Matt Mangisi was a great Tongan uke player I interviewed and hung out with for a few hours in Hollywood, FL circa 1991. Matt also played some steel.

He told me he was at a restaurant where they had a Polynesian show. The steel player was surrounded by four double-neck instruments and frequently moved from one neck to the other. During the break Matt visited with the steel guitarist, complimenting him on his impressive array of instruments and apparent skill on eight different necks. Matt inquired about what tunings he used. The steel guitarist looked around to make sure no one was listening, then said softly, "They are all the same. It's just for show."

Something to ponder for your next gig.

She was a juliard school of music graduate, and taught music with an iron fist; so to speak. I KNOW. I was one of her fledglings. More than once she would crack me with that iron hand AND voice; for me "futzin around" as she called it. She insisited upon and even demanded; that one play ONLY what was written. And in her studio, THAT was all that was going to be played. Lest one find theirself leaving quicker than they came in!

She invented a steel guitar that had 6 necks. Like building two triple necks side by side in the same body. She had this made in Chicago on a console. with rollers like a Mirimba has. She called it,

"The Grande LeTar". The names obviously taken from her first name; and her chosen instrument. She was in a word, THE most incredibly brilliant musician I have EVER come across in my near 71 yrs (april 5th) on this earth.

She knew theory like NO one I have ever read or talked to. She could read "full score" as well as any pianist could read the treble cleff staff of a piece of sheet music.

And sight read instantly any piece of music put in front of her as she played flawlessly the notes on her 6 string National New Yorker. To my dying day I will never forget this unbelievable musician.

Incidently her 6 neck console was used on some old Paul Whiteman's recordings. The two bottom necks on each row were 6 strings each. And the two top necks on each row were 4 string necks. These 4 stringers were strung with bass strings where she would be often called upon to do bass voicings when Paul wanted it.

Truly an awesome woman AND musician.

May God rest Letritia's soul (I assume she is gone now, since she was much older when I was age 16). If not, may he bring her joy all the days of her life; and may he do the same for all of you,

Are you sure of the spelling of her first name? Could it be Laetitia?

Spelling correct. Thanks for searching,

Noel Boggs used all 4 necks all the time,he
didnt play a quad for show,he would jump from neck to neck flawlessly and he didnt
use it for show.

Noel was the best at switching from neck to neck without missing a beat. That is the inscription on his HOF plaque that rests on the wall in St.Louis.

I knew Noel personally and watched as he would jump necks. I edited this post as my comments were not relevant to the topic here.

I too have heard of Ms Kandel over the years
and her exceptional playing ability. It was
people like this that furthered the interest in steel guitar.

Although,Leons Fender 4 was impressive and he being a tall fine looking man made for a great appearance on the bandstand.I can assure you his tunings were all necessary to his style of playing.

I couldnt imagine Leon playing a single 8 guitar,it just wouldn't be Leon.

Mr. Dixon,I am glad to see you back and to share your expieriences and knowledge.

edited to shorten my as usual long posts

[This message was edited by Jody Carver on 30 January 2003 at 05:05 AM.]

I recall seeing an LP cover, or a picture somewhere, of Leon McAullife playing a Fender 1000 while standing. The pedal rods had been extended to play pedals from a standing position.

Thanks for the kind words. Letritia was indeed such a unique woman. I remember the 6 neck console vividly. As best I recall the necks were mounted on a a beautiful wooden console that was a little wider than a 3 Neck Fender and a little longer than two 3 neck Fenders put side by side. The front and sides were was skirted and I imagine it was some kind of fabric or thin wood.

I just dont know. The back was open and it had four rather large substantial wooden legs that had large rubber rollers on the bottom of each leg. The fret boards were flush with the top of the console. And the necks were all level.

She played it standing up as I recall and would move side to side as she went from neck to neck. You must remember, she read music fluently and sight read flawlessly.

She was sooo good, she could sit to my left as she taught me "Popular music", as she wrote music for that day's lesson; as she walked me thru each weeks "required" song.

