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Author
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Topic: Rare Bird, Bigsby D-8 lap guitar
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chas smith
Member From: Encino, CA, USA
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posted 18 December 2001 01:55 AM
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This guitar was made for Joaquin Murphey on 12-20-48 and the ser# is 122048. At some point in it's history, some moron tried to install Fender legs on it. It has since been painstakingly restored by Sean Smith aka Kinney.
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Roger Shackelton
Member From: Everett, Wa.
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posted 18 December 2001 03:20 AM
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Hi Chas,This Bigsby guitar is quite unique and the restoration job is excellent. Does this type of pickup produce a different sound than a horseshoe pickup on a Rickenbacher guitar? Roger[This message was edited by Roger Shackelton on 18 December 2001 at 03:28 AM.] |
Andy Volk
Member From: Boston, MA
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posted 18 December 2001 05:14 AM
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A cactus!! What a great setting for a great guitar. I covet this instrument, Chas. Very cool. |
Chris Walke
Member From: St Charles, IL
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posted 18 December 2001 07:55 AM
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Wow. Very cool. The shape seems inspired by (or maybe it inspired) the Rickenbacher DC-16. Is that the original headstock? Was that ahead of its time, or were others making that kind of headstock at that time. A beautiful guitar. |
Dave Mayes
Member From: Piedmont, Ca.
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posted 18 December 2001 09:17 AM
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12/20/48 : Is this is not the one we see in the Stooges movie, soudies, etc. - different headstock, but otherwise quite similar ? What's the scale lenght on this baby ? Heavy ? Thanks for posting this Chas. |
Dave Mayes
Member From: Piedmont, Ca.
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posted 18 December 2001 09:35 AM
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Chas, if you would be so kind: Is the headstock solid wood ? Did Paul Bigsby create the headstock cavity by useing a router ? Thanks. |
Michael Johnstone
Member From: Sylmar,Ca. USA
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posted 18 December 2001 01:04 PM
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It IS indeed the "Stooge" guitar.It is also the guitar that was passed around and played by Doug Livingston,Bobby Black,myself and others at the gathering we had after Joaquin's funeral.It is one sweet sounding guitar. -MJ- |
chas smith
Member From: Encino, CA, USA
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posted 18 December 2001 01:26 PM
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The pickup is very different from Rickenbacher, those are aluminum covers over the pickup so presumably they don't affect the flux lines and the Ricks had individual poles where these are single blades. Also these are wound (I'm told) with 5000 winds of #38 wire. Real pickup guys can give you the real answers.One of the advantages of cactus is I don't have to mow them every week although I have backed into them and that's always memorable. It's the original headstock, I think the shape was inspired by the Rick D-16, I don't know any designers, who at one time or another, when they were starting out, didn't look at some other successful design as a source and appropriate part of it. I don't know of any other guitars that had headstocks like this one in that time frame. The guitar was milled (not routed, Bigsby was a machinist and pattern maker) out of two blocks of birdseye maple joined in the center and it does have some 'gravity'. The scale length is 24 7/8" which would account for the 1/16" per foot shrinkage when the casting cools. Why does it seem appropriate that I would own the Stooge guitar? |
Mike Black
Member From: New Mexico, USA
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posted 19 December 2001 03:24 AM
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Chas, great shot. Thanks for that. The power of maple and aluminum! |
Sage
Member From: Boulder, Colorado
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posted 19 December 2001 07:18 AM
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An amazing beauty- the prettiest double I've seen. |
CrowBear Schmitt
Member From: Ariege, - PairO'knees, - France
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posted 19 December 2001 08:28 AM
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Beeeautifulll !
thanx 4 the pics and the thread Chas !
