I think Bobby's right about Jerry not being in regular production though.

posted 22 December 1999 03:12 PM         

My first steel was a Blanton that I eventually traded for a single neck Emmons. Jerry played with me in my band Angelfire from about '90 until '96. Can't say enough good things about that guy, and anyone who knows him would second that. I don't think he's been involved in production for quite awhile now. He's right in the middle of building his third house (this one's in west Texas) so he's a bit difficult to reach at times. B. Bailey could definitely shed some more light on this subject. He's known Jerry longer than most guys around here have. There are several Blanton guitars being played here in the San Antonio/hill country area. When Dicky Overbey worked with Darrell McCall back in the early seventies, he was playing a blue/green Blanton and wailing on it. I'll let B.B.B. take it from here! Have a Merry Christmas. Bobby

[This message was edited by Bobby Flores on 12-22-99]

posted 22 December 1999 03:56 PM         

The Blanton Guitars have not been in production for 10 or 11 years now. In my opinion Jerry Blanton built one of the finer guitars ever made for its time. I still own 2 of them! I believe Jerry once told me that my older guitar (Ol' Yeller) weighed about 94 lbs. in the case. In the late 70's he redesigned the guitars a bit and cut the weight down to about 83 lbs. in the case. So, yes they were very heavy by today's standards…but then so were the Emmons, MSA's and other guitars of that time.

The pedal tuning was in fact under the guitar on the bell cranks, and there were some other unique things about the design. As far as I know it was one of the first guitars that ever had "equal" and very smooth pedal travel…something we pretty much take for granted in modern guitars. The Blanton's were also one of the first all pull guitars, although I remember that MSA was making all pull guitars at about the same time, and I am sure there were a couple of others out there as well. The guitars were very stable. Once they got in tune (adjusted to the temperature) they never budged a hair. Many times I took one of them out of the case to find them still in tune from the gig the week before!

Most of the Blanton guitars were all custom built for individuals. However, the little black single 10 with 4 pedals you referred to was a "student" model that Jerry built for C. Bruno & Co. They were sold to music stores across the country. They were probably Jerry's only foray into building a "production" guitar. I have no idea how many he built, but best I remember it was a fine little guitar!

A couple of other side notes…Yes, Jerry Blanton is still very much alive and well in San Antonio. He plays steel ( an old Blanton…imagine that??!!) for Jody Jenkins, one of the best local country singers we have here. He worked for some years with Bobby Flores when Bobby had his own group. (That may have something to do with why Bobby is a hell of a steel player in addition to all the other instruments he plays to perfection!). You still to this day find a lot of Blanton guitars on bandstands in the South Texas area. They are a workhorse instrument! I have heard of Charlie Day, although I have never had the pleasure of meeting him, but I do know that the only guitar Jerry Blanton ever built and "gave" away was to Jimmy Day (Yes, it was blue!). Dicky Overbey had one that he played for some years. In fact, I believe that Dicky's memorable ride on Johnny Bush's "I'll Be There", as well as some of the Darrell McCall things like "Still A Lot Of Love In San Antone" and others from that era were done on the Blanton guitar. It was, and still is a GREAT sounding guitar!

posted 23 December 1999 11:32 AM         

That was Jimmy! Excellent rock guitar player that "gravitated" to the steel. He was probably the first steel player I was ever around that really didn't have "country" roots, so his approach to the instrument was really quite unique. Country or not, Jimmy was a good player. I have not heard anything about him in years so I assume he has left our part of the world.

Man Mountain & The Green Slime Boys…wow, I thought I was the only guy that remembered that bunch! Ron Rose was a friend (hopefully still is, but I haven't seen him in years either!) and they used to let me come sit in with them at the "Scotchman's" club on San Pedro where they had a house gig. I had just returned from LA with my Sho-Bud dragging behind me and was trying to get back into playing. Probably the first "eclectic country" group in San Antonio and as far as I know I was the first guy that played steel with them. I was back being a "star" on the radio, which I have always believed was why they put up with me! Back in those days…it sure wasn't my playing!!

posted 25 December 1999 05:04 AM         

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Have a good one! JH U-12

[This message was edited by Jerry Hayes on 12-25-99]

posted 26 December 1999 10:14 AM         

No, to the best of my knowledge, no Blanton ever tuned at the end plate. The system was designed from the start to tune at the Bell Cranks (underneath) and always remained that way. It worked so well, why change it?

posted 26 December 1999 10:15 PM         

quote:

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Yes. One of the reasons it was so heavy. Easy to picture. Look at the bell-crank as a "C" the axle goes though the bottom left corner.

From the top of the "C" through the bottom is a screw thread-- locked in (so it turns free) and a Knurled knob at the top.

When you turned over the guitar all you saw were the cranks ( about 5/16" wide) and the knurled knob.

Attached to the screw was a piece that moved up and down when the knurled knob was turned. And attached to THAT was the rod that went to the changer.

ALL the pedals could have the same travel. How far the rod pulled the changer was a factor of how far from the bell-crank axle it was.

All it was was an infinitely variable bell-crank. I think I"ve seen something like this from Wayne Link in Canada.

It was a great idea. Yeah-- you had to reach under to tune it-- but once it was in, it was IN.

Saw one in a music store in NJ way back when. Should have bought it, but I already had two steels!

Winnie

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posted 27 December 1999 04:07 PM         

Thanks for posting Winnie's reply. I can remember sitting in Jerry Blanton's shop in the 60's when that whole system was still on a yellow tablet in the form of conceptual drawings and having him try and explain the principle of it to me. Knowing next to nothing about physics and engineering…I didn't get it! After playing 2 of those guitars for almost 25 years I knew it worked, but when I read Winnie's response it all of a sudden became clear! That was as clear a description of the mechanics of a Blanton guitar as I have ever seen.

As to tuning the pedals, it is really very simple…actually easier than leaning over, searching and messing around with something down on the end plate. You just reach under it, tap the pedal you are adjusting and feel around for the bell crank you want, and then tune it. As Winnie said, once it was there it STAYED there! I might have to "touch up" the tuning on a pedal a couple of times a year!

Possibly I misunderstood Winnie's post, but I seriously doubt that the "system" added much weight to the guitars. As far as I know the reason those guitars are so darned heavy is that they were made out of steel! The only aluminum on them was the necks and the pedal rack. If I remember correctly the necks even have a couple of solid steel reinforcement rods that run down the middle of them. The "sound board" (if that is the correct term) was solid wood. I forget what kind, but I think it was some kind of Maple, and it was incased in a solid steel welded frame. The roller bridge was either chrome plated steel, or a very heavy Brass, as are most of the things under the guitar.

The Blanton guitar is probably as "stable" and rugged a guitar as has ever been built, but they are not for guys with bad backs!

posted 28 December 1999 03:42 PM         

I am fond of saying…"I used to be 6' 3" before I started playing a Blanton…now I am 5' 7" and walk with a perpetual tilt to my right!".