Quad neck steel guitar

Roger Shackelton · Post by **Roger Shackelton** » 24 Jun 2007 8:57 am

I just viewed one of those Ganaway films from the 1950s on youtube. Jim Reeves was singing "Yonder Comes a Sucker." He had Jimmy Day on steel guitar. Jimmy was playing a quad neck Bigsby steel guitar. I wonder where that guitar is now.???

Does anyone know which guitar company produced the first 4 neck steel guitar?

Rick Alexander · Post by **Rick Alexander** » 24 Jun 2007 10:39 am

Well, Leo Fender's first Quad came out in 53 . .

This OOAK National Quad was made in 54 . .

So I guess it must have been Bigsby.
Or is this a trick question?

norm mcdaniel · Post by **norm mcdaniel** » 24 Jun 2007 10:51 am

Dear Sir
I have posted a blurb on LT Zinn. and wonder if you might have a picture or two of his double neck Epiphone? and maybe what his basic tunings were. I know one is C6th. Making my own in Waco.
Thanks in advance
Norm in Waco

Michael Lee Allen · Post by **Michael Lee Allen** » 24 Jun 2007 12:14 pm

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Nathan Hernandez · Post by **Nathan Hernandez** » 24 Jun 2007 1:28 pm

The maple quad Jimmy is playing is a Wright custom. There is another clip of the guitar on one of the Ray Price vids as well. Maybe Chas Smith will chime in on this.

Rick Alexander · Post by **Rick Alexander** » 24 Jun 2007 3:49 pm

Lyon & Healy of Chicago built "The Big Four Neck Guitar" for steel guitarist Jack Penewell in 1925. Of course this was an acoustic instrument with four fingerboards on one large acoustic chamber. All the necks were six strings...that's all there was back then.

Michael, do you have a photo of it?

Michael Lee Allen · Post by **Michael Lee Allen** » 24 Jun 2007 10:14 pm

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Rick Alexander · Post by **Rick Alexander** » 25 Jun 2007 4:45 am

Michael, you really are a valuable resource for this stuff. Thank you.

Gary Lynch · Post by **Gary Lynch** » 25 Jun 2007 5:21 am

I care! If this quad neck that was played as a slide instrument, then it's very significant regarding slide guitar history that's for sure. It's a prototype of the later console models in a fashion.

chas smith · Post by **chas smith** » 25 Jun 2007 11:45 am

This was Jimmy Day's and Curly Chalker's Wright Q-8, my understanding, because I'm not going to take off the necks, is that it was made in 1959. It's a really sweet sounding guitar and it weighs a very unfriendly 79# in the case:

Somebody felt that the underneath needed some color, notice the ashtray:

Jeff Au Hoy · Post by **Jeff Au Hoy** » 25 Jun 2007 12:29 pm

That has the same kind of cool gargantuan ridiculousness as the Lincoln Continental of the same year.

Michael Lee Allen · Post by **Michael Lee Allen** » 25 Jun 2007 1:03 pm

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Mike Black · Post by **Mike Black** » 27 Jun 2007 12:53 pm

Hi Chas, hope all is well. I suspected that these headstock covers were done by Chuck Wright also. The quad shot leave little to doubt.

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 27 Jun 2007 1:17 pm

Here's my Fender quad Stringmaster: s/n 0002

Rick Alexander · Post by **Rick Alexander** » 27 Jun 2007 2:36 pm

What a great topic this is turning out to be.
Here's a pic from Ray Montee of his 4 neck Bigsby.
A thing of beauty if ever there was one . .

It's a 4/1956 one owner, never an alteration nor problem with it. It has the Bud Isaacs neck, and Speedy West's 3-necks along with the one I used for Jerry Byrd and Billy Robertson and Don Helms kinda stuff.

Mike Black · Post by **Mike Black** » 28 Jun 2007 11:36 am

Ray, did you have the string covers finished in black? Can you post the dimensions of it?

Ray Montee · Post by **Ray Montee** » 28 Jun 2007 12:14 pm

Hi there MIKE!
The overall guitar from end of headstock to the end of the changer mechanism is 32 inches.
The front to nearest point to player (inside) is 21 inches.
From nut to pickup is 22.5 inches.

NO! I did not paint them. Paul did that on his own. I think it's rather nice to look at, right?
It always played good and sounded good, thro' that 4 x 10 1965 bassman tube amp. Anyone wanting to listen to it can hear it on several of the tunes posted on the Hawaiian Steel Guitar Assn. site.
When I got it, the "push-up" changers at the headstock were nowhere to be found. I was sure I had been gyped! But Paul had simply incorporated his new changer on the pickup end. I never regreted it.
I think it was PeeWee Whitewing, when he was with Hank Thompson, had that model with the "push-ups" his triple neck. This was my first close up look-see.

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 28 Jun 2007 12:21 pm

Definitely drool-worthy! Quad players better stay in shape and not get bellies. Either that, or you must have long arms.

Ray, that is quite a guitar there.

Ray Montee · Post by **Ray Montee** » 28 Jun 2007 5:49 pm

THANK YOU most kindly for your kind words.