Steel amazes me here !  |
Jody Carver
Member From: The Knight Of Fender Tweed. Dodger Blue Forever
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posted 19 December 2001 04:25 PM
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Chas
You must be very proud to own that beautiful guitar. Not only is it beautiful but look at
who made that beauty,,and look at who played
it.That is a "jewel" man if that were mine,,,,,,
I would insist that it be buried with me when
I die. Thats probably selfish of me,,but that
beauty deserves a good home. You are a lucky
guy Chas and so is that guitar to have a home like you have given it. Only people who would really cherish that besides you would be, MJ or Michael Black,,If Mike Black had that,,,he would sleep with it
and throw his wife out of the bed,,,come to think of it,,Mmmmmmmm I know another as well
who would do the same,,  PS. NO
Black....I dont mean ME "wise guy"
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Herb Steiner
Member From: Cedar Valley, Travis County TX
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posted 19 December 2001 04:34 PM
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Jody is referring to me.------------------
Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association |
Andy Volk
Member From: Boston, MA
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posted 19 December 2001 05:43 PM
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I have to jump in again to say thanks again, Chas. Every time I open this thread that guitar brings a smile and a skipped heartbeat. What history! Certain instruments just about perfectly marry aesthetics, industrial design, materials and utility plus that hard-to-describe extra mysterious "something". For me, Bakelite Ricks, early Sho-Buds, Stringmasters & Customs all have that "something" too. I just deleted my list of those steels that don't have "it". Better leave the lid on Pandora's box. |
Jody Carver
Member From: The Knight Of Fender Tweed. Dodger Blue Forever
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posted 19 December 2001 06:38 PM
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Herb
You are right,,,,,if you had that Bigsby,,,,,
your wife would throw you out of the bed and
put that Bigsby in your place. Would I blame
her??? No...Iv'e got my love to keep me warm. Wise guy.
Chas ...you shouldn't post these things,,,look what you started. Andy keep the lid on the Box,,,I know what you mean,,,,Herb is in the Box right??? |
chas smith
Member From: Encino, CA, USA
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posted 19 December 2001 06:51 PM
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quote:
I would insist that it be buried with me when
I die.
I've thought of ordering an extra large casket. Who was that woman in Texas who was buried seated in her Ferrari?Andy, there was a thread a while back where we were talking about the value of guitars and how much is too much to pay and I was trying to make a point that wealth is not money, it is the things that enhance the quality of our lives. When I bought this guitar, it was pricey for the time, but it was made by my hero and played by my hero and as far as I was concerned, I traded a pile of paper for an exquisite instrument that has a lot of meaning for me.
I consider myself to be very fortunate to be part of a community where we have access to our heroes, not too many people have that. |
Jody Carver
Member From: The Knight Of Fender Tweed. Dodger Blue Forever
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posted 19 December 2001 08:39 PM
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Merry Christmas To all of You [This message was edited by Jody Carver on 21 December 2001 at 09:09 PM.] |
Jody Carver
Member From: The Knight Of Fender Tweed. Dodger Blue Forever
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posted 20 December 2001 07:34 AM
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Herb Im ONLY KIDDING,,,why did you call me
during the night "hollering" and playing your
new CD so loud????.Get back in bed Chas aint letting that beauty
out of his sight. Cant you take a joke guy??
Next time,,,Please dont call "collect" I like to hear from you but call earlier...
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Mike Black
Member From: New Mexico, USA
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posted 21 December 2001 12:38 PM
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OK,Piasan you got it. At the risk of being run off, again, as some kind of Bigsby martyr(don't even get me started) I'll play along.
Given the choice I'd take a Double with wooden necks, endplates and legs. Chas's guitar is EXTRA EXTRA special but I'll take legs. Bobby Black told me that was his all time favorite guitar, period. To have that guitar sitting on your lap is hard to describe, I mean screw that Clapton fella, Joaquin is God! Plus I think Larry Fine and Murph swung out to 3 Blind Mice after hours!
I surely wouldn't toss Bridget Fonda off my lap just to pick one though. I have my priority's! But Hey, while my lap is empty pass that thing over!
Chas, No one's described the way I feel about my stuff better. We're on the same page there. I'm thankful I had the cash when my chance came around, and I don't regret it one bit, my banker does, but I just changed bankers. It's not about money with me either. Money is just something to get you what you want more than money.
I've had no less than 10 guys ask me to let them know if I see a Bigsby steel for sale. I had Arnie Nelsons triple for sale for 6 months and never had a real offer so they can't be that serious.
Jody, You ain't dead yet? I'm stocking up on shovels! When I was a kid I took mail order Taxidermy lessons and even worked in a shop for a couple years. I'll make you into a diorama. Seated with your Quad and Tone Expressor, Left foot, and your Music Man 4x10. I'll position your bar hand in D since you'll be dead. I'll put on your Music Man jacket so Francis will recognize you again, and for luck I'll stick a few of Marilyn's meatballs in your pocket! Though we'll have to install an Emmons alarm so he don't snatch them! Then we'll plop you on the overpass to Fullerton! And I'll have Chas make a prostetic arm that can pick out "Hora Stacatto" and "New York, New York" and also wave at the passers by!
I forgot your story about E Phlox St, and since you tell stories better than me maybe you should tell it! How many of you want to hear it. Ok Goomba, that's 2 of us so start typing!
I was just at 8114 E. Phlox St. The building is still there almost exactly as it was. Me and Jimmy Roy were standing in the parking lot waiting for Grady, Joaquin, Travis, or Vance and Tiny to pull in.
