Question for Buddy Emmons

Bill Miller · Post by **Bill Miller** » 20 May 2004 9:00 am

Hi Buddy. Can you tell me what equipment you were using when you recorded the Willie Nelson & Ray Price album? I love the sound of your playing on those sessions. In particular ' Don't You Ever Get Tired of Hurting Me?' and ' I Fall to Pieces' are my all time favorite examples of what I would like my playing to sound like. Even after the countless times I've listened to that album the sound of your steel still gives me goosebumps. I know most of it is technique but I'd still like to know what guitar, amp and effects went into that sound.

Ray Minich · Post by **Ray Minich** » 20 May 2004 11:47 am

deleted[This message was edited by Ray Minich on 21 May 2004 at 09:13 PM.]

Jordan Shapiro · Post by **Jordan Shapiro** » 20 May 2004 2:59 pm

Buddy,
We're in the the middle of a big debate here in Southern California.

Now we've been looking at pix from the Dallas show, and everyone is raving about your performance there, but we can't, for the life of us, figure out what kind of socks you were wearing.

I've been looking for "that sound" forever. I've tried tube, dress, ankle length, to the knee........................every kind of sock there is, and still can't quite get there. Any input on your sock of choice would really help some of us newer steelers get off on the right foot.

Also, were those Levi's, or Wranglers? I tend to play in Levi's and seam to be "in the pocket" more while playing in them.I also really enjoy the "warm lows" that seem to go along with the heavier denim, but I am still open to suggestions.
Thank you in advance for your input here.
Jordan Shapiro
A proud resident of Tongue in Cheek, CA
Cheers

Bob Knight · Post by **Bob Knight** » 20 May 2004 3:22 pm

Jordan,
You took the words right off my fingertips.

I was wondering exactly the same thing.

Chris Forbes · Post by **Chris Forbes** » 21 May 2004 2:22 am

Now we're talking with gas!!

Gary Lee Gimble · Post by **Gary Lee Gimble** » 21 May 2004 11:17 am

Who told ya Chris? Some folks are bilingual, they can communicate from both ends!

Gary Lee Gimble · Post by **Gary Lee Gimble** » 21 May 2004 11:26 am

Jordan, FWIW I wear an obsolete pair of Jordache jeans and Bill Blass designer skivvies that has seen more Clorox than it takes to fill up my SUV. Needless to say my tone is to die for. And I ain't no Emmons either.

Chris Forbes · Post by **Chris Forbes** » 21 May 2004 11:34 am

And he can make it sound just like a trumpet too!!!!!!!

Steve Frost · Post by **Steve Frost** » 21 May 2004 4:03 pm

Jordan- maybe I'm reading this wrong- and I hope I am- but it sounds to me like you think these are asinine questions. I don't see any distinction between these and any other questions posed on the Forum. If questions about equipment, settings and mindset are out of bounds... well, that doesn''t leave a hell of a lot to talk about , does it? BTW, I prefer knee high black sock, with sandals, of course!

Bill Miller · Post by **Bill Miller** » 21 May 2004 5:21 pm

Hmmm...you might be right Steve, it does seem a bit like that. I started the thread looking for some equipment insight from Buddy Emmons but so far we've heard mostly from Buddy Hackett...or a wannabe.

Jordan Shapiro · Post by **Jordan Shapiro** » 21 May 2004 5:44 pm

I only use that "sandal" tone for for Geatful Dead tunes, or the occasional Gram Parsons tune.

As far as the rest of your reply, I was only pokin' fun at the endless questions posed to the Big E. If you're gonna ask questions, you might as well ask the master, I understand, but it also strikes my funny bone as I picture B.E. running from his computer as a bunch of us crawl out of his monitor, question marks,amp settings, tennis shoes, cowboy boots etc. dripping from our bodies. Salvador Dali style.

That being said, I also feel honored and lucky to be a part of a musical community that is closely knit together to the point of being able to ask the masters questions, and get answers. Try asking a cellist if he can email YoYo Ma and ask what guage strings he uses! We are lucky to have chosen this great instrument to learn, and we are lucky as hell that b0b has kept this forum going for us to buy and sell and ask and communicate and meet each other. THANK YOU b0b!!!!!!!!!!!

Also, I was reading a post where B.E. was pullin' everyones leg about having unattatched all the pedals and knee levers of his guitar at the Dallas show, but didn't tell anyone so he wouldn't have to explain how he made it sound like he was using said pedals and knee levers. I figured B.E. for a guy that couls roll with a little good-natured ribbing about the socks.

After that long in the music industry, I would figure you'd half to have a great sense of humor, or you would most likely loose your talented little marbles!
Now, do you figure he was wearing boxer shorts, or the standard tighty whities................

