Where Is Slim Idaho's Triple Neck Rickenbacker?

[Mike Sweeney]

While doing some research for a member of Slim's family I discovered that a man named Harold Neer of Richmond,Va. owned Slim's triple neck Rickenbacker. But I have hit a brick wall. I don't know if Mr. Neer is still alive and if so even living in Richmond anymore. The family would like to know if he is and would like to talk with him. I personally would find it interesting to know the story of how he aquired the guitar.
So, If anyone who knows or knew Mr. Neer or the whereabouts of the guitar please post on here or email me the information and I'll pass it along.
Thanks.

[Ken Lang]

If I had procrastinated a little longer on which way to drive my truck home today it wouldn't have the right side caved in.

If I keep practice procrastination working I'll never learn. But it's on the other side of the country, so I'll take the excuse.

[Mike Sweeney]

Ken. Your quote on the bottom of your post answered my question to why you posted what you did. But, I'm happy to report that Mr. Neer has been located and is alive and kicking and still has the 3 neck Rick. b0b, you can close this one up.

[CrowBear Schmitt]

is it this guitar ?

[Mike Sweeney]

That's the guitar. If you look close at the picture you'll see that the inside neck and middle neck are bakelite. The outside neck is wood. I was told be someone here in Nashville that knew him then said he used to strap the guitar on his back and ride to the gigs on a motorcycle. One time the strap came loose and the guitar fell in the street and broke the outside neck off. So he replaced it with a home made wood one.
Can't tell from the photo but there are also door bell buttons on it too. This research project has really brought the sleuth in me and I've enjoyed finding out more than I already knew about Slim Idaho. He was a very interesting young man.

[Mike Sweeney]

I had a nice long chat with Mr. Neer this evening after he had spoken with Slim's niece. And he is giving Slim's guitar back to the Aderhold family. I thought that was very nice of him. And his family is very excited about it.
I really enjoyed researching Slim's short but interesting career and finding out more things about him than I already knew other than what my dad and uncle told me. He was a very friendly guy who lived life to it's fullest every day.
I just love happy endings

[Jerry Hayes]

Hey Mike, any chance of getting some current pictures of the guitar?.....JH in Va.

[Mike Sweeney]

Jerry,

His niece told me she would takes some pictures of it and send them to me. When she does I'll post 1 or 2 on here.

[Jay Jessup]

Mike,
I would be interested in a brief synopsis of what you found out on your history project. I remember about this time last year having a conversation with Buddy Charleton about Slim. He did relay the same story about riding to gigs on a motorcycle.
Jay

[Mike Sweeney]

Jay,

I am going to post some things on here after I sort through my notes. And I sent you an email also.

[Ron Whitfield]

What a cool running story/thread!

[Robbie Bossert]

Very intersting stuff....Thanks Mike.

Robbie Bossert

[Mike Sweeney]

Here is an interesting picture taken around 1943 or '44 of Paul Howard's Arkansas Cotton Pickers. Even tough the guitar in the picture is not the one in question I wanted to post it here. I'm still searching for pictures from his stint with Tommy Magness in Roanoke,Va. on W.D.B.J. radio in 1946 and '47. I have one from the W.B.S. Barndance in Atlanta,Ga. in 1942 but it is very small and you have to squint to find him in it.

[Mike Sweeney]

Here is a picture that is from Roanoke,Va. in 1947 with Tommy Magness And The Orange Blossom Boys. Taken at the W.D.B.J. radio station studio.

[Mitch Drumm]

Mike:

Any chance you can post larger versions of the last 2 pictures---or of the guitar in its current state??

Have you uncovered any rarely heard recordings by Slim?

[Hollis Near]

This is a very late reply to an old topic, but I'd like to make a small correction for the record. The Harold "Neer" referred to here is spelled "Near." Harold Near was my father and passed away on January 12, 2023. Yes, he had Slim Idaho's triple-neck Rickenbacker steel guitar for decades. He was really pleased to be able to get the guitar to the Aderhold family. I don't know the exact details of how he originally acquired it, but I know he was always a great admirer of Slim Idaho (Dewey Aderhold) and his music. I enjoyed reading these posts!

[Donny Hinson]

That's for additional information, Hollis. We appreciate anything that adds to the history or biography of the past greats, like Slim Idaho (real name, Dewey Aderhold).

The story that was related to me about his broken Bakelite Rickenbacker guitar, as well I recall, was that he was rushing to get onstage at the Old Dominion Barn Dance and he tripped and dropped the guitar, breaking the (a?) neck. He was so upset that he sat down right there and cried. And somewhere in my repository of "stuff", I have a tape of a live radio recording of his playing that was given to me by Neil Flanz (or maybe Kenny Dail?). Slim was a gifted player back then for his age. Too bad he died at 24, for if he'd lived longer, his legacy would have certainly been far greater. Also, I have never been able to verify if he played a pedal guitar, though that has been stated in some articles.

Any other comments (additions or corrections) are always welcome.

[Mike Sweeney]

The guitar was broken on the Old Dominion Barn Dance. Not the Opry.

[Donny Hinson]

Thanks for that item, Mike! I'll correct my previous post.

Here's a link to a recording featuring Slim's playing on a radio show (which may or may not be the same as the tape I have), along with a larger photo of Slim and Tommy's band.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uADhxftaTw

[Mike Sweeney]

That picture was taken at WDBJ radio station on Colonial Avenue in Roanoke, Virginia.

[Nick Fryer]

This isn't Slim's guitar but I thought I'd share this story as part of this thread. About ten years ago I was teaching music out in California and I was telling one of my students that I played steel guitar and he casually mentioned that he had two of his Grandpa's old steel guitars. He said "I'll bring them in to show you". I forgot all about it and the next week he showed up carrying a huge case. I knew right then and there that this wasn't just a "lap steel". I opened up the case and saw this.



This guitar was the beginning of a journey for me that continues to this day. I took the guitar home and played it and it sounded incredible. Turns out his grandpa had lived in the LA area and bought two steels at a yard sale back in the late50s/60s for $100. Apparently his wife was not too pleased that he had spent that much money on two steels. I asked my student "what is the other steel?". He said, "it's a small single neck and made out of all metal and it's the same brand". He sent me a picture of it later that day. The other guitar was an A22 Frypan. These guitars sadly are sitting in a closet and never get played. In my research on these triple neck Rics, I found an old catalog and on the page where they listed the double neck model, at the bottom of the listing there was a note * "triple neck can be ordered upon request". I wonder how many of these triple necks were made? They have to be pretty darn rare as I've never seen one since and have only seen the picture of Slim's guitar and this "Yard Sale T-8".

[Donny Hinson]

Wow, that’s a really rare classic! Of course, Slim’s guitar was even more rare, with two 6-string necks, and an 8-string neck on the outside. I also like the story of Alvino Rey having the guitar specially made, and then presenting it to him.

What a gift!