The Steel Guitar Forum

Now I know that it's make little difference if Emmons played his favourite rig or had to play my guitar; he'd produce great music, regardless.

My question is in relation to the Ray Pennington series of Emmons/Pennington albums. 'We're Still Swinging' is the one I keep replaying in the car and I don't think I've ever heard him with better tone!

Much is made of his earlier output - deservedly, of course - but the 'required' studio tone (?) seemed a little shrill to me. The 'Black Album' is a masterpiece, of course, but it's not my favourite Emmons tone. I've previously stated that I like his Christmas album in this respect but this CD has the same sonic quality.

I imagine he was very much in charge of the 'Swing' series so his tone would be what he wanted it to be. Not that it's crucial, but I'd be interested to know what guitar he was using on 'We're Still Swinging'. Chronologically, perhaps it was an EMCI?

I love playing along with the Rhythm Track for "Undecided" on the We're Still Swinging Album!

Here is Buddy playing with The Swing Shift Band in St.Louis 1992.
He is playing a Sierra Crown Series Steel on this day.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=112q_crzcv0

I can predict that this question will trigger a lot of "it's all in the hands" comments. And yes, it takes good tone to start with.

But I think it is evident that the sound was processed quite well on these albums. These albums were recorded in the 80's with quite advanced technology.
The Christmas album had a slight pitch-shift super-imposed, which sounded really "fat".
Jeff Newman programmed it onto the ProFEX card that he made available to all and most didn't understand that setting as it sounded distant and "useless", but it was meant to be mixed with a "dry" signal... only as a "surround"-sound of some sort. In other words, you'd have the steel into a "standard" amp with slight delay and the "stereo" sound from two separate speakers to the sides with that slightly pitch shifted setting with stereo delay and some reverb.
I used it in the late 90's until I couldn't stand it anymore.

Newer small "modeling" amps with "<<WIDE>>" sound kind'a work on the same concept. I get close to that out of my VOX Adio GT "Handbag" practice amp.

... J-D.

Hey Roger,

I know that on the Step One Christmas album, Buddy used the rosewood EMCI. If you have that album as well, you might look at the release year if it’s noted on the back, it may reasonable to deduce the EMCI depending on how close the year is to the Christmas album.

Additionally, I recall a thread either here or in the “Ask Buddy” section of his website that Ernie so graciously keeps open for all of us Emmons nerds where he said there was an album or two (or maybe multiple in the series??) where he said he used MCI OR EMCI, a Sierra and possibly the Blade and damned if he could tell a nickel’s worth of difference between them on the final product. Or words to that effect.

Hurrah!! I may have just put to use one of the many useless bits of knowledge I have where steel guitars are concerned!

Hope you’re you’re doing well, sir!

Skeeter

Roger, if you search the"ask Buddy" I posed that with the modern recordings we should really be able to hear the difference in his guitars. I believe he answered that the "In the Mood" CD was the keyless Sierra. The "Going out Swinging" was a Derby. The rest were MCIs.

John Swain wrote:Roger, if you search the"ask Buddy" I posed that with the modern recordings we should really be able to hear the difference in his guitars. I believe he answered that the "In the Mood" CD was the keyless Sierra. The "Going out Swinging" was a Derby. The rest were MCIs.

Good info John. I didn’t know that.

Which album did he use the 2x4’s with strings on them? And made them sound terrific!

John Swain wrote:Roger, if you search the"ask Buddy" I posed that with the modern recordings we should really be able to hear the difference in his guitars. I believe he answered that the "In the Mood" CD was the keyless Sierra. The "Going out Swinging" was a Derby. The rest were MCIs.

John,

The Derby, that’s the third brand I couldn’t remember. Thanks!

FYI, the recording in question was released in august of 1988 on SOR. Research might get confusing as the official title of that recording is Swing and Other Things.

I believe Buddy and Ray Pennington were involved in the company of Step One Records [SOR] which came about near that time.

Also, at some point, Buddy also did some recording with a Carter, though I don't know how that fits in the chronology. I'm pretty sure this recording was before Carter was available though.

I 'spect Ernie knows the history.

Magic fingers...

~Lee

He and I did discuss 'which guitar' at times, but I never got a full list. He played several different steels. (Emmons, Carter, MCI, EMCI, Derby or Sierra and who knows what else...)

Buddy could tell by what and how he played.

We were driving and I had a Step One CD of Ray Price and Faron Young playing. Out of the blue he says that it was the Carter, adding "Sounds pretty good. I wonder why I sold it..."

I remember seeing Buddy talking about the guitar he played on "Christmas Sounds of The Steel Guitar", it was either an EMCI or MCI steel guitar. I thought it was an Emmons until I heard it was another guitar he played on the record.

Thank you, everyone!

For some reason, I haven't been getting notifications for thus thread and you guys have been posting some very helpful info.

I apologize for not acknowledging your responses.

I think I knew the Christmas record was an EMCI: whatever significance that may have,I just love his tone on that record. His execution is phenomenal!

I'm about to switch the CDs in my car (6-CD changer) so I'm going to be checking the rest of the excellent Step One catalog.