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Billy Easton
Casa Grande, AZ
Southwestern Steel Guitar Association

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Tommy Minniear
www.ntsga.com

But I imagine you are interested in specifically the "factory" versions concerning E9th (and possibly C6th). To the best of my knowledge the following is true:

1. The first "factory" installed knee lever was in the early 60's and it lowered the 2nd string from a D# to a D. NOT to C# as it does now. Plus, it lowered the 8th string from an E to Eb. I don't know who created it, but it would NOT suprise me to learn it was Buddy Emmons.

2. Sometime after this, not sure the date (I believe several years), someone decided to lower BOTH E's to Eb; so they split this one knee lever into two: (I think this was BE, not sure)

A. RK? lowered the 2nd string to a D.

B. RK? lowered both E's to Eb.

Since some did it one way and others the other way, I have put a "?" as to which one.

3. Then Ray Price recorded "Those Healing Hands of Time" and 10,000 PSG players went crazy trying to figure out how Buddy got that opening and unbelievably haunting lick on this recording.

When we discovered what he had done, it required taking the second string on down to a C# with the lever that lowered the D# to a D. This, so he could use "unison" notes evolving in two different directions. An incredible achievment by the master indeed.

I believe it was shortly aftewards that, someone came up with the half-stop idea on this change. Probably BE was the one that did it.

4. A few more years went by, and someone added the C to B change on ONE of the above knee levers on double necks on the C6 neck. This may have been Buddy also. Again, not sure. The song that might have inspired this change was recorded by Jean Sheppard along with others.

For the life of me I cannot recall the title of the song; even though it is on the tip of my tongue. The signature lick is done by picking string 1 then 2 then 3 (C neck) and engaging the knee lever lowering the 3rd string to a B note. Then while holding this change, repick string 1 then 2 then 3 and finish on 4.

If you try this, I am sure some of you will recognize the name of the tune instantly.

5. Then Lloyd Green recorded a song with Warner Mack called, "The Bridge washed out" and it was the first commercial use of the F lever, ie, raising the E's to F. So Lloyd gets the hat for this knee lever I am sure.

5. Then sometime later, somoene added a knee lever that raised both F#'s to a G. I have NOT a clue who came up with it. I have been told Pete Drake; for the lick in his recording of "The Spook".

I doubt this. Because Pete did not use the E9th neck to record that song. He used the C neck. And used both feet on pedals 5, 6 and 7 rocking on and off pedal 6 with his left foot. So I don't know who came up with this knee lever. (note: this lick won't work now because we no longer LOWER the 1st string on pedal 5. (Back then we lowered it to an F#, instead).

This now was 4 knee levers "standard" on PSG's with one of the right levers lowering the C to B on the C neck. LKL, LKR, RKL and RKR. And they were called D, E, F and G knee levers. Though there is NO agreement as to which letter did what, even until this day; which is sad.

In the early 70's, the knee lever that raised the F#'s to G was changed so that the 7th string F# to G was dropped and the 6th string G# to F# lower was implemented instead.

Buddy Emmons I am almost positive created this change. And the first time I ever heard it was on the "Suite Steel" album where Buddy and Sneaky Pete Klinow did the Beatles' "Yesterday". If you ever hear this recording, pay close attention to the last lick where Buddy milks the releasing of this change as it takes him from here to eternity to do get there . And again, drove 20,000 steel players crazy.

Somewhere along this route, somebody decided to make double use of the 2nd right knee lever and raised the 4rh string (A) on C6th to Bb. I have not a clue who came up with this change. But it would NOT suprise me if it was Jimmy Day. Because he used this change a lot.

Now something very interesting. In the 60's Buck Owens recorded one of his most famous classics. It was called "Together Again". On this tune, Tom Brumley executed one of the most awesome licks EVER done on a steel guitar.

But EVEN though Tom did NOT use a knee lever to get that lick. many of the 30,000 steel guitar players in the world thought he did. IE, a knee lever that lowers the 5th string from B to Bb eventually came about. But it was not used widely until the past few years.

So, the H or X or V (you name it) knee lever came into being; and now this makes 5 of them sapsuckers. And they are pretty much standard today with the rollowing caveats:

1. Many players are again messing with the knee lever that raises the F#'s to G.

2. They're sacrificing the 1st string F# to G and replacing it with F# to G#. Yes, the Paul Franklin knee lever.

3. And as PF does now, some are also pulling the 2nd string to an E along with it.

This is such a popular change, that I foresee it becoming standard very quickly.

Finally; there was a time (I have NO idea when), someone decided to add the lowering of the 9th string from D to C# along with the 2nd string D# to C# change. Also, Buddy and others have added 2 additional knee levers on C6th back in the 80's. They do the following:

1. Raise the 3rd string from C to C#. He now has added raising the 7th string C to C# along with it. This change in all likelyhood was created because BE changed his top string to a D (from a G note). This change then, allows him to get the "missing" chord 3 frets up.

