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Jerry Garcia set up?
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The Steel Guitar Forum
Bar Chatter Archive
Jerry Garcia set up?
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This topic was originally posted in this forum: Wanted To Buy |
| Author | Topic: Jerry Garcia set up? |
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ChickenJoe Member Posts: 9 |
posted 13 July 2000 05:37 AM
Is anyone out there have info on Garcia's steel set up. I heard he played a BMI at one point and an Emmons at another. Also what about pedal set up. Any help would be greatly appreciated. ------------------ |
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Richard Sinkler Member Posts: 2896 |
posted 13 July 2000 07:22 AM
I've never known Jerry to play a BMI. He did, however, play a ZB Custom and later an Emmons. ------------------ |
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Bobby Lee Sysop Posts: 14849 |
posted 13 July 2000 08:13 AM
I thought he played a Fender? |
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Michael ODriscoll Member Posts: 52 |
posted 13 July 2000 08:52 AM
b0b, Actually, it was a BANJO! One of the finest pedal steel's ever made ------------------ [This message was edited by Michael ODriscoll on 13 July 2000 at 08:53 AM.] |
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Dan Tyack Member Posts: 3552 |
posted 13 July 2000 10:45 AM
Sometimes forumite Pete Grant has that famous old ZB (the one used on Teach Your Children and Workingman's Dead). Hey Pete, what did Jerry have on that guitar? ------------------ |
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Marty Pollard Member Posts: 392 |
posted 13 July 2000 05:26 PM
From listening to some of his steel work, I'd assume his setup consisted of strings of any gauge randomly placed then tightened just enough to support the bar... |
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Dave Van Allen Member Posts: 5369 |
posted 13 July 2000 05:54 PM
Yeah Marty, but that was the STANDARD way to set up a ZB Custom.. didn't you know? Mine came from the factory like that...
love him or hate him he was still a unique steel player, and in a unique position to give untold exposure to our beloved instrument. |
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ChickenJoe Member Posts: 9 |
posted 13 July 2000 06:27 PM
Gee, sound as if not many of you like Garcia's steel playing. I was always a bit enviioys of his abilities, albeit uncinventionable (uncomercial) |
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Steve Feldman Member Posts: 2983 |
posted 13 July 2000 06:38 PM
I think, Chicken, that a lot of folks view Garcia as not being a technical wizard on the steel, but that he was apparently 'touched by the hand of God' on occasion. That kind of works for me. |
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Michael ODriscoll Member Posts: 52 |
posted 13 July 2000 09:37 PM
To the Forum, A technicial wizard might be someone who can correctly play a scored piece of music, or have a profound understanding of music theory as it pertains to their instrument. However, a musician creates something that moves you emotionally, music you never forget, music that changes you forever.
P.S. I've tried to contact Pete Grant twice about Garcia's pedal steel guitar playing, etc. without any response, so good luck if you choose to try. P.S.S. Develop a thick skin if you plan to continue to hang around this forum and stick with Garcia as a pedal steel guitar inspiration. Feel free to e-mail me. Michael O'Driscoll ------------------ [This message was edited by Michael ODriscoll on 13 July 2000 at 09:45 PM.] |
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BobG Member Posts: 788 |
posted 14 July 2000 04:00 AM
I'll proudly go on record and say it was Jerry who set the hook and the big E who threw me on deck. I agree you better be thick skinned if you want to hang around here. I've been forced to listen to the "old school" Jerry bashers for years and have to admit: "It still gets under my skin". |
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Bobby Lee Sysop Posts: 14849 |
posted 14 July 2000 11:48 AM
What gets me is seeing one b@nJ0 picker trashing another's b@nJ0 picker's steel playing.  Jerry's "hook" sold millions of records and probably thousands of steel guitars. He introduced a generation of rockers to the instrument, and inspired many of us to play it. What's the point of criticizing Jerry's chops? He'd be the first to agree that he wasn't a very good steel player, but that doesn't diminish the positive effect he had on the steel community. And besides, I still like to hear his steel recordings. His approach was always fresh, and he always played from the heart. ------------------ |
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Richard Sinkler Member Posts: 2896 |
posted 14 July 2000 12:34 PM
It was actually Jerry who first showed me a Pedal Steel. It was at a concert in SF. This influenced me to buy my first Pedal Steel, a ZB Custom. I also still love to hear his playing. Hey b0b.. quit moving your picture around. It's making me dizzy ------------------ |
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Bob Metzger Member Posts: 424 |
posted 14 July 2000 12:58 PM
Jerry Garcia was a really great guy and always had a good word for other musicians. Plus a very fine player. He is missed. Bob |
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Bobby Lee Sysop Posts: 14849 |
posted 14 July 2000 01:24 PM
Richard, I couldn't resist: www.b0b.com/forum/Forum7/HTML/000913.html Please excuse the interruption. [This message was edited by Bobby Lee on 14 July 2000 at 03:08 PM.] |
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ToneJunkie Member Posts: 245 |
posted 14 July 2000 02:06 PM
Bobby, Please make it stop... ------------------ |
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Steve Feldman Member Posts: 2983 |
posted 14 July 2000 04:04 PM
For the record, my comments about Jerry Garcia's steel playing were intended to reflect the positive influence he had on me. I never figured them to be in any way controversial, and certainly not negative. If you have any problems with that Michael O'Driscoll, perhaps you should drop me an e-mail. |
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Jeff Lampert Member Posts: 2636 |
posted 14 July 2000 04:31 PM
Garcia made one of the best known pieces of steel playing in "Teach Your Children". Musicians of all ilks speak about it to this day. Many steel guitarists who are far better technically (whatever that means)can only dream of creating so perfect a piece of music for such an iconic song. How people who have never come close to accomplishing something so indelible and memorable can criticize someone who has is beyond me. Reminds me of a journeyman band I was in many years ago that had a guitarist who said, with disdain, that Alabama knew nothing about country music. This was at about the time that they had their tenth million-selling hit. These musicians that have created such trancendent work have nothing to prove to anyone, and certainly not to us. I, for one, only wish I could create such a memorable piece of music that would be treasured by millions of people for so many decades. |
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ChickenJoe Member Posts: 9 |
posted 14 July 2000 06:11 PM
Well this is all kind of groovy. Never intended to be a large scale discussion of the man and his music. Personally Garcia was and still is my main regular guitar influence, Just recently re-discovering his pedal steel playing. His chord voicing are interesting. But the question still remains, "What was his pedal set-up"? ------------------ |
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JB Arnold Member Posts: 1615 |
posted 14 July 2000 06:21 PM
I don't think Garcia ever considered himself to be a great steel player. Buddy Cage will tell you that too. But it WAS Garcia-and that changes the equation. Garcia made music like a bee makes honey-it was just his natural function. He didn't need to be Buddy Emmons to make sweet sounds come out of the thing. It worked VERY well for the songs he played on, and I consider much of the grouching you hear around here to be pure, unadulterated, sour grapes. Open minds are, unfortunately, in pretty short supply around here. Seems like anytime someone sells a few records, they get on the &#$% list.
