Coment and ?, for CHAS SMITH

[Michael Dehner]

Chas:

I saw your gig picture, [second one on thread]
and just flipped out!!!
A Bigsby with knee levers???
And then I saw your name, and it all came back to me.
I worked with Bobbe when you bought that guitar in
'91.
I know you were disappointed at the time you got it, [since it was slightly modified]---But Chas!!!
You have got to own one of the all time top ten, unique
pedal steels in exesistance!....An IMPROVED, ORIGINAL,
[SEYMOUR-UPGRADE], MAURICE ANDERSON BIGSBY, with the most microscopic, WILLIE NELSON autograph scratched into the top surface,
too boot!!!
How Willie wrote his name so small, always amazed me!
My question, Chas, is, Do you still love playing that
instrument?
Because I tell you, Chas! It sure made my day to see
you in posession of it!

Mike Dehner [the idiot that put it in a box, and sent it to
you!] LOL, GOD BLESS 'YA!

[chas smith]

Michael, thank you for the kind words. I haven't played it out in a while, since mostly what I get called for involves the E9 tuning and the Bigsby is set up with a C6. I used it on a regular basis when I was playing in a swing band, and later with a group that did '30s and '40s "American Songbook". This is a photo I took when I first got it.

"Slightly modified???" And the modifier actually signed the guitar, under the necks, leaving no doubt as to who the culprit was. The bent-over nails connecting the Bigsby, sawed-off, fingers to the bird-cage changer was my personal favorite modification. On the plus side, I felt that it gave me "license" to go ahead and "upgrade" it so:



The geometry of where the Bigsby changer is located versus the birdcage changer mechanism was a problem. I didn't want to cut the guitar, but I still wanted to use the Bigsby fingers and the changer so I welded a tab on the bottom if the finger and a tab on the top of the changer. voila

It sounds like a Bigsby and kind-of plays like a Sho-Bud.
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica">quote:</font><HR><SMALL>Mike Dehner [the idiot that put it in a box, and sent it to
you!] </SMALL><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
The world needs more "idiots" like you.
cheers
chas

[Charlie McDonald]

Really beautiful, and a color to die for.

[John Billings]

On my! Oh my! I am soooooooo jealous!