When I was in Cincinnati the NAMM show was there and I would always play it every year for Rickenbacker in their suite. I was at the hotel Gibson playing in the Richenbacker room and Glenn Hughes who owned a music store in Cincinnati came to the room and invited me to go up to the Fender room. He was affiliated with Fender also, although I sold a ton of Rickenbackers for him in that store.

So I had a little reservation about going up to the Fender room, cause I knew when I walked in there it would turn into a refrigerator, because I was the only major holdout against Fender. So I thought hell, I’ll go up and see. When I walked in they all looked at me as if to say what the hell is he doing in here. After a little small talk, Glenn said Jerry have you met Don Randall and I said no I don’t know him. He was the head man with about eight salesmen standing at the ready in the room. It wasn’t my kind of atmosphere, but I did acknowledge the introduction and I don’t know what we talked about, nothing important and finally he looked at me and said “Why don’t you play a Fender, everybody else does”. I looked at him and said “well I’m not everybody else. I play whatever guitar I can play, I don’t care whose name is on it, but I like Rickenbacher and that’s what I always played”. I put myself down a little bit and said “for the simple stuff I do that’s just right for me and on top of that I don’t know why you would care, you’re selling Fenders faster than you can make them. But you asked me why I don’t play one and I’ll show you if you want me too”. He said he would like to know and I proceeded to show him why.

So I walked over to this new Fender they had setting on the floor which was the newest line and proceeded to sit down behind it. I saw all these guys scrambling to get their cameras. I said nope, no cameras, the first flick and I’m done. So they put their cameras down and they knew this guy’s been around the block, that he was not some dumb hillbilly.

So I said, first of all what is the scale on your neck, how long. It’s 25 inches, I said that’s three inches to much neck for me. I play short scale because of the string spacing. You’re frets are too far apart and strings to close for me to play any three string slants. I said as for your neck again, you’ve got the tuning keys right up behind the nut. I play a lot of stuff in Db which is my favorite key, and I can’t play in Db on this guitar because I’d have to cut my little finger and the one next to it off to get it in the room you have here. Your tuning keys need to be moved back two inches for me. They looked at each and said “sh—“. I then said your tone is way too treble for my ears, I think you need to take about half the turns off the coil if you’re making one for me. There were a couple of other little things I told them. Randall looked at all the other guys in the room and said “how come nobody else ever told us this”. I said I don’t know who you have got in your shop who plays one of these but it works fine for them evidently and most everybody else, except me. It put them in shock because they thought they had absolutely the number one product at that show.

The next year at the NAMM show Randall came himself hunting me and said “Jerry, when you get some time will you come down to our room, I listened to what you had to say last year and we made some changes and I’d appreciate it if you’d check it out for me”. So I did, and they had made a lot of changes and I said this is fine. Their top plant manager, Forest White was a good friend of mine and a great Jerry Byrd fan and he never leaned on me to play a Fender. He always said Jerry, I don’t care what kind of a guitar you play on, I just like what you play. We remained friends until he died.

It ended up that Fender made the only special made guitar they did for me, of all the other Fender players to my knowledge they never made a special guitar for anyone else. (The story of this guitar has been told previously on the forum JB).

Even though I played all kinds of guitars every where in the world, I just played whatever was there. I have had people mention to me, Jerry I don’t know how you can change between different guitars and still play and always sound like Jerry Byrd. They always say man I’ve got to have my own axe when I play. I don’t even think about it, I just pick it up and play it and that’s it. When I go to Japan (I don’t ever take a guitar on an airplane) I play whatever is there, but if I had to live it and play’em I wouldn’t play them and I am not going to say geesh what are you doing with this lousy guitar. I just sit down and play it, and it don’t make me any difference what kind they are. It verifies my statement I have made many times, “If you can play, it don’t make any difference what kind of a guitar you play on, and if you can’t play it don’t make any difference either”.

[This message was edited by Jack Byrd on 12 March 2002 at 07:10 AM.]

I find it hard to comment on posts like these because there isn't much to say after reading them. They are so profound and still absolutely correct that it's like that One Perfect Rose. There are no other words required.......

I would never slant a comment towards a beginner or any other level player because having been there myself is enough of a reminder. I can see by your avid attention that you will go far with your instrument of choice and I wish you well on the journey !! It can be long and at times frustrating but see it through and 40 or 50 years from now you will appreciate the effort you are now expending. I can say that because I did it.

In fact it was Forrest who put the pressure on me to leave Fender,,,so with a combination
of Leo & Forrest and Tom Walker,,,I figured
OK Its a go. So there I went.