------------------ |
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David Rupert Member Posts: 244 |
posted 14 July 2000 06:34 PM
quote: Real nice post....Marty. I loved Garcia's work.......& he is surely missed.
------------------ "Music. Without it, life itself...would be impossible." www.johnbarnold.com/rupert/index.htm [This message was edited by David Rupert on 14 July 2000 at 06:41 PM.] [This message was edited by David Rupert on 14 July 2000 at 06:53 PM.] |
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Adam Member Posts: 311 |
posted 14 July 2000 06:55 PM
I just heard an interview with Grahm Nash where he talked about the "Teach your Children" session.He said it was Garcia's first time playing steel in the studio(not sure whether this is true)He did one take,asked if he could do a second to which Nash replied,"You can do another but we're going to use that one".Garcia begged to redo it but was assured that no matter they were going to use his first take anyway. Say what you will.Did your first take in the studio become a thirty year-plus hit?Have you done anything to influence a whole new generation to keep the steel alive?Just as I thought.Sour grapes perhaps? |
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Richard Sinkler Member Posts: 2896 |
posted 14 July 2000 07:06 PM
Great pic David. As someone who knew Jerry, although very casually, it always brings back fond memeories of him. Just ignore Marty, I do. He is like jock itch, sooner or later he will go away. If I can remember, he used the standard E-9th setup with Emmons setup. As far as the knee levers, I can't remember. He didn't use his C-6th neck. [This message was edited by Richard Sinkler on 14 July 2000 at 07:10 PM.] |
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Dan Tyack Member Posts: 3552 |
posted 14 July 2000 07:21 PM
To answer the original question: I am pretty sure that 99% of Garcia's playing could be done with the E9th pedals and the E->Eb knee lever. In terms of equipment, what I hear is a ZB through a small fender amp (a deluxe?). Pete Grant would know for sure. About Garcia's technique....Yeah it was really basic, but how many of us have inspired tens of thousands of steel players to take up the instrument? It's not about technique. Garcia had a sound and played from the heart. I know a bunch of steel players who can play more gnat notes in 10 minutes than Garcia played in his career who couldn't have played a better solo on Teach Your Children. Actually, my favorite Garcia cut was from Workingman's Dead: Dire Wolf. Very similar in style to the solo on Teach Your Children, but the lyrics were much less maudlin. ------------------ |
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Marty Pollard Member Posts: 392 |
posted 14 July 2000 11:23 PM
C'mon people, I was just trying to get a laugh (and I believe I did). The Dead had some great stuff as well as some tedious stuff. I picked with Jerry under the trees in Hugo, Oklahoma when he was huge and I was 16. What can I say? Humor is dead to so many of you and it makes me sad... Very funny, Richard!!! Would you scratch my *^%(s??? |
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Jerry Hayes Member Posts: 3306 |
posted 15 July 2000 07:16 AM
In my opinion there are some classic steel rides which will last forever and will always influence others. Take Tom Brumley's work on "Together Again", Dan Dugmore's "Blue Bayou", Buddy Emmon's "Nightlife", Lloyd Green's "Farewell Party come to mind. No matter what anyone thinks of Garcia's playing, his work on "Teach Your Children" is one of the classics and should be treated as such. I can't imagine that song without it. I've played that song with different bands and haven't even had the first thought about changing anything. Why would you, it's perfect! A trivia fact some may not know is that Jerry Garcia's middle finger was missing on his right hand and he had to pick with his Thumb, index, and ring fingers! ------------------ |
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Steve Hitsman Member Posts: 650 |
posted 19 July 2000 07:16 AM
I met Garcia at Scotty's in early '74. At that time Scotty had Jerry's Emmons there for sale. I was shopping for a steel at the time and Scotty tried to sell me that guitar. Being young and naive I bought a new MSA instead. I'm still kicking myself 26 years later. Anyway, Scotty may be able to tell you what Jerry's setup was. |
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pwsmith Member Posts: 56 |
posted 19 July 2000 09:51 AM
I am one of those PSG players who heard his first steel ride on "Teach your Children" and now plays steel guitar, purchases steel guitars, strings, amps, volume pedals, instructional material, etc. Jerry Garcia nailed it, remove the steel from that song and it becomes a totally different song, thats amazing to me. just my .05 cents Smitty ------------------ |
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