Johnny Paycheck live steel sound

[Cody Coombs]

Hi all,

I’ve been listening to this live album by Johnny Paycheck and I keep hearing this cool sound from the steel. I wonder if it could be a slight chorus on his rig?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7W4jEVneF ... l2ZQ%3D%3D

Here is one of the songs on the album, that sound is all over the steel throughout! Very cool sound. What do you all think that could be?

[Cody Coombs]

Here is another example off of the same album… You’re Still On My Mind.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WoVry2Thr ... 15IGxpdmUg

That sound seems to be very subtle in some sections.

It’s also all over Colorado Koolaid!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=V__LRPxvu ... l2ZQ%3D%3D

[Harry Teachman]

Sounds like Big Jim Murphy on "Ramblin'Fever"

[Richard Sinkler]

If it's the live album recorded live in New York City, it is indeed Jim Murphy.

[Kenny Davis]

Ricky Davis could probably weigh-in on Big Jim and his Sho~Bud. I never thought about him using much effects on those live recordings. It sounds more like his guitar wasn't going through
the board - kinda like someone was recording it off stage and not direct.

[K Maul]

My band opened for Paycheck in about 1980. Jim M was playing a Sho~Bud and the only effect I recall seeing was an original big brown Boss Chorus Ensemble like this. He was killing it on C6. What a great sound.

[Ricky Davis]

Certainly sounds like what K Maul put up; he kicked on a little Chorus for a bit.
Yeah I didn't know Big Jim Murphy then; I met him early 2000's; and when he lived here in Texas all those last years; he took me under his wing and I took care of the maintenance of all his Sho~bud's and ZB and Bethel. I asked him if he ever used Effects and he always said; he would try the next thing or so that came out; but he didn't ever use anything more than that, as he liked the real sound of just the steel guitar. Here's one of his I restored; that may of been the one he was playing early 80's.


That one was originally made for Doug Jernigan; then Doug turned it in after a year, when Shot built him the next one to endorse and so Shot gave big Jim this one to endorse this was early 70's.

Here below is my Fav. that Big Jim also loved so much; Dick Miller finished this one for him and he loved that I loved it and said:"Ricky you can play it anytime you want".


Then came the Bethel and then he was in Heaven.

(I miss you "Murph")
Ricky

[Greg Vincent]

Nice shot of you & Redd Volkaert, Ricky —SUPERGROUP!

Interesting pedals on that Jernigan/Murphy Pro II. They are different sizes! Was that a Sho~Bud thing at the time, or a custom request? (I know Sho~Buds are strange beasts and varied a lot over the years.)

[Ricky Davis]

Interesting pedals on that Jernigan/Murphy Pro II. They are different sizes! Was that a Sho~Bud thing at the time, or a custom request?

Yeah Greg; I never asked Murph when that was done to make the pedals a little narrower(cut 1/2" on each side); there is 10 pedals under there; that means not a LOT OF ROOM for crossbars so they were a little narrower then 2 3/4" like normal. Here's a shot after I finished putting it back together nobody has seen...yeeehaaa....


Ricky

[Franklin]

Happy 2025 To All!

I did not hear any effects being used. Just the pure sound of his steel...Its Jim sounding like Jim...He mastered getting different sounds by shifting his right hand positions...We can move the right hand any place between the end of the fret board to the pickup to get so many variances in tone. Try it for yourself.
Also when you play over frets 5 7 & 12 if you lift the fingers behind the bar incrementally overtones will sound out causing an almost chorusing effect. Its cool and very subtle!

PF

[Kenny Davis]

I think what people are hearing that sounds like a chorus is his very quick series of unique notes that he uses in those really up-tempo songs. I certainly can't explain what he's doing, but I know it when I hear it!

On Ramblin' Fever, lick comes in at 1:16 and disappears very quick.

[Ricky Davis]

Paul certainly makes extremely CORRECT remarks on what you're hearing. There is so many variations in subtle sound differences you can make with just hand and pickin and bar techniques; I'll even finish a song with strumming the strings at the 5th fret and the bar on 12th fret with pedals down A chord...it's a freaky sound man... and many more like Paul Says.
Ricky

[Cody Coombs]

Ricky, that is one pretty Sho~Bud!! So many pedals and levers to choose from as well!

I agree with you guys the more I listen to it, I only heard it in certain sections, and I suppose it wouldn’t have been very practical to flip on an effect pedal on and off during some of those fast runs. I’m going to have to work out some of these overtones you are talking about Paul. Very neat stuff!

[Ricky Davis]

Ricky, that is one pretty Sho~Bud!! So many pedals and levers to choose from as well!

Thanks Cody. That was one thing about all of Big Jim Murphy set ups on his many steels are the same. 10 pedals and 8 knee levers.
I LOOOOOVED his layout of pedals on C6 after getting used to its lineup/copedant...he was also quite the SAX Horn player and he mimicked a lot of single notes and chords like a horn section on his 10 pedal line up for C6th....INCREDIBLE.
Ricky

[Richard Sinkler]

Wow. Jim's C6 copedent is really cool.

First time I saw him was in the 70s with Vassar Clements in San Francisco. He completely stole the show (of course, as a steel guitar player I might be a little biased).

2nd time was in 1983 in Nashville. My band was in town for the Seagrams 7 International Battle of the Bands finals. As the first place winners, we were invited to play a set at the club Jim was playing at. It was a club in a hotel, I seem to think it was a Rodeway Inn. He explained that the band was made of of basically road musicians and varied depending on who wasn't on the road. I had my own guitar, a Kline that Jim checked out, and he let me sit down at his guitar which totally blew my mind. He was such a nice guy. One of my most memorable moments in my career. They also let us sit in some with their band. It was cool sitting next to Jim and playing along with him.

[Chris Templeton]

When I worked for Bobbe Seymore at Steel Guitar Nashville in the 80's, Bobbe did a couple of weeks on the road with Johnny. Johnny's song he Old Violin" was out.
"The Old Violin": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNkIL-kriuU

[Richard Sinkler]

When I worked for Bobbe Seymore at Steel Guitar Nashville in the 80's, Bobbe did a couple of weeks on the road with Johnny. Johnny's song he Old Violin" was out.
"The Old Violin": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNkIL-kriuU

I saw Paycheck with Bobbe at the club where I was in the house band in the 80s. They played on a Monday or Tuesday night. Paycheck and Bobbe were awesome.

[Jim Pitman]

To Paul's comment, One can pluck behind the bar at the harmonic fret positions and get some loud chorus sounding stuff. I did this on a Phish (Pork Tornado) recording, "Blue Sky". Right before the first chorus.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rek-xeTNOk

[scott murray]

great shot of Big Jim and his Bud at 1:20 here: https://youtu.be/UJaK2_PlBA8

[Ricky Davis]

great shot of Big Jim and his Bud at 1:20 here: https://youtu.be/UJaK2_PlBA8

Yeah Scott that's this Dick Miller Finished Sho~Bud Pro~II Custom with the cool leaf on front; I'm playing here in these pics>


As I took care of all his Pedal Steels his last years here in Texas.
Big Jim LOVED that cool teal/blue/green steel as you can tell by his playing..ah...ha.
Ricky

[Craig Stock]

Interesting Scott that Melba Montgomery is featured on that episode!