Jerry's incident in Cincinnati at the NAMM show leaves me a bit bewildered. I was not at
the show that year that you make reference to.
Iam,, before I go any further an admirer of yours as well as millions of others all over the world. Knowing Don Randall as I did and still do is a class man,,his comment to you as to your'e not playing a Fender,,everybody else does,,,,tells me that he made a comment
that may have been mistaken as "bragging".
Knowing Don as I do,,I'm certain that was not his intent at all.

I would rather feel that if we were all in a pool of water,,and one guy was just hanging
around,,it would be commonplace for someone to say,,,c'mon jump in "the waters fine".

I have had numerous converstions with Forrest regarding Jerry Byrd. It was Forrest
who had this dream of Jerry Byrd playing a Fender steel guitar. When Don Randall asked me what I thought,,I said,,it would be great to have Jerry playing a Fender,,hell I could get to hear him every year at the NAMM shows.

Don asked me as to what and why I felt Jerry was not receptive to Fender steel guitars.
My feelings were,,,it was NOT the sound that
Jerry wanted. There were in my opinion other
factors such as the height of the nut,,,I mentioned to Don that perhaps the nut was too
low and,what would occur was pick fret slap.

The other issues that Jerry has brought up were obvious to me,,,the tuning keys being too close for Jerrys style and preference,,this is the the first time I have
ever heard or read of Jerrys comments regarding his likes and dislikes of a Fender
guitar. However,Forrest on many occasions would speak of Jerry and how he admired Jerry
both as a musician and a human being.

I dont like to hear that anyone would feel like he or she was in a "refrigerator" with a cold atmosphere. Jerry to my knowledge and understanding,,we all felt that you were a
Rickenbacker supporter and we all respected you for your loyalty to Francis Hall.

Its very simple to me,,,Rickenbacker was your
choice,,they pleased you,,,Mr.Hall was a wonderful man. I dont feel anyone felt you were a "holdout" as you put it. You were Jerry Byrd and a major factor in the steel guitar world.

Sure,,many companies would have loved to have had a man of your esteem and talent playing their product,and why not??. I have a lot of guts writing this,,I have health problems and should not concern myself with something that happened so many years ago.

My plate is over full right now with illness
with my wife as well as myself,,,BUT,,,,,,,,,
I wanted to echo my feelings to you on my behalf as well as Forrest's,,,,,we would have loved to have had a Jerry Byrd with Fender,,,but in no way shape or form did anyone at any time disrespect you for your convictions and loyalty to Rickenbacker and
F.C.Hall. I myself repected you for that. I liked F.C. as well as anyone.

I always felt you were comfortable with your
arrangement with Rickenbacker,,,so why should
you change after all those years. Hell we all
know you could play a broomstick with a string on it,,,so what the heck.

As for the longer scale,,I told Forrest that your style of playing with reverse slants etc etc would be uncomfortable with a wider
fret spacing. I told all of them Fender is simply just NOT the sound Jerry Byrd is looking for,,,the treble,,harsh,,brass,,crash
sounds were just not Jerry Byrd and if Fender
cannot accept that,,so be it.

The tones I refer to were sounds that Noel Boggs wanted not Jerry Byrd. I have to admit
that as much as I have tons of respect for you and your playing ability,,I for one liked
the sounds I make reference to.The Fender sound. If I didnt how could I sell them in good conscience and play one all those years?

Iam no Jerry Byrd,,and never will be,,,but I can assure you that everyone with half a brain at Fender respected Jerry Byrd no matter what guitar he played.

Forrest called me a month before he passed away,,,we spoke for quite a while,,,,your name among others came up,,he said to me(something I will never forget). I called to say goodbye,,,I replied,,,,oh yeah,,,where ya going Forrest?? he said Jody I'm dying.
To which I said,,,you?? dying?? heck there's no room for you down below and "heaven can wait. I thought this was some kind of a prank. Forrest was not known for being a prankster,,so he had me concerned.

I called his wife Joanne the next day to ask her "what was going on",,,she confirmed to me
that Forrest was in fact dying. For the first
time in my life I was at a loss for words.

Forrest then got on the other phone and said
Jody,,I want to apologize for leaving you out of my Fender book,,(Fender The Inside Story). Only Forrest and myself know the reason why,,,and had nothing to do with him or I on a personal basis,,,he could not stop apologizing,,,I asked him to stop,,as I did
understand why he chose not to include me.

Its not important now,,,but someday I will tell that story,,,this is not the time nor the place. Jerry,,,,Forrest told me,that in all his years at Fender,,his proudest moment
was when you started playing a Fender guitar
and he took pride in being the one who made this possible.

