The Steel Guitar Forum

Has this been posted before?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHGpPr2xXG4

This channel is a great archive of historical video.
http://www.youtube.com/user/tvcollector71

THANKS for posting this clip.

I'm far more impressed with Buddys' playing after seeing this item than I have been previously. When he dropped down onto the #2 neck, I was almost convinced it was Speedy West, insofar as tone and technique is concerned.

He played the tune in the fashion that Noel Boggs used to play, jumping from neck to neck, seamlessly and with expertise.

Thanks for this all too brief joyful experience.

I'm pretty sure "Steelin Home" was written by Noel Boggs and first recorded with Spade Cooley.

Buddy's method of leaving all necks on at once and moving seamlessly between necks is the way I played for years both with multiple neck non pedal guitars and with two neck pedal guitars. Whatever necks you play consider the guitar as one big tuning and play on the necks that fit what you are wanting to play or whatever fills are appropriate.

On several occasions when Buddy was playing Steel with the Danny Michaels band, Danny would take off for some reason and call me in to play Steel. Buddy would then fill in for Danny on Lead. It was so great playing with Buddy as he knew exactly what I was playing and gave me the proper support on Lead.

WOW..thanks for posting this. I like those close up shots. He sure has some fat strings on that outer neck. Wonder why he covered the "Fender" front decal? Also love how Lawrence introduces the "Steel Kitar"!

The outer neck was considered a "Bass Tuning" which was first developed by Noel Boggs. It was primarily for special effects and not used extensively.

Hey, Ray Montee, you beat me to the first post by nine minutes. Regards, BT

Hmmm, outer neck is apparently B6, an octave below the B6 of the second neck. Third neck is E flat 13th with a G on top. I suspect that normally he would play it in E, but tuned the 3 necks down a half step from C6 and E13 so the band could play this tune in E flat. On the other hand that is weird because surely these guys could read in E. Maybe they actually were in E, but audio is down a half step.

In addition to the great performance, I'm impressed with the guitar itself.

The volume and tone were identical on all the necks.

Silly question - which way are the necks numbered - player to audience, or audience to player?

Kind of like strings - nose to toes or vice versa?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-OuE-LM ... re=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbuWnDk7 ... re=related

"Wunnaful! Wunnaful ! that was Buddy on the steel cutar".
Why is there no name plate/decal on the front of that cutar? No free advertising allowed??

Thanks for posting that video. I've always wondered what a set of those bass strings on the fourth neck might have sounded like.

That Stringmaster cuts like a knife! What a sound. And he was probably playing through a tube amp. IMO that's a Way better tone than his later, more "advanced" pedal steel guitars and solid state amps. So much for progress.

Hoo-wee, whatta sound! And who exactly made that guitar? Looks like someone made him cover up the Fender decal.

Buddy Merrill on Steel Guitar Playing Paradise Isle in C# minor tuning

I did not like the organ in the background.

Aloha,
Don

Don Kona Woods wrote: Buddy Merrill on Steel Guitar Playing Paradise Isle in C# minor tuning

I did not like the organ in the background.

Aloha,
Don

In the 50s that would have been considered a VERY "wunnerful" and innovative sound. There were many records out then by artists like Jessie Crawford and others that were organ records that the public bought in droves. Also Bob Ralston who was one of the later Welk keyboardist had a sponsership with the Thomas organ company on the show. The organ sound was just one of Welks signature sounds. When I heard the organ playing behind Merrill it was not a question to me of whether I liked it or not. It was just a part of the sound in that era.

I worked some with the Lawrence Welk orchestra playing guitar when they traveled around the country doing concerts in the 80s. Myron Floren conducted and many of the original musicians played. Those guys were incredible musicians and the charts were very challenging to read.

Doug Beaumier wrote:IMO that's a Way better tone than his later, more "advanced" pedal steel guitars and solid state amps. So much for progress.

My thoughts exactly. Before this, I had only seen the clips on pedal steel (i.e. Hawaiian War Chant)--which I agree, tone-wise pales in comparison. I wish he had stuck with the Stringmaster, especially for their Hawaii show.

Kenny Dail called it to my attention that Buddy seems to be wearing plastic finger picks. That's what it looks like on the index finger. The middle finger is curled under too much to see. Just a little trivia. The clip is great!

Don Kona Woods wrote:I did not like the organ in the background.

It should have been more up front?

This discussion of steel guitar with organ has prompted me to ask,- does anyone know of any Hawaiian records that were made with steel guitar and vibes? I have a few odds and ends of steel guitar and vibes or marimbas but nothing exclusive. I can imagine recordings with Jerry Byrd and Arthur Lyman or Martin Denny but it never happened. Jerry told me that he had suggested to Arthur that they should make a record together but that Arthur never seemed interested. So it never happened. Too bad ! It could have/would have been fabulous.
Any steel guitar and vibes records out there??
Steel guitar & organ,---no thanks.

I did not like the organ in the background.

I didn't particularly like the organ either. BUT, it did remind me of an old Noel Boggs LP I have somewhere that has the same organ sound all over it. AND, Neil Lavang is playing guitar on that particular Noel Boggs LP. Maybe a connection????

Wally Pfeifer wrote:This discussion of steel guitar with organ has prompted me to ask,- does anyone know of any Hawaiian records that were made with steel guitar and vibes?

Jules Ah See on steel with vibes added over. Nice cover too..keep your eyes on the hands, indeed!

http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/mus ... Guitar.htm

Nice cover too..keep your eyes on the hands, indeed!

Yes... Pure artistry!

Wally: There is a recent album with DJ Bonebrake and Jeremy Wakefield doing some great jazz stuff together. You can listen to it here: http://rapidshare.com/files/119516078/T ... Strain.rar and if you like it, don't forget to buy it from these struggling mucsicians

Cool video! Lots of left hand blocking- was this a method taught by some of the hawaiian guitar teachers back in the day?

I've never seen that bar bouncing trick before, but notice nobody else has commented on it. Was that a common effect at the time?