The Steel Guitar Forum

Hi ya'll,
I've been watching The Wilburn Bros. show & it reminded me of a question I've had for a while. Does anyone know why Curley had his E9 & C6 reversed on his guitar?
Thx for your replies!
Pat

Yup.. C6 on front, E9 on back.

I don't really have an answer other than he favored the C6 neck.

maybe it was for when a producer told him to "stick to the front neck"

His Fender 1000 had C6 on the outside and F13 on the inside neck--I think that E9 came way later for Curly, and he kept the C6 where he was accustomed. Dave Zirbel posted his copedent a few years back.

Also, a lot of the early Sho Bud permanents had C6 as the outside neck as standard--I read somewhere on the forum that this was apparently in order to avoid pull rod mechanisms from the pedals hitting the underside of the neck selector switch.

Dave

Thx ya'll! I appreciate the responses. David, I hadn't heard that about what you said. Seems to make sense.
If anyone else has insight, It'd be greatly appreciated!
Thx, Pat

He always favored C6th!

However, with that said, I was always impressed with his approach to playing the E9th. He had a much different style of playing E9th.

Only one Curly Chalker!

I saw Curly with Hank Thompson in Southern California back in the early 1960s. He was playing the Fender 1000 with C6 on the outside neck. The inside neck wasn't even strung up. He was playing through two Fender tweed bassman amps. What a sound. Every steel player in the area that wasn't working was gathered around the end of the bandstand watching Curly do his magic.

I always admired Curly's little "isms" leading into some of the Hee Haw's skits. One in particular was the intro to the "Advice to the Lovelorn" spot with Lisa Todd. Just a grand little run there.

This stuff was one of my early inspirations for steel but I really knew nothing about him or the steel guitar really.

He must have just had a natural affinity for it. I don't know how else anyone could come up with the things he did.

Terry Wood wrote:...I was always impressed with his approach to playing the E9th.

Agreed.

Even though he reportedly hated the album, his E9 record of Gordon Lightfoot tunes is still one of my favorites.

Yes Jack Hanson, I agree with you on the L.P. of Gordon Lightfoot songs that Curly recorded. The story I always heard was that Curly was invited to record the Album and had prepared everything using his C6th tuned neck, however when he arrived to the recording session the producer told him no he must use his E9th tuned neck. Curly was bummed out but went ahead and did that. In my opinion it is brilliant.

I like Curly's E9 playing better than his C6, altho I have heard a couple of old non pedal C6 things he did that were brilliant.

Terry Wood wrote:producer told him no he must use his E9th tuned neck.

I never worked for anybody who knew the difference or cared. But I did work for a composer who thought I must be better than the other guy because I had 2 necks on my steel and the other guy had only one. He didn't notice that I never played one of the necks (that one had frets like Thumbs Carllile or Gene Fields).

that Lightfoot album is magnificent, especially after hearing he didn't even plan to do it on E9. my band copied that arrangement of Early Morning Rain almost note for note.

Curly reportedly spent some time with Lloyd Green when he decided to tackle E9 and pursue session work in the 70s. I think Lloyd's influence is quite evident in Curly's E9 style, but then again Lloyd influenced just about everyone in those days.

Curly could really make it cry too, and get way up the neck reminiscent of John Hughey. check out Curly's take on Long Black Limousine as one of the best examples: https://youtu.be/yDS_u5TOPVw?t=576

Jack & Scott, I agree. Great stuff on the Lightfoot tribute. What guitar was he using? Somehow doesn't sound like an MSA . . .

Chris

Somehow doesn't sound like an MSA . . .

So true, and the reason why is the man who sat behind it.

OK, George, I'll accept that! Certainly a marvelous player on anything, I'll bet. I am happy that Curley is getting some renewed attention.

Chris

Mike Perlowin has a great DVD of Curly. If you don't have a copy it was be a great addition to the personal library.

The DVD is still available, I still have around 120 copies sitting in my garage. Please contact me if you want one.

Hey Mike,
I'll get one. PM me for details.
Thx, Pat

Earnest Bovine wrote: But I did work for a composer who thought I must be better than the other guy because I had 2 necks on my steel and the other guy had only one. He didn't notice that I never played one of the necks...

I was that other guy. I think it's happened to me twice that I went into a recording session, and the engineer or somebody said:
"You only have one neck? The guy we had in here last week had two necks. He sounded great.

Me: "Did he play both necks?"

Easy to Impress Guy: "Um, I'm not sure. I don't think so."

Me: "Yup. Well... I'm going to play one neck. So we're even."

It kind of makes me want to drag in a Fender quad or something, just so they'll think I'm unbelievably amazing.

"Look at the gear on that guy!!"

Earnest Bovine wrote:I like Curly's E9 playing better than his C6, altho I have heard a couple of old non pedal C6 things he did that were brilliant.

I am inclined towards Jazz, but I also feel that Curly's E9th was some of the most tasteful every put on tracks.
His C6th was "different", starting with his tuning and setup, then his approach. It was TRUE Jazz, at times Bebop. I've never heard him in a Western Swing setup though.

I believe Lloyd Green "got him into" E9th or was "instrumental" in getting him interested into it. In my opinion, he got into LG's level very fast.

C6th is meant for individualism. Jerry Byrd showed it, Buddy Emmons re-certified that and Curly was ALL about it.

... J-D.

Mike Perlowin wrote:The DVD is still available, I still have around 120 copies sitting in my garage. Please contact me if you want one.

WHICH Curly Chalker DVD are you selling, Mike? The same b0b has?

Thanks!... J-D.

As far as I know, it's the same one.

With my T.V. account (Telus) here in B.C. I have a Optic T.V. add on that enables me to type in a search. Just did one for Curly Chalker and have a long list of listening. Listening to some great work as I type this.

I read somewhere that Curls also played trumpet. Any examples of his horn pickin?