NATIONAL QUAD

Rick Alexander · Post by **Rick Alexander** » 13 Oct 2006 6:16 am

I've been in contact with the seller, a very cool guy named Marty in S. CA (I know he's cool because he plays a Bigsby).
He says he can look up the name of the movie it was built for and he's going to try to find the contact info of the person he got it from.
So maybe we can find out more of the who, why, what, when, where and how . .

Mark, thanks for the link. I guess it's been promoted.[This message was edited by Rick Alexander on 13 October 2006 at 07:20 AM.]

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 13 Oct 2006 8:38 am

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>
If I'm not mistaken the last time this beauty was discussed it was an abomination...
Now it's a National treasure.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Interesting... I guess the market has changed in the past two years. Or maybe the guitar's presentation and possible movie connection account for the new outlook. Either way, this is a very cool instrument, probably not a National factory product, but a nice folk art instrument and it has value as such. Documentation of any connection to a movie would be important to establish a value and some history. A picture of this steel being played in a movie would be the ticket. I wouldn't mind having this steel guitar as a centerpice in my music room!

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My Site - Instruction

George Keoki Lake · Post by **George Keoki Lake** » 13 Oct 2006 12:24 pm

Rick...another thought just came to me. When I was in my late teens, I worked a summer job in a dairy in the ice cream devision ! Wow! Anyway, every night I would dip a Revel into the chocolate and place it in the giant freezer over night. You can just imagine the size of that Revel after two months of chocolate dipping ! What has this to do with your National ? Well, perhaps an employee of National took it upon himself to build a collosal guitar just as I "built" a collosal Revel. Neither item was ever made or sanctioned by the dairy or by National....get my drift ?

Rick Alexander · Post by **Rick Alexander** » 13 Oct 2006 3:02 pm

Doug, the seller is going to get back to me with the name of the movie. Then maybe we can find out more info about it.

George, so let me get this straight: While you were dipping your revel, he was gripping his bevel . .
It's plausible - I like it.

A peek at the seamy underbelly of the beast:

George Keoki Lake · Post by **George Keoki Lake** » 13 Oct 2006 9:14 pm

George, so let me get this straight: While you were dipping your revel, he was gripping his bevel . .
...and that's on the LEVEL !

Keith Cordell · Post by **Keith Cordell** » 14 Oct 2006 2:55 am

You devil.

Ron Brennan · Post by **Ron Brennan** » 14 Oct 2006 6:39 am

I had to marvel when the Devil failed to grovel for a shovel to eat the revel...

Rick Alexander · Post by **Rick Alexander** » 14 Oct 2006 7:19 am

We have many poets.

Here is a couple of pics of the lid.

When it's on it covers the top completely, but it overhangs at the bottom, and if you look underneath you can see the headstocks.
Definitely not for air travel!

I ordered the replacement Kluson tuners for it, so putting strings on won't be a struggle.
I'll put the originals away while they're still intact.

I think I'll get Tater to do it . .

George Keoki Lake · Post by **George Keoki Lake** » 14 Oct 2006 11:46 am

Smart idea for you to get Tater,
Better now, than anytime later.
Checking that lid, it's easy to see
It's all home made, so it appears to me.
Those head stocks are not a factory design
The guy who made it, made one of a "kine"!

Rick Alexander · Post by **Rick Alexander** » 10 Nov 2006 2:56 pm

GROVER STA-TITES
big difference!

Bill Creller · Post by **Bill Creller** » 10 Nov 2006 8:29 pm

Gee, after seeing all those pix, I think I'll build one! If you believe that I'll sell you a bridge![This message was edited by Bill Creller on 10 November 2006 at 08:31 PM.][This message was edited by Bill Creller on 10 November 2006 at 08:33 PM.]

Gary Boyett · Post by **Gary Boyett** » 11 Nov 2006 7:53 am

I still think this is one of the coolest steels out there. And it doubles as a step stool.

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HSGA & RMSGC member
Play it with "Glass"
Boyett's Glass Bars

Gene Jones · Post by **Gene Jones** » 11 Nov 2006 9:40 am

Back in this monster's heyday, strings were usually changed only when one broke....which was not often.

The reason being, that those guitars usually sounded increasingly better as the strings matured and distanced themselves from their initial "tinney" sound.

Of course this is only an opinion...and the difference may have been the tube amplifiers.

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<img width=100 src=http://genejones.bizland.com/index.1.jpg>www.genejones.com

[This message was edited by Gene Jones on 11 November 2006 at 12:38 PM.]

Darryl Hattenhauer · Post by **Darryl Hattenhauer** » 11 Nov 2006 9:58 am

Gene,
Did older strings sound better because of the way strings were made back then?

Rick,
When can we hear a recording of it?

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"My help comes from the Lord, maker of Heaven and earth." (Psalm 121:1-2)

Darryl Hattenhauer · Post by **Darryl Hattenhauer** » 11 Nov 2006 11:43 am

http://www.rickalexander.com/BigSteel/NationalQuad.html

Rick,
I found the clips. The sound is amazing. No experimenting with any combinations of instruments, amps, and processing could ever get that.

Your whole site is incredible. Do play your Guild on any of your recordings?

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"My help comes from the Lord, maker of Heaven and earth." (Psalm 121:1-2)

Ron Whitfield · Post by **Ron Whitfield** » 11 Nov 2006 12:25 pm

Bill, you make the best bridges around, what could possibly keep you from easily duplicating Rick's beautiful monster?

Build them, and they will sell!

Rick, I don't see the quad posted in your sound listing.
Is it available to hear?

Gene Jones · Post by **Gene Jones** » 11 Nov 2006 12:35 pm

Darryl, I think strings sounded better, longer, because they were not abused by the continual stretching as they are with pedals today. They sounded mellower when they lost the "new" sound. New strings were like new jeans...they were more comfortable after some "time in the saddle".

Most of the old players will say that they changed strings only when they would no longer stay in tune.[This message was edited by Gene Jones on 11 November 2006 at 12:44 PM.]

Paul Honeycutt · Post by **Paul Honeycutt** » 11 Nov 2006 3:23 pm

That thing is amazing! I hope you find out the name of the movie it was built for. I wonder if several guys played it at the same time?

Ron Whitfield · Post by **Ron Whitfield** » 11 Nov 2006 3:51 pm

I've seen this thing played in a clip on youtube, and I probably have it amongst the buku vids in my YT folder.
Rather etheral footage shot from behind the steelers right shoulder.
I'll try and find it, someday.

Rick Alexander · Post by **Rick Alexander** » 12 Nov 2006 6:36 am

Bill, you should build one.
It can always be used as a gerbel cage . .

Gman, yes it's very handy when you need to change a light bulb!

Thanks Darryl!
No I haven't used the Gretsch for any recordings . .

Ron, for the sound clips just go here and click on the top 4 pics.
It would be awesome to see that vid buddy!
I sure hope you can find it.

Gene, I had to replace the tuners because the old ones were so stiff they would hardly turn even after I applied oil. Plus the buttons were all shriveled up and on the verge of crumbling and I wanted to preserve them while they're still intact.
So of course I had to put new strings on as well.
Now all I have to do is wait for them to break in . .

I wonder if several guys played it at the same time?

Paul, I was thinking of stringing the top neck backwards so another guy could stand in front and play it. But I didn't do it.
We're still trying to find out the name of the movie, no luck so far. I should email the seller again, he may have forgotten all about it . .