Thanks for rollin' with me on this one, guys.
Jordan Shapiro
LONG LIVE DALE WATSON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Buddy Emmons · Post by **Buddy Emmons** » 22 May 2004 5:22 am

Bill,
Without hearing the album I can only guess what effects if any were used. Outside of an obvious sound such phase shift, or chorus, the only effect I recall using for E9th in that time period was a very slight detuning of one side of the image for a fatter sound. I don’t recall using two amps, so my guess would be my rosewood push/pull, a Peavey or possibly Fender amp, a good warm microphone and a great engineer.

Buddy Emmons · Post by **Buddy Emmons** » 22 May 2004 5:31 am

Jordan… I’m so glad you asked that question, as there are oft times I search in vain for my original tone. The photos were probably taken with a digital camera which has a difficult time distinguishing navy blue from black, especially on a Texas bandstand. That particular night I wore one black and one navy blue sock. When I pointed out the socks making a difference in my sound to my wife Peggy, she said, “I know, dear. You have another pair just like them in the drawer, so if you wear them only to jobs, you’ll have your sound for a long time.” My problem now is that the colors on the other pair are reversed and may have an adverse affect on my original tone. There’s always something to worry about.

By the way, the jeans were Oshkosh B’Gosh but I’ve worn them when you could grate nutmeg with my sound so that rules them out.

Steve Frost · Post by **Steve Frost** » 22 May 2004 6:04 am

Jordan- thanks for the explanation. That makes a lot more sense. And you're right - this Forum is a great resource and community. Thanks , b0b! And you too , Buddy!

Dennis Detweiler · Post by **Dennis Detweiler** » 22 May 2004 8:40 am

Well, hell! Just turn the socks inside out and put the left on the right and the right on the left! You gotta think creative with your underwear, just as you do on your guitar. Then the tone will ooz out.
Want a warm, fuzzy sound?...try mohair briefs. And it's in your right hand? Some of it could be?
MY NAME IS ARNOLD ZIFFLE AND I APPROVE THIS MESSAGE.
ARNOLD ZIFFLE FOR PRESIDENT.

Jordan Shapiro · Post by **Jordan Shapiro** » 22 May 2004 9:24 am

Dennis, I figured someone here would have realized that if you reverse the socks, they will be out of phase. I'm sure Ken Fox could explain to us a bit about what happens when our socks are out of phase.

B.E., I've got the nutmeg grinding sound down so well, i can do it in any outfit from the birthday suit to the Nudie suit(funny how those two sound so similar yet are soooooo different, huh?).

By the way, I went to see "Bronco Billy" Woo at the American Legion hall last night. Good stuff. I sat down at his Zum for a few and played a little. I'll tell you what, as far as tone goes, a Zum through a Webb is no joke. I only wish the Zum was set up like my 'bud and my Mullen so I could've made folks cry because of the notes I WAS hitting.........

Jordan Shapiro

Redd Volkaert for president

Wayne Cox · Post by **Wayne Cox** » 22 May 2004 9:57 am

One night,on the bandstand,I accidentally hit the wrong pedals on C6 and very clearly and distinctly played a tonal cluster that even clashed with the drummer. The Guitar player let go of his instrument and turned toward me with both his forefingers about two feet apart and said,"Son, that would kill catfish this long!". I didn't tell him my socks were out-of-phase too.
Thanks for all the professional advice,guys!
~~W.C.~~

Bill Miller · Post by **Bill Miller** » 22 May 2004 3:09 pm

Thanks for the response Buddy. It does indeed have a very warm tone without losing any of the high end. There's silkiness which I find impossible to reproduce with what I have here. Anyways, those are beautiful recordings.

Buddy Emmons · Post by **Buddy Emmons** » 22 May 2004 3:32 pm

Thank you, Bill. Don’t feel like the Lone Ranger. I used a Standel amp with a Gibson outboard reverb on the Touch My Heart session and the studio playback sound was so much different than the amp sound I was getting, I couldn’t believe my ears. Since then I’ve spent the better part of my life trying to duplicate it live, but for the most part it's been a losing battle.

James Morehead · Post by **James Morehead** » 23 May 2004 3:17 pm

Mr. Emmons, I love that album "San Antonio Rose", with Willie Nelson and Ray Price, too. That album represents what I love in country music, and western swing!!
[This message was edited by James Morehead on 23 May 2004 at 04:35 PM.]

ebb · Post by **ebb** » 23 May 2004 3:38 pm

try the standel with sandals

Matt Dawson · Post by **Matt Dawson** » 27 May 2004 1:00 am

If one black and one navy blue sock is the 'Emmons' setup, does that mean that the pair left in the drawer is a 'Day'setup?

Gary C. Dygert · Post by **Gary C. Dygert** » 27 May 2004 6:17 am

I like the way the Humor Section spills over into the rest of the forum. And how great it is to have big guys like Buddy participate. By the way, I go with no sox and no underwear for a freewheeling, out-of-control, almost atonal effect.

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No-name lap steel and reso in E6 and E7