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Author
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Topic: Info on Howard Pedal Steels
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Jack Mansfield
Member From: Reno, NV
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posted 24 February 2006 05:23 PM
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Does anyone have any information on Howard Pedal Steels? |
Doyle Mitchell
Member From: Loraine,Texas 79532
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posted 24 February 2006 05:44 PM
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Back in the 70's a guy ask me if I was familar with the Howard steel guitar co. in Grand Prarie Tx. Said he saw a 16 string steel there, I had never heard of them before or have never seen one in person, but he said the Howard that made them was quite a picker. Perhaps this is the same co. you are talking about. Perhaps they are still in Grand Prarie, Tx. |
Bob Tuttle
Member From: San Angelo, Tx, USA
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posted 24 February 2006 07:05 PM
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The Howard steels were built in Grand Prairie, TX during the late 60's and 70's by Tom McCormick. I worked in his shop with him for several months in 1965. Tom was not a picker, but he was very good at designing and building. His designs were unconventional, but they worked. He also built some fine sounding amplifiers. Tom moved to the Dallas area from Phoenix. He and Zane Beck were good friends, and he always spoke very highly of Zane.I first met Tom when I was living in Long Beach, CA in about 1964. He brought a couple of his amplifiers to Al Petty's house to demonstrate them. Al, myself, Red Rhodes, and two or three other steel players spent nearly a whole day comparing his amp to the new Fender Twin-Reverb.
I don't think they ever decided for sure which one sounded best, although Red seemed to prefer the Fender. Tom passed away several years ago. He was a fine man, and I'm glad I had the chance to know him. |
Stu Schulman
Member From: anchorage,alaska
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posted 24 February 2006 07:16 PM
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In 1973 I moved from NYC to Dallas and wound up planting trees for a day job in Grand Prarie TX.I used to go to Tom's shop on my lunch break and hang out,I remember that he had a guitar that he had built for Julian Tharpe,and a few others around.His guitars had springs underneath that were about a foot long?I remeber that he was a real nice guy,and knew a lot about building steels.One time I went by the shop and he was closed that day,he had a sign in the window that said"Gone Fishing"you gotta love it. |
Doyle Mitchell
Member From: Loraine,Texas 79532
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posted 25 February 2006 10:16 AM
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hOWDY Bob, I guess the guy was right back in the 70's, The guy he heard playing was probably Julian according to what you are saying. He told me that the guy was playing a 16 string guitar, I asked if it was two 8 string necks and he said no! it was 16 strings on one neck! Did you ever see that guitar?? |
Bob Tuttle
Member From: San Angelo, Tx, USA
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posted 25 February 2006 11:22 AM
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Hi Doyle,
No, I never saw the 16 string guitar. I saw the 10 strings and 12 strings. The 16 string steel was probably built around the same time that Julian was experimenting with more strings. I think there was also a 20 string guitar, possibly built by MSA for Julian, during that time frame. I guess he finally settled on 14 strings. |
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