I've seen many a Bigsby in my day and so many have been so badly mutilated or altered....that it really should be criminal.

I'm happy to report mine is still pristine!

Mike Black · Post by **Mike Black** » 29 Jun 2007 8:04 am

I've never seen the string covers painted. Larry Petree said his 53 also had black covers. I was wondering if you asked for them that way. I notice it's not finished in black from the end of the fretboard to the tailpiece like he did on most of them. Just trying too figure out how much latitude Paul had when you ordered one. They do look sharp. I always wondered what kind of paint he used. Your has the "turning marks"(for lack of a better decription) on the necks too, is that right? I think Maurice Anderson's 56 also has those turnings. Does it have wheels on the back legs? It dosen't look like it but I can't tell. I'd sure like to see the case for it sometime.
I agree with you on the 4x10 Bassman. I added a Reverb unit where you had your Echolette.

I believe there was a Quad built for a guy, Steve Brown I think, in Seattle and I got wind of one supposedly in Texas, could just be passin wind though!

Ray Montee · Post by **Ray Montee** » 29 Jun 2007 10:54 am

MIKE: In answer to your question......
The black pick-up covers simply arrived that way. He never discussed them with me; nor, did I ask. Thus, I have no idea as to the type of paint that was used.
The only one's I ever saw with wheels were Speedy Wests' and that "other guy" whose g'tar was used in most of Paul's advertising literature. He used to play in Tex William's band and did a lot of thumb pick strumming.
I was given a choice of how many strings I wanted and to think of 10-12 strings, when I was still attempting to adjust to the tho't of 8-strings when all I'd ever seen before that was six....... was a monumental task.
He seemed quite big in offering me the cigarette ashtray accessory. And complained a lot about having to go down and have new end plates cast for the quad.
He kept telling me how heavy it was going to be=105#.
YES! Those are round "swirls" that Paul did with some kind of a machine tool, on the neck surfaces, etc. When the stage lights hit them, they're sorta like diamonds. While in El Paso, I flew a beautifully restored Lockeed (can't remember the model......maybe a Lodestar or whatever). It was natural aluminum and they had done that same affect all over the aircraft and under the airport lighting at night, the sight was just brilliant.
What part of the case are you interested in seeing?
Earlier research by one of the fellows that bought up all of Paul's original parts....revealed that only three quads were made. One was discovered in Florida and had been cut in two, to make two double necks. Another was somewhere in Seattle with NO PEDALS.

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 29 Jun 2007 10:56 am

Question--just off topic re: Bigsby guitars: Can you describe the difference in tone between those with aluminum necks versus wooden?

chas smith · Post by **chas smith** » 29 Jun 2007 11:26 am

and that "other guy" whose g'tar was used in most of Paul's advertising literature.

Wayne Burdick.

Those are round "swirls" that Paul did with some kind of a machine tool

"Engine turning" with the mill and an abrasive disc. Very labor intensive.

Ray Montee · Post by **Ray Montee** » 29 Jun 2007 11:36 am

WAYNE BURDICK!
THANK you, thank you.
I couldn't remember his name to save me as I sat here before this keyboard. That's the guy.
And WHO was that other guy who's name appeared on the work bench incomplete unit? "EDDIE" Savage?

Mike Black · Post by **Mike Black** » 29 Jun 2007 11:52 am

Ray, I'd like to see a shot of your case opened. Does it have the rods and rack in there too?
It could be a Fender quad in TX but the story I heard was the owner went out to Cal to pick it up and meet with Speedy. You'd think a Fender could be had at the local music store with no need to fetch it on the coast. I'm searching for it. If I'm lucky and PA is watching out for me, again, I'll find it.

I'm cool with it being a Fender too then I can have races with Jody! Fender wins by a Neck!

I bought several Western Swing 78's at a yard sale when I lived in Seattle. I was talking with the elderly lady and she said her husband played steel, in Church with a B3 player. When asked what kind of steel she said VERY matter-of-factly, like she'd said it many times before, "A 4 neck Bigsby". He'd sold it before he passed but she thought she may still have a footpedal in the basement. I left my card and a couple days later she called. Couldn't find the pedal but she did find a Bigsby catalog and tuning guide which I bought, and promptly copied then traded for an Echoplex!

In the back of the guide, hand written, are pedal changes for 1 tuning. Wether or not PA added the pedals is another thing.

I don't doubt he made few quads but I wouldn't be surprised to find out there's another 1 or more out there. It seems just when you think you got them all accounted for here comes another to confound.

There's a guy writing a Bigsby book would it be ok to send you his email?

Mike, to answer your question. To me, the wood necks sounds a bit more muted, the metal ones a bit brighter. It's tough to describe but if you come to New Mexico you can try both!8)
If I was ordering one I'd buy wood necks for a non pedal and wood necks with metal headstocks & Pu ends, ala Bob White's for a pedal one.

The Steel Guitar Forum

Quad neck steel guitar

Quad neck steel guitar

for Rick Alexander

Dimensions and stuff

THANK YOU Mike Neer!

BIGSBY's and stuff.......

Question re: Bigsby guitars

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