Speedy and myself knew Forrest well,,I know you did as well,,,and although many times misunderstood by many,,,,there was never a doubt in my mind that he was one of my best friends.

I wanted you to know this,,I'm sure you knew this already. You and I last met at the Hotel
New Yorker in NYC back in 1961 I believe.

It was my pleasure to hear you play. I was in Rickenbackers room listening to you play.

As for your comment that camera's were going off,,I can assure you that it was not to invade your privacy or to capitolize the fact that you were playing a Fender,,,people just wanted your picture,,,It was that you were an icon and why not? hell I would have loved to have had a picture of you myself.

I hope you take this as it is intended,,,my reason for this was to clarify the fact that you were well respected by everyone at Fender
even those salesman who didnt know a "bar" from a volume pedal.

I was the youngest of the group of salesman and when you would leave the room,,,they would ask me as to "why you didnt play a Fender",,,,my answer was,,,we dont build a guitar that Jerry Byrd would be happy with.

There are many that would have jumped at the chance to endorse a Fender or any major brand
I have a name for them which I wont repeat.

You made Forrest proud that Jerry Byrd played
a Fender that Forrest himself was responsible
for, he took that as his greatest moment and
told me that story over and over again,,,,till our very last conversation the week before he passed on. You made him happy.

While in New York,,at the NAMM show,,,if you saw a young guy carrying a torch,,,it was me
it was for you,,,but my friend you didnt need my torch,,,,you "lit up the room with your presence".

I will sign off now Admiral,,I hope you dont
mind long stories,,,Forrest always listened to them when we roomed together,,,he had no choice,,,but you??? you should be practicing instead of reading this. I hope you live till you are 100 years young,,my best to you.

Jody Carver
A Fender Salesman forever and a Jerry Byrd fan for life. Be well....PS this will be in my upcoming book,,,,,who knows,,,,maybe I can make you famous, I have to go now and help my wife,,a mans work is never done.
Aloha. Keep practicing,,,,you know practice
makes perfect,,gotta do the dishes now,,,I'm
not an "Icon" but I'm still young..can you e mail me your tunings?? I wont tell anyone. PS Dont give these other guys
on here your tunings,,,,,just e mail me at home. I wont say a word.....Jack the door is open for you & Jerry if you would reply to this long story,,Im sure everyone will be happy to hear from Jerry,,,He can still beat me up and I can take it,,I have been married
for 48 years and I can take a good knock on the head anytime...so be my guest..,,,,we will be waiting.

This would make Forrest Happy,,,,It would me happy as well,,and Im sure every Jerry Byrd
fan on this Forum. Give them a break,,they can hear me anytime...but Jerry?,,,well thats really a treat. Thank you from all of us..

[This message was edited by Jody Carver on 13 March 2002 at 05:36 PM.]

[This message was edited by Jody Carver on 12 March 2002 at 08:50 PM.]

I know all the Forum members and fans of Jerry would like to hear his comments if any
and I will remove the copyright from my post.

Jerry's input is more important to me than a copyright,,,Again,,,Iam sorry for any discomfort this may have caused you.

I certainly didnt mean to offend Jerry or yourself, I'm not a writer,,,Im a steel player with a ton of long stories,,,so long I hate myself in the morning,,,,As you read this reply,,my copyright signature will be removed......count to 10....9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1.......GONE......PS Ask Jerry if he recalls a session (RCA) that he recorded with a Merv Shiner back in the 50's the tune
was "Were Gonna Take A Little Silver From The Blue Hawaiian Skies" this was writted by a good friend of my dad and myself Vaughn Horton who also wrote "Mocking Bird Hill" and "Teardrops In My Heart".

It was recorded in Nashville,,,and Jerry played one of the most beautiful solos's I ever heard him play,,,I have been trying to get a copy of that recording....Be well ,my friend.....did you count to 10??? well here it goes,,,,,BINGO.....Its gone...Its all
your's and Jerry's now.

For the sake of the Forum members who love this guy and for me....we would appreciate a reply,,,how often can anyone hear from a "Byrd" like Jerry. They can hear from me "Anytime" but its Jerry they would like to hear from..dont tell anyone..but they are really tired of me,,,so carry on. I'm sure that Forrest would like to know that Jerry replied to my comments. Leo Fender,,Don Randall and Forrest White admired Jerry Byrd & please tell him that for me..please. I know of no one who didnt have the utmost respect for Jerry..

This took me a long time to type this,,,I'm bad at typing.

Jody

[This message was edited by Jody Carver on 13 March 2002 at 05:54 PM.]

Jody

[This message was edited by Jody Carver on 30 June 2008 at 03:45 PM.]