If you saw the 1 &1/2 car garage and small. probably 2 bedroom, house you'd wonder how he did it. I'm under the impression he had his casting done off premises at a local foundry, Chas do you know that to be true/false?
Jody, I wouldn't sleep with my Bigsby but it could watch!:0 LOL. You've "Got your love to keep you warm" but did you ever "Look Down that Lonesome Road", "Wake up in the morning and have breakfast with the Blues" or hear "The drip drip drip of the rain drops when the summer shower is thru"?
Hey, Mitch you reading this? Is it even possible to find any of Gary Van's LP's?
Jody I apologize if I hurt your feelings with this post. I ment no disrespect. Capish?[This message was edited by Mike Black on 22 December 2001 at 08:07 AM.]
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Bill Leff
Member From: Santa Cruz, CA, USA
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posted 21 December 2001 02:37 PM
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Bridget Fonda? I dunno...maybe Sharon Stone |
Jody Carver
Member From: The Knight Of Fender Tweed. Dodger Blue Forever
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posted 21 December 2001 04:59 PM
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Mike
I dont have the "red jacket" any more,,,it was lost by the cleaner .[This message was edited by Jody Carver on 21 December 2001 at 05:32 PM.] |
Dave Mayes
Member From: Piedmont, Ca.
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posted 21 December 2001 09:13 PM
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Chas, I've done a little detective work concerning your guitar and it's connection to the 3 Stooges film "Rockin' in the Rockies". I have a Club of Spade album : " Mr. Music Himself Vol. 2 " who's cover bears a still of the group from their performance in the flick. From what I can see in the picture, the double neck lap Murph is using is not the guitar you own . The guitar pictured has regular solid style guitar headstocks and the body shape is slightly different than yours - but without a doubt a Bigsby.
A video I stubbled on at my local Library : " America's Music the Roots of Country " also provides a very good action shot of Murph with this guitar. What really caught my eye was the placement of the tuners on the headstock : 3 on each side and 2 across the top !
I'll gladly sent you a photocopy of the albumcover if you're curious. Again, thanks for the picks of your wonderful Bigsby.
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Herb Steiner
Member From: Cedar Valley, Travis County TX
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posted 22 December 2001 03:05 AM
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Dave
Not to pre-empt Chas-ster's response, but he and I had a phone call about that topic a couple of days ago. Jeremy Wakefield was over the other night and we came to the same conclusion. The guitar in "Rockin' In the Rockies" was as you said... also, in a soundie I have of "Hollywood Hoedown," it's clear that the pickups are either Rickenbackers or Epiphones, horseshoes with a split on the top. Also the bridge is rounded on the ends and kind of contours the bottom of the guitar. And, since the videos feature Tex, Smokey, and Deuce... as well as the rest of the classic band, they had to be made 1945 at the latest.So Joaquin had at least 4 Bigsbys: Bigsby guitar #1 as shown in the soundies, the triple-8 woodneck console, the lap guitar Chas owns, and the pedal steel PA made in the early 50's that Murph was unhappy with. ------------------
Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association |
Dave Mayes
Member From: Piedmont, Ca.
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posted 22 December 2001 10:47 AM
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Another possibility ( assuming the Stooges guitar no longer exists ): Chas has what is left of the Stooges guitar, ( i.e. - fretboard/pickguard, volume knob ) transfered to his guitar and the remains of first one pitched ? |
chas smith
Member From: Encino, CA, USA
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posted 22 December 2001 01:12 PM
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Dave, the way I heard it was, PA made two of these D-8 lap guitars, Murph got one and Pete Martinez got the other and unfortunately, Pete's was stolen. I would be surprised if the parts from, what I believe to be, Bigsby #1 were recycled to either of these guitars.I e-mailed a photo of Murph playing that guitar with the Plainsmen (c.1946) to Herb and I have a photo of Murph playing the "backwards" pedal Bigsby that I think Bobby Black took. I could see about posting both of them. |
Ray Montee
Member From: Portland, OR, USA
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posted 22 December 2001 01:47 PM
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Charles Smith....Please POST the aforementioned BIGSBY photo's. Thanx. |
PAUL WARNIK
Member From: OAK LAWN,IL,USA
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posted 25 December 2001 11:26 AM
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Merry Xmas to all my Bigsby playing friends-Chas I assume this guitar has raised graphics fretboard markers but I cannot tell from the photo[This message was edited by PAUL WARNIK on 25 December 2001 at 11:28 AM.] |
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