She used a pencil and if she ever needed to verify a particular note as she was drawing the notes on the treble cleff on her music-lined tablet, she would turn the pencil around, and tap the strings at a given fret with the metal part just under the eraser. It of course would sound just like it had been fretted AND picked using a bar and a pick, albeit was kinda tinny.

She also was the conductor of the Chicago Plectrophonic Orchestra; which used ALL fretted instruments. Thus its name. The final song was George Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" in the last concert I recall.

We performed under her baton at the Chicago Opera house in 1947. She could hear ANY instrument as it played even though that instrument was playing along with 35 others. There were 5 Hawaiian guitars in the ensemble. I don't recall the compliment of the other instruments. The thing I recall most, was how long each of us did NOT play.

For as you probably know, wnen playing in a shyphony orchestra, you ONLY play when the music calls for it. And many of those tunes had many places where one bar of music had a number like 28 in it on top of a full rest symbol.

Which meant of course, you sit out for that many bars, before you might get to play 3 bars then ya sit out for 12 more, etc, etc.

Counting those bars was the hardest part I think; as I look back now. If you ever came in early or stayed late, ya better duck, lest you get harpooned by her baton!

I do not believe there is a single facet of Western music she was not a virtuso on. Simply an incredible woman and musician. She played the first Multi-kord I ever saw in 1947. And she was very intrigued with it. Played it beautifully.

I quit taking lessons in 1949. And lost contact with her when I moved back to Fla after graduating HS in 1950. So I have no idea whatever happened to her; or her arsenal of guitars.

The only thing I have is that one picture she gave me with her autograph. Which I treasure of course. I was 16 in 1946, when I started taking lessons from her. She was a very beautiful woman. Her place was called "Modern Guitar Studios". I remember the address was 306 So. Wabash in downtown Chicago.

Too bad I did not appreciate at the time how much she could have done for me, IF, I had been interested. But I wasn't. I wanted to play "Steel Guitar Rag", and she wanted me to play "Sabre Dance". One time I forgot to retune my steel to A (hi bass) before I got to her studio after school.

When she saw it was tuned to an E tuning. She had a fit and dang near fell in it! And the entire lesson that day was a sermon on why the E tuning was "hillbilly". And I did not have to come back for lessons if she ever caught me with that tuning on there again.

Needless to say, THAT did not sit well with a 16 yr old boy born in the South. So it wasn't long before we parted company.

"Ve grow tooo soont uldt, un too late schmart!"

If I can figure out a way to put her picture on here I will. But don't hold your breath. I am NOT good at those kind of things,

carl

Whether they realize it or not, isn't that what all of today's various pedal steel guitar players are doing when they employ various pedals on one neck during a single song?

Well, better late than never.

I spent most of an afternoon with Mangisi at his home in Hollywood, FL about 12 years ago. Later that night I joined him at the Mai Kai for a couple of drinks.

I met him through my friend Mike Stapleton, who was part owner of the now defunct Banjo Shop in Hollywood--a popular music store for string players of all types. (Mike was the guy who led me to "sacred steel" players Aubrey Ghent and Glenn Lee, who patronized his store).

Mike had met Mangisi when he brought in his uke to be repaired. As part of his act Mangisi would throw his uke, which was fitted with a pickup, out into the audience, then snatch it back by the cord. Most of the time he caught it and kept playing. But every now and then he missed. His instrument was loaded with fiberglass patches. He also played the "Twelth Street Rag" with all the Roy Smeck-type tricks: twirling the instrument, playing behind his back, etc.

I am pretty sure that a lot of guys in the old days like Jody, Speedy, Noel, Leon, etc,did the same.That is the way it was .

But I will say I for one was glad to get pedals, My beautiful Gibson 1942 Gibson 6 pedal Electra-Harp, no case, so I didn't have to jump necks anymore, much smoother changes, etc. I only had to use one pedal to replace my D8 and get that top neck....al

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Leon paved many roads in western swing!

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