2. Lowers the 4th string from A to Ab. Some lower both A's to Ab. BE only lowers one of them. Just as he only raises the top A to Bb.

Which knee levers create these changes on C6th varies widely among players. Buddy raises and lowers the 3rd string on his right knees. And raises and lowers the 4th string on his left knee. (Left moving lowers and right moving raises on both knees. Makes sense to me )

Hope the above helps, and may God bless BE, JD, LG, PD, TB, PK, PF, RP, WM, JS, BO and all of you,

carl

[This message was edited by C Dixon on 05 February 2003 at 12:20 PM.]

It is highly possible you are correct. In my mind it was Warner Mack's song. But if not, I stand corrected. Thanks for pointing it out. The problem I have with "D I V O R C E", is my mind sees that tune coming out AFTER I recall LG using it. But I could just as easily be wrong.

If there are any other inaccuracies, please anyone feel free to correct. I would appreciate it. I am going purely from memory, so....

Bill Stafford

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Emmons LeGrande - 8x4
Session 400 Ltd
Dan-Echo, E-Bow, Ibanez Distortion, Boss Comp./Sustain, Ibanez Auto-Wah

Thank you for the history lesson. Really!

cheers,
Drew Howard

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www.newslinkassociates.com
www.drewhoward.com

quote:

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When we discovered what he had done, it required taking the second string on down to a C# with the lever that lowered the D# to a D. This, so he could use "unison" notes evolving in two different directions. An incredible achievment by the master indeed.

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Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association

When I was staying with him and Faye in late '78 he told me about the singer/artist (unfortunately I don't recall his name ... but I may try to find that audio tape interview with Zane that I did at the time) who "wouldn't have one of those pedal guitars in the band". Hence Zane's subterfuge of incorporating knee levers ... and the artist was none the wiser. I believe that Zane was playing the Louisiana Hayride at the time and Jimmy Day came along to see him play. Of course Jimmy did notice the knee levers and blew the "secret". That was when the artist realised that Zane was playing fine, despite the knee levers, and was allowed to have a guitar with pedals/levers from then on.

Thanks for your contributions to this. And yes I am aware that it can be done on the E9th neck. But I never did it that way. Here is why.

I was visiting Shot Jackson's garage just after this recording came out. Jimmy Day walked in and Shot introduced me to him and he asked Jimmy if he would show me some things on his new Sho-Bud. This because I was contemplating the purchase of one.

Jimmy was telling me what each pedal did and said to me, "If you buy one, you need to add a pull to RKR on your D-10. It should lower the C to a B on the C neck". Then he showed me the lick you are talking about. As well as some others. I said, "Hey, that's what they are doing on that new recording of Billy Walker's" (Thanks John for reminding me of the title and the artist

Anyway, JD shook his head affirmatively. So for all these years I never dreamed you were doing it on E9th. Although I knew it could be done. I always did it on C6, because of that incident. Thanks again.

Herb,

You may be correct. Here is what I recall. When I was contemplating the purchase of that Sho-Bud mentioned above, Shot gave me a small booklet that contained the copedents of some of the pros. And in it, Buddy Charleton is doing precisely what you said, IE, he was lowering his 2nd string from a D# to a C# with pedal A. In fact, so did Pete Drake, Jim Webb and Jerry Merhar in this booklet. (Incidently several were lowering the D# to a C# with the D lever, ie 2 lowers D# to C# and 8 lowers 8 to Eb. Gene O'Neal was one of them).

I felt that would make the A pedal too stiff. So when I changed my mind and ordered an Emmons instead, Gene O'Neal called me and said, "carl make sure you put the BE change on the D lever when you order your guitar". And that is why I have always thought Buddy is the one that came up with it. But if I am incorrect, I stand corrected. Do you suppose BE had it like Buddy Charleton and THEN decided to put it on RKR when the E's to Eb Lever came into being?

God bless you dear friend,

As to the Eb question, here's the... I now think somewhat ambiguous... quote from Ron on July 24, 1964

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(Buddy has) a new pedal on the E9th that drops the Eb a whole tone and raises the Ab and E a half tone. This is his first pedal and (is) used with the B pedal. It's really another Emmons first, new sound.

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WHAT?!

This from April 18, 1964

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Buddy made a change yesterday. Sent his horn on the bus for knee pedal change.

Right knee now raises E on E9th to F.
C on C6th is now actuated by 7th pedal.

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Hmmm... Buddy was using E-F on a knee lever in mid-1964.

One more gem of information. The Emmons Guitar must have been revolutionary. This from September 28, 1964

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Business is really booming... last week I worked from 7 till midnight and am still behind. We have sold 34 guitars in Canada alone now. Around 150 in the U.S.. We have only made 7 deliveries. You can see what the future holds.

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Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association

[This message was edited by Herb Steiner on 10 February 2003 at 11:17 AM.]