New Silver Hawaiian

Michael Johnstone · Post by **Michael Johnstone** » 17 Mar 2007 1:23 pm

Speaking of Ricks,here's an interesting ax you don't see too often. 1951 8-string G-Deluxe.
It used to belong to Joaquin Murphey.It's pretty much mint and has that great old time tone.

Gary Lynch · Post by **Gary Lynch** » 17 Mar 2007 1:28 pm

What is the story behind this guitar? Do you have any photos of JM playing it?

Michael Johnstone · Post by **Michael Johnstone** » 17 Mar 2007 11:30 pm

Yeah it belonged to me first.I got it from a used guitar shop in North Hollywood for $800 in the late 80s.When I met Joaquin a little later and found out he was pennyless with no guitar,I just gave it to him.He owned it until he died in 1999 and he willed it back to me like he did with Chas Smith's guitar. He put his famous hybrid C6/A9 tuning on it and would play it using an ironing board for a stand. I have a little video of that somewhere which I could probably derive a still photo by flying a freeze frame from Final Cut Pro into Photo Shop.
But it's an amazing sounding guitar. I used it on some Hank Snow takedowns I did for a TV movie a couple years ago and it just slayed everybody with it's honkin' old time tone.They're stuffed with newspaper from the factory and if you remove the pickup and dig a little of that paper out you can date the guitar from the date on the newspaper. Mine says April 10,1951. It doesn't really sound like a panda,fry pan or any other Ricky - it has it's own tone.I don't understand why the Silver Hawaiian line never got as much respect as the other Ricks. It rivals a Stringmaster or a CruzTone for sheer character. I think I'll hang onto it.

Rick Aiello · Post by **Rick Aiello** » 18 Mar 2007 4:00 am

it has it's own tone.

While I was redoin' my G Deluxe ...

I found it had a 1.25" x 4" hardwood board mounted in the body ... tapering as it ran up thru the neck.

This was not an "aftermarket" addition ... the board could not have been inserted via the pickup bay.

The attachment sites for this board are under the lucite fretboard ...

It's much "mellower" yet "bigger" sounding than my two prewar Silvers ...

Andy Sandoval · Post by **Andy Sandoval** » 18 Mar 2007 10:19 am

I've never seen that model before. That's one sweet Silver Hawaiian.

Michael, your right about the Hawaiians tone. These guitars are so underated. I'm really jazzed about mine and how she turned out with just a little TLC.

Gary Lynch · Post by **Gary Lynch** » 18 Mar 2007 10:40 am

Any man that would give Joaquin Murphey a steel guitar to enjoy when he had none of his own, is a real man and a friend of the steel guitar.

Never Forget the Old Steel Guitar Warriors