I'll tell Ron's side of the story, here goes.
Ron decided to build a guitar after Shot Jackson brushed him off thinking he had no money. Ron took a guitar he had built to show Buddy at a Ray Price show. Buddy liked what Ron was doing and because he had ideas that Shot wouldn't try ask Ron to give it a try. Buddy gave Ron a changer that his dad had built. Ron's words that it 'was very crude and wouldn't operate'. Ron took the idea, redesigned the fingers (what we all know today) and built a guitar. Buddy wanted a flame retardant finish and with Ron's study he came up with the formica idea, knowing that it would also add strength. Ron's father, Tommmy, later developed the idea of the swivel on the bellcrank as well as the spring loaded block for mounting the crossbars. Ron and Buddy both were fans of Paul Bigsby and wanted aluminum necks. Now there is much more to the story, too much to go into, and there were others that were involved in the beginning developments but the main point is that Buddy had an idea and suggestions, Ron had the brain to design, redesign, and develop the ideas. Ron had the knowledge of a lot of things and the motivation to make it happen. Ron built the guitar and drove it to Nashville and Buddy of course, loved it! Ron started a company, registered the trademark, and patented the ideas, giving Buddy his due credit. With Buddy having notoriety Ron decided to name the guitar 'Emmons'. He paid Buddy a sales royalty to promote and sell the products. I think this story matches Buddy's fairly closely but gives Ron a little more credit in the finished product. Without Ron Lashley there wouldn't have been an Emmons Guitar. The LeGrande was all Ron's Brain child after Buddy was insistent that the company develop an all pull guitar. Ron had developed the split tuning idea on another completely different changer design he had patented years earlier. Ron actually dreamed the Legrande changer idea and awoke in the middle of the night to start drawing the plan. So much information to the story but this is a basic outline as told to me by Ron Lashely. Ron didn't share much, he was a very private person. What he did share I have retained and just after reading this particular post have decided that it will go to the grave with me. For those interested in Truth, thanks for reading.

[Jack Strayhorn]

I expect no argument or rebuttal to the above story. It is the story as told to me by Ron Lashley. Both Buddy and Ron are dead and they are the only one's that knew actual truth. As far as I'm concerned it's a dead horse that has been flogged too many times and is irrelevant to start with along with researching serial numbers. For God's sake, what difference does it make? Play the damn guitar and live life!

[Steve Hinson]

I expect no argument or rebuttal to the above story. It is the story as told to me by Ron Lashley. Both Buddy and Ron are dead and they are the only one's that knew actual truth. As far as I'm concerned it's a dead horse that has been flogged too many times and is irrelevant to start with along with researching serial numbers. For God's sake, what difference does it make? Play the damn guitar and live life!

Words to live by...

SH

[Gordon Borland]

There are some of us "want..too..Bees" on the outside looking in that appreciate the information you guys share with us.
Thank you very much for taking the time to post.