The Steel Guitar Forum

Reece,
Your recordings of Tangerine, What kind of fool, Satin Doll,etc. on volume 1 is one of my all time favorite steel guitar recordings and has been for many years.Inspiring to say the least.
Could you tell us what year the recording was made? I would also like very much to know what guitar and amps were used. Great playing and the tones are fabulous.
Thanks so much.
Tommy White

If maybe you remember the microphone too...

I have the original blue album called "Modern Steel Guitar" featuring Maurice Anderson. It shows an older 60s MSA 12 string and an MSA amp on the cover. I'm not sure if these were used but it was distributed through MSA sales so I think it was done to promote the product. I agree with you Tommy, great album and playing.

Here is a link to a topic on the album from a short time ago.
http://steelguitarforum.com/Forum15/HTML/013814.html

Russ<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Russ Tkac on 27 December 2006 at 04:04 AM.]</p></FONT>

Tommy - you are so right about that album and indeed the whole series 1-5 were great. My personal favourite is the improvised solo in the middle of Girl From Ipanema. Smooth!!

The amp that Reece posed next to on the album cover is a big beast - I'm not sure of the make or whether he actually used it on his recordings.

Your own current recorded tone also takes some beating in my opinion - it's just superb.<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Ken Byng on 27 December 2006 at 04:10 AM.]</p></FONT>

Thanks Ken.
If my recall is correct, the amp in the early 70's photo of Reece is an "SG". I had one of these when they were first introduced. Very bulky and industrial in appearance, 1-15"jbl, huge tone knobs and a built in, 3 speed, pushbutton phase shifter. Pretty darn good amp best I remember.
Reece's tone on the earlier recordings has somewhat the tone of a 2-12" speaker configuration. However ,only Reece knows the answer.<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Tommy White on 27 December 2006 at 06:24 AM.]</p></FONT>

Thank you Tommy for the thread, and thank each of you for your very kind comments and interest in my first recording.

The original recording was called "Modern Steel Guitar". It was recorded in Dallas in 1969 at Sellers Recording studio.

If memory serves correct I was using a Howard amp with a 15 inch JBL built by Tom McCormick who later made the Howard steels in Arlington Texas. (I think Howard was Toms middle initial) At the time of the recording, MSA had leased part of our building to Tom for his amp business.

Sorry, but I have no idea as to which mike was used.

Again may I say thank you Tommy, not only for the thread, but for everything you have done for steel guitar over the years. Your contribution has been significant.

Reece - those recordings almost 38 years ago? You must have been a boy then.

The playing still stands up today.

I would like to cite You Are The Sunshine Of My Life, off Vol II. Reece was able to expose S. Wonders` song craftmanship(with out his warblings) and put his own touch on it. Thanks Reece, for opening my eyes to a song I would have changed the radio station on in the past.

Reece,
You are welcome and thank you for the reply and recognition. My contribution to steel guitar is a mere flicker compared to your ever bright star.

Tommy-Thanks for your post about Reece's first album. an LP called "Modern Steel Guitar". And it was MODERN compared to anything out at that time. I met Reece in 1968 at Tom Bradshaw's 1st West Coast Show in Napa,Calif. I was teaching and playing in Santa Rosa and Bay area. He amazed me then with his playing.

I bought that LP direct from Reece and heard all those big band standards that I loved so much, with Jazz and great chords, and I said to myself, here is a modern steel player that is playing a more advanced jazz style than Alvino Rey. That S12 string MSA vintage XL was a beaut too.I was hooked on them after that. Ahh what memories ......al

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My Website..... www.cmedic.net/~almarcus/

At last, a thread where nobody has anything negative to say. The kind of information that I like to know about and coming from some of the greats , Reese, Tommy and Al. Thanks so much.

Everything Maurecce Anderson has ever played, recording or live, is "top shelf".Jody.

Reece,
On your recordings from the late 60's, 70's and even thru to the 90's "Steel with Brass"recording, I assume you were playing an S-12.
Would you mind to share with us the tuning? Bb6th? E9th universal? And, is your pedal set-up/copedent available to view?
Thanks again for your time and input. I really appreciate it!

"I'm Old Fashioned"!!!! The epitome of a trio recording-Steel, upright bass, drums.

Tommy-On that album "Modern Steel Guitar" he had his Bb6maj7 tuning on his S12 MSA. After seeing and Hearing Reece, I ordered a MSA D12 from him and put his tuning on the bottom neck. I was very impresed with him and his tuning. Way ahead of his time...al

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My Website..... www.cmedic.net/~almarcus/

I have the 3-album set, "The Sounds of MSA." This is the boxed set with Reece and Morrell on the cover. Two of the albums have Reece playing jazz on one side and corn on the other. The third album is the one y'all are referring to, all jazz and pop tunes.

Think I'll pull it out and transfer over to CD. Morrell plays trombone on a couple cuts.

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Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association

Tommy, please forgive the diversion from your post, but I am always amazed at the liberal amount of modesty shown by some of the greatest players around. There are several in this post alone. Yes, you being one of them!

The admiration shown for each other's playing and the ambitious learning still displayed by each of you is such an inspiration to all of the novices here.

Lead on my friend!
Dave

Tommy W.... The only thing I have ever played on my personal recordings was 12 string guitars, all of which had a Bb6th tuning, with the exception of my non pedal recording in which I used a C6th with chromatics on the top two strings. The tuning on my C6th lap steel is
2 7 5 3 1 6 5 3 1 6 4 2 (intervals top to bottom)

At the time I cut my first recording I was playing a Bb6th with an A note on top. The intervals top to bottom were 7 6 5 3 1 6 5 3 1 6 4 1. Sorry, I don't remember the setup.

In the 80's and early 90's the intervals I used were 3 6 5 3 1 6 5 3 1 6 4 2.

From the middle 90's to the present I use 2 6 5 3 1 6 5 3 1 6 4 2. The setup I use has changed in the past few months, and as yet I have not submitted my setup to Bobby Lee for update. I will contact him shortly and submit my latest setup for the forum tuning section.

Thank you for asking..............and I'm honored you would do so.

Dear Reece, I believe Winnie Winston has your Bb universal setup on Page 120 of his book entitled " Pedal Steel Guitar". It shows that you had no changes on your 1st and 12th strings. The tuning is exactly the same as you state except for string 1 which shows a D and String 12 which shows a C. I think the recording you made of "Tangerine" will be studied by serious muscians a 100 years from now..you sent people to college on